A quick supper someplace where kids are welcome, an after-work dinner or lunch with friends or colleagues, breakfast where you don’t have to dress up: These are the sorts of meals you’ll find at the restaurants listed in this chapter. And none of these spots will break the bank.

A few are Mainland-based, many are Island traditions, some represent the newer East-West culinary traditions that have swept the Islands as well as the rest of the country.

In compiling this list, we did elect not to include Mainland-based “fast food” chains, not because we disapprove of these all-American institutions, but because we wanted to focus our limited space on restaurants that reflected Island lifestyles, and inform visiting readers about restaurants they might not encounter anyplace else.

You will find two Hawai‘i chains represented — Zippy’s and L & L Drive-Inn — because these and other fast food/family restaurant operations on the list serve the comfort food of the Islands: saimin and plate lunch, chili-rice, chicken katsu, hamburger “steak,” and other dishes so craved by kama‘aina. (Guess where expatriates head first thing when they come home for a visit — always excepting Mom’s kitchen?)

Have fun finding your favorites.

‘Ahi’s Restaurant (CC)

Next time you’re doing the circle island drive, stop by Ahi’s in Punalu‘u for some local-style friendliness, mountains of shrimp and big, strong and affordable mai tais. Its funky local décor is charming and will transport you a world away from the big city.  Here’s a place where sandals and shorts are welcomed attire.  Expect fried seafood platters, steak and shrimp, all with the requisite rice and mac salad. 53-146 Kamehameha Highway, Punalu‘u; 293-5650. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Seafood (especially shrimp), steaks, chicken. No reservations needed. No credit cards. Checks accepted. $.

Anna Miller’s 24-Hour Restaurant (PC,I)

This bustling family- style spot serves breakfast around the clock, as well as every sort of diner dish. But what people most rave about are the luscious pies, made right there on the premises. There’s even a special 5-minute parking area just for pie pick-up! What kinds of pies? Fresh strawberry, haupia, meringue, pecan, macadamia nut, custard, cream pies, cheesecake, peach, cherry, apple . . . oh, just go see for yourself. 98-115 Kaonohi St.; 487-2421. Open 24 hours daily. Coffee shop staples, local favorites, specializes in breakfast. No reservations needed. VS, MC, AX, DC, DS, JCB. No checks (except traveler’s checks). $.

Big City Diner (CC)

We love this casual neighborhood spot because there’s local-style something for everybody: thick juicy burgers, guava-glazed ribs, kim chee fried rice, meatloaf and garlic smashed potatoes, spicy tempura calamari and even vegetarian options. This 120-seat, two-year old Hawaiian-style diner with bright red booths, televisions around the room and friendly service is upscale in a comfortable way and has a nice energetic buzz about it. Very affordable with ample portions for family dining. 3569 Wai‘alae Ave.; 738-8855. 7 a.m.-1 a.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 7 a.m.-2 a.m. Friday; 6:30 a.m.-2 a.m. Saturday; 6:30 a.m. -11 p.m. Sunday; 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday. Fresh, local “comfort foods.” No reservations needed. VS, MC, AX. No checks. $.

Brew Moon Restaurant and Microbrewery (CC)

Surprisingly good food comes out of this Massachusetts-based microbrewery and restaurant operation. The cuisine is creative, contemporary, artistically presented and moderately priced. Be sure to sample the appetizers and grilled pizzas; there are full-on dinners as well. The atmosphere is hip, upscale, casual, comfortable — and often quite noisy. You can spend some time nibbling while sipping an array of award-winning beers, handcrafted by brewmaster Brennan Fielding. Ward Centre, 1200 Ala Moana Blvd.; 593-0088. Lunch: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Dinner: 4-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 4 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday, 4-10 p.m. Sunday. Late-night menu, 10 p.m.-midnight Sunday-Thursday, midnight-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Sunday Brunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Local-style American/Asian & Pacific Rim cuisine. No reservations needed. VS, MC, AX, DC, JCB. No checks. $$.

Buzz’s Original Steak House (CC, PC)

Few places feature the entire Buzz’s menu: open-air dining, a nostalgic Hawaiian motif, just plain good steaks, fresh fish and an old-fashioned help-yourself salad bar. It’s just what you want for a weeknight dinner, an after-beach date or an outing with friends. The artichoke surprise is a must. Expect to wait if you show up on a weekend without a reservation. Worth a drive to the Windward side. 413 Kawailoa Road, Lanikai; 261-4661. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. Steak and seafood. Reservations recommended. No credit cards. Checks accepted. $$.

Cafe Monsarrat (CC)

As this book was going to press, chef Ed Kenney handed the reins at Cafe Monsarrat over to Scott Nelson, who once worked with Emeril Lagasse in New Orleans and at Alan Wong’s Pineapple Room, with Marlowe Arcelona, another Alan Wong protege, as sous chef. The new menu, still evolving, reflects the changes in the kitchen; gone are the small “tapas-style” plates with Caribbean-Pacific Rim-Japanese accents. Instead one can expect a more traditional appetizer-salad-entree offerings with Cajun and French touches with robust flavors. Lively, casual and contemporary ambience. 3106 Monsarrat Ave.; 737-6600. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays. Dinner: 5:30-9:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 5:30-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tropical island cuisine. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, AX. No checks. $$.

California Pizza Kitchen (CC, PC)

Call it pizza with an attitude (and without the anonymous glop that some places call sauce). The pizza here features light, crisp crusts topped with an eclectic assortment of goodies — barbecue chicken and Thai chicken are the most popular — that are food-friendly to everyone. Excellent salads and pasta dishes, too. Best of all CPK is consistent, satisfying your expectations as good comfort food should do, with friendly, efficient service. Three locations: Kahala Mall, 737-9446, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Ala Moana Shopping Center, 941-7715, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Pearlridge Downtown, 487-7741, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Pizza, Italian dishes. Reservations recommended for large parties. VS, MC, AX, DC, DS, JCB. No checks. $.

Dixie Grill (CC)

Islanders seeking “true South” — pulled pork, barbecued back ribs, hush puppies, fried okra, fried catfish, fried chicken and such — had a long way to go until Dixie Grill appeared on the scene. This is a place to wear blue jeans, eat with your fingers, trade a joke with the wait-staff and go home with a few bucks left in your pocket. The only thing you'll be missing is your appetite. Two locations. 404 Ward Ave.; 596-8359 and 99-016 Kamehameha Highway, ‘Aiea; 485-2722. Ward location: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. ‘Aiea location: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Barbeque ribs and crab specialties. Reservations required for large parties; no reservations accepted Fridays and Saturdays. VS, MC, AX, DC, DS, JCB. No checks. $$.

Don Ho’s Island Grill (CC, PC)

Don’s Ho’s Island Grill has found its niche with easy-eating local-style food in an energetic, harborside bar atmosphere. Hawai‘i-born chef Mariano Lalica makes it happen with specialities such as sauteed miso butterfish, Chinatown potsticker, crispy tortilla-style pizzas, Big Island kal-bi short ribs and his special Moloka‘i seafood martini, combining tako poke, lomi salmon and garlic-sesame-encrusted ‘ahi. And, yes, Don Ho does drop by from time to time. Aloha Tower Marketplace; 528-0807. Food service10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily (bar until 2 a.m.). Island-style food. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, AX, DC , JCB. Checks accepted. $$.

Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant (CC)

If you are a beer enthusiast, Gordon Biersch is for you. The Aloha Tower Marketplace location makes for a lively, sometimes raucous atmosphere, especially on “dollar beer nights.” They brew mainly German-style lagers with clean, pure flavors. The East-West-style bar food is quite good, especially such appetizers as barbecued duck spring rolls with hoisin sauce — hot, crunchy, sweet and spicy. Aloha Tower Marketplace; 599-4877. 10:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday, 10:30 a.m.-midnight Thursday-Saturday. Pacific Rim/American. Reservations recommended for large parties. VS, MC, AX, DC, DS, JCB. No checks. $$.

L & L Drive Inn (PC, I)

First opened in 1959 on Liliha Street, L&L has blossomed into a franchise operation of 50-plus outlets featuring plate lunch and local-style food. Try shrimp curry, fried mahimahi, teri pork chops, spareribs, short ribs, saimin, chili, orange chicken, sweet & sour pork.  As a matter of fact, try anything and you’ll know what we already know:  This is great local-style “grinding.” Multiple locations. Hours vary. Local-style fast food and plate lunch. No reservations needed. No credit cards. No checks. $.

Mililani Restaurant (PC)

Any time the doors are open, Mililani Restaurant is three-deep in rubber-slippered locals craning their necks upward at the crowded menu board, ready to sit down with a plate lunch, grab some quick take-out or walk off with an entire party's worth of teri beef, fried saimin and mac salad. Tucked away in an anonymous strip mall, this popular spot leans slightly toward Chinese but covers the grind-scape from katsu to curry, bento to beef stew, fried rice to fried chicken, all available with gravy, on rice or noodles. Mililani Shopping Centre; 625-2000. 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday. More than 200 menu items, variety of local fare. No reservations needed. No credit cards. Checks accepted. $.

Olive Tree Cafe (CC, PC)

Worth the wait in line for a seat at this indoor-outdoor cafe is the fresh fish souvlaki — marinated and grilled fish served in pita with tzatziki (yogurt and cucumber) sauce. Vegetarians love the falafel (fried ground beans and vegetables). The mussel ceviche is excellent and baklava is homemade. Savas Mojarrad’s casual Greek cafe is consistently good with fresh offerings and reasonable prices for ample portions. BYOB, no corkage fee. Kahala Mall; 737-0303. 5-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Greek, Eastern Mediterranean. No reservations needed. No credit cards. Checks accepted. $.

The Pineapple Room (CC)

Although this is an Alan Wong establishment, it’s considerably more casual than his original location, with lots of folks stopping in during shopping trips. Lunch time is busiest, with kalua pig BLT’s, crab cakes, seafood salads and wood-fired pizzas. For dinner, horseradish-crusted rib steak and opakapaka with Thai curry sauce are sumptuous. Wok-charred soybeans and other munchies are available at the friendly bar. Chef Steven Ariel can replicate ”Wong Way” without a hitch. Liberty House, Ala Moana Shopping Center; 945-8881. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday. Sunday brunch: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, AX, DC, DS, JCB. Checks accepted. $$.

Rainbow Drive-In (PC)
This long-time East Oahu establishment is known for its classic mixed plate lunches — big and cheap, with an entrée of BBQ meat, fish, boneless chicken or pork, plus macaroni salad and rice. Their mahi mahi is said to be the finest available at a local- style place. Their chili, made from scratch, is one of the best around and consistently good. See why many returning Islanders make this among their first stops. 3308 Kana‘ina Ave.; 737-0177. 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Classic drive-in menu with local flavor. No reservations needed. No credit cards. No checks. $.

Todai Restaurant Waikiki (PC, I) Seafood is the draw here and of course, all you can eat of it. Attack this buffet wisely: more than three dozen freshly made and appetizing traditional and contemporary sushi preparations can fill you up quickly. Save room for the mussels, clams, lobster (at dinner only), king crab legs, fish and other hot and cold seafood preparations, salads and desserts. Lines form upon opening. 1910 Ala Moana Blvd., Unit 5; 947-1000. Lunch: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily. Dinner: 5-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 5-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Japanese seafood buffet. Reservations recommended for large parties. VS, MC, AX. No checks. $$.

Zippy’s Restaurants (PC)

Zippy’s is the Denny’s or Stuckey’s of Hawai‘i, a diner that caters to local tastes and specializes in both take-out and eat-in meals. Zip Packs (bentos of rice, teri beef, Spam, chicken, fish), chili (original and vegetarian) and those tempting Napples (flaky apple turnovers) are Zippy specialities. With 21 restaurants on O‘ahu open at all hours of the day, this well-run 34-year-old chain offers convenience and good taste. Multiple locations. Hours differ (many open 24 hours). Local fast foods. No reservations needed. VS, MC. Checks accepted. $.