There are not enough complimentary words available to express how I feel about Steve, his staff, and the wonderful service he provides. If you need someone to flawlessly handle the catering for your event, then Hawaiian Luau OC is for you. I recently lost my wife of 40 years to cancer, and she was a Hawaiian dancer for many years. I thought do hold a luau style celebration of life to honor her endless Aloha Spirit and love of the Hawaiian culture. I did not know where to turn to begin to create a perfect evening to honor my wife, but I was blessed to discover Hawaiian Luau OC. From my first conversation with Steve, I instantly knew that I made the right choice. It was like talking to a friend from the first word, and I could tell he was fully invested in doing everything possible to make this evening memorable in every way. He even offered to prepare samples of his food and bring them to my home for my approval. Who does that anymore?!? On the day of my wife's celebration, Steve and his staff arrived right on time and set up a wonderful Hawaiian style buffet that was beautifully decorated. Every item of food they provided was absolutely delicious and perfectly prepared. I have been receiving compliments for two weeks from my guests saying the smoked pork was, "the best I've ever had" and the teriyaki chicken was so tender that it was like, "the filet mignon of chicken." Absolutely incredible food from the appetizers to the desserts. Now that the event has passed, I am actually kind of sad that I no longer get to work with Steve, because the experience was that enjoyable in every way. If you have an upcoming event, I hope you will consider Hawaiian Luau OC, because you will walk away with total satisfaction and a big smile on your face. read more

Steve was fabulous to work with! He catered our wedding and everything went off without a hitch. I should add that we live in Las Vegas and we were bringing the event to friends and family in California! He was so easy to work with. The food was amazing. Everyone at the reception was raving about it! There was plenty of it and left overs to boot. They served the cake as a bonus. I cannot say enough good things about them. I would definitely use them again and recommend them without hesitation! read more

Hawaiian Luau OC - Pork and chicken! Scrumptious! - Caterers Near Me

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Steven Kalous is a wonderful caterer, honest and kind. He prepared our Hawaiian buffet for our 50th Wedding Anniversary Party for 190 people. He is reasonably priced and the food is delicious, fantastic, plentiful and served at proper temperatures,. His servers are caring and very competent. All of our guests told us how good the food was at our party! We had the Kalua shredded pork, teriyaki chicken, lightly seasoned rice, fresh veggies, fresh field greens with house made dressing, fresh fruit kabobs, rolls with mango butter and macaroni salad. There was a veggie option of chick pea curry . The kitchen was left clean and the leftover food was wrapped and properly refrigerated. Steven was a joy to work with and stayed in good communication with us throughout the whole process . From the beginning tasting lunch , to the lend of the party, everything went so well. read more

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Just PERFECT guys, thank u so much. Steve was very helpful when we planned a 60 person backyard party, very quick and direct communication. He did everything he said he was going to do, food was amazing, service was super fun. Highly recommend you support this small biz. We certainly will use again! Mahalo read more

We loved having Steve and CC cater my sister's baby shower! They did such an amazing job and the food was absolutely delicious! They were very kind and helpful and all of our guests were raving about their service and food! The desserts were spectacular as well and their setup was super cute! Steve was very helpful and super easy to communicate with about everything before and during the event. We loved having them and would strongly recommend them to anyone for their event! Thank you guys so much for helping make my sister's baby shower so wonderful! read more

In this post COVID era, it's hard to make celebrations and milestones work, but Steve at Hawaiian Luau made it happen for us! My daughter's Drive By 1st Birthday Celebration was a success! I booked them for my daughter's 1st birthday. Because of COVID, I wanted the food in separate containers and individually wrapped to make sure it's safe and clean and easy to take home. And what Steve came up with was perfect! He had a half tray sized foil pan with food enough for about two people. It contained the following: The kalua pork, Hawaiian style basmati rice, veggies and teriyaki chicken in the four corners of the pan. The green salad in a Ziplock bag, in the center. The salad dressing (which was so good), in a sealed plastic, under the salad. The bread and butter in another Ziplock. The whole thing was wrapped in plastic. He gave me instructions on how to re-heat which I put on a sticker. There was also a vegetarian tray option too! The food was OUTSTANDING! Every single thing in that tray was delicious. There was a good amount of food in each one. I kept getting text messages from my guests that night and even the next day saying they loved the food so much. I tried a tray the next day and the food was still fresh. I regret not keeping more trays for myself. With the delicious food, came outstanding service as well. Steve was responsive to my questions and delivered the food on time. He is also the nicest guy. He was gracious enough to accommodate my event, especially since it was originally supposed to be months ago for a baby shower which got cancelled because the doctor put me on bed rest. My family loved the food and loved working with Steve. It's a shame I couldn't experience the full catering service, but he hit this one out of the park. Have him do your next socially distanced event, you won't regret it! Looking forward to more events with Hawaiian Luau OC! Thank you, Steve and team :) read more

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They catered our home party tonight. It was so good everyone loved it and the tables were pretty. They worked so hard to make such a great meal. We ordered the appetizers, dinner and dessert and they were all spot on. read more

Hawaiian Luau OC - Dinner getting set up - Caterers Near Me

Steven helped us with a 50th birthday for my wife. He was very nice to deal with in answering all of my questions. He communicated expectations clearly and billed exactly what we agreed to. The service on the day of the event was great, with the staff friendly and accommodating, going beyond the letter of the contract to make sure the guest experience was perfect. The food was great and the whole pig was a show piece for sure. Some folks at the party even asked if the caterers were our friends from before because it went so well. Thanks to Hawaiian Luau for making this party a great success. read more

Hawaiian Luau OC - Whole pig. - Caterers Near Me

Great experience! Highly recommend. I had a 60th birthday party for my husband in March in our home. I called & spoke with Steve, he answered all my questions & sent me invoice of details & total cost immediately. Food was fantastic and presentation was beautiful. Everyone was really impressed. I had 65 guests, and I didn't have to think for a second about the meal. Steve and his helper even gathered the plates when guests were finished eating. Leftovers were packaged and neatly placed in our refrigerator at the end of the meal. I'm so happy I spent the money to use this company. I was able to enjoy more time with family and friends because I didn't have to stress out over coordinating food preparation & serving. I will absolutely use this company again. read more

Steve and his team of servers were absolutely amazing the day of our wedding! My husband and I had a tropical-inspired wedding, and Steve's food was perfect! We served Shrimp Wontons, Crab Cakes, and Vegetarian Spring Rolls as passed appetizers and had a buffet dinner (Kalua Pork, Teriyaki Chicken, Chickpea Curry (for vegetarians and vegans) Hawaiian Basmati Rice, Carrots and Zucchini, Macaroni Salad, Fruit Kabobs, Sesame-Ginger Salad, and Hawaiian Sweet Rolls with Mango Butter). We also opted for a drink station (with water, iced tea, and coffee). The food was SO GOOD! So many people complimented us on the choice of food and tons of people went back for seconds. We actually paid for food for ~10 extra guests because we have a lot of big eaters, and we're glad we made that decision! The chickpea curry was so good and the chicken was the most moist chicken I've ever had at a catered event. Highly recommend! read more

Hawaiian Luau OC - Gorgeous buffet setup! - Caterers Near Me

Steve and his professional staff set up beautiful buffet with a whole piglet for our son's wedding reception. What a pleasure to work with him, tasting at our house to go through different options, etc. Everyone commented how much they enjoyed the buffet (much better than regular wedding food). We chose to bring paradise cake from King's Hawaiian bakery and they cut the cake and served for us. He really reduced my stress of hosting 110 people party. Thank you so much for bringing Hawaii to us and making our party successful! read more

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Absolutely wonderful! My wife and I were thrilled by the work Steve and his crew did for our wedding. We cannot say enough about the great service, food quality and friendly staff. Some specifics: 1. Steve actually took the time to drive across the county with samples for us--without any reservation or down payment. That above-and-beyond friendliness told us we were in good hands. 2. As plans for our wedding changed (which they all do), Steve quickly adapted and gave us deals no other caterer could match. He even supplied us with a licensed bartender. 3. On the day of the wedding, Steve and his team set up the whole buffet, ran the hors d'oeuvres to our guests, bused tables, and even cleaned out the entire kitchen. By the time we had to leave, every surface sparkled. 4. Our guests ate everything--and I mean EVERYTHING. We didn't have a single scrap left over. Afterwards, people kept asking us where they could get more of that delicious kalua pork. They licked their plates clean. 5. Bonus: when it came time to carve our wedding cake, Steve volunteered to "chainsaw" through it, serving up slices to roughly 150 guests in maybe ten minutes. They went past all of our expectations and made our special day something to remember. read more

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OMG, I absolutely LOVED my food. When I spoke to Steve over the phone he was very friendly. I met him to taste the food and was extremely impressed. So impressed, I added the whole pig which wasn't initially on my menu. The day of my event, all his staff arrived at the designated time. I didn't need to say anything, they started right away, preparing and setting up. I even had a bartender through his service who was outstanding (my guests loved the drinks). The food was absolutely delicious. It was freshly made and was hot when it was served. More importantly, I had more than enough food for everyone and took a ton of it home ( or gave away to others). The presentation was beautiful and the PIG WAS GREAT. Viewing the pig at the table, made my party feel like a real luau. Thanks to all for making my special event, special and unforgettable! read more

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Gaucho I was so happy with you for the excellent work, Catering team was amazing my guest were very happy with the service they provided and I myself was more than grateful. read more

We hosted a luau to celebrate my husband's business anniversary, and it was spectacular! The food, the service, the decor - everything was perfect! Steve and his team are not only highly professional, they are very nice people as well. Our guests were impressed - we heard the expression "Wow!" a lot! - and thanks to the care taken by Hawaiian Luau OC and their extraordinary service we were able to feel like guests at our own party - highly recommend! read more

2/9/2017 Update of Another Great Experience with Hawaiian Luau of OC. At a time of great stress, my Mother's funeral reception, we immediately thought of Steve and Hawaiian Luau of OC. We knew how reliable and thorough his work is. We were so relieved when Steve quickly returned our call and said he was available. With all the other matters to attend to for Mom's funeral, we had no worries about Steve's wonderful contribution to the success of the event with his catering skills. We placed our order with Steve for a 100-guest package including a whole pig. The Hawaiian buffet was as fantastic last Saturday as it had been in 2015. Steve arrived early and set up his beautiful buffet line and used a separate table to serve the whole pig. His staff was very attentive to all our guests. They even came to the tables and cleared away empty plates and flatware as our guests finished feasting. They served a wonderful Island Rum Cake as well as a traditional Italian Rum Cake (we provided) for Steve to serve. We have gotten so many highly complimentary comments from our guests about how wonderful the food, cake, and service was from Hawaiian Luau OC's job. The reception was a great success in sending my Mom off to her reward due largely to Steve and Hawaiian Luau OC's great job. We were able to focus on family and friends' testimonials and sharing about my Mom. WE ARE SO GLAD WE CHOSE Hawaiian Luau of OC. They reduced our stress and allowed us to focus on remembering and paying tribute to my Mom. Thank you so much Steve. Mahalo for a job well done. From 3/12/2015 Review: Best Aloha caterer EVER! Hawaiian Luau OC's owner, Steve, is the consummate professional. From our first phone call, to his coming to our home with sample fare, to setting up and serving his magnificent buffet, and finally, cleaning up after the party, Steve was wonderful! The food was served beautifully and at the perfect temperature. We elected to add the whole pig--WOW! People are still calling us and raving about the presentation and the FLAVOR. I cannot think of a better sendoff into retirement than to have Hawaiian Luau OC cater my retirement party. Steve and his team of three assistants helped us set up at the Grace E. Simons Lodge (fantastic venue) and then set up their gorgeous buffet and separate pig serving station. They were all dressed in Aloha attire and were extremely friendly, helpful, and professional. They even cut and served our cake to our 115 guests (cake provided by other) at no charge. We found all of the food to be delicious and have had several attendees ask for Steve's contact information. The price for the event was extremely reasonable. The wow factor of his buffet and the whole pig is amazing! The Kalua pork was juicy and flavorful, the chicken was moist and delicious, the hawaiian macaroni salad was "to die for." Truly, everything was prepared to perfection. Steve and his team even boxed up the leftover food for us to take home. The next time we have an event, we will unquestioningly use Steve's Hawaiian Luau OC. Mahalo Steve! read more

Wanted something unique to Celebrate my wife's retirement. These guys rock! They do it all, Great food, Fun staff, and helpful with setup and drink ideas. Definitely go for the Whole Roasted Pig!! read more

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I hired Hawaiian Luau OC for a large co-ed baby shower last week at our beach house. I was hosting the shower myself - and at almost 8 months pregnant I had very little mental or physical capacity to throw the type of event that I was planning! This leads to the first of many reasons why I'm giving HL OC's catering team five stars.... I had a couple of conversations with Steve leading up to the event and was very grateful for the feeling "I've got this" that he gave me when we were in the planning phase. On the afternoon of the event his team showed up at the perfect time (about an hour early) to do setup and go over some minor details. They set up a perfectly beautiful table with all the food items!! It was picturesque! The servers and bartender went above and beyond to treat my guests with exceptional hospitality and kindness. Another reason for the five stars is because THE FOOD WAS OUTSTANDING!!! Every single guest asked for at least one of the recipes that were served, honorary mention goes to the chickpeas and the salad dressing. I had a few people at the party, who normally won't eat meat, trying the pork too!! haha!! Overall, I was very proud of the contribution that HL OC made me to our event. Guests were raving... and so I had to get on Yelp and rave about them too :) I give my highest recommendation! PS. When I get my pictures back from the photographer, I'll be sure to post some on here! read more

Hawaiian Luau OC just catered our wedding welcome dinner and I could not be happier with how everything turned out! Steve, the owner, was very professional and pleasure to work with. We enjoyed a complimentary tasting months before our event, right in our home, which was super personal and enjoyable. At our outdoor welcome dinner, 80 guests experienced our luau themed dinner and we were hearing positive feedback about the food all night. I would highly recommend this company to anyone having an event, big or small. His decorations are beautiful and it really makes the theme come together. Great job, Hawaiian Luau OC! read more

I used Hawaiian Luau OC for my company's "Bring your Family to work Luau", and was very happy I did. Steve was great to work with and there was plenty of food for my 300 guests. His staff is amazing and very helpful, they were a delight to work with. I would definately use this caterer again. read more

Hawaiian Luau OC - Hawaiian Lua OC setting up a beautiful spread for our Family Luau. - Caterers Near Me

Steve and Reuben did a fantastic job with a recent Hawaiian Luau birthday prty that we threw for our daughter. They were prompt, professional, the setup looked GREAT, and the food was amazing. We would highly recommend them and definitions use them again! read more

Hawaiian Luau OC - Kailua pig and teri teri chicken - Caterers Near Me

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Oh, Luau Steve! Where do I begin?! Everything was fantastic from start to finish! I relied on good ol Yelp to find me a Hawaiian caterer for a corporate, Mele Kalikimaka hula-day party and Hawaiian Luau OC did not disappoint! I like my reviews like the TV show MANswers so here it goes: BEFORE EVENT: Top Notch Service! Reachable by telephone & email. Responds within 48 hours or less. Offers no obligation tastings (but I went ahead and booked before a tasting because Yelp reviews were all 5 stars--no regrets there). Luau Steve was receptive to feedback and happy to adjust. He is also Vegetarian and Gluten Free friendly! I couldn't believe how easy it was for him to accommodate. His quotation includes photo samples of buffet and décor set-ups, which he provides as part of the service. DURING EVENT: His set up blew everyone in the office away! We were so excited to be served up Aloha style. Everyone raved about how tender and juicy the kalua pork and breast of chicken were! We could not get enough of the homemade Sesame-Ginger Dressing with the salad--we would all happily buy if he bottled it! Post buffet were the dessert options---and my gosh----it was the sweetest temptation you could ever give in to of tangy lemon squares, coconut & toasted almond squares (My fave of the three) and decadent brownies. The icing on the cake was when Luau Steve's crewmate, Nathan, went around and picked up our plates! We are so used to cleaning up after ourselves so it was such a nice touch! OVERALL: Yes, I would book Luau Steve again. Yes, the food is amazing! Yes, the portions were plenty! Yes, the service is top notch! Yes, there was plenty of Aloha spirit! Just book him already! read more

I'm so embarrassed that it's taken me this long to write a review for this company! I hired them for my Hawaiian themed wedding reception in May. They were a HUGE hit! First of all, Steve (the owner) could not be nicer and easier to work with! He made the process of setting the menu, contract, and payment super stress free! The food was EXCELLENT! I mean ALL of my guests were raving about it! The flavor was outstanding! Perfectly seasoned without being salty. On top of that, they cut and served my wedding cake and groom's cake. As requested, Steve kept a time check and came to me when it was time to cut the cake. His staff were friendly and professional, his buffet table decorations were AMAZING, and he even cleaned up the space when we were done with the event. I really appreciate the way he wrapped up the wedding cake toppers and left over cake with care! Steve packaged up the left over food which we enjoyed for several days after the event! So delicious!!!!! Sadly, my wedding photographer didn't take any professional shots of Steve's gorgeous buffet decor. I do have an iPhone snapshot that I'll add. It was beautiful! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! read more

Hawaiian Luau OC - Beautiful set up! - Caterers Near Me

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I just used Hawaiian Luau OC for my beach wedding reception in San Clemente. They did an amazing job! The food was fantastic!!! Steve was very flexible with our tastes. Because my husband is not a huge mayonnaise fan, he made a pasta salad special for us and it was my favorite thing that I ate all night! I also absolutely adored their set up, and it went beautifully with the theme for our wedding. I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for this style food because you will not be disappointed. Thank you so much for helping to make our wedding such a special event. Victoria Young May 17, 2014 read more

I can't say enough good things about Steve and his team! We hired Hawaiian Luau OC for our wedding reception, and Steve went above and beyond to make sure the planning process went smoothly and even did a private tasting in our home. We did several planning calls with him ahead of time and he was easily able to help customize and give recommendations based on our venue and needs. The setup of the buffet and dessert tables was gorgeous, and the food as incredible! We got so many compliments. During our event he personally made sure everything went smoothly. We'll definitely be hiring them again for our next event. read more

To the owner, Mr. Steve! You are amazing. Thank you for your wonderful service. Everyone loved the food and the services you've provided. The price is definitely worth it, and you've listened to our concerns and requests! We loved the decor! Also to our another server, Bobbie, thank you. Thank you both for being so patient with us and giving us the best service! Will definitely recommend your catering services to our friends and families here in Inland Empire. Again, thank you for making our baby shower an amazing hawaiian party, and may God bless you all and more power to your business! Mahalo! read more

Hawaiian Luau OC - Thank you both! - Caterers Near Me

I hired Steve and Hawaiian Luau OC to cater a event that I was producing and to say the least it was a very positive experience. Steve was great at communicating what his team would provide, showed up with his team early to the event, and knocked it out of the park with his delicious cuisine. The quality of the food and the professional/friendly demeanor both Steve and his team put out really impressed the guests, client, and myself. Hiring Hawaiian Luau OC was a great choice for my event and I will happily hire him again in the future! read more

This review is a long time coming! Steve catered my wedding reception in June. My fiancé and I did a lot of research and contacted Steve. He was very quick to set up an appointment to meet with us and responded to emails right away. He gave us a great quote and brought a whole sample meal to our home. Honestly the best response from all of the caterers that we contacted. We had a head count of over 300 people and Steve brought in his own team members and everything went so perfectly and was presented beautifully. My husband's family wanted to include some of their own traditional foods along with the catered meal and Steve was very flexible and pleasant about the whole thing. Six months later and family and friends still talk about how amazing the food was. Thank you so much for helping to make our day perfect, Steve! read more

Recently had the pleasure of the staff and food from Hawaiian Luau OC. Wedding with 60 guests. Appetizers - fresh and delicious, main course - absolutely fabulous. Loved the salad, chicken and macaroni salad especially. Bartender was great. The presentation was beautiful. Served appetizers to all quests. Neat and clean. Cut and served the wedding cake and champagne for a toast. Top Notch. Kelly Nielsen read more

We found Steve on the Grace E Simons Lodge website after booking the venue for my wife's retirement party. My first contact set the tone for our eventual booking with Steve. He is a very pleasant man to deal with, and he responds to your requests quickly. He provides an excellent product at a very reasonable price. Steve and his assistants worked hard the entire time they were at our party. They arrived on time and set up promptly. I can't compliment them enough on their service and the taste of their food. If you are in need for Hawaiian Luau style food, you cannot beat Hawaiian Luau OC! read more

Steve catered our son's wedding last weekend in San Clemente and the food was delicious. We had everyone comment on the tri-tip, the salad dressing and mango butter, how great it was. Their servers were polite, friendly and didn't fail on anything! We will call them for our next event. read more

A great caterer! They catered a party for 33 people and everything went smoothly. Food was served on time as planned. Rebecca was amazing. I had 5 vegetarian friends and they were served chick-pea curry in lieu of pork and chicken. The curry was absolutely delicious. Spring rolls were amazing. My friends' favorite was pork and there was none left. Thanks for everything. read more

Steve and his crew helped me put on a Luau that was authentic and delicious. They brought all the decorations and supplies for the buffet that made the presentation so festive. I received many compliments on the food and the friendly service. Ruben carved the roast pig which impressed all my guests. Steve also helped me secure a bartender for my Tiki Bar. Best of all, Steve, Ruben, and Chaz left my kitchen looking the same as when they first arrived....spotless. THANK YOU!!!!! read more

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This catering group is fantastic! This caterer made my luau a huge success! It is a small business, the owner himself was at the private event in my home. The traditional Hawaiian food is very good...I received many comments on how amazing the pork and chicken were. The service, professionalism, and food quality are all top notch. The owner and his assistant even helped me out with last minute items when I was running behind. They have great references for luau-themed entertainment, etc. read more

Hawaiian Luau OC - Hawaiian Luau of OC setting up the luau feast in a private home - Caterers Near Me

We hired Steve Kalous (Hawaiian Luau OC owner) to cater our daughter's August wedding reception and were absolutely thrilled with the food, its presentation, the professional friendly service of his team, and the décor provided. We had 174 people attend and received lots of compliments that the food we served was some of the best wedding fare ever! We added a roasted pig to the standard package and were not disappointed by the quality. It was definitely a succulent pig. We wanted to start out using our own appetizers of guacamole and chips as well as Chex mix and Steve was very accommodating in having his staff help get our stuff out before the crowd descended on our home. They were equally accommodating in serving our own cake later. With so many people attending, we were really worried about how we could afford good food and good service. When I checked the per person cost listed on the Hawaiian Luau website, I thought it was too good to be true, but decided to give it a try. Steve brought us a sampling of the chicken and pulled pork that is the standard fare and both were tasty, though I thought that the chicken was a bit dry. Steve assured me that it would not be on the day of the wedding. He was true to his word. Many people who had the chicken noted that it was juicy and flavorful. Steve also provided a chick pea curry for vegetarians and that was equally complimented. Serving that many people and helping cleanup took longer than we had anticipated, but Steve and his team handled the whole event with equanimity. All in all, the wedding reception was a huge success due to Steve and his crew. I would highly recommend Hawaiian Luau OC for any event because of the quality it delivers and its competitive pricing. read more

I had the pleasure of tasting Hawaiian Luau at a birthday party! it was really fresh,tasty and very well presented. Going to order from here for my anniversary in next month! read more

I want to thank Steve and his team so much for an amazing set up for our Luau. The food was outstanding!! My guests (Approximately:110) truly enjoyed all of the food and dessert. I will definitely be booking Hawaiian Luau OC again. Not only was the food delicious, but the service was amazing as well and the display was absolutely beautiful. There were no flaws!! Steve is such a kind person, and a true pleasure to work with. I want to thank you all so much. I truly appreciate all of your time and patience! read more

I don't even know where to begin. Hawaiian Luau exceeded our expectations. Steve was so patient during the whole planning process and answered all of my neurotic questions in a timely fashion. Fast forward to the actual 50th birthday party luau for my husband and Hawaiian Luau was simply amazing. From the decor to the taste to the service, I can't articulate how happy we were to have such a professional catering company come to our home and perform their magic. S I M P L Y P E R F E C T I O N. Thank you Hawaiian Luau! read more

We had a wonderful experience with Hawaiian Luau OC. The food was delicious, the service friendly and helpful, and my husband's 50th birthday luau a success in large part to their involvement. Friends are still commenting weeks later about how much they enjoyed the menu. Thank you for such a great experience! read more

Steve and his crew did a great job for my daughter's graduation party!! They were friendly and detailed! Our guests loved the food! Steve was a pleasure and has a wonderful product and great set up!! We definitely recommend him! read more