The 3 Best Places To Eat Outside in Hawai‘i Kai
When one door shuts, the outdoors open. Here are some of our favorite restaurants in Honolulu for dining alfresco.
Find more outdoor dining options in the August issue of HONOLULU. Look for it in our online store.
photo: Katrina Valcourt
Kona Brewing Koko Pub
Hands down, Kona Brewing Co.’s Hawai‘i Kai location has the best view out of all of the O‘ahu breweries. Located on a large dock at Koko Marina, it has gorgeous breezy views for both indoor and outdoor guests. And while there are a handful of new safety measures in place since reopening on July 8, the relaxed yet slightly more upscale atmosphere, summery pub menu (hello, fish tacos and beef sliders on sweet taro rolls) and 48 taps of local beer are all still front and center. Plus the one way traffic to enter and exit, cashless payments and QR code-prompted menus are hardly a bother when it means we can safely enjoy sunset on the water. –KK
Open daily 11 a.m.–8 p.m., 7192 Kalani‘anaole Highway, (808) 396-5662, konabrewingco.com, @konabrewingkokopub
SEE ALSO: A Closer Look at the New Liquor License Emergency Orders
Roy’s Hawai‘i Kai
Come for the sunset, stay for the soufflé. Across the highway from Maunalua Bay, the original Roy’s has always offered outdoor tables with a view, but now it comes with a $39 prix fixe from 4:30 to 6 p.m. daily. Get a bao bun crowned with fried zucchini and drizzled with cilantro XO and soy glaze to start, followed by braised beef short ribs and mac-nut-crusted fish, with that signature chocolate soufflé, vanilla ice cream and raspberry coulis ending the meal. Happy hour also runs from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. on the patio Thursday through Sunday (4:30 to 5:30 p.m. the rest of the week). Call for outdoor reservations. –KV
6600 Kalani‘anaole Highway, (808) 396-7697, royyamaguchi.com, @royshawai
SEE ALSO: Merriman’s Honolulu Opens a New Outdoor Street Burger and Beer Garden
Zippy’s Koko Marina
Zippy’s Koko Marina is currently open for takeout only
Those of us who remember when Zippy’s Koko Marina was open 24 hours a day remember the magic of its patio at 2 a.m., when nothing else was open for miles and you could sit for hours undisturbed by anything other than the sound of water lapping against the boats docked in the marina a few feet away. Though we’ll always miss those late-night Orange Bangs, there’s nothing quite like a breakfast bento with Portuguese sausage, Spam, scrambled eggs and rice as the sun rises, turning the still morning water deep shades of cerulean and teal. Now that it’s open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., order at the counter, seat yourself and keep an eye out for feisty spotted doves. –KV
7192 Kalaniana‘ole Highway, (808) 396-6977, zippys.com, @zippys
Read more stories by Katie Kenny and Katrina Valcourt
