Looking to save some money on food for your next trip to Oahu? Here is a list of the best cheap eats on Oahu that can fit into your families budget. 

Disclosure: This post was written by Hawaii travel expert, Kristin Vetter and may contain affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you to help maintain this blog. 

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Planning a trip to Hawaii is expensive. From the airfare to hotels and activities, it all adds up. The good thing about traveling to Oahu is there is a vast variety of food options for any budget, and great food at that. I’m not talking fast food either, I’m talking mouth-watering food that will have you coming back for more. 

You can find delicious food in Oahu that is inexpensive. You do not have to go to expensive restaurants for dinner if you don’t want to. The places on this list offer great options for families and the portions are generous! Hawaii has some AMAZING food! So lets get to it! 

1. FOODLAND 

I know what you’re thinking, a supermarket? Really? YES! You can find some great pre-made meals at Foodland. They have markets throughout Hawaii. Here are some of our fav cheap meals at Foodland:

• Poke Bowl – This is some of the best Poke on the island. Poke bowls cost $7.99 are are filled to the top full of fish. 
• Bentos – This is a Japanese-style take out lunch with meat, rice and veggies. 
• Musubi – A sushi style snack and meal: The most loved one includes spam rolled together onto a block of rice and wrapped in seaweed. There are a variety of flavors too. 

2. KAHUKU FOOD TRUCKS 

The North Shore is famous for their food trucks and there are SO MANY options, and they are all delicious. First up on this list is Kahuku Food Trucks. 

You will find a range of different food trucks here, from garlic shrimp, burgers, Thai food, Chinese food & Mexican food. The good thing about the food trucks besides the prices, they stack the food, so you can get a mini plate and be full until your next meal. Plates range from $7 to $12 depending on what you get. We hit up seven brothers for the burgers, but this was not a “cheap” option. 

3. NORTH SHORE FOOD TRUCKS 

One of my fav spots on the island is the North Shore. It’s an hour drive from Waikiki, so be prepared to spend the entire day there. There are SO many good food trucks on the North Shore, its hard to choose just one fav. 

Stop in Haleiwa for some shopping and food trucks. We love Giovannis shrimp truck. The portions are generous and a plate for shrimp and rice runs $15. They also have jumbo hot dogs if your kids don’t like shrimp. This is in a food truck “park” so there are other options available for the whole family. 

4. L & L HAWAIIAN BBQ 

You can find a lot of traditional Hawaiian meals here, meaning meat or seafood, rice and macaroni salad. The plates are stacked! They have mini and regular options. They have other food options too, like hamburgers and saimin. Their prices are around $7-$12. 

5. TED’S BAKERY 

Another great stop along the North Shore is Ted’s Bakery! While this is a bakery, they do offer plate lunches as well like chicken katsu, hot fresh sandwiches or garlic shrimp plates. This is a great spot to stop for breakfast too for their breakfast plates. 

Ted’s was nominated for some of Hawaii’s best food for a few years now. 

If you stop at Ted’s you also have to try their Hula Pie. 

6. ZIPPY’S 

Zippy’s is a restaurant with great prices. They have locations all over the island with a big selection of food choices. Most of the locations are open 24 hours, so if you land late this is a great place to grab some grindz. They have burgers, chili, plate lunches, sushi, bbq beef, Korean chicken, grilled chicken, noodle soup & so much more. 

Most of their items cost less than $10. If you are staying somewhere with a kitchen, you can find Zippy’s meals in the frozen foods section of the grocery store. 

7. RAINBOW DRIVE

This must try local spot was featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives & many other shows!It serves up the best loco mocos and cheap eats with its authentic Hawaiian food. Prices range from $5 to $15. 

You will only find Hawaiian food served here, such as spam, sausages and musubi. Personally, we love their loco loco. It’s one of the best restaurants on Oahu and best cheap places to eat in Honolulu. 

8. LAM’S KITCHEN

Be sure to stop in Chinatown for some cheap eats on Oahu. Lam’s serves up some of the best Chinese food and everything on the menu is priced less than $10. 

9. MARUKAME UDON

While noodles are the most popular menu item, you can find shrimp, tempura, rice bowls, salads and more. Prices range from $5 to $12 for most items, making it very affordable. There are several locations, and one in Waikiki. The line here gets very long so be prepared! 

10. MAGURO SPOT

Located in Waikiki, Maguro Spot serves up delicious poke bowls that has some of the freshest fish you will find. You get to make your own bowls or choose from their specials. A small is only $5, medium is $8.50 and a large is $12. You can also get shave ice here too. 

11. TOPPED WAIKIKI

If you are looking for a Korean restaurant, head to Topped. Everything on their menu ranges from $9 to $17. Here you’ll find Kalbi steak and egg, shoyu chicken, spicy pork dupbap, etc. 

12. BAREFOOT BEACH CAFE

Barefoot Beach Cafe is a casual oceanfront restaurant on Queen’s Surf Beach on the Diamond Head side of Waikiki. You can eat outside, enjoy live music daily starting at 5:30 pm and catch a great sunset. The cafe supports local businesses by using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, which means you get fresh cheap eats at a great price.

Just steps away from the surf of Waikiki Beach, this waterfront dining with a million dollar view is the spot to go! No shirts or shoes required and ladies can wear their cover-ups. Step off the beach, order at the window and grab a table by the surf. There is no alcohol served here. Prices average about $15. 

Its open daily from 8am -9pm and breakfast is served until 2pm. 

Tip: Stop by on a Friday evening and catch the weekly 8pm fireworks show from the Hilton. it’s a different perspective from this far away and one of my fav places to watch the fireworks. 

13. FARMER’S MARKETS 

There are framers markets all over the island and they offer some of the best cheap eats you can get. From Hawaiian food to fresh produce, you will find local ingredients in everything at the markets. Check out where to find them here. 

14. NICO’S PIER 38

Nico’s is one of Honolulus best cheap eats for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

Breakfast ranges from $3 to $16, lunch starts at $6 and dinner can be anywhere from $8 to $33. Choose from plate lunches, spring salad, chicken katsu, loom salmon, short ribs and so much more. At Nico’s you will also find a fish market where local fisherman have some fresh fish you can buy to make your own poke and other seafood. 

15. OAHU MEXICAN GRILL (OMG)

OMG is a great option for cheap eats and the food is good! Here you will find fish tacos and other Mexican plate lunch options that are delicious. Prices range from $7 to $15; with generous portions, the prices are pretty good. 

There are two locations, Honolulu and Waikiki. The Waikiki location is a second floor restaurant and has amazing views of Waikiki Beach! 

16. ONO SEAFOOD 

Ono Seafood has some of the best Poke on the island and the bowls are made to order, so everything is fresh and delicious. A regular bowl is $11.75 and a large bowl is $13.75. You get two choices of poke with each bowl and some white rice. 

17. HELENA’S HAWAIIAN FOOD 

Helena’s is another great local spot for authentic Hawaiian food that fits your budget.  Here you will find some of the best Hawaiian food, including poi, Mac salad, LauLau, Kale pig, Lomi salmon, short ribs and haupia. 

You will find generous portions here for an affordable price. Most of the items on the menu are between $5 and $15. 

18. OAHU GRILL

Oahu Grill serves up great local Hawaiian dishes and is a great spot if you cannot make it to a Luau. Their menu ranges from $12 to $22, with generous portions, the price is great! 

19. EGGS AND THINGS

Great breakfast spot for families! Their pancakes are delish – think towers of whip cream and fruit! Their menu items range from $12 to $25. 

20. KONO’S

Breakfast bombers pulled pork & milkshakes round out the menu at this funky, counter-serve joint and is a must stop on your trip to Oahu. There are 4 locations throughout the island. Check out their website here. Their famous for the breakfast bombers, and for good reason! They are delicious and huge! 

21. MUSUBI CAFE IYASUME 

If you need a quick snack to fuel your afternoon, Musubi Cafe Iyasume is the perfect stop. Spam musubi is a big deal in Hawaii. It contains a block of rice topped with Spam and wrapped in seaweed. This cafe has elevated this traditional Hawaiian snack to gourmet levels by incorporating a variety of ingredients and flavors, such as avocado, bacon, and different types of fish. 

You can find several locations around Waikiki but the best one (IMO) is the Waikiki Beach Walk, 227 Lewers St. 

22. STEAK SHACK WAIKIKI 

When it comes to Waikiki cheap eats on the beach, this popular quick-service counter is a long favorite stop for locals. Located beachfront in Fort Derussy Beach Park, steak shack is on the second floor of the building next to the Outrigger Reef Beach Resort. 

23. HULA DOG

This is a family-owned hot dog stand serving Hawaiian-style hot dogs with creative local toppings like IiIikoi (passionfruit) mustard and tropical papaya relish. Its located in the small food truck park at the corner of Kuhio and Kapuni. 

24. TY’S BBQ & GRILL (FOOD TRUCK) 

This hidden gem (literally) is worth a stop. It’s tucked away down an alley behind a 7-11. It’s located in the parking lot of Suzie Wong’s Hideaway, a local dive bar. The wait time is long enough to grab a drink from Suzy’s! The ribs are easily the best thing on the menu, but the rest of food is amazing too. 

Since its literally hidden, you can find it here: 1913 Dudoit Lane, Honolulu or type in Suzie Wong’s on your GPS. 

25. SOUTH SHORE GRILL

This family owned restaurant is near Diamond Head has been dishing up fresh and flavorful Hawaiian food since 2004. Fish tacos are the specialty but then menu also includes classic Hawaiian plate lunches. Single tacos can be had for less than $5 each but the grilled cajun Ono fish 2-taco plate is amazing. It comes with rice, slaw and tuna-mac salad. 

CHEAP EATS ON OAHU FAQS

HOW TO EAT CHEAP IN HAWAII 

Going on vacation to Hawaii is expensive and there are some ways to save money on food in Hawaii. Take advantage of Happy Hour deals (look up the restaurant online for their hours), shop at grocery stores (Walmart or Foodland) and farmer’s markets, look for coupons, and eat at food trucks or food courts in the mall. There are plenty of options around the island that serve up delicious food. 

WHERE DO LOCALS EAT IN OAHU? 

Go where the locals go for the best value and tasty food. Locals tend to eat at Rainbow Drive-In, Ono Seafood, Musubi Cafe Iyasume and Helena’s. 

WAHT IS OAHU’S MOST FAMOUS FOOD? 

When visiting Oahu, you will want to try loco loco, malasadas, kale pork, Hawaiian shrimp, and shave ice! 

HOW MUCH SHOULD I BUDGET FOR FOOD PER DAY FOR OAHU?

You should plan around $50 to $100 per person per day for food. You can get a lot of plate lunches and other delicious food that will help you stick to your budget. If you are staying in a condo, plan to have some meals there to save money. 

These are just some of the best cheap eats on Oahu. There are SO many great options when visiting Oahu. If you are staying in Waikiki, just walking around you will run into so many great options. Some of the best food we tried we didn’t have a “plan” for and found just by exploring the island. Don’t settle for fast food, try something local and different! 

You can skip the fancy expensive restaurants and try out one of these best cheap eats next time you go to the island. If you want to plan for maybe one or two nice dinners at for example Dukes or House Without A Key, try looking to see if they offer happy hours or look at their menu’s before coming to Hawaii to see if you can fit it into your budget. 

Leave a comment on your favorite cheap eats in Oahu! I’d love to hear from you! 

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