Finding the Cheapest Food Near Me in Waikiki, Hawaii can be an exciting culinary adventure. FOODS.EDU.VN is here to guide you through a variety of delicious and affordable options. This guide highlights where to find the best budget-friendly meals in Waikiki, from steak plates on the beach to flavorful poke bowls, ensuring you experience the local cuisine without breaking the bank.
Let’s dive into Waikiki’s affordable food scene. This article explores the best spots for budget-friendly eats, including local favorites, hidden gems, and must-try dishes. Discover how to enjoy Waikiki’s culinary delights without overspending, perfect for students, families, and food lovers alike. Learn about diverse culinary offerings, cheap restaurants, and affordable dining.
1. Steak Shack
Where can you find a steak dinner right on Waikiki Beach for just $12.80 USD? Steak Shack’s popularity is well-deserved, with lines often forming around this beachside eatery. On a previous visit to Hawaii, Steak Shack was mentally bookmarked to sample their steak. Open all day until 7 PM, or 7:30 PM on Fridays through Sundays, it’s ideal to arrive 45 minutes before sunset for a meal with a view. The menu is straightforward: grilled steak plate or grilled chicken plate. The service is friendly, providing accurate wait times. You can grab a seat and, after about 15 minutes, the steak and chicken plates are ready.
The steak is tender and comes with steak jus, steamed rice, and organic greens with ranch or Italian dressing. Some pieces may be a bit chewy, cooked medium to well done rather than medium-rare as requested, but overall, it’s a generous 6oz (180g) portion for $12.80 USD.
The chicken plate is a standout, with the chicken perfectly caramelized on the grill. The chicken is tender and the organic greens with ranch dressing add a refreshing touch.
Before You Go: Arrive half an hour before sunset.
What To Order: Both the Signature Steak Plate and the Chicken Plate are highly recommended, and the prices are current as of January 2024. An extra side salad for $4 USD unexpectedly included more steak. You can find more budget-friendly options on FOODS.EDU.VN.
2. Penny’s Malasadas
Malasadas, Portuguese donuts, have a rich history in Hawaii, introduced by Portuguese migrants. While Leonard’s is a must-visit, its location outside Waikiki requires a 50-minute walk or an Uber ride. Penny’s Malasadas offers a closer, worthy alternative, with some preferring them over Leonard’s. Each order is made fresh, requiring a 10-15 minute wait.
These malasadas aren’t sold individually; the smallest order is 3 for $10.5 USD for custard-filled donuts, with plain unfilled options also available. The most popular are the original and coconut cream-filled donuts. The strawberry guava daily special is also a great choice. The provided pile of napkins is essential, as the donuts are served hot and fresh. These light, airy donuts are a delightful treat, with a wonderful, not overly sweet custard filling.
Before You Go: Be prepared for a 10-15 minute wait, as each order is made fresh.
What to order: Custard-filled malasadas, particularly the original custard and ube flavors. For more dessert options, visit FOODS.EDU.VN.
3. Aloha Melt
Sometimes, a classic toasted cheese sandwich is what you crave. Aloha Melt, located on Royal Hawaiian Avenue, is known for its toasted cheese sandwiches. Situated among massage shops and outdoor eateries, Aloha Melt offers toasted cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. The Bacon Patty Melt, made with beef mince, cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, American cheese, caramelized onion, bacon, and aioli, is a popular choice. The Aloha Patty Melt (A.P.) is the spicy version with pickled jalapenos and Sriracha aioli.
The toasted sandwich is a gooey, cheesy delight. The creamy tomato basil soup has an intense tomato flavor, topped with croutons, bacon, and grated cheese just before serving.
Before You Go: Arrive hungry! Sharing one soup and one toasted cheese sandwich is usually enough for two people.
What to order: Bacon Patty Melt or the Aloha Patty Melt for those who enjoy spice. More savory options can be found on FOODS.EDU.VN.
4. Topped
Located near Aloha Melt, Topped is a Korean rice bowl restaurant offering cheap and delicious meals. You can enjoy lunch for under $10 USD (excluding tip). They also have a variety of fresh smoothies for $5.99 USD, with the pineapple mango and strawberry being a refreshing, not overly sweet option made with real fruit.
The bestseller is the Kalbi steak and egg served on a bed of steamed white rice. The steak is cut for easy eating, accompanied by a sunny-side-up egg and a green salad with honey mustard dressing. Sharing an Aloha Melt and soup followed by the Kalbi steak and egg at Topped is a great way to satisfy a larger appetite.
Before You Go: Everything is made to order, so expect a wait of 10 minutes or more during busy times.
What to order: Kalbi steak and egg. While the chicken bibimbap is good, the kalbi steak is a standout. For more Korean cuisine options, check FOODS.EDU.VN.
5. Nana Musubi
Stix Asia Food Hall in the Waikiki Shopping Plaza’s basement is a treasure trove of eateries. Nana Musubi offers grab-and-go onigiri with a variety of rice (white, brown, and purple) and fillings, ranging from simple umeboshi plum to delicious char siu and mayo. These are well-priced, filling, and tasty. The ones with hot fillings like char siu and chicken karaage are particularly enjoyable.
Before You Go: Remember to order nori, as it is not automatically included with each onigiri. They also offer a monthly special, like the delicious chicken karaage available only at night during the visit.
What to order: Try all the rice types, especially the purple one, and the char siu and mayonnaise, and chicken karaage (special only at night) fillings. You can explore more Japanese snacks on FOODS.EDU.VN.
6. Tempura Kiki
Tempura Kiki, located next to Nana Musubi at Stix Asia Market, specializes in tempura. A full Japanese restaurant indicates quality. The staff recommends the Kiki (short for Waikiki) set for lunch, offering a piece of each tempura item, all cooked fresh to order.
The set lunches include rice, miso soup, and unlimited pickles. The prawn tempura is a classic favorite, along with the fish and squid. The vegetable tempura, especially the sweet kabocha pumpkin and soft eggplant, are also excellent.
Before You Go: The lunch set seen online may no longer be available.
What to order: The Kiki set offers a variety of tempura. Try the matcha salt or chilli salt on your rice or tempura. Check FOODS.EDU.VN for more Japanese dining options.
Tempura Kiki Honolulu Instagram
7. Pai’s Deli
Sometimes, a big healthy salad is a must-have. Pai’s Deli, slightly hidden in the Outrigger Waikiki, offers friendly service and reasonably priced, tasty, healthy sandwiches.
The chicken salad and egg salad sandwich is a genius combination, including lettuce, cucumber, tomato, sprouts, and grated carrot. Adding avocado for $1.25 USD enhances it. All sandwiches come with fresh, sweet pineapple.
The Captain’s salad is packed with fresh, crunchy salad, sliced ham, shredded cheese, sliced turkey, a whole boiled egg, diced bacon, and rice crackers.
The mango pineapple fruit smoothie is a delightful and not overly sweet beverage.
Before You Go: Everything is made to order, so expect a 10-minute wait. There’s a small table to eat on, or you can take your meal to the nearby beach.
What to order: Captains salad for a big salad or the Chicken and Egg Salad sandwich on wholewheat. You can find more healthy options on FOODS.EDU.VN.
8. Junbi
If you love matcha, visit Junbi in the International Marketplace. They combine matcha lattes (or soft serve) with Hawaiian flavors like guava puree, lilikoi (passion fruit), taro, or POG (passion fruit, orange, and guava).
Ordering it with less sweetness, minimal ice, and oat milk results in an absolutely delicious drink. Even those who don’t typically enjoy matcha might be converted by this beverage.
Before You Go: Request less sugar and ice!
What to order: Guava matcha latte. For more unique beverage options, check FOODS.EDU.VN.
9. Ty’s BBQ and Grill
For some of the most delicious ribs, visit Ty’s BBQ and Grill, a food truck run by Todd and his dad. The menu is short and sweet, and the prices are reasonable given the generous portions. The pork ribs can be served with tater tots, fries, or mozzarella sticks, but the fries are highly recommended. The portion is large enough to share, but the ribs are so good, you might not want to.
Before You Go: Ty’s is a bit hidden. It’s located at Suzie Wong’s hideaway, where you can enjoy the ribs. The atmosphere at Suzie Wong’s is relaxed and friendly, with cocktails at unbeatable prices of $8 USD.
What to order: The pork ribs and fries are a must-try. Discover more BBQ spots on FOODS.EDU.VN.
10. Kai Poke
Poke is a daytime staple, traditionally sold in the mornings when boats bring in the fresh catch. Kai Poke offers poke bowls made to order, along with inari boats. The poke bowls are delicious, with options for big or regular sizes (the mini is quite small). The Kai rice is Korean-style rice with nori and sesame flavor.
Before You Go: Visit Ross next door for some shopping.
What to order: Any combo works, but especially the Hawaiian ahi with sea asparagus for added texture. Check FOODS.EDU.VN for more poke bowl options.
11. Yardhouse
Yardhouse, a sports bar, offers a great happy hour from Monday to Friday, 2-5 PM, with a range of delicious options like poke tacos, blackened ahi tuna, wings, and onion rings. Be prepared for a wait. Ordering can be done via your server or the tablet on the table.
There are many half-price appetizers and pizzas. Beers, spirits, and wines are $2 off. Try the Kona Big Wave Beer ($7.99 USD – $2 USD). The poke tacos are fantastic. The blackened ahi tuna is flavorful with black pepper. The stack of onion rings is $4 off at $14.80 USD during happy hour.
Before You Go: Happy hour is Monday to Friday, 2-5 PM. Be prepared to wait.
What to order: Poke nachos, beer, and the onion ring stack. Discover more happy hour spots on FOODS.EDU.VN.
12. Five Star Poke
Poke is abundant in Waikiki, with some of the best found in quiet backstreet stands and food trucks. Five Star Poke, located on Kuhio Avenue, offers poke in three sizes: regular with one topping, combo with two, and large with two types for $21. Pair it with House Made Ginger Lemonade for $4.20.
The spicy mayo salmon poke and the spicy mayo ahi poke bowl are excellent choices. Both feature the signature spicy mayo sauce on fresh ahi or Scottish salmon with crispy onions and ocean seaweed salad.
Before You Go: Explore the food trucks in the area. There’s also a coffee truck nearby.
What to order: Spicy poke. The ginger lemonade is refreshing and not too sweet. Find more poke options on FOODS.EDU.VN.
13. Amy’s Shrimp and Poke
If you’re craving garlic shrimp from Oahu’s North Shore without the drive, head to Amy’s Shrimp and Poke at the Ohana Hale food truck park near the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The garlic shrimp is served on a generous bed of rice with greens and sesame dressing.
Before You Go: If you need a coin laundry, there’s one across the road.
What to order: Garlic shrimp or spicy garlic shrimp and pineapple juice. Discover more seafood options on FOODS.EDU.VN.
Amy’s Shrimp and Poke Instagram
14. Sansei Sushi
For early diners, Sansei Sushi on the third floor of the Marriott Waikiki offers a renowned happy hour with half-price sushi and sashimi from 4:45 PM to 5:30 PM on Sundays and Mondays. Arrive early, as the queue starts before 4 PM.
Their signature dish is the Panko crusted Ahi tuna, a roll of tuna loin coated in tempura batter and panko, served with soy butter wasabi sauce.
The DK crab ramen with truffle butter broth is also worth ordering, fragrant in truffle with perfect ramen and crab. The Sansei sushi roll is rolled urumaki style with spicy crab, coriander, cucumber, and avocado, served with Thai sweet chilli sauce.
Before You Go: Arrive early. The 50% off offer is strictly for sushi and sashimi. Salads, drinks, desserts, and steaks are full price. A 20% gratuity is added to the bill.
What to order: Crab ramen and panko crusted ahi tuna. Find more sushi spots on FOODS.EDU.VN.
Sansei Sushi Waikiki Instagram
15. Double Fat Ice Cream
Double Fat Ice Cream, a food truck by Chef Brandon Lee, offers small-batch, artisan, locally made ice cream with unique Hawaiian-inspired flavors. It’s located at the side of the Alohilani hotel.
The brown sugar vanilla flavor sells out consistently, featuring a classic vanilla with brown sugar mixed through it. The banana with salted caramel is also a standout.
Before You Go: The food truck is hard to find. Go to the Kalakaua Avenue exit of the Alohilani, turn left on Kealohilani Street, and follow the signs up a ramp on your left. The hotel validates parking for up to 2 hours with purchase.
What to order: The Crack Seed Delight Sundae is delicious. Check FOODS.EDU.VN for more dessert options.
Double Fat Ice Cream Instagram
16. Pit Stop
Pit Stop is known for charm, warmth, and tasty food, with some calling it their favorite burger spot in Honolulu. Their bestseller is the crispy cheeseburger and double-fried fries. The service is super friendly, and there’s an adjoining restaurant area.
The Horchata Hawaiiana is made with macadamia milk, agave, cinnamon, Mexican vanilla, and coconut milk. The 1/4 lb cheeseburger slider comes with crispy cheddar cheese on a Hawaiian sweet roll with grilled onions, pickles, and sauce.
The fries involve 1lb of fresh, hand-cut, double-fried potatoes. Toppings include cheese, bacon and cheese with sour cream, or Kalua pork. The pork is tender and shredded on top of the fries along with cheese. Hot sauce options include mild Li Hing hot sauce and a Hot AF sauce.
Before You Go: Be hungry if you get the fries. The slider is like a mini burger.
What to order: Cheeseburger slider and kalua pork fries with hot sauce. Find more burger spots on FOODS.EDU.VN.
17. Waikiki Market
Most Hawaiian hotels have empty mini-fridges. Waikiki Market, a supermarket by the Foodland chain, is the place to go for snacks and more substantial items.
Some of the best poke can be found at Waikiki Market. There’s a range of fresh and delicious poke available, slightly cheaper than at a poke store. You can buy it by the 1/4, 1/2, or full pound and they can make a poke bowl with rice and toppings.
Before You Go: Do your mini-bar shopping here and bring a bag.
What to buy: Mini-bar snacks, drinks, and poke. You can find more grocery options on FOODS.EDU.VN.
18. Maguro Spot
Maguro Spot, located among a cluster of food outlets, offers customizable poke. There’s a small outdoor section. Select your preferred fish, rice type, sauces, and additional ingredients.
Before You Go: There are a few good, cheap eateries around here.
What to Order: Tuna and salmon on sushi rice with volcano sauce and spicy mayo, spring onions, and ginger. The marlin with house shoyu is also delicious. Check FOODS.EDU.VN for more seafood dishes.
19. Musubi Iyasume
Musubi Iyasume offers musubis, like extra-large nigiris, topped with fried SPAM, avocado, bacon, and egg. They’re a great post-surf snack, inexpensive, and filling.
Before You Go: There are a few branches of Musubi Iyasume in Waikiki. They’re very filling, so go hungry.
What To Order: All of the musubi are delicious, especially the ones with SPAM. For more quick bites, visit FOODS.EDU.VN.
20. Marugame Udon
Marugame Udon combines a high school cafeteria setup with a Japanese udon chain concept. The menu features regular and large sizes, with just an additional $1 for the latter.
Before You Go: Be prepared to queue and bus your own trays.
What To Order: The curry nikutama is their signature udon with sweet and savory beef, hot spring egg, and BK sauce. For something lighter, go for the beef nikutama with a broth. Try the prawn tempura or the tamagoyaki tempura. You can find more noodle dishes on FOODS.EDU.VN.
21. Rainbow Drive-In
One of former President Obama’s favored spots is Rainbow Drive-In, known for its plate lunch. Originating with sugar cane workers, a plate lunch typically includes two scoops of rice, macaroni salad, and a meat dish.
Before You Go: Rainbow Drive-In is great for eat-in or takeout.
What To Order: Mix Plate BBQ + Mahi + Boneless Chicken with tartar sauce. Their house-made gravy is frequently praised. For more local cuisine, visit FOODS.EDU.VN.
22. Liliha Bakery
Liliha Bakery is known for its cream puffs, particularly the Coco Puffs. These consist of choux pastry balls filled with chocolate “pudding” and topped with chantilly, made of sugar, egg, evaporated milk, butter, and salt.
Before You Go: The Coco Puffs are made fresh throughout the day.
What To Order: Coco Puffs. Find more baked goods on FOODS.EDU.VN.
23. Cheesecake Factory
The Cheesecake Factory offers a happy hour between 3-5 PM Monday to Friday, with half-price dishes including Avocado Egg Rolls, Hot Spinach and Cheese Dip, Factory Nachos, Roadside Sliders, a Happy Hour double patty and double cheeseburger, and cocktails.
Before You Go: Happy Hour is in the bar area from Monday – Friday from 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
What To Order: Avocado egg rolls and hot spinach and cheese dip. Discover more happy hour spots on FOODS.EDU.VN.
24. Paia Fish Market
Founded in 1989, Paia Fish Market is known for its fish tacos, burgers, and “fresh catch” plates. Located on Kuhio Avenue, their grilled fish tacos are a healthier alternative to battered fish. They come with fries or rice and a side of potatoes.
Before You Go: Paia Fish Market is located on the upper level.
What To Order: Grilled Fish tacos, potatoes, and rice. Find more seafood options on FOODS.EDU.VN.
Navigating Waikiki’s Culinary Scene on a Budget
To make the most of your dining experience in Waikiki without overspending, keep these points in mind:
- Explore Beyond the Beachfront: Eateries one block away from the beach, rather than directly on the promenade, often offer better deals. Exceptions like Steak Shack prove that beachfront bargains do exist.
- Embrace Food Trucks and Markets: These establishments frequently offer authentic flavors at prices that are gentler on your wallet.
- Happy Hour is Your Friend: Take advantage of happy hour deals for substantial discounts on both food and drinks.
- Consider Portion Sizes: Sharing dishes, especially at places known for generous servings, can reduce individual costs.
- Shop Smart for Snacks: Waikiki Market and Longs Drugs provide affordable snacks and drinks, ideal for stocking up your mini-fridge.
Tips for Cheap Eats:
- Go to eateries one block away from the beach and not on the beach promenade. There is one beachfront exception (Steak Shack). Eateries and food trucks are usually clustered together.
- If you haven’t been to Hawaii (or America) since COVID, you may be surprised when you go to buy a coffee at the counter and they spin around the tablet and ask you to select which percentage you’d like to tip. This happens everywhere, even places where you are walking up to the counter and collecting the food or drink yourself. It’s the new normal, so you just have to add tax and tip to your budget. You can also choose to tip zero and then add a few bills to the tip jar.
- Americans really love ice, and drinks are totally full of ice: the regular level of ice is where more than half of the drink is ice (which is excessive for me personally as I drink slowly and the ice waters down the drink), while asking for “light ice” is a quarter of the drink as ice. But I have a tip: I asked for a tiny, tiny bit of ice like 6 ice cubes, and drinks were perfect – still cold but they didn’t water down quickly. You also get much more drink that way!
- If you’re looking for edible gifts to take home or plane snacks, head to Longs Drugs, a drugstore/chemist on Kalākaua Avenue. Their bags of lollies are a fraction of the price you’ll find elsewhere at around $1.29USD. You may see a lot of Japanese people buying their Omiyage (souvenir gifts) there because they know the prices are good!
- ABC stores are everywhere and are generally not the cheapest place to buy things as they’re more about convenience. But they do sell poke, fruit, and salads, and if you’re after a dashboard Hawaiian figurine, I found them to be the cheapest there!
Understanding the Local Dining Culture
- Tipping Etiquette: Be mindful of tipping culture in Hawaii. Many establishments expect a tip for service, so factor this into your budget. According to a study by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO) in 2023, tourism significantly impacts tipping practices, with visitors often contributing a substantial portion of service workers’ income.
- Ice in Drinks: As noted, Americans typically use a lot of ice in drinks. Adjust your order to “light ice” or “a tiny bit of ice” to avoid watered-down beverages.
- Omiyage Shopping: For affordable edible souvenirs, visit Longs Drugs, where you’ll find Japanese customers buying Omiyage.
Enhance Your Culinary Knowledge with FOODS.EDU.VN
Are you eager to expand your culinary expertise beyond Waikiki’s affordable eats? FOODS.EDU.VN offers a wealth of in-depth articles and resources to satisfy your curiosity. Whether you want to master the art of making perfect sushi rice, understand the nuances of different poke preparations, or explore the cultural origins of Hawaiian plate lunches, FOODS.EDU.VN has you covered.
Delve Deeper into Hawaiian Cuisine:
- Poke Perfection: Uncover the secrets to crafting authentic poke with expert tips on selecting the freshest fish, balancing flavors, and incorporating traditional ingredients.
- Plate Lunch Legacy: Journey through the history of the Hawaiian plate lunch, learning about its diverse cultural influences and the significance of each component, from the rice to the macaroni salad.
Master Essential Cooking Techniques:
- Sushi Rice Secrets: Learn how to achieve the ideal texture and flavor for sushi rice, a fundamental skill for any aspiring sushi chef.
- Tempura Mastery: Discover the art of creating light, crispy tempura with guidance on batter consistency, oil temperature, and ingredient selection.
FOODS.EDU.VN provides comprehensive knowledge and detailed instructions to help you become a more confident and skilled cook.
Explore the World of Culinary Arts:
Visit FOODS.EDU.VN to explore a vast collection of articles, recipes, and resources that will transform your understanding of food and cooking. Whether you are a student, a home cook, or a professional chef, FOODS.EDU.VN is your ultimate destination for culinary inspiration and education.
Conclusion: Affordable Delights Await in Waikiki
Waikiki offers a diverse and affordable culinary scene that caters to all tastes and budgets. From beachside steak shacks to hidden gem food trucks and local markets, there are countless opportunities to enjoy delicious meals without breaking the bank. By following these tips and recommendations, you can savor the best of Waikiki’s cuisine while staying within your budget.
Remember to visit FOODS.EDU.VN for more culinary insights, tips, and recipes to enhance your food adventures. Whether you’re exploring local delicacies or mastering cooking techniques, foods.edu.vn is your guide to the world of gastronomy.
FAQ: Finding the Cheapest Food Near Me in Waikiki
1. Where can I find the absolute cheapest eats in Waikiki?
For the cheapest eats, explore food trucks and markets slightly away from the main beachfront. Topped and Nana Musubi offer delicious meals under $10 USD. Waikiki Market provides affordable poke and snacks.
2. Are there any beachfront restaurants that offer budget-friendly options?
Yes, Steak Shack is a notable exception, offering a steak dinner right on Waikiki Beach for around $12.80 USD.
3. How can I save money on drinks in Waikiki?
Avoid the regular level of ice in drinks and ask for “light ice” or “a tiny bit of ice”. Also, consider buying drinks from supermarkets like Waikiki Market.
4. What’s the best way to find happy hour deals in Waikiki?
Check out sports bars like Yardhouse and restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory for happy hour deals, typically between 2-5 PM on weekdays.
5. Are there any local markets where I can buy affordable food?
Yes, Waikiki Market (part of the Foodland chain) offers a variety of affordable options, including
