Búho Cocina y Cantina
Waikiki, Honolulu
Restaurant in Honolulu, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Dress
Casual
Why go
Búho Cocina y Cantina works best as an easy Waikiki dinner-and-drinks choice, not a destination tasting-menu booking. It is most useful for groups, casual dates, repeat Honolulu visitors who want a central, social option; choose Restaurant SUNTORY or Tempura Kiki instead when the meal itself needs more precision.
About Búho Cocina y Cantina
Búho Cocina y Cantina is a Honolulu venue with evening hours throughout the week and a casual dress code. It is best assessed by timing and expectations, as specific details about menu, service style, price, awards, or chef attribution are not available.
The right expectation is a casual Honolulu dinner option, not a fine-dining destination. It does not offer a tasting menu, chef attribution, award trail, published price tier, or lunch service. Choose it when the posted evening schedule fits your plan, avoid assuming details not specified.
Book it for Honolulu evening timing, not a destination tasting menu
For someone comparing dinner options in Honolulu, Búho Cocina y Cantina is easiest to place by its hours: Monday and Wednesday run 5–10:30 PM, Sunday runs 5–11:30 PM, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday run 5 PM–1:30 AM. If the night needs a different option, compare against Restaurant SUNTORY, Tempura Kiki, Poke Fix Hawaii, Fukurou, or Heavenly - Waikiki.
As booking difficulty is not specified, it is best to check current availability directly before planning around a specific time. The practical advantage is timing: this is an evening-only listing, with several late closing times, so it makes more sense for dinner plans than for lunch.
Who should choose it over other options
Choose this venue when a casual dress code and evening timing in Honolulu match the occasion. Choose Fukurou, Heavenly - Waikiki, Restaurant SUNTORY, Tempura Kiki, or Poke Fix Hawaii when one of those options better fits the kind of meal your group has in mind.
Quick reference: go for dinner, keep expectations casual, rely on the hours rather than assumptions about menu format, pricing, service style, or accolades.
Planning details
- Location
- 2250 Kalākaua Ave #525, Honolulu, HI 96815
- Reservations
- Book on Resy
- Website
- buhocantina.com
- Phone
- +18089222846
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Búho Cocina y Cantina translates Mexican cantina culture into a Waikīkī setting, favoring conviviality over formality. Perched on the fifth floor of the Royal Hawaiian Center, the room sits above the street-level bustle so the visual field opens and the space reads as intentionally atmospheric rather than transactional. The cantina logic—loose, hospitable, and centered on drinking and shared plates—gives the restaurant a relaxed, charming quality that feels approachable. Rather than policing tradition, the place leans into hospitality, inviting groups to linger over cocktails and small plates in an upbeat but unpretentious environment.
Best For
This is a spot for people who want a more considered Waikīkī experience without the polished hotel-lobby formula. Because the cantina is organized around communal drinking and shared plates, it suits groups, friends meeting for drinks, and visitors seeking a lively, social night out. Its elevated location helps it feel a step removed from street-level tourist bustle, so it also works for anyone looking for an atmospheric alternative to the usual resort options. The focus on conviviality makes it an easy pick for casual celebrations and after-work gatherings.
Ordering Tips
Embrace the cantina format by ordering to share and centering the meal on drinks and communal plates. Start with guacamole and sample the signature tacos—the Hawaiian kalua pork tacos and fish tacos—so everyone can taste those highlights. Given the room’s emphasis on drinking culture, plan to order a round of cocktails or shared pitchers and pace plates to encourage conversation. Keep portions communal and rotate dishes across the table so the meal reads as hospitality rather than a sequence of formal courses.
Venue details
Ambiance
Chic, open-air rooftop with energetic atmosphere, perfect for sunset margaritas and Waikiki fireworks.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Sourcing
View
Accessibility
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Casual
- Noise Level
- Lively
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Leisurely
- Capacity
- Large
Signature Dishes
- Hawaiian kalua pork tacos
- fish tacos
- guacamole
Planning details
Location
Also consider
Also Consider
- Fukurou, Notable alternative
- Restaurant SUNTORY, Notable alternative
- Poke Fix Hawaii, Notable alternative
- Heavenly - Waikiki, Notable alternative
- Tempura Kiki, Notable alternative
Restaurant context
How it compares in Honolulu
Fukurou is the better pick when the night needs a smaller, more focused feel; Búho Cocina y Cantina makes more sense when the group wants a livelier Waikiki setting and a longer evening. With no verified price tier or awards attached, Búho should be treated as a convenience-and-ambiance choice rather than a value benchmark.
Restaurant SUNTORY and Tempura Kiki are stronger cross-shops when Japanese dining, pacing, meal structure matter. Pick those for a more food-led booking; pick Búho when location, group flexibility, a casual cantina mood matter more than a tightly composed dinner.
Poke Fix Hawaii is the lower-commitment option for a quick casual meal, while Heavenly - Waikiki is a better fit for a lighter Waikiki plan. Búho sits in the middle: easier to use for an evening group plan than a quick counter stop, but less compelling than the Japanese peers if the booking is built around food precision.
Explore Honolulu
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Búho Cocina y Cantina guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Búho Cocina y Cantina
| Venue | Location | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Búho Cocina y Cantina | Honolulu | No published awards |
| Fukurou | Honolulu | No published awards |
| Restaurant SUNTORY | Honolulu | No published awards |
| Poke Fix Hawaii | Honolulu | No published awards |
| Heavenly - Waikiki | Honolulu | No published awards |
| Tempura Kiki | Honolulu | No published awards |
How Búho Cocina y Cantina Honolulu compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I eat at the bar at Búho Cocina y Cantina?
Bar seating is not specified. Búho Cocina y Cantina is in Honolulu, has a casual dress code, keeps evening hours, including Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 5 PM to 1:30 AM.
How far ahead should I book Búho Cocina y Cantina?
Booking difficulty is not specified, so check current availability directly before making plans. The posted hours are Monday and Wednesday 5–10:30 PM, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 5 PM–1:30 AM, Sunday 5–11:30 PM.
What should a first-timer know about Búho Cocina y Cantina?
Búho Cocina y Cantina is a casual Honolulu dinner option with evening hours. It does not offer a tasting menu, chef attribution, award trail, price tier, or lunch service.
Is Búho Cocina y Cantina good for a special occasion?
That depends on what kind of occasion you are planning. It supports a casual evening plan in Honolulu, but does not confirm a particular service style, menu format, private dining setup, or special-occasion package.
Is lunch or dinner better at Búho Cocina y Cantina?
Dinner is the supported choice based on the hours. The listing shows evening service only, with multiple nights running until 1:30 AM, lunch service is not available.
