Duke's

On the Sand at the Outrigger Waikiki
2335 Kalakaua Ave., Suite 116
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808)- 922-2268
Open for breakfast, lunch & dinner
Website: http://www.dukeswaikiki.com/

The best drinks in the house are Kalapaki Ritas – a margarita made of tequila, triple sec, passion fruit and pineapple juice. Make sure to order one while you’re at this location, because they aren’t made on the mainland! And although you can find Lava Flows all over the Waikiki area, Duke’s are some of the best.

Duke’s dinner menu has some great food but can get pricey, so we usually stick to the bar menu. It’s just as good. Favorites include the macadamia nut crab wontons, a huge pile of waffle fries, or occasionally they offer specials like beef dip au jus.

At the Water's Edge in Malibu
21150 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90265
Phone: (310) 317-0777
Open for lunch & dinner
Website: http://www.dukesmalibu.com/

In comparison to the Waikiki location, it’s disappointing that Duke’s in Malibu doesn’t have any beaches to wander. But it still has a spectacular view of the surf from its cliffside perch.

The menu here lets you to select any fish of the day and its preparation. My favorite: Parmesan and herb crusted mahi. I only wish they’d splurge on a few more macadamia nuts in the mix. And yes, the hula pie is just as good as they claim, so skip the appetizers like coconut shrimp (which is still pretty great with its super-sweet lilikoi sauce!) to save room for it.

Tiki’s Bar and Grill

Tiki’s Bar above the ResortQuest hotel is the epitome of what you’d expect on the main drag of Waikiki. Drinks can be ordered in ceramic tiki mugs and tiki lamps burn brightly all night long. Feeling the theme? What will surprise you is the strength of their drinks and the quality of their food!

2570 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815-3663
Open for lunch and dinner
Phone: (808) 923-TIKI
Website: http://www.tikisgrill.com/

Their mai tais were a little too strong for my taste, but (luckily) the bar also provides a great selection of local beer. We moved on to dinner in the main dining room and were not disappointed. My husband ordered a steak that he was able to cut with a butter knife. I munched on the house poi bread with homemade banana butter. Way yummy. If we ever make it back, I plan on trying the seared scallops – they looked great.

Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar

Waikiki Beach Marriot Resort and Spa
2552 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
Phone: 808-931-6286
Website: http://www.sanseihawaii.com/
Dinner Nightly: 5:30 P.M. to 10:00 P.M.
Late Night Dining: Friday & Saturday, 10 P.M. to 1 A.M.

Locals recommend this location as the best sushi in town, and they’re wrong. This is some of the best sushi I’ve had – period.

Sansei has some of the most delicious and innovative sushi combinations, without being too “exotic.” One of our favorite aspects of the sushi was the buttery sauces they were served in. Long after the sushi was gone, we dipped remnants of anything we could find into the leftover sauces, loving every morsel.

Favorites:
Tempura asparagus: Perfectly crispy.
Shrimp cake: If you can find your way through the mess of fried noodles on top, the shrimp cake underneath is amazing.
Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll: Instead of cold rice, the ahi is rolled in arugula and spinach, then flash fried in panko crumbs. This is the first sushi I can claim “melted in my mouth.”

Bonus:
Friday and Saturday nights from 10:00 pm to 1:00 am, the menu is half off!