Manoa Restaurants Guide

Cover Photo: Off The Hook Poke Market

Part of what makes Living in Manoa so desirable is not just lush scenery and  uber easy convenience to Honolulu, but its array of great in-neighborhood amenities. Eateries and cafés are among those abundant sites- From sandwich to poke shops, chocolatiers, and even crepe spots, the Manoa food scene comes in an assortment of diverse offerings. Whether you're in the mood to stop by a local shop for a quick lunch, order ahead online for pickup, or grab a coffee and sit down for some studying, there's a restaurant in Manoa that can fit your needs.

Feast (by Jon Matsubara)

2970 E Manoa Rd, Honolulu, HI 96822

The first entry on our list is Feast by Jon Matsubara, a famous and accomplished chef who has served as executive chef of Merriman's, has earned accolades like Top 10 Chefs to Watch by Modern Luxury Hawai'i magazine, and has even been featured on Food Network, Travel Channel, Zagat, and the Today Show. Feast places emphasis on seafood dishes like their popular lobster roll and salmon soba salad, but they are also known for incredible burgers and desserts.

To find the full Feast menu, you can visit their website here. Feast also offers take-out/curbside pickup and delivery options, which helps to cater to people with different schedules. This restaurant is open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 11 AM to 2 PM and 4 PM to 6 PM.

Photos: Dan O. on Yelp / Anthony Consillio in Dining Out

Waioli Kitchen & Bake Shop (Waioli Tea Room)

2950 Manoa Rd, Honolulu, HI 96822

Originally opened 100 years ago, the then Waioli Tea Room operated as a vocational training facility for orphans housed at the Salvation Army Girls Home on the University of Hawai'i at Manoa's campus. This restaurant initially served breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea while bringing in hundreds of guests from around the world daily. Today, Waioli Kitchen & Bake Shop continues to provide vocational training, life skills, and hope to those in recovery, while also focusing on serving breakfast and brunch foods with Hawaiian twists.

Some of their most popular dishes include short rib loco moco, mac nut pancakes, acai bowls, and croissant sandwiches, but they also have lunch foods like their Waioli bacon cheeseburger and an entire bakery section.

To view their full menu, you can visit their website here. Waioli Kitchen & Bake Shop is open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 8 AM to 1 PM and closed Sundays and Mondays.

Photos: Mika Y. on Yelp / Chass B. on Yelp

Off The Hook Manoa

2908 E Manoa Rd, Honolulu, HI 96822

Off the Hook Poke Market is a popular Manoa poke shop regarded by many locals as serving some of the best poke on the entire island. One of their most popular offerings is their poke sampler, which is a tray of 9 different types of poke that allows customers to taste the variety of fish sold at the shop. Not to mention, all of their poke is extremely fresh as they travel to the market each day to purchase the latest catches.

Some of the most popular poke dishes at Off The Hook Poke Market are cold ginger ahi, spicy ahi, japan deluxe (shiso and miso), Hawaiian style, and Kilauea Fire. This shop is open Mondays through Saturdays from 11 AM to 6 PM and closed on Sundays.

Photos: Allen N. on Yelp / Off The Hook Poke Market

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Manoa

2754 Woodlawn Dr Unit 7-106, Honolulu, HI 96822

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has 18 locations just on the island of O'ahu, and it is known for ice-blended drinks, flavorful coffees, and both indoor and outdoor seating (for the Manoa location, at least). Though there is a Starbucks across the street from this location, many locals like to go to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf as it has more options than its Starbucks counterpart, and its extra tables plus free WiFi contribute to it being a popular choice for a study table.

For their full menu, you can visit their website here. The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is open weekdays from 5:30 AM to 7 PM and weekends from 6 AM to 7 PM.

Photos: Christina J. on Yelp / Jeremy B. on Yelp

Asia Manoa Chinese Restaurant

2801 E Manoa Rd C, Honolulu, HI 96822

Asia Manoa is the most popular Chinese restaurant in the Manoa neighborhood, with dishes that are known to be flavorful and fresh. Dishes like black bean and beef look fun, curry seafood chow fun, honey walnut shrimp, and salt and pepper pork chops are customer favorites. This restaurant has relatively limited seating indoors and can fill up quickly during busy dinner hours, so making a reservation by phone is recommended.

Asia Manoa is open daily from 10:30 AM to 9 PM.

Photos: Tami C. on Yelp / Clay Y. on Yelp

Andy's Sandwiches & Smoothies

2904 E Manoa Rd, Honolulu, HI 96822

The next entry on our list is one of the most beloved restaurants in Manoa- Andy's Sandwiches & Smoothies. This small "mom and pop" shop is located directly across from Manoa Marketplace and adjacent to Off The Hook Poke Market, and it has a few indoor and outdoor tables for those who want to dine in. Besides sandwiches, Andy's Sandwiches & Smoothies also serves freshly-made soups, salads, smoothies (as indicated by the restaurant's name), and even baked goods.

The eatery's most popular menu items, however, are sandwiches, with favorites such as tuna melt, hot turkey mushroom, ahi melt, hot pastrami, and roast beef sandwiches.

You can order ahead by calling the business' phone number, and delivery options are also available via BiteSquad and DoorDash. Andy's Sandwiches & Smoothies is open weekdays from 7 AM to 10:15 AM for breakfast and from 7 AM to 4 PM for sandwiches and snacks, while being closed on weekends. For their full menu, you can visit their website here.

Photos: Andy F. on Yelp / Vina P. on Yelp

Choco le'a

2909 Lowrey Ave, Honolulu, HI 96822

For those who want to satiate their sweet tooth, Choco le'a is the perfect place for you. This chocolatier sells locally-made artisan chocolates, specifically artisan dark chocolate truffles using high-quality local ingredients. With popular menu items like chips with dipping chocolate, mochi truffles, truffle boxes, dark chocolate-dipped mangos, and much more, there's something for every occasion. In fact, you can place an order online for same-day pickup, which could be a great method for busy holiday gift shopping this season!

Their physical shop is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10 AM to 5 PM, and online orders can be picked up Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 AM to 5 PM. 

Photos: Patrick M. on Yelp / Nat N. on Yelp

Serg's Mexican Kitchen

2740 E Manoa Rd, Honolulu, HI 96822

The final entry on this list is Serg's Mexican Kitchen, a great Mexican restaurant featuring authentic, flavorful, and fresh dishes. Serg's Mexican Kitchen is run by Chef Sergio Arellano, a Mexico-City-raised culinary arts expert who has experience with fine dining restaurants and major hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chef Serg places emphasis on creating many dishes from scratch and using only fresh ingredients, which makes all of the menu options at the food spot go-tos for Manoa locals. Among this restaurant's most popular items include the carne asada plate, flautas, fish tacos, enchiladas, taco salads, and pork carnitas. However, Serg's Mexican Kitchen also offers vegetarian and vegan options.

Serg's Mexican Kitchen likewise offers food delivery via UberEats and DoorDash, alongside online ordering for pickup. As for hours of operation, this food spot is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 11 AM to 9 PM and closed on Mondays.

Photos: Sonya E. on Yelp