Hawai’i is known to have amazing Asian and Hawaiian cuisines, but locals know that its reputation for Mexican food is not the greatest. After living in Arizona my whole life, I know the struggle for good Mexican cuisine in Honolulu.
One day, I was searching on Yelp to see what restaurant would be best for a dinner date with my boyfriend. We stumbled upon Búho Cocina y Cantina, saw the good ratings, and gave it a shot.
It’s located in Waikiki right on top of the Victoria’s Secret building, and it’s accessible by elevator. The elevator itself has awesome color-changing lighting, so prepare yourself for a selfie with bae moment. (The best time to take it is before dinner.)
When you reach the top, you’ll be impressed to see an open-roofed, modern lounging environment. There’s a long, inviting bar on the left and a romantic, modern fire pit in the back right. It’s better to go at night, in my opinion, because that’s when you can enjoy the city lights of the Waikiki strip. On Fridays, you can even see the fireworks that come from the Hilton Hawaiian Village, as well as parade events.
If you are a spicy food lover, I definitely recommend ordering the chips with salsa with a side of pineapple lava salsa. It’s sweet from the pineapple yet spicy from the habanero blended into it. If you are going there for the first time, you can ask for a sample of all of their salsas and they’ll gladly bring them out for you.
If you are a lover of sweets, don’t worry, because they have a very good selection of desserts. My favorite is the Adela’s Churros & Hot Chocolate. When it’s not as busy, you can even ask your server if it’s possible to relocate to the fireplace. There, you can enjoy the food, the view, and the extra-romantic vibe.
At Búho Cocina y Cantina, there’s no doubt you’ll impress your date; plus, you’ll get to bring home leftovers. Double score.