Instagram cameras, and diners, love this Waikiki hangout

Island Greens ($15)

Some of Honolulu’s coolest restaurants are secret jewels, practically hidden under one’s nose. Hideout is a restaurant that can’t quite be placed in the same category — unless one’s nose happens to be on the rooftop lanai of Waikiki’s Laylow Hotel.

“I like to call it our little hidden oasis,” says Hideout general manager Ben Buckley. “It’s a very Instagrammable space, so relaxing with the fire pits going, and the tiki torches lit, and live music. There’s a nice vibe.”

Ahi Tuna Tataki ($16)

Plates like the Island Greens Salad ($15), featuring local greens, goat cheese and citrus dressed in lilikoi vinaigrette, are ideal for this urban paradise. Add tuna tataki for an extra $9, tempura shrimp for $5, or chicken skewers for $3.

Ahi Tuna Tataki ($16) is flavored with togarashi, ground sansho (Japanese pepper), a little miso, Maui onion, and Japanese aioli. As a member of the Surfrider Foundation’s Ocean-Friendly Restaurants program, Hideout uses sustainable fish in its dishes whenever possible.

Mahi Fish Tacos ($20)

Although fairly new to the menu, the Mahi Fish Tacos ($20) are already popular with regulars. Fresh mahi is sauteed in a batter made with Maui Bikini Blonde beer, then served in a trio of green chile tortillas with slaw, heir-loom tomatoes and jalapeno tartar sauce.

Hideout’s rice bowls have become very popular. At $26, the Kalbi Beef Rice Bowl is a formidable meal, containing 10 ounces of kalbi over sticky rice, topped with kimchee, local greens, chili aioli, and a fried egg.

Kalbi Beef Rice Bowl ($26)

The restaurant proudly features a rotating lineup of some of Oahu’s finest local R&B musicians Sunday-Thursday, 7-10 p.m. “On Friday and Saturday, they play from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for the dinner rush, and then we turn into something like a lounge, with a DJ from 9 till midnight,” says Buckley.

The entire space — or just a fire pit, for parties of 30 or less — may be reserved for private events.