Whether you’re planning the ultimate North Shore day trip from Waikiki or staying on the best part of Oahu for several days, use this guide to hit some of the best food stops. 

Where to Eat on Oahu’s North Shore

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Haleiwa Bowls

My #1 goal when I’m in Hawaii is always to eat as many acai bowls as possible. I’ve had them a LOT of places, and this is the gold standard. 

These bowls are hearty, made fresh right in front of you, and have the PERFECT ratio of base to toppings. 

Giovanni’s

Oahu’s North Shore is famous for their shrimp trucks. Giovanni’s (with locations in Kahuku and Haleiwa) is the original and most popular. 

Lines get long during the day with all of the day trippers, but if you’re staying on the North Shore, it clears out in the evenings. 

They do several different varieties, but I think the “shrimp scamp” is the best. I’ll be honest, it’s VERY good. But there are other spots I like better that don’t have the lines ; ) 

Famous Kahuku Shrimp

So far, this is my personal favorite shrimp truck. They butterfly their shrimp so it’s easier to peel and the garlic really soaks in. 

They also have really good coconut shrimp. 

Some other places known for their shrimp: Romys, Tanaka (formerly Fumi’s), Honos, and Jenny’s.

Sunrise Shack

If you’re looking for the most “instagram famous” spot on Oahu’s North Shore, it’s the Sunrise Shack. 

Famous for their acai bowls and charming, tropical aesthetic, this place is just a day dream. 

The original shack is across from Sunset Beach, but I would go to the one across from Sharks Cove. There’s more parking, and they have more space so there are places to sit plus they have a slightly bigger menu. 

I always get a bowl (they have a variety besides just acai), but their avocado toast is phenomenal as well. 

Matsumoto

This family shop, in business since 1951, is probably the most iconic place to get shave ice in Hawaii.

Lines get long in the afternoons, but they move quickly. And it’s worth it to try this tasty treat with local toppings like ice cream, azuki beans, condensed milk, and mochi balls in addition to the ice and syrups. 

***Want to save major $$$ on your trip to Hawaii? I get asked ALL the time how I’m able to travel so often to Hawaii and stay at really nice resorts. Well, my favorite travel hack is cashing in points to score free airfare and free nights at some of Hawaii’s most high end resorts. Read my full guide on the exact system I use to max out credit card rewards here. Seriously, it’s going to save you soooo much money.

Kono’s

If you’re a BBQ connoisseur (a whole subset of “foodies”), you need to check out Kono’s. Pig is their specialty and their kalua pork sliders are SO GOOD. 

They do breakfast and lunch, and their menu is pretty varied for just focusing on pork. They also do great milkshakes and limeades/lemonades. 

Off the Lip

This spot is a departure from the food trucks and more “local” spots on this list, but it’s special. 

The newly renovated (and rebranded) Ritz Carlton Turtle Bay is STUNNING and the best part is how they’ve polished up the lobby area to be the coziest hang out spot with views everywhere you look. 

The Off the Lip bar is spectacular and not to be missed. Plan to arrive well before sunset to snag one of the little tables or a spot at the bar and prepare to be dazzled. 

The mai tais are stout (and well flavored). And all of the small bites are yummy, but be sure to save room for the turtle cheesecake. 

Seven Brothers

If I had to pick a “final meal” it would probably be a cheeseburger. It’s my go to comfort food. So of course a North Shore burger joint makes the list. 

Their burgers are decadent and creative, but even the plain ones are GOOD. Plus their fries are a winner. 

Their setting at the Kahuku Sugar Mill is a pleasant place to sit and enjoy.

Mom’s Bakery

This extension of Seven Brothers is a MUST for their cookies and baked goods. 

They also have gelato. And the store is super cute. 

Crouching Lion

Not technically on the North Shore, but just around the corner on the Windward Coast, Crouching Lion is worth the drive. 

I love a good destination restaurant, and this is one of my favorites on Oahu. 

It looks more like an Irish pub than something you’d expect to find in Hawaii, but they reopened last year after a lengthy closure and their menu is now a take on modern Hawaiian cuisine and craft cocktails. 

The view from the restaurant (and looking up at the restaurant from the street) is incredible.

P.S. I travel to Hawaii multiple times a year, and let me tell you a secret…I do most of it for FREE using credit card points and miles. 

I have a somewhat intricate system that I’ve fine tuned over the years to maximize earning points and how I cash them in, but the short version is:

I use THIS Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card for free Marriott nights. The sign up bonus alone on this card will get you 3 (sometimes 5!) free nights at hotels in Hawaii like the Sheraton Maui, Royal Hawaiian (Oahu), Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort, and the Waikoloa Beach Marriott (Kona). 

And I use THIS Southwest Premier Rapid Rewards card for free flights on Southwest. The sign up bonus will get you at least one round trip flight to Hawaii (possibly two depending on where you’re flying from). 

The combo of these two cards will have you most of the way to a free trip to Hawaii right out of the gate. Again, you can sign up for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless >> HERE and the Southwest Premier Rapid Rewards >> HERE
And if you’re really serious about getting into the travel hacking game, read this post for a more in depth look at how I maximize credit card points to book travel.

P.P.S. Here’s one more really important thing you need to know before your Hawaii trip…

You’ve got your airfare, hotel, rental car and your big activities booked, so you should be good to go, right? Wrong!

Travel is BOOMING in Hawaii and a lot of state and national parks have instituted reservation systems at some of the island’s most popular spots to help manage the crowds and make things a little more sustainable. 

That means that there are now over half a dozen sites (beaches, trailheads, etc.) that require advance reservations. And some sell out well before you arrive on the island so you really need to have some sort of a plan. 

I recently saw somebody in a Hawaii travel group post in a panic that they didn’t know they had to make reservations for things in advance…they thought they could just show up and “go with the flow.” I was tempted to say, well, “as long as the flow doesn’t take you somewhere that requires reservations, you can!” ; )

But I don’t want YOU to be that person, so I’ve pulled together a list of all the places you need to reserve entry in advance (plus all the details on booking windows, price, links, etc.) and a handful of popular tourist hotspots that book out really far in advance too. 
Get that info >> HERE