Best Burgers in Honolulu: Local Styles Guide

The best burgers in Honolulu are split between Waikiki, where most visitors eat, and the neighbourhoods locals use every day: Kapahulu Avenue, Kaimukī along Waiʻalae Avenue, Kakaʻako and Mōʻiliʻili near the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Look for grass-fed beef from Hawaiian ranches, teriyaki glaze, grilled pineapple and the loco moco, the island dish that puts a hamburger patty on rice.

Hawaii eats the patty in more ways than the mainland does. The loco moco was created in 1949 at the Lincoln Grill in Hilo, on Hawaiʻi Island: rice, a hamburger patty, a fried egg and brown gravy. On Oʻahu, plate-lunch counters also serve the hamburger steak, a patty under gravy with two scoops of rice and macaroni salad. The teriyaki burger reflects the Japanese influence on local food, and several Honolulu kitchens now fold loco moco toppings back into a bun.

Burgers in Honolulu: key facts

• Neighbourhoods to explore: Waikiki, Kapahulu, Kaimukī, Kakaʻako, Chinatown and Mōʻiliʻili.
• Local styles: teriyaki burger, pineapple burger, loco moco and the hamburger steak plate.
• Local beef: ranching on the islands dates back to the paniolo, the Hawaiian cowboys of the 19th century, and island-raised grass-fed beef is a selling point on menus.
• Currency: US dollar (USD). Menu prices exclude Hawaii’s general excise tax and the tip.
• Getting around: TheBus links Waikiki with Kapahulu, Kaimukī and downtown.

Every guide we publish on Honolulu is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. Before you plan a trip, compare Oʻahu with other cities in our burger restaurant guides around the world.