Diners' Choice: Contemporary American restaurants in Hawaii

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Contemporary American cuisine in Hawaii? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Senia

4.9

4.9 (24)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Honolulu

About the restaurant

Senia invites you to share well-crafted drinks and delicious food in a comfortable, convivial environment. We celebrate Hawaii’s abundance of beautiful ingredients and showcase the delectable results of diverse cultures and multi-discipline culinary training coming together.

Senia's founding Chef/Owner, Anthony Rush, has decades of culinary experience at the two and three Michelin-star level. Chef Rush applies his abundant and extraordinary talents to two different menus. Our à la carte menu highlights refined casual dishes, making Senia a great neighborhood restaurant. Our tasting menu, offered on Friday and Saturday nights at our Chefs’ Counter, is an exclusive and beautiful gastronomic experience that highlights incredible ingredients and exceptional technique.

Senia’s name is a play on the word “xenia”, the ancient Greek ideology of hospitality where strangers and friends alike were treated with the same regard. It is in that spirit that we welcome you to join us.

Top review

JosephVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Best resto in Honolulu. Food, service, atmosphere. Big city experience.

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Experience

New Year's Eve Six-Course Luxury Menu

Experience

Tasting Menu

Fête

4.8

4.8 (3793)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Honolulu

About the restaurant

2022 James Beard Award Winner for Best Chef Northwest & Pacific.

Rooted in the local farm-to-table movement — a place where seasonality and culinary tradition are celebrated in tandem. One part Hawaii and one part Brooklyn. The atmosphere shares a brasserie feel with a laid-back island sensibility—a celebration and homage to all of our favorite things we enjoy eating and drinking.

Crafted with brick & reclaimed wood, our urban Hawaiian farmhouse features an open kitchen, lush plant wall, brick walls, and lots of natural light in a historic Chinatown building. The bar mixes classic and modern cocktails with artisanal flare with a well-curated wine list.

Top review

Robert

Dined 3 days ago

Outstanding special appetizer Oysters from Kualoa Ranch The penne with Ragu was delicious and it seemed to have half a pound of pork Service was excellent

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4.8

4.8 (48)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Wailea

About the restaurant

On Wednesdays and Thursdays, we pause our lunch service at 4pm and resume at 4:30pm for sunset service.
Both reservations and walk-ins are welcome.
On Fridays and Saturdays, the dining room closes at 3pm and dinner reservations begin at 5:30pm

Top review

DelVIP

Dined 2 days ago

After three visits the best food in South Maui. The ingredients are always fresh, the preparations are flavourful and the service is great. Highly recommended!

LA HIKI KITCHEN - Ko Olina at Four Seasons Resort

4.8

4.8 (964)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Kapolei

About the restaurant

Lâ Hiki Kitchen is inspired by the Hawaiian phrase “mai ka lâ hiki a ka lâ kau” – “from sunrise to sunset” – Lâ Hiki Kitchen is an inspired interpretation of American continental dining, infused with local influences, re-imagined with farm fresh ingredients and prepared by a world class chef. Cooking with heart and soul!

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 6 days ago

Always loved going here for any special occasions. Great service from Justin and the other staff. Can’t wait to come back !

Kula Lodge & Restaurant, Inc.

4.7

4.7 (1039)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Upcountry

About the restaurant

For many years, the Kula Lodge has been a favorite for both visitors and Kama'aina alike for delicious cuisine and breathtaking views of Maui. Perched high on the slopes of Haleakala with a 180 degree view of Maui, the Kula Lodge and Restaurant is a comfortable and homey place to relax, especially on your way down from the sunrise or sunset at the crater. It is situated on 4 lovely acres and not only has a stunning botanical garden, it has the only full-service bar and live music in Kula. It's also the only place upcountry with dancing (on Friday and Saturday nights)!

The restaurant seats up to 160 guests, making it ideal for weddings and special events. The Kula Lodge outdoor Garden Terrace features a brick wood-burning pizza oven and an open view of south, central and the Maui mountains. The sunset views are absolutely phenomenal!

Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 5-7 have live entertainment; Friday & Saturday evenings from 5-8pm have live entertainment AND dancing!

Top review

ChristieVIP

Dined on Dec 12, 2024

This was our first visit here and it was worth the trip to the up country for sure. Service: excellent. Waters for table constantly being filled, cocktails and food came out quickly. Cocktails: excellent. Multiple different ones tried at the table and all were good. Food: very good. Our favorites were the Poisson Cru (ceviche), Ahi Crudo, Lodge Salad, Rack of Lamb and Seared Tuna. We also got desserts which were good. They do have a kids (keiki) menu but they tell you verbally and our kids gave the chicken tenders a thumbs up! Location: beautiful views of Maui and property is surrounded by lush gardens. This is honestly one of our favorite meals on the island and we look forward to coming back!

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The Restaurant at Hotel Wailea

4.7

4.7 (2718)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Wailea

About the restaurant

Hawaii’s first and only Relais & Châteaux restaurant, The Restaurant at Hotel Wailea offers a 'culinary casual' experience with creative island-to-table cuisine. Menus are created around what is readily available from Maui’s farms and fisherman ensuring that each dish is prepared using only the finest local, seasonal and artisanal products; including those grown in the restaurant’s own orchard.

From its perch on the hillside above South Maui's Wailea resort area, the restaurant offers sweeping panoramic ocean views from the upper lanai and intimate dining under the stars in the garden. Voted one of OpenTable's Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in the US, and Top 10 Restaurants in Hawaii.

Top review

RebeccaVIP

Dined on Dec 13, 2024

One of the best meals I’ve ever had. I’ll definitely be back.

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4.6

4.6 (768)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Kapolei

About the restaurant

Mahi'ai Table, Foodland's first full service farm-to-table restaurant.

Top review

MyraVIP

Dined 4 days ago

We had Brussel Sprouts (superb), Fish and Chips (love the fries and fish was light and crispy), Kim Chee Rueben Sandwich with Tomato soup (tasty but I should have known it would be a little greasy), Pickled mango margarita (wonderful with a slice of pickled mango garnish), and Kulolo haupia sundae (love the haupia gelato and the mango compote...the kulolo was a little hard/chewy). I would try a different dessert next time. Overall...really liked the vibe in this restaurant. Very comfortable, staff is very friendly and great service. Definitely a repeater.

Arden Waikiki

4.7

4.7 (187)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Waikiki

About the restaurant

Nestled in a sanctuary at the foot of Diamond Head in Waikiki, Arden invites you to discover the essence of Contemporary Hawaii Cuisine.

Culinary artisans Makoto Ono and Amanda Cheng welcome you into their world of edible expression where every moment is woven into a cherished memory.

Experience the allure of Arden, where every bite narrates a story and each visit feels like returning home.

Top review

Kimberly

Dined 2 days ago

Arden does not disappoint! The furikake fries were so good. The hamachi sashimi with lilikoi and lamb lollipops were fantastic. My favorite dishes are the roasted hirabara carrots with goat cheese and the mushroom rice. The baked Hawaii for dessert was the perfect ending.

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Veranda - Moana Surfrider

4.8

4.8 (1090)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Waikiki

About the restaurant

Our renowned Victorian tradition of “Afternoon Tea” under the historic banyan tree invites guests to indulge in a variety of tropical tea blends accompanied by a selection of delicious finger sandwiches, scones and delicate pastries.

Please Note we are a cashless restaurant. We only accept credit cards or room charges as form of payment. A 20% gratuity will be added to all parties of 6 or more and for parties of 5 or more that request split checks.
We kindly ask to refrain from balloon decorations to ensure the views for others are respected. Guests are welcome to bring their own cake/dessert for an additional fee of $7 per person.

Top review

RITA

Dined 6 days ago

Great service and great ambience. Always love coming here.

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Experience

Butterfly Tea Time

Monkeypod Kitchen - Wailea

4.7

4.7 (10344)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Wailea

About the restaurant

Aloha, we are open daily from 11:00am to 10:00pm, with our last seating available at 9:45pm. We accept reservations & reserve a large amount of space for walk-ins. If your desired reservation is not available, please join our waitlist in person daily. Happy Hour is available daily from 3:30pm-5:00pm (excluding select holidays).

Our chef driven concept is led by the classically trained, award winning chef, Peter Merriman. Peter is a culinary pioneer and one of the founders of Hawaii Regional Cuisine. He has always been inspired by the people and products around him and this spirit has lead the movement to look at food in Hawaii in a new light. Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman embraces this passion! Each item on the menu demonstrates our commitment to craft and showcases high quality, socially conscious ingredients, creative preparations, and perfect execution.

Top review

Marta

Dined 3 days ago

Great food, great service. Definitely loud also very family friendly, staff is amazing with kids and helping parents enjoy their meal!

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Popular dish

Margherita

Popular dish

Pete's Fresh Fish and Chips

Popular dish

Coconut Cream Pie

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