A restaurant pick from Guy Fieri that Beat of Hawaii agrees with wholeheartedly is this Honolulu find we’ve been returning to for decades -and did again recently. Add Nico’s to your list of things to do in Honolulu on your next Hawaii vacation. What started as a small takeout counter for lunch in 2004 at Pier 38 under French chef Nico Chaize has since grown into a gleaming new harbor-front view location across the street in 2012.
Introducing Jeff’s Picks – Sharing our Favorite Experiences With You.
Whenever we share our recommendations, you can be sure it’s unbiased and paid for in full by us. In this new feature, we’ll tell you where we enjoy going based on value and superb quality. As Hawaii residents, we have the chance to try out new places to go, stay or dine. If we find it’s a hidden gem, it will become a Jeff’s Pick to share with you. And if you have read Beat of Hawaii regularly, you know Jeff is not easy to please. If he likes something, it’s possible you will too.
Great value with a $30 Honolulu seafood lunch for two!
We stopped at Nico’s this past weekend and could not have enjoyed it more. Just off the beaten path but still intensely popular with visitors and residents alike, Nico’s at Pier 38 has yet to lose a thing as the years have passed. A frequent winner of the Hale ‘Aina Award, which honors the best restaurants in Hawaii, this year Nico’s received the Bronze medal for the best seafood in Hawaii.
Tricks to even more enjoyment at Nico’s Pier 38: what we ate for $15.
Consider one of the lunch specials we picked; unlike some Hawaii restaurants that will use frozen fish, Nico’s buys fresh fish daily. We had the ground ahi sandwich as well as the fish and chips. We shared two entrees, and it was hard to decide which was better, as they were both fabulous.
Guy Fieri’s #1 pick: Ahi Fish Burger
What caught our attention this time that we hadn’t noticed before was that Guy Fieri had been there and enjoyed Nico’s ahi fish burger as much as we have. It is fresh ground ahi which Nico spices to perfection. There’s also an ahi fish sandwich, which isn’t ground, at the same price. We chose the recommended, generous double-patty fish burger and could not have been more pleased. It was juicy and flavorful.
2nd Nico’s Pier 38 pick: fish and chips.
Okay, we were admittedly hesitant about this one. As we have mentioned, many Hawaii restaurants that serve fresh fish will also offer a lower-cost “fish and chips” option that is made with frozen fish. Just because it has a Hawaiian-sounding name doesn’t mean it is fresh and local. Take mahi mahi as one example, which can be sourced from all over the world, and yes, it is even sold imported and frozen in Hawaii.
That isn’t the case at Nico’s. Instead, the fish and chips are comprised of two very generous pieces of fresh and locally caught A’u (marlin). It was tender, juicy, and delicious! Served with homemade tartar sauce, and well-prepared french fries on a bed of cabbage. Simply excellent.
Planning your visit to Nico’s and what to expect.
Breakfast is served from 6:30 am to 10:00 am, lunch from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and dinner from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. No reservations are taken. A full bar is available, and Nico’s also has it’s own Fish Market if you are interested in getting quality fresh fish for your own culinary escapades.
The crowd can get intense from noon until at least 1:00 pm or after. However, when we arrived at 2:00 pm, we walked right up to order, didn’t wait long for the food to come, and had our pick of water view dining. You can enjoy live music from noon to 2 pm, and on Sunday from 11 am to 1 pm during lunch. Musicians play again from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Before leaving, we stopped at Nico’s Fish Market and Poke Bar and picked up some smoked monchong fish to put on a salad later at our vacation rental.
We’ve tried eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner there over the years. For whatever reason, we were nostalgic and have always preferred lunch. There’s a well-rounded menu with many choices.
Nico’s is located at Pier 38, 1129 N. Nimitz Highway, halfway between the Ala Moana Shopping Center and the Airport. Parking is free, easy, and nearby. We often stop here after arriving at HNL and on our way to Waikiki, or when heading in the other direction.
Telephone: 808-540-1377.
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I happened to run into this tonight, years after it was posted. My husband is the seafood manager for the small local chain of Nico’s outlets and my stepdaughter is the GM.
Nico’s has been popular with both locals and tourists alike. Fieri has visited multiple times, beginning in April 2010, when the restaurant was still a hole in the wall inside POP Fishing Supplies at the same Pier. Other shows like Lets Go Fishing and a gaggle of Japanese TV shows. (My H and D have sometimes been on the shows, and tourists from Japanese come in and ask specifically to meet them, and I have been at events that are sponsored here by some of the Japanese TV shows where they have gone so far as to invite my husband to Japan to give demonstrations (but, no, he did not get to go.)
Unlike what some person below claimed, restaurants do not pay and cannot pay to be on Triple D. Fieri selects and then the restaurant is contacted and arrangements made.
All can recognize those who came before them, the original founders of Hawaii Regional Cuisine (1991) from Sam Choy, Roy Yamaguchi, Peter Merriman, Along Wong, Bev Gannon, Amy Ota, Roger Dikon, Gary Strehl, Chef Mavro, Phillips Padovani, Jean-Marie Josselin to the late Mark Ellman. Bon Appetite and a hui Hou.
Try the fish bites too. Sooo Ono
I am heading to Hawaii in October with my mom. I will definitely check it out.
Thanks for the tip. I’ve never heard of Nico’s. It’ll be one of my first stops once I land in HNL in just a few weeks. Aloha.
Hi Michael.
Thanks. We hope you enjoy it. In any event, please let us know.
Aloha.
LoL. How much did nicos pay for this advertisement?? Just because Guy recommends dosnt mean anything. You need to pay for Guy to be featured on his show.
Hi Harry.
Thanks for your first comment. It is not an advertisement and Nico’s paid nothing. We paid our own way and wrote about it because how much we have enjoyed it for almost twenty years.
Aloha.
You are Wrong. My husband is the seafood manager at Nico’s and has been since the new facility was in pre-opening in Dec. 2010. Restaurants do not pay for Fieri to visit. The restaurants are made aware of the visit in advance because of the logistics of filming, but have nothing to do with which are chosen. Fieri has been to Nico’s more than once, and his first visit was in April 2010, when it was literally a nook inside POP, a fishing supply business in the same Pier location.
We have lunch there on virtually every annual visit to Hawaii. Great food that’s vacation afordable.
Sorry. Disagree.
We went for dinner. The young woman who seated us was miffed we asked to (be moved out of the hot sun) inside. So, she seated us next to the bathroom.
My party members did not want to move again. We had a view of the parade. Fortunately, no bathroom aroma.
If you have a direct view of the water, OK and be prepared to view a working port (not a complaint, just a fact.) Else, go somewhere else for meh food.
Nico’s has been a favorite of ours for years. The grilled Ahi sandwich is so delicious! We also love the live music!
my mouth is watering!!! thanks for this. ill be there when I return later this fall summa
Mary
Hi Mary.
Enjoy! And please let us know.
Aloha.
I don’t know. I’ve tried Nico’s and it just doesn’t do it for me. It’s just ok, like they are just running the tourists through here. It’s not a place I would go out of my way for, from the West Side. However, any time we’re in town, we go to Paia Fish Market in Waikiki. We will go out of our way to eat here. You stand in line and order, then they bring it to you. My favorite is the Mahi Mahi sandwich and my wife’s the Ahi Tuna sandwich. They have other items, but we always order our go to. I suggest you try this. We recommend Paia Fish Market to all of our airbnb guest who stay with us in Ko Olina. Another recent favorite is Paradise Poke Hawaii on Nuuanu Ave. They just won the Pokefest 2023. The Ahi FTW: with Fresh ‘ahi, house-made shoyu, truffle oil, wasabi, red onion, and sea asparagus is so good! Give these a try, next time you’re in town.
When “snowbirding”, we never though twice about driving from the North Shore a couple times a week to lunch at Nicos. Staying in town, we even stopped just for dessert. Love the food, atmosphere and staff. Consistently great food and the first place we take friends that are in town for shorter visits.
Thanks for the fun article! We love Nico’s! On our last trip to Oahu we went several times. I’m surprised some people commenting had issues. Can’t wait to go back!
Hi Lanell.
Thanks. Yes, we haven’t had a bad experience there yet, and we started going there soon after it opened in 2004.
Aloha.
It’s my first meal when I arrive at HNL. Lunch specials are top notch. Parking can be tough but if you’re patient you’ll find one.
Do you see the $99 Southwest tickets coming back anytime soon?? or any other airline, offering that great of a price? Thanks for your information.
Hi Debbie.
Our suggestion is to focus on $119 or less. Yes more of those are coming for fall and winter travel on the most popular routes that Hawaiian and Southwest have in common. Other than that, not so much.
Aloha.
Florida has beaches and cheap airfares. Check it out!
I’ve never been disappointed with Nico’s –