Halloween weekend lands in the middle of the best food week of the year.
Here is your Key2 guide to Honolulu, Oct 30 – Nov 5.
The headline
The Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival comes home to Oʻahu for its closing
stretch. The FEAST Summit opens the run at Sheraton Waikiki on Thursday
Nov 5, 24K Magic follows at ʻAlohilani Resort Friday (general admission
already sold out), and more than 250 tastemakers cook across the weekend.
It is the flagship of the Hawaiʻi Ag & Culinary Alliance, which has put
more than $5.3 million back into local farms, culinary schools and food
security.
Date night
Michel's at the Colony Surf remains the reservation to beat —
tableside lobster bisque and Cherries Jubilee on a beachfront lanai,
dinner daily from 5 PM. House Without a Key at Halekulani pours
sunset cocktails under the century-old kiawe tree (music 5:30–8:30 PM
nightly), and Merriman's Honolulu flies the farm-to-table flag in
Ward Village until 9 PM.
Brunch
Koko Head Cafe in Kaimukī (Cornflake French Toast, Breakfast
Bibimbap) is worth every minute of the line. Orchids at Halekulani
hosts the Sunday Sparkling Brunch, 9 AM–2:30 PM. Over the Pali,
Over Easy in Kailua does Wed–Sun mornings from 7 AM, no reservations.
Happy hours
RumFire Waikiki's Aloha Hour runs nightly 4:30–5:30 PM — poke
nachos, truffle fries and fire pits at sunset. Merriman's pours
3:00–5:30 PM daily; Monkeypod Kitchen Waikiki goes 3:30–5:00 PM and
again 9–11 PM, home of the honey-lilikoi-foam Mai Tai.
Comedy & live music
Halloween night, The Dinner Detective stages a costume murder
mystery with a full buffet at Embassy Suites ($79.95, 6–9 PM), and
storyteller Lopaka Kapanui shares Tales of Haunted Hawaiʻi at Blue
Note (6:30 PM). Kaʻau Crater Boys open at Blue Note Friday,
Who's Bad performs Thriller Nights at the Hawaiʻi Theatre Saturday
(from $65), and The Wailers close the week Thursday Nov 5.
Events
Body Mind Spirit Celebration fills the Blaisdell Oct 31–Nov 1
(Saturday free in costume). Thursday Nov 5, the **Hawaiʻi AI and Cloud
Innovation Summit** convenes at the Hilton Waikiki Beach ($99 with
lunch), and the 63rd Annual Hawaiʻi Convention gathers 700+ at the
Waikiki Beach Marriott all week.
Nightlife
The District runs Halloween to 4 AM Saturday. SKY Waikiki's
Party Monster covers both weekend nights from $30, 19 floors up. In
Chinatown, NextDoor hosts ASYLUM: Reggaeton After Dark from 9 PM.
The private table
STRIPSTEAK Waikiki, above the Grand Lanai at International Market
Place: A5 Wagyu, duck-fat fries, and a 42-seat private dining room
(buyouts to 350 standing). Groups: events@stripsteakwaikiki.com.
Stay
Halekulani — five oceanfront acres of calm, La Mer's Five Diamond
table, and that orchid pool. The Waikiki benchmark since forever.
Follow @key2.honolulu for the daily drops, all week.