E komo mai —
ranked by locals — not Yelp tourists
Four islands · Mom & pop only · Photos required
The Definitive Rankings
Best Of Hawaiʻi
Every great dish, ranked by the locals who eat it every week — weighted by our Kūpuna score, classics pinned on top. No chains. No tourist reviews.
The Best
Plate Lunch
Two scoops rice, macaroni salad, and your protein — the definitive Hawaiʻi meal.
827 joints ranked →
The Best
Loco Moco
White rice, hamburger patty, fried egg, brown gravy. Invented in Hilo, perfected statewide.
48 joints ranked →
The Best
Poke
Fresh ahi cut straight from the ice case — shoyu, sesame, sold by the pound.
33 joints ranked →
The Best
Shave Ice
Ice shaved so fine it drinks the syrup like snow. Not a snow cone.
23 joints ranked →
The Best
Garlic Shrimp
North Shore shrimp trucks, garlic butter, and paper plates. The line is worth it.
16 joints ranked →
The Best
Malasada
Portuguese fried dough rolled in sugar, no hole. Eat it warm.
11 joints ranked →
The Best
Saimin
Hawaiʻi's noodle soup — clear dashi broth, fish cake, char siu, green onion.
12 joints ranked →
The Best
Kalua Pork
Smoky, slow-cooked, shredded. The centerpiece of every luau.
11 joints ranked →
The Best
Spam Musubi
Spam, rice, nori. Convenience-store royalty — eat it warm.
16 joints ranked →
The Best
Chicken Katsu
Panko-crusted, fried, sliced, served with katsu sauce over rice.
12 joints ranked →
The Best
Lau Lau
Pork and butterfish wrapped in luau leaf and steamed for hours.
9 joints ranked →
The Best
Manapua
Hawaiʻi's char siu bao — steamed or baked pork-filled buns.
2 joints ranked →