Freshest Fish near Waikiki or within walking distance (1-2 miles) or amazing food, no chains.

[Sarasml]

Hi Again - at the risk of being a pest I am hoping that you all will help me again with recommendations for amazing fish or just food near Waikiki. We will be there for 10 days and I want to eat relatively healthy - especially after the Pigout around Oahu. Great food is key - price is less important but don't want to spend $$$ every night. Have read all of the comments but please break it down for me like the other. please!!! We can take a cab or the Bus too.
Mahalo!!

[KaimukiMan]

try this one more time

[KaimukiMan]

you are gonna make me do it. I have picky friends, several of them. I got tired of trying to think of places to go eat, so I made a list. I tell them... pick a place. The list is not all inclusive, not authoritative, not anything. Just a list of places that I particularly am willing to go (and a few I'd rather not.) There are no descriptions you will just have to do a chow search or google them for details.

sorry, the quality isn't good.... i'll see what i can do about that.

[Clinton]

You might like the Pineapple Room inside of Macy's at the Ala Moana Shopping Center. Very nice setting and the food is great. Another Alan Wong venue is the Side Street Inn off Kapiolani Blvd. Much more casual with valet service.

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Side Street Inn
1225 Hopaka St, Honolulu, HI

[manomin]

Au Contraire - Side Street is a favorite of AW, RY and others including myself but not one of AW's properties.

[Clinton]

I stand corrected. Tried it once. Didn't care for it personally. The service was terribly slow.

[KaimukiMan]

and note that there is another side street inn on Kapahulu, just outside the east end of waikiki, so depending on where you are.... Clinton makes a point, both are known for slow service overall, but good food.

[Clinton]

You're right Kman...the food was OK but service was exceptionally slow and the place was not even packed that evening. Bad first impression for us. last visit probably? Sorry.

[KaimukiMan]

when you live someplace you can afford to make choices you can't when you have a limited time frame. I like Side Street, but I go there expecting to wait. And yes it's annoying, not necessarily something I would put up with if I was someplace on a trip. And it is a shame.

[Sarasml]

Thanks K man - i am looking forward to checking out all of the recommendations - we will probably be transferred here and I will be happy to embark on a journey of deliciousness and maybe some not so deliciousness.

[KaimukiMan]

great. Hawaii is a wonderful, exciting, fascinating place. And like many other places, living here can be frustrating, expensive, and difficult to adjust to. We are far away from anywhere, even in the digital age, although far less so. that can be annoying, but it gives this place an opportunity to maintain a special unique quality. hope you enjoy your stay. food is a big part of life here, even if it isn't gourmet.

[Bill Hunt]

If you do move to Hawai`i, as soon as you have set up your Internet connection, is to stop back by this forum. Check out the lists, so kindly provided by K'man, over the last several years. I'd say to set the time-frame to ~ 5 years, so that you do not miss any. One could distill the writings of the top 50 food writers, who have done any coverage of Hawai`i (especially O`ahu), and not have such good lists! Heck, print them out, have them laminated, and carry them with you. You will not go wrong.

At the risk of getting off-topic for CH, there are two words, to take to your heart. They are simple words, but are too often forgotten, or completely overlooked. Laminate them too: "aloha" and "respect." Never deviate from either.

Aloha,

Hunt

[Clinton]

Well said!

[Bill Hunt]

For low-end, Nico's on Pier 39 is a good bet for lunch, and fresh fish.

Alan Wong does some great things with local seafood, as does Chef Mavro, and Chef Granier of La Mer - going from high-end to highest-end.

In the past, we have had great seafood at John Dominus (does not/did not get much love here), but, IIRC, they have closed. Yes, they are/were tourist oriented, but they delivered.

An odd place, but we've had good, fresh, local fish, has been Shorebird Grill, at the Outrigger. One does the cooking on the grills nearby, and the "tourist aspect" is at work, but in the end, the results have been good. Wife swears that my garlic rubbed ahi there is still the highlight of her life. Not sure that I deserve that, and maybe the legend has built over the last few decades?

Enjoy,

Hunt

PS - Hau Tree Lanai has come through on several occasions, and we've always gone with the local seafood. Yes, there will be tourists, but that is not really a bad thing.

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Alan Wong's Restaurant
1857 S King St Fl 3, Honolulu, HI 96826

Chef Mavro restaurant
1969 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 96826

La Mer
2199 Kalia Rd, Honolulu, HI 96815

Hau Tree Lanai Restaurant
2863 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815

[Sarasml]

Thanks - we don't care about tourists - we are tourists at least for now! We care about food. Thanks for the quick response!