Ever find yourself cheering for the second hana hou at a concert in Honolulu … when hunger pangs hit?
When it comes to late-night food and where to find it, the smart move is to ask a musician. Often packing up their gear well past midnight and into the early morning hours, people who play music are in the know on how to find cheap, varied and filling meals to fuel their tank after rocking out.
Honolulu has no shortage of places to go to grab late-night grinds. There are take-out windows at hip, well-established restaurants, the standard loco moco, decadent options (think chicken and waffles) and even vegan options. Let us help you find them.
Did someone say chicken and waffles? We’d better start there. Local singer songwriter Tim Rose says he loves that dish, served in the early morning by M.A.C. 24/7, the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel’s go-to late night food spot.
LATE-NIGHT GRINDS
>> Downbeat Diner: 42 N. Hotel St.; 533-2328. Open 11 a.m.-midnight Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-2:30 a.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-2:30 a.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday.
>> Home Bar & Grill: 1683 Kalakaua Ave.; 942-2235. Open 2 p.m.-2 a.m. Monday-Sunday.
>> Liliha Bakery: 515 N. Kuakini St.; 537-2488. Open 24 hours a day, from 6 a.m. Tuesday-8 p.m. Sunday; closed Mondays.
>> Lucky Belly late-night window: 50 N. Hotel St.; 531-1888. Open 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m. Thursday-Saturday.
>> M.A.C. 24/7: Hilton Waikiki Beach, 2500 Kuhio Ave.; 921-5564. Always open.
>> Miki’s: 1001 Lehua Ave., Pearl City; 455-1668. Open 9 p.m.-3 a.m. Thursday, Sunday-Monday, 9 p.m.-4 a.m. Friday-Saturday.
>> Sorabol: 805 Keeaumoku St.; 947-3113. Open 8 a.m.-1 a.m. Sunday-Thursday, and 24 hours on Friday and Saturday.
>> Wailana Coffee House: 1860 Ala Moana Blvd.; 955-1764. Open 6 a.m. Wednesday-9 p.m. Tuesday.
>> Yanagi Sushi: 762 Kapiolani Blvd.; 597-1525. Open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Sunday, 5:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Monday-Saturday, 5:30-10 p.m. Sunday.
>> Zippy’s Makiki: 1222 S King St.; 594-3720. Always open.
HEAR THIS
>> 82Fifty: 10-Year Anniversary Show with Rocket Queen and Completely Insane, 9 p.m. Saturday, The Studio at Hawaiian Brian’s, 1680 Kapiolani Blvd.; $5.
>> Ernie Ecraela/Spooky Couch: 9 p.m. Friday, The Studio at Hawaiian Brian’s, 1680 Kapiolani Blvd.; $1.
>> Tim Rose: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Maui Brewing Company, Waikiki; free.
>> Amanda Frazier: Benefit concert, K9Kokua, 5-9 p.m. Aug. 20, Chez Sports Bar and Grill, 98-150 Kaonohi St. #C226, Aiea; $30, includes buffet.
Always available for your night noshing needs, the menu at M.A.C. 24/7 offers rich dishes like Bananas Foster pancakes, The Elvis pancake dish with bacon and peanut butter drizzle, gluten-free pancakes and, if those aren’t indulgent enough, fried lobster mac ’n’ cheese bites.
Rose has a locally owned favorite, too: “100 percent Downbeat Diner,” he said. “My friend Serena Hashimoto started it (with partner Josh Hancock of punk bands 86 List and Black Square), and it’s rare to find locally owned places open late, besides maybe Wailana Coffee House.
“I’m a creature of comfort. I want to go where I know it will be open. And since I’m always gigging in town, that’s usually where I go. Pretty much Downbeat, Wailana, or M.A.C. 24/7.”
Downbeat Diner has some seriously creative and satisfying fare like the Breakfast Burger, which comes loaded with, you guessed it, bacon and eggs. They also serve an Avo Sammy featuring everyone’s favorite green fruit for those keeping up with clean eating in the wee hours, and BBQ vegan wings for those who eat meat-free but still want “chicken” wings at midnight.
Soul singer and new mom Liz Davis, who performs under the name Melodie Soul, seconds Rose’s choice of Downbeat Diner for the late-night food crown, praising the vegetarian and vegan options as “beyond yummy.”
“My favorite dishes at Downbeat have to be the chili, cheeseburger & milkshake and even the French toast, which is served all day,” she said.
Her runner-up pick for meals after performances? Zippy’s in Makiki.
“The best meal at Zippy’s after a great gig is the Korean Fried Chicken with greens (salad) or french fries,” she said. “Hits the spot, and it will put you into a food coma.”
Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning singer-songwriter Amanda Frazier (her Alternative Album “Just Dream,” in 2014, took the trophy) has another favorite spot to shout out in Chinatown: the late-night takeout window at Lucky Belly.
“My favorite late-night food after a gig in the area is the wall outside of Lucky Belly. They open only late night and use all of their leftover meats and ingredients to make special takeout plates that are only about five dollars,” she said. “Can’t get much better than that! And it’s so yummy.”
Lucky Belly changes its food items at the late window week to week, serving up its menu on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. While themes change up to keep the counter interesting, you can count on the Lucky Burger. It appears on the menu every First Friday in Chinatown.
Alt-rockers 82Fifty celebrate a 10th anniversary of jamming out rock and reggae this weekend. (Join in Saturday at Hawaiian Brian’s.) Pearl City is the band’s home base.
“My favorite local food spot after a show, besides the normal Zippy’s or Liliha Bakery, would have to be Miki’s,” said 82Fifty singer Jessie Campania.
“It’s a little hole-in-the-wall place with awesome local grinds,” Campania said. “My go-to is a kalua pig or teriyaki meatball plate. They are open from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. (and 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday), so it’s a perfect spot after a late-night show with the wifey and friends!
“Occasionally we’ll run into buddies that also went out that night and end up talking story while we get our grind on. It’s a pretty happening spot for locals in the Pearl City area.”
Of course, night owls know the original Liliha Bakery is always a happening spot for late-night food. In-demand bass player Ernie Ecraela, who performs with Amanda Frazier & the Keepers, Spooky Couch and Monotrio, among others, agrees with Campania on this.
“Liliha Bakery at the Kalihi location is my favorite,” Ecraela said. “I love their toasted butter roll with their homemade jelly, and their pork cutlet too.”
“The bomb”: That’s how singer Cassie Filhart, featured singer from Analog and keyboardist for my band (the Erin Smith Band), describes her favorite Home Bar & Grill dish, in true rock ‘n’ roll style.
“Their chicken wings are the bomb,” she says. No doubt.
With a location near the Hawai‘i Convention Center (and Hawaiian Brian’s, where many a musician hangs out till late), Home Bar is open from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. every day of the week (with a special 8 a.m. opening time on Sunday, and who knows, you might just be ending up your night then).
Nearly always busy, it offers rich, filling foods like its signature Tater Tot Nachos, and truffle fries served with truffle oil and pepperoni chips.
Steak plates and noodle dishes are on the menu for those looking for a full, late-night meal, and there’s ahi poke and edamame for those who want something lighter.
More options for late-night grinds:
>> Yanagi Sushi serves sushi and more from 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday nights. Yanagi has several options for those looking for healthy fare, with salads and miso soups; the restaurant also carries an array of salads including sashimi, tofu, seaweed and crab legs with crab eggs — and, of course, sushi. If it’s fried food you’re craving, though, don’t worry: Yanagi has you covered with fried katsu and more.
>> Sorabol offers a mix of Korean menu items, including soups, stews, grill-your-own items and sashimi and sushi rolls. Vegetarian options include pan-fried rice cakes with vegetables and pan-fried, egg-battered zucchini.
Now you know what the rockers know. Arm yourself with these in-the-know tips and you’ll never be a famished foodie again.
Erin Smith is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, solo artist and lead singer of The Throwdowns.