Dining outdoors is de rigueur these days, as health experts have determined that the coronavirus does not spread as easily outside as it does indoors and many jurisdictions have limited indoor restaurant service.
Many of the restrictions on dining at restaurants are sticking around longer than hoped, and Hawaii is no different, as it has recently had to reimpose emergency orders and social distancing guidelines, most notably on Oahu. But the Aloha State is gifted with a tropical climate and tradewinds that make it comfortable to dine al fresco every month of the year.
Honolulu restaurants are currently open for dine-in and takeout service with certain health and safety measures in place, including groups no larger than 10 people, tables set six feet or farther apart and masks required when entering and exiting the establishment.
Here are some ideal outdoor dining spots for anyone looking to visit Waikiki in the fall or winter, when the state's pretravel testing program is in place, allowing transpacific arrivals to forgo the 14-day mandatory self-quarantine.
Momosan: The more casual of chef Masaharu Morimoto's two restaurants at the Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach reopened on Aug. 1 and offers an ample outdoor dining section steps away from Kuhio Beach. Upon reopening, the restaurant debuted a brand-new breakfast menu, featuring options including the Iron Chef's take on loco moco, Spam musubi and a Momosan acai bowl. The menu also includes appetizers like soft shell crab bao and sticky hoisin chili pork ribs in addition to ramen, rice bowls, a variety of sushi and chef's combination platters. Momosan Waikiki offers daily breakfast (6 a.m. to 10 a.m.), lunch (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.), and dinner (4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) on a first-come, first-served basis.
Hideout at the Laylow: With additional restrictions on live performances, it has become harder to find music in Waikiki, where, pre-Covid, tunes wafted from bars up and down Kalakaua Avenue to entice people in for happy hour. Hideout continues to host nightly musicians who perform on the restaurant's lanai. The restaurant, serving breakfast and dinner, features modern Hawaiian fare and craft cocktails such as wanton poke tacos and the Lucky Kid: Pau Maui vodka mixed with ancho verde, passion fruit, ginger lime tea syrup and pineapple. There is also a coffee bar serving up Stumptown brews, pastries and espresso drinks. Grab a snack and a seat on the lanai and watch the people go by on Kuhio Avenue below. Open daily for breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Barefoot Beach Cafe: Step (a short distance) away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki by heading to this casual cafe on Queen's Surf Beach in Kapiolani Park on the resort area's eastern edge. Feel ocean mist from the picnic tables while devouring an ample acai bowl, poke bowl or plate lunch. If you make it to the Barefoot Beach Cafe for breakfast (served until 2 p.m.) try the French toast made with sweet Hawaiian brioche and topped with powdered sugar and fresh fruit. To fuel up for an active day try the Royal Loco Moco, featuring a barefoot burger (made from a 40-year-old "secret recipe"), veal demi-glace gravy, sunny-side-up egg, green onions and steamed white rice. Diners can also satisfy their shave ice fix here, and since mid-July, the cafe has also been hosting live music Wednesday through Sunday evenings. Opens daily at 8 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays and 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays to Sundays.
Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar: The three-story outpost of the beachwear brand features an open-air rooftop with fire pits, sweeping views of Waikiki and regular live entertainment. The farm-to-table restaurant is complemented by a living wall covered in herbs and tropical plants. The rooftop seating areas are built around sand pits to encourage diners to kick off their shoes and let the beach vibes take over. Dishes include Kona coffee-crusted ribeye and blackened mahi mahi tacos. Reservations are recommended. Tommy Bahama Restaurant and Bar Waikiki is open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Zigu: The izakaya (kind of like a Japanese version of a tapas bar) is the creation of Masaki Nakayama, who worked in Tokyo's famed Tsukiji fish market before further sharpening his skills in New York restaurants and arriving in Honolulu in 2016. It focuses on locally sourced ingredients and inventive combinations. Zigu, open for lunch and dinner, offers a handful of distinct dining spaces, including a spacious outdoor patio that serves as a serene escape from the action near the kitchen. The sake menu holds a wide variety of selections to pair with dishes like roasted tuna cheek teriyaki, heart of palm tempura and local basil pesto udon noodles.