This place is good to walk around, find places to eat and shop for anything. Just be aware, there's homeless around and depending on what time and what part of Chinatown you go.... read more

When I was a kid (still am, according to my wife), I had a pet rat that lived in my sister's rabbit cage. There was a hole in the cage that I thought was too small for the rat to escape. Later, I suspected that the rat was sneaking out at night, because I thought I saw him in the garage area; in the morning, though, he was always back in the cage. One day, I looked out into the backyard from my bedroom window and saw the rat squeezing through the hole. I ran outside and hid by a corner of the house near the garage. I looked around the corner and saw the rat walking toward me. When he was near, I jumped out and yelled "HA!" Shocked, the rat ran away and never came back. After that incident, I realized that 1) rats have zero sense of humor and 2) rats hold a grudge for a long time. Fast forward to about two weeks ago when I saw the Chinatown rat video that was posted on YouTube. It appeared to me that the rats were partying like the Pirates of the Caribbean, swinging from the hanging baskets and having a great time, while celebrating their ill-gotten booty (i.e., bananas). I always imagined that my rat lived a hard life--living off the streets, filled with spite, getting a tattoo, smoking cigarettes. After watching the video, I don't feel so bad knowing that he was probably okay without me. read more

I wouldn't really consider this a chinatown because it was so dead, even on the weekends, but it's not entirely bad. It looked old and dirty, but I've never set foot in a clean chinatown before so it's pretty normal in my eyes. I would give 2 stars, but I like the boutiques and restaurants. There are a lot of un-asian establishments here, which I find very odd. I'm so used to seeing asian characters when you reach chinatown, but there are a lot of american restaurants and it's lacking that chinatown culture and feel that I'm so used to in other cities. I wouldn't come here for culture sake, but I would visit if I want to eat at certain restaurants in the area. It's definitely the worst chinatown I've been to. I'm disappointed. read more

The smells of Chinatown: pee, marijuana, poo, and cigarettes. I had a combination of all those things on my last visit yesterday! And that was all within a couple of blocks! Not the most pleasant way to enjoy your visit, but I still come here often. My mom lives in the neighborhood and I also enjoy getting my produce here for good prices. You need to be careful though, because some of the produce is old. A lot of the produce is fresh and are great deals though. Things can be a bit creepy sometimes here. I have been asked for money, offered drugs, and had someone beg for my leftovers as I was leaving a restaurant. I found it very brave for drug dealers to offer drugs to random people only two blocks away from the police station! There are a good number of homeless people and drug addicts in the neighborhood. Sometimes they are hard to distinguish from each other. On the plus side, there are some good eateries here. Maunakea Street has my favorite look fun place, Lam's Kitchen, a great dim sum place, Happy Garden, and a good ice cream shop, Wing's Ice Cream & Shave Ice is close by. read more

What can you say about Chinatown? It is this mysterious place where cultures melt together and where the rats roam. Despite this mystique, there is certainly an openness that exists where people are encouraged to purchase produce or perhaps stop by one of the local galleries. Chinatown is home to numerous food vendors, art galleries, restaurants, and much more! The food vendors offer a plethora of produce, seafood, and much more at rather reasonable prices. Is it going to be the clean marketplace that you are used to? Probably not...but its part of the character that defines the district. Art galleries and the Hawaii Theatre dot Nuuanu Avenue and come alive on the first Friday of the month for the aptly named "First Friday." Galleries open their doors and bars take over the streets to create this bustling nightlife of libations and beautiful pieces. Note, it can be pretty hopping, so be prepared for the crowds. Restaurants have moved into the neighborhood with establishments like Indigo, Downbeat Diner, Brasserie Du Vin, Epic, and much more! It makes for a great night out on the town or an awesome place to have a meal. Parking can be one of the trickier tasks to overcome, but what town doesn't have that problem? There are a number of municipal lots or private lots/garages like the Marks Garage which are the popular spots to park. Chinatown is a melting pot, and while not one of the cleanest spots in town, it certainly has some of the most character! read more

Every city worth it's stuff has to have a Chinatown. Some Chinatown's are rather boring (SF was rather boring to me). Other Chinatown's are iconic (holla, NYC!!) This Chinatown is the bees-knees!! I love the sights, the colors...the smells arent that repugnant either! Fresh produce abounds...good food is all over the place! I cannot tell you how sad it is when you walk thru a city's chinatown looking for dim sum and they say you have to find it OUTSIDE OF CHINATOWN to get it! WTF is up with that (Holla, SF...that's all you, Boo!)??? Sure, the peeps are a bit rude, and they walk the sidewalks like they own the place. What is Chinatown without it's bootleg items and ROC made trinkets? This Chinatown has a WHITE GUY peddling bootleg trinkets on King St...How cool is that?? First Fridays...novel ideas and fun even once. Dim Sum...super cheap! Fresh Noodle Houses...all over! Wet Market...got that ish too! I heart me some Chinatown HNL! read more

Chinatown is dirty. What Chinatown isn't? We all knew this before the "rat thing" and we all know it now. It's a place to find fresh produce at dirt cheap prices, listen to people yelling in Mandarin, and just get a taste what a Chinese market area feels like. You dodge the hundreds of people on a Saturday morning, the little old ladies with their rolling carts, that pushy lady strong arming her way in to get the best bok choy, and watch the butcher chop meat with his huge cleaver and wooden stump. Overall the Chinatown area spans several blocks, the center being between King and Hotel Streets. There is a renaissance going on in Chinatown recently. With it's free wi-fi network, First Friday celebrations, and now being considered an "arts" district. None of this necessarily involving anything basically Chinese. This could be considered "Second Chinatown" where after dusk, the night life comes alive. Let me just say that Chinatown isn't located in the best neighborhood, since Hotel Street for years has been considered a drug and prostitute haven. A large contingent of homeless live in the adjacent Aala Park nearby. This is something to just be aware of before getting totally trashed at any of the popular bars or blindly wandering around here at night. There are several inexpensive parking garages in the area, but the best thing is probably that The Bus rides straight through. Most of the buses from Waikiki going to parts beyond make their way though Downtown and Chinatown. So, you should be able to navigate in and out of the area with out a problem. read more

If you like homeless people and folks high on opioids, this place is for you! Chinatown is chock full of Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants but we only enjoyed Pho Que Huong. The rest were meh at best. The little shops are cute but sell the same stuff and be sure to bargain. The markets have good snacks and tropical fruits. Would I come back? Nope. read more

Since my husband is really into Chinese history, I'd thought we'll check our Chinatown while we were in Honolulu. Out of all of the Chinatown's we've been to, this one is the smallest. We were able to walk around the whole area in less than 15 minutes (hauling 2 young kids). Besides a few grocery stores, you can find a bakery, restaurants and a marketplace (food court & groceries). There wasn't much going on when we arrived so we left after we ate lunch. read more

I told you our rats were bigger than yours! http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/08/25/2011-08-25_giant_rat_killed_by_pitchfork_in_marcy_houses_is_believed_to_be_.html read more

I think this Chinatown is great. My favorite Pho. Papaya smoothie. Cheap lunch. Pau Hana hangouts Produce markets that make you think you're in Asia Fresh fish markets Crackheads Hole-in-the-wall restaurants Nice restaurants read more

I have never received a jaywalking ticket. Not in LA, not in NY, not in SF...but almost got one here! It was during our trip two years ago when, without a car in sight, we crossed the street outside of a crosswalk. As we approached the other side, a policeman was waiting and greeted us. The policeman gave us a stern warning, but did not issue a ticket. If this had happened this year, it probably would have been a ticket as I saw on a news report during our last trip that they have been cracking down on jaywalkers (average of two jaywalking tickets per day) due to the number of accidents in the area. We made sure to avoid the jaywalking "traps" this year and enjoyed a morning in Chinatown. We had our fill of roasted pork at one of the restaurants (I only know it by location, not name) then strolled through the rest of Chinatown. Honolulu's Chinatown is nowhere near as big as the one in SF and I'm pretty sure even Oakland's Chinatown is bigger. There aren't really any must-see or must-do in this Chinatown so it won't take long to go through the entire area. This is really just for a change of pace from Waikiki. My favorite stop was one of the grocery stores that sold these huge mangos. We had a couple of ripe ones which were pretty sweet. It's too bad we couldn't bring any back home with us due to the agricultural restrictions, otherwise I'd bring a box home. The morning in Chinatown ended with some dim sum at one of the local restaurants. An uneventful trip into Chinatown as expected and one we'll do again during our next trip. read more

On First Fridays, it's like the Honolulu Academy of Art's monthly ARTafterDARK events without the $7 cover and overpriced food and drinks! I love this place like a "fat kid loves cake" or like "a (former) art major who'd hump a Picasso painting." I actually don't frequent this place too much during First Fridays, but during the weekends when the fruit and vegetable vendors are in full bloom. Where else can you get some of the cheapest prices for your apple bananas and romaine lettuce? Better than most farmer's markets, man! Nowhere else can you get a fast introduction into the world of exotic fruits from Asia/Southeast Asia, purchase your weekly fruits/veggies for the week, select lunch from cuisines that range from Hawaiian and Thai to Chinese and Indian, and more? read more

When you go to Chinatown...you tend to forget your manners...and push and shove with the best of them. If you don't stand your ground, you are apt to be shoved aside by a 90 year old Chinese woman with elbows as sharp as tacks. I love shopping here. To play it safe, downtown workers can shop at the Fort Street Mall Farmers Market on Tuesdays and Fridays for their fruits and veggies...but to get the real bargains, you must venture a few blocks to the west and to the north. I joke that I was mugged by a 90 year old Chinese woman in Chinatown a couple of weeks ago...but only half-joking. It was more like 2 or 3 of them, jostling and pushing in the unusually crowded mall area on a Friday at lunch time. By time I got through the throngs making sure my wallet was still secure, I noticed that my access badge for work was not...it was gone. Months before when I use to commute on The Bus, I had heard that this happens frequently in crowds as many people store their bus pass and cash in with their work badges. Whoever took my badge was surely disappointed because I don't commute via The Bus anymore and don't carry cash anywhere but in my wallet. Eventually, my badge was turned into the Chinatown branch of BOH, minus the clear pocket thingy it was stored in and the retractable BOH clip...oh well. I now wear my badge on a lanyard around my neck...not 100% secure, but better than it was. I love Chinatown. It fascinates...appalls...thrills...and disappoints, all in the span of 30 minutes :-) read more

This is the worse Chinatown I have ever been to! I know Chinatowns are usually dirty, but this one brings dirty to a whole other level. The streets are dirty and the markets are filthy. There were people urinating on the streets and bums sleeping everywhere. It's also quite small and parking is limited. read more

When you're a first generation Asian American, you learn lots of things from your parents in cooking and shopping. My parent's first rule was always shop and remember prices and trends in Chinatown. Chinatown's markets are incredibly cheap and prices for the same items vary so you really have to follow what's cheap and what's not. For instance: a bag of garlic sells for $1 for most places, but it isn't the best price. You will find some places that sell the same bag for 75 cents. Chinatown also houses many restaurant spots that I love. Yee Hong Pavillion, Legends, Fook Lam, Family Noodle House, Little Village are just to name a few. Parking is a bit tricky. If you are going to park, I suggest the Nuuanu+Smith street municipal parking. Spots are wider and it is generally more safer there. 100 Reviews, 1 Day 77/100 January 12, 2013 read more

What's to say... They sell MILLIONS of cheap items and unique gadgets for the kitchen. Pretty much things you won't find in our normal shopping stores. We purchased a nice meat cleaver and sharpening stone for $25.00 today. Nice selection of meats and fish, plus MILLIONS of hole in the wall eateries. We enjoy coming here, even if just browsing.... It's a nice walk. Don't be alarmed by the homeless zombies here and there.... They're not going to bother anyone. NO EYE CONTACT! read more

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YOU DO NOT GO TO CHINATOWN WHEN YOU'RE IN HAWAII. 1. This Chinatown is not for tourists PERIOD. It's not a nice one where you stroll down the block to take pictures like the one in SF and such. Not just it's small but filthy as heck! We drove down the street and saw a whole gang of homeless with their tents. That should be the main attraction for Chinatown! 2. Parking = meter, tight, and not so safe on the street 3. They have a lot of restaurants and small shops around the area. We tried one dimsum place nearby and it was no good! 4. We came there for tropical fruits so mission was accomplished! For all the Vietnamese (they have chom chom, mang cau, coc, thanh long etc etc) Shop around because few stores sell it for 50c cheaper! 5. I heard most stores close early but I wouldn't recommend to come there at night anyway! read more

This review is for the Maunakea Market Place... I am not too sure if I am in love with Maunakea because I don't live here and I can only visit a few times per year if I am lucky... Maybe, just maybe... if I was a Hawaiian native I would be more reluctant to come here and not take advantage of the opportunity since I could always visit the next day... OR NOT!!! If I lived in Hawaii, I'd be sure to come visit at least once a week for my weekly fix of sweet KAHUKU shrimp, fresh fruits such as atis and papaya, sinuman, and seaweed! Not to mention that yummy food court they provide with traditional Filipino foods that is very difficult to find in resaurants in the mainland. There's nothing I enjoy more than walking through this marketplace with my camera since there is so much culture to take in... the last time I came here, I watched a group of 30 little kids holding hands on their fieldtrip to the market... so cute! read more

Chinatown...what can you find here?? Chinese food? Well you can get just about anything asian here. Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino. You name it, they got it. Be aware, there are a lot of not so friendly activities during the night hours so come during the day. I like to get fresh vegetables at rock bottom prices. Food court at Maunakea Market place is cool too. All kinds of food here. You want Char Siu? Roast duck? It's here. Manapua, pork hash. Bubble drinks to Vietnamese Coffee. Hong Kong style Milk Tea and Coffee Milk tea. It's not the cleanest part of town so be aware. There are so many place to try. Lee's Bakery for pies and cakes. Asian clothes, toys and dinnerware. Check it out! read more

What can I say? Majority of chinatowns I've been too all have a similar stench. Manhattan's chinatown was putrid smelling and layered with trash on the sidewalk. This chinatown follows along on the stench but slightly better on trash. As with all chinatowns, expect smokers walking around with their cigarette in hand. If you haven't been here before, it might be a pleasant experience. Just remember don't come in your haute couture because it's chinatown! read more

I really enjoyed our trip to Honolulu's Chinatown. It was an interesting way to spend a few hours. There was a central market area with shops scattered about on the surrounding streets. There were various items to buy that were very reasonably priced; Hawaiian shirts, jewelry, jade figurines, furniture items, and many other odds and ends. I recommend buying your Hawaiian shirts & dresses in Chinatown; we found the same shirts here that we did at the tourist traps for generally $10 - $30 more. There was an interesting food market where they had live frogs & fish for purchase. I did not notice the stench of urine, marijuana, or feces that previous posters have mentioned. Some of the food shops did have an overwhelming spicy & fishy odor. Some of the shopkeepers were curt & rude & were on top of you as you tried to browse the shops; a real turn off. It was a worthwhile sojourn. read more

Chinatown - Confucius statue in the market's courtyard area. - Local Flavor Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Small Chinatown in comparison to other's I've visited (NYC, LA, SF) but I guess worth visiting if you've never been to one. I didn't really go into any shops, so I'm not sure what they offer. Didn't have the urge to try the food either.. There's a river that passes through it that looks a lil unsanitary.. but then again I've never really been to a chinatown where sanitary ranks as a top thought.. except maybe San Francisco.. read more

I've came here during a 5 day vacation to Honolulu in summer 2007. Although the Chinatown here maybe a bit smaller than the ones in San Francisco, Oakland, and Los Angeles but it is one of the best Chinatowns I've been to. I enjoy going to Hawaii because the air there is very clean and pure. read more

I don't know why, but I always find myself in chinatown no matter where I go. For the most part it looks and feels like just any other chinatown, no matter if its Boston, New York, Toronto, Yokohama. Besides that, the smoothies seem to be made with actual fresh fruit instead of powder, and for pretty cheap as well, $3.50 and if that wasn't enough, the portion was much more than I would usually get. I alway go for the Durian shake, good shit. A cool note is that there seems to be more vietnamese than chinese here, heh. My mom likes that part as she was making friends left and right, even now she is raving how awesome/cheap the market is too. read more

Trust me, I've been to my fair shares of Chinatowns from all over. This one is not one of my favorites. First of all, it's not very big considering there's quite a large population of Asian people on Oahu. Second, a lot of the people here are TOO pushy. I get that being pushy and straightforward is how it's done, but it's off the charts here. I mean, once we were accused of stealing fruit (we had not!). Thirdly, parking is a bit of a pain...it's not too hard to find, but it can get pretty confusing as a single deck has elevators/stairs that will lead you to completely different intersections. Finally, there's a huge population of homeless people here. Mainly because there's a soup kitchen in this area. My sister and I unknowingly stood near it waiting for my parents to finish shopping and it was very uncomfortable. TL;DR: We'd still go here for all the exotic fruit, flowers, and spices needed to make our traditional meals, but we wouldn't take anyone here for the sights. read more

Ever tire of sandy beaches and throngs of people? Journey into Honolulu's Chinatown for a completely different experience. Neatly tucked between Honolulu's business district (Seriously?! There is a business district?) and the ship yards is an edgy, urban enclave; Chinatown. Visiting Chinatown is a gritty experience; real people, real life. None of the super shiny people walking around, none of the commercialized din of Waikiki cash registers ringing up over priced suntan lotion, instead, you hear the fast-paced negotiation for tonight's chicken feet dinner or the beat of one of Honolulu's edgiest DJ's. Daytime Chinatown is bustles with Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Hawaiian shoppers. The multitude press around stalls in open air markets, hypnotized by the many competing aromas, fending off their personal space with bags filled with herbal medicines, fresh fish and other mysterious wares. Chinatown doesn't "close" at 4PM, its takes a nap. Under the veil of night, enigmatic Chinatown reveals another side. Almost on cue, a younger, more urban group weaves through the streets and alleys. To dinner at one of the many eclectic culinary options. To small local bars like Hank's for live music and genuine Aloha, or thirtynine hotel to hang with Honolulu's fashionistas, artists and musicians. Chinatown draws you in for street by street exploration. read more

This Chinatown is a bit sad and there is not much in way of shops and it is not very inviting for visitors from the mainland. The streets were on the dirty side and I saw a few unfortunate people down on their luck. Most cities have a Chinatown and a gateway with the oriental arches decorated with dragons and Foo dog statues at the entrance, but this Chinatown does not. The prices are cheap at the few stores I went to. I didn't get a chance to eat at a restaurant, but I did go the a vendor that had the best fresh fruit boba drinks ever! I ordered a fresh lychee boba drink ($3.50) in a tall cup and it was yummy delicious. They were located in a small Chinatown mall with other import/export stores for tourists and locals. The Hawaii business district should do something to revamp and modernize this area of Honolulu. It would definitely bring in more tourists and people to the area. In my opinion, the business owners, locals and visitors would benefit from this. read more

You know - Honolulu Chinatown is fascinating to walk through as it doesn't seem that big until you start walking around - it's bigger than it looks. It doesn't look like it's changed at all...it's got this clean-dirty feel to it that adds to its grittiness/character if you will; like going back in time, especially when you walk inside the market with all the food vendors and produce and tables for eating that seem to go on forever - you're in for a real treat if you're into people watching cuz it looks like you've stepped into a '30s B movie. After walking around and stepping into the market - you know why Chinatown seems empty - cuz everyone is inside the coolest place in the area. Like all Chinatowns - prices are cheaper than anywhere else - including food and produce. The extra bonus is seeing an era of history right in front of you, a bit haunting - but I can appreciate that. read more

Arrived here around 10am. The streets of chinatown are depicted with chinese characters above the street names. I would say it's a good 4 blocks, which may seem small but the chinese sure know how to make use of every space. Elder men huddled together playing what i believe is chinese chess along river st. Nice to see at this hour ladies sitting down stringing the leis. Leis are dirt cheap here. Plenty of lei shops to choose from. Market feel is typical of any chinatown. You have the usual cheap knick knack store, food stands, produce market, and hanging pig. Tried some sugar covered dough ball and rambutan. The taro pearl tea I had from a stand was overly sweet with mushy pearls--bleh. read more

Kung Hee Fat Choy! I went to the first day of the Chinese New Year at the Chinese Cultural Center! It was awesome! Good Food and nice goodies to buy and amazing shows preform by young children.. i didn't know a child could do such acrobatics !!!! read more

China town so sad since it doesn't have the authentic shopping experiences like it once was since now there are many moms & pops stores are gone and it is being replaced with empty rental spaces or some new trendy Asian fusion restaurants are moving in. No more getting good deals and no more finding local traditional cultural cuisine to eat or getting it to go like it once was. The yellow noodles soup/ fried rice stall in the mauka market once was a traditional for us to come when we are here at the island is now gone and no more duck noodles soup or that awesome fried rice with charsiu sausages. The area appeared to be cleaner now but still there are many homeless and the pissy smell still linger as you walking around but not as much as it was before and pay parking is much more easier to find as well since it seems like hardly no one is visiting China Town anymore. Hoping that China Town will thrives like once was but for now I don't know if I would even come down to there when other places offer similar things / food read more

I was not impressed. The description of Chinatown in the Oahu Revealed book made it sound like you could spend a half day wandering around Chinatown. This is not the case. Plus the fact that I live in Los Angeles where we have a HUGE Chinese population and therefore a rather large Chinatown with dozens of restaurants and vendors. So when I compare the two, there is no comparison. I guess if you are in the area, and you have some time, give yourself an hour to walk around Chinatown. read more

There is definitely a lot of history here: bubonic plague, imported contract laborers, war, the community being burnt down, built back up and the burnt down again and again. There are tons of old mom and pop shops here, along with small businesses like family owned and run jewelry shops, pho shops, travel agencies, a few boutiques and other non-asian ethnic restaurants, etc. We were lucky enough to be in town for a 1st Friday. There is music, lots of people running around, street food, etc. The vendors don't tend to be real friendly but they have some great products! The area isn't the best so it's safest for you to be outta there by the time school lets out, say around 3:00PM. These 16 blocks are the grounds for the gangs, drug users, buyers and sellers. Parking is available in different lots. One thing that I'd do if I were you, back into your parking spaces folks. Make sure you put everything away from the inside of your car's cabin. Lock it in your trunk or don't bring it at all. Theft is a common thing. The reason that I say back your car into your spot is because if you're close enough to the wall behind you, it won't be so easy for the their to get into or open your trunk hatch. If it is too much trouble then they won't bother. They want to smash and grab for things that are easy. They don't want to bother trying to squeeze between the car and the wall to most likely not be able to open the trunk. So, back in! There are NO signs saying that you can't. The streets reek of urine and sweat. There are plenty of homeless folks that line the streets and as mentioned earlier, vendors are rude. You'll see all different kinds of people here. I got all this from my one and only visit so far. Rather intrigued, I wanna visit again the next time I'm in town. read more

This was by far the FILTHIEST Chinatown I've ever visited, especially compared to San Francisco and Washington D. C. I don't remember the name of the restuarant I ate at in Chinatown, but when I opened my menu, a huge cockroach ran out of it and across the table. Does the state health department cease to exist in Chinatown? In any other part of the state, the health department would be on that sort of thing like a fly on, well, you know. The shops were equally as yucky that I bought groceries in. The only thing that gave this another star is that I thought that the leis were pretty that were for sale. read more

Coming from San Francisco Bay Area, this Chinatown leaves a lot to be desired. It was very dirty and overrun with some shady peeps. needless to say, we did not stay long in the area. This Chinatown also closes very early like 4 or 5pm. So be prepared. Best/safest time to go would be in the early AM to pick up some good food and fresh veggies/fruits. read more

Growing up born and raised here on Oahu, I can never get tired of Chinatown. A plethora of people, culture, restaurants and eateries all molded into what we know is Chinatown. You can get everything here. Prom dresses, formal wear, bubble drinks, fresh produce, pig feet, pig head (proudly displayed in meat market cases), souvenirs, jewelry, dim sum, there's so many things here! I have yet to explore Chinatown from head to toe. It's a great place minus the homeless, unfamiliar smells, and that "dirty feeling" you get after exploring. The vendors can seem kind or crazy I saw one lady accusing a customer of stealing produce. She said "what is that in your bag? " in her strong accent and the poor old woman replied "I bought this at another stand.." I went here last week to buy shrimp with my grandma and the Vietnamese and Filipino ladies were fighting for our business. The Vietnamese lady realized my grandma could understand Filipino so quickly told my grandma to "come inside so I can show you the shrimp." My grandma was still talking to the Filipino lady so the Vietnamese lady kept repeating herself LOL. I love Chinatown and for the tourist complaining, sorry that this Chinatown isn't as pretty and touristy as the one in your hometown. I agree that our Chinatown is geared more towards the locals here on Oahu. It's not really for tourist to take pictures. read more

Summary: No thanks, not worth it. Went on a MOnday, at around 12:00PM. Took the bus from my Hilton Village hotel to China Town. Got off the bus and were greeted with transients. Kids were playing at the skate park. As we walked, we found a few bars with peeps inside, bars looked very old and dingy (a dump, basically) and the people - OK, don't judge by the cover, I know, but I wouldn't want to meat them in a dark alley. Walked around an didn't see the usual Welcome to China Town gates (got them in SF, Got them even in Japan!). We found some market place that had a lot of day-workers (I assume, unless they were homeless) just sitting around outside on the street. Oh, the market place was what one expects to see in the mainland (Yes, I've been there too) but on the lower end. So, one of two things: 1) I didn't know where I was going, what streets to look down, what shops I really have to visit. 2) The place is at is seems. If it's #1 - get the facts and places to see first. Def. didn't feel like a place I wanted to just stroll (come on, I'm at the Hilton Village and spent my time by the pool/ocean or on that swanky street with LV, Channel, etc..). So - get the info, know the restaurants, and be prepared for a big change from Waikiki. If it's #2 - don't bother to spend the $2.50 it takes to get down there or the 20min. bus ride or the $20 cab ride I imagine it will cost you. Save your Chinese Experience to SFs China Town...better yet, just take a trip to China - it's a great place with a lot to see and, you'll be better prepared for what you'll see (big contrast between China Town and Waikiki) - Hong Kong is OK, but not China. Taiwan is a great visit and of course there is the mainland - 1st timers go to the mainland...why not, you're already making that 12+hr flight. read more

I admit I didn't like what I first saw on the surface while passing by in a trolley. Chinatown looked pretty dirty. The strange characters walking around sure didn't help the image either. (Coming from SF, Chinatown is huge- the biggest outside of China? Having lived in Las Vegas the past 18 years, the Chinatown is relatively new and much cleaner, almost feels like a "sanitized" version of Chinatown. But really it's hard to compare these three Chinatowns.) We've come to explore it on foot anyway, by taking the Bus. We found some cheap eats along the way. I can't tell you the names because I don't remember- sorry. We found some really good small Chinese pastry shops and enjoyed eating them as we were walking around the neighborhood. We went into a thrift shop and sifted through the inventory. We didn't buy anything, but it didn't hurt to look either. There are lots of places to shop here, but we were mostly just browsing. Besides Chinese restaurants, there are Vietnamese & Filipino restaurants, too. We found a really excellent smoothie place in the middle of the square. The taro smoothie is sooooo good. In the area where there is a farmer's market, there are so many homeless people sleeping on the sidewalk on broken down boxes. I would be very alert while passing through here. And I don't think that I would want to come here at night. Just saying. (Kinda funny- saw a pair of crackheads here, one year, saw the same ones at restaurant row this past trip- february.) I would still suggest that you come here to see it for yourself. There are good snacks to be found here. Try the taro smoothie. Mmmmm. read more

I love Chinatowns the world over. This one's no different. Great selection of fruits and veg, fresh meats and fish, and basic junk stores to buy anything and everything you don't need. Also a great place to eat from many different Asian cuisines. Lots of good bakeries too. Take a walk through Chinatown. It's fun and you'll likely find something of interest to eat and or buy to bring home. read more