Best of HONOLULU and Best of HONOLULU Family 2026
The results are in for our annual awards, which recognize the best of the city. Read more about the winners in our July/August issue and HONOLULU Family this fall.
With more than 4,000 ballots cast, the winners of our 2026 Best of HONOLULU and Best of HONOLULU Family Awards were announced at an April 16 reception.
The winners of our annual program were selected by readers and our editorial team. With ballots cast in February, our readers chose their favorite bagels, beer, aloha attire, place to celebrate an anniversary and picks in 90 more categories, plus 43 geared toward families. Our editorial team added a few worthy picks as well for a final list of 298 winners and finalists in 161 categories.
HONOLULU Magazine published the inaugural People’s Choice Awards 35 years ago and has continued to bring readers the best of the best, from trendy new brands to old-school favorites. The following is our guide to the best this city offers. More coverage will come in our July/August 2026 issue.
Congratulations to this year’s winners!
Click below to jump to the Best of HONOLULU Family winners:
Food & Drink
READER PICKS
Best Bagels
WINNER: Tali’s Bagels & Schmear
FINALIST: Fin’s Bagels
Best Breads
WINNER: Breadshop
FINALIST: La Tour Bakehouse
Best Burger
WINNER: Joja
FINALIST: Teddy’s Bigger Burgers
Best Dim Sum
WINNER: Jade Dynasty Seafood Restaurant
FINALIST: Happy Days
Best Katsu
FINALIST: Tonkatsu Tamafuji
FINALIST: Nana Ai Katsu
Best Local Beer
WINNER: Aloha Beer Co.
FINALIST: Beer Lab HI
Best Local Coffee Roaster
WINNER: Honolulu Coffee
FINALIST: Island Vintage Coffee
Best Local Grocery Store
WINNER: Foodland
FINALIST: Times Supermarket
Best Local Snack Company
WINNER: Wholesale Unlimited
FINALIST: Lin’s Hawaiian Snacks
Best Local Spirit
WINNER: Kō Hana Rum
FINALIST: Ocean Organic Vodka
Best Loco Moco
WINNER: Moena Café
FINALIST: Liliha Bakery
Best Matcha Drink
WINNER: Daily Whisk Matcha
FINALIST: ‘Ohana Hui Café
Best Mocktails
WINNER: Nikki’s Sandbar
FINALIST: Deck
Best Musubi
WINNER: 7-Eleven Hawai‘i
FINALIST: Musubi Café Iyasume
Best Pancakes
WINNER: Café Kaila
FINALIST: Liliha Bakery
Best Pastries
WINNER: Halekūlani Bakery
FINALIST: Paris Baguette
Best Pizza
WINNER: J. Dolan’s
FINALIST: Kaimukī’s Boston Pizza
Best Poke
WINNER: Foodland
FINALIST: Off the Hook Poke Market
Best Roving Food Vendor
WINNER: Corner Rolls
FINALIST: Joja
Best Sandwich
WINNER: Storto’s Deli and Sandwich Shoppe
FINALIST: Earl Hawai‘i
Best Vegan
WINNER: Down to Earth Organic & Natural
FINALIST: Tane Vegan Izakaya
EDITOR PICKS
Best Brownies Ever
WINNER: Kīlani Bakery
Best Enduring Poke
WINNER: Alicia’s Market
Best New Nontraditional Omakase Sushi
WINNER: Hiro No Uchi
Best New Spicy Noodles
WINNER: Daji Spicy Pavilion
Best Pop-Up Gourmet Meals
WINNER: C4 Table
Best Saucy Burger
WINNER: Boarded Up by Chubbies Burgers
Best Sourdough Bread
WINNER: Cream & Sugar Hawai‘i
Best Takeout Banchan
WINNER: Banchan House
Best 2.0 Shave Ice
WINNER: Asato’s Waikīkī
Shopping
READER PICKS
Best Aloha Attire
WINNER: Manuheali‘i
FINALIST: Manaola
Best Art/Craft Supply Store
WINNER: HouseMart Ben Franklin Crafts
FINALIST: Hawaiian Graphics
Best Farmers Market
WINNER: Kaka‘ako Farmers Market
FINALIST: KCC Farmers Market
Best Furniture Store
WINNER: C.S. Wo & Sons
FINALIST: Inspiration Interiors
Best Gift Shop
WINNER: Small Kine Gift
FINALIST: Island-Boy
Best Gourmet Food Shop
WINNER: Foodland Farms
FINALIST: Whole Foods
Best Jewelry Store
WINNER: Maui Divers Jewelry
FINALIST: Nā Hōkū
Best Local Athleisure Brand
WINNER: Active by Teal
FINALIST: The ‘Iwa Athletic Co.
Best Local Bookstore
WINNER: Da Shop: Books + Curiosities
FINALIST: Book Ends
Best Local Menswear
WINNER: T&C Surf Designs
FINALIST: Reyn Spooner
Best Local Womenswear
WINNER: Fighting Eel
FINALIST: Mahina Made
Best Pet Shop
WINNER: Kalihi Pet Center
FINALIST: The Public Pet
Best Surf Shop
WINNER: T&C Surf Designs
FINALIST: Local Motion Hawai‘i
Best Swimwear
WINNER: Benoa Swim
FINALIST: T&C Surf Designs
EDITOR PICKS
Best Customizable Leather Wallets
WINNER: Open Sea Leather Co.
Best High-Quality Kitchenware
WINNER: The Compleat Kitchen
Best Lei Vases
WINNER: Made by Teri Ann
Health & Wellness
READER PICKS
Best Acupuncture
WINNER: Moon Gate
FINALIST: Kama‘āina Acupuncture
Best Chiropractor
WINNER: Dr. Chad Sato
FINALIST: Turning Point Chiropractic
Best Fitness Instructor
WINNER: Chien Jardine-Winter
FINALIST: Moani Hara
Best Fitness Studio (not including Pilates or yoga)
WINNER: Heated
FINALIST: Still & Moving Center
Best Gym
WINNER: Planet Fitness
FINALIST: 24 Hour Fitness
Best Naturopath
WINNER: Dr. Alysa Nguyen
FINALIST: Hawai‘i Natural Medicine
Best Personal Trainer
WINNER: Karolay Ochoa
FINALIST: Alyssa Chang
Best Pilates Studio
WINNER: Club Pilates
FINALIST: Beyond Pilates Studio Hawai‘i
Best Place to Play Pickleball
WINNER: Pickles at Forté
FINALIST: Diamond Head Tennis Center
Best Running/Walking Event
WINNER: Honolulu Marathon
FINALIST: Kaiwi Coast Run & Walk
Best Yoga Studio
WINNER: Yoga Room Hawai‘i
FINALIST: Bella Kai Hot Yoga
EDITOR PICKS
Best Pilates Instructor
WINNER: Rick Burke (Master Pilates)
Entertainment & Leisure
READER PICKS
Best Club for Dancing
WINNER: The District
FINALIST: Scarlet Honolulu
Best Community Theater
WINNER: Diamond Head Theatre
FINALIST: Mānoa Valley Theatre
Best Hotel for a Staycation
WINNER: The Kāhala Hotel & Resort
FINALIST: Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa
Best LGBTQIA+ Bar/Club
WINNER: Scarlet Honolulu
FINALIST: Velvet
Best Live Music Venue
WINNER: Blue Note Hawai‘i
FINALIST: The Republik
Best Movie Theater
WINNER: Consolidated Theatres
FINALIST: Regal Cinemas
Best Outdoor Adventure Activity
WINNER: Polynesian Cultural Center
FINALIST: Wai Kai
Best Place to Celebrate an Anniversary
WINNER: Roy’s
FINALIST: The Signature Prime Steak & Seafood
Best Place to Hold a Celebration
WINNER: Natsunoya Tea House
FINALIST: Lē‘ahi Room & Lānai by Deck
Best Place to Pau Hana
WINNER: Moku Kitchen
FINALIST: Chez Kenzo Bar & Grill
Best Place to Play Tourist
WINNER: Polynesian Cultural Center
FINALIST: Dole Plantation
Best Place to Rent Watersports Gear
WINNER: Kailua Beach Adventures
FINALIST: Moku Hawai‘i
Best Place to See Art
WINNER: Honolulu Museum of Art
FINALIST: Capitol Modern
Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners
WINNER: Kualoa Ranch
FINALIST: Polynesian Cultural Center
EDITOR PICKS
Best Late-Night Vibe
WINNER: The Dragon Upstairs
Best Place to Discover Up-and-Coming Artists
WINNER: Kaiao Space
Services
READER PICKS
Best Adult Day Care
WINNER: Arcadia Family of Companies
FINALIST: Kāhala Nui
Best Airline
WINNER: Southwest Airlines
FINALIST: Hawaiian Airlines
Best Auto Detailer
WINNER: Pristine Auto Detail
FINALIST: Honda Windward Auto Spa
Best Auto Insurance Company
WINNER: State Farm
FINALIST: Geico
Best Automotive Repair
WINNER: Sumida’s Auto Repair
FINALIST: Lex Brodie’s Tire, Brake & Service Co.
Best Bank
WINNER: American Savings Bank
FINALIST: First Hawaiian Bank
Best Coworking Space
WINNER: Hub Coworking Hawai‘i
FINALIST: Treehouse Coworking
Best Credit Union
WINNER: Hawai‘i State Federal Credit Union
FINALIST: Hawai‘iUSA Federal Credit Union
Best Employment/Staffing Company
WINNER: Altres Staffing
FINALIST: HiEmployment
Best Event/Wedding Venue
WINNER: The Kāhala Hotel & Resort
FINALIST: Halekūlani
Best Financial Advising Company
WINNER: Edward Jones
FINALIST: Morgan Stanley
Best Gas Station Convenience Store
WINNER: 7-Eleven Hawai‘i
FINALIST: Hele Gas
Best Laundromat
WINNER: Mānoa Laundry
FINALIST: Kapahulu Xpress Laundromat
Best Luxury Car Dealer
WINNER: Servco Lexus
FINALIST: BMW of Honolulu
Best Pet Groomers
WINNER: Live.Love.Pet!
FINALIST: Petco
Best Real Estate Firm
WINNER: REMAX Hawai‘i
FINALIST: Coldwell Banker
Best Retirement Community
WINNER: Arcadia Family of Companies
FINALIST: Kāhala Nui
Best Senior Assisted Living
WINNER: Arcadia Family of Companies
FINALIST: Kāhala Nui
Best Storage Company
WINNER: Hawai‘i Self Storage
FINALIST: Public Storage
Best Travel Agency
WINNER: Non-Stop Travel
FINALIST: TravelChic World
Best Urgent Care Clinic
WINNER: Queen’s Island Urgent Care
FINALIST: Straub Benioff Medical Center – Clinic & Urgent Care locations
Best Veterinarian
WINNER: Kaka‘ako Pet Hospital
FINALIST: PetVet Animal Hospital
EDITOR PICKS
Best Cooking Classes
WINNER: Hana Kitchens
Beauty & Self-Care
READER PICKS
Best Barbershop
WINNER: 1 of 1 Barbershop
FINALIST: Vintage Barbershop Hawai‘i
Best Cosmetic Surgery
WINNER: Dr. Bradford Lee
FINALIST: Asia Pacific Aesthetics
Best Day Spa
WINNER: Spa & Wellness at The Kāhala
FINALIST: EN Signature Brows & Beauty Studio
Best Eyelash Extensions
WINNER: Studio Genesis
FINALIST: Embrace Esthetics Hawai‘i
Best Hair Colorist
WINNER: Salon 808
FINALIST: Hina Hair
Best Hair Removal
WINNER: Lavish Spa and Nails
FINALIST: The Wax Haus
Best Hair Salon
WINNER: Salon Blanc
FINALIST: Color Lounge Collective
Best Mani/Pedi
WINNER: Lavish Spa and Nails
FINALIST: Gradient Nail
Best MedSpa
WINNER: Asia Pacific Aesthetics
FINALIST: Ko‘olau Clinic
Best Place for a Facial
WINNER: Heaven on Earth Salon & Day Spa
FINALIST: Reneux Med & Day Spa
Best Place for Laser Skin Treatments/Botox
WINNER: Asia Pacific Aesthetics
FINALIST: Ko‘olau Clinic
Best Place for a Massage
WINNER: Massage Envy
FINALIST: Seven Senses Spa
EDITOR PICKS
Best Place to Buy Korean Skin Care
WINNER: Beauty Touch
Best Place to Get a Massage Without an Appointment
WINNER: Popoki
Play
READER PICKS
Best Amusement Center
WINNER: Keiki Kingdom
FINALIST: Wai Kai
Best Annual Pass Value
WINNER: Wet’n’Wild Hawai‘i
FINALIST: Honolulu Zoo
Best Family-Affordable Getaway
WINNER: Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa
FINALIST: Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikīkī Beach Resort
Best Farm Tour
WINNER: Keiki and Plow
FINALIST: Sweet Land Farm
Best Golf Activity
WINNER: Bay View Mini-Putt & Zipline
FINALIST: Glow Putt
Best Museum Tour
WINNER: Bishop Museum
FINALIST: Honolulu Museum of Art
Best Place to Experience Cultural Activities
WINNER: Polynesian Cultural Center
FINALIST: Bishop Museum
Best Play Space/Attraction: Indoor
WINNER: Kids City
FINALIST: Keiki Kingdom
Best Play Space/Attraction: Outdoor
WINNER: Wai Kai
FINALIST: Wet’n’Wild Hawai‘i
EDITOR PICKS
Best Setting for Family Scavenger Hunt
WINNER: Chuck’s Quest at The Battleship Missouri Memorial
Shop
READER PICKS
Best Local Brand for Baby Clothes
WINNER: Coco Moon Hawai‘i
FINALIST: The Keiki Dept
Best Local Brand for Coordinating Family Fashions
WINNER: Fighting Eel
FINALIST: Manuheali‘i
Best Local Store for Family/Beachwear
WINNER: Fighting Eel
FINALIST: T&C Surf Designs
Best Local Store for Keiki Books
WINNER: BookEnds
FINALIST: Da Shop Books + Curiosities
Best Place to Buy Baby Gifts
WINNER: SoHa Keiki
FINALIST: The Keiki Dept
Best Place to Buy Toys
WINNER: Thinker Toys
FINALIST: Target
Best Shopping Center for Families
WINNER: Windward Mall
FINALIST: Kāhala Mall
EDITOR PICKS
Best Place for Second-Hand Children’s Clothes
WINNER: The Salvation Army Thrift Store & Donation Center, Kailua
Best Place to Design Your Own Shirts and Bags
WINNER: Uniqlo Hawai‘i UTme!
Best Place to Get Your Cute On
WINNER: Kawaii Kingdom
Eat
READER PICKS
Best Bakery for Keiki Treats
WINNER: Brug Bakery
FINALIST: Liliha Bakery
Best Bento
WINNER: Higoto Japanese Eatery
FINALIST: Kokoro-Tei
Best Boba Shop
WINNER: S7 Icy Bubble
FINALIST: Shaka Shaka Tea Express
Best Breakfast Restaurant
WINNER: Café Kaila
FINALIST: Cinnamon’s
Best Grab-and-Go Musubi
WINNER: 7-Eleven Hawai‘i
FINALIST: Musubi Café Iyasume
Best Ice Cream/Soft Serve Shop
WINNER: Please Come Again
FINALIST: Baskin-Robbins
Best Kids-Eat-Free Deal
WINNER: Gyotaku Japanese Restaurants
FINALIST: Big City Diner
Best Kid-Friendly Brunch
WINNER: The Old Spaghetti Factory
FINALIST: California Pizza Kitchen
Best Shave Ice
WINNER: Waiola Shave Ice
FINALIST: Shimazu Shave Ice
Best Store for Locally Made Snacks
WINNER: Wholesale Unlimited
FINALIST: Lin’s Hawaiian Snacks
EDITOR PICKS
Best Cookies for Kids and Parents
WINNER: Lovejoy’s Bakery
Best Drinkable Frozen Treat
WINNER: Milky Way Hawai‘i
Learn
READER PICKS
Best Afterschool/Enrichment Program
WINNER: ‘Ohana Arts
FINALIST: My Treehouse Club
Best Art Lessons
WINNER: Da Dream Lab
FINALIST: My Treehouse Club
Best Dance Lessons
WINNER: Hawai‘i Dance Bomb
FINALIST: Kailua Dance Academy
Best Individual Sports Training
WINNER: Beyond Ball Hawai‘i
FINALIST: Hawaiianhardball
Best Language Lessons
WINNER: My Treehouse Club
FINALIST: Chinese Language Learning Center Hawai‘i
Best Martial Arts Program
WINNER: Prime Martial Arts Hawai‘i
FINALIST: Capoeira Besouro Hawai‘i
Best Music Lessons
WINNER: Roy Sakuma ‘Ukulele Studios
FINALIST: Kailua Music School
Best Sports Program
WINNER: i9 Sports
FINALIST: Keiki Kicks
Best Summer Program
WINNER: ‘Ohana Arts
FINALIST: Da Dream Lab
Best Swimming Lessons
WINNER: YMCA
FINALIST: Lē‘ahi Swim School
Best Tutoring
WINNER: My Treehouse Club
FINALIST: Kumon
Services
READER PICKS
Best Party Rentals
WINNER: Alaka‘i Party Rentals
FINALIST: O‘ahu Party Rentals
Best Pediatric Allergist
WINNER: Dr. Matthew S. Lau
FINALIST: Dr. Jeffrey Kam
Best Pediatric Doctor
WINNER: Dr. Corinne Chan-Nishina
FINALIST: Reis Pediatrics
Best Pediatric General Dentist
WINNER: Uchida Pediatric Dentistry
FINALIST: Pediatric Dental Group
Best Pediatric Orthodontist
WINNER: Caswell Orthodontics
FINALIST: Holliday Ortho
Best Speech Therapist
WINNER: Cove Child Development
FINALIST: Mary Marasovich
