10 Best Restaurants to Experience in the Heart of Waikiki

Founded by surfer Joey Cabell in 1969, this restaurant remains the only independently-owned Chart House in the chain. It's also a perennial favorite with islanders, thanks to beautiful harbor views and great steaks and fish. Service is attentive, and prices aren't as steep as at many upscale places. The bar also makes a fun hangout. It offers dinner entrees and appetizers until late, along with well-mixed drinks. You'll even find live music each night just to put you in the appropriate mood for sociability and relaxation. Located at the Ala Wai Harbor, diners can take a stroll along the water before or after dinner.

It's dinner and entertainment rolled into one at this Japanese hot spot. Vivacious chefs chop, slice, and saut� steak, chicken, shellfish, and vegetables right before your eyes in an exuberant display of teppanyaki cooking. It's just the place to visit if you're in the mood for an evening of sociability and fun. If you need a sushi fix along the way, don't despair � they'll set you up with an assortment of your favorite rolls. The superb bar begins serving drinks at 5 p.m., including sake and Japanese beer. Great for family and group dinners, this steakhouse is a lot of fun.

Spare, contemporary design not only makes an unassuming backdrop for this appealing bistro; it also serves as a thoughtful counterpoint to a menu of simply prepared but complex offerings. Stellar ingredients step in to be given loving attention from the chefs, who turn out dishes like a grilled half-chicken with pancetta, slow-braised pork cheeks, black mussels with fennel-tinged homemade pasta, and crisp, creative salads. Even burgers are sublime. Good wines heighten the flavors, and outdoor dining lets you take in good weather with your great food. You'll need a reservation here any night of the week, so don't forget to call in.

Intimate, subtly lit, and genteel, this well-respected steak house is a special-occasion favorite, thanks to its refined ambience and pricey entrees. Waiters in tuxedos add class to an evening out, as do tableside preparations of caesar salad and bananas Foster. Beef, however, is the attraction, whether you select kiawe-broiled NY strip, prime rib, or a T-bone. Rack of lamb, lobster tails, and veal chops also make ideal main courses. Wines, liqueurs, and live music round out the experience. Hy's is a special place, so keep it romantic on date night or bring the family out for some quality family time.

Boasting lovely views of Diamond Head and an abundance of signature flowers, this celebrated restaurant does everything right. With an expansive opening to the ocean and a white sand beach, Orchids offers an exquisite outdoor dining experience in Honolulu. Breakfast each day is an event, whether you opt for a Continental, American, or Japanese morning meal. Sunday brunch, however, is an absolute extravaganza known the island over. Its legion of stations features breakfast favorites and adds in pastries, fruit, hot entrees, soups, salads, fresh fish, and desserts aplenty. Live music adds another layer of sensation, and the entire affair is not-to-be-missed.

Fabulous French cuisine tempts diners at this elegant ocean side restaurant, making for potent sensory stimulation. While you revel in beautiful views and romantic sunsets, feast from a menu of mouthwatering dishes, such as lobster bisque, tender salmon filet, or satisfying beef tenderloin. Salads make the most of Oahu's fresh produce – all things, in short, are good. Service is excellent as well, adding to the appeal of a delightful meal at the base of Diamond Head. This is the most traditional French food to be found in Honolulu. Dinner reservations are a must, and the dress code requires resort wear.

One of the top places to eat in Honolulu and all of Hawaii, Roy's has risen to the top under the masterful tutelage of chef Roy Yamaguchi, who skillfully fuses European and Asian cuisines, this establishment has earned a reputation for lively ambience, attentive service, and incredible food. A devotion to impeccably fresh ingredients and a penchant for artistic presentation characterizes the menu, whose temptations include steamed Hawaiian onaga, tri-peppercorn-crusted ahi, and ginger-steamed Chinese chicken. There's also steak, lamb, pasta, pork, and duck. Nightly specials make an appearance too, and the signature chocolate souffl-- is absolutely sinful. This is one of the places where you can go in pretty casual, or have fun dressing up for a night out on the town.

A beautiful, pale room, accented with gleaming wood and sprinkled with flowers and artwork, welcomes guests to this exceptional place. Using a wide array of locally grown ingredients, the Pineapple Rooms combines gourmet cooking with the locovore movement. The exhibition kitchen makes the most of fresh, regional ingredients, crafting such delicacies as kiawe wood-grilled mahimahi, ginger-crusted onaga, and roast duck prepared three ways. You'll also find grilled beef and lamb chops, along with "da bag," a foil packet of seafood, kalua pork, and vegetables that's dramatically deflated tableside. If you make it to dessert, don't miss the sorbets or cr�me br�l�es, infused with tropical fruits.