Restaurant in Waimanalo Beach, United States
Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack
100Pearl PointsLocal shack eating, no tourist markup.
About Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack
Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack in Waimanalo is the right stop after a day on the windward coast — casual, walk-in only, and 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.
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, and an atmosphere that is entirely casual. Do not expect a quiet, curated room. The energy is fast, informal, and 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, and 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.
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, and 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, and 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, and 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.
Is Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack worth the price?
Pricing varies at Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack; confirm via check the venue's official channels.
Location
41-037 Wailea St, Waimanalo, HI 96795
Waimanalo Beach, United States
Compare Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack | Easy | ||
| Le Bernardin | French, Seafood | $$$$ | Unknown |
| Lazy Bear | Progressive American, Contemporary | $$$$ | Unknown |
| Atomix | Modern Korean, Korean | $$$$ | Unknown |
| Per Se | French, Contemporary | $$$$ | Unknown |
| Masa | Sushi, Japanese | $$$$ | Unknown |
Comparing your options in Waimanalo Beach for this tier.
Also Consider
- Le Bernardin, French, Seafood, $$$$
- Lazy Bear, Progressive American, Contemporary, $$$$
- Atomix, Modern Korean, Korean, $$$$
- Per Se, French, Contemporary, $$$$
- Masa, Sushi, Japanese, $$$$
How It Compares
Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack does not compete in the same category as the high-end venues most often benchmarked against Hawaii dining. Le Bernardin, Atomix, and Lazy Bear are all $$$$ tasting-menu experiences where the progression of the meal, the service architecture, and the room itself are core to the value. Ono is none of those things, and that's a feature, not a gap. If your goal is a fast, informal, local-style plate after a morning at Waimanalo Beach, no amount of Michelin-starred technique is going to serve that moment better than a well-executed garlic shrimp plate at a roadside shack.
For travelers who want to experience Hawaii's seafood at a more refined level, Providence in Los Angeles is the closest coastal-seafood reference point on the mainland with serious technical credentials, and Addison in San Diego offers a structured tasting experience if you're after progression and polish. On Oahu, the comparison question isn't really Ono versus fine dining, it's Ono versus other shrimp shacks on the North Shore or windward coast, where the format is consistent but freshness and portion value vary by location.
Book Ono if you want easy, casual, and zero friction on the windward side. Book Le Bernardin or Lazy Bear if the meal itself is the destination and you're willing to plan weeks ahead for a $$$$ experience. Those are genuinely different decisions for genuinely different trips, and knowing which one you're on makes the choice clear.
Explore Waimanalo Beach
Save or rate Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack on Pearl
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.