First time at Breakers in Encinitas. Great ambiance, great service, and good food. The Island decor all throughout the inside and different outdoor areas makes you forget you in the city for a moment and transport you right into a Hawaiian state of mind. We were on the area early so we can to take advantage of happy hour specials. We tried the Kalua pork sliders, Teriyaki chicken plate with pineapple coleslaw and Mac salad, coconut shrimp, and musubi. All food was ready before we even finished getting our drinks, which was good sine we were hungry. We also opt to get a couple of nice souvenir shirts. Very impressed by the setting Breakers restaurant offers and we're sure to come back read more

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My wish for improvement on the food and service for Breakers is my hope to give a better review next time. First time walking in, no host and confused. Seems dingy and unkept. Not many diners had me worried. Indoor and outdoor patios available for small and large parties. Menu had a variety of Hawaiian local eats and specialties. Very expensive for the portion sizes. The taste and how it was prepared was the second downfall. Ahi fish previously frozen, thawed and then seared had a weird texture. The rice was one of the mushiest and flavor lackluster. Need someone who knows how to cook rice properly. Spam musubi was heavy on the rice ratio. Plate lunch mac salad was not terrible but weird texture and taste. Did not like the seasoning on the seared fish. Table service food delivery was not good or bad. Additional star for dog friendly restaurant. read more

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Breakers, I want you to be great! Aesthetically, you're there. The vibe, you're there. Your food, not so much. Plz do what you can to improve the taste of your food! The food is either bland, dry, or not fresh tasting. It just misses the mark every time. Your cocktails are solid - the mai tai is the best on the mainland I've had thus far - reminded me of Merriman's/monkeypods, I'll take it. However, the rice is stiff, the teriyaki dishes are bland, and the Mac salad is off -- also the musubi needs to be improved. read more

A bar has so many great aspects to it. You can listen to great music sit and eat drink some good drink people watch even dance. I really enjoyed myself at this bar. Everyone seemed happy there. There were so much going on the band that was playing was wonderful. The singers were great and the guitarist was totally awesome. I would definitely come here again. Love the beach vibe. read more

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Had a doc appt at Scripps near this restaurant. Really cool place with a great beach vibe. Had some Loco Moco and katsu Ahi. Food tasty although egg over cooked on loco moco. Will try again. read more

Breakers - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Came here for lunch with some friends. We're all from Hawai'i so have been very excited to try it. Love that there is a patio that allows dogs. Great vibe to hang out with friends. The food was just ok all around. The salad and coleslaw was wayyyy over dressed. The kalbi was also super fatty. The fried rice was also just ok. Overall, while the menu reminded me of home, the execution was not quite there. Would come again to hang out and get a few drink, but probably not just solely for food. read more

Breakers - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great atmosphere, very dog friendly. Back patio open area and open floor dining. We ordered- Spam Musubi was delicious Pineapple coleslaw was really flavorful They have a coffee bar that I will try the next go round. Give it a shoot it's a good hangout for brunch. read more

A taste of the Hawaii on the mainland! Food was great and drinks were strong! Ambiance is fun yet cozy. Ahi katsu and mac salad were a standout! read more

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Came here with a big group for happy hour after work. We had a table reserved outdoors, which was nice. You order at the counter and they bring the food over -- service was friendly and quick. I tried the Ahi Katsu with coleslaw, mac and cheese, and kimchi. The ahi katsu was really good -- super crispy and flavorful -- and the coleslaw was great too. The other sides were just okay. There was live music starting up as we were leaving, which gave the place a fun vibe. Overall, it was a chill spot with good service and decent food -- solid for a casual hangout, but not something I'd go out of my way for. read more

Breakers - Ahi Katsu with sides of Kimchi, Coleslaw and Mac n Cheese - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

It truly is a Hawaiian dream, surfer cool and great staff. I loved my chicken teriyaki and margarita!!!!! Mo is amazing, fun, cute and took great care of us ‼ read more

Breakers - Mo is super cool - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Cute beachy/ Hawaiian place in Encinitas. Went with a few friends and we all enjoyed our food. I had the tofu lunch platter with pineapple slaw and mac salad. The sauteed tofu had a nice spicy kick, the slaw very tasty, and I loved the mac salad. It seemed to have lots of pepper, parmesaun cheese and rotini noodles. My friends had very things, from Kalua pork, blackened ahi, Mahi mayo salad and teriyaki chicken plates. They all enjoyed their meall. We all had the lunch plates, and their portions were pretty big. We were a bit dissapointed as some of the things we wanted to order they were out of at. We were there around 12:30. If in the area again I would try it again. The place was cute we sat outside on the covered patio. They have turf and a small stage for music on the weekends. Oh and close by is the gorgeous Encinitas Community Park where we walked afterward. read more

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Reasons to visit: Great bar Kid friendly fenced in yard Indoor and outdoor seating You get to sits on seats from Captain Keno's! Super fun surf vibe Reason it is 4 stars: I am just not a fan of Hawaiian food. They have added a few more things, like a burger. I would like to see that trend continue. More SoCal beach food. read more

Breakers - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Came her with a big group, the food was great! I should have tried the salad but was craving macaroni salad but ended up getting the ahi tuna katsu!!! It was so crispy and surprisingly very good! I decided to try something instead of getting chicken! It's pretty good and the dranks were strong af!!! read more

Breakers - I got a Maui Tai and it was so good!!! Definitely worth the price! - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

First time checking out this place and it didn't disappoint also, The interior of this spot was unlike anything I've seen. I definitely will be going back. Great Spam Musubi! read more

Breakers - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Lived in Hawaii for over 3 decades. My wife who is born and raised saw this on Yelp and was excited to support this business. Anything Hawai'i she always wants to show up and support. It may be growing pains since they newly opened a month ago. Came in and they said they are out of everything except for three items. Gave my wife the "look" to hele (get going) and she still ordered. Da items: Poke Loco Moco Fried Rice Portions are manini (small) not just mainland small like Costco sample size. If you're from the island you know rice is life and the rice was all hamajang (messed up) too much water to portion of rice. If you cannot do the finger check correctly then stick to the rice cooker and use the measuring cup. Brah, the Loco Moco was sad like I tried but no can. Like you ask for Aloha shoyu but you get Kikomon it's not the same. The patty was dry and the rice was soggy. The good thing about this place is the ambiance. It had the Aloha spirit in the place, just not in the food. The braddah in the front was apologetic about being out of 90 percent of the menu. People were watching a Padres game. The staff looked like they we hustling. My wife wants to give this place another try in a few months. I know my "look" won't work so yeah hopefully it will be good to go when we return. Hoping for the best for this place. read more

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The vibes of this place are so comfortable and chill. I'd come back here in the evening because it's not a typical brunch spot. The brunch was ok, but more working man Hawaiian breakfast with spam than touristy mac nut pancakes. Bummer they didn't have the touristy options but I get it trying to be more authentic. read more

Breakers was suggested as a lunch stop since I was craving Hawaiian food, and we were in the area. It looks like a cute plantation style house with rocking chairs out front, a bar with lots of seating and the outdoor patio. It really has a laid back breezy vibe and I especially liked the outside patio that had a little grassy area and a table separated from the rest. Ambiance 100% and is mostly what contributed to the 4 stars. I didn't realize this was an order at the counter place, and would've helped to have a sign "order here" or something along those lines. The menu is rather small and I decided on the ahi katsu, so ordered that with mac salad and pineapple Cole slaw. First off, the good - the ahi katsu was very good, crispy on the outside and the fish tasted fresh. The pineapple Cole slaw was decent with a nice pineapple flavor, although it was a little runny and got all over all the other items on the plate. Next, the not so good - the mac salad was a little disappointing and was not at all like the local mac salad. It looked like it was rotini pasta and had nothing else in it, just some furikake sprinkled on top. There was only one rice scoop and if you know local plate lunches, you gotta have a lot of rice. Lastly, the price was a little more than I expected but I understand that fish, along with everything, else has gone up in price. Overall, I think people come here for the vibe and drinks, and I hear there is live music too. It is a cool place to hang out and I can imagine it's popular with the surfers. read more

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Have been waiting for Breakers to open for some time now and it's finally here! With a cool Hawaiian sports bar theme, this spot has some great food & vibes. Went for lunch on a Sunday and got the loco moco. A friend had the kaluah pork plate and got her husband terrayki chicken to go. Food had tons of flavor and is reasonably priced! Cocktails were strong and mighty! Use caution when ordering the Mai tai but mentally it takes you right to the beaches of the island. We got some super yummy margaritas too with some plum dust type of topping- really good. Peep the old captain keno's furniture too! It's such a cool spot. Can't wait to go back read more

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First time coming here for lunch. The food was amazing, as well as the service. Our server was great. She recommended the ahi katsu plate. It was excellent. The ambiance is like a Hawaiian vibe. Very nice place to go to. read more

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Ambiance: First of all, it feels like you're actually in a Hawaiian bar because the bar was actually moved from Hawaii. The decor feels authentic, warm and vintage (in the good way). It's refreshing to find a cozy, unique bar like this and not another super modern / flashy establishment. Atmosphere: The staff was all laughing and working together, and it made the whole atmosphere more fun and relaxed. They also had live music on a random Thursday and it was Willy Nelson's son who came and performed (I guess he's friends with the owner). Food: PHENOMENAL. Best Blackened Mahi sandwich I've ever had. Wife had the Teriyaki Chicken and smashed it. Usually I get at least 1/3 of her dishes. Cocktails/Drinks: Get the Mai Tai with the Lilikoi Foam. And they have Societe Pupil (best SD IPA, IMO) and a couple Maui Brewing beers as well. Family friendly: Our toddlers also loved the place. Big booths and leather chairs were great for them. And Breakers has a big back patio for them to have some extra space. TAKEAWAY: Finding Breakers was a big overall win. My wife and I were stoked to find this place as it's just off the Sante Fe exit in Encinitas and a great quick-stop after running the kids around. read more

We wanted to take my friend here because we heard they have all the old Captain Keeno furniture. That vibe was good. We loved sitting and reminiscing about our old space that we used to hang out a lot at. My friend ordered a teriyaki chicken and I ordered a musubi with a macaroni salad on the side. I now see they have loco moco, and wish they would've had it the day. I was there, the menu only had like four things on it, but we were there pretty close to when they first opened. Our server was amazing didn't overpower us, but checked in enough. The inside and outside is a cool place to sit and hang out. It looks like they have a cool cocktail bar although I didn't have a cocktail. Overall, this is pretty cool place. The Hawaiian by the strong and the food is better than average. Give it a try. read more

Breakers - Musubi - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

My husband and I were headed to a different restaurant tonight at the beach. I was telling him how much I used to love Yogi's bar and Grill back in Cardiff and I kind of felt like a local vibe place that had a bar and grill. A close friend of ours posted they were at Breakers in Encinitas and enjoying some great live music. So we decided to cancel our reservations and head over there. Having lived in Hawaii twice, I like positive aloha vibes and I must say the moment I walked in that's exactly what we got. The music was some younger kids that were just mind blowing good. I don't know the name of the band, but they were at least in junior high or high school and they knew old school music from 1970s that was so amazing. Rock and roll!!! The food was total Ono grinds! I enjoyed the kahlua pork plate which was super tender and the Mac Salad brought me back to the plate lunches in Hawaii. The service is amazing and attentive. The mai tais were strong and refreshing! I loved the food and the ambiance of colorful locals and young families! There was a nice breeze coming through the patio. What a fun place filled with Aloha vibes! read more

I really wanted to like this place. It's close to home, the space nods nicely to the old Captain Keno's booths, and the vibe suggests something fun and local. Unfortunately, Breakers consistently misses where it matters most: food execution and basic service. The ordering system is awkward right out of the gate. Food from one counter, drinks from another, take a number, find your own seat, self-serve water, hope for the best. It feels less "laid-back Hawaiian" and more "figure it out yourself." Then there's the food. Overdressed salads, overcooked proteins, and a general lack of flavor across the board. My poke was the breaking point. The tuna was visibly brown and clearly not fresh. To their credit, they took it back and didn't charge me, but once you've been served bad fish, the damage is done. That's not a small miss. After reading other Yelp and Google reviews, my experience wasn't an outlier. Bland loco mocos, chewy kalbi, inconsistent sides, orders coming out at different times, and staff that often seems indifferent or defensive rather than hospitable. Some people seem fine with it, but many reviews echo the same themes: confusion, inconsistency, and food that doesn't justify the prices. Breakers has a good space and a concept with potential, but potential doesn't excuse poor execution. In a neighborhood full of places that are genuinely trying harder, I can't see a reason to come back. I hate leaving bad reviews, especially for new spots, but this one earned it. Vibe alone isn't enough. read more

I came here on a Thursday afternoon for lunch. You can just walk in, no reservation needed. The place is so cute and has a laid-back, Hawaii-style vibe. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, and it's dog-friendly. You order at the counter, get a number, and they bring your food out to your table. We sat outdoors. The menu offers sandwiches as well as plate lunches. We had the Teriyaki Chicken and the Ahi Katsu. With the plate lunches, you can choose three sides. I went with mac & cheese, potato salad, coleslaw, and the wahine salad. The portions were huge and everything tasted fresh. The service was great. It wasn't too busy, and our food came out quickly. They do offer complimentary water, though I wish the cups were larger so you don't have to keep refilling. Overall, it's a great spot with friendly service, generous portions, and a fun island-inspired atmosphere. Definitely worth checking out! read more

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Visited Breakers last night and loved it. Such a cool space both inside and outside, and it was awesome seeing some of Keno's decor incorporated (RIP Keno's). We came for happy hour and ordered the teriyaki chicken plates, a Mai Tai, and a beer--great prices across the board. The service was excellent, and everyone was so friendly and welcoming. We'll definitely be back! read more

Came here for lunch. It's very cute. We chose a table outside. You order at the counter. I was hoping that they would have Katsu on their menu. They don't, but said they might in the future. I was thinking about ordering Kalbi but they were out of it. They also didn't have poke, which was disappointing. I ordered the teriyaki chicken plate that came with 3 sides. I chose white rice, Mac salad and pineapple coleslaw. Food came out quickly and the portions are large. The teriyaki chicken was wonderful. I'm not a huge teriyaki fan because it's usually way too sweet, but this one was very good. The sauce was definitely not too sweet and did not over power the chicken. Delicious! Not impressed with the Mac salad. Didn't taste like the Hawaiian style. Coleslaw was good, but pretty runny. Their display case in the front was pretty empty, disappointing. Service very friendly. Looks like a great place to have a cocktail. Give it a try! read more

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Im really hoping for this place to make it. Love the ambiance. Place always has a good vibe and crowd. Employees are nice but I've found the food a little hit or miss. Teriyaki chicken can be fantastic or the next time too dry to swallow. I had the kalau pork a few times and loved it. Last time it tasted weird and I couldn't eat it. The mai tais are always good but very pricy. I love the ambiance and all the kenos old booths and the tiki decor. Love the outside dog park area with a few tables. Im chalking up the food inconsistencies to new restaurant pains. Like I said I really want this place to succeed so I will keep giving it a chance. read more

The decor and atmosphere is great. I went during the day. I'm sure it's even a better vibe at night especially with live music. However, the food was just subpar . I ordered the chicken teriyaki. The chicken was super dry even a bit crunchy. The Mac salad and the pineapple coleslaw, lacked flavor and seasoning. I'm pulling for them to succeed but the food quality needs to match the vibe and decor. read more

Breakers - Chicken teriyaki plate - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Ambiance: 5 stars. Kid friendly (booth seating, can roam around to an extent). Live music - jack johnson type music. Unless you sit at the bar, once you get your food, there is no further interaction. Water and to go packaging is self serve, utensils and napkins are at the table. Food ( order at counter, get your number, and sit at any available table): 2 stars Kalbi (entree comes with 3 sides): our kalbi loving kids found the kalbi here spicy. Adults tasted and confirmed there was a slight kick, told the server, she said it's typically sweet, we repeated that it was a little spicy, and she didn't do or say anything further. Adults felt the meat was chewy and too saucy. Loco moco (entree): one patty with maybe one ladle of gravy, 2 small fried eggs, and 2-3 flattened mounds of white rice for $22. Patty was tasty but comically small compared to the rice. Gravy was slightly better than bland. When we ordered at the counter, she checked to see if we could order this as she stated the base of it was fried rice and kitchen was almost out of fried rice. When the food came out, we brought up the lack of fried rice, and she realized she led us astray as the real base was white rice and not fried rice. Due to this, she was willing to bring out a complimentary order of fried rice. We asked for fries instead because, so far, the kids weren't willing to eat anything but the white rice. Ahi katsu (entree comes with 3 sides): crisp but bland. Recommend asking for a side of sauce to dip katsu in. Macaroni salad (chosen as a side): bland. Wahine salad (chosen as a side): surprisingly spicy. Did not expect to find a kimchi piece in it. Out of everything we ordered, I liked this the best. The crunch from the almond slices, the sweetness from the strawberries, and the heat from their vinaigrette worked really well together. Happy the side portions are large. read more

Love this cute Hawaiian addition to the Encinitas food scene. They have a limited menu but a full bar. I loved the outdoor patio and they had a Hawaiian musician singing. Such a cute relaxing vibe. I loved the cocktails I had including the spicy margarita and house made Mai tai. My one piece of feedback is there is no kids menu and my kids didn't like anything they ordered for an entree. I had to order them a dominoes pizza. They did try to switch the ahi katsu for sesame tofu but my tip would be to add chicken katsu for kids. They already have the katsu breading but I couldn't fool my kids into eating medium rare ahi katsu. Add some chicken katsu and we would love to come back! read more

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At first I was only going to write about the food, but actually I can't tell which was worse, the service or the food. maybe we just caught them at a bad time. Food - this place is not a place for food if you're trying to eat authentic hawaiian food. The loco moco was bland. Gravy was bland. I think this place is more like a tiki bar, a place that you come to mainly drink. Service - the place was empty when we came at 1130am, so we sat on one of the table tops. As soon as a large party came in, one of the servers asked us to move and didnt help us move any of our food our utensils. they just passed it to me to move it myself lol. thats cool i guess anyway, even if you dont care about the service, still, dont come for the food lol, just drinks maybe. read more

We had the best night at Breakers. Stopped in on a Friday around 5:45 pm. Plenty of seating open, only a short line to order food. Had my two young kids with us, also, and this spot is a hit for grown ups and children alike. Super friendly and fast service, laid back atmosphere, delicious Mai Tais (omg to the passion fruit foam), awesome food (some favorites were the kahlua pork, ahi katsu, coleslaw, mac salad), lovely backyard with live Hawaiian music and space for us all to dance. What a joy!! One of our new favorite Encinitas spots. read more

Breakers - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

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First day open and we were lucky enough to drop in and get a couple of The Best Kahlúa pork sandwiches ever Malia was a fantastic server. The place is outrageous and fun. Mai Tais come next, but it will be one of our new favorite spots. You have to try it out. read more

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This is my second visit to Breakers. 7/24/25 dinner. Party of 1. What a different a few weeks make in terms of service, food quality, value and overall experience. The full menu is posted above the order counter. Unlike my visit a few weeks earlier Everything was available ! I ordered the Katsu Ahi plate with Mac salad , Rice and coleslaw. I believe the gentleman taking my order was the manager or owner. When I asked for water he gave me a cup and said I could help myself to the soda if I preferred . I took my number sign and sat down. Because it was later in the evening the waitress came by to advise my food would take longer than usual as she let one of the cooks off early as business was winding down for the evening. She was very apologetic as she realized after the fact more customers were coming in . I was not in a hurry so it was fine. She offered a complimentary drink from the bar. I declined with the excuse I wasn't drinking alcohol and I had my soda. She inquired if I wanted a mocktail. Which I was very open to it. She brought me back this amazing drink. I don't know what it's called but it was delicious. My ahi arrived and it was cooked perfectly. Omg! Katsu Ahi who would have thought it could be soooo good. Super Crunchy on the outside, ahi could have been double dredged, it was solid and uniform breading Not greasy in the least. Drizzled with delicious sauce, and tender on the inside. Cutlery is now on the table, and not plastic I'm so glad I went back to give Breakers another shot. They are evolving and perfecting their operation. I can't wait to go back and try the pulled pork. I overheard the gentleman who took my order tell a customer about having live music coming in a few weeks ! I highly recommend read more

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Encinitas has a gem in a little strip mall conveniently located just off the 5 freeway! Pro surfer Benji Weatherley's new restaurant comes with a story that touched me back in 2018 when the movie Momentum Generation came out. The movie tells the story of a group of surfers and Benji is one of them. I was most impressed with his mom, Barbara, who opened her home in Hawaii to dozens of young surfers and was, IMO, responsible for their success by feeding them, making sure they had a roof over their heads and gave them a "home". To me, Barbara is a celebrity so when I spotted her at Breakers, I was completely star struck! I am so thrilled that Benji opened a restaurant to continue the Weatherley legacy providing a welcoming, affordable, healthy place for kids,, surfers, families, and the whole community to come together and make connections and memories! The ambiance at Breakers is FUN! It's nostalgic to see the old Captain Keno booths and lamps. There are a handful of huge televisions making it a great place to catch a game. The back patio is huge with a grassy area and a stage for entertainment. I hear there will be ukulele jam sessions out on the lawn coming soon. As for the food and drink, I don't drink but my friends said the Mai Tai and margarita were delicious...and strong! The ahi plate was fantastic! Each piece was perfectly seared and able to cut with a fork. The blackened seasoning was delicious and each bite melted in my mouth. The ahi was served with a hefty portion of rice and I chose the pineapple coleslaw which had a surprising kick to it! Great meal and EXCELLENT service! I'll conclude with a little story from my visit to Breakers that shows why this place is special and will be the heart of Encinitas. When we first arrived, we saw there were a few tables open and quickly noticed there was one Captain Keno booth left. My friends beelined for the booth like kids playing musical chairs. Already there was excitement in the air. Next I spot Barbara and act like a psycho fan. She and I chat for about 15 minutes while we waited for our food. Already I felt like family. Right next to our table was a "claw" machine with a bunch of rubber ducks in it. Now these claw machines are notorious for eating up all your money. While we were there, at least 3 kids won prizes! It was so exciting until someone screamed really loud! Apparently there is a giant "duck" that wins the grand prize and this little girl won it! Those kids will ALWAYS remember that duck and Breakers! Looking forward to returning next week. Brushing up on my ukulele skills. Wishing Breakers tremendous success! Mahalo! read more

Breakers - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

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It's OPEN! Was driving by today and saw the doors open with a bright neon OPEN sign. Food and drinks are great. Service and environment was even better. most definitely my new watering hole. I had the Loco moco. By far the best one I've had in California... read more

Breakers - Bartender with a smile... - Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Absolutely love the vibe of this place, decor is awesome and we love the live music. The problem was with the food unfortunately. We've been a few times now and unfortunately it's just okay. Both times my chicken teriyaki was pretty dry and not much flavor. Fortunately my husband's mahi was good and the rice was also. We were really disappointed that the two things we originally wanted to try (the crab cakes and coconut shrimp) were already sold out at 5pm and it wasn't that busy. As others have mentioned, I think with a few little tweeks on the food, this place could be great. read more

The atmosphere was OK, I would add live music on Sundays as well and create some sort of Sunday brunch. It was really dead on Sunday. The breakfast menu can use Portuguese sausage and a few other items The lunch and dinner menus need some working on you already carry chicken. Why not add some variations, get some garlic chicken in there some Mo Chico, chicken karage. Cousin? The Mac salad what's going on with that? It's so dry. Add a few more chicken options and Add a few variations to the spam musubi. Buy a machine for ice cream for some doll whip. It'll be amazing man. Best of luck to you and maybe we try again in a few months? read more

I won't call it 100% Hawaiian . Maybe describe as Hawaii street food ? Like food truck style. The food was ok. I had the kalua pork and didn't give the taste of it really. Maybe, because I have the 808 background and doesn't give a local taste. But its decent. Overall, good vibes and gives the Aloha spirit to have drinks and socialize. read more

This place was great. The fish was super fresh, and their macaroni salad is on point! I highly recommend. read more