4 Best Restaurants in Moiliili, Honolulu and Pearl Harbor

Long beloved for its northern Thai classics, such as spicy curries and stir-fries and sticky rice in woven-grass baskets, made using family recipes, Chiang Mai is a short cab ride from Waikiki. Some dishes, like the signature barbecue Cornish game hen with lemongrass and spices, show how acculturation can create interesting pairings. The simple space is decorated with Thai fabrics and artworks.

Get a taste of local Japanese culture at this family operation on the main thoroughfare in Moiliili, a mile or so mauka (toward the mountains) out of Waikiki. Open since 1939, the delicatessen offers take-out breakfasts and lunches, Japanese snacks, noodle dishes, and confections—and it's a local favorite for catering, from parties to funeral gatherings. Try mochi (sweet rice-flour cakes), shoyu chicken, hash patties, garlic chicken, and Asian-style salads. The folks here are particularly patient and helpful to visitors, but it's only open from 6 to 2. Going on a round-the-island drive? This is a good option to pick up a picnic lunch.

Nihonjin (Japanese nationals) and locals flock to this tucked-away, bamboo-ceilinged restaurant for its tasteful, simple decor and equally tasteful—and perfect—sushi, sashimi, nabe (hot pots prepared at the table), and grilled dishes. You assemble your meal dish by dish, and the cost can add up if you aren't careful. Reservations are limited, and there can be a line, so come early or very late. Being named one of the nation's best Japanese restaurants (twice) has only added to its popularity. The parking lot is the size of a handkerchief.

Try to get a coveted seat at the counter, and prepare for an unforgettable sushi experience—if you behave, as chef Seiji Kumagawa prefers that diners eat omakase-style, letting him send out his favorite courses (generally two pieces of sushi or six to eight slices of sashimi), each priced individually and each served with instructions ("please, no shoyu on this one" or "one piece, one bite"). People who've defied Kumagawa have been kicked out of the restaurant midmeal. The parade of dishes, which continues until you cry uncle, always includes the signature California baby squid stuffed with Louisiana crab.