By 
Note: This post was originally written in 2018.
Welcome to my second blog post of my trip to Oahu!
If you like sushi or poke, eating on Oahu is paradise on earth. If I could eat anything for the rest of my life, it would be poke. It’s also my food of choice whenever I’m out and about running errands in LA.
That’s why I made my mission to eat as many poke bowls as I could and I have some great finds for you to add to your list! In Hawaii, the fish is fresh and perfectly marinated with that melt-in-your-mouth quality you don’t easily find in LA or elsewhere on the mainland.
Tip: If you love fish and you’re in Hawaii for less than a week, try to avoid restaurant chains you can easily find on the mainland!
Sushi 🍣
I’m a big sushi lover. I’ve been to Japan 3 times. I love the culture and the food, but never after the 8 years it’s been since I last visited Japan, have I eaten sushi so fresh like I did at Mitch’s. My dad and I even closed our eyes and slowly chewed the fish to appreciate it and fully immerse ourselves in the flavor and the texture. This hole-in-the-wall restaurant is located in an industrial warehouse, just 2 blocks away from Honolulu airport. The fish comes straight from the airplane to the restaurant and is imported from the waters of New Zealand. The restaurant, like Oahu, is very laid-back, no-frills and unpretentious. It was so laid-back that even the staff were wearing shorts. Every single server was super attentive and one of them was impressed that I had found this place.
It is a little bit pricey but nothing outrageous: $14 for a 2-piece sushi order compared to your regular $4 2-piece sushi order here in LA, but you’re definitely getting your money’s worth. There was also the chef’s specials, which were obviously more expensive and everyone around us mostly locals, ordered those. We were basic and we strictly stuck to sushi and sashimi lol. I mean, when will we ever again get to taste the freshest sushi on earth? The cuts of sushi and sashimi were also huge, like, you could just not eat them in one bite. We liked Mitch’s so much we even went back again before returning our car and going to the airport. Coincidentally, our car rental was only two blocks away! I’m seriously considering booking a round-trip to Honolulu from LAX just to hop off the plane, go to Mitch’s and head back to LA. Yes people, it was that good. This place is probably Oahu’s best-kept secret.
For those of you who don’t know, Obama was born and raised in Honolulu. Whenever he goes back to Oahu, he pays a visit to Mitch’s, which validates their consistent and unsurpassed quality.
Poke
We ate poke EVERY DAY. Eating authentic, fresh Hawaiian poke set the bar to a whole different level and made me seriously question and fear whether I’ll ever enjoy mainland poke again. Inexpensive, giant scoops of fresh perfectly marinated fish and hot steamed rice, that made our taste buds super happy after a long day at the beach.
I was baffled by how ubiquitous poke was on Oahu: liquor stores, convenience stores, random hole-in the-wall places and supermarkets all sell it. It was funny to see the lack of seating areas and trendy décor of poke joints on Oahu. On the mainland, modern hip ambiance with wall neon signs praising love of poke defines your overall eating experience. We ate in our car pretty much every day, which was also nice and enhanced our Hawaiian adventure. If you go to poke joints late in the day they might sell out, so make sure to go early in the day.
Aloha Cones, Honolulu
We were starving when we got there from the other side of the island after a long day at the beach. I had driven for one hour straight! A warning to consider is that everything closes super early. We made it 16 minutes before closing time which was 4pm. Traffic on Oahu is no joke, so map out the places you want to go before you leave in the morning to avoid surprises. Thankfully, there was parking in the back, which helped us get there on time.
We were blown away by how good everything was as we devoured our bowls. We also ordered one of their shave ice creams which was also super good! Talking about shaved ice cream, we missed Matsumoto Shave Ice (North Shore) and Waiola in Honolulu. These last two places are the top ice cream shave places on Oahu.
Ahi Assassins Fish Co, Kanehoe
The best poke joint on Oahu is located on the second level of what seemed to be a rundown converted apartment building. This was our favorite place so far!! The people working there were young local fishermen, and you could definitely tell they were knowledgeable about poke and truly enjoyed working there. There was no place to sit and parking in the plaza was limited. Delicious is a BIG understatement. If you don’t believe me, look at the picture below. This hole-in-the-wall poke joint was the hardest to find as there were no signs.
The fish at Ahi Assassins is straight off the boat.
“Over 80% of America’s fish is imported from foreign countries with unstable processing plants & lower health regulations. Much of the fish sold in big marketplaces are flash frozen and pumped with CO2 to bring back color. The only thing Ahi Assassins pumps is gas into the boats we fish from.” – Ahi Assassins Website
Look at all their media exposure. Yes my friends, their hype is completely justified.
Fresh Catch in Kanehoe
There’s another location in Honolulu but we went to the one in Kanehoe, where they had ample parking and inside seating available, which it’s shocking for a Hawaiian poke joint. To our disappointment, inside seating was at its full capacity so once again, we ended up eating in our car! If you didn’t want to get out of your car, you could simply order through the drive-through window!
Maguro Bros, China Town
Located in China Town, this place was our first stop after checking into our hotel on the first day.
Compared with the other hole-in-the-wall places we ate at, this was our least favorite. The fish was fresh and the quality was outstanding, but the place was catered more to sashimi and sushi rather than poke. The portions were also surprisingly small in comparison to the other poke places we went to. If you’re staying on Oahu for 3/4 days, I wouldn’t add this to my must-stop list.
Below you’ll see the other poke places on my list that we missed: 😢😢
Apparently, Poke from Foodland, which is a supermarket is really good.
Tamashiro Market
802 N King St, Honolulu, HI 96817
Ono Seafood
747 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, HI 96816
Tamura’s Fine Wine & Liquors (multiple locations)- We went to the one on Maui!
Kahuku Superette
56-505 Kamehameha Hwy, Kahuku, HI 96731
Fort Ruger Market
534 Paikau St, Honolulu, HI 96816
Alicia’s Market
267 Mokauea St, Honolulu, HI 96819
Dinner
Livestock Tavern, Honolulu
American comfort food with a modern twist in Downtown! Livestock Tavern was the perfect option for dining in Honolulu on our first night. The restaurant interior was very contemporary: brick walls, high ceilings with a hipster, trendy feel to it like many restaurants in LA. Their menu changes seasonally and they also specialize in handcrafted cocktails. I don’t remember exactly what we ordered, but the veggies were the best of the best, their cakes were mouth-watering, and the portions were so generous that we had to share!
Lei Lei’s Bar and Grill, North Shore
Located in the Turtle Bay resort’s golf course, Lei Lei’s is a great option if you’re in North Shore and you’re looking for a nice relaxing dining experience. This was a lovely dinner after spending the afternoon in Waimea falls. We shared their fresh flavorful salad and their delicious ahi poke plate. It goes without saying that the server was attentive and knowledgeable, providing us with recommendations. The portions were very substantial!
This was the salad I ordered
Poke & Box, Ala Moana Shopping Center
We went to Ala Moana center at night but we weren’t really hungry, so we went to the food court in hopes of trying to find something light to eat and we opted for Poke & Box. After trying out the outstanding poke at the places I mentioned earlier, this one fell a little short. Later we grabbed a shave ice cream at the other food court and it was delicious.
Breakfast
Arvo Coffee, Honolulu
Researching Oahu-based Instagram accounts, I came across Arvo Coffee multiple times. It’s a coffee, clothing, plant store and possibly the best Instagrammable breakfast place in all Honolulu. What an amazing find!!! We wanted to go back a second time, but our tight schedule and its inconvenient location made it impossible. I was surprised at how good my almond latte was. Also, every plate was beautifully presented, which of course makes for excellent Instagram pictures!
It was astounding to see the difference between the hustle of Waikiki and the calmness of this area.
Chadlou’s Coffee Roaster, Kailua
The coffee and breakfast were not as solid as Arvo’s, but this was a great breakfast option before going to Lainaki Beach, which was only 10 minutes away. The hipster ambiance and the gorgeous tile counter, made me feel like I was in Silverlake!
Olive & Oliver, Waikiki
Olive and Oliver is a cute hipster coffee shop connected to the lobby area of the Surfjack hotel, which is where we stayed. The coffee shop had a cute boutique shop with shirts and other mementos. The beautiful art-deco inspired counter, the pink walls and the cute cups truly set this place apart from any other coffee shop in Waikiki! Not only was the coffee super good, but it was also inexpensive. Olive and Oliver was a great option to grab something quick before we headed off to the beach!
Note: They only serve coffee and a few limited snack options, not full breakfast meals.
More places in North Shore
Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck (Haleiwa)
Yummy but a mess to eat!! This place is world-famous for their shrimp. When we got there, it was super packed and there was a big line, but we had to try it. The rice and lemon were heavenly. I’m not crazy about shrimp in general so eating with my hands next to a giant trashcan and repelling mosquitoes, wasn’t exactly the most pleasant eating experience. If you love shrimp, I advise you to do some research. Shrimp trucks are a dime a dozen on Oahu, especially in Haleiwa. It was good, but I don’t think it was worth the 30 to 40 minute wait. Parking in Haleiwa, this cute village in North Shore, is a complete nightmare. There’s no street-parking unless you’re going to any of the gift shops and it’s also a very touristy spot.
The Sunrise Shack
Another great find thanks to the magic of Instagram. If you’re ever in North Shore, this place can’t be missed before going to Sunset Beach or the hikes!!
We went there after Giovanni’s. This bright yellow shack on the side of the narrow highway boasts an array of nutritious, healthy fruit bowls and smoothies. They also make their own coffee, called the Bulletproof Coffee. We ordered the papaya boats: mine was with peanut butter and my dad’s had almond butter and needed to say, it was super flavorful and fresh.
After eating our papaya bowls surrounded by the most pleasant green garden with chirping birds and roosters running around, my dad bought one of their chocolate bars from the display. It had sea salt and it was very decadent and rich! They also have a gift section with unique items like organic popcorn, chocolate, their signature bulletproof Coffee grounds, shirts and organic house-made skincare products. Go to their Instagram here.
Leonard’s Bakery, Waikiki
Although this year I made the commitment of taking my fitness game seriously (which I am, and I’m so proud of myself) by cutting out sugar, certain fats and red meat, we had to go to Hawaii’s most famous bakery and try out Leonard’s signature malasadas. This place is in the Waikiki area, so if you’re staying nearby it’s a great walk!
These Hawaiian treats are basically a Portuguese-style donut without the hole, brought to Hawaii by Portuguese plantation workers in the 19thcentury. I had the custard filling one which was super good and also their most popular. My dad had the plain one, which was a little lackluster. If you go, definitely order the filled ones. The creamy filling adds a special touch of flavor.
That’s it folks!! If only we had stayed more days…we loved Hawaii so much we tried to stay for one extra day but the plane ticket change fee was $200 each! Ugh.
Hawaii definitely surpassed my expectations. When people think of Hawaii, mostly they think of nice beaches, surfers and luau parties. Despite our short stay, we came back with memorable experiences: the food, the majestic landscape, the unforgettable swims, the food and the warmth of everyone we encountered, allowed us to see Hawaii from an entirely new perspective. If you’re reading and you’ve never been to Hawaii, it should be at the top of your must-visit destinations list.
Thank you to redditor @brianlangauthor for sharing this!!
Click here to view the document.
“This is not my doc but was shared in this sub about a week before we went to Oahu. We used it the whole week.
Edit – and I would add 12th Ave Grill to it because we grabbed a same day rezzie there and the food was fantastic!”
Have you been to Hawaii? If so, which island? Please share in the comments!
