Hale ʻAina Awards

Results of Honolulu Magazine’s annual Hale ʻAina restaurant awards, voted by readers. Winners link to their pages here.

2026 winners

Announced June 9, 2026. Reader-voted, except Restaurateur of the Year. Selected categories shown.

Best New Restaurant

  1. Gold Chao Hawaiʻi
  2. Silver Botanico Waikīkī
  3. Bronze Earls Waikīkī
  4. Finalist ROKC Hawaiʻi

Best Oʻahu Restaurant

  1. Gold Giovedì
  2. Silver Arancino at The Kāhala
  3. Bronze Kapa Hale
  4. Finalist Yohei Sushi

Best Maui Restaurant

  1. Gold Mala Ocean Tavern
  2. Silver Mama's Fish House
  3. Bronze Merriman's Kapalua
  4. Finalist Monkeypod Kitchen Kāʻanapali

Best Hawaiʻi Island Restaurant

  1. Gold Merriman's Waimea
  2. Silver Moon and Turtle
  3. Bronze Engawa by Islander Sake Brewery
  4. Finalist Kaleo's Bar & Grill

Best Kauaʻi Restaurant

  1. Gold ʻĀina Kauaʻi Restaurant
  2. Silver The Beach House
  3. Bronze Merriman's Kauaʻi
  4. Finalist RumFire Poʻipū Beach

Best Overall Japanese

  1. Gold Yohei Sushi
  2. Silver Zigu
  3. Bronze Restaurant I-naba

Best Tonkatsu

  1. Gold Tonkatsu Tamafuji
  2. Silver Ginza Bairin
  3. Bronze Nana Ai Katsu

Best Thai

  1. Gold Thai Issan Cuisine

Best Mexican

  1. Gold Da Seafood Cartel

Best Mediterranean

  1. Finalist Botanico Waikīkī

Old-School Restaurant We Love

  1. Winner Anna Miller's

Restaurateur of the Year

  1. Winner Chancelor Kim and Dong Dang (Chao Restaurant Group)

Source: Honolulu Magazine. Some categories are not shown here.

2025 winners

Announced June 2, 2025. Selected categories shown.

Best New Restaurant

  1. Gold Giovedì

Best Izakaya

  1. Gold Izakaya Naru

Best Buffet

  1. Winner Plumeria Beach House

Old-School Restaurant We Love

  1. Winner Kim Chee II

Restaurateur of the Year

  1. Winner Peter Kim (Yummy Restaurant Group)

Source: Honolulu Magazine. Some categories are not shown here.

The Hale ʻAina Awards are run by Honolulu Magazine. This page is not affiliated with Honolulu Magazine.