TOP 5 WAIKIKI BUDGET CHEAP EATS

We found the 5 best Waikiki Cheap Eats by traveling all around Honolulu and trying all the budget restaurants we could find. Come along and see our top 5 for Waikiki and Honolulu, and find out what our favorite was! We have a bit of an obsession with finding good values when it comes to restaurants, and we don't ever really go to the fancy places.
00:00 - #5 - Rainbow Drive In
02:34 - #4 - Marugame Udon / Marukame Udon
04:25 - #3 - Musubi Cafe
05:56 - #2 - Foodland Poke
07:05 - #1 - Blue Water Shrimp Bento
08:33 - Bloopers
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[@caslan1000]

Great report Thanks!

[@cecildaniels7]

Just wanted to let you know that my family just got back from vacation in Waikiki. We looked at this video and all of your other ones. We went to every place you recommended and it was awesome. Thank you so much for amazing content.

[@LisaAndJosh]

That is so awesome--thanks for telling us, Cecil! Hope you and your family had a great time!!

[@reandajennings5475]

@@LisaAndJosh you

[@montavio]

But also most prices doubled

[@Walts-Travel]

Its amazing the difference a year makes. 🤙🏽🤙🏽

[@Greg-qw7xl]

Heard Blue Water is closed.

[@reikokikuchi6748]

This is awesome! Thank you. Plan to go to some of these on my trip to Honolulu.

[@LisaAndJosh]

So happy to hear this :) thank you very much!

[@matius633]

Thanks for these info.. we'll be there next week. Definitely help for 4 of us.

[@LisaAndJosh]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ne130dy]

Thanks for the video. I’m going to try a few of those spots. 😎👍

[@LisaAndJosh]

Thanks for watching! Hope you enjoy them, definitely worth a try! :)

[@heatherfeather9951]

Thank you for the nori wrap hack, I wish I knew about this sooner!

[@LisaAndJosh]

it truly changed my life when she told me about it :)

[@mstewart214]

Thanks for the tips

[@LisaAndJosh]

Thank you for watching! :)

[@scottakahoshi715]

Love local Hawaiian food! Chili dog plate at Rainbows! Great job guys.

[@LisaAndJosh]

We do too! Thank you!

[@808pacifica]

Rainbow drive in is just outside of Waikiki, located in Kapahulu.

[@fayg7580]

Wonderful choices

[@LisaAndJosh]

Glad you like em!

[@christopherker1]

Bravo. My kind of dining.

[@LisaAndJosh]

Thanks, Christopher! Our favorite kinds, for sure!

[@myajenkins5808]

That looks sooo good😋 I’m really into sushi right now and I love food that is cheap and delicious so I want some😃 also hope y’all r well😊

[@LisaAndJosh]

Sushi is so good! Have you had poke before? It’s soo good here!

[@808pacifica]

Better eats to be found outside of Waikiki, happy food treasure hunting and eating.

[@LisaAndJosh]

probably :) any spots we should check out??

[@Tessesman]

We should be there in 3 months you just did a video of the places I want to go to. Rainbow Cafe was great the last time we were there. Thank you

[@LisaAndJosh]

Yes!! Our favorite places for great affordable food here! Enjoy your trip in a few months!

[@beegee3136]

Great video! Next time at rainbows, try the mixed plate with gravy all over! Don't forget the slush float too!

[@LisaAndJosh]

thank you! :) oooo we definitely will - never had the slush float

[@808pacifica]

Gravy all over is good, but not great if you want to eat it later. I would get it on the side or in a container. Get a mixed plate for variety, and if two of you you can also taste each other's Kau Kau (food). My favorite is the BBQ steak (this has no sauce and do not get gravy on it, it looks like teriyaki but no sweet shoyu or soy sauce sugar flavori, just grilled beef which is my fav for decades, and also get french fries instead of rice. The macaroni mayonnaise "salad" is tasty there at the Kapahuli Rainbow Drive in.

[@808pacifica]

Slush float is like strawberry syrup or maybe fruit punch flavor drink, with ice cream (I do not think it is ice milk) and whipped into a float, good but loaded with lots and lots of sugar. That's why many Hawaii people are overweight, with two scoops rice and Mac salad, and starchy food and soda...sugar and starch. Not for everyday consumption for good health.

[@antonio6377112]

Love it

[@LisaAndJosh]

Thank you!

[@pandababyz77]

Omg I love that you included the nori trick … I feel so ignorant lol

[@LisaAndJosh]

Ha - Lisa has all the good Hawaii pro-tips for sure :)

[@lucyweir9270]

My favorite dish 🥰🌺

[@LisaAndJosh]

Ooo which one is your favorite?! We love the poke bowl and loco moco plate the most :)

[@philc1884]

Nice breakdown guys, thanks. I see several locations on all these places except for Rainbow. Are they all the same or any faves? The Blue Water Bento you show doesn't come up on my Google Map. Is it part of the Farmer's Market off Ward and Ala Moana blvd? thank you!!

[@charliezumar5203]

When I come I will try thanks.Oct but not to sure yet if we can go.

[@LisaAndJosh]

I hope you can! :) the food there is so good!

[@44Mysunshine]

Hi! Loved this video. I am moving there on April 1st and will definitely keep these places in mind to visit. Whats the name and link to the new gimbal you mentioned? Mahalo for sharing.

[@LisaAndJosh]

So glad you liked this video :) Thanks for watching and commenting! Here's the gimbal link: amzn.to/3l2Z2Ca

[@44Mysunshine]

Thanks 😊

[@gosikh]

I loooove this video. Thanks. May I challenge you to find cheap eats that use less plastic. Almost every meal waste plastic galore. Just a humble request.

[@LisaAndJosh]

Thanks for the comment and 100% agree with you on this one. It is one of the toughest parts of living on the island, but will definitely take you up on that challenge!

[@dman030]

I miss that Foodland Poke, after surf. 🤙

[@LisaAndJosh]

the perfect thing!

[@alexcarter8807]

Foodland's is da bomb hell I not only grew up with Foodland I even worked for them.

[@LisaAndJosh]

thats awesome :) we love it too

[@maxangeles6279]

Good video & content!! :) mahalo, :)

[@LisaAndJosh]

thanks so much!

[@raduna2106]

Thank you for the great tips! Also I’m not gonna have a car and will be staying in Waikiki, do you think that those places you mentioned are walkable distance? I don’t mind to walk 30 ish minutes for lunch but not 2 hours LOL thank you!

[@LisaAndJosh]

most of them are very walkable - max of 45 minutes. The one in the thumbnail is quite a bit further - probably best to take the bus. Maybe 1.5 hours away walking.

[@raduna2106]

@@LisaAndJosh thank you and enjoy Prague - my home town!

[@808pacifica]

Yes in thirty minutes, you can cover the majority of all the food places in Waikiki on foot. Aloha.

[@howzit9397]

Now that’s a poke bowl!! Not the mainland poke bowl where you hardly get fish but a ton of sides!! Should be called a salad bowl

[@LisaAndJosh]

Ah, yes! It is the best! That was always our gripe about mainland poke bowls. Keep it simple--fresh fish and rice (and maybe a side of nori and avocado!)

[@caslan1000]

Josh and Lisa, Is Blue Water Shrimp Bento still in business? When I googlemap this place, only the one in Hilton Hawaiin Village show up. That place is certainly not $5... more like $20-$30... do you know if the bento place is still in business? Thanks in advance!

[@steven4vanw356]

Is Blue Water Shrimp really open only 7am-8am? Was checking the hours on yelp and google and they said the same thing.

[@johnnyb9797]

Blue shrimp open during covid?

[@LisaAndJosh]

Last time we checked it was (around 3 weeks ago)

[@JamesBond-pz5xn]

Cafe 100 in Hilo Bigisland created loco moco. Fact

[@LisaAndJosh]

Cool fact, thanks for sharing

[@OldManDave1960]

Which Foodland location is this?

[@LisaAndJosh]

Kaneohe!

[@phcnh]

Tamuras or Malamas in Kapolei.

[@LisaAndJosh]

Are you asking us to choose between those two? Why not both? :) Or is this a recommendation?

[@phcnh]

@@LisaAndJosh Maybe a recommendation. I don’t eat Poke but heard good things about both stores. Friend eats Poke though & he recommends Tamuras Barbers Point.

[@LisaAndJosh]

Thanks, jerlon! Super helpful. We like Tamuras but hasn’t tried Malamas. We’ll have to check it out!

[@raiderfrankdatank]

L&L and Chun Wa Kam have the ridiculous amounts of food, not Rainbows! MaruKame is my favorite

[@LisaAndJosh]

Yes! Marukame is so great, and L&L is so great for catering a large event for sure :)

[@pkodani72]

His friend is cute lol

[@LisaAndJosh]

:)

[@RealSavages]

Congratulations Awesome video. And you Sir have done very well, she is beautiful. 🤭😬

[@richardmena6664]

Blue water bento shut down :(

[@robertbeckwith7820]

Nooooooo. Was looking over and over trying to find its location and details. Having not found any details via google, this was my fear :(

[@khangtruong4515]

I had the 5dallor bento...snapper is not snapper lol its swai

[@LisaAndJosh]

Totally missed that! Haha

[@khangtruong4515]

They lie lol

[@Beck-Stein]

That rainbow drive was gross. I notice that lots of places dont live up to hype on yelp.

[@LisaAndJosh]

That’s one opinion. But we love rainbow drive in. what kinda food do you get hyped about?

[@Beck-Stein]

@@LisaAndJosh we have relatives that are fourth generation in hawaii and they say they never visit yelp places. They tend to get over hyped and tourist flock there. They then move on. Helenas is one example. Or matsumoto shave ice. Overblown joints. Im here now and i agree that yelp culture is all hype.

[@LisaAndJosh]

Yeah, to each their own, for sure. We love the hidden gems and the well-visited places alike. And good things are hard to stay good forever.

[@Beck-Stein]

@@LisaAndJosh fair enough.

[@808pacifica]

@@Beck-Stein Yupz, put Leonard's on there too, and nuff already on Liliha Bakery. A lot of places have really seemed to have gone downhill, since da pandemic. I am here but won't share my spots on social media, sorry I don't want them to get more crowded and then it is downhill racer from here.

[@fromlsvegas]

My wallet say thanks I can’t wait to get there next month

[@LisaAndJosh]

Your wallet is very welcome :)

[@jondonut1810]

All the hype about rainbow is just hype the food is below average 👎

[@soupbums]

Insane portions not. rainbow is not that good

[@cylekicksurass]

Loco moco looks gross lol

[@LisaAndJosh]

oh but it's SOOO good!!!

[@mannyj3812]

All the food 🍱 looked 👀 disgusting 🤮

[@LisaAndJosh]

ha, well, that's a first