The Yummiest Seafood Markets in Honolulu

The Marketplace at City Square

★★★★☆ 4.1 (14)

"Grocery shopping in Kalihi, Honolulu, Hawaii...My cousin is in town from Indonesia. He usually eats a lot of fruits, so I thought he'd like to get some - because he's here until the end of the month (October).Located next to Chuck E. Cheese at City Square, this marketplace is kind of like an indoor farmer's market with many vendors, free shared parking, and air conditioning! There's a variety of fresh produce, fish, frozen foods, and more!It's safer (the floor is smooth and there are no curbs nor crosswalks)... and it's cleaner (no strange odors) than going to Chinatown! I even brought my mom here, and she got some papayas and bananas. My cousin didn't buy anything because of the prices. Well... You're paying for convenience here. You don't have to drive all the way out to the farms in Kahuku, Kunia, and Waialua! Gosh! The freshness is great! There were some fish that were still alive! I'll be back!Note to self: bring knives to sharpen at the knife vendor, AFrames Tokyo."

Troy Enterprise

★★★★☆ 4.4 (15) • $$

"Where my parents shop for their fresh fish (when they're in the neighborhood).So many fish.Quite a selection.Smells a bit fishy.Clean, no clean the fish?Up to you.Cash only? I think so."

Ming Hing Meat and Seafood Market

★★★★★ 5 (5)

"As a kid growing up I have fond memories of my father shopping in Chinatown for groceries. He'd shop regularly and had his go-to places for food. Back then Kekaulike Market didn't exist and I tend to enjoy shopping in this area because the stalls here are on the cleaner side.Not too far from Maguro Brothers is Ming Hing Meat and Seafood Market. It is a family owned and operated business that was introduced to me by my aunt and Chinese foodies. My initial experiences were your stereotypical Chinatown shopping where clerks are blunt and not so customer service oriented. You'll have elderly patrons make their way to the front despite other shoppers waiting in line for their turn.The one thing l like most about Ming Hing is their food quality. I now shop here regularly for my pork, may it be spareribs, pork belly, pork hash or soup bones. They also carry offals for those with an exotic palate. They also have free range chicken, fryers and chicken feet. Looking for Chinese fish cake? They are sold by the pound here and already seasoned. Oxtail, beef tripe, beef brisket, stew meat......the list goes on.Looking for lamb? Sold frozen here. They have a saw cutter that will cut up your bones and frozen meats.The disadvantage of this place? It's pretty much your typical Chinatown shopping experience of minimal English and rude people. This is all a part of the Chinatown shopping experience.Ming Hing Market is adjacent to the Maunakea Municipal Parking Lot with reasonable rates. You can also test your luck with street parking.Cash and EBT cards accepted here."

Azama K Fish Wholesale

★★★★☆ 4.1 (36) • $$

"You know how sometimes it's hard to decide what to order?So you end up getting everything.After many visits you'll realize that you could pretty much order anything here and it will be good. Trust that builds when you realize your dealing with someone who has truly mastered food.The happy moment of stepping into his very unassuming domain brings joy in your walk...you begin to skip in to his shop.Occasionally you'll find other goodies like tegu, dried shrimp & fish cake patties. But here it's all about the dried aku, misoyaki butterfish & laulau. Not that the other three items aren't good because they are also delish but his true focus is on these signature products. My life would be so sad without these three things. The dried aku is prepared in a dehydrator, which may be the reason it's soft and done to perfection. With air box drying you leave the weather elements, such as humidity and rain to chance your perfectly dried fish. This is the very reason he does not do it, he doesn't leave room for chance, he will always perfect his three signature products. The miso recipe for his butterfish he has also certainly perfected. He's strict about it's marination period, which he wouldn't dare take out before it's 10 day soak. The laulau is so delicious it would be hard to find anything better. This shop owner, chef & friend of the best aku boats in town is raising the bar every single day. The food is always perfectly done. At 82 years young, I have so much admiration for him, I can only hope I can one day accomplish his level of success in the kitchen and joy he brings to others.The legend of Kitoshi Azama is most enduring. The dream of a Japanese immigrant moving to Hawaii became a reality in 1975.Born in Osaka, raised in Okinawa, 42 years ago he decided to live his dream and move to Hawaii. The problem was he didn't know anyone, the language or how to get around. So he thought the quickest way would be to accept a position delivering produce for Finest Foods, a wholesale produce company on Waikamilo. He would be forced to quickly learn the language, get to know the people and understand the lay of the land of the island. By glancing at his shop, located off Waialae Ave, you would question his success. It's a hole in the wall, with no parking, that you'd miss if you blinked. Actually a hole in the wall is stepping it up, it's a definitely a dive! But it proudly carries his name outside. In my opinion, measurement of success depends on how often you can make people happy. He is hugely successful because he makes sooo many of us happy every day with his wonderful creations! Thank you for 35 years of happiness Kitoshi san!"

Seafood Connection

★★★★☆ 4.2 (13)

"THE source in Hawaii for the best of the best crustaceans and shellfish to satisfy any see-food diet.We're talking Merus cut red king crab (snap the end and hold the entire leg segment in your fingers), soft shell mangrove crabs, world renowned, uber sweet Tristan lobster tails, red shrimp from Argentina, blue shrimp from New Caledonia, TSP free scallops from New Bedford, Peru and Hokkaido, live oysters from around the world, even the king of all fish, Glacier 51 Patagonian Tooth fish.Impeccable quality.Manageable quantities. Usually under five pounds.On a recent visit, live, purged Washington Manila clams (5lb bag). Not a single dead clam pre-cooking. Excellent purging (no sand or grit). Prepared simply steamed with butter, Maui onions, lemon zest and a bottle of Sancerre resulting in sweet, tender, plump, melon tasting balloons of joy.Tristan lobster tails (7oz), properly frozen (meat firm and glistening when thawed). Prepared butterflied atop the shell, buttered and broiled. Simply put, the sweetest lobster on Earth.Prices match the quality, rarity and commitment to supporting sustainable fisheries.Home cooks, pinch them a$$ cheeks together, hold your breath as you attempt not to mess up cooking that $25 lobster tail or $15 single portion of Chilean seabass.Ordering is simple:1. Check the "Public Store" on the website for availability.2. Phone in your order. (Very friendly and helpful)3. Pickup and pay at will call (back of the business)In a time when a USDA select chuck roast SALE price is $7.50/lb, USDA choice shortribs at $17.99/lb, why fight it, enjoy the best premium seafood for the same price instead.Highly recommended."

United Fishing Agency

★★★★★ 4.8 (21) • $$$$

"Coming here, you get to see some of Hawaii's seafood bounty in its entire form, ready for an all-out bidding battle to be served in fishmarkets, sushi bars, and restaurants locally, nationally, and even as far as the Tsukiji Fish Market in Japan. We chatted with a buyer before the auction who would spend a MINIMUM of $25,000.00 to provide fish for some of the nations upscale restaurants . At 5:30 am, the bell rings, and the auction starts very fast. Its so cool to see the auctioneers do their thing. With the tons of fish that come in each day, they are able to auction off each fish very quickly. How quick???? In about 10 SECONDS!!!If you're ever up to it, the auction starts at 5:30am....warm clothing and covered footwear required(or the guys can lend you boots too)Cameras and video are allowed and the guys will be happy to answer questions you may have. Just be ready to stay out of their way when its time to go to work....ALOHA!!!YELP 365CHALLENGE-(52/365)"Got Shoyu and Wasabi? ""

Yama's Fish Market

★★★★☆ 4.1 (768) • $$

"Local spot for fish and halpia. I would travel all the way back here from the main land just for their halpia. It's not too sweet , and the texture of it is perfect . Service is quick/ efficient. The store is simple yet clean"

Da Seafood Store

★★★★★ 5 (6) • $$

"Wow! My brother Trax told me about this place. It's crazy that I've never been since I worked 15 years in and around Chinatown.Street parking only...went around twice, and just ended up a block up and parked. Took 5 mins or less to walk there, with my cooler in tow. I picked up fresh oysters about 5 bags of 15 cost about $104.The shop has frozen & live fresh options. I didn't look much at the freezer but it looked like there was fish and scallops. In the fresh, there were live crab and lobsters. Mussels clams and oysters. The oysters were so fresh, and tasty didn't taste fishy at all! Will def buy our seafood from here. The gentleman behind the counter was so cute he asked my baby if she wanted a pet lobster lol hahaha!! She said no. Haha. Wish I had more $$$ I'll buy that lobster next time!!"

Ham Produce & Seafood Inc

★★★★☆ 3.8 (8) • $

"Love using Ham Prodice and Seafood! They are a great source for fresh produce and dry goods. Seems like they do great work for small restaurants and try their best to stock what you need. I have always found their produce to be fresh. Just wish that they had a wider selection of meats and seafoods.Placing orders is a breeze...when an issue arises, communication with them is wonderful!"

New Aloha Seafood

★★★★☆ 4 (1)

"I'm rarely in Chinatown, but had lunch in this area. After lunch, I decided to do a walkthrough to see what has changed. I was walking through Kekaulike Market and came across this seafood stall. They had a pet fish on display and it caught my attention. I've never seen a fish like that before. It had a gigantic brain, lol. I had to stare at it for a minute. I got there around 1:30 pm. Most of the seafood was sold out. Whatever they had left was on ice and looked pretty fresh."

Tamashiro Market

★★★★☆ 4.4 (421) • $$

"This place is a must go if you are in Oahu. You will pass by it if you are coming from or going to the airport, so feel free to stop by here to pick up some lunch when you arrive or before you leave. I tried 5 different poke, from diff style of Ahi, to King crab to tako, they are all fresh and super tasty. The flavor is balance so you can taste both the fish and sauce. The guy behind the counter is also very helpful. Me and my family ate the food so fast that I didn't even get a chance to take a picture. Will definitely come gain next time I am in Oahu"

Garden & Valley Isle Seafood

★★★★★ 4.6 (13) • $$

"In our efforts to support great local businesses during #QuarantineLife my hubby and I ordered a tray of fresh uni from Garden & Valley Isle Seafood to eat at home! It was only $30 which was an insane deal when you think about what you would pay if you ate this amount of uni at a sushi restaurant. We ate half of it with rice and cocktails and used the other half to make an amazing batch of uni pasta. The uni is sooooo creamy and amazing!!! I have basically never been so happy in my entire life and I'm pretty sure I'm going to get pregnant during this quarantine period because my husband has never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever been so sexy. If you are an uni lover you definitely need to order a tray, and we can all have a gigantic baby group together in 2021 when this is all over."

Da Fish Market

★★★★☆ 4 (2) • $$

"They are located next door to Dong Yang, across the street from McD.I did not see any business hours posted anywhere at the store. It's best to call because sometimes they close for lunch.They have very little inventory, but the fish is FRESH! We had to wait for them to off load the fish, that's how fresh! They sell some vegetables too, and some canned goods. It might be that they just opened at this location and eventually will have more to offer? We will be returning, they have a good selection of fish."

Brian's Seafood Market

★★★☆☆ 3 (8) • $

"Shopping in Kalihi, Honolulu, Hawaii...Looking for fresh produce, cooking ingredients, cold beverages, or other refrigerated items? Check our Brian's Produce...Located at the righthand side entrance of The Marketplace at City Square, Brian's Produce is the vendor to the left. You'll find bags of veggies for $1 and larger bags of cleaned and chopped veggies - ready to cook - for $10.The cashier was very helpful at this produce stand. The air-conditioning (even though the door is open), free parking, level flooring, good lighting, and convenient restroom are much appreciated!FYI:Kahuku papaya is just $2.99 a pound... and Butter avocado is currently $3.99 a pound! I liked the large jars of colored nata de coco... for future almond float desserts... mmm! Just $8.99 for 32 ounces!I got a bottle of green nata de coco!"

Sam's Seafood Market

★★★★★ 4.5 (4) • $$

"As a frequent shopper in Chinatown I pretty much see new businesses pop up. It's tough to run a business as you need to make sure there's enough revenue to cover your expenses. New businesses pop up and sadly you see some of them go.For those who follow me I patronize Maguro Brothers often. Next to them had a vacancy and I joked with the Tsuchida brothers why don't they take over that space as well. They got a good laugh from that.Fast forward several months and now this space is occupied by Sam's Seafood Market. It's a large space that sells fresh and previously frozen seafood as well as meats (chicken, beef, pork and lamb).I pretty much have my go-to places for certain items but recently my regular stall was sold out. I decided to give Sam's a try and scoped their offerings. Beef, pork, chicken and fish looked very fresh so I gave them a shot.I found the staff here with sub-par English skills so I opted to speak to them in Cantonese. I asked them if they had pig's tongue and the female staff directed me to that section. She advised me irhe tongue was fresh and I took her word for it. How does one tell if raw pig's tongue is fresh or not? Ummmm.....can you show me your tongue? pIt was cooked that day and well perceived. Indeed the tongue was tender and delicious. Great first impression.Recently I was also in search of salmon heads. A handful of Chinese chefs mentioned Chinatown has some great stalls in Maunakea Marketplace and in the CQ Yee Hop Building. I decided to pass on the suggestions and walked straight to Sam's again. Low and behold they were in stock and checked the salmon's eyes and gills for freshness. The eyes were clear and had a nice gloss so I asked for 10 heads. You should have seen her facial expression in response to my request as you don't have patrons asking for so many heads in a day. I had them cut the heads in half and gills removed. They were all cooked that evening and tasted so fresh with dried beancurd and fresh tofu. Sam's is another great stall in Kekaulike Market. Next time you're in Chinatown stop by and check them out."

Kekaulike Market

★★★★☆ 3.9 (34) • $

"Grocery shopping in Chinatown, Honolulu, Hawaii...Located on Kekaulike Street - between King Street and Hotel Street - Kekaulike Market is one of the "go to" places for fresh produce and fresh meats and seafood.Today, I was looking for a pineapple for my mom, but, unfortunately, didn't find any.However, I did see items such as locally caught fish packed in ice, clean chicken feet in refrigerated cases, and tables full of colorful vegetables and fruits!The variety is overwhelming! There are many vendors inside of the air conditioned market and even more stalls right outside the market's doors - all along the wall!Just take your time and compare prices. Bring tote bags ...and cash for better bargaining power!Remember that metered street parking is free on Sundays and holidays. If you're early, you can get free parking on King Street. If not, the municipal parking lots have reasonable parking rates."

Nico's Fish Market

★★★★☆ 4.4 (312) • $$

"We got the Shoyu salmon and Ahi Tuna and they were amazing. The salmon was so well seasoned with the sesame oil and the shoyu sauce. Each bite of the salmon was literally heaven. The ahi tuna was fresh but a little bland. Use the sauce from the salmon on the tuna and it will be perfect. We also got the Mac salad which was a little heavy but was tasty. Highly recommend checking out this spot! Lots of parking even during peak times. We came here twice because it was just that good! Service was fast and this spot is located with plenty of parking. Highly recommend them."

Okuhara Foods

★★★★☆ 3.7 (3)

"First. Okuhara Foods specializes in making fresh fishcake products. OkAhara used to make Saimin. Okahara closed, not Okuhara! I can't tell you how many people get the two mixed up and think Okuhara closed. Second. Okuhara Foods has an impressive array of foodstuffs they sell! In the fishcake lineup there is naruto, uzumaki, veggie & gobo tempura, chikuwa, & kamaboko. My mom LOVES their imitation crab. They also sell frozen miso butterfish and dungeness crab! Every time I visit I find out they MORE items I wasn't aware of!TIP: They fry up their Vegetable Tempura and Gobo Tempura on Tuesdays. If you call them on Monday, you can place an order to pick up 5 lbs of fresh made veggie or gobo tempura on Tuesday at their factory. Freezes well, too! Note: The origin of gobo tempura is from Okinawa. It's deep fried fishcake Okinawan style and not Japanese kine tempura. Bit confusing. Okuhara Foods is Okinawan owned. A trio of siblings are running the factory, representing 3rd generation ownership. We are super lucky that we have places like Okuhara making products locally. And! Aloha Tofu is just down the street, so can pick up yudofu afterwards. I never take these places for granted, and regularly support them to help ensure they can keep their doors open for another generation!"

Kahiau Poke & Provisions

★★★★★ 4.8 (166) • $$

"So they do have limited hours but believe me, it's worth it. They are super nice and down to earth -- but let's talk about the FOOD! Had a poke bowl with shoyu ahi and spicy ahi (would have had the Kahiau Special but they were very sadly running with no limu today). I normally don't get spicy ahi because I've never been impressed with any spicy ahi I've tried elsewhere but decided to give it a try here just so I could try more of this place's offerings. Plus salmon isn't an option here. Okay so the spicy ahi poke was really, really flavorful and I greatly enjoyed it. They use something different, I think a sweet chili aioli or something to make it spicy and it WORKS. My only quibble on it is that the flavor is a wee bit too much for just one scoop of rice.The regular shoyu ahi poke comes with the shoyu separate in a small container with lid which lets you see how fresh the naked ahi is. That is to say, really fresh!Not much to say about ambiance as it's a takeout place but how they've arranged things seems to work. There's also a great bakery next door which can help to cut through the saltiness of the spicy ahi poke.Thank you, Kahiau Jerky Co., and I'll be back for that ahi limu poke -- count on it! And that spicy ahi poke too, yeah, I'm a convert now."

Waianae Meat Market

★★★★★ 4.8 (12) • $$

"Customer service is always on par. Nice little family owned store. They have a lot of bulk items like SAMs club and Costco. If you live in Waianae save the drive and come to the Waianae meet market!"

Honolulu Fish Company

★★★★☆ 3.6 (12) • $$

"So I've ordered about 5 times from them within the last couple months. The quality is always great and consistently. The tuna is my favorite and the salmon is pretty awesome too. I only prepare nigiri, sashimi, and sushi rolls with the fish. If you store it correctly, the fish lasts for 3-5 days in the cold part of the fridge. I tried another fish delivery service and it just doesn't compare. Go sign up for their emails and you'll get notification of deals. Totally worth the money."

Ku’s Canoe

★★★★★ 5 (10)

"I think I just had the best poke I've ever eaten. Ku's Hawaiian style ahi was flavored perfectly, with tasty rice and seaweed. It was definitely ono and the portion was generous. Ku himself is a person who seems to put his heart into what he does, whether it's serving up an excellent poke or talking about canoe racing. He's in the Maunakea Marketplace in Chinatown and well worthy finding!"

Santos Mart

★★★★☆ 3.8 (4)

"There's a store along Kekaulike St that's hidden by large deliver vans and trucks, and this store is literally filled with every fish and seafood imaginable from catfish to tilapia to milkfish to mud fish to many, many more! The store is called Santos Mart!I used frequent this store quite often when it was called something else that I can't remember at the moment, but the sign is still there. ____ Seafood Inc. I feel it was just Kekaulike Seafood Inc, or Chinatown Seafood Inc. Back then, there used to be another wet market of sorts that used to sell a lot of fresh and frozen seafood, but that's been boarded up, used as a filming location for Hawaii Five-O, and now it's going to be torn down for, hopefully, a future rail station. Also, the "glass house" where New Hong Kong Supermarket and Kim An 2 is located used to be a much bigger place with numerous seafood stalls. Homeless took over that sidewalk, but they're gone now and it's pretty safe to venture down. Now all that's left is Santos Mart, and it's all alone.If you look at Santos Mart, it appears to be a small store, but that's not the case at all. It goes deeeeeep inside. There are several, huge, long freezers all jam-packed with frozen fish, seafood, and other meats. If any fish pops into your head, or you watched a video about fish dishes in Southeast Asia, you will probably fish it here.The store is clean and organized, and the prices are clearly marked. Tilapia is the main fish they sell of varying sizes. Even frozen, all their fish look nice, good quality, and very well packaged. You won't find any with freezer burns. In addition to seafood, Santos Mart also sells many convenient dried noodles, sauces and other condiments usually used in southeast Asian cooking.Overall, Santos Mart is a great little store that's not little at all. Even though it's a little off in the distance by it's lonesome, it's worth the trip if you're in need of frozen fish and other seafood. You'll find so many varieties of fish, that you can spend the better part of your morning here. Here's a secret, all the stalls that sell fish that you believe to be fresh are all previously frozen! If the fish ain't in a tank, it's not fresh."

Ali’i Fish Market

★★★★★ 4.8 (153) • $$

"Late lunch/early dinner in Honolulu, Hawaii...I hadn't eaten a real meal all day. What came to mind was Ali'i Fish Market It was 20 minutes before closing at 3pm... and some items were HALF OFF! I got the Hamachi Kama (delicious) and Miso Butterfish (firm and tasty)... what great deals!In the refrigerator, I selected the Lychee Strawberry dessert (yummy), pickled ogo (sweet sour crunchiness), and Mari's Salad (with fresh citrus dressing)! Parking: free shared lot at Old Stadium Square Location: closer to the Young Street entrance... across from Golden EagleService: efficient and helpful Environment: tidy, cozy, and takeout onlyNote: there's a rewards system, so, I'll be back!"

Pacific Seafood Distribution

★★★★★ 4.8 (71) • $$$

"Awesome prices, small no frills spot near the airport where you can get really fresh oysters on the half shell from Japan. Rotating seasonal variety. Staff is all business as this place gets busy. Call ahead to reserve your haul. My boyfriend and I have gotten oysters and lobster here for special occasions and it is always great.Editing my review to clarify that these are wholesale - as in bags of oysters and seafood for home preparation and not a sit down spot!"

Kay's Fish Market

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (14) • $

"Great local neighborhood market for fresh poke! The poke is very fresh and there are a variety to choose from. The price at are reasonable, as well. The store also carries some vegetables and Filipino food items. The also have a few bread and pastries from local bakeries. The storefront isn't much to look at and it's a little disorganized inside but go in and you might find something to satisfy your hunger."

Yan Seafood Market

★★★★☆ 4.3 (6)

"This is the place to purchase fresh seafood! It's a new store in Chinatown that has a plethora of lobsters, crabs, geoduck, etc. The shop itself is quite basic, but it's very clean. Great addition to Chinatown!"

88 Fresh Fish Market

★★★★★ 4.7 (85) • $$

"Ordered a sashimi platter for pickup Christmas day 2024:1 lb Japan Bluefin Otoro1 lb King Salmon1 lb Hamachi1 lb Chu toro$50 deposit via Venmo. I was dropped off, ran in to pay the rest and pickup. Friendly and easy to order from. Forgot to take a picture without the lid. Fish was delicious"

Azama Fish Wholesale

★★★★★ 4.8 (79) • $$

"Azama's fish is located on Farrington Highway strip mall after Servco Toyota heading Ewa bound. If you want the best dried Aku in all of Hawaii this is the place. My family and friends from outer-island fly in Oahu just for the dried Aku. Either you prefer no blood, all blood, or half blood dried Aku they have em. Very tender inside and good bite outside, the seasoned dried Aku is on point too. They have assorted fresh poke, sashimi, local plate lunches, and frozen Ahi/Hamachi Kama. Everything is fresh from the auction and prices are reasonable in comparison to other poke places."

Jimmy's Produce & Filipino Store

★★★★☆ 3.5 (8) • $$

"After living in Chinatown for over 5 years, I appreciate that I don't have to struggle to find parking here. Although it's street parking, i would always find parking here much faster than in Chinatown. JP is a small mom and pop market where you'll actually see their workers sitting on stools trimming and packaging the vegetables. The veggies and seafood always look so fresh. Be aware, the fish, shrimp, and live crabs are not packaged. You'll have to pack them yourself. But the best part is the prices are so much cheaper here than the major grocery stores. They sell everything a Filipino family (or anyone craving or wanting a part of the culture) could ever want. Frozen longanisa (sausage), tocino (marinated pork), fish, lumpia, and more (even goat). They have an aisle for seasonings and condiments, then another aisle for Filipino snacks (my favorite is the cheese balls). Philippines calling cards, facial creams, soap, lotion, and even pomade. Fresh chicharones, filipino baked desserts...., Then there's the famous Filipino soda, Orange Royal.. And the best for me is the ICE CREAM-- Macapuno (coconut). Yummeh! The sales clerks are a delight. Don't expect to be treated like customers, be expected to be treated like family that sees you everyday. A handwritten sign hangs near their register, "God is nice, you're nice, be nice" ^_^I'm definitely a fan! Tip: They take debit, credit, & EBT."

Tropic Fish Hawaii

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"Fresh quality and amazing price!!! It's hard to get fresh seafood in hawaii and for an amazing price! Ordered 3 dozen oysters and they were fantastic! So fresh and not fishy at all! Love how they are pre shocked, wating them was fast and easy! Good size it was enough to give you a mouth full. I had these oysters last month and I'm still thinking about them!The only thing is it is a little harder to order it you have to contact the seller. There is no menu of any sort on their yelp or website. And of course you have to preorder it.But amazing definitely the place to go when you need seafood in bulk!!"

Maguro Brothers Hawaii

★★★★★ 4.6 (957) • $$

"2 words to describe Maguro Brothers (MB): FRESH FISHWhen in Chinatown, my go to place is MB. There are so many options but the freshness of the fish from MB is unlike other places. The poke bowls are made to order and mixed fresh. So be patient as it just makes the poke so much better tasting. As you bite into the pieces of ahi, it just melts in your mouth. You can just taste the freshness!My absolute favorite is the spicy ahi. It is a tad bit spicy for me (yum!) but if spicy is not your thing, I'd recommend something else. If I could, I'd order everything!Seating wise, there's a couple tables in front but you may need to hunt around. It's to be expected though of Chinatown and that marketplace. I hope that MB will consider opening a shop outside of Waikiki or Chinatown..maybe somewhere that has more parking options haha!But if you love poke, you NEED to try Maguro Brothers!"

Blue Seafood Company

★★★★★ 5 (8)

"We ordered their fried prawns served with two dip sauces and rice and were blown away at the amount of large prawns and shrimp in one serving! The owner took extra care at the preparation on the prawn heads maintaining the custard. So delicious. They serve high quality fresh seafood cook right at a very reasonable price point, definitely coming back!"

O'ahu Market

★★★★☆ 4.2 (22) • $

"Actually across the street from O'ahu Market is Kekaulike Mall. The greatest bargain area known to home cooks since da barefoot days. EVERYTHING is farm grown. That means dirt on the cucumbers and sometimes worm holes in the kabochas so scan carefully. Prices are literally half of anywhere else in Honolulu. Crowds, noise, grumbling buses, aromas, all part of the Chinatown experience! Take a cart with wheels or you're not with the elder, "in" crowd."Get tea flavored pumpkin seeds, plastic ware, noodles, spices, jasmine rice, red beans, fu juk, slippas, brooms, and the best danged anise flavored sunflower seeds you will ever hope to eat. They are as fat and long as my, "Miss Chinatown" fingernail. And they come vacuum foil sealed.Yes, OK, we all saw the Chinatown rat videos on you tube. So I always get the cold produce, meaning, it was probably refrigerated last night and not out in a feel-thee basket with vermin dancing on them. Even so, what's a little rat pp among friends?"

Hung Hang Seafood Market

★★★★☆ 4 (2) • $$

"Sometimes you're lucky when sent on a "salmon" hunt (not to be confused with goose hunt). At times I'm given such special tasks of ingredients so I check out who has what in Chinatown. Yes, it's true that the early bird gets the worm. And at other times it's who can find that gem.Recently I was asked to find salmon. Most would either think of Costco or Sam's Club. In Chinatown there are a handful of fresh fish and seafood stalls but one afternoon I could only find copper salmon fillets or salmon scraps. Copper salmon to me is too lean and therefore dry easily and less tasty. I was running out of hope until I came across Hung Hang Seafood Market (HHSM).Located just a few stores down from Sun Chong Grocery on Hotel St, HHSM is a very small seafood stall offering fresh fish (including live fish), other seafood and fresh house-made Chinese fish cake. This business is very small with minimal one or two staff to assist you. English is understood here but it was easier to use my Chinese speaking skills.Twice I've purchased King salmon here and both times were fantastic. Fresh fish with great marbling enabled tasty meals enjoyed by all. We marinated the salmon and cooked them in foil with fresh mushrooms. Yummo!!!I've also seen other live fish and reptiles here that's meant at pets for sale. I also noticed house salted fresh duck eggs for sale, too.Although HHSM may be difficult to find, I found both occasions a great place for fresh King salmon so if this is what you're looking for, walk over to the Makai side of Hotel St, just a few doors down from Sun Chong Grocery.2018 #15"