20 Everday Deals Under $20 in Kailua
With prices creeping up on everything from a gallon of milk to fast-food burgers, we set out to find restaurants and eateries in Kailua Town where you can get a satisfying breakfast; a hearty sandwich or entrée-sized salad; or a plate lunch or poke bowl for under $20 (excluding tax and tip).
There are so many great places to eat in Kailua that we narrowed our search to (mostly) locally owned establishments that offer not only ono food, but good value, too. We added a few happy hour ideas, too!
Morning Starters
1. Big City Diner always delivers when it comes to big value and hearty portions, starting with the breakfast menu that includes specialties like Ani’s Cinnamon Bread French Toast Sandwich with two eggs, two strips of bacon, and two sausage links.
2. Nalu Health Bar & Café’s award-winning organic açaí bowls make a filling and refreshing meal, especially when you order the large, 24-ounce bowls, which still meet our “under $20” threshold.
Poke Bowls, Sushi, Ramen
3. Poke bowls at The Hibachi feature all-fresh, never frozen fish. The substantial, regular size bowl with two scoops of rice averages $17. You also will find lots of tasty under-$20 options on the plate lunch list.
4. You won’t walk away hungry after one of Local Boy Sushi’s generous poke bowls. Even the Big Braddah Bowl with five poke or meat selections meets our “cheap eats” criteria. Or make a meal out of the selection of fresh sushi and handrolls.
5. Tanaka Ramen & Izakaya’s fresh, gourmet ramen, donburi, and Tokyo-style curry bowls not only are generous, but most are under $20.
Healthy & Hearty
6. Make any sandwich a meal for under $15 at Great Harvest Bread Co.’s Kailua location: just add $3.10 to the cost of the sandwich and get a choice of chips or a cookie plus a drink. And you know the homemade whole grain bread will be delicious.
7. Mala Market’s simple menu offers a dozen fast, fresh, and healthy sandwiches and wraps, made to order and stuffed with shredded carrots and cabbage, sprouts, tomatoes, and cucumbers. A side salad or chips are included.
8. Build your own burrito, tacos, or bowl for less than $15 at Paniolo’s where Mexican inspiration meets local flavors, including kalua pork slow cooked in ti leaves and organic tofu or grass-fed Paniolo Steak cooked with chipotle peppers and adobo sauce.
9. Aloha Salads offers fresh, flavorful salads, wraps, and bowls made with locally sourced, wholesome ingredients. Their menu combines healthy, island-inspired flavors perfect for a quick meal or nourishing lunch.
Plate Lunch
10. Fatboy’s is a go-to place for an under $20 plate lunch fix, before, during or after the beach. Popular picks include the garlic chicken and teriyaki ribeye plates, kalua moco and combo plates – or make your own My Way “masterpiece” plate with two entrée choices.
11. Tucked into the Kailua Beach Center, K&K Bar-B-Que’s menu includes plate lunch classics like the popular BBQ mixed plate, the katsu and BBQ chicken combo, and the K&K House Special with fried shrimp, mahi mahi, char siu, and barbeque chicken.
12. Enjoy any of Kono’s Northshore bombers (breakfast burritos), plate lunches bowls, or hearty sandos for less than $20, including the robust Triple Crown sandwich loaded with: 12-hour slow-roasted kalua pulled pork, ham, bacon, guava barbecue sauce, cheese, and slaw.
13. At Paia Fish Market it’s hard to beat the generous and budget-friendly lunch and dinner plates: soft tacos or quesadillas (chicken, shrimp or fish); chicken plate; fish & chips, shrimp & chips, or calamari & chips. Each includes house-made coleslaw and a choice of starches.
14. Bob’s Pizzeria is known for its impressive 19”, three-pound pizzas, so even a quarter pie slice or two with up to 5-toppings makes a meal for under $20. Get a quarter pie and a side salad for under $15.
15. Kalapawai Café & Deli serves up plenty of under-$20 items, including three kinds of personal-size pizzas; the entrée-sized Mana Bowl with tofu, grilled chicken, or tofu plus Okinawan sweet potato and lots of veggies; and a selection of hot and cold sandwiches: French dip, hot pastrami, Italian subs, turkey/cranberry and more.
16. Bite into any Mahaloha Burger, including grass-fed Hawaii Island beef, mahi mahi, or chicken burgers, and add a side of truffle, garlic or bacon cheese fries for under $20. Happy hour alert: $2 off any hamburger or hotdog (M-F, 3-6pm). Special beer prices, too.
17. Pieology pizzeria lets you craft your own 10- or 11-inch pie with 4 crust options, 7 kinds of sauce, and more than 35 toppings for just under $20. Or order one of the six signature pizzas, including Fire Grilled Chicken, Veggie Pesto, and Mega Meat, $13.99.
18. A sign on the wall at Teddy’s Bigger Burgers in Kailua proclaims, “We may take longer, but it will be worth the wait.” And you will be rewarded with a satisfying, hand-crafted and flame-broiled choice ground chuck beef burger loaded with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, Claussen dill pickles, shaved onions, and Teddy’s special sweet and tangy sauce. Chicken and veggie burgers also are available.
19. Vietnam Deli serves up generous portions of authentic, health-centric Vietnamese comfort food, from bánh mi sandwiches and flavorful pho to Viet-style fried rice, vermicelli plates, and spicy curry and rice.
20. Okay, Tokyo Central is not a restaurant, but we would be remiss if we didn’t include this Japanese grocery/ specialty market in our roundup. In addition to poke bowls, bentos, and a wide selection of sushi sets, the well-provisioned self-serve food bar offers grab-and-go meals, including Wagyu Kushi (beef skewer) plates or steak plates for $15.99.
Bonus: Happy Hour Deals
Happy hour pupu may not count as a meal for most folks, but sometimes it’s enough.
During Happy Hour at Goen Dining & Bar (4:00-5:30 p.m. daily) you can enjoy a $7 draft beer or $9 wine selection with one of the small plate specials for $20 or less. Happy Hour specials include Mini Burrata Caprese, Aburi Salmon Carpaccio, Crispy Brussels & Cauliflower, and Garlic Parmigiano Fries.
Happy hour at Maui Brewing Company (M-F 3:30-5:30 p.m.) serves up $12 craft pizzas, 50% off selected appetizers, $2 off all beers, and $3 off craft cocktails.
Cheers!
