Boots & Kimos in Kailua
BEST place for breakfast. Awesome banana macadamia nut sauce pancakes (open until 2 p.m. only). Take the 72 right to 61 right, right on Hamakua Road, make left at first little street, it curves to the right and Boots and Kimos is on the right just after curve, just past Napa Auto Parts store.

Alan Wong's in Honolulu >>>> www.alanwongs.com 949-2536
This is our new favorite... a little pricey, but well worth it. If you're gonna splurge once, this is the place. We loved the "Soup & Sandwich" and Macadamia Encrusted Ono and the Coconut for dessert.

Lucy's Grill N' Bar 230-8188 Kailua at 33 Aulike Street, tiki torches, salt water fish tanks, outside and inside seating, local style all the way. Early Bird Special until 6:30 p.m. Fresh fish, ahi, steaks, soups & salads (huge), chicken, noodles. Great fun and awesome desserts.

Baci Bistro 262-7555, across from Lucy's in Kailua
Italian food at its best. Small place, make reservations if possible. Homemade pasta dishes, always have a fresh fish special. Very nice atmosphere.

Assagio's Italian Restaurant  396-0756 Hawaii Kai
Koko Head Shopping Center, behind the Foodland and Chevron Station, right on the water. Great place for fresh fish and pasta and lots of garlic, don't miss the ceasar salad made fresh at your table.

Irifuni, 737-1141, 563 Kapahulu, Waikiki, this is the street the zoo is on. Garlic ahi, but be sure to get the dessert first (ice-cream banana crepes), cuz you won't have enough room by the end of your meal. It's Japanese with a twist. They have great combo plates, garlic ahi and crab, or chicken, or sashimi. Dinner is usually around $10-15. BYOB

Auntie Pastos, 523-8855, Beretania/Pensacola, Honolulu, also next to Irifune on Kapahulu
Great pasta, all made to order. They always have awesome specials. If you love pasta, cheap pasta, made fresh, this is da kine. Dinners are around $10-12.

Kin Wah Chinese Restaurant  Kamehameha Highway, Kaneohe
Great Chinese food. Another place you want to go family style. We usually get soup, and a sizzling platter of something (scallops, beef, chicken, vegetables), sweet and sour pork, rice. Just name it, whatever your favorite dish, they've got it. Very big menu and great prices. $5.00-$10.00 an item. We usually get out of this place for $22 for two. If you want a treat, order the peking duck with buns and plum sauce (usually available at banquets only). Take Kamehameha Hwy. (83) towards Kaneohe, make a U-turn at Likelike Hwy., see Island Mini Mart and gas station on right, Kin Wah is right behind it.

Roy's in Hawaii Kai on Kalianaole Highway, past Foodland, 396-7697
Pacific Rim Style food. Very good food, another well known local chef. A little pricey, but you will not be disappointed with the food. Sit downstairs and outside for the sunset.  http://www.roysrestaurant.com/docs/index.html

Gordon Biersch  Aloha Tower, Honolulu
This place is right next to Bad Ass Coffee Company . A micro brewery and restaurant, right on the water. We usually sit at the back bar so we can check out the comings and goings of Honolulu Harbor. The brilliant blue of the water makes a great backdrop to any meal. They'll give you a taste of each of their beers so you can decide which one you like best. They have great salads and pizzas, and, of course, their famous garlic fries.

Natsunoya Tea House, 595-4488  1935 Makanani Drive, Honolulu
This is a special occasion place. If you have a group of 10 or more you'd like to take to a one of a kind dinner, this is it. One of only 3 teas houses left in Honolulu, located on the mountain above Honolulu. They serve 10+ course meals Japanese style, you can bring your own sake and they'll heat it up and serve it for you. We had the room to ourselves, awesome room, incredible view and sunset, each course was better than the last. It was a good thing we were sitting on the floor by the last course.

Buzz's Steak House: 413 Kawailoa Road, Kailua, 261-4661
Right across from Kailua Beach Park, make reservations; awesome fresh fish and salad bar. Try the calamari steak appetizer. Old Hawaii style. Cash and Traveler's Checks ONLY. No cc's.

Sam Choy's, Breakfast Lunch & Crab    545-7979  580 N. Nimitz in Honolulu, towards airport from Aloha Tower; Great place for seafood local style. They have whole dungeness crab and lobster and a fishing boat in the middle of the restaurant. This is also a micro brewery. Sam Choy is a well known local chef. Very fun atmosphere.

Giovanni's White Shrimp Truck, Kahuku
On your way to the North Shore, up the East Coast, you will come into the town of Kahuku. There you will see a white shrimp truck on the side of the road with all kinds of graffitti on it. Stop and eat lunch. Shrimp scampi is what they make..... regular, hot and extra hot. Be prepared.... awesome!!!!

Chai's Island Bistro, Aloha Tower Marketplace
Chai is an incredible chef and serves Pacific Rim style food with a Thai twist. There is Hawaiian music every night and the atmosphere is very beautiful with incredible orchids throughout the restaurant and a small waterfall and pond in the outside area. The food is a little pricey. The Sampler is great with coconut encrusted prawns, crab cakes, ahi, and more. Kini always gets the duck.

Pinky's Pupu Bar & Grill, 970 Kalaheo Ave, Kailua 254-6255
Local Style all the way; extensive pupu menu (appetizers), ribs, kalua pig, fish tacos, coconut crunch calamari, always a fresh fish, prime ribs, steaks, salads; they got something for everybody.

Saigon Noodle House, Enchanted Lakes, Kailua, 1020 Keolu Drive (turn right off 72 after Olomana Golf course). Noodles, meat, fish, chicken, shrimp, sandwiches, spring rolls and summer rolls, our favorite is the green papaya salad, lemon grass fish & the spicy shrimp and squid. Fresh and ono.

Palomino, Honolulu, 528-2400 (right across from Aloha Tower in the Harbor Court Building)
Top notch, every detail is impressive, you feel like you're in a fancy hotel lobby, mixed with some European charm, pizza oven, fresh fish, salads, pasta, steaks, kids menu. It's all good.

The Shack, 1051 Keolu Drive, Kailua, across from Saigon Noodle House
Great place for a quick bite, burgers, big salads, fresh fish, nice oriental chicken plate lunch, kids menu, beer, sports bar, we take the kids cuz they got a cement floor.

Aloha Salads: Kailua Shopping Center, 600 Kailua Rd. #103, Kailua, HI 96734, Phone: 262-2016, Hours: 10:30 AM-8 PM Daily, the most delicious and fresh salads you can imagine. http://www.alohasalads.com

Thai Valley Cuisine, Kalama Valley, 395-9746, take a right at the stop light by Sandy Beach off Kalanianaole Highway, go up about a mile through housing, just after stop sign on right.
Everything is fresh, fresh, fresh. Herbs from their garden, less oil, delicious. We love the spring rolls, the yellow curry chicken, hot and sour soup, house salad, etc., etc. It's all good.

Casablanca, Kailua, (808) 262-819, Excellent Morroccan food served inside of an indoor tent like atmosphere. You can eat with your hands (traditional style) or request silverware if you're not up to it. Prix Fix menu that includes soup, salad, main course, tea, desert, and a unique pastry with chicken. Bring your own wine and they'll open it for you. 19 Hoolai St, Kailua, HI 96734. Head north on Kalanianaole Hwy then make a right heading towards Kailua when you reach Kailua rd. Swing a left onto Hoolai rd and you are there.