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If you can smell the barbecue pork when you drive up, you are in the right place. This little local market offers a lot of variety, but the fresh Hawaiian style lunch plates are the feature. Since we were there early in the day, we grabbed a bacon and egg musubi and a breakfast bento box with adobo pork. The adobo pork was tender and delicious on top a bed of fried rice. The dish was topped with a scrambled egg. While I'm not a big bento box fan, I liked this one. The musubi is made fresh daily and was one of the best musubi that I have tasted. The ahi poke is made fresh daily as well, and the clerk was just putting out the tray as we were leaving. The poke looked delicious. I even bought a locally made birthday card (featuring Diamond Head, which we had just climbed). They have a small convenience store offering for the neighborhood. Beer, beverages, a bit of spirits, apples and cookies were on the shelves. The clerk was aloha friendly and was happy I bought a card. There are a few tables to eat outside. We parked in front of the store.
Fort Ruger Market is more like a convenience store rather than a market, that being said the food here is great and the portions are huge! I ordered the spicy ahi poke and their Ruger special poke with a base of white rice. They also offer brown rice, sushi rice, and greens as a base. Along with all of that each bowl comes with a side of your choice. Mac salad for me, it's truly one of my fave sides. Great flavor and super fresh, obviously! I wanted some of their homemade sauce on top, but they were out and the poke case was looking a little sparse when we got here, but we still got hooked up. Like I said, it's basically a convenience store that sells poke, so there's no place to sit and all drinks and snacks are grab-n-go style. Super friendly staff and very helpful to this haole, when I asked a million poke questions. Aloha!
I actually really liked the poke bowl and it was a huge portion and it came to about $22 and the fish was so fresh and they have about 6-8 options to choose from. I went with the house ahi and the spicy shoyu ahi and it had a nice kick to it and the combo of both on a bed of sushi rice, was great. You are allowed to pick one side, and I went with the spicy kim chee and again, a great kick! Don't sleep on the squid lau- it's like a creamed spinach and not cheap, it was delicious. So, why not 5 stars? The actual grocery was a wee bit lacking. No fun drinks, no fun desserts or local chips, etc.. No place to eat, so take it to go, like the beach. ;) Overall, great poke.
Wanted to give Fort Ruger a try after learning about their poke and lechon combo bowl! Fort Ruger Market is more of a convenience store with a hot window service. There weren't many options of food to order in the afternoon, so it may be best to go in the morning. We enjoyed sitting outside, we love the artwork! Unfortunately, the poke did not smell or taste fresh. The lechon seemed to have been sitting under a warming Iight all day. The pieces were very dry and the few pieces of pork skin were tough. The heavy oil from the lechon spilled onto the poke and rice, which was not a pleasant experience.
Haven't been to Ruger Market in awhile, as we no longer live in town. We were near Kaimuki today and decided to go back. Considering we showed up around lunch time, and there was a line of about 4 to 5 people ahead of us, service was pretty quick between the 2 people taking orders, and they were friendly. They have always had good food with good sized portions. Today, both my husband and I decided to get the lechon kawali plate, and we were a little disappointed. Both of us had a lot of tough pieces of meat that were hard to chew on. Unacceptable @ $21.95 per plate. Otherwise, the checkout was good as well. Cashier was very friendly, but not sure if it's enough for us to take a chance on going back.
We were all surprised how generous they were with the poke as they kept stuffing the bowl to the rim with fish. All my friends and I got the fresh mini poke bowl that comes with a side of choice. We got the limu, spicy shoyu, rugerlicious, and the tako and it was so fresh. The mini bowl is definitely enough for one person. To be honest, the mini felt like a regular sized poke bowl. I also recommend getting the fresh poke bowl where you get lechon on the side! The skin is very crispy and more on the fatty side. They also provide a complimentary vinegary sauce to with the lechon. Parking is limited with only 7 stalls at the storefront. We went on a Sunday at noon and there wasn't much poke flavor to pick from so I recommend coming before the lunch hour. Great spot to get food to picnic at Cromwell's beach!
Awesome service, got the amazing simply poke bowl with spicy togarashi, adobo, and mac salad. My girlfriend got the kalua pork, ocean salad, and kimchi cucumber. We'd definitely come back to try more things since both were so flavorful!
Wowwwww I love it here. It's so terrible that I never made it a point to come here but omfg this place is insane. Super good poke and they give a ton. I got the Ruger Poke special which came with my choice of Lechon, and kimchi omg. So. Much. Food. Insane. Everything was delicious too!! They have outdoor seating. The indoor also is like a mini market so you can grab your poke and a snack/drink if you want. Will definitely be back!
By the time this review gets posted, there's a high probability that Fort Ruger Market may not have much longer before they go out of business. The reason for our recent visit was because of a gift certificate given to us for Christmas. The store itself is spacious with a small parking lot in the front, but the interior looks extremely tired with merchandise shelves that are worn and practically bare. At the seafood counter, there's only a handful of poke options in the chiller. Along the steam table, there are about half dozen hot items that look as if they've been sitting around for a while. Note that we arrived at 11:45am on a Saturday. Hanging overhead, there's a modern digital menu with promising items, but mostly every item I tried to order they didn't have. I asked if it was because we were there too late in the day. The person behind the counter was nice enough to honestly disclose that the store owes too much money so they no longer carry a lot of anything at all. It's a good thing we were there to redeem the gift certificate so soon after the holidays. As for the takeout I managed to order, it was okay. I can certainly picture better days for this place. Here's what we tried.... - Ahi Poke by the pound: Fresh with good texture, not overly salty or drown in sesame oil like most poke shops. Unfortunately, like most places, it contained a hint of chili pepper which isn't our thing. Also, at $31.95 per lb., it's gotta be one of the most expensive poke on Oahu. - Lechon by the pound: Nice and crunchy, if not a bit overcooked on the meat side. The positive is that it wasn't too salty. Unfortunately, the 1 lb. container was about 1/3 pure fat and 1/3 overcooked meat which all went into the trash. - Pork Lau Lau Plate: Good portion, sizable and full of tender pork and luau leaf. The only downside is that the salt level was too high for us, but we personally are accustomed to low sodium so they're not at fault. However, the macaroni salad was a huge disappointment. It literally only tasted of Tabasco sauce and not much else. Lastly, the steamed white rice was also a let down. It was cooked with not enough water which makes for dry and hard results. Both sides went into the garbage. - Mixed Filipino Plate with Shoyu Chicken and Pinakbet: Shoyu chicken was okay if not a tad too sweet and a tad too dry. At least it wasn't too salty. Pinakbet was good. The veggies were tender and flavorful, but there was no bittermelon due to the fact that the business isn't doing well and couldn't afford the expense. Like the other plate, the macaroni salad and rice was inedible and had to be thrown away. If you're reading this review and are in possession of a gift certificate, go immediately! Yes, the staff there require a great amount of patience. It was unpleasantly stressful, but I'm glad we weren't too late.
Haven't been here in a while but we were in Kapahulu and wanted to eat somewhere we haven't been recently. Food looked good but the lechon was mostly fat with very little meat. I don't mind fat but it barely even rendered in most of the pieces. Ahi in the both the spicy ahi and spicy togarashi poke was below poke grade with over half of the pieces inedible due to being mostly sinew. It looks like ahi used is the type you'd scrape to make spicy ahi, not serve and hide with sauce. The best thing in our bowls were the kim chee and lomi salmon. The chicharron was the high point and I'm glad those are still ono. Service was pretty slow even though there were only a couple other people in the store. Sad to see the quality drop off so much. It'll be a while before we return and next time we'll stick to the hot food.
Poke me! Another hidden gem I've heard of from a co-worker. It's a convenient store located on Diamond Head. They have about 4-5 parking stalls out front of the store. You can also find parking on the street. We came here to grab longanisa bento for breakfast and for lunch, we picked up 2 mixed plates with pork adobo, pork guisantes, dinuguan/pork blood meat, and spicy ahi poke. The lady is super nice and friendly. I think she scooped a little extra since I gave her a big smile as well! :) This made me extra happy since I'll be sharing my plate lunch with another person. I know it's almost pork, pork, pork. But the meat in each dishes was not only seasoned well and burst into so much good flavors but the meat was super soft! It almost melts in your mouth or should I say, it was so tender and easy to chew ;) Either way, definitely a must try!!! The spicy ahi is also well made. I love it!!! I definitely will come back to try the other pokes and the lechon kawali (roast pork). They didn't have it when I went. It's a simple store filled with so much goodness. You can either grab your breakfast, lunch, dinner and even your non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks, some snacks or simply purchase a gift card to gift to someone ;) I know they'll enjoy you! Thank you for taking the time to read my post. Have a great evening!
Can. Not. Get. Enough. Of their chicken long rice! Been coming to Ruger forever and never been let down. These guys always serve up the best Hawaiian and Filipino local grinds. The lechon in particular is a total winner. Crispy skin with the juicy, fatty meat. Mmmmm! Order a combo plate or get it a la carte by weight. Visitors, do yourself a favor and take a break from the bougie joints on Kalākaua Avenue. Get some good local food, done right.
This Sunday, after I finished my long bicycle ride and I'm out of water so I stop by this place to get some drinks. Although I drove by this store like 1000 times in the past, I never went in. They have a few parkings in front of the store. Surprisingly, inside is pretty simple. They have some snack items. A lot of drinks. Poke, poke bowels. They also serves hot food, I did not order any hot food, so no common on that. They do have a sign saying 3% will be charged if we use credit card. At lease the sign is clearly displaced, not like some other stores try to put small print and hide it. All and all, a conscience spot in an area that no other store around. I did purchase some spicy ahi besides a drink and it tastes fresh. There are tables and chair that we can eat outside which is nice.
How prophetic- see Jennifer Y's review from a few months ago. Evidently Fort Ruger Market closed yesterday on April 14, 2026. Great memories over the decades. Too bad it didn't play out well. The boiled peanuts were always a buy when we were in the mood. A posting this morning on the doors indicates they will re-open after renovation (does not mention timetable). Social media indicated they closed down 4/14/26. Same owner? New owner? Totally different business? Would be a shame if the iconic "Fort Ruger Market" disappears. If you lived in Kaimuki or went to Kapiolani Community College, this store was an example of the mom n pop stores that used to dot many neighborhoods before the arrival of 7-11 and other convenience stores. They were a Kaimuki Institution for over 75+ years. Hope they come back in a new and better form. Posted notice seen 4/15/26. Note: 4/16/26- a kitv news broadcast indicated that the owner, connected with the Young Fish Market family, told KITV after renovation the bldg would be occupied by CU Korean store, and that they would carry some of the Ruger Mkt favorites like poke and boiled peanuts . Hope they can incorporate the Fort Ruger Market name. Too iconic to disappear. read more
I haven't been here in years, but it sure has gone downhill. I was at work and had ordered food on Uber Eats. I ordered the fresh two choice bowl ($25 on Uber Eats). I specifically put in the instructions that I wanted the Ruger special ahi and ginger ahi, also if it could be topped with unagi sauce. When I got my bowl I did not get any ahi. They gave me marlin and hamachi. I'm not a fan of those and it was so bland I had to douse it in soy sauce. They were out of the unagi sauce. Plus, the rice was barely warm. It was the worst poke bowl that I've ever had. I gave the bowl to my co-worker. What a waste of $25. It might be better if you go and get it in person. That way you can see what you're actually getting. read more
1 year ago
If you can smell the barbecue pork when you drive up, you are in the right place. This little local market offers a lot of variety, but the fresh Hawaiian style lunch plates are the feature. Since we were there early in the day, we grabbed a bacon and egg musubi and a breakfast bento box with adobo pork. The adobo pork was tender and delicious on top a bed of fried rice. The dish was topped with a scrambled egg. While I'm not a big bento box fan, I liked this one. The musubi is made fresh daily and was one of the best musubi that I have tasted. The ahi poke is made fresh daily as well, and the clerk was just putting out the tray as we were leaving. The poke looked delicious. I even bought a locally made birthday card (featuring Diamond Head, which we had just climbed). They have a small convenience store offering for the neighborhood. Beer, beverages, a bit of spirits, apples and cookies were on the shelves. The clerk was aloha friendly and was happy I bought a card. There are a few tables to eat outside. We parked in front of the store. read more
Fort Ruger Market is more like a convenience store rather than a market, that being said the food here is great and the portions are huge! I ordered the spicy ahi poke and their Ruger special poke with a base of white rice. They also offer brown rice, sushi rice, and greens as a base. Along with all of that each bowl comes with a side of your choice. Mac salad for me, it's truly one of my fave sides. Great flavor and super fresh, obviously! I wanted some of their homemade sauce on top, but they were out and the poke case was looking a little sparse when we got here, but we still got hooked up. Like I said, it's basically a convenience store that sells poke, so there's no place to sit and all drinks and snacks are grab-n-go style. Super friendly staff and very helpful to this haole, when I asked a million poke questions. Aloha! read more
1 year ago
I actually really liked the poke bowl and it was a huge portion and it came to about $22 and the fish was so fresh and they have about 6-8 options to choose from. I went with the house ahi and the spicy shoyu ahi and it had a nice kick to it and the combo of both on a bed of sushi rice, was great. You are allowed to pick one side, and I went with the spicy kim chee and again, a great kick! Don't sleep on the squid lau- it's like a creamed spinach and not cheap, it was delicious. So, why not 5 stars? The actual grocery was a wee bit lacking. No fun drinks, no fun desserts or local chips, etc.. No place to eat, so take it to go, like the beach. ;) Overall, great poke. read more
11 months ago
Wanted to give Fort Ruger a try after learning about their poke and lechon combo bowl! Fort Ruger Market is more of a convenience store with a hot window service. There weren't many options of food to order in the afternoon, so it may be best to go in the morning. We enjoyed sitting outside, we love the artwork! Unfortunately, the poke did not smell or taste fresh. The lechon seemed to have been sitting under a warming Iight all day. The pieces were very dry and the few pieces of pork skin were tough. The heavy oil from the lechon spilled onto the poke and rice, which was not a pleasant experience. read more
Haven't been to Ruger Market in awhile, as we no longer live in town. We were near Kaimuki today and decided to go back. Considering we showed up around lunch time, and there was a line of about 4 to 5 people ahead of us, service was pretty quick between the 2 people taking orders, and they were friendly. They have always had good food with good sized portions. Today, both my husband and I decided to get the lechon kawali plate, and we were a little disappointed. Both of us had a lot of tough pieces of meat that were hard to chew on. Unacceptable @ $21.95 per plate. Otherwise, the checkout was good as well. Cashier was very friendly, but not sure if it's enough for us to take a chance on going back. read more
We were all surprised how generous they were with the poke as they kept stuffing the bowl to the rim with fish. All my friends and I got the fresh mini poke bowl that comes with a side of choice. We got the limu, spicy shoyu, rugerlicious, and the tako and it was so fresh. The mini bowl is definitely enough for one person. To be honest, the mini felt like a regular sized poke bowl. I also recommend getting the fresh poke bowl where you get lechon on the side! The skin is very crispy and more on the fatty side. They also provide a complimentary vinegary sauce to with the lechon. Parking is limited with only 7 stalls at the storefront. We went on a Sunday at noon and there wasn't much poke flavor to pick from so I recommend coming before the lunch hour. Great spot to get food to picnic at Cromwell's beach! read more
Awesome service, got the amazing simply poke bowl with spicy togarashi, adobo, and mac salad. My girlfriend got the kalua pork, ocean salad, and kimchi cucumber. We'd definitely come back to try more things since both were so flavorful! read more
Wowwwww I love it here. It's so terrible that I never made it a point to come here but omfg this place is insane. Super good poke and they give a ton. I got the Ruger Poke special which came with my choice of Lechon, and kimchi omg. So. Much. Food. Insane. Everything was delicious too!! They have outdoor seating. The indoor also is like a mini market so you can grab your poke and a snack/drink if you want. Will definitely be back! read more
9 months ago
By the time this review gets posted, there's a high probability that Fort Ruger Market may not have much longer before they go out of business. The reason for our recent visit was because of a gift certificate given to us for Christmas. The store itself is spacious with a small parking lot in the front, but the interior looks extremely tired with merchandise shelves that are worn and practically bare. At the seafood counter, there's only a handful of poke options in the chiller. Along the steam table, there are about half dozen hot items that look as if they've been sitting around for a while. Note that we arrived at 11:45am on a Saturday. Hanging overhead, there's a modern digital menu with promising items, but mostly every item I tried to order they didn't have. I asked if it was because we were there too late in the day. The person behind the counter was nice enough to honestly disclose that the store owes too much money so they no longer carry a lot of anything at all. It's a good thing we were there to redeem the gift certificate so soon after the holidays. As for the takeout I managed to order, it was okay. I can certainly picture better days for this place. Here's what we tried.... - Ahi Poke by the pound: Fresh with good texture, not overly salty or drown in sesame oil like most poke shops. Unfortunately, like most places, it contained a hint of chili pepper which isn't our thing. Also, at $31.95 per lb., it's gotta be one of the most expensive poke on Oahu. - Lechon by the pound: Nice and crunchy, if not a bit overcooked on the meat side. The positive is that it wasn't too salty. Unfortunately, the 1 lb. container was about 1/3 pure fat and 1/3 overcooked meat which all went into the trash. - Pork Lau Lau Plate: Good portion, sizable and full of tender pork and luau leaf. The only downside is that the salt level was too high for us, but we personally are accustomed to low sodium so they're not at fault. However, the macaroni salad was a huge disappointment. It literally only tasted of Tabasco sauce and not much else. Lastly, the steamed white rice was also a let down. It was cooked with not enough water which makes for dry and hard results. Both sides went into the garbage. - Mixed Filipino Plate with Shoyu Chicken and Pinakbet: Shoyu chicken was okay if not a tad too sweet and a tad too dry. At least it wasn't too salty. Pinakbet was good. The veggies were tender and flavorful, but there was no bittermelon due to the fact that the business isn't doing well and couldn't afford the expense. Like the other plate, the macaroni salad and rice was inedible and had to be thrown away. If you're reading this review and are in possession of a gift certificate, go immediately! Yes, the staff there require a great amount of patience. It was unpleasantly stressful, but I'm glad we weren't too late. read more
1 year ago
Haven't been here in a while but we were in Kapahulu and wanted to eat somewhere we haven't been recently. Food looked good but the lechon was mostly fat with very little meat. I don't mind fat but it barely even rendered in most of the pieces. Ahi in the both the spicy ahi and spicy togarashi poke was below poke grade with over half of the pieces inedible due to being mostly sinew. It looks like ahi used is the type you'd scrape to make spicy ahi, not serve and hide with sauce. The best thing in our bowls were the kim chee and lomi salmon. The chicharron was the high point and I'm glad those are still ono. Service was pretty slow even though there were only a couple other people in the store. Sad to see the quality drop off so much. It'll be a while before we return and next time we'll stick to the hot food. read more
2 years ago
Poke me! Another hidden gem I've heard of from a co-worker. It's a convenient store located on Diamond Head. They have about 4-5 parking stalls out front of the store. You can also find parking on the street. We came here to grab longanisa bento for breakfast and for lunch, we picked up 2 mixed plates with pork adobo, pork guisantes, dinuguan/pork blood meat, and spicy ahi poke. The lady is super nice and friendly. I think she scooped a little extra since I gave her a big smile as well! :) This made me extra happy since I'll be sharing my plate lunch with another person. I know it's almost pork, pork, pork. But the meat in each dishes was not only seasoned well and burst into so much good flavors but the meat was super soft! It almost melts in your mouth or should I say, it was so tender and easy to chew ;) Either way, definitely a must try!!! The spicy ahi is also well made. I love it!!! I definitely will come back to try the other pokes and the lechon kawali (roast pork). They didn't have it when I went. It's a simple store filled with so much goodness. You can either grab your breakfast, lunch, dinner and even your non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks, some snacks or simply purchase a gift card to gift to someone ;) I know they'll enjoy you! Thank you for taking the time to read my post. Have a great evening! read more
7 months ago
Can. Not. Get. Enough. Of their chicken long rice! Been coming to Ruger forever and never been let down. These guys always serve up the best Hawaiian and Filipino local grinds. The lechon in particular is a total winner. Crispy skin with the juicy, fatty meat. Mmmmm! Order a combo plate or get it a la carte by weight. Visitors, do yourself a favor and take a break from the bougie joints on Kalākaua Avenue. Get some good local food, done right. read more
1 year ago
This Sunday, after I finished my long bicycle ride and I'm out of water so I stop by this place to get some drinks. Although I drove by this store like 1000 times in the past, I never went in. They have a few parkings in front of the store. Surprisingly, inside is pretty simple. They have some snack items. A lot of drinks. Poke, poke bowels. They also serves hot food, I did not order any hot food, so no common on that. They do have a sign saying 3% will be charged if we use credit card. At lease the sign is clearly displaced, not like some other stores try to put small print and hide it. All and all, a conscience spot in an area that no other store around. I did purchase some spicy ahi besides a drink and it tastes fresh. There are tables and chair that we can eat outside which is nice. read more
9 months ago
8 months ago
I've been coming to this place since I was a kid, when my dad first introduced me some 305+ years ago. They are still cranking out high quality poke and you can still get your bag of boiled peanuts. My dad would always grab a bag when we popped in, They are so juicy and flavorful. They now have a hamachi onolicious ginger poke, so onooooo!!! It's like cold ginger chicken sauce either hamachi. My favorite Chinese sauce with my favorite raw fish.......broke da mouth. Their poke bowls are awesome......you can go all fresh poke or poke with cooked meat (crispy pork, adobo, etc). They also have Hawaiian and/or Filipino food plate lunches! If you're in a rush, try their hot bar with hot and ready bentos or musubis. They are located right down the road from KCC and diamond head theater. If you weee just driving by and didn't know about this place....you'd be passing a diamond in the rough. read more
Today after work i decided to head to Fort Ruger Market located in Kaimuki near Diamond head Theatre. I remember way back in the day when my friends and I use to Cruz Waikiki we use to stopped here to buy some snacks . This Market is nostalgic in the Kaimuki area . I ordered their spicy Shoyu Ahi with spicy Salmon w/mayo. Their poke poke also comes with a choice of Kim Chee , Edamame, or ocean salad . It was very fresh auction quality fresh and you know when it's fresh at $25.99 a pound it's not frozen Ahi Lol! Next time I'll get their ruger special Ahi looked ono . This eatery also has plate lunches available along with drinks and other type of goodies . Support local when in the area . Service is also friendly and fast read more
2 years ago
Update 1-15-25. Didn't know what to eat for lunch but because we needed to pick up at Walmart things my husband said let's go ruger mkt to pick up something for lunch I said ok. I ordered small plate of Filipino pinabet and my husband ordered dingaguan. The pinabet was ok lots of Filipino beans and eggplant some tomatoes and pieces of crispy pork no okra or bittermelon. My husband dingaguan was ok but not like real Filipinos who makes just the blood and inners. Uses lots of pork mixed with the blood. Brought some boil peanuts haupia, and dry aku to round up our purchase. At least now got to try the Filipino dish. read more
We've had food from here before about two years ago, went to a housewarming party and they catered Hawaiian food. It was delicious but we haven't had it since then. Decided to come by on a Saturday morning for some brunch. Got their famous poke bowl with lechon and cucumber kimchi. It was absolutely delicious but so filling! Had to try the spicy pipikaula too, so good! We got their bacon and egg musubis too in case we got hungry later in the afternoon but could not eat it until the next day and it was still good after refrigerating and microwaving it. Service was amazing, everyone there was so nice! Can't wait to come back! read more
2 years ago
5 stars all around--The variety of poké, different combination plates (multiple poké choices or poké with meat + sides), and flavors of everything is what makes this 5 stars. Oh, and I cannot forget the portions--They do not skimp out! If you're ever near Diamond Head, I highly recommend going to Fort Ruger Market for some food/snacks/other local market items! read more
11 months ago
An underrated gem! Most think of Ono's Seafood as their default poke option if they are in the Diamond Head/Kapahulu area, myself included. I would not even have thought to explore other poke spots had I not stumbled upon this place while on a walk. I knew this place meant business as the establishment was humble, which is typically a good sign for authentic, no-frills poke (as it should be). Aside from poke, they serve other local favorites, like li hing mui pineapple and poi mochi. My friend and I tried their poke bowl and li hing mui pineapple, both of which hit the spot as we had hiked Diamond Head earlier. The fish was fresh and tasty. I appreciated that they did not overload the mayo in their spicy ahi, which is a common pitfall other pokes places have. The li hing mui pineapple was refreshing and served as a sweet contrast to the savory fish. I would definitely come here again if I'm in the neighborhood! read more
3 years ago
We had poke daily during our trip to Oahu and I found out about this spot from a locals tiktok. We stopped by after our Diamond Head hike as it was pretty close by. Out of the 4 other poke places this was one of our favorites! We opted for the poke bowl with the Ruger Special Ahi and Spicy Salmon. I wanted to try the lechon but we didn't want to be too full for dinner. The poke was fresh and flavorful and with an added spam musubi it was the perfect amount for a pre dinner snack after a quick hike. Overall, this is a nice spot to stop by for a quick snack that is a little more local than some of the other touristy poke spots. read more
1 year ago
Just picked up lunch, what's up with putting the lomi salmon on top of the food?!? Is this salsa topping? And pastele plate missing Mac salad. This is the second time I tried to support this place, I know get new owners but it's like they just think having the store name and location is good enough. Need to take pride in the plates more, lomi salmon poured over the plate is inacceptable. Get a cup for it! read more
8 months ago
The worst portion for the price. I got a chicken long rice bowl, and it was not ono at all. This lazy dude dumped soggy noodles in the takeout plate, and there's more rice than chicken or noodles. The chicken long rice had no flavor read more
1 year ago
9 months ago
You not going believe it I got to come here & right off the bat the family atmosphere strong, Braddah went automatically help me out as soon as he's done helping at all on a customers I got on da poke bowl with lechon so FIYAH mayjah action I tell you thank me later I haven't been here since a kid but wow 23yr later here we are food was fresh good portion service was cherry fast read more
2 years ago
Tried Rugger Market for the first time, and it was a mixed experience. The service was great--friendly and welcoming, which is always appreciated. Unfortunately, the food didn't quite hit the mark for me. The rice was hard, and as a true local, I know the rice makes or breaks the dish. I was looking forward to trying the boiled peanuts, which I'd heard good things about, but they were sold out by the time we arrived. The ambience was interesting--dimly lit, with a vibe that felt like stepping back into the old days. Overall, it's a place with potential, but the food quality needs to match the great service. read more
10 months ago
FRM has been open for 75 yrs and is owned by the same Filipino family that founded it. As the name indicates, it is near Ft Ruger in the Kaimuki neighborhood of Honolulu. I ordered the lechon kawali, but they also serve a lot of local favorites like beef stew, chicken long rice, fried chicken, et al. The prices may seem high, but the portions are massive. I could not finish my plate, and HTC had a couple of bites also. The market is pretty small, but also has grab & go items, as well as liquor store type items. The staff is super friendly, and serves the food w/ a lot of Aloha. The only downside is that there is no place to sit and enjoy your food. No problem: Just drive nearby and you can have a picnic at FT Ruger Park or Diamond Head Park. The next time I return I will make sure and rent a car for the day, and use it as an opportunity to explore the East side of O'ahu. FRM offers excellent food, served with a whole lot of Aloha. read more
It's close to KCC and Diamond Head Theater. I passed by this place many times but this was the first time going there. The place looked like a mini mart but it was actually more like a takeout place, simple and very local atmosphere. The service was fast and great. I picked a Mini Poke Bowl. You get to pick one poke, side, and rice. I wanted sushi rice but they ran out already, so picked brown rice. The rice was a bit undercooked and tough. For the poke, I picked Ahi Ginger that was plenty and delicious. The ginger had the nice kick to it. My side was Lomi Salmon and it wasn't too salty, so I liked it. Overall, I enjoyed the food and price was decent. I'd like to come back here again and try different items. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
Delicious! Just went to Ruger Market for lunch. Tried the shoyu chicken plate. It was ono! Not like other places where chicken is overcooked and soft. Thigh meat was firm, tender and the skin was caramelized. Excellent local style taste. But the poke bowl with spicy togarasgi ahi and spicy fresh scallops was da best. The poke here is make from fresh locally caught fish and not like the frozen stuff you get from other places like Foodland. A little more costly but the difference in taste and texture is noticeably better. You pay for what you get. Hawaiian food is the best. Lau lau and kalua pig is best you can get in Hawaii too. Gotta try it out! read more
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More info about Fort Ruger Market
3585 Alohea Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
Kaimuki
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(808) 737-4531
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