There are times when it’s good for the soul to tuck into a rack of ribs as the sun shines overhead and the sand slips in between your toes. Let’s be fully transparent here – life doesn’t get any better than being in Hawaii and checking out the fusion-food ribs.
From Honolulu to Aiea, from Kealakekua to Wahiawa, from bars and diners to stylish cafes and smokey BBQ joints, all rib-tastic tastes and preferences can be found in our list of the best places to eat first-rate Hawaii ribs…
Roy Yamaguchi’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine blends fresh local ingredients with European sauces and bold Asian spices, always with a focus on seafood, but those ribs are also damn good.
These are no ordinary ribs: you’ll be feasting on slow braised honey mustard grilled beef short ribs. It’s a mouthful to say, but a delicious one to eat.
Wood-fired, smoked, and fresh, the ribs at Bob’s are so outstanding that you’ll feel as if you’re tearing into the freshest meat in all of Hawaii. The smoky smell of their ribs wafts into the taste, creating an unforgettable explosion of flavours upon first bite.
The finishing touch is that sweet n’ savoury BBQ glaze…
Live music and BBQ go together so well that it almost feels weird chowing down on ribs without tunes in the background. Luckily, there are live musicians here every night to add additional vibes to your meat-fest.
The ribs themselves are juicy, come in huge portion sizes and will leave you licking your fingers with joy.
Dixie Grill is the place to come if you really want to let your hair down and have some proper tasty comfort food. With a large range of beers and cocktails, it is also a great place to spend time with a group of friends and order as much meat as possible.
Be warned: the portion size of the ribs is super generous, so you will want to make sure you bring a serious appetite.
Slow-smoked ribs and roast chicken are the most popular items on the menu here – in fact, it’s basically all they do, so you can be sure they do them very well indeed. If you’re a fan of a unique BBQ sauce and high-quality meat, then this is the best place for you when it comes to tender ribs in Hawaii.
Grab some of the signature Randy’s seasonings to add to your own cooking at home.
Who’d have thought you could find true Texas BBQ on the island of Oahu? Not us. But, travellers let us in on the best-kept secret in the world of Hawaiian BBQ: Sunset Smokehouse. The man behind the pit hails from Texas, where he spent hours and hours of his formative years learning how to smoke meat in Austin.
The result? Some of the best BBQ in America but in a more tropical setting than you’ll usually find.
For some of the best ribs on the island, Side Street Inn should be on your list.
There’s BBQ baby back ribs with a choice of either Hoisin or Liliko’i glaze, as well as charbroiled Korean-style short ribs with kimchee or even Hawaiian-style Pulehu ribs. Our advice? Come with friends and order them all.
