63 Restaurants Are Showcasing Their Menus With Deals During Honolulu Restaurant Week
The Nov. 9 to 17 showcase is a win-win for restaurants and diners in a historically slow season.
Molcajete at Taqueria El Ranchero. Photo: Courtesy of Taqueria El Ranchero
Seriously, good luck trying to narrow your picks for where to eat during Honolulu Restaurant Week. We tried, for purposes relating to personal pleasure (and budget), but 1) this inaugural Restaurant Week brought in 63 eateries across O‘ahu, way more than expected; and 2) there are deals across the board, from fine dining to plate lunch.
Like what? A three-course prix fixe from a poke shop. Greatest hits course meals at restaurants in Kaimukī and Kaka‘ako. Whiskey and cocktail flights, both paired with bites. Discounts on farm-to-table kaiseki and omakase sushi. Plus steak, pizza, skewers, brunch, Mexican, and would you prefer lobster or crab with your multi-course Chinese meal, and how would you like it prepared? More on menu highlights below.
But first, what is Honolulu Restaurant Week, and who benefits? The effort, sponsored by First Hawaiian Bank and Mastercard®, is a push to support Hawai‘i restaurants during a historically slow season. Participating eateries put together special deals, often full-course meals, that give diners a chance to sample a slew of dishes. That wallet-friendly showcase aspect makes it a win for customers, too, and a fun excuse to try new places and revisit favorites.
Honolulu Restaurant Week starts Nov. 9 and runs through Nov. 17. For the full, searchable list of 63 restaurants and their special menus, head to hnlrestaurantweek.com. Some sample menus to start with:
Photo: Courtesy of Ali‘i Fish Market
In Mō‘ili‘ili, Ali‘i Fish Market’s three-course takeout special ($26) starts with ‘ahi shumai saimin on Sun Noodles in ‘ahi broth, segues to a loaded poke bowl with two kinds of poke and finishes with a pie of lychee gelée and fresh strawberries on a buttery crust, finished with a sprinkle of orange zest.
Appetizer Sampler. Photo: Courtesy of Chef Chai
In Kaka‘ako, Chef Chai’s $69 prix fixe packs in fan favorites, including kataifi-crusted jumbo black tiger prawns, smoked duck tacos with spicy mango salsa and Mongolian lamb chops or Chai’s oxtail soup. Dessert choices include chocolate lava cake and coconut cheesecake.
Across town in Kaimukī, XO Restaurant echoes the best hits theme—its $60 seven-course menu includes XO scallops, buttermilk fried chicken with adobo butter sauce, loaded potato gratin and brown butter bunny butter mochi.
Photo: Courtesy of Wolfgang’s Steakhouse
Steak dinners? You’ll find all kinds among other choices in Kāhala at Et Al and Kapa Hale; and in Waikīkī at Aloha Steakhouse, The Butcher Bar, Heavenly Island Lifestyle, Mahina & Suns, Monkeypod Kitchen, Restaurant Suntory, TR Fire Grill, Waikīkī Shokudo and Wolfgang’s Steakhouse.
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Chinese choices range from Mongolian-inspired to new Hong Kong at Downtown’s Honolulu Seafood Restaurant, where a $128 prix fixe for two is highlighted by your choice of 2.25 pounds of fresh lobster or 2.5 pounds of Dungeness crab, both prepared in your choice of styles, including with ginger and onion or salted golden egg yolk. In Mō‘ili‘ili, Khan Skewer House’s $68.99 prix fixe feeds two or three people and comes with three appetizers plus scallops, eggplant and skewers of grilled wagyu beef, Maui venison, pork belly and lamb, plus fluffy snow milk ice for dessert.
Photo: Courtesy of Khan Skewer House
Budget-friendly choices include Chengdu Taste’s lunch special of two ($24.99), three ($36.99) or four ($48.99) entrées plus rice and soft drink. Toothpick lamb’s not on the list, but mapo tofu, sautéed chicken with pickles and eggplant with spicy garlic sauce are. Domo Café in Kāhala is offering a $16.95 bento with fresh yuzu ‘ahi poke, salmon nigiri sushi, rice, edamame and miso soup. Golden River Restaurant in Chinatown has cool vermicelli rice noodles tossed with fresh greens, grilled pork and shrimp for just $12. And Kaimukī Shokudo’s $18 lunch teishoku comes with salmon sashimi, grilled saba or washugyu sukiyaki beef, Okinawan sweet potato salad, mini soba and rice.
Photo: Courtesy of Eleven
Less expected are the lineup of four whiskies at Eleven, the cocktail bar inside Foodland Farms Ala Moana: Ohishi Islay Cask Whiskey, The Balvenie Doublewood 12-Year Scotch, Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Whistlepig Piggyback Rye, each paired with an indulgent app, for $24. And Yours Truly’s flight of three custom cocktail samples and elegant bites for $30, downstairs at the AC Hotel Downtown.
SEE ALSO: Three Places to Eat and Drink at Downtown’s New AC Hotel
And yes, dessert. Save room and try the offering of three slices for $21 from Slice by HB Baking, the ice cream pie shop on Kapahulu: cherry cheesecake mousse, Snuggy Bear Pie of coffee almond fudge and English toffee ice creams on an Oreo crust with salted milk crumble, and a pumpkin pecan ice cream cupcake.
It’s a good thing Honolulu Restaurant Week, from Nov. 9 to 17, is actually nine days. Don’t forget your stretchy pants!
