The food here was amazing, we had the dumpling appetizer, the kalbi short rib meal and the Hawaiian BBQ chicken meal, as well as two of the tiki drinks, and it was definitely one of the best meals we had on our trip to Chicago. The wait staff were very friendly and welcoming. We were celebrating my birthday and my wife requested a surprise slice of cake to be brought out when I stepped away, which the wait staff were happy to accommodate. They also have awesome themed tiki cups for purchase. Highly recommend! read more

Great experience, and kid friendly as well. The drink are good as well. We have attended with friends visiting from out of town and they also enjoyed it. read more

When Chicago wakes you to a hurricane, you go find a hidden paradise @aohawaiianhideout! Immediate relief is my favorite lychee martini, repeats of their superb steamed fish bathed in a delicate sweet soy garlic sauce and stirfry mixed vegetables with oyster sauce! Always ohana vibes by owner Betty and staff. Yeah, in noooo hurry to leave read more

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Very nice Hawaiian style decorations, friendly services, foods were tasty but too salty/heavy to us. Island nachos $17.88 Fresh raw tuna | spicy tuna | avocado | cilantro | red onions | jalapeno | mix greens | on a bed of crispy wonton skins | drizzled with Asian sesame dressing | wasabi aioli | spicy Sriracha aioli | unagi sauce. Huli Huli Chicken 2pcs $19.88 Grilled boneless chicken leg/thigh meat, then smothered in our garlic ginger brown butter pineapple shoyu sauce, slightly sweet savory tangy flavor. Served with mac salad, cucumber kimchi & jasmine rice To Go Kalua pig $18.88 Slow cooked hand pulled pork, simmered in its natural flavors & juices. Drizzled with our hoisin bbq sauce, togarashi & green onions. Served with jasmine rice, cucumber kimchi & scoop of mac salad. read more

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We came here for a quick bite to eat before heading out to Soldier Field. All the other bars were full and had a wait time. This place was rather empty and we were able to get a table right away. My son ordered their Kailua Pig and I ordered their Loco Moco. Our intentions were to eat light and holy cow were these plates massive. Both dishes were food but my sons was definitely better. The pork had a lot of flavor especially with the hoisin sauce drizzled on top and went perfect with the white rice. My Loco Moco wa as bit much. A very wet dish with two burger patties on top of rice and gravy covering the entire plate. It was then topped off with a fried egg and grilled onions. Its was a good hearty and filling dish, but probably wouldn't order this again. I can definitely see myself returning for some drinks and to try do more entrees though. read more

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This place is so good! There are tables that seat one person all the way up to a big group. And they have a wide menu to suit everyone's needs. The service was good and the food was delicious - huge portions as well! The chicken sauce was so flavorful and my friend who got the huli huli chicken also loved the dish. Definitely would come back to try other items from the menu read more

AO Hawaiian Hideout - Hawaiian bbq chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place redeemed its self. Just went back and had the nachos which were so so good as well as the short rib plate- they were a little over cooked but it was still really good in terms of flavor. Good drinks, fun vibe. read more

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I was super excited to come to AO Hawaiian hideout after eating some other reviews on here. I initially walked from my hotel which took me about 25 minutes thanks to Google maps spinning around like a carousel which helped me work up a healthy appetite for dinner. When I came in, the entrance is decorated pretty nicely and then there are some display cases with different types of tiki mugs. Many of which are for sale so you're able to take home a little bit of this paradise if you really want to. I had initially sat at the tables but it was a large table and I was by myself and didn't want to take up that much space. So I asked to be seated by the bar. Which is why some of the pictures I took had this blue glow to them that probably don't highlight the food as much as could have. The food wise was really good and the portions. My opinion were rather watch. I had ate dinner that night and took the leftovers home which was lunch. The next day. I had the Hawaiian BBQ chicken that I thought was very good and was recommended by the staff. For drinks, I had a Mai Tai which packed a pretty big punch. My first sip was a little strong, but after eating a little bit and coming back to it, the ice had melted. Just enough for the drink. Actually mellowed greatly and was very enjoyable. Tiki drinks tend to be very strong so I didn't really find this as an issue. All in all, when I travel I like to go to places that are new and I would say if I came back to Chicago I would definitely come here again, especially if I have my wife kid. I think they would love the atmosphere and it's definitely a little tropical getaway in a busy City. read more

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This place has amazing seafood. The souo was packed with seafood meat and noodles. The price is definitely worth it for that. The garlic salt and pepper fish was cooked so well. It was really crispy on the outside and fish was so good and not dry. We came during brunch time on a Saturday and it was not packed so sevice was fast. The decorations are also really cute and Hawaiin aesthetic is so cute too so nice for cute pics read more

AO Hawaiian Hideout - Indonesian Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'll be honest - I wasn't expecting much based on some reviews I'd read but I was happily surprised eating here on my last day in Chicago! The food was fresh and the ambiance was fun, definitely a great place to hang out with friends. Our waitress was friendly and had no problem with us splitting the bill. read more

AO Hawaiian Hideout - Kalua Pig - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pick a spot on the map somewhere between Hawaii and Oceania. This place is likely to have something from that area on their menu. It's not really a hideout, with its "Tiki" exterior and interior, it's pretty obvious. The menu is easily scrolled through on your phone via the QR code, and it goes on and on. The drinks are interesting, with a lot of margarita options. The food generally has a little bit of spiciness to it, perhaps more than some would like for certain dishes. Service is casual. We didn't all get the correct drinks on the first try, but everything was resolved quickly. We said appetizers could come out with dinner, but they came out when ready. Entrees are usually brought out 2 at a time by one server. Most entrees come with rice and some sliced cucumbers in a spicy sauce. My Hawaiian BBQ Chicken was small chunks in a spicy sauce with just enough kick to make it interesting. This was one of the more unique restaurants in the immediate area, which made it an even more enjoyable experience. read more

AO Hawaiian Hideout - Apple raspberry margarita - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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When visiting Chicago we often stay in this area but it was our first time finally trying this place out! To be honest, the inside kind of feels like a slight identity crisis, but overall we had wonderful service and great food. There is a large menu which I would have expected to be full Hawaiian based on the restaurant name but it actually is a wide variety of Hawaiian plus asian inspired dishes ranging from Filipino, Thai, Viet, Japanese, Korean. I opted to try the Hawaiian Chicken and the spam masubi which were both good choices. My husband got one of the brunch specials with crispy pork which he also liked. Overall the food was flavorful and the kimchi cucumber and mac salad sides were both really tasty. We will be back in the future to try more dishes. We didn't order cocktails but they do have a large menu of them! read more

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Great vibes! Good service. HUGE portions. Impressive menu. I think I liked the loco moco the most. Several of the items were a little on the sweet side/ tangy side and may have been too much for me. The lomi lomi salmon was good. The pupu platter is a great way to try many app items. read more

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Very cute Hawaii theme restaurant. The owner's family was from Oahu before moving back to China. The establishment has a variety of tiki themed drinks. They do have a rotating Happy Hour menu so check that out. On this occasion, I had Sake Bombs drinks with Sapparo Beer. I had the Ka-mon-i-wana-lei-a which is made with Lite Bar Rum | Melon Liqueur | Blue Curacao | Orange Curacao | pineapple juice. It was worth all the buck that I paid for this drink. My husband had the Mai Tai and that was also delicious. Will return for dinner and some yummy tiki cocktails. read more

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Had to give this place another go! Last time I came, their foods were super delicious and flavorful. This time I had to try their poke bowl and Thai panang. Their tuna and salmon were pretty fresh and their proportions were large & filling. It's served on a bed of lettuce instead of rice, which I find unique for a poke bowl. Their Thai panang was a bit spicy so if you can handle that, I'd definitely recommend that dish. It's extremely flavorful. I reallly love the atmosphere here. Their outfits and their service SERVE every time. read more

AO Hawaiian Hideout - Combo Poke Rice Bowl (tuna and salmon) GF Thai Panang VEGAN Curry GF - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Oh my goodness, such an unexpected experience. Chicago is the last place i'd expect to find a hawaiian bar and this place was DECKED OUT in decor. It was so festive and elaborate from the food to furniture and drinks. Tiki and floral everywhere and they even brought out our beers in individual fun ice buckets. I came as a group and shared some appetizers and individual items and drinks. They do NOT skimp on the portions. All of the plates were humongous and we hardly made a dent in the chicken/kahlua plates that were ordered. I managed to finish my ribs, but only because I ate less of the sides and the meat was mixed with bones. I think after tasting everyone's the pork hoisin ribs were my personal favorite entree and is quite unique. Cucumber kimchi was also delish! I loved this hawaiian take on a korean classic. It had a nice acidity balanced with sweetness. It also comes with most of the plates but I'm glad we ordered an extra order. Maitai was SO strong, the waitress was not kidding but I still enjoyed it nonetheless, but definitely packed a punch. read more

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Cute place, tropical decor, good service. Food was pretty good - apps were excellent. Main dishes HUGE. We'll eat for days. The fried rice could have been seasoned a little more - I'm biased, lived in Hawaii for 30 years. Loco moco not bad, but not great. Still, solid job. read more

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Came here on a Saturday afternoon to add another restaurant with good vegan and non-vegan options to my list and left with a winner! The BBQ chicken is absolutely delicious, and I love how many sides come with it. My boyfriend got the Vegan Tofu Noodle Soup, and loved it, as well. He said we should come here more often, and why wouldn't we? The portions are very generous, the food is delicious, and the service is amazing. The staff were very kind and on top of refilling our water and clearing our plates. It's also a very beautiful restaurant that really leans into that Hawaiian feel. I've never been to Hawaii, so AO Hawaiian Hideout feels like the closest I'll ever be here in the city! An amazing business that I highly recommend trying! read more

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This restaurant was such a nice surprise! The Hawaiian theme is prevalent in all of the decor and details. All the food was yummy! I highly recommend you get a little bit of everything and share. The vegan panang curry poutine (sweet potato fries and curry) was probably my favorite, along with the spam musubi - such a classic. The virgin mango daiquiri was also very refreshing and flavorful. All waitresses were serving us, which got a little confusing, but everyone was very attentive. read more

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Absolutely loved this place! Everything I ordered was delicious! The portion sizing is amazing, I even had leftovers. The place itself is so fun and very decorated. The staff was friendly and service was prompt. I can't wait to return! I highly recommend the laksa soup, island nachos, and nasi goreng. read more

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It's a bit pricey for what you get but the food is consistent. I've been here four times. The appetizer platter is pretty pricey but again it was good. The "nachos" here already changed within the year or so that I first had them where the platter got smaller but it seems the price is either the same. Maybe possibly higher so shrinkflation changes struck again. The setting is catchy fun very pleasant. The bathrooms were decent, although seems like they degraded slightly since the last time I was here, but it could have just been that there were sloppy patrons beforehand. As for the flavors of the food and the appetizers we did enjoy, as I mentioned before, pretty consistent on that front. Drinks were not that strong but again I would give it four stars because the services decent (not exceptional)... I forgot why there was the extra charge or a drink. I believe it was because of the spicy tajin rim or something. Kind of felt like we are price gouged and then when you don't have attentive service it makes it feel like they're taking advantage of you because they're in such a good spot or at least it seems to be. But I guess the true measure is whether I'd go back again and I think we would. I flirted with a three-star review but honestly I'd give this place another shot but if I see further decline in portion size, price, increase bathroom staffing spot on and service being kind of neutral it would be my last time. Update: I am adding an update since the owner responded. Appreciate the reply and details. I do know the first two times were before January 2024 and the 3rd and 4th times were after. One with a large group and one with a friend. Will see how my next experience goes and if my observations are the same. As I said, I will go back again. And yes .. I will take that drink recommendation and see how it goes. . Will post a follow up. read more

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Fun atmosphere and decor! Seemed like a hip crowd, bet it gets super busy on the weekend. We went on a Monday night. Just a little busy, ample seating. Partner had the mie goreng noodles, which he finished every last bite of! He did say he would have preferred smaller noodles instead of the spaghetti noodles it comes with but besides that it was really good. He added pork belly to it and it was cooked perfectly. I had the spicy Malaysian deluxe laksa noodle soup. Lots of flavor!! Had a mixture of protein, shrimp, chicken and tofu. Nice basil flavor cooked in a coconut broth. It is a large bowl!! And I could not finish it all but was happy to bring home leftovers. It was also super hot when it arrived to the table and took a while to cool down in the bowl. It wasn't too spicy either. We shared the island nachos with tuna on top! They were a bit messy, and I don't feel like they came with enough chips in them so we had to finish eating it with our forks, which was fine but the chips were good. We ordered Mai tais, and be warned they are very strong!! I think for future visits I'd rather go with something else. Like I really wanted to try the freaky tiki!! Because I saw someone with it when I walked in and it looked pretty good!! And it might not be as intense with the booze, I'm not saying the mai tai was bad just saying it was more alcohol forward than flavorful. But a good bang for your buck!! Very cool, hip spot!! Oh and our server was so sweet and we ordered fairly slow. One thing at a time, finishing one item then seeing how we felt and ordering more if we were still hungry. He was totally cool with this and we didn't feel rushed or as if we needed to make a decision on our whole meal right away. read more

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I had a mixed experience at this Hawaiian spot -- not bad, but not amazing either. The standout was definitely the soup I ordered -- full of flavor, hot, and incredibly comforting. That alone might bring me back. I also tried the spam, sushi??? and I have to say... it was worth it. Cooked just right and packed with that salty-sweet goodness you want in Hawaiian fare.The Pad See Ew was just okay- only because I've had it in china town I added shrimp and broccoli to give it a little more oomph, and while it helped, the dish overall lacked the bold flavor I was hoping for. Service was decent, and the atmosphere was chill. Not a bad experience, but next time I might stick to the soup-- read more

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This place is really fun, interesting decor, good food, good service. I would go here again. We got the cucumber kimchi, it was absolutely delicious. Nice and spicy so I wanted white rice with it. I got a mocktail piña colada, and my brother got a Mai Tai. Both were good. I got the vegan panang curry-- the broth was very good. I would just eat that over white rice. The vegetables were a little bit lacking, mostly the really white watery part of bok choy. My brother got a vegan teriyaki, tofu and vegetable dish. Which he quite enjoyed. read more

Ambiance is really hawaiian vibe. Coconut ube pinacolada was the best. Every food that we ordered was spot on read more

Wow. Some of the best food in my life was consumed at AO Hawaiian Hideout. The honey garlic shrimp noodles were unforgettable. It had all my favorite green foods in it: zucchini, broccoli, fresh jalapeño, basil, and cilantro. They were perfectly balanced and complimented by the generous portion of well cooked shrimp, the spaghetti-like noodles and the sweet yet garlicky and a little spicy sauce. I seriously cannot stop thinking about how good this was. Not pictured are the crabrangoons (perfectly golden brown and pretty huge, some of the best I've had) and the mulled wine we enjoyed on a Wednesday happy hour for only $6 (it was so cozy and delicious)! The vibe inside really does make you forget you're in Chicago with fun and on-theme decor and wall murals around the whole restaurant. Service was extremely quick and friendly, which was appreciated because we had a show to catch at the planetarium. I'm already planning my next excuse to come back here! read more

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This place is so good I keep forgetting to review it- -too busy enjoying while I'm there and too busy talking about it on the way home. Service - 5 stars Ambiance - kitschy, cute, exactly what a Hawaiian hideout should be Food - FIRE!!!! It is all amazing. Go! You can thank me later! And don't forget to order a cute drink. The lemonades are delicious. read more

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There was such a wide variety of food on the menu. The portions were large and the flavors were pretty authentic. I tried the Signature Spicy Garlic Hawaiian Saimin Noodles and the Loco Moco. The servers were attentive! They were checking up on us often throughout our meal. Lastly, the ambiance was impeccable. The servers were in Hawaiian shirts. The island decorations were fun and colorful! It all made for a fun dining experience. read more

AO Hawaiian Hideout - Signature Hawaiian Spicy Garlic Saimin - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This was an amazing experience. Lovely decor/ambiance but the real star of the show was the food. Every single thing (4-5 different dishes) we ate was amazing but the pork was over the top amazing. I will definitely be returning! read more

- Vibes: dinner with friends or casual date, festively decked out in Hawaiian theme - Crowd: busy but no wait on Friday night - Menu: 5/5 (lots of choices) - Value for price: 4/5 (~$15 drinks, $15-20 main dishes) - Service: pretty quick (food for party of 6 was ready in 15min) - Vegan friendly! AO was the pre-going out dinner choice for my group of 6 on a Friday night. Very chill and casual, but they have very aesthetic drinks and an adorable setting for photos and overall good vibes. Our drinks were yummy and decently strong. I had the Osaka passion which was the least sweet of their drinks, and my friend's Mai tai was very potent. I really enjoyed the nitsume unagi poke bowl- delicious sauce, good amount of protein, and the toppings were fresh and yummy (daikon, seaweed salad, mushrooms, carrots). Only reason for the 4 stars was the small size of the drinks/food for the price point, but you're paying for the vibes I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ read more

AO Hawaiian Hideout - Nitsume Unagi Poke bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very fin atmosphere! I had spicy salmon bowl.Good quality and a lot of fresh ingredients.

I met my friend here for a weeknight dinner--sat down at 6:32 and got our food at 6:41--quickest service ever! We did not drink this night but the cocktails give island vibes and look amazing! They have a lot of food variety to choose from and even have a vegetarian/vegan friendly menu. You can get whatever you are craving--from a cold, savory poke bowl to a hot fresh bowl of Thai curry or noodles. It was a pretty hot day, so I got a salmon poke bowl and it was a huge portion with a variety of vegetables, fresh fish, and spicy sauce. Next time I will ask for sauces on the side so the dish does not get soggy too quickly. I'd love to try their brunch sometime! read more

It's good. Got in during their brunch special pricing and ate a good value meal. Service was within 5 minutes. You seat yourself if you didn't reserve. There was plenty of space yet also plenty of people there too. The flavors were good for the food. Nice way to try some Hawaiian dish. The decor inside is vibrant and all over. So you can escape to the experience of the place easily. Overall a good place to for food. read more

AO Hawaiian Hideout - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very fun kitschy hawaiian restaurant/tiki bar with reasonable prices and big portions. The inside is so fun- standouts include a huge shark on the wall and a ton of cool novelty drink glasses when you walk in. Food was good too- I miss having L&L on the east coast and AO hit the spot. I got the Kalua Pig, and it was massive (esp for $16) with a huge hunk of pork, rice, Mac salad, and spicy cucumber. The pork was soft and juicy, and the zing from the cucumbers was perfect for cutting through the fattiness. My friend got the Garlic Shrimp noodles which I tried- so buttery and tasty. I also had a sip of his Mai Tai which was strong. Overall this was a very fun post flight meal for my friend and I, and would definitely recommend checking it out if you're looking for a memorable spot. read more

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Couldn't remember how many time on to this place when it was Asian Outpost and the new place. I finally went back for my first Elite event back on the Squad (after a work stint with Yelp)! The service was great. The decor is excellent and fun. There was Hawaiian music with an excellent ukulele player. The Penang Curry and everything else was really good including the egg roll s. The drinks were really fun, especially the coconut rum coladas! Justo go! A fun time! read more

AO Hawaiian Hideout - Lillikoi! Tart but yum! Reminds me of a kir royale with OJ! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The spicy tuna onigiri is sooo good and the servers are always super friendly. Really enjoy going here for a quick bite or happy hour

If you don't know anything about Hawai'ian cuisine, you might really like this place. Since I was looking for authentic Hawai'ian I was sorely disappointed. It's a Chinese version of American Tiki, so it's kind of an oddly uninformed second hand stereotype. They don't have the traditional Tiki cocktails down pat, so my scorpion wasn't exactly right. The quirky décor isn't quite Tiki, isn't quite Chinese-American, and is not at all Hawai'ian, neither Local nor Native. It is entertaining and fun though, if you get past the odd ethnic appropriation. Avoid anything that purports to be Hawai'ian and instead go for the Indonesian noodle soup which is VERY authentic, as well as quite tasty. Be careful of the fun (but NOT traditional) Hawai'ian-Tiki ceramic mugs, they are very enticing but can be bought online for less than 50% of what they charge here. read more

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I wouldn't say I'm the most traveled type of person out here, but I have no doubt in my mind that Hawaii is the most beautiful place in the world. It also has some of the best food I have ever had. So naturally when I found out there is a Hawaiian restaurant in my neighborhood, I couldn't contain my excitement. The space is a lot of fun with awesome decorations and seemingly really fun drinks. I didn't have one unfortunately. But I did order some classics to see how the venue stacks up: musubi and loco moco. The musubi was precisely what I expected it to be. I now want to make some at home really badly. The loco moco was ok, unfortunately nothing compared to the one I had at Dukes. My girlfriend had the orange chicken. I tried it and it was ok. read more

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oh my GOSH this place is awesome!!! decor is cute and inviting without being orientalist. light music to get you in the tropical mood. our poke bowls were fresh, well seasoned, and the perfect size. and the drinks ?? don't get me started.... the freaky tiki is a frozen DELIGHT but the whole menu looked great. we did have to flag down our server to get our orders in but otherwise a great, solidly mid-price range spot (around $40 each with a shared app and entree & drink each). great for an elevated casual catchup with a friend or for families. read more

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Popped in to AO Hawaiian Hideout on a quiet afternoon to check out this beautiful Hawaiian themed restaurant. From the moment you enter, AO brings you on a Polynesian adventure. I particularly was interested in trying their savory Spicy Indonesian Seafood Noodle Soup. This bowl seems to be the popular pick as it can be seen all over their Yelp page. I was plesantly surprised by the variety of seafood in this bowl--shrimp, fish filet, soft-shelled crab, imitation crab and green scallions. I ordered the soup broth mild, and it was prepared exactly to my tolerance. I am quite impressed by the flavor of the broth, but not as impressed by the selection of noodle. I'm not a huge fan of eating spaghetti noodles in an Asian soup and would have enjoyed ramen, egg, or even rice noodes instead as substitute. I also ordered their BBQ ribs that requires a 20 minutes wait and comes with a side of rice, macaroni salad, and chili cucumbers. I wasn't a fan of their BBQ as the meat was baked without a light crispy crust as I would have much preferred. I would definitely return to AO Hawaiian Hideout again to check out their other options. You can definitely tell that the restaurant is a precious project of their owners for the effort invested in giving their customers a beautiful dining experience. read more

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