Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack
Waimanalo, Waimanalo Beach
Restaurant in Waimanalo Beach, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Dress
Casual
Why go
Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack in Waimanalo is the right stop after a day on the windward coast; casual, walk-in only, built around Hawaii's plate-lunch shrimp shack format. Best for beach-casual solo diners or couples who want a fast, local-style meal without a reservation. Arrive at lunch; mid-afternoon stock can run low.
About Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack
Who Should Book Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack
If you're coming off the beach at Waimanalo and want a no-fuss, local-style meal that fits the laid-back energy of the area, Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack is worth the stop. This is the right call for a repeat visitor to the windward side of Oahu who already knows the plate lunch format and wants something direct and satisfying over anything ceremonial. It is not the place for a special-occasion dinner or a long evening at the table.
The Feel of the Place
Waimanalo is one of the quieter stretches on Oahu's eastern coast, away from the tourist density of Honolulu and Waikiki. The shack format here means outdoor or semi-open seating, ambient road and trade-wind noise, an atmosphere that is entirely casual. Do not expect a quiet, curated room. The energy is fast, informal, community-facing; which is exactly the point. If you've been once and found the pace a little abrupt, that's the format working as intended, not a flaw.
What to Expect on a Return Visit
Hawaii's shrimp shack tradition follows a recognizable structure: garlic butter, spicy, sweet-style preparations are the standard arc of the menu. On a return visit, if you defaulted to garlic shrimp the first time, it's worth trying the steak option to see how the kitchen handles the protein combination the name promises. Portions at venues in this category are generous by mainland standards; this is a plate-lunch culture where value is measured in volume as much as technique. Pair with rice and macaroni salad, which are the expected accompaniments in this regional format.
Booking and Timing
Booking difficulty here is easy, walk-in is the norm for a venue of this type in a small community like Waimanalo. The practical consideration is hours: shrimp shacks in Hawaii often close earlier than conventional restaurants and may sell out of popular items by mid-afternoon. If you're planning around a beach day, aim to arrive at lunch rather than late afternoon. There is no reservation system to manage, which makes this one of the simplest dining decisions on the windward coast.
Know Before You Go
- Location: 41-037 Wailea St, Waimanalo, HI 96795
- Booking: Walk-in only, no reservations required
- Booking difficulty: Easy
- Leading time to arrive: Lunch; stock can run low by mid-afternoon
- Format: Casual shack-style, outdoor or semi-open seating
- Dress code: Beach casual, board shorts and sandals are entirely appropriate
- Good for: Solo diners, casual couples, post-beach meals
For more options in the area, see our full Waimanalo Beach restaurants guide, our full Waimanalo Beach bars guide, and our full Waimanalo Beach experiences guide. If you're staying on the windward side, check our full Waimanalo Beach hotels guide.
Planning details
- Location
- 41-037 Wailea St, Waimanalo, HI 96795
- Website
- onosteaksandshrimpshack.com
- Phone
- +1 808 259 0808
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack reads like a quietly proud local outpost. Situated on a residential street in Waimanalo, it favors the low‑key rhythms of a working‑lunch culture over tourist spectacle. The menu is anchored by straightforward proteins—shrimp and steaks—that reflect nearby aquaculture and ranch supply chains; when the ingredients arrive at that level of freshness, the cooking stays uncomplicated and honest. The place feels less like a destination staged for visitors and more like part of a functioning community food economy: familiar, unpretentious and rooted in place.
Best For
This is a spot built for midday plate‑lunch routines and casual family meals. The description centers on the island’s shrimp and plate‑lunch tradition, so it’s especially suited to people looking for an authentic, unfussy lunch that highlights local Gulf shrimp and ranch‑sourced beef. Because it sits off the tourist strip on a residential street, Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack also works for visitors who want an authentic, neighborhood experience rather than a polished resort meal.
Ordering Tips
Keep things simple and let the ingredients speak: the menu’s signatures—garlic shrimp, fish tacos, and steak plates—are the natural place to start. The write‑up emphasizes local Gulf shrimp aquaculture and nearby ranch beef, so choose dishes that showcase those proteins rather than elaborate preparations. Expect straightforward, well‑sourced plates that highlight freshness; ordering the house shrimp and a steak plate gives a clear sense of the shack’s strengths.
Venue details
Ambiance
Casual beachy atmosphere with comfy indoor booths and outdoor seating options.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Accessibility
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Casual
- Noise Level
- Conversational
- Service Style
- Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Quick Bite
- Capacity
- Small
Signature Dishes
- garlic shrimp
- fish tacos
- steak plates
Planning details
Location
Also consider
Also Consider
- Le Bernardin; French, Seafood, $$$$
- Lazy Bear; Progressive American, Contemporary, $$$$
- Atomix; Modern Korean, Korean, $$$$
- Per Se; French, Contemporary, $$$$
- Masa; Sushi, Japanese, $$$$
Restaurant context
How It Compares
Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack does not compete in the same category as the high-end venues most often benchmarked against Hawaii dining. Le Bernardin, Atomix, and Lazy Bear are all $$$$ tasting-menu experiences where the progression of the meal, the service architecture, the room itself are core to the value. Ono is none of those things; and that's a feature, not a gap. If your goal is a fast, informal, local-style plate after a morning at Waimanalo Beach, no amount of Michelin-starred technique is going to serve that moment better than a well-executed garlic shrimp plate at a roadside shack.
For travelers who want to experience Hawaii's seafood at a more refined level, Providence in Los Angeles is the closest coastal-seafood reference point on the mainland with serious technical credentials, Addison in San Diego offers a structured tasting experience if you're after progression and polish. On Oahu, the comparison question isn't really Ono versus fine dining; it's Ono versus other shrimp shacks on the North Shore or windward coast, where the format is consistent but freshness and portion value vary by location.
Book Ono if you want easy, casual, zero friction on the windward side. Book Le Bernardin or Lazy Bear if the meal itself is the destination and you're willing to plan weeks ahead for a $$$$ experience. Those are genuinely different decisions for genuinely different trips; and knowing which one you're on makes the choice clear.
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Unlock the full Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack | ; | ; | Easy | No published awards |
| Le Bernardin | French, Seafood | $$$$ | Unknown | 2026 Eater NY 38 Best Restaurants in New York City · #82026 North America's 50 Best Restaurants · #132026 New York Times Best Restaurants in New York City · #212026 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #342026 Forbes 5-Star2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2026 Wine Spectator Grand Award2026 Les Grandes Tables du Monde Members2025 New York Times Best Restaurants in New York City · #3 |
| Lazy Bear | Progressive American, Contemporary | $$$$ | Unknown | 2026 San Francisco Chronicle Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants · #100Star Wine Lists 20262026 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Highly Recommended2026 Wine Spectator Grand Award2026 Michelin 2 Stars2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 World's 50 North America's Best Restaurants · #252025 Robb Report 100 Greatest American Restaurants of the 21st Century · #852025 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #176 |
| Atomix | Modern Korean, Korean | $$$$ | Unknown | 2026 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #62026 New York Times Best Restaurants in New York City · #72026 North America's 50 Best Restaurants · #7Star Wine Lists 20262026 Les Grandes Tables du Monde Members2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 World's 50 North America's Best Restaurants · #12025 James Beard Awards · #12025 New York Times Best Restaurants in New York City · #2 |
| Per Se | French, Contemporary | $$$$ | Unknown | 2026 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #292026 Forbes 5-Star2026 Relais Chateaux Restaurants2026 Wine Spectator Grand Award2026 Les Grandes Tables du Monde Members2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 Robb Report 100 Greatest American Restaurants of the 21st Century · #102025 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #922025 Relais Chateaux Award |
| Masa | Sushi, Japanese | $$$$ | Unknown | 2026 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #922026 Forbes 5-Star2026 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Recommended2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #672025 Michelin 2 Stars2025 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 Forbes 5-Star2025 Michelin 3 Stars |
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I order at Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack?
Go with the shrimp; it's the format this style of shack is built around, garlic butter preparations are the standard-bearer at Hawaii shrimp stops like this one on Oahu's east side. The steak option is there if you want protein variety, but shrimp plates are the reason people drive out to Waimanalo rather than eating closer to Honolulu. Skip overthinking the menu; the choices are few and that's the point.
What should I wear to Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack?
Whatever you wore to Waimanalo Beach. This is a shack on Wailea St in a small community on Oahu's quieter eastern coast; board shorts, sandals, a t-shirt are entirely appropriate. There is no dress consideration here; showing up overdressed would be more out of place than underdressed.
Is Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack good for solo dining?
Yes; straightforward solo eating is probably the easiest way to visit. Walk-in is the norm, ordering is simple, a shrimp plate works as a single-serving format without any awkwardness. If you're solo and in Waimanalo after the beach, this is a practical, low-friction lunch stop.
