Taormina Sicilian Cuisine
Waikiki, Urban Honolulu
Bar in Urban Honolulu, United States
Book with PearlWhy go
Taormina Sicilian Cuisine on Lewers Street is one of the few restaurants in Waikiki built around a specific Italian regional identity rather than a generic menu. Booking is easy, the room suits dates and groups, the Sicilian angle; agrodolce, Mediterranean crossover, seafood-forward; gives it a point of difference in a neighborhood short on culinary specificity. Verify hours and pricing directly before visiting.
About Taormina Sicilian Cuisine
Should You Book Taormina Sicilian Cuisine?
If you're weighing a Sicilian dinner in Waikiki against a safer, more-documented choice like Beachhouse at the Moana, Taormina earns a look first; particularly if you want something that steps outside the Hawaiian-Pacific comfort zone most of Honolulu's dining scene defaults to. Sitting on Lewers Street in the heart of Waikiki, it's one of the few Italian-focused rooms in the neighborhood that commits to a regional identity rather than a catch-all European menu.
What to Expect on Your First Visit
Lewers Street runs through a block of mid-rise hotels and tourist-facing restaurants, so the ambient energy here leans toward a lively, social dinner crowd rather than a quiet neighborhood trattoria. Expect a moderately animated room; conversation-friendly earlier in the evening, louder as the night progresses. For a first visit, arriving before 7 PM gives you a calmer environment and, typically, easier seating without a long wait.
The Sicilian angle matters. Sicily sits at a crossroads of Mediterranean culinary influence, Arab, Norman, Greek, Spanish, which tends to produce a menu vocabulary that's distinct from mainland Italian: agrodolce preparations, caponata, dishes built around swordfish and sardines, a heavier lean on almonds, pine nuts, citrus. Whether Taormina's kitchen executes that tradition faithfully is something the available data doesn't confirm, but the regional positioning is a differentiator worth noting for first-timers who've had their fill of generic Italians.
Because specific pricing, hours, booking policies are not confirmed in our data, budget assumptions require a degree of caution. Waikiki restaurant pricing at sit-down Italian spots with a full bar typically runs $40–$80 per head before drinks, use that as a planning range rather than a quoted figure. For confirmed hours and reservation availability, check directly with the restaurant before visiting. Booking difficulty appears low, making this a reasonable option for same-day or next-day plans when other Waikiki spots are full.
Practical Details at a Glance
| Detail | Taormina | Beachhouse at the Moana | AGU Ramen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuisine focus | Sicilian Italian | Hawaiian-Pacific | Japanese ramen |
| Location | 227 Lewers St, Waikiki | Moana Surfrider, Waikiki | Ward Centre |
| Booking difficulty | Easy | Moderate | Easy |
| Atmosphere | Lively, social | Ocean-view, relaxed | Casual, counter-style |
| Leading for | Date, group dinner | Special occasion | Quick solo or duo meal |
How It Compares in Urban Honolulu
See the full comparison section below for how Taormina stacks up against Waikiki and Honolulu peers including 9th Ave Rock House, AGU Ramen at Ward Centre, and Andy's Sandwiches & Smoothies.
Explore More in Urban Honolulu
- Our full Urban Honolulu hotels guide
- Our full Urban Honolulu wineries guide
- Our full Urban Honolulu experiences guide
- Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu, for a serious cocktail before or after dinner
- Jewel of the South in New Orleans, if you're building a broader Southern Italian-influenced food trip
- Julep in Houston, a useful reference for regional American dining that commits to a culinary identity
Planning details
- Location
- 227 Lewers St, Honolulu, HI 96815
- Reservations
- Book on OpenTable
- Website
- taorminarestaurant.com
- Phone
- +1 808 926 5050
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Taormina reads like a quietly confident neighborhood restaurant that brings a classical European register to Waikiki. The copy frames it as a Sicilian-specific outpost amid a cluster of independent Lewers Street venues, so the mood skews toward warm, focused dining rather than tourist spectacle. Service and plating are implied to favor regional authenticity over Pacific-Rim gloss; the place sits as a charming, cozy counterpoint to the beachside bars and hotel restaurants along the strip. Overall it presents as a classic, quietly elegant spot where the food, not the postcard view, is the point.
Best For
Taormina is best suited to diners who want a deliberate dinner experience in Waikiki—travelers and locals who are looking for regional European cooking rather than the neighborhood's usual beach-cocktail or plate-lunch options. Its Lewers Street location keeps it within easy reach of the hotel corridor, making it an accessible choice for evening meals after a day at the beach. The restaurant's Sicilian focus and independent, neighborhood positioning also make it a natural pick for date nights and special-occasion dinners when guests want something distinct from the more common Pacific-Rim and izakaya choices in Honolulu.
Ordering Tips
When ordering, lean into the Sicilian specialties the description highlights: dishes informed by caponata traditions, fresh seafood preparations, and the island’s historic North African and Arab influences. Those elements define the kitchen’s point of view and distinguish Taormina from more generic Italian options in the city. The write-up centers on dinner as the principal service moment, so plan for an evening meal that emphasizes regional plates and seafood-focused preparations that showcase Sicily’s distinctive flavors.
Planning details
Location
227 Lewers St, Honolulu, HI 96815 · Directions
Also consider
Also Consider
- 9th Ave Rock House; Notable alternative
- Tokkuri Tei; Notable alternative
- AGU Ramen - Ward Centre; Notable alternative
- Andy's Sandwiches & Smoothies; Notable alternative
- Beachhouse at the Moana; Notable alternative
Bar context
In Waikiki's dining mix, Taormina fills a gap that most competitors don't bother with: a regionally specific Italian concept when the neighborhood defaults to Pacific Rim, burger bars, resort menus. Beachhouse at the Moana is the stronger choice for a special-occasion dinner with a verified ocean-view setting and a more documented track record; but it books harder and costs more. If your priority is cuisine variety over atmosphere prestige, Taormina is worth the trade-off.
For casual, lower-spend evenings, AGU Ramen at Ward Centre and Andy's Sandwiches & Smoothies are faster and cheaper, but they serve a different function entirely; quick fuel rather than a sit-down dinner. Neither competes with Taormina on occasion or format. 9th Ave Rock House is a better comparison if you're deciding between a bar-first evening and a dinner-first one; they're solving different problems.
Bottom line: if you want Italian in Waikiki and Beachhouse is full or over budget, Taormina is the clearest next call. It's easier to book than the top-tier Waikiki options, fits groups and dates reasonably well, doesn't require a resort hotel stay to access. The data gaps mean you should confirm hours and pricing before committing, but the low booking difficulty makes it a low-risk addition to a flexible evening plan.
Explore Urban Honolulu
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Taormina Sicilian Cuisine guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Taormina Sicilian Cuisine
| Venue | Awards |
|---|---|
| Taormina Sicilian Cuisine | No published awards |
| 9th Ave Rock House | No published awards |
| Tokkuri Tei | No published awards |
| AGU Ramen - Ward Centre | No published awards |
| Andy's Sandwiches & Smoothies | No published awards |
| Beachhouse at the Moana | No published awards |
A quick look at how Taormina Sicilian Cuisine measures up.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the food good at Taormina Sicilian Cuisine?
Taormina holds up well for Sicilian cooking in Waikiki, a neighbourhood where Italian food generally takes a back seat to Pacific Rim and Japanese options. The Sicilian focus; rather than generic pan-Italian; gives it a narrower but more credible identity on Lewers Street. If you want a broader, more documented fine-dining track record, Beachhouse at the Moana is a safer call; Taormina is the better pick if Sicilian specifically is what you're after.
What's the crowd like at Taormina Sicilian Cuisine?
Lewers Street draws a hotel-heavy, tourist-facing crowd, Taormina sits squarely in that flow. Expect a social, conversational dining room rather than a hushed, destination-dining atmosphere. It skews toward couples and small groups on a Waikiki evening out rather than locals making a special occasion trip across the island.
Is Taormina Sicilian Cuisine good for groups?
Taormina on Lewers Street is a workable group option in a neighbourhood built for it; the surrounding hotel density means the room is accustomed to handling larger parties. For a larger group wanting more variety or a livelier format, 9th Ave Rock House or AGU Ramen at Ward Centre may offer more flexibility. Call ahead rather than assuming walk-in availability for groups of six or more.
Does Taormina Sicilian Cuisine have happy hour deals?
No happy hour details are confirmed in available records for Taormina. Lewers Street venues in Waikiki do sometimes run early-evening drink promotions given the hotel foot traffic, but nothing specific to Taormina can be confirmed. Check directly with the restaurant before planning around a deal.
Is Taormina Sicilian Cuisine good for a date?
Taormina works for a date if you want a sit-down Sicilian dinner in Waikiki without the premium pricing of a hotel restaurant. The Lewers Street location is convenient for a pre- or post-dinner walk along the strip. For a more atmospheric, special-occasion date with a view, Beachhouse at the Moana has a stronger case; Taormina suits a relaxed evening over pasta rather than a landmark night out.
