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Two Waikiki Restaurants to Try & One to Skip

Skillet of Lasanga

Dining in Waikiki

My dear polite travelers,

When traveling, I sometimes feel that we are always searching for our next meal.  Is this place good?  Does that place serve wine?  Well, for our most recent trip to Waikiki, we decided to revisit one of our favs and test the waters on a few more.    

Hula Grill: The View & So Much More

For those of you who follow me, you know how much I love the Hula Grill.  It’s a great combo of good food, affordable prices, friendly staff, and one of the best views in Waikiki.  

For this trip, we kept it simple with bar food: a hamburger with fries, battered portobello mushroom, and Hula Grill Tacos.  Every dish was good, not great, but good—with one exception.  The battered portobello mushrooms were excellent—crunchy on the outside, and moist on the inside with an enticing, earthy flavor. 

Hula Grill; 2335 Kalakaua Ave., Suite 203

Cheaper Than a Flight to Italy: Arancino di Mare

One of our fellow travelers suggested a visit to Arancino.  In her opinion, it serves the best Italian food she ever tasted.  It did not disappoint. 

As a fan of real Italian fare, I opted for a mushroom risotto while my hubby chose a lasagna.  Both were excellent.  Mine was finished at the table by warming it on a hot plate and then tossing it in a huge Parmesan bowl.  His was a large slice of multi-layered pasta filled with meat and cheese in a Bolognese sauce served in a hot cast-iron pan. 

Our dessert was a small slice of tiramisu, free with a coupon. 

Arancino di Mare; 2552 Kalakaua Avenue

Liliha Bakery

Don’t Even Bother Trying the Liliha Bakery

Because we met an extraordinary woman who works there—plus, it was directly across the street from our hotel—we chose to dine at the Liliha Bakery.  We tried a few of their pastries earlier in the day and weren’t too impressed.  Still, we have elevated expectations, and this could have been a one-off difficult day for them. 

Nope.  Dinner wasn’t any better.  We tried the grilled Mahi Mahi and the New York steak.  Both were served with rice, corn, and a few salad greens.  The fish fillets were paper thin and battered, not grilled.  My steak was pounded, tenderized, overcooked, tough, and tasteless. 

No amount of anything could get me to try the Liliha Bakery again.  Nope.  Not me.


Liliha Bakery; Waikiki International Market Place; 2330 Kalakaua Ave. 

More by The Polite Traveler 

What to Know Before Visiting Honolulu’s Hawaiian Airlines Airport Lounges

Why We Always Visit The Royal Hawaiian Hotel Waikiki

Look Closer at the Hilton Garden Inn, Waikiki


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