Hawaii bbq spots can all be the same right, meaning similiar menu?! But there one here and there that stands out... Been coming to this place for years (yes years) and this place lands in the category of Hole in the wall and the iykyk type of place... Why do I keep coming back?!... Flavor of the meat is good... better than some hawaii bbq chains... the portion is decent and the pasta salad is well done... not too sweet, and doesnt have that mayo after taste...(know what I mean?!)... my go to plate is the bbq chicken combo... Plenty of parking, located inside a lil shopping center... Friendly staff, always with a smile on their face and friendly... Recommend this place, and definitely will keep going back... Closed Sundays FYI When you go... Enjoy... read more

One of my go to spots when I'm in Pasadena. The serving sizes are good and the prices are some the best in the area. Everything on the menu is basically under $15 and the spam and chicken musubi are about $3 and big. It's a smaller place, so just a couple tables and a tv but the owners who I believe are husband and wife are super chill and welcoming. Will definitely continue coming here for sure. read more

Hawaiian BBQ - Spam musubi, bbq chicken musubi, bbq chicken fried rice, Thai iced tea - Hawaiian Near Me - South Pasadena, California

Their spam musubi is fast, cheap and delicious, which is a difficult combo to find in S Pas. And the owners are super nice!

This was my first time here so the review just for the Hawaiian Fried Shrimp, but it was definitely five stars. Crispy panko coating fried up just right. Very clean interior with four tables. read more

Hawaiian BBQ - Hawaiian Fried Shrimp - Hawaiian Near Me - South Pasadena, California

Been coming here since 2012, best tasting & priced hawaiian cuisine in LA, the owners are always there and they put everything into their restaurant, very kind and humble people. Support family owned businesses! read more

Found a great new hole-in-the-wall spot! This family-run business is a gem. The gentleman at the front was friendly and ordering was easy. We were just looking for a simple meat and rice meal, and it completely exceeded our expectations as it was delicious! Happy to support a local family business and will definitely be adding this to our regular rotation. read more

The Katsu was perfectly crisp on the outside and tender inside. Flavorful, not greasy, and paired well with the sauce--comfort food done right. Love supporting the local mom and pop shops. We will definitely be back soon. read more

Hawaiian BBQ - Katsu plate - Hawaiian Near Me - South Pasadena, California

Great family owned Hawaiian bbq restaurant. We stumbled upon this place and weren't disappointed. Very fresh and didn't feel heavy eating here. I ordered the chicken katsu and it was amazing! read more

I've been back a few times now and one thing for sure is that they are CONSISTENT. I live closer to bigger chains that serve similar food but I make the drive because the quality shows through the taste here. The food is so filling but also does not feel too heavy!!!! I will stay true to my fried shrimp order but spicy kalua pork has been hitting the spot! The service is A1 and the owners are nothing but the sweetest! Support your small businesses! read more

The location is rather hidden in the corner of this mini mall and is right in the southwest corner. There are a couple of bar tables and some more dining tables for about 15 people or so. The portions are large and tasty with the right amount of sauce and fixings. read more

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Best Hawaiian food ever. Yes, even better than Ono. I would always prefer this place over Ono. You guys should try it and you'll probably think the same! read more

My daughter and I eat here virtually every week! The BBQ chicken plate is our favorite. The owners are so kind and greet us warmly every visit. One time I ordered food online before leaving work, but had to stay because of a problem. I was around an hour late to the restaurant. When I arrived, the owner cooked us fresh plates free of charge because he didn't want us to eat food that was sitting out! Honestly, who is that generous?? They have our loyalty for sure. I recommend The HBBQ to anyone wanting a simply delicious meal that is very reasonably priced and cooked up fast! read more

I accidentally ordered online at this restaurant thinking it was a Hawaiian BBQ down the street from me in Monterey Park - my fault since I didn't check the location. My husband had to drive to Pasadena to pick up our food and when he brought it back it was warm since it sat for over an hour with the drive to/from. We ordered the 2 combo plate (chicken katsu and short ribs) and spicy beef plate. My husband ordered the spicy beef plate and said it was okay - not spicy unless you happen to eat one of the tiny chili flakes in your bite. I shared the 2 combo plate with my mom. The chicken katsu pieces were really small and almost bite-sized/mini. My mom ate the short ribs and said it was okay. Overall, taste quality was just average and portion size was smaller than what you usually get from other Hawaiian food places. Sad to say I won't be back - but that's mainly because I live way too far to drive out to order this as takeout to bring back home. read more

My favorite Hawaiian dish is the Loco Moco so when I found it they serve it here then I had to try it. The meal comes with two meat patties over chopped cabbage, gravy, two fried eggs, sticky rice, and macaroni salad. The food was delicious as everything had good flavor and seasoning. The only thing I would change is that the patties would be over the bed of rice and not the cabbage. read more

Hawaiian BBQ - Dinner time 2023 - Hawaiian Near Me - South Pasadena, California

Best Hawaiian BBQ, location is tucked away in the corner. This mom & pops Hawaiian BBQ restaurant is the best in town!!!! Don't get caught up with the big name stores....this is where it's at! The owners are the sweetest too! read more

Stopped by here tonight on the way home from Fedex dropoff on a whim. We drove by and saw Chinese food so did a u-turn and also saw Hawaiian food. Came in 30 mins before closing and ordered Chicken Katsu plate. Its a two man team, I believe husband and wife. kind and straight forward and respectful. While waiting the interior is classic fast food Hawaiian style decor with a hint of the islands and a mix of old school diner. Food came out quickly and took it home, about a 12 min drive or so. Upon opening the plate was nicely presented in a nice meal prep type container. To preface the food review, I am not a professional chef, but I do cook at home everyday and when I eat out I want to make sure my money goes somewhere well spent and not wasted. The macaroni salad is definitely freshly made everyday, a nice thick sauce, pasta was al dente consistency with a perfect creaminess, and the carrots were tender. The rice was definitely not run of the mill fast food rice. I can definitely tell it was a more starchy rice, either asian/japanese/korean grain or out of a Japanese/Korean brand rice cooker. The Katsu blew my mind, for being 12 minutes cold and sitting in a tight lid container and 30 mins before closing. It was perfectly crisp, tender and flavorful. It has the perfect coating of breading and they cut it into smaller bite size pieces, the katsu sauce was impressive; I can tell they operate on a no waste approach and did not throw away the drippings from their chicken prep, the katsu sauce itself is mixed with the chicken fat, it has a almost gravy like congeal texture and full of mouth texture and flavor. For a TLDR I would say this place is the equivalent of a home cooked meal, if I told my wife I made her lunch and brought this from home she'd believe it was one of my meticulous home cooked meals. I hope this place gets the love it deserves. Its a solid 10/10 read more

Best spam musubis! I've been to Hawaii twice recently and these are still the best ones. I've also gotten the Kalua Pork and Loco Moco and I highly recommend them. I also loveee the mac salad they give here. read more

Hawaiian BBQ - Menu - Hawaiian Near Me - South Pasadena, California

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They are great here .. always friendly. Food is great and affordable. I tried their locomoco thos time. Its on the sweet side but surprisingly i loved it. Good sized portions. And dont forget to try their green tea latte. Yum read more

Hawaiian BBQ - Loco moco yum - Hawaiian Near Me - South Pasadena, California

If the egg was a lil more runny this MAY be my favorite loco moco. It's like kbbq met hawaiian BBQ and made a love child. See you soon

My friend wanted to eat Hawaiian food, so we came by and grabbed a short rib combo and a grill combo (chicken, beef and short rib.) and 2 spam musubis. The service was quick fast and friendly but wasn't a fan of the food. The chicken was overcooked and dry and the short ribs were old dry and chewy, kinda like beef jerky with rib bones. It was so dry it had to have been leftover and reheated because theres no way they cooked it to order. The beef was ok. When you bill yourself as a Hawaiian bbq place but your two best items are your mac salad and the spam musubi you got some problems. The portion size is ok, but nothing to write home about. I'm unlikely to come back here. read more

New containers come with less food . This is pathetic ! Is this a child's plate ? Just lost a customer over greed ! read more

Hawaiian BBQ - BBQ Chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - South Pasadena, California

Great no-frills little spot. They have a cheap mini-plate (lunch-size) with choice of meat, rice, and a side. The lady running the place is super nice. She lets me switch out the pasta salad for steam veggies. Delish. read more

The food was not good. The flavors were not there for me. I thought the service was great but it didn't do much for the food that came out. It doesn't have a great seating area and the outside has a bit of a smell to it. Yeah I would not come here again. read more

Absolutely love this place. Always on rotation. Spicy pork is a go to with some spam masubi. excellent service.

this is the best hawaiian bbq in pasadena. the food is always consistently good, the service is fast and friendly, and the place itself is always clean. small businesses like this one needs to be more frequented! read more

Delicious takeout! I've eaten the loco moco before and the fried mahi mahi, which is easily the best fried mahi mahi I've eaten. Generous portions of the main protein, enough for me to make two meals out of. Although! I do wish more macaroni salad was added because it is creamy & delicious. I do need to wax poetic about the rice because it is properly prepared rice - as in it was rinsed thoroughly before cooked. If you get the Mahi Mahi, I recommend adding the habanero sauce to their homemade tartar sauce for a creamy, spicy kick! My family also loves the BBQ chicken and the chicken katsu. This is a South Pasadena institution and I would go here versus that other "Hawaiian" sit down place that shall not be named. read more

Small gem in a busy city. If you ever find yourself in this plaza, be sure to stop by. There's a small variety but every scrumptious bit is great. I personally love their Maui pineapple katsu. read more

By far my favorite Hawaiian spot - better than any other I have tried I Pasadena or even LA I've been looking for a great plate lunch spot with good Mac salad forever and finally found it. We have come like 4 times in the last month. read more

My husband and I visited this restaurant on a weekday in the late afternoon and it did not disappoint! We usually go to Ono Hawaiian BBQ but we wanted to support a local business instead. The restaurant is Korean owned and the owner is very friendly. The food is definitely better quality and has a better flavor profile than Ono, but the portions are smaller and a bit more expensive than Ono. However, it is a small business so this is expected. Parking is easy as it shares a lot with a few other small businesses. Inside is small with around 10 seats. They also have a TV in the corner but it wasn't playing mainstream TV. We will definitely be back to support the small business! read more

It was okay. Pricing is high, speed was low. Inside the air conditioning was on super high which is nice because there were several of us inside waiting for our orders. I ordered a BBQ mix. A short rib, chicken, and beef with onions. Two scoops of rice and a scoop of macaroni. read more

Exactly like the family-owned plate-lunch spots we love on Maui. The flavors here are typical of these kinds of places -- a little salty but flavorful and tasty. The portions are generous and the food is fresh! The gentleman who runs the place is sweet, and he packages the food with care. Almost all of the containers are recyclable, too, which is nice. Easy parking in the mini-mall lot, and easy access from the 110. read more

I will totally order from these folks again. Good loco moco, chicken Katsu, spam musubi. Not fancy, not health food, just exactly the way it's supposed to be. I wish they would put their mac salad in separate containers for a "keep the cold side cold" situation but, y'know, that would be kinda fancy. read more

I am a fan of the mini meal size. In a day with rising food costs I'm impressed with the two strips in the ribs. I like to use the extra side sauce on when I order the spicy beef. Be sure to get boba with the Ice Tea! read more

This was first time here, and let me just say it was so good!!! They have an A. The restaurant was clean and there is seating inside and out. I order the Chicken Kastu. They make it right when you order it. It was fresh and super yummy. I would definitely come back and eat here again. The man who was at the register was super friendly. The place is in a shopping center so can be busy at times to find parking but is 100% worth it read more

I always get my spam musubis and Hawaiian food here and it's delicious and fresh! They are so nice and it is good to support small businesses in town! Highly recommend ! read more

I really like this place, not sure why it has 3.7 stars. It's owned by Korean people so some of their stir fry meats have a bit of a Korean bbq flavor, I really love it. I usually get the two item combo with katsu and the pork or beef. It's comfort food--Mac n cheese, rice, and a pile of meat. I've gotten the fried egg also, it's tasty but maybe not worth the extra 2 dollars. I come here several times a month for take out. It's a kinda hole in the wall cafeteria in a strip mall, so I wouldn't come here for the ambiance, but it really hits the spot when I want meat and rice. read more

Ordered takeout, so I can't speak to service or ambience. But the House Super Combo (chicken, ribs, and 2 eggs) was generously sized, well-cooked, and delicious. I ordered the eggs over medium, which is always a good litmus test for a kitchen, and they got the yolk absolutely perfect. Wish they had a broader drink selection online (they don't seem to carry canned sodas or juices, like the Hawaiian Sun brand) but overall a very good casual spot hidden away in South Pas. read more

This is a review for the Kuala Pork. I really want to support local businesses, but I was very disappointed. The meat was in super tiny pieces, and cabbage was similarly sized. Both were overcooked leaving a mushy mess, no texture whatsoever. I felt this was more a vegetable side dish. Other menu items may be better, but I cannot recommend the Kuala pork. read more

Hawaiian BBQ - Kuala Pork - Hawaiian Near Me - South Pasadena, California

The bento box was AMAZING. It was packaged in a beautiful tray, with so much attention to detail. The food itself was truly incredible. I absolutely loved every single item in the bento box. The tempura was quite possibly the best I've had--just as good as the tempura I had in Japan! Specifically the shrimp tempura was hands down the best shrimp tempura I have ever had. The tempura batter perfect light AND fluffy, and the shrimp was juicy and bursting with flavor and the perfect balance of sweetness. The tempura sauce was perfumed with ginger, which is a really unique twist on a classic sauce--but subtle enough that it is perfectly balanced with the whole dish. 10/10 best shrimp tempura. Great attention to detail, great value, and talented chefs. Definitely recommend this place! read more

This place isnt too bad but for some reason they have upped their prices way to high. I get President Brandon made inflation but even then for the quality of food at this price point, you might as well eat at some restauraunt in South Pasadena. I know times are tough but this place cant gouge people like this. They wont last much longer doing this. Sorry, not sorry. read more