Honolulu's BBQ scene is one of the most diverse on the island, blending Hawaiian plate-lunch traditions, Korean tabletop grilling, Japanese yakiniku, and good old-fashioned smoke. I pulled together this guide from 51 qualifying restaurants across the city to highlight the spots genuinely worth your time — whether you're after a quick plate or a full sit-down grill session.
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At the top of this list is Midtown Eats in Ala Moana, a spot I personally recommend and one that carries the NateEatsHawaii badge. This food hall brings together 12 local vendors under one roof, including BBQ options alongside sushi, banh mi, and more — it's a great way to sample Honolulu's food culture in a single stop. Beyond that, you'll find long-standing favorites like Bob's Bar-B-Que, a window-serve shack that's been feeding Honolulu since 1978, and Gen Korean BBQ House, a popular local chain known for tabletop Korean grilling in a modern setting.
This is a curated guide combining my verified picks with the area's best-rated spots. Restaurants where our editors have personally eaten are marked with the NateEatsHawaii badge on the page — look for it to know which spots come with a firsthand stamp of approval.
FAQ
Honolulu has a fantastic range of BBQ styles — Hawaiian, Korean, and Japanese are all well-represented. Midtown Eats (Ala Moana) is our editors' recommendation and carries the NateEatsHawaii badge, while spots like Bob's Bar-B-Que and Gen Korean BBQ House are highly regarded by visitors for their consistent quality.
For budget-friendly BBQ, window-serve and plate-lunch style spots tend to offer the best value — Bob's Bar-B-Que has been a local go-to for affordable Hawaiian BBQ plates since 1978, and Diamond Head Market & Grill is popular for hearty, wallet-friendly American-style grilled plates.
This is a curated guide that combines our editors' firsthand verified picks (marked with the NateEatsHawaii badge) with the highest-rated BBQ spots in Honolulu as determined by real visitor ratings on NateEatsHawaii.com. The list is reviewed regularly to reflect new openings and updated ratings across the site's ~1,900 Oahu restaurant listings.
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