After the Fantasy Football party at JTown Pizza my husband was hungry so we ventured over here for dinner. I was quite stuffed from eating pizza and wings, but I couldn't let him go hungry so we came to Hukilau for dinner. Soon as you enter there is a seating area right there. High tables and regularly hight tables. The back wall is a full bar. As you approach the cash register you can can see that there is another room in back. We were greeted by a waiter that led us to a table in back. They have sets of tables around the outer edge and tables all pushed together in the center. The menu is pretty extensive. We ordered the Salmon Poke bowl that had rice along with the salmon and a side of macaroni salad. There were other sides to choose from, but all my friends rave about Hawaiian macaroni salad so I order it. The macaroni salad was only ok. I'm just not a macaroni salad type of girl. The poke was good. The salmon was fresh and didn't taste too fishy. We also ordered the Mahi Mahi grilled with rice and macaroni salad. We split both plates. I've never have filets of Mahi Mahi before. They always seem to arrive in square shapes or something that resembles a square. I was really impressed by the Mahi Mahi. It had great flavor without needing the tarter sauce. It wasn't fishy at all and was well salted and peppered. I highly reccomend the Mahi Mahi platter. The ambiance was ok, nothing special. Defiantly not romantic. I guess it's good for families and groups. There were 2 familes of 6 dining with us. The back room was spacious and I don't know how to describe it, but i lacked a Hawaiian flair. We could have been sitting on picnic benches and it would have been given the same flair. If you are looking for Hawaiian food you've come to the right place. Just know there isn't an island feel to it. read more

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What can I say? I mean WOW! What a great, comfortable place! Tremendous selection of food, and a bartender (Santos) who DOESN'T serve watered-down drinks you'll find everywhere else! (No kidding.) Hukilau is the hidden Tiki bar you've been looking for, with a broad selection of poke pupus, poke, mahi mahi, and other tantalizing choices. Don't miss it. ;-) read more

We got the loco moco, edamame, an avocado (poke) salad, fried rice, and Portuguese sausage, almost $90 worth of food, and couldn't finish any of it. Something felt off across the board. The loco moco patty had a sour, tangy taste that a basic hamburger patty just shouldn't have. The fried rice was missing that "wok hei" char and smokiness good fried rice needs; it just tasted flat. The Portuguese sausage was rubbery and unappetizing. Even the poke salad had a strange tang to it. Nothing tasted freshly made besides the edamame and avocado salad, and honestly it didn't feel safe to keep eating. I don't say this lightly. Hawaiian food is my favorite cuisine, and I always want to support local and small businesses. But this time almost $100 of food ended up in the trash. Really disappointing. Ay freaking nako. read more

Been coming here for prob 20 yrs now so I think I owe this place a review. Prob my go-to dish here is the Loco Moco. I like it for a number of reasons 1. The patties here are cooked really well. Prob the only place better is on the islands. It can be a bit salty sometimes so ask them to go easy on the salt. 2. Part of what makes this dish is the gravy and their brown gravy is nearly perfect. It's not gloopy and has a great taste. 3. Eggs over easy and not overly cooked All this served super hot and price is very reasonable! I also like their Kalbi here which is also done right. Depending on the day/time the service may be a bit slow but remember everyone's on Hawaiian time. What do you expect? read more

Hukilau - Grilled Short Ribs - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Located in Japan town this is a great place for lunch or dinner or just to grab some cute looking tiki inspired drinks . Service was fast and food came out in less then 15 mins Portions were big and food was delicious . Average priced . Definitely will go back again. Next time for the happy hour drinks. read more

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A little disappointed in the food. We got the luau plate and the pork was dry. My daughter got the poke dinner and the spam musubi and poke were good. My mom got the fried rice and it was just ok-- a little oily. Overall, the food was a little lackluster. Service was friendly and the place has a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. It feels like there are a lot of local patrons who love this place, so maybe we caught it on a bad day, but it just missed the mark when we visited. read more

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Ordered comfort food from Hukilau this evening. Had the teriyaki beef and chicken combo with a side of kimchee and my usual drink, a strawberry lemonade. The food was good and they give you large portions. I liked the chicken more than the beef, but they were both tasty covered in teriyaki sauce. The macaroni salad was the ultimate feel good food and I wish I'd ordered more of it. Even the rice tasted good. The only disappointment was the strawberry lemonade, which was totally watered down. read more

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Quiet lunch on a Friday since it was January 2, but greeted immediately and was told we could sit anywhere. Menu, water, and utensils was brought to us immediately and our order was taken in good time. Food came out pretty quick and was displayed well. The loco moco comes with 2 big hamburger patties for lunch, and the Poke Bowl (even though it doesn't look like a lot) is plenty for 1 person. We brought home both our meals since it was hearty. Hawaiian music playing in the background and still has the Island feel when dining. They also do a great job at accommodating large parties in their back room. I've organized an end of season sport party here and they did awesome. They allowed multiple checks for at least 8 different families and the service was great. Calling ahead to give them the number of expected people is best. read more

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We came here on a Sunday for lunch and had a great experience. The restaurant is spacious and features a fun tiki bar at the front. The staff was friendly, service was quick, and the food was delicious. We ordered the savory beef patty loco moco plate that comes with macaroni salad and rice (there is an additional charge for fried rice), and it did not disappoint. The patty was incredibly flavorful, and the portion was generous enough to share between two people. I especially enjoyed the gravy--it wasn't overly salty, just perfectly balanced. read more

Hukilau - Beef Patty Loco Moco - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

Stopped by for late lunch on Sunday and it wasn't too busy. The restaurant itself has a large amount of space in the back. Waiters were friendly. I ordered the loco moco with burger patties, and I genuinely think that Hukilau has the best loco moco I've ever tried. Really great seasoning on the patties, which I feel like lots of other places don't do well. Patties were also quite tender. The dish was slathered in gravy and perfect over easy eggs on top, with Mac salad on the side. So good. Really big portion as well. They had a fun list of cocktails on the menu too that I'll have to check out next time. It's a great spot to come with friends, and there's so much to explore in SJ's Japantown after. Would recommend! read more

Hukilau - Loco Moco - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

When you can't make it to Hawaii but you're craving authentic Hawaiian food, this is the spot to go to. The staff is super friendly and welcoming -- true ohana vibes from the moment you walk in. The portions are generous, the food is delicious, and everything still tastes just as great as I remember. Crazy to say I was last here over 20 years ago, and they're still consistently amazing. Love seeing a place keep the same quality and heart after all these years. read more

Hukilau - Combo Plate - Loco Moco and Fried Pork Chop - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

We've just come back from a fantastic trip to the island of Oahu and wanted to relive some of the great times we had there. So we came to lunch at this Hawaiian restaurant in Japan Town called Hukilau. What a big disappointment. The food tastes like nothing that we had when we were on vacation. On top of that, our Luau Plate came out cold as if it was just thawed this morning. The Lomilomi salmon is so runny and there is little or no salmon in it. If you like Hawaiian food, we certainly don't recommend this restaurant. read more

I had this place saved for a while and finally decided to give it a try. This Hawaiian restaurant definitely has a large selection of Hawaiian food to choose from. Grilled mahi mahi (2/5); This one was definitely on me for choosing to get it grilled instead of fried. It was too dry for me and lacked seasoning. The pasta was great though. Combo plate w/loco moco & garlic chicken (5/5); We got the loco moco topped with chicken katsu. The katsu loco moco was comforting and flavor ful. The garlic chicken definitely blew my mind. It was exploding with garlic flavor that marinates over the crispy chicken. I will be back here for the garlic chicken read more

Hukilau - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Came by for a late dinner and was very satisfied with this comfort food. Tried the garlic popcorn chicken, loco moco katsu chicken, and grilled mahi mahi. My favorite were the garlic popcorn chicken, they were tender and full of flavor. Could have skipped the grilled mahi mahi as it was a bit plain and dry. Would prob recommend going for the fried version, but it was good nonetheless. Staffs were friendly and attentive! read more

Hukilau - Garlic Popcorn Chicken and Loco Moco Katsu Chicken Combo - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

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recently heard Hukilau will be closing due to rent increase... if that is true, will it open in a new location? Loved celebration big occasions here... my 60th birthday surprise dinner... my twin girls hs graduation... plus more! read more

Came back to try again and this time I enjoyed the food this time. Coworker and I opt for the combination platter and we're all happy. See pictures read more

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I am writing to share how much I enjoy dining at your restaurant, which has truly become my weekly go-to spot. I find that the food is always delicious and remarkably consistent, and I genuinely love everything I have tried on the menu. In particular, I wanted to mention that the ahi tuna and the spicy ahi tuna poke are my absolute favorites. Thank you for providing such high-quality meals and great service every time I visit. I look forward to my next visit soon read more

Hukilau - Sesame Chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Came here for a family dinner and we enjoyed everything we got! The Loco Moco here is hands down my FAVORITE THING. Everything is so perfectly flavored and I couldn't stop myself from eating and eating it! The portions are pretty big here! So be prepared to share or have leftovers! The staff are most definitely friendly and very accommodating. From the outside it looks like a small shop but once you enter you are greeted with a smile and there's plenty of room and a while back area for larger parties. read more

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Always good service, always a good time. I got the fried saimin and a beer! So ono!! This place can accommodate small or even large friend groups. We always try to stop by when we do beer walk or before going out to DTSJ. read more

It has been a while since I have been to Hukilau. This place is still the same great little place it was the last time I was here. My go to is the Loco Moco with the hamburger patties and an upgrade to the fried rice. This is delicious. The food has always been very good. The service is very good and the prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you get. read more

I've ordered takeout from Hukilau about three times now, but I still have yet to dine in. Located in Japantown, parking can be a bit tricky, especially during rush hours. I usually call ahead to place my order, and by the time I arrive, the food is ready for pickup. It's super convenient, and since I live only half a mile away & it's a quick six-minute drive, it's become a go-to dinner spot. We always get the garlic chicken, along with one or two entrée plates, which comes with a side of mac salad and rice. I've tried substituting fried rice for an extra charge ($2.50) before, but I didn't find it worth it. However, I really like the mac salad on the side. The chicken katsu is definitely a favorite, while the short ribs, though thick, could use a bit more flavor. Overall, I enjoy the food and will definitely keep ordering from here when I'm too lazy to cook. read more

Hukilau - Garlic Chicken, Grilled Short Ribs & Chicken Katsu entree - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

Clam ramen was buttery and very miso-y. Was disappointed in the lack of veggies, was just noodles, clams (HUGE and tough) and green onions for $20. The beef patty loco moco was well received and the sauce was great with the rice, still not enough veggies. We got seated right away and the waiters were really nice. It came out to be $50 after taxes and tip. Inside smelled funky but it was nice seeing all the Hawaiian motifs. read more

Hukilau - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Went during Obon. Took a while to get our order out and even longer to get our food. That being said the food is always hits the spot. A SJ staple. read more

Hukilau - Loco Moco Combo - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

Where have I been and why haven't I came here sooner?! Food is delicious. I came here two days in a row once with friends and second time was for pick up. Service was great and quick. Chill vibes and they serve great cocktails. read more

Everything was just alright here. The restaurant itself has kind of a "wet/damp" smell that threw me off. All the food was semi cold, even the chicken and edamame. I liked the spam musubi, and generally love Mac salad but it had a LOT of mayo and filled me up super fast. read more

Hukilau - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

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This place is amazing and if you haven't been, you need to get over and check it out ASAP. We went on a mission to try as much as possible, so we ordered a mixed 2 poke appetizer, spam musubis, Hukilau fried rice with egg, Kalua pork cheese quesadilla, and a Combo plate with loco moco and chicken katsu. Everything was great and portions were large. Prices were very reasonable for what we got. With all of that + tax and tip, we got out of there for under $100, and had loads of leftovers - 3 almost full boxes to be exact. While everything was pretty damn good, my personal favorites were the Kalua pork cheese quesadilla (a mind blowing quesadilla experience tbh) and the poke. I'd absolutely get these again, but I'd also get everything else again. Metered street parking is available in the area, I had to circle and park a little further away, but the area is nice and and it was fun to walk by the other shops and restaurants. read more

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3.5 stars, rounded up I came with a couple coworkers on Friday for lunch. We arrived a little before noon and lucked out with street metered parking across the street from the restaurant. This is located in Japantown. I ordered the Poke Dinner with Ahi, Tako, and Salmon ($23) and I enjoyed my meal. Authentic Hawaiian poke. However, my only critique is that it only comes with one scoop of Mac salad and only one scoop of rice.. Other than that, service (I think our server's name was Santo) was friendly and the restaurant was clean. read more

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Wow - this place was phenomenal! I'm not sure if I got lucky on a week night but there were lots of parking options just a quick walk away. This place is fairly small and is mostly no frills. They have a ton of fruity, tiki-style cocktails to choose from. There isn't a ton of seating available but it wasn't busy. I got a poke combo plate with rice, masubi, and Mac salad and it was absolutely phenomenal! It hit the spot and was plenty of food. This place was highly underrated and a great find! read more

Hukilau - Poke dinner - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

3d printed meat and no flavor, dry too l&l is 20x better rather spend ur money somewhere else

I stopped by for the first time around lunchtime on a Sunday. It was tough to choose what to order because the menu has so many options. Two of us ended up splitting a spam musubi ($4) and a Hawaiian luau plate ($21). This was actually a lot of food for two people and could probably be easily split between three people. Sometimes the way a restaurant prepares their rice could make or break your dining experience. The rice at Hukilau was cooked perfectly and helped make both the spam musubi and luau plate shine! Each grain was cooked thoroughly but still had a nice chew. The rice soaked up the teriyaki sauce in the musubi and acted as a great accompaniment to the various meats in the luau plate. I enjoyed every part of the luau plate but my favorite was the lomi lomi salmon. It was a simple dish but so refreshing to eat! The mac salad was soft and creamy, the kalua pork was savory and tender, and the pork lau lau was earthy and fatty in the best possible way. The servers were kind and attentive. I could see how this place could have a completely different vibe at night, but for the daytime it is an excellent spot for lunch! read more

Hukilau - Spam musubi - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

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The Spicy Salmon Poke Dinner was quite good here. It had a great sauce, and the onions were a nice add. The rice and macaroni salad were a good add. The Spam Musubi was also a nice add. The service was fast and responsive. And the ambiance was appropriately themed. read more

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Hukilau has become a staple in my self-care routine, located just across the street from my curl consultant, it's the perfect reward every time I get my hair done. I visit my stylist every few months, and I never miss the chance to stop by for their poke. As someone who grew up on the Pacific island of Guam, fresh poke feels like home, and Hukilau never disappoints. Whether I'm grabbing lunch before my appointment or dinner afterward, I always make time for a bowl of their beautiful, flavorful poke. It's such a welcome treat in the midst of wash day and curls, and I genuinely look forward to it every time. With its fresh ingredients and island flavors, this spot gives me that little taste of the Pacific I crave right here in San Jose's Japantown. If you're in the area, don't skip it. Your palate (and your soul) will thank you. read more

Worst place to pick up, more than 50 minutes waiting for 2 plates, and they're like nothing happened, I won't come back.

One of my favorite places to come! Prices are reasonable & food is ALWAYS so tasteful. My new favorite dish is the garlic chicken. The chicken is so crispy & the garlic sauce is so flavorful. Most places don't have a good Mac salad, but Hukilau's Mac is one that doesn't disappoint. Portion sizes are big & I always leave with leftovers. read more

Hukilau - Combo Plate Beef Teriyaki & Garlic Chicken with fried rice & extra scoop of Mac Salad - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

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This place is a hidden gem. We don't often eat in San Jose, but this one you can NOT miss!! They have authentic Hawaiian food. It reminded me of being back in Hawaii. It looks small on the outside, but it's pretty big on the inside. When you enter the first room, it has a typical bar and seating area. They have a bigger room in the back for parties or just additional seating area. When we went, they had a party going on in the front and the back. I think it was a bday party, they were definitely having fun. We decided to place our order to go. We ordered: 1. Hukilau pupu platter - spam musubi, garlic wings, and fried shrimp. The spam musubi was your standard that we all know. Nothing special. Garlic wings were ok, I kinda felt like it had the adobo kind of taste to it. The fried shrimp was tasty and huge. 2. Hukilau ribeye steak (medium)- Cooked perfectly and is well seasoned. It was a thick slice and so juicy. Rice was perfectly cooked, and the mac salad was smacking. 3. Da Hawaiian Luau plate - You can never go wrong with the classic pork lau lau, kalua pork, and an added bonus lomi lomi salmon. The portion was massive but delicious. I had ordered all rice, and we still managed to run out of rice. 4. Loco moco - huge burger patties but were well seasoned. It was moist and flavorful. Next time, I'm going to ask for extra gravy. For that extra smothering comfort food goodness. Iykyk. 5. Hukilau fried rice - very rare, do you go to a Hawaiian restaurant, and they serve fried rice. We had to try, and it was amazing. They had huge chunks of Portuguese sausage and lots of aloha. This could definitely be a meal on its own. 6. Fried Saimin - The noodles were good, but the dish was salty, IMO. I'm not sure if it's from the Portuguese sausage and spam or what. This was one dish I would skip next time. 7. Mac salad - I ordered extra, and it was definitely worth it. 8. " Big Island Candies" Macadamia Nut Brownie Sundae - I was looking forward to this, but I guess with my huge order, it was missed. 9. Hukilau Tea - This is tasty and refreshing, definitely a creeper. You gotta take it easy with this one. 10. Hukilau punch - This was a little sweet for me but good. I like that it was blue. This was a lot of food for two people, but I had to create my little sampler so I know what to get next time and what to avoid. Surprisingly, the food was still amazing the next day. Even the rice is rare. It was still soft and wasn't hard the next day like other places. The drinks were amazing. The people who helped me showed a lot of aloha and made me feel so welcome. Even if they were busy with the party, they took the time to answer my questions. My order was cooked fresh and was ready in no time. I can't wait to come back soon. Hopefully, try the dessert as well... It was hard to double-check my order with the massive heavy-duty bag I was handed and with the crowd... I figured everything was there. read more

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#taste - 5/5 #portion size - 4/5 #service - n/a #value - 4/5 #recommendation(s) - get the garlic popcorn chicken! Really flavorful and decent portion size. #tip - parking can be limited due to street parking so consider doing takeout. #like - in addition to the popcorn chicken, I also enjoyed the short ribs. The size is good and the meat is tender. #dislike - not a dislike of the food but I felt the portion of the mac salad was small so I wish the entrees would come with bigger servings. #suggestion - the fried rice could be more flavorful read more

I swear u did a review for them already, but if you're in Jtown, you have to get lunch or dinner here! Their food is delicious and has a refreshing taste and speedy service with the amazing community aspect.... As well as that cool relaxing Aloha vibe! I loved their mahi-mahi sandwich which is fresh and has no MSG in it! Hee. Perfect for me and my annoying food allergies! Hee read more

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First impression was nothing special but the food speaks for itself. Interesting layout as most of the seating is in the very back and the front of the restaurant is the bar. Did not expect this place to have a full cocktail menu but they do. We didn't get any drinks but they sounded delicious and had such fun names. I will definitely come back to try! You can judge a Hawaiian place very well based off their Mac salad and I thought it was good but needed a little something. Kalua cabbage had a good ratio of cabbage to pork, not too salty. Garlic chicken was well sauced, good flavor. Katsu chicken was perfectly breaded. Overall satisfied and would return. read more

Hukilau - Combo plate (Kalua Cabbage and Garlic Chicken) - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Love this place, I only wish they open in the afternoon more but the food is great and the staff is friendly and welcoming. They got a huge room in the back that's great for big groups as well. read more

The poke here tastes fresh & the mac salad always hits the spot. Definitely recommend this place if you're craving some good Hawaiian food! read more

Hukilau - Salmon Poke - Hawaiian Near Me - San Jose, California