Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Honolulu by diners
Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Honolulu using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#30. Hy's Steak House
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1804 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2440 Kuhio Ave. Ste A Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Steakhouses, Desserts, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Hoku's Kahala
- Rating: 4.2/5 (575 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 5000 Kahala Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Seafood, Asian Fusion, Hawaiian
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Chef Chai
- Rating: 4.2/5 (924 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1009 Kapiolani Blvd. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Azure
- Rating: 4.2/5 (788 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: Royal Hawaiian Hotel 2259 Kalakaua Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Mugen
- Rating: 4.3/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2452 Kalakaua Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: New American, French, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Margotto Hawaii
- Rating: 4.3/5 (125 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 514 Piikoi St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: French, Italian, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Monkeypod Kitchen
- Rating: 4.3/5 (783 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2169 Kālia Road Unit 111 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Tacos, Pizza, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#23. The Cutlery
- Rating: 4.3/5 (245 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3435 Waialae Ave. Ste 103 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Rigo
- Rating: 4.3/5 (984 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 885 Kapahulu Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Spanish, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Arancino at The Kahala
- Rating: 4.3/5 (604 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 5000 Kahala Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Roy's Waikiki
- Rating: 4.3/5 (3336 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 226 Lewers St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Hawaiian, Asian Fusion, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Yoshitsune Restaurant
- Rating: 4.3/5 (729 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2586 Kalakaua Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Zigu
- Rating: 4.4/5 (741 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 413 Seaside Ave. Ste 1F Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Seafood, Izakaya, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Tommy Bahama Restaurant | Bar | Store - Waikiki
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1913 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 298 Beachwalk Drive Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. PAI Honolulu
- Rating: 4.4/5 (321 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 55 Merchant St. Ste 110 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: New American, Asian Fusion, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. natuRe waikiki
- Rating: 4.4/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 413 Seaside Ave. Floor 2 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: French, Vegan, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#14. La Mer
- Rating: 4.4/5 (523 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2199 Kalia Road Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: French
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Nanzan GiroGiro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (542 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 560 Pensacola St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Ka Ikena Laua'e Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4303 Diamond Head Road Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Cino
- Rating: 4.5/5 (203 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 987 Queen St. Ste 100 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Italian, Steakhouses, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Senia
- Rating: 4.5/5 (692 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 75 North King St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Nami Kaze
- Rating: 4.5/5 (642 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1135 North Nimitz Hwy Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Japanese, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Miro Kaimuki
- Rating: 4.6/5 (372 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 3446 Waialae Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#7. XO Restaurant
- Rating: 4.6/5 (2205 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3434 Waialae Ave. Ste 5 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Cocktail Bars, Izakaya
- Read more on Yelp
#6. El Cielo by Chef Masa
- Rating: 4.6/5 (159 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 346 Lewers St. 1F Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Tapas Bars, Wine Bars, Spanish
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Carte Blanche
- Rating: 4.6/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1138 11th Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Asian Fusion, French, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Bar Maze
- Rating: 4.7/5 (147 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 604 Ala Moana Blvd. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Han No Daidokoro
- Rating: 4.7/5 (447 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1108 Auahi St. Ste 150 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Hihimanu Sushi
- Rating: 4.7/5 (389 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 3040 Waialae Ave. Ste A-2 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Threadfin Bistro
- Rating: 4.9/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1016 Kapahulu Ave. Ste 140 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Seafood, Pasta Shops, Modern European
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.
