Your Local Diner

8-ounce New York Steak ($15.95 weekend special, $17.50 regularly)

While the concept of a neighborhood diner is simple and ubiquitous, Wailana Coffee House has mastered it, becoming a go-to spot for locals and visitors alike.

The secret is simple, according to owner and general manager Kenton Tom: “We have delicious homemade food at a reasonable price.”

Wailana’s extensive menu offers local favorites and American classics, along with a 24-hour breakfast menu. Plus, it continues to evolve with a new set of desserts, and you can always find two daily specials.

Any restaurant that serves local favorites has to have ox-tail on the menu, and Wailana’s Oxtail Soup ($13.95) is immensely popular. It’s only served on Thursdays, and Tom warns that it sells out quickly. “We trim our oxtails, then season and brown them before simmering them for hours in our special stock till the meat is ready to fall off the bone,” Tom says.

Don’t forget to check out happy hour, with 50 percent off pupus from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

BITE INTO THE BIG APPLE

For a hearty meal, try Wailana’s 8-ounce New York Steak ($15.95 weekend special, $17.50 regularly). It’s an in-house cut from choice strip loins that is seasoned and broiled, then served with an all-you-can-eat salad bar and your choice of starch or vegetable.

Wailana Coffee House

1860 Ala Moana Blvd., Waikiki
955-1764
Open 24 hours a day, except from 10 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday