We were at Aulani March 3 - 16, and spent 4 days in Haleiwa on the North Shore before that.
At Aulani, we ate mostly in our villa, thanks to
Costco. We found that the prepared foods were different than what we get locally, and reflected the Hawaiian cultural mix very well. Especially loved the Korean Beef, Hawaiian-style Chicken, Poke (Sashimi Tuna w/ Hawaiian marinade), Sushi and Sashimi plates, sweet buns, Hawaiian Pineapple (it DOES taste better than the Costa Rican variety we get at home!), pre-cooked bacon, and Asian Wraps for picnics by the pool. And, best of all, a big bottle of
Kōloa Rums Hawaiian Mai Tai Cocktail, just add ice!
Had the Character Breakfast and a Dinner at Makahiki - both were good, with some dishes we really enjoyed. (Moko Loko at breakfast, and Poke, Sashimi, Huli-Huli Chicken, Kaui Pork & Portuguese Stew at dinner.)
My recommendations are all North Shore, since that's where we did most of our eating out.
In the Haleiwa area, we went to two places we'd seen on the Food Network. We had the *best* Thai food we've ever had at
Opal Thai Food. Loved getting treated just like Guy... Opal quizzed us, then surprised us with a fantastic multi-course meal that pleased everyone. (I've read reviews from people who disliked this experience, so caveat emptor.)
We also went to
Giovanni's Shrimp Truck, where the shrimp was good and garlicky! The teens had garlic hot dogs as well as polishing off a shared pile of shrimp. We spent about an hour chillaxing in the shade on a rickety picnic table, enjoying the food, family time, and people (+ chicken) watching. We'll be back!
On the way to the Poly CC (& luau), we paused for lunch at the
Kahuku Grill, in the former Kahuku Sugar Mill. This was an accident - it was the day we _planned_ to eat at Opal's, but I zigged when I should have zagged and here we were at noon. Fantastic burgers and sandwiches. I had the Paniolo (Cowboy) Combo, and it is in my top 5 burger experiences ever. My wife & my mother tried the Coconut Macadamia Nut Shrimp, found it good but sadly overcooked. The Bruce Irons Burger and Shem's Big Bad both got thumbs up from the teens. If you're driving around the island, or just going up to see the country, this is a great place to stop.