Top 10: Meals in Waikiki for Less Than $10

As college students, we are always looking for places to eat where our dollar can stretch the farthest. We want to go to out with friends and feel like we are having a tasty meal that is filling and avoiding fast food-type meals. Chaminade to Waikiki is only about 2.4 miles away, but those 2.4 miles make the biggest difference in food prices. Although Waikiki has a reputation of being unbelievably expensive, here are 10 places in Waikiki that serve delicious food for less than under $10.

1. Island Vintage Coffee (Royal Hawaiian Center, 2nd level)

Island Vintage Coffee is a popular spot known for its acai bowls, smoothies, and coffee. This is a great place to start the morning or just a place to stop at in between shopping or going to the beach. The coffees, smoothies, and acai bowls all are priced less than $10, with sandwiches and plate lunches between $10 to $14. The acai bowls are generous and priced at $8.75. Call in your order to avoid the long lines.

2. Musubi Cafe Iyasume (Aqua Pacific Monarch Hotel, ground floor, across ROSS Waikiki)

Musubi Cafe Iyasume sells a variety of homemade-style musubi (rice balls) that range from $1.88 to $2.68, and bento from 3.25 to 7.95. During lunch time, there is usually a long line at this hole in the wall on Seaside Avenue. The line moves quickly as tourists pick up a snack to eat at the beach and local workers grab a quick lunch.

3. Noi Thai Cuisine (next to Wolfgang’s Steakhouse in Royal Hawaiian Center)

Upon entering Noi Thai Cuisine, don’t be intimidated by how fancy and expensive the restaurant looks. They offer a lunch special for $10!  This won’t be anywhere on the regular menu, but the server only gives it upon request. The $10 menu offers three entree choices, which changes monthly. The food here was very fancy and delicious and worth it. It will feel like an expensive,gourmet lunch, but actually paying only $10, before tax.

4. Marukame Udon  (Kuhio Avenue)

Marukame is a popular cafeteria-style restaurant that many Japanese, mainland tourists and locals go to eat udon. Cafeteria-style means following the counter from the door, getting udon and paying at the end of the counter. The kitchen will prepare the udon in front of the customer  in less than two minutes. The prices of just the udon are usually between $3.75 to $6.75. The udon broth and noodles are flavorful and worth the price  They also sell musubi and tempura at a reasonable price. Don’t be alarmed that the line outside is very long and restaurant looks busy and crowded. Customers eat quickly and are in and out so you can always find a table..

5. Chibo (Beach Walk)

Chibo cooks okonomiyaki on a flat top in front of the customers like Tanaka of Tokyo, so the food is always made fresh to order. Okonomiyaki is a Japanese   savory cabbage pancake-type dish with your choice of of meat,shrimp, pork, etc. in it. It is topped with okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, seaweed powder and dried bonito flakes.   It tastes amazing. During lunch,they serve okonomiyaki for $10 as well as Yakisoba (fried noodles) for $10.

6. Pho Factory (Royal Hawaiian Center Food Court, 2nd level)

The Pho Factory has a breakfast special for $ 4.99 ! The three choices include chicken pho, vermicelli, or a rice, egg, and bbq chicken plate lunch that must be purchased before 11:30 a.m.  Also from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., during happy hour there is a  mini plate for $4.95 or $5.95. A bonus on top of that is local residents can receive 10 percent off their meals.

7. Steak Shack (Kalia Road)

If you are in the mood for a steak plate lunch, head over to the Steak Shack. It sells a 6-ounce steak plate for eight dollars and a 6-ounce chicken plate for $7.50. With these plate lunches you will get rice and organic greens with a choice of ranch, thousand island, or italian dressing. Steak shack doesn’t take credit card so be sure to bring cash.

8. Ramen Ezogiku (Kalakaua Avenue close to Hard Rock Cafe)

Ramen Ezogiku is a small ramen shop on the outer edge of Waikiki that is popular. With many choices, ranging between $7.25 to $8.25. It is generous with the serving size that they serve. There are no mini and large bowls it all comes in one size and it will fill you up.

9. Coco Cove (Kalakaua Avenue next to H&M)

Coco Cove is a convenience store and a poke/salad bar were in one place. There are many choices of poke to choose from for poke bowls and the salads have choices from type of greens, to what is inside it, to dressing made in a Subway sort of way.  Each one is less than $10 and service is really quick with a smile.

10. Eggs’n Things (Saratoga Road, across the Post Office)

Eggs’n Things is a favorite breakfast restaurants among Asian tourists where all the food is between $6 to $10. If you are in the mood for specialty pancakes, loco moco, omeletes, eggs and Island Portuguese sausage. When it is busy Eggs’n Things will put the customer’s order in before they are seated so food will come to the table faster.