Right City:
Popular with tourists and locals alike, this hole-in-the-wall, 3/4 mile outside Waikiki, is one of the few restaurants to serve authentic Hawaiian food, from jerky-like pipikalua to laulau (ti-leaf wrapped steamed packets filled with taro leaves and chunks of pork) and the requisite poi (not as awful as its reputation—it's meant to be eaten with other foods). Most dishes come as complete combination plates, including a square of haupia coconut pudding for dessert. It's hard to spend more than $10 a head for more food than one person should sensibly eat. Not for vegetarians, and the drinks are limited to canned sodas. Decor consists of wall-to-wall autographed photos of celebrities who've stopped by. "Ono" means "delicious" in the Hawaiian language.

DinerPages.com:
Locals frequent this no-frills hangout for a regular hit of their favorite foods. You can tell it's good, because there's usually a line outside after about 5 PM. In a plain storefront site and furnished simply with tables and booths, this small (it seats about 40) restaurant is a good place to do some taste testing of such Island innovations as poi, lomilomi salmon (salmon massaged until tender and served with minced onions and tomatoes), laulau (steamed bundle of ti leaves containing pork, butterfish, and taro tops), kalua pork, and haupia (a light, gelatinlike dessert made from coconut). Appropriately enough, the Hawaiian word 'ono means delicious. No credit cards. Closed Sun.

American Express Travel Page:
The Oh Young family's tiny monument to traditional "grinds" (pidgin for "grub") is as close as you can get to Polynesian food nirvana.

Honolulu Advertiser Ilima Awards:
There's always lots of debate over this category. Everyone has their favorites among the handful of restaurants that specialize in Hawaiian dishes. But for close to 40 years 'Ono Hawaiian Foods has literally had a line outside its door, proof enough of popularity. Dignitaries, celebrities, athletes, politicians and regular folks love this place. Sueko Oh Young, who opened this small neighborhood spot, spent 12 to 15 hours a day in the kitchen six days a week for more than three decades, but now is semi-retired. Her family continues to turn out the Hawaiian plates that have earned 'Ono acclaim and numerous awards and restaurant guide mentions.
What's good? Everything, according to our readers. The kalua pig is tender, properly smoky and moist. Chicken laulau is available on Wednesdays only and sells out fast. Pipikaula, butterfish lu'au, chicken long rice, lomi salmon, tripe stew, squid lu'au, beef curry (Tuesdays), chop steak (Mondays) – it's all good. And haupia for dessert. Gotta go grind, brah.
726 Kapahulu Ave.; 737-2275. 11 a.m.-7:45 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Hawaiian cuisine. No reservations needed. No credit cards. No checks. $.

Two Japanese Bruddas:
If you're looking for authentic Hawaiian food, forget about the Waikiki hotel buffets and commercial luaus, go directly to Ono Hawaiian Foods (726 Kapahulu Avenue). Dey get da real kine Hawaiian grinds, da bes' you goin' find (unless you stay go one real family kine baby luau in Waimanalo). It's a small, plain storefront, but very easy to find. Just look for the long line outside the door. Ono's has a long list of loyal customers, including Muhammad Ali, Don Ho, Senator Daniel Inouye, Lily Tomlin and Barry Sanders. Try their kalua pork, lau lau and lomi salmon. Nevah mind, jus' order da combination plate - get everyting inside. Get 'em wit poi, not rice. An' ey, no put da kine sugar inside your poi. Only stay open until 7:30 p.m., so go early.