Waikiki Thanksgiving Dining & Events

Aloha and welcome to our Waikiki Thanksgiving Guide. This page will be in transition until early-to-mid November. As events and entries are announced, we’ll update this page. For any item that applies to Thanksgiving 2025, we’ll note it with a bold, red 2025 at the end of those listings. If a listing does not have 2025 next to it, you can assume that entry was from 2024 and that it is likely that a similar event will happen again this coming Thanksgiving. If you’ve not already done so, sign up for our free newsletter to stay up to date with ongoing Hawaii travel news, inspiration and advice. Carefully enter your email address at this link to subscribe.

Waikiki is a very popular destination to visit for the Thanksgiving holiday. While many North American residents will be dressed for chilly weather, Honolulu visitors will be donning swimsuits, shorts and Aloha shirts for Waikiki’s endless summer weather!

Not only will the weather be summer-like, the restaurants will be serving scrumptious Thanksgiving meals. Many of them will have a Hawaiian-spin with local ingredients on their special Thanksgiving menus. It’s a neat blend of traditional Thanksgiving fixings married with Hawaiian cuisine.

Now, if you are one of the lucky ones planning a trip to Waikiki over this Thanksgiving, November 27, 2025, we’ve created this guide for where to dine and what special events to catch over Thanksgiving weekend.

Where can I find a Thanksgiving buffet in Waikiki? 

The following Waikiki Beach restaurants are offering special Thanksgiving brunch and/or dinner buffets. Most of these holiday buffets include traditional Thanksgiving fare with turkey and traditional Thanksgiving sides. If a restaurant has an ocean view, we make note of that.

— MAC 24/7 at Hilton Waikiki: Thanksgiving dinner buffet for $95 adult / $39 child. See menu here. Note that Hilton Waikiki is a different hotel from Hilton Hawaiian Village.

— Edge of Waikiki at Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort hosts a Thanksgiving buffet for $95 adult / $45 child. See this link for more information. This restaurant is oceanfront.

— The Buffet At Hyatt at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort: Thanksgiving dinner buffet for $99 adult / $49.50 child. See the menu here. This restaurant has ocean views.

— 100 Sails Restaurant at Prince Waikiki: This restaurant is offering brunch and dinner menus.  Thanksgiving brunch for $109 adult/ 54.50 child. Thanksgiving dinner  is priced at $107 adult / $53.50 child. This restaurant has harbor/ocean views. 2025

Waikiki Thanksgiving A La Carte &  Prix-Fixe (Set Menu) Dining

The following Waikiki Beach restaurants are offering Thanksgiving-themed menus for dining at the restaurant. In some cases the restaurant’s standard, a la carte menu will also be available.

We try to list the restaurants from lowest price to highest price, as much as possible. We also try to make note of any special views or settings the restaurants may offer.

— Basalt Waikiki at the Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach Hotel: Thanksgiving special a la carte menu for $50. See the menu on this page.

— Hideout at the Laylow, Autograph Collection has Thanksgiving a la carte menu specials along with their standard menu. You can review their menu here. This restaurant has nice urban outdoor seating.

— Lulu’s Waikiki offers a special a la carte Thanksgiving menu. This restaurant has ocean views.

— Mahina & Sons at the Surfjack Hotel – This restaurant will have Thanksgiving specials however there isn’t a detailed menu available online.

— Eating House 1849 By Roy Yamaguchi at the International Market Place: Thanksgiving three-course dinner for $58. You can find the menu by clicking the “Holiday Menus” option  on this link.

— Tiki’s Grill & Bar at Twin Fin Hotel: Thanksgiving Dinner – three courses for $59. See this link for the menu. This restaurant is across the street from Waikiki and has ocean views.

— Roy’s Waikiki offers a three-course Thanksgiving dinner for $70. You can review the menu here.

— Pesca Waikiki Beach at the top of the Ilikai has a four course Thanksgiving menu for $98. See the menu here.  This restaurant has a great view of the ocean and of Honolulu.

— Stripsteak Waikiki at the International Market Place: Three-course Thanksgiving dinner for $109. See the menu here.

— Hau Tree at the Kaimana Beach Hotel presents a four-course family-style Thanksgiving Dinner for $125. This restaurant is located a bit away from the heart of Waikiki at the foot of Diamond Head. It has a lovely beachfront setting.

— Azure Restaurant in The Royal Hawaiian Resort: Three-course Thanksgiving dinner for $165 adult/ $55 child. Click this link to review the menu. This restaurant has good ocean views.

Which Waikiki restaurants are open on Thanksgiving?

The following restaurants are open on Thanksgiving. They might offer a Thanksgiving special but have not yet published specials at the time of our research.

We try to list the restaurants from lowest price to highest price, as much as possible. We also try to make note of any special views or settings the restaurants may offer.

— Monkeypod Kitchen Waikiki at the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort is a relatively new restaurant to Waikiki, but there are several other Monkeypod Kitchens in Hawaii. This restaurant is one of our favorites for casual dining and this Waikiki location has an excellent beachfront setting.

— Hula Grill Waikiki at Outrigger Waikiki Resort – This restaurant is one of our favorites. It has offered a special Thanksgiving meal in the past along with their standard menu. This restaurant books quickly.  Hula Grill is at a great location with oceanfront views.

— Deck. at the Queen Kapiolani Hotel – This restaurant has excellent views of Diamond Head.

— Duke’s Waikiki at Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort – Duke’s has offered special Thanksgiving menus in the past. This restaurant has a great location and oceanfront setting. It’s one of Go Visit Hawaii readers’ favorite restaurants.

— House Without A Key and Orchids at the Halekulani are two of our favorite upscale restaurants. These restaurants are beside of each other and both offer oceanfront settings.

— Chart House is typically open with a special for Thanksgiving, but they’re closed for renovations in 2024. This restaurant has harbor/ocean views.

— Morimoto Asia Waikiki at Alohilani Hotel -This restaurant has offered Thanksgiving specials in the past along with their standard menu. This restaurant has ocean views from across Kalakaua Avenue.

— Hys Steakhouse Waikiki

— Wolfgang’s Steakhouse has an urban tropical setting at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.

— UMI by Vikram Garg at Halepuna Hotel

— Michel’s at the Colony Surf is a French restaurant located a bit away from the heart of Waikiki at the foot of Diamond Head. It has a superb oceanfront setting.

Couldn’t find what you were looking for yet? Are you having trouble making reservations? Enter your desired time, date, location on OpenTable to search for available options. Make sure you adjust the search criteria for the date, time and number of people in your party.

Which luau options are open for Thanksgiving 2025?

Enjoying the feast and festivities of a Hawaiian-style luau is a fun experience, and one that you can’t get back home. A luau is a great deal, combining a delicious dinner with an exciting Polynesian show all in one experience.

We’re listing the luau companies in and around Waikiki that are operating on Thanksgiving. All of the luau companies use FareHarbor for their booking platform. We are providing each luau’s FareHarbor link so that you may book directly with the luau company. By booking direct, you to bypass third-party resellers and avoid mark-up fees. For a quick price comparison, we’re listing the adult pricing. Tickets for children are less expensive.

  • The Royal Hawaiian, one of Waikiki’s top luxury hotels, presents a Thanksgiving-specific luau menu and colorful show on their beautiful oceanfront lawn with views of the Pacific and Diamond Head. This luau rates 4.0 out of 5 on TripAdvisor.
  • Queen’s Luau is conveniently located in the heart of Waikiki at the International Marketplace. This luau has strong TripAdvisor reviews at rating of 4.1 out of 5.
  • Aloha Kai Luau hosts a luau on Thanksgiving. This oceanside luau is located about 45-minutes drive from Waikiki at Sea Life Park. The luau ticket includes entrance to Sea Life Park which you can opt to explore and enjoy the day of the luau for convenience and good value. They do have an option to add transportation from Waikiki for an additional fee. This luau has great TripAdvisor reviews at rating of 4.4 out of 5. Here are the packages they offer with various amenities (type of lei, service, number of included drinks, etc.):
  • Ka Moana Luau operates on Thanksgiving. This oceanside luau is located about a 15-minute drive from Waikiki at Honolulu’s Aloha Tower Marketplace. They offer transportation from Waikiki for an additional fee. This luau gets great reviews on TripAdvisor at a rating of 4.3 out of 5. Here are the packages they offer with various amenities (type of lei, service, number of included drinks, etc.):

Thanksgiving To-Go Options in Waikiki

— Spitfire Rotisserie has a traditional Thanksgiving Turkey Special for $18.99 per plate. Learn more here.

— Deck. at the Queen Kapiolani Hotel is offering a Thanksgiving to-go package. Learn more here.

Holiday events and things to see and do in Waikiki over Thanksgiving weekend 

If you are ready to get into the Christmas holiday state of mind, you’ll find some wonderful things to see and do to make your spirits bright. Here’s what you can enjoy over Thanksgiving weekend.

– The Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikiki holds their annual Holiday Kick-Off Show & Aloha Santa Arrival This event includes live music, hula performances and features a visit from Santa Claus. Mr. Claus will illuminate the center’s 34-foot Christmas tree. After the tree lighting, attendees will have an opportunity to take a complimentary photo with Santa.  Wednesday, November 27 starting at 5:00 p.m. Check this link for details.

– If you like Black Friday shopping deals, you might want to check out Ala Moana Center, which is Hawaii’s biggest shopping center and the world’s largest open-air shopping center. If you want to start to get into the Christmas mood, the center will be all decked out with Christmas decorations throughout along with the 50-foot Santa overlooking Ala Moana Boulevard. Also, Ala Moana Center begins their free holiday hula performances starting Friday, November 29.

– Waikiki Holiday Parade – This annual parade on Friday, November 28th. The Waikiki Holiday Parade honors Pearl Harbor survivors and veterans. Over 2,000 marchers, 10+ bands and multiple vehicles are expected to participate in the 2025 parade. The parade runs through the heart of Waikiki down Kalakaua Avenue. See the parade route. 2025

— A Gift of Mele at International Market Place is a free concert featuring Hawaiian musical artist Kimie Miner and friends. This event will be held of Friday, November 29th starting at 6:00 p.m. See this link for more information. 

— Two of Waikiki’s top Christmas Bars are due to open on Friday. These are fun places to enjoy Christmas decorations while sipping a mocktail or cocktail and nibble on some pupus (appetizers).

— Opening night for the Honolulu City Lights is going to be on the Saturday after Thanksgiving for 2025 — that’s a week earlier than usual! It’s an exciting night for the community with a parade, lighting of the tall Christmas tree in front of Honolulu Hale, plus all the beloved holiday displays. 2025

Notes:

— Pricing does not typically include taxes and gratuity. Verify pricing when you book.

— We do our best to list the latest pricing, but please be advised that pricing is subject to change.

— Some restaurants and luau operators allow children under the age of five to dine for free. Check directly with the restaurants for their policies.

— We recommend you make reservations as quickly as possible. Learn more about important reservations you need to consider for an Oahu vacation.

— We may be adding more Thanksgiving dinner options and events so do check back. We will note the additions with the date added at the end of the listing.

– When you arrive on island, check with the concierge for additional Thanksgiving dining and events at your resort and pick up a copy of the Star-Advertiser.

–Some links are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you book—at no extra cost to you. It helps keep this travel guide free and updated, so thank you for supporting this independent travel content!

— Check out our November 2024 Hawaii vacation guide. We’ll issue the 2025 version in October. Sign up for our free newsletter to stay up to date with ongoing Hawaii travel news, inspiration, and advice. You’ll be notified when the November 2025 Hawaii vacation guide is published. Carefully enter your email address at this link for your free subscription.

Happy Thanksgiving!