Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Honolulu area by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Honolulu area by diners
Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all 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 and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, 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 chefs' 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, 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 the Honolulu area 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., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#30. Yoshitsune Restaurant
- Rating: 4.3/5 (778 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2586 Kalakaua Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Kapa Hale
- Rating: 4.4/5 (598 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4614 Kilauea Ave. Ste 102 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Hawaiian, Asian Fusion, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Mugen
- Rating: 4.4/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2452 Kalakaua Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: New American, French, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Fete
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1239 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2 North Hotel St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Zigu
- Rating: 4.4/5 (795 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 413 Seaside Ave. Ste 1F Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Seafood, Izakaya, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Tommy Bahama Restaurant | Bar | Store - Waikiki
- Rating: 4.4/5 (2029 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 298 Beachwalk Drive Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Istanbul Hawaii
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1488 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1108 Auahi St. Ste 152 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Mediterranean, Breakfast & Brunch, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp
#23. PAI Honolulu
- Rating: 4.4/5 (336 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 55 Merchant St. Ste 110 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: New American, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Solera
- Rating: 4.4/5 (231 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 383 Kalaimoku St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Lounges, Breakfast & Brunch, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#21. La Ciccia
- Rating: 4.4/5 (408 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2700 South King St. Ste D102 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Vintage Books
- Rating: 4.4/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3660 Waialae Ave. Ste 101 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Speakeasies, Cocktail Bars, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#19. natuRe waikiki
- Rating: 4.4/5 (198 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 413 Seaside Ave. Floor 2 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: French, New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Podmore
- Rating: 4.4/5 (351 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 202 Merchant St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Duc's Bistro
- Rating: 4.4/5 (411 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1188 Maunakea St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: French, Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp
#16. La Mer
- Rating: 4.4/5 (541 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2199 Kalia Road Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: French
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Nanzan GiroGiro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (553 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 560 Pensacola St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Ka Ikena Laua'e Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4303 Diamond Head Road Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
#13. TORO
- Rating: 4.5/5 (66 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1130 North Nimitz Hwy Ste C-130 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Senia
- Rating: 4.5/5 (713 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 75 North King St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Nami Kaze
- Rating: 4.5/5 (762 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1135 North Nimitz Hwy Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Japanese, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Miro Kaimuki
- Rating: 4.5/5 (401 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 3446 Waialae Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Carte Blanche
- Rating: 4.5/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1133 11th Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Asian Fusion, French, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Aina Steak & Seafood
- Rating: 4.6/5 (197 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 342 Lewers St. Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#7. XO Restaurant
- Rating: 4.6/5 (2323 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3434 Waialae Ave. Ste 5 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Cocktail Bars, Izakaya
- Read more on Yelp
#6. El Cielo
- Rating: 4.6/5 (217 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 346 Lewers St. 1F Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Tapas Bars, Wine Bars, Spanish
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Han No Daidokoro
- Rating: 4.7/5 (501 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1108 Auahi St. Ste 150 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Bar Maze
- Rating: 4.7/5 (178 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 604 Ala Moana Blvd. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Sushi Sho - Hawaii
- Rating: 4.7/5 (281 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 383 Kalaimoku St. Waikiki Beach, Hawaii
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Hihimanu Sushi
- Rating: 4.7/5 (428 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 3040 Waialae Ave. Ste A-2 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Threadfin Bistro
- Rating: 4.8/5 (55 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1016 Kapahulu Ave. Ste 140 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Seafood, Italian, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.
