After spending your days at the beach, once the sun goes down it’s time to hit up Honolulu’s Chinatown, which is a hip, up-and-coming part of town. It is home to numerous clothing vintage stores, trendy restaurants, beautiful parks, and hip bars for after-hours fun. Check out 9 things to do in Honolulu’s Chinatown.


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These Are The Best Things to Do in Honolulu’s Chinatown


Photo: WiseTim/Flickr.



1. Shop at Barrio Vintage

Sort through some of the coolest vintage finds, from retro tropical muumuus to outfits from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and beyond. This specialty boutique offers a fashion-forward collection of vintage clothing, jewelry and accessories for men and woman. All items are unique within the store and hand-chosen to complement a diverse array of styles.

Address: 1161 Nuuanu Avenue, Honolulu


2. Have Lunch at The Pig and the Lady

This hip restaurant in Chinatown features a menu of globally accented, modern Vietnamese cooking in a lively setting with communal tables. Dishes to try include their Pho French Dip sandwich, Laotian fried chicken, and Smoked Banana Suman (warm coconut sweet rice cake, smoked banana butter and roasted pistachio crumble) for dessert. Reservations are recommended otherwise you will have to stand in long lines, because the food is that good. The restaurant is closed Monday and Sunday.

Address: 83 N. King Street, Honolulu


3. Explore the Chinatown Art Walk

Honolulu’s Chinatown is home to a flourishing art scene, from hula to hand crafted artifacts. Do the Chinatown Art Walk by strolling around Nuuanu Avenue and Bethel Street near the historical Hawaii Theatre to discover all of the different galleries. Be sure to stop at the Ramsay Museum, which is located in the historic Tim Sang Building and features fine pen and Indian ink work that can be viewed with a magnifying glass. Other art galleries to check out include the Arts at Marks Garage and the Chinatown Boardroom.

Address: 1128 Smith Street, Honolulu


4. Try Moon Cakes at Sing Cheong Yuen Chinese Bakery

This Chinatown staple is a family-owned Asian bakery that is known for all of the traditional sweets they make, from custard pies to layered rice cakes. They also attract visitors from far and wide, who come to sample their delicious, homemade moon cakes featuring an assortment of flavors, including mochi with strawberry filling.

Address: 1027 Maunakea Street, Honolulu


5. Visit Chinatown Cultural Plaza

This popular shopping center is home to a variety of seasonal community events, and its open space provides the community and neighboring areas with different dining, shopping, and entertainment options. While there, stop in to participate in some incense burning at the shrine of the Kuan Yin Temple, which is also located in the plaza.

Address: 100 N. Beretania Street, Honolulu


6. Get Acupuncture

Discover the healing benefits of this form of traditional Chinese medicine, which involves thin needles being inserted into the body to stimulate certain points of the body and treat a variety of ailments, from back pain to digestive issues. This popular clinic also sells herbs and oils, which the acupuncturist will prescribe to you after your treatment.

Address: 1911 S. King Street, #A, Honolulu


7. See a Performance at Hawaii Theatre

The Hawaii Theatre has played a significant role in the advancement of Honolulu’s cultural landscape since 1922. The non-profit theater provides a range of entertainment, cultural and educational experiences. Coined “The Pride of the Pacific”, Hawaii Theatre Center features an exciting range of performers, from the Modern Maori Quartet and comedian Jo Kou to the Gay Men’s Chorus of Honolulu.

Address: 1130 Bethel Street, Honolulu


8. Stroll Through Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Park

This small but prominent park at the edge of Chinatown was renamed to honor Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, a man who helped changed the course of China’s history and had ties to Hawaii. Many come to pose and take a picture next to the bronze statue of Sun as a young man, which is located at the corner of Hotel and Bethel Streets and cost $150,000 to in China.

Address: 1041 Bethel Street, Honolulu


9. Have a Drink at Bar 35

This trendy spot is located in the heart of Chinatown and has become the go-to place for over 100 different varieties of beers, tasty cocktails, and pizzas made by Chef Valentini. Their happy hour from 4 to 8pm is popular among locals and visitors, and their late night scene includes live music and DJs.

Address: 35 N. Hotel Street, Honolulu




This article was written by Kamala Kirk.