How to find these cheap eats in Oahu
Oahu is definitely a pricey place to eat, but we have some great ideas and places to eat cheap in Oahu that we would like to share with you so you can enjoy your visit without breaking the bank.
Typically, the cafes, bars and restaurants around the island caters to a tourist crowd that comes to eat something local or even international and want to eat right away. But, if you are looking to save a few dollars on food and spend it on experiences, check out some of our suggestions below.
Shop at Sam’s Club or Costco
If you are looking for cheap then Sams Club or Costco is the clear winner for affordable dining on Oahu. You can have dinner for two here for just around $10, which is almost unheard of on Oahu in 2024. Either go to their food take out spot for a slice of pizza, a jumbo hot dog, or a nice salad and you’ve got a meal and drinks to boot.. And if you’re in the mood for a whole pizza in an 18 inch size, it’s only $10!
When you shop for provisions inside, you can find some bulk snacks, breakfast items, easy to make pre-made meals you just eat or warm up or how about those amazing $5 rotisserie style chicken that’s a real deal!
While you are shopping, don’t forget to try all the free samples around the store that’s enough to tie you over between meals.
The Costco take out area is located right next to the store entrance, so if you’re hungry head out there for some cheap eats. Don’t forget, you’ll need to show your Costco membership to buy anything from the food court.
Costco locations
94-1231 Ka Uka Blvd, Waipahu, HI 96797
525 Alakawa St, Honolulu, HI 96817
4589 Kapolei Pkwy, Kapolei, HI 96707
333A Keahole St, Honolulu, HI 96825
Sam’s Club locations
750 Ke’eaumoku St, Honolulu, HI 96814
1000 Kamehameha Hwy, Pearl City, HI 96782
Quickie cheap meals at MInit stop
Minit Stop is a locally owned gas station and convenience store chain found all over Oahu It’s famous for its fried chicken, potato wedges, and award-winning spam musubis. If you’re looking for something cheap and local try Minit Stop’s musubis which are easy snack foods to go.
There’s many options to try at Minit Stop that’s cheap is a three-piece chicken and wedge box for under $10, and musubis for just under $3. Or for larger meals check out their budget-friendly dishes like chicken katsu plates, bentos, and chili. If you’re feeling indulgent, you can grab a massive plate lunch for around $15.
While the food might not be the healthiest (it is a gas station, after all), it’s definitely easy on your wallet.
Dining coupons and discounts
When visiting Oahu, be sure to check the local newspapers or those free Oahu travel magazines for advertised specials and coupons at local restaurants. You can often find some great deals at Oahu’s best dining spots with free desserts or two for one specials or even early dining deals.
Go to bars and restaurants for Happy Hour or Early Bird Specials
Many Oahu eateries have Pau Hana Happy hour or Early Bird special dinners around the island to draw early diners to eat at their establishments. Places to check out includes Sansei with 50% off early bird specials or better deals with drinks and pupu appetizer plates when you come in early from 4-6 pm.
There’s no reason why you can’t save on deals for Happy Hour around the island especially if you want to start early and save big on food and drinks on the island.
Duke’s Waikiki: Enjoy a laid-back atmosphere and great happy hour deals right by the beach. Their cocktails and appetizers are a hit!
Hula Grill Waikiki: With a fantastic oceanfront setting, Hula Grill offers a delightful happy hour with tropical drinks and tasty pupus (appetizers).
Tikis Grill & Bar: Experience the aloha spirit with affordable drinks and delicious small plates at Tikis Grill & Bar, located at the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel.
These venues provide a perfect setting to unwind and savor some of the best flavors of Waikiki during happy hour or check out our post on the best bars in Waikiki here for more inspiration.
Eat at the North Shore food trucks
One of my fav spots on the island is the North Shore and the food truck scene there is well oiled to cater to local communities and also tourists with affordable eating solutions. There are many good food trucks and courts along the North Shore area from Haleiwa to the Northeast side. You’ll have plenty of choices of local and international foods to choose from.
Some of the local favorites to try when you are in the North Shore area of Oahu
Check out some of my favorites here on the North Shore locations:
Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck
Leonard’s Malasada Truck
Elena’s Super Friends
Impossible’s Pizza
North Shore Tacos
The Sunrise Shack
Haleiwa Seafood
Hawaiian style fast food at L&L Barbeque
It terms of cheap local take out or dine in the L&L Barbeque chain is well known around the islands. The L&L Barbeque offers a variety of traditional Hawaiian style meals with entree, salads and over rice plates.
They really pile on the food at L&L with these plate lunches style with mini plates to full bento style options. Prices are fairly cheap ranging from $8 to $15 for a full plate lunch.
Food Courts in Oahu
The largest food court in Honolulu at the Ala Moana shopping center offers so many different vendors and food choices. Centrally located at the entrance of the mall, you can easily scout out the many choices of local style to international food options and pick your dish or combination of foods for reasonably priced dishes.
Ala Moana actually has two large food court areas covering every type of food genre you can imagine.
Foodland / Sack and Save Grocery Stores
Local grocery chain stores Foodland and Sack and Save are all over the island your can easily go to their deli, bakery and poke sections for delicious take out foods that are popular and cheaper alternatives to prepared food to go.
If you prefer to cook, its just as good going to either grocery food spots to pick up your favorite seafood, meats or essential ingredients to make a delicious meal that can feed friends, family or larger parties.
Farmers Markets in Oahu
The local farmers markets on Oahu are very popular and busy during their normal market days. You’ll find a variety of produce, prepared food items to local ingredients to cook with if you prefer to make dishes on your own and save money in during your stay.
With so many markets out there, you’ll find some good eats and items to purchase at better prices compared to eating out at pricey restaurants or cafes throughout the island. Check out where to find them here.
Honolulu locations cheap eats
There’s plenty of affordable places to eat in Honolulu and Waikiki areas downtown that are priced just right.
Helena’s Hawaiian Food
It’s not often that a low-key diner is the spot to go for traditional Hawaiian food but Helena’s Hawaiian Food delivers and is totally Onolicious (delicious). You’ll love the homey Hawaiian vibe and casual and friendly service and when you ask for what to eat, you’ll get some fantastic recommendations. There are no reservations so you do have to put your name on the list and also cash is the only payment method here along with limited parking but definitely worth the effort if you do find parking.
Top things to order at Helena’s includes Kalua pig, Lomi salmon, Pipikaula short ribs, fried butterfish collar, Lau lau, squid luau and then for a nice simple dessert an order of Haupia.
Located in the area of old town in a mixed commercial/residential area with street parking
Address: 1240 N School St Honolulu, HI 96817
Marugame Udon
If you love ramen then this ramen shop is the one to eat at in Waikiki. Marugame is truly above par with tasty broths and noodles that are made to perfection and creating a delicious and tasty combination of flavors. With 7 different types of udon noodles to choose from you can decide on you can order yummy sides that will match perfectly to your dish.
Must try udon dishes here includes Kake Udon, Bukake Udon, Niko, Curry, Ontama or Kamaage Udon.
Address: Location – 2310 Kuhio Avenue, Suite 124, Waikiki Phone – (808) 931-6000
Musubi Cafe Iyasume
With several locations around Honolulu and Waikiki, this popular eatery is just the place for a quick snack to fuel your afternoon or maybe even a bigger meal, Musubi Cafe Iyasume hits all the right must eat local foods like Spam musubi and many other elevated Hawaiian snack foods to gourmet dishes and incorporating a variety of local ingredients and flavors, such as avocado, bacon, and different types of local fish.
You can find several locations around Waikiki the one in Waikiki Beach Walk, 227 Lewers St. along with other easy to get to locations around Honolulu area.
Barefoot Beach Café
Located right at Queen’s Beach, enjoy the delicious views from this family run restaurant and casual friendly service. The café serves up a delicious breakfast menu but also does lunch and dinner service. Their menu is expansive with their breakfast dishes include Eggs Benedict, breakfast burritos or even fluffy buttermilk pancakes.
Location: 2699 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu
Opening Times: Open daily from 8:00 am – 8:30 pm
Ocean Taste for tasty poke bowls
This place is so good and the place to get the freshest poke bowls with their super tasty torched poke and sashimi bowls and over rice don bowls. Bowls are good sized portions and priced well for the size of the dishes.
Must try dishes here includes their local favorites seared garlic Salmon don, California Ahi, Salmon Toro Ikura Don or their Lava flow bowl.
Parking in the new location is fantastic off Kapiolani Blvd.
Address: 2840 Kapiolani Blvd Honolulu, HI 96826
Phone : (808) 636-0877
Rainbow Drive Inn
A real local favorite place and located in Kaimuki this former car wash turned into local favorite diner serves up huge portions of local style comfort food to eat in Honolulu. Now in four locations around various parts of Oahu, this popular eatery is well loved on the island for onolicious food that is priced reasonably. A comfortable style, nostalgic and friendly fast service.
Popular foods to try include their loco moco plate, mixed plate with mahi mahi and bbq beef, saimin, curry stew, pork cutlet, mahi mahi plate and a variety of breakfast plates to go or eat at the restaurant.
Leonard’s Bakery
Leonards Bakery is an institution here in Oahu and well known for its amazing malasadas, pastries and other breakfast items. Anyone craving something sweet especially malasadas should make a beeline fast to Leonard’s here in Honolulu. This malasada institution is where its at for the sweetest malasada combinations to die for on the island. But don’t take our word for it, it is always everyone’s favorite place to go for a sweet treat and there’s plenty to choose from.
Top of the picks to try at Leonard’s is their whole array of Malasadas (Portuguese style donuts) with every type of tropical filling you can imagine from macadamia nut, Li Hing, Haupia and custard. Other popular pastries include breads, cookies, cupcakes and muffins, pies and a variety of coffee cake. Drinks you can also buy includes coffees, teas, soda, fruit drinks and hot cocoa.
Eggs ‘n Things
A popular breakfast to lunch eaterie in Waikiki for both locals and tourists is Eggs n Things
Good hearty breakfast food with traditional breakfast foods or Hawaiian food style entrees like loco moco, Portuguese sausage eggs and potatoes, or fluffy pancakes with guava, coconut or maple syrup sauce. It’s the popular breakfast spot at Honolulu and Waikiki locations.
Address: 343 Saratoga Rd Honolulu, HI 96815
ono seafood
You’ll find this food truck at many popular food venues around Honolulu and popular hang out spots around town. I find that the seafood and poke at Ono Seafood has some of the best Poke on the island and the bowls are made to order, so everything is fresh and delicious. A regular bowl is $11.75 and a large bowl is $13.75. You get two choices of poke with each bowl and some white rice.
501 Kealahou St, Honolulu, HI, United States, Hawaii
Sunrise Shack
A really good and cheap breakfast spot to enjoy in Waikiki is Sunrise Shack. Featuring their staple breakfast and popular items on their menu including take-out Acai Bowls, smoothies, wraps, toasts, and coffee.
Sunrise Shack located at The Outrigger Waikiki and just a few steps from the beach, making it the perfect place to pick up a quick breakfast or lunch to take to the beach.
The highlight of their menu is definitely their Acai bowls. They come in a variety of flavors, and each one is brightly colored and presented beautifully. The inside of their shop is decorated equally as colorful and fun, and is a great spot to snap a photo while you wait for your food to be prepared.
The Sunrise Shack also has two locations on the north side of the island- at Shark’s Cove and Sunset Beach in Haleiwa. Sunset Beach is their original location and is equally as Instagrammable as their Waikiki location.
Ubae
A very popular dessert and snack food, you’ll find on Oahu and now with a cool retail shop dedicated to Ube. For those in the know this unassuming dessert shop serves up the best Ube style desserts from their delicious ube tarts, ube soft serve ice cream, ube cheesecake, ube crackly cookies. Basically, everything ube made and delicious – and it is a real local favorite spot for fab ube desserts.
Address: 2201 Kalakaua Ave Kiosk B-1 Honolulu, HI 96815
Opening Hours 10am to 9pm daily
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