All Our Favorite Fries in Honolulu

The Alley Restaurant at ‘Aiea Bowl

Stopped in for an early dinner before the rush on a Tuesday in May and had a plate of the best garlic fries ($5.50) evah! Instead of my go-to fast food salty, soggy fries from the Golden Arches, The Alley’s shoestring fries tossed in minced garlic are crisp, flavorful and addicting with a bite of garlic on every fry. So much garlic you’ll ward off bad juju and your honey for a few hours. Breath check! —Christine Labrador, HONOLULU senior art director

‘Aiea Shopping Center, 99-115 ‘Aiea Heights Dr. # 310, ‘Aiea, aieabowl.com, @aieabowl

Photo: Kevin Kabei

Arden Waikīkī

Fries are an afterthought for me, ordered often but absent-mindedly as a filler. Those at Arden turned my head. Ordered to accompany drinks, they turned out to be as much a star—piping hot steak fries dusted with tajín powder with accompanying dips, including a seasoned sour cream. They tasted like Lay’s barbecue flavor chips; I couldn’t stop eating. A different version is on the dinner menu now, a generous $15 bowl sprinkled with furikake with a spicy aioli; an optional Kewpie-and-crème fraiche dip with mentaiko and smoky trout roe is another $13. Arden is a special occasion destination, and these are special occasion fries. —Mari Taketa, Frolic editor

Lotus Honolulu Hotel, 2885 Kalākaua Ave., Waikīkī, ardenwaikiki.com, @arden_waikiki

A double order of Artizen by MW fries. Photo: Melissa Chang

Artizen by MW

I am the person who unapologetically digs through the whole bowl/bag of fries to find the little crunchy ones because I don’t want to waste my time with the soft, soggy ones. Because of this, I’m not much of a French fry eater, but I do eat every last one of the fries from Artizen by MW. I’m not sure what Chef Wade Ueoka does to his fries, but they stay crispy for a long time, even if I do takeout. (I asked him for the secret, and all he would say is that they’re “made with love.”) —Melissa Chang, Frolic

888 Kapiolani Blvd. Suite 102, Kaka‘ako, artizenbymw.com, @artizenbymw 

Photo: Thomas Obungen

Big Island Burger

It used to be that you could only get these fresh-cut (never frozen) fries cooked in beef tallow by visiting Ultimate Burger in Kailua-Kona. Now that they’ve opened an O‘ahu outpost called Big Island Burger, they’re hard to resist when I’m hanging out in Waikīkī. The fries are crisp, salty and have just the right amount body in each baton. A basket ($6.99) comes with creamy aioli dip, but they’re just as satisfying with ketchup and mustard. —Thomas Obungen, HONOLULU special projects editor

Waikīkī Shopping Plaza, 2250 Kalākaua Ave., Waikīkī, bigislandburger.net, @bigisland.burger

Photo: Diane Seo

Diamond Head Market & Grill

Of all the foods in the fried universe, French fries are my absolute favorite. I’m not picky about the style, whether they’re shoestring, steak, wedge, crinkle cut or otherwise. But the ones I crave come crisp out of the fryer at Diamond Head Market & Grill. Coincidentally, or maybe not so coincidentally, my favorite fries as a kid were served at the old Burgerland, which happens to be where Diamond Head Grill is now located. Burgerland’s crinkle cuts were my after-school addiction, and now I’m equally hooked on Diamond Head Grill’s little-more-than golden brown and lightly salted version. It’s not just nostalgia though. Every time I share a bag with someone who’s never tried them before, we plow through them way before finishing the rest of our meals. —Diane Seo, HONOLULU editorial director

3158 Monsarrat Ave., Kapahulu, diamondheadmarket.com, @diamondheadmarketandgrill

Photo: Andrea Lee

Fat Cheeks

My favorite burger place also has my favorite fries; though they no longer come together as a combo, I always get the fries for $4.50. Their chewy, irregular texture is addicting, and the thickness is just right. Fat Cheeks also offers six specialty dipping sauces for extra ($0.25 to $1.50), from the signature Fat Cheeks sauce to garlic aioli, if you want to branch out beyond the complimentary ketchup. —Andrea Lee, HONOLULU digital editor

Ward Centre, 1200 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite B2115, Kaka‘ako, fatcheekshawaii.com, @fatcheekshawaii

Photo: Eric Baranda

Minasa

I love Minasa’s lechon fries ($22.30) with their crispy pork belly over crinkle-cut fries, creamy sauce, cilantro,and green onions. Each bite mixes crunch, savory pork and tang, and sometimes, I get a piece of lechon skin instead of a fry. It feels indulgent and playful. —Eric Baranda, Frolic

94-866 Moloalo St., D12, Waipahu, minasahawaii.com, @minasahawaii

Off the Wall Craft Beer & Wine

Architects, carpenters and woodworkers may appreciate the Papas Bravas ($15). These thick-cut potato wedges—perfected as if pushed through a wood planer—have a wispy crisp on the outside and are fluffy as a baked potato on the inside. These little structural masterpieces are served with ketchup and chipotle aioli. —James Nakamura, HONOLULU creative director

South Shore Market, 1170 Auahi St. Suite 140, Kaka‘ako, offthewallhawaii.com, @otwhawaii

Photo: Andrea Lee

Pit Stop Hawai‘i

These fries come out hot and fresh, double-fried to order. Let them sit for a bit to firm up, then dig in. Though cut thicker than average, they don’t feel too carb-y with their crispy outsides and chewy insides. And they’re surprisingly full-flavored with more than 20 ingredients in the seasoning, according to the owner. You can get a half pound of fries for $5 (pictured) or a full pound for $8, which is especially worth it if you’re sharing. —AL

2411 Kūhiō Ave., Waikīkī, pitstophawaii.com, @pitstophawaii

SEE ALSO: My Quest to Find the Best Loaded Fries in Town

Zippy’s

Everything good in the world comes in a side order of fries ($3.45) at Zippy’s. Going anywhere else for fries is like cheating—me personally, I would never do it. The fries are super thin, meaning that all of them are crispy; there’s no need to dig around for the best ones. They’re also covered in the perfect amount of salt, making for a flavorful dish overall. —Annabelle Ink, HONOLULU editorial intern

Multiple locations, zippys.com, @zippys

Read the rest of the series:

All Our Favorite Pizzas in Honolulu
All Our Favorite Burgers in Honolulu
All Our Favorite Matcha Drinks in Honolulu
All Our Favorite Shave Ices in Honolulu
All Our Favorite Sandwiches in Honolulu
All Our Favorite Fried Chicken in Honolulu
All Our Favorite Cold Noodle Dishes in Honolulu