Reader Poll Main | Food & Drink | Services | Activities | Arts & Media
Best New Restaurant in 2015
Readers’ Choice: Kitchen Lingo
Kitchen Lingo offers a farm to table style menu, with fresh ingredients being the highlight of each dish. One of the most popular menu items thus far is the miso short rib, accompanied by melt in your mouth greens and a perfectly poached egg. The kale caesar salad is a must try, even leaving salad haters wanting more. Seafood entrees include freshly caught local fish, charred octopus and light and flaky salmon. The watermelon mint drink will “wow” your palate with the light, cooling flavors. You can certainly taste the passion that goes into these recipes, along with the expertise behind it. Simple, yet stylish decor make it inviting to all, however Kitchen Lingo is the ideal setting for a special occasion or romantic night out. The voters have spoken — you must visit Kitchen Lingo, located directly across from Cup and Saucer in Hagatna.
Best Chamorro Food
Readers’ Choice: Meskla
If you want a taste of Guam culture, look no further than Meskla. Be prepared for savory and spicy flavors and of course coconut milk to balance it out. Almost every item on the menu has some twists and turns, adding Chamorro influence in an upscale fashion. Order like a local and start off with kelaguen, a ceviche-like dish or the tinala katne (dried beef) served with dinanche (hot pepper paste) and corn titiyas (local style tortilla). The next part may pose a challenge. Is it going to be the pot roast braised short ribs? Ribeye with dinanche bordelaise sauce? Maybe the dinanche glazed pork chops? How about the fried parrot fish with coconut milk, a favorite among the regulars? If that wasn’t hard enough to choose from, Meskla offers award winning burgers, BBQ ribs and chicken. The salmon wellington is so good, the customers even demanded it be put back on the menu! If you have any room at all, finish your dining experience with a delectable piece of pistachio cake. Well, the voters have made it pretty clear.
Best Restaurant, Best BBQ & Best Dessert
Readers’ Choice: Proa
A pleasant ambiance with a local spin on bbq and seafood plates, sandwiches and burgers, and of course, their famous desserts. If you are visiting the Tumon location, begin your dining experience with the Proa style beggars purse — sushi grade ahi tuna prepared poke-style, encased in a fresh furikake crepe and wasabi soy butter sauce. Popular entrees include their award winning smokin’ grill herb marinated pork, crispy ponzu fried chicken sandwich, and the charbroiled red dirt marinated carne with sautéed tropical spinach and fried fontina on a warm crusty bread. Both locals and tourists alike can’t get enough of the the bbq short ribs, spare ribs and chicken, which is marinated just right. If you think you’ve seen enough, you’re wrong. Saving room for dessert is a must (says, well….everybody). Enjoy the mango panna cotta or the famous taro cheesecake with chocolate graham cracker crust topped with a crisp caramel brulee. Whatever you choose to order from Proa, you won’t regret it. Proa is also located in Hagatna across from Chamorro Village.
Best Chef
Readers’ Choice: Eddie Chien
Chef Eddie Chien is a long-time restaurant owner of Delmonico Kitchen & Bar in Tumon, which offers a casual atmosphere, friendly service, and comfort food. Delmonico puts the emphasis on steaks, burgers, pizza, pasta, and seafood as well with variety of appetizers and salads.
Best Burger (Tie)
Readers’ Choice: Mosa’s Joint
It’s no surprise Mosa’s Joint is a winner of this category. There aren’t many lamb burgers offered on Guam, so just to see this item on the menu is exciting. Once it arrives in front of you, it’s impossible not to drool. The lamb itself is juicy and full of flavor and is sure to fill you up. Good luck trying to finish the fries (make it sweet potato – yum)! Another fan favorite is the spinach, mushroom, and bleu cheese burger. It’s out of this world! Both burgers are even award winners, taking the category for “Gourmet and People’s Choice” at Burgerfest in 2012 and 2013.
While there are more options on the menu like gyros, tacos, salad, and daily specials, the voters have decided. Mosa’s has the best burgers. If you haven’t already, stop by and try it for yourself, located in the Bej Jess building (across from Megabyte) along Marine Corps Dr. in Tamuning.
PHOTO SOURCE: womaninsight.jp
Readers’ Choice: Meskla Dos
The Rancheru Burger is everything you want in a burger. Its drip-down-your-chin juicy and so full of flavor it’ll kick you in the face (a nice, friendly kick in the face as opposed to the other kind). Their house made ranch dressing provides a slight spiciness to awaken your senses and the smokiness from the bacon shifts all the other flavors into overdrive. And while I’m not usually an egg-on-my-burger type of person for this burger I make an exception. The egg helps hold everything together and brings a nice heartiness. Meskla Dos offers friendly service and a great atmosphere. And I’ll tell you, these guys know what they’re doing.
Best Pizza
Readers’ Choice: Vitale’s
Since 1967, this Tumon establishment has been serving authentic Italian cuisine made with fresh ingredients daily. It’s no surprise readers love Vitale’s 12 different kinds of pizza, from classic margherita to tropical island and chicken cheese pizza. Customers can also create their own pizza and pizza pockets.
Best Chinese Restaurant (Tie)
Readers’ Choice: Old Town Chinese Restaurant
Old Town Chinese Restaurant located in the East West Center Plaza behind Bank of Guam in Upper Tumon, serves up tasty traditional Chinese food at affordable prices. Customers rave about their popular dishes: crispy fried noodle, honey walnut shrimp, salt ‘n pepper shrimp. Notable dishes are cold ginger chicken and roast duck. They also are known for well-executed sweet-n-sour dishes, and a nice selection of dim sum. The restaurant has updated its décor while still offering private rooms for large groups or parties. Fantastic vegetarian dishes are also available.
Readers’ Choice: V.I.P. House
V.I.P. House located in the heart of Tumon, and in the American Grocery Plaza in Dededo also offers up tasty Chinese food at affordable prices. Still serving their legendary honey walnut shrimp, and the best roast duck on island. They have dishes like orange chicken and a combination fried rice, “that can’t be beat,” says one customer’s review. You can choose buffet style or order from the menu a la carte.
Best Thai Restaurant
Readers’ Choice: Ban Thai Restaurant
Ban Thai Restaurant, a mint green colored restaurant seems like an oasis in the middle of the bustling streets of Pale San Vitores Road in Tumon. There’s a spacious parking lot, and an outdoor patio landscaped by some of the ingredients used in their dishes. Not only is it The Guam Guide’s 2015 Best Thai Restaurant but it’s #9 on Trip Advisor’s Top 30 Restaurants on Guam. You walk in to an atmosphere off a strong ethnic feel from the ornate décor and vintage photos. Family portraits framed on the walls depict a nostalgic era of the olden days in Thailand. The staff is always friendly and welcoming. What is also strong are the flavorful dishes that can be tailored to your spicy tolerance level, and they offer decent portions at reasonable prices.
They use fresh ingredients for their popular dishes: Penang curry chicken, pad Thai, mango fried rice, and stuffed chicken wings. Tourists and locals flock to this restaurant for their lunch buffet and dinner too. They also have a bar for quick bites and refills of beer.
PHOTO SOURCE: AvocadoPesto.com
Best Sushi
Readers’ Choice: Rotary Sushi
Rotary Sushi can be found walking through a building that is reminiscent of the clean compact structures, and neatly manicured gardenscapes of Japan, accentuated with hanging paper lanterns. It’s almost hidden in the corner at the bottom of the Pale San Vitores Road hill, but that doesn’t deter customers. The place is always crowded especially on Friday and Saturday nights, and worth the wait on a lavish dining experience. The sushi are made more than bite-size. Rotary continues to serve up the classic nigiri tuna, tuna tartar, and the tempura hand rolls, and for a side dish the chicken karagi is also very tasty. Their notable sushi are: spicy BBQ mussel, BBQ salmon hand roll. The chefs are very creative serving up their popular lanya hand roll, honey shrimp, and steamed egg, and they make it a point to interact with customers.
PHOTO SOURCE: Yelp.com
Best Cocktail
Readers’ Choice: Drop
Drop in Tumon, adjacent to the Ban Thai Restaurant, is described on it’s website as “a white room bathed in light.” The name is appropriate for this little “hole-in-the-wall” cozy lounge that goes all out on white comfy couches, you’d want to drop by and sip on a great Shochu selection and fresh cocktail mixes. You will enjoy “mixological adventures with classic favorites and ultra-modern blends unique to drop.” They are talking about both the music and the drinks. Drop invites DJs to their turntables to drop some beats of house, trance and electronic music. And for drink mixology, they make a dapper Don Draper, and the Blueberry Lychee Mojito is made fresh with a handful of ingredients muddled together, making it mucho muy bien! The lounge is “sleek and stylish, serving fantastic, very well crafted drinks, and liquors are some of the most exclusive on the island.”
PHOTO SOURCE: Drop Guam Facebook page
Most Romantic Restaurant
Readers’ Choice: Roy’s
This upscale hotel restaurant and lounge never fails to impress with exquisite Hawaiian cuisine. The Roy’s Classic Tribute is a trio of out-of-this-world blackened ahi, hibachi teri-grilled Atlantic salmon, misoyaki butterfish, soy mustard, yuzu ponzu vinaigrette, and sweet ginger wasabi beurre blanc.
Best Happy Hour & Best Outdoor Patio
Readers’ Choice: Sunset Grill
Food at Sunset Grill is delicious, filling, and certainly best when washed down with ice cold beers! Try Sunset Grill in Asan Beach for a relaxing change of pace along with creative new tastes. Take the beautiful drive down to Asan, and on the beachside of Marine Corps Drive, find a seat on our open air patio deck. The pulled pork sandwich is always a favorite as well as the beef brisket, which has been slow-smoked for 10 hours after being spiced with our own secret grillin’ rub blend. Another amazing discovery will be the family of wood fired and grilled pizzas! Sunset Grill’s make its dough by hand and place the pizzas in specially built pizza ovens which resemble BBQ pits.
Best Breakfast
Readers’ Choice: Pika’s Cafe
When Pika’s Café says it strives to be a local restaurant, that doesn’t just mean serving rice and having a 671-phone number. To Pika’s, being local means supporting the island’s farmers, incorporating homegrown ingredients, hiring musicians, and covering the walls in local art. The owners of Pika’s understand what it means to be a community, and do their best to contribute to the kind of world they want to live in. That’s all well and good, but how’s the food? Delicious! In addition to Kahlua French toast, and the Chamorro Benedict, Pika’s serves up an incredible steak and egg breakfast burrito. With juicy steak and fluffy eggs in a flour tortilla, this is not grab-n-go food, but a burrito to savor. Unfortunately, Pika’s only serves breakfast in the morning, but if you miss out, their regular menu of burgers and sandwiches is almost as good.
Best Bakery
Readers’ Choice: Crown Bakery
Crown Bakery, Inc. is a locally-owned, fresh-daily bakery in the heart of Barrigada. The bakery prides itself on the quality of bread: the Best “Buns” on Guam.
Best Coffee Shop
Readers’ Choice: Infusion Coffee & Tea
A casual & comfy gathering-place to enjoy gourmet coffee & tea, frappes, fruit & yogurt smoothies, specialty crepes, panini & freshly-baked pastries. Infusion has multiple locations that draw both locals and tourists, as well as students and business types who enjoy the friendly service and free WIFI.
Best Pearl Shakes
Readers’ Choice: Bubbly Tea Cafe
This new cafe across from GPO is bright and modern and offers the largest selection of milk and fruit teas and shakes with delicious tapioca pearls and gels. Fans of Spinn & Play Video’s cafe in Dededo will love this convenient location with an expanded menu that includes the cafe’s signature mochi popcorn with Japanese seasoning, crackers, and seaweed. Enjoy free WIFI, a kids play area, comfortable seating, and large HD televisions. Located across from GPO in the Mikkel Tan Vy Building below Expressions Studio and next to Gaylord’s in Tamuning.
Best Buffet
Readers’ Choice: Outrigger Palm Cafe
Outrigger Guam Beach Resort’s signature restaurant, features international cuisine, highlighting the freshest ingredients and local produce. Palm Cafe offers an array of options for breakfast including a bountiful breakfast buffet. Enjoy the best and most extensive Japanese lunch buffet on the island, featuring fresh sushi and sashimi station, chicken, beef, shrimp and a variety of fresh vegetables cooked live at the Teppanyaki grill. Cook your own shabu shabu and treat yourself to other Japanese specialty dishes.
Best Live Music
Readers’ Choice: The Beach
It’s no wonder the voters chose The Beach. What makes it even better than being by the water, smelling the fresh ocean air and taking in that breeze that is oh-so needed? The perfect tunes to go with the good vibes. With comfy furniture right on the beach, it’s the ideal spot to just sit back, relax and listen to island jams. Order a bucket of beer or a refreshing cocktail, like one of their popular slushies that will make your eyes pop! Munch on some appetizers, chow on local bbq, or heck, just watch the incredible sunsets Guam has to offer! Located at Gun Beach at the end of Tumon (past Hotel Nikko Guam), you have one of the best spots to watch the changing colors of the evening sky, with island music setting the scene.
Best Seafood
Reader’s Choice: La Cascata, Sheraton Laguna Guam
La Cascata at Sheraton Laguna Hotel serves up a wide array of mouthwatering dishes throughout the week for both hotel guests and locals, but our readers seem to favor their seafood above anything else. La Cascata holds weekly seafood buffets every Friday, offering guests an all you can eat experience of some of Guam’s freshest seafood.
