Hot Pot Heaven. Words can't describe how much we love this place...but numbers can. 10/10.

One of our go-to spots, it's a fun, interactive, and customizable meal where you choose from a list of broths and then grab all kinds of goodies to add.

Our must-haves: Thai broth and the pork and shrimp mochi dumplings!

Alright, its time to buckle your seatbelts because 7-Eleven has a story to tell. I'll start with this, did Jake wonder if our wedding date should be 7/11? Yes. Is it a coincidence that the closest Saturday wedding date in 2024 to 7/11 is 7/13? No. Do we go to 7-Eleven every year on 7/11 now? Yes. Some would ask why, Michelle definitely still does.

Michelle didn't usually go to 7-Eleven for food items in Hawaii (this has not changed). She would call this place a gas station, but now she knows better. According to Jake, this is a fine dining CONVENIENCE store, packed with delicacies.

Our order (mostly Jake's): the spam burrito (10/10 times, he will get a stomach ache after eating this), spam katsu musubi, mochiko chicken musubi, onigiri, local breakfast scramble bento, curry chicken manapua (like eating a cloud, Michelle agrees this is a must-have), spicy ahi sushi roll or Inari.

Jake is now known for being 7-Eleven's unofficial spokesperson. Whenever a new food item comes out, people wait for his review, so stay tuned!

Oh Zippys...Is it healthy? No. Is it delicious? Yes.

Zippys is a Hawaiian casual dining chain that Jake fell in love with after visiting Hawaii. He would often go to Zippys for a late night second dinner and is all about the Mac salad and chili. Zippys wasnt in the rotation of restaurants Michelle frequented before meeting Jake...but oh, has that changed. As the saying goes..."NEXT STOP, ZIPPYS!"

Our order: Hamburger deluxe with cheese and fries (people will argue this is not the best burger on the island. We are no burger connoisseurs so they are probably right, but for some reason, it HITS), chili cheese burrito plate, Korean fried chicken plate, wun tun min, lilikoi drink.

Tsukemen is a Japanese dish in which cold ramen noodles are dipped into a separate bowl of flavorful broth. In our opinion, this restaurant has the best tsukemen on the island. The noodles are thick and chewy, and the broth is an explosion of flavor in your mouth.

Our order: Salad tsukemen, tonkotsu broth, level 1 spice, with the garlic shrimp bao and the kakuni mini donburi. GARLIC SHRIMP BAO IS A MUST. WE REPEAT. A MUST. Top 5 best appetizers of all time, confirmed by multiple sources. Just wow.

A special shout out to Jane Lim for introducing us to this special place!

The Waiahole Poi Factory is our go-to spot for Hawaiian food. Their mission is to share the Hawaiian culture through food, to support local farmers, and to nourish vital Hawaiian agricultural traditions. We are big supporters of supporting local. This is a great place to try traditional Hawaiian food!

Our order: Lau lau and kalua pig combo plate, beef luau, ho'io salad, and the Sweet Lady of Waiahole dessert. This dessert is a must-have. It consists of warm kulolo (made from taro, coconut, sugar) with haupia (coconut) ice cream. The kulolo is warm and gooey, and combined with the creamy, haupia ice cream...just YES.

The Waiahole Poi Factory does not have tables and seating, so when we order from them, we like to take it to Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens to have a little picnic.

Poke is a Hawaiian dish consisting of raw fish seasoned with a variety of different sauces and ingredients. It's a staple in Hawaii, and Tanioka's is on a different level of its own. It's priced a little higher than other poke places, but in our opinion, the quality is unmatched. There is never not a line out the door.

Our order: Garlic chicken, spicy ahi tempura bowl, Ahi patties. Mouth is watering writing this. Wow.

If you are looking for poke places in town, we also like to go to Tamura's Fine Wine & Liquors to grab poke by the pound. Tamura's can be found at multiple locations spread throughout Oahu.

Tonkatsu is a Japanese dish, traditionally consisting of pork cutlet that is breaded and deep-fried, then served with a side of cabbage and Tonkatsu sauce. Tonkatsu Tamafuji has mastered the art of tonkatsu and will blast you off to Japan with a single bite. This restaurant is usually booked out months and months in advance (sometimes up to 6 months in advance), so if this is a place you really want to try, we suggest making a reservation as soon as possible. You can also do take-out.

Our order: shrimp katsu 2 pc & chicken katsu 2 pc set, jyukusei pork tender loin katsu set. You cant go wrong with anything you order here though. Each order comes with miso soup, premium rice, and unlimited cabbage refills.

The first time we had Broke Da Mouth Grindz, we had just landed on Big Island and were mind blown by the food. We were so excited when they opened up a location on Oahu, and whenever we go adventuring on the West side now, we like to go here to eat afterwards! It is located next to the Old Kapolei Theatre.

Our order: Spicy garlic furikake chicken (they also have a non-spicy option), garlic butter shrimp, chili water, and the TWISTY FRIES (best fries on the island, you can also get the fries topped with garlic furikake chicken, pork adobo, or beef bul-go-gi). The portions are massive so be sure to bring your appetite. We have also been meaning to try the ube ice cream mud pie...

The Beet Box Cafe is a vegan friendly cafe with locations both in Haleiwa and Kailua. Not only are their main dishes delicious, but their pastries are also so good!


Our order: Yogi bowl, beet box burrito, GF donuts. If the vegetarian crunch wrap supreme is one of the specials available, you are blessed and should definitely order this. We had the chance to eat this ONCE, and now we think about it often.

Was there a time when Jake and Michelle would get pizza on a weekly basis? Maybe. The verdict is in. Pizza Mamo is the best pizza on the island.

Our Order: The Detroit-style pesto and sausage pizza.

We love a fresh açaí bowl here and there! Our top picks include: Haleiwa Bowls, Sunrise Shack, Da Cove Health Bar and Cafe, and Nalu Health Bar & Cafe.

Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice

Address: 909 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, HI

Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha

Address: 820 W Hind Dr #116, Honolulu, HI 96821

Waiola Shave Ice

Address: 3113 Mokihana St, Honolulu, HI 96816