Take your tastebuds off the beaten path at one of these hidden gems on Oahu. Before you go, we recommend calling ahead to see if and when a restaurant is open for business. Most places on this list are small businesses with little kitchens, so be prepared to wait for your delicious dish. 1. Ethel’s Grill A hole-in-the-wall […]
Helena’s Hawaiian Food doesn’t open for another hour, but the kitchen, at 9 a.m., is already bustling with activity. Just beneath 250 pounds of its famous pipikaula (salted dried beef), hanging in long strips above the stoves, a pair of chefs stir massive aluminum stockpots filled with bubbling beef stew, squid lū‘au, chicken long rice
Don’t worry, the taste and quality of Matsumoto Shave Ice’s popular icy treat haven’t changed and it’s located in the same area—just bigger and better. The expansion resulted from the construction of the Haleiwa Store Lots, a cluster of recently-built storefronts in the surrounding area, which includes Matsumoto’s. And, we are happy to report that
It’s easy to brand the popular and pervasive North Shore O‘ahu shrimp shacks and trucks as tourist traps. On most days near lunchtime, it’s not uncommon to find dozens of packed tour vans parked outside shrimp purveyors between the North Shore towns of Hale‘iwa and Kahuku, their passengers scarfing down plates of shrimp. Catch us
*This story was published on May 1, 2013, and updated in February 2026. The phone in Mike Hirao’s office is ringing off the hook. He doesn’t answer it. “I bet this person wants chichi dango,” he says, eyeing the noisy phone. It’s 3 p.m. on a Thursday. Nisshodo Candy Store has been open since 7
It’s not a coincidence that manoa, in Hawaiian, means “vast.” Not only is this lush valley on Oahu’s south shore immense in physical size — extending from the emerald peaks of the Koolau Mountains to the coral reefs off Waikiki — but its history, its culture, its people and its offerings are vast, too. A
