Highest-rated comfort food restaurants in Honolulu by diners

Comfort food. Just saying the phrase manages to create a feeling of warmth that suddenly envelops you and travels directly to your stomach. It's the small, happy dance you do in your chair as your mom puts your favorite dinner in front of you when you go home to visit. It's the infamous cranberry sauce that your beloved aunt makes every Thanksgiving. It's the inexplicably delicious French bread pizza that makes you remember the nostalgia of childhood when everything was simple and eating pizza for lunch felt like a dream come true.

There's a wonderfully subjective quality about comfort food because when it comes down to it, the only criterion it has to have is that it has to make you feel comfortable when you eat it. It's the dish you eat when you're having a rough day—like a huge bowl of chocolate ice cream—or it's the dish you eat when you have something amazing to celebrate—also a huge bowl of chocolate ice cream.

Whether you're out traveling for work, enjoying a road trip for solely play-related purposes, or just tired of figuring out what to have for dinner tonight, Stacker decided to help you find some of the highest-rated comfort food restaurants in Honolulu, using Yelp data current as of July 22, 2025. The restaurants that serve the starchy, salty, sweet, greasy, cheesy, flaky, buttery comfort food that hits close to home, exactly when you need it most.

Businesses in the "comfort food" category 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 20 reviews and within a 10-kilometer radius of Honolulu were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 10 locations nationally, based on our Yelp data, were not included.

Keep reading to find out if your favorite comfort spot made it or to find a new favorite!

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Zippy's Kalihi

1 / 30

#30. Zippy's Kalihi

- Rating: 3.1/5 (198 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 904 Mokauea St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Diners, fast food, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Kam Bowl

2 / 30

#29. Kam Bowl

- Rating: 3.1/5 (463 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1620 North School St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Diners, Comfort Food, Hawaiian
- Read more on Yelp

Zippy's Kahala

3 / 30

#28. Zippy's Kahala

- Rating: 3.1/5 (569 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4134 Waialae Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Diners, fast food, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Zippy's Nimitz

4 / 30

#27. Zippy's Nimitz

- Rating: 3.2/5 (409 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 666 North Nimitz Hwy Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Diners, fast food, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Giovanni Pastrami

5 / 30

#26. Giovanni Pastrami

- Rating: 3.2/5 (1551 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 227 Lewers St. Ste 118 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Pizza, Cocktail Bars, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Big City Diner - Kailua

6 / 30

#25. Big City Diner - Kailua

- Rating: 3.3/5 (443 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 108 Hekili St. Ste 101 Kailua, Hawaii
- Categories: Diners, Comfort Food, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

Grace's Inn

7 / 30

#24. Grace's Inn

- Rating: 3.3/5 (407 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1296 South Beretania St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Fast food, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Zippy's Pearl City

8 / 30

#23. Zippy's Pearl City

- Rating: 3.3/5 (464 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 806 Kamehameha Hwy Pearl City, Hawaii
- Categories: Diners, fast food, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Zippy's Makiki

9 / 30

#22. Zippy's Makiki

- Rating: 3.4/5 (889 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1222 South King St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Diners, fast food, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Zippy's Kapahulu

10 / 30

#21. Zippy's Kapahulu

- Rating: 3.4/5 (646 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 601 Kapahulu Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Fast food, Diners, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

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Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers

11 / 30

#20. Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers

- Rating: 3.5/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2233 Kalakaua Ave. Level 2 Royal Hawaiian Center Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Comfort Food, fast food, Chicken Shop
- Read more on Yelp

Kapiolani Coffee Shop

12 / 30

#19. Kapiolani Coffee Shop

- Rating: 3.6/5 (459 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 98-020 Kamehameha Hwy Aiea, Hawaii
- Categories: Diners, Comfort Food, Soup
- Read more on Yelp

Simply Ono

13 / 30

#18. Simply Ono

- Rating: 3.8/5 (80 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2337 North King St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Food Trucks, Hawaiian, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Kamukura Ramen

14 / 30

#17. Kamukura Ramen

- Rating: 3.9/5 (196 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd. Lanai Food Court F2 Ala Moana Center Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Ramen, Comfort Food, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp

Scratch Kitchen

15 / 30

#16. Scratch Kitchen

- Rating: 4.0/5 (2137 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1170 Auahi St. Ste 175 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Comfort Food, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

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Jolene's By The Bay - Kaneohe

16 / 30

#15. Jolene's By The Bay - Kaneohe

- Rating: 4.1/5 (186 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 45-285 Kaneohe Bay Drive Kaneohe, Hawaii
- Categories: Sandwiches, Bubble Tea, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Side Street Inn

17 / 30

#14. Side Street Inn

- Rating: 4.1/5 (2152 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1225 Hopaka St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Sports Bars, Comfort Food, Hawaiian
- Read more on Yelp

Smith & Kings

18 / 30

#13. Smith & Kings

- Rating: 4.1/5 (638 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 69 North King St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Side Street Inn

19 / 30

#12. Side Street Inn

- Rating: 4.1/5 (2437 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 614 Kapahulu Ave. Ste 100 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Hawaiian, Sports Bars, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Ajitama

20 / 30

#11. Ajitama

- Rating: 4.1/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 435 Kamakee St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Japanese, Comfort Food, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

Pan's Kitchen

21 / 30

#10. Pan's Kitchen

- Rating: 4.2/5 (191 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 46-003 Alaloa St. Ste 3 Kaneohe, Hawaii
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Comfort Food, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

Waikiki Market

22 / 30

#9. Waikiki Market

- Rating: 4.2/5 (171 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2380 Kuhio Ave. Floor 2 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Grocery, Comfort Food, Beer, Wine & Spirits
- Read more on Yelp

Underdogs Sports Bar & Grill

23 / 30

#8. Underdogs Sports Bar & Grill

- Rating: 4.3/5 (283 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 508 Waiakamilo St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Comfort Food, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro

24 / 30

#7. Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro

- Rating: 4.3/5 (3972 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 255 Beach Walk Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Japanese, Asian Fusion, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Ko Tiki Terrace

25 / 30

#6. Ko Tiki Terrace

- Rating: 4.4/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2425 Kuhio Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Tiki Bars, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Guava Smoked

26 / 30

#5. Guava Smoked

- Rating: 4.4/5 (343 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1637 Republican St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Barbecue, Comfort Food, Hawaiian
- Read more on Yelp

Easy 'Que

27 / 30

#4. Easy 'Que

- Rating: 4.5/5 (685 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 767 Kailua Road Ste 106 Kailua, Hawaii
- Categories: Barbecue, Comfort Food, New American
- Read more on Yelp

Oli's Kitchen

28 / 30

#3. Oli's Kitchen

- Rating: 4.6/5 (298 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1009 University Ave. Ste MP2 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Caterers, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

The Kiwi Korner

29 / 30

#2. The Kiwi Korner

- Rating: 4.8/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 55-370 Kamehameha Hwy Laie, Hawaii
- Categories: Food Trucks, Polynesian, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Sweet Corner Cafe

30 / 30

#1. Sweet Corner Cafe

- Rating: 4.9/5 (220 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 99-1255 Waiua Place Unit East Aiea, Hawaii
- Categories: Comfort Food, Coffee & Tea, Poke
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 95 metros.

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