Thanksgiving in Hawaii is a great way to skip the flying mashed potatoes, waking up at 3 am to start the turkey and the two days of cleanup. This year after not getting confirmation from either side of the family that a real bird was heading in the oven, instead of stepping up and inviting everyone over and doing it ourselves, we decided to head to O’ahu and have Thanksgiving at Orchids, the highly acclaimed waterfront restaurant at the HaleKulani hotel in Waikiki.
Even though there was rain 50% of the trip, it worked out fantastic. A complete trip of the island happened when the rain killed a surf day. Matsumoto’s may never be the same.
This video is the highlights from Thanksgiving Day in Waikiki, sorry no video or photos from dinner, that is something you have to go experience for yourself. Easily a five out of four dollar signs on Yelp! but worth every penny. There were no crowds inside the HaleKulani, the lounge was nearly empty, and we were seated without wait and yet at Orchids every table was booked and the biggest and best buffet I have ever seen was spread out in front of us.
The menu included island delicacies like roasted suckling pig, sashimi, sushi and oysters with green caviar. This was BeachStreet living at its best.
If you want to spend a relaxing Thanksgiving without the hassle, stress or cleanup, spend the day on the beach in Waikiki, and dinner at Orchids. For the rest of the day, check out the video