Oahu Family Restaurants

This restaurant has an excellent selection of Italian-American dishes, including one of the "keiki" food groups: pizza for both lunch and dinner. The Gorgonzola bread, manicotti and gnocchi are excellent. This restaurant gets loud, so families will feel right at home.

When Hawaiian shave ice won't cut it and the kids want ice cream, head for Bubbie's. Featured in Oprah Magazine's "O" List in 2006, Bubbie's Homemade Ice Cream and Desserts offers over 200 flavors. For the fun of it, check out their toilet bowl sundae, or the mistaken insanity brownie served with banana slices, chocolate ice cream, topping and whipped cream.

The ginormous breakfasts served here are as tasty as they are large. Since 1974, Eggs 'n Things has made excellent breakfast dishes for both locals and visitors. From coconut pancakes to fluffy Portuguese sausage omelettes, Eggs 'n Things serves up tasty dishes for hungry families. The restaurant is open from 11 p.m. to 2 p.m. daily.

At Germaine's, your family will be welcomed with a lei greeting and a conch shell announcing the beginning of a great feast. You'll dine on roast pig and at an all-you-can-eat buffet -- with waves lapping in the distance. The restaurant puts on a spectacular show, which includes a dramatic fire dance and traditional hula performances. Prices are: $72 per adult and $52 per child age 6 to 12. Kids under 5 eat free.

This is considered one of the finest restaurants in Hawaii in which to have a tropical cocktail, watch a breathtaking sunset, see a beautiful woman dance the hula and rejoice once again that you're in Hawaii. Dishes include lobster, lamb and prime rib. The coconut cake for dessert reliably receives rave reviews, and the breakfast buffet is outstanding at $29.95 per person. Reservations are not accepted. To avoid a long wait, arrive between 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. (but there is never a guarantee you won't have to wait).

This restaurant offers simply the best steak on Oahu. The prices are high, but you'll happily pay up. Men should wear a shirt with collar and long pants, and resort wear is best for women. Reservations are required.

The great news: This place serves awesome Chinese food for wallet-friendly prices. You can look forward to friendly service and a knowledgeable wait staff. Plus, there's free parking in back. The restaurant offers an excellent menu featuring Northern-, Canton- and Hong Kong-style Chinese food. Populated by locals, the eatery is lacking in decor -- but it will surely have your family saying "Yum!"

This architecturally beautiful grand dame of the Pacific has existed in bright pink brilliance on Waikiki since 1927. Staying at the hotel is quite a treat for those who love history, but if you're staying elsewhere and you're on your own for the evening (sans keikis), start your evening of freedom at the hotel's celebrated Mai Tai Bar. Enjoying a cocktail and taking in the stunning sunset dipping over Waikiki Beach is a classic Hawaiian experience.

You won't have to follow a horde of tourists into the Rainbow Drive In because it's a yesteryear Hawaiian joint loved and revered by the local crowd. Awesome Hawaiian food and budget prices make this one of the best secrets on Oahu.

You'll find shave ice stands with a zillion different colors of syrups (sugar free available upon request) all over the island, but they say some of the finest on Oahu are:

• Waiola Shave Ice & Bakery, 525 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, 808-735-8886
• Matsumoto's, 66-087 Kamehameha Highway, Haleiwa, 808-637-4827
• Aoki's, 66-117 Kamehameha Highway, Haleiwa, 808-637-7017

This is not a great place for dieters! Look for the line winding out of this North Shore family-owned restaurant, and choose from a menu of classic Hawaiian lunch and dinner plates loaded with Kalbi ribs, teriyaki chicken and fresh Mahi-Mahi. The breakfast menu starts with sweet bread French toast and includes breakfast sandwiches made with Spam. Seating is available at the counter only, and the locals recommend calling in your order to reduce the 15- to 25-minute (but very worth it) wait.