3660 On the Rise - Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii - Phone: 808-737-1177

Auntie Pastos - Piles of al dente pasta, good homemade breads, big ole’ meatballs, sausage and peppers. Of course everybody knows everbody in the place so there is a lot of chatter and laughter. Nothing fancy, just good food, good friends and a very friendly staff. Hawaii Five 0 Favorite

Azure - This new fine dining restaurant opened in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel after it was extensively renovated in 2008 and 2009. The restaurant's executive chef is Jon Matsubara. Great atmosphere. Hawaii Five 0 Favorite

Bali by the Sea - Bali by the Sea is an open air fine dining restaurant at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel which specializes in combining flavors and ingredients from many different Pacific Rim countries.

Bistro at Centry Center - The Bistro at Century Center opened in 2003 and it specializes in traditional continental cuisine and fine wines. Be enveloped in a heady mixture of richness, class and restaurant decadence. The menu is European, with classic French, Italian and German dishes. A good value given the personal touch, the quality of the food and the gracious ambiance.

Chai’s Island Bistro - Aloha Tower Marketplace Phone: 808-585-0011

Diamond Head Grill - Prime aged beef, fresh fish, and local ingredients are the specialties of this grill restaurant in the W Hotel. Restaurant has large windows overlooking Kapiolani Park and Diamond Head Crater. Dinner entrees cost $25 to $45.

Chef Mavro - Chef Mavro One of Oahu's top restaurants is the domain of chef George Mavrothalassitis (who thankfully used his nickname). Set in a residential neighborhood of Honolulu, it attracts a nice mix of local couples, dedicated foodies, and in-the-know tourists ready to have the best meal of their trip. Set menus of three and four courses and an 11-course tasting menu are offered with optional wine pairings. The marbled tako, for example—finely sliced octopus with ponzu sauce, salmon roe, and green-papaya salad—finds its perfect foil in a glass of 2004 Leasingham Riesling. Specialties such as cursinade (sea urchin bouillabaisse) reflect Mavro's roots in Marseille, as well as his love for his adopted home, where he moved in 1988. five star

DK Steak house - Marriott Hotel. Dry-aged steaks cooked to perfection and a view overlooking Waikiki Beach, have made this place a major hit since it opened in the fall of 2004. D.K. Kodama is one of Hawaii's most ambitious chef-entrepreneurs. D.K. Steakhouse's double-broiled, butterflied filet mignon, served with shiitake mushroom demi-glace and a side of asparagus Milanese, is satisfying to both the local and tourist palate. There's also a special menu of dessert martinis, including the well-named "Bomb" (Godiva white chocolate, Baileys, and Kahlúa). The portions are big here, so unless you've hiked Diamond Head or surfed Pipeline all day, consider sharing.  Dinner only.

Dukes - Named after Hawaiian legend Duke Kahanamoku is one of the best bets in town. The food is tasty and fuss-free: macadamia-and-crab wontons, hulihuli (BBQ) chicken, grilled fresh fish, chocolate-and-macadamia "hula pie" for dessert. But the scene is more important here, beach girls and boys, happy families, daily live music, and the backdrop of Waikiki Beach, with palm trees swaying in the balmy breeze. Hawaii Five 0 Favorite

Hiroshi’s Ala Moana - As the name implies, the draw here is small plates meant to be shared. Chef Hiroshi Fukui's menu has lots of sample-worthy creations, such as filet mignon topped with foie gras ponzu sauce, pan-roasted shrimp with roasted-garlic aioli foam, and panko-crusted ahi with yellow-mustard foam (warning: the meal can get pricey very quickly). The restaurant shares its green-walled, green-upholstered space with a lively wine bar.

Hoku’s - Kahala Resort  - Phone: 808-739-8780

Hy’s Steak House - Waikiki Park Heights hotel - Phone: 808.922.5555

Indigo - Phone: 808-521-2900 Hawaii Five 0 Favorite

John Dominis - This restaurant has been a fixture in Waikiki since it first opened in 1979. Fresh fish is the specialty and the dining room has beautiful views of Waikiki and Diamond Head.

Kakaako Kitchen - Set inside the Ward Center shopping mall, across the street from Starbucks and a giant movie-theater complex, Kakaako is a gentle reminder that you're still in Hawaii. This popular takeout place serves local-style fast food (there are a few tables if you want to sit down), with a menu that changes every six months. The hot entrées are hit-or-miss, but the Chinese pork char sui noodle salad and the sandwiches (try the seared ahi) are always reliable. So are the desserts, including coconut mochi and heavenly bread pudding. Hawaii Five 0 Favorite

La Mer - Fine Dining. Award winning French restaurant at the Halekulani Hotel in Waikiki.

Mariposa - Neiman Marcus Department Store, Ala Moana Center - Phone: 808-951-3420

MICHEL'S - Fine dining. On the sand at Sans Souci Beach with one side open to the sunset. Featuring the classics - onion soup, steak tartare, chateaubriand, bouillabaisse. Live music.  Hawaii Five 0 Favorite

Morton’s Steakhouse - Great steaks such as filet mignon, porterhouse steak, New York steak, rib eye steak & prime rib.

Ola - Where the rinky-dink beach concession stand of the Turtle Bay resort once stood, this sexy open-air restaurant now lets the waves practically lap at your table. Ola (Hawaiian for "life") has a menu that's unique to the North Shore: Its high-end cuisine is made with decidedly local, down-to-earth ingredients. Kahuku corn chowder, ahi and lobster poke (a marinated seafood salad), local greens with lilikoi (Hawaiian passion fruit), and smoked beef tenderloin with mashed sweet potatoes are just a few of the delicious choices. Many dinner menu items come with a suggested wine pairing. Prices are a little high for the casual setting, but the ambience can't be beat—unless there's rain or stormy seas, in which case you should stay away. The zip-down fabric walls don't do much to cut the damp. Hawaii Five 0 Favorite

Orchids - Open air seafood restaurant at the luxurious Halekulani Hotel in Waikiki.

The Pineapple Room - Macy's Department Store, Ala Moana Center - Phone: 808-945-6573

Roy’s - Chef Roy Yamaguchi specializes in seafood dishes that combine local flavors with European sauces and Asian spices. There are three Roy's on Oahu, one at Lewers and Kalia Road in Waikiki, one in Hawaii Kai, and one at the Ko Olina Resort. Hawaii Five 0 Favorite

Rum Fire Grill - RumFire will take you on a journey from yesteryear and bring you into the present with our fire pits and 101 bottles of rum with Diamond Head as your backdrop. The unique Hawaiian fusion menu highlights the "bahawaiian" cuisine. Known as west meets west, their food is a local fiesta of the baja coast mixed with Hawaiian style! The menu mixes the spicy, hot sizzle of baja with the fresh, cool tropical touches of Waikiki. This is a recipe for fun that makes RumFire the best place to catch that "waikiki wave. Great happy hour. Hawaii Five 0 Favorite

Sarento’s - Ilikai Hotel- Phone: 808-955-5559 A romantic spot with sunset views of the harbor. An Italian menu that appeals to all tastes and an impressive selection of wines. 2002 Ilima Award. (D $$$)

Poke Stop - Waipahu. Oahu-born chef Elmer Guzman is on a one-man mission to elevate poke—the local side dish of soy-marinated raw fish—to an art form. He blends the bold influences of his mentors—Alan Wong and Sam Choy in Hawaii and Emeril Lagasse in New Orleans—with his own creative ideas to come up with no less than 25 flavors of poke. Guzman's outpost is in Waipahu—totally out of the way unless you're staying at the Ihilani Resort & Spa—and resembles a fast food joint with counter service and cement tables and umbrellas outside. But it turns out top-notch food. Blackened fish, bento boxes, salads, sandwiches, and soups round out the menu, but most people stop in just for the poke. Like at an ice cream counter, you can try three flavors for free before you commit—the spicy, Big Easy–inspired Creamy Ahi is the most popular—and your order can be packed on ice if you want to eat it back at your hotel. Hawaii Five 0 Favorite

Side Street In - More sports bar than restaurant, this humble spot has such terrific food that you might spot Alan Wong or Roy Yamaguchi hanging out here after-hours. You'll have to put up with the loudly blaring TVs (and even louder shouts and screams if a big football game is on), but the barbecued pork ribs, perfectly juicy pork chops, and garlic edamame are worth it. And with entrées costing about $12, you can't beat the prices with a stick. Hawaii Five 0 Favorite

Tokkuri Tei - Best sushi on the island. Trust me, thats hard to do when there are hundreds of sushi restaurants in Hawaii. They have the most extensive list of sake too. Whether your just visiting Oahu or you're a local, it would be a shame to miss out on this dining experience. Authentic and always busy. Best to make reservations. Would also be easier if you spoke Japanese too. Hawaii Five 0 Favorite

BEST OF OAHU

Best italian - AUNTIE PASTO'S - Funky and popular. Great pasta, portions and price

Best Shave Ice – Matsumoto in Haleiwa (Not to be missed!)

Most Romantic – Hau Tree Lanai

Best All Around – For a great casual atmosphere, good food, and not too expensive (for Hawaii standards) – Duke’s Waikki

Best Value – Nico’s Pier 39

Best Bakery -In Honolulu, Liliha Bakery (coco puff is a must).  On the North Shore, try Ted’s Bakery, near  Sunset Beach.

Best Local Hole in the Wall Restaurany – Hukilau Cafe at 55-662 Wahinepee St in Laie.

Best Sushi – Sansei in the Waikiki Marriott.

Best Pineapple Dessert - Dole Whip at the Dole Plantation

Best Waikiki Beach View – Hanahano Room at the Sheraton in Waikiki. (See my post about the amazing view at the Hanohano.)

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