Ambiance: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Food: 5/5 Drinks: 5/5 Price: 4/5 Parking: 4/5 Second time at Hula's, and I'm a fan. Good food and drinks. Hazen was our server, and he was great. Price is what you'd expect in Monterey, and while often paid, the parking is everywhere. read more

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I really like the ambiance and decor of this place. It was quite cold out side so the staff sat us by the heat lamp in the patio which was decorated with Hawaii theme. There menu had indicators of nuts, vegetarian, and gluten free. We actually ate like kings at that place. We had their teriyaki rib eye steak that was cooked perfectly to my preference; their curry prawn dish that had really good rich flavors; fancy mac and cheese, edamame, crab cakes and shishito peppers. Really enjoyed the place for sure. read more

We decided to come to Hula's for dessert after spending some time on Cannery Row. The ambiance of this place is great and the lighting and vibe are perfect for a date night. All of the desserts seemed delicious but we settled on the Ohana Pie for $15. This pie is Oreo cookie crust, ice cream (the flavor changes and this day it was chocolate fudge brownie), whipped cream, macadamia nuts, and hot fudge. The dessert was so delicious! It was exactly what I wanted and a large serving that was perfect for the both of us. I have absolutely no complaints about the food. The service however was bad. There is a bar in one room and additional bar style seating in another. We took a seat at the bar style seating (not the actual bar) since it was self seating and the restaurant was mildly busy. It took a while for a waitress to come up to us and take our order. When she did we made it clear that we just wanted to dessert to split and a couple glasses of water. When she brought the dessert out 15 minutes later she brought our check out with it. I took a bite of the dessert and then immediately put my card down so that she could take it whenever she came back. She did not check on us again for a full 40 minutes. The only reason she ended up coming up to us is because I was turned in my barstool waiting for her with the bill in my hand. We wanted to ask for napkins since we were eating what was essentially ice cream cake and didn't even get those until we were actively leaving. The dessert was good, but I hate when a restaurant offers self seating and then does not do a good job actually servicing it. I don't know if that was the reason the service was so terrible or if it was because we were only ordering dessert. It was disappointing to feel like we were being ignored by our waitress when she was incredibly attentive to other tables. read more

Hula's Island Grill - Ohana Pie - Asian Fusion Near Me - Monterey, California

Really liked the ambiance of this place. Spicy edamame lived up to its name. Good stiff drinks! Tuna tacos were good. read more

Hula's Island Grill - Feelin the Tiki vibes. Of course the booze helps... - Asian Fusion Near Me - Monterey, California

Super cute tiki bar with amazing food and themed drinks! Was able to be seated right away and waitress was nice and helpful in making suggestions for most ordered drinks. A nice place to stop by along Cannery Row read more

Hula's Island Grill - Asian Fusion Near Me - Monterey, California

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110% wish I could give them more stars. We just happened to see this place on list from our hotel as places to eat. Best price for happy hour appetizers food & drinks-great service ( Kelly) was so sweet & check to make sure we had everything we needed. Definitely worth a 2nd or 3rd. Visit The crispy coconut shrimp rolls come with 4 pieces ( pictured only showing 2.), read more

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The decor in here is awesome! Even just coming in from the street, it looks exciting outside already with tiki decor, indoors and there also an outdoor patio in the back with colorful lights for a festive vibe. Well done! There's a mug cabinet display in the left side room near the kitchen. No mugs for sale. Lots of cocktail choices like regular or double (bigger glass) or premium cocktails. Some come in legit tiki mugs Lots of food options whic is appreciated for a tiki bar. Burger was enjoyable and I coul put in my own lettuce tomato onions. Got sweet potato fries on the side. Drinking food DRINKS- -hurricane: strong! Bitter -zombie: classic tiki choice. also strong! Prefer this more than hurricane read more

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Stopped here for lunch while in Monterey. We went to the one in Santa Cruz a couple of years ago and liked it. I would say overall, it's solid. Food: We had the fish sandwich, the pork sandwich, and the chicken plate. Everything was pretty good. We found the bread on the sandwiches to be a little crumbly, which meant they kind of turned into a mess, but the flavor was good on both. I felt like the salads that came with them had way too much dressing on them. The coleslaw on the chicken plate tasted full on like ginger which I thought was too too, but our other diner enjoyed it. Drinks: We ordered two. Both were reasonably good. A little bit of a " from a mix" ish, but drinkable. I'm picky about drinks, so this is actually a compliment. Service: service was solid. Ambience: I like what they're going for here, but they could step it up a little bit. First of all, it was ridiculously cold in there and we had to wear our coats while eating indoors. We actually might've done better to sit outside near a space heater. The outer patio is actually quite nice. The indoor decor is cute although they need to lose the T-shirts hanging from the ceiling as it just looks tacky. They were literally blasting music and the playlist was super distracting and it' sort of made it hard to carry on a conversation. Basically we ended up talking about the music throughout most of the lunch hour. Lots of dance versions of retro 70s and 80s hits. A little mystifying. Why don't they just play Hawaiian music? Definitely family friendly. You'll have to park on the street or find a paid lot somewhere as they don't have their own lot; we didn't have a problem, but during peak season you might. And it's only one hour allowed on the street fyi. Oh we also ordered the mac & cheese appetizer and it was really good, very cheesy and creamy. I was somewhere between a three and a four but I'm rounding down due to the temperature and the music. read more

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Everything was delicious from start to finish. We had a crab cake, Khalbi, and the macadamia crusted halibut- fantastic island flavors on every plate. Each drink I tried was skillfully crafted to not be too sweet or overly boozy and hit just right paired with the food. Our server was kind, respectful and quick to help offer suggestions, though I didn't catch their name. The vibe is so fun, I'm so glad we came in! read more

Hula's Island Grill - Ohana pie - Asian Fusion Near Me - Monterey, California

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Food here was pretty solid. Service was really good. I came here with the family and we walked away pretty filled up. If I have one complaint, it's that some of the food was on the bland side. We made the mistake of ordering some sides, which came with the other entrees that we already ordered. I wish the server would have told us this, but it's our own fault for not being more attentive. Also, we made the decision to sit outside. I think that was the wrong call, because there were a lot of flies. Everybody inside looked happy, and the police was well ventilated. We should've sat inside. All in all, if you're looking for Hawaiian food, it's hard to beat this place. There aren't that many good choices. We look forward to coming back! Thank you guys. read more

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The food is amazing. I had the Kalbi Ribs with a side of Kimchi and my husband had the Fish Tacos the staff here is very courteous and on it! The Ambiance speaks for itself. Spectacular! read more

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We ordered the Poke bowl and the Pork sandwich. The pork sandwich with sweet potato fries was our favorite of the two. The staff were good. The interior has the Hawaiian decor flare which was cute. read more

Hula's Island Grill - Interior/Bar area - Asian Fusion Near Me - Monterey, California

Love the energy and decor of this place and their menu had a lot of unique Hawaiian inspired food. We tried the Dukes luau pork plate and shrimp tacos. Plates were about $25-28. I asked to substitute the coleslaw on my plate and they gave me so many options including sweet potato fries, which was so nice of them. My pork plate was good, but the meat is soy sauce based with pineapple, so it did get sweet over time to eat. The sides helped balance it out. Loved the sweet potato fries. The shrimp tacos were pretty simple/good (was better with some extra sauce) and the rice with beans on the side was a nice touch. Service was consistent and friendly. Instagram give this place a 3.5. They have a lot of street parking and you can walk the street to explore other restaurants and shops easily. read more

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We had the pleasure of trying Hula's Island Grill on our recent trip to Monterey Bay and so very glad we did. Very walkable from our hotel at InterContinental The Clement. Immediately greeted by super friendly staff. Have indoor and outdoor patio, but definitely would recommend dining outdoors. Patio space is fantastic and super comfortable. Food is awesome. Had the burger and fries and no regrets! It was fantastic! That said, we were in a large group and everyone's meal looked amazing. Drinks!! Their cocktails, especially tiki drinks were out of this world. Definitely will be back on our next Monterey Bay trip!! read more

The drinks and desserts are on point! Drinks, which you can order as a single or double, are strong (even as a single!) and tasty. Wish we had a chance to check out their speakeasy next door. I got the coconut crab curry, which was spicy but actually didn't have much flavor. There were a few big chunks of crab in there. A hearty dish and a generous portion size. My coworker was debating between the blackened wasabi ahi vs macadamia crusted ahi. Our server advised him to go with the blackened wasabi, as the mac crust didn't go as well with the ahi. He didn't lead us astray, as my fiancé ordered the latter and I was able to try both. Hands down the winner was the blackened wasabi ahi. The mac crusted was crispy, but bland and boring. We ended with sharing the lilikoi pie, Ohana pie and coconut cake which were all tasty and not too sweet. Ohana pie was the favorite, followed by the lilikoi pie then coconut cake. We were a party of 11. Flexible with reservations on the phone. I was made aware if our party was over 15, we'd have to do a set menu. No kids menu, but they have kid friendly items like mac and cheese. They also offer a good amount of plant based proteins. Come for drinks and desserts (and maybe pupus? We didn't order any). The entrees overall were not the strong point, but a-ok. read more

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Visited town recently and had the hankering for some great tiki drinks at a tiki bar! Overall, the ambiance immediately was perfect, and very well-themed. We truly enjoyed looking around and sitting in with the vibe! I opted for the Tropical Itch, which I would highly recommend if you're not sure what drink to get. The food, I ordered the Ahi Poke bowl which was DELICIOUS. I couldn't emphasize it enough. I truly enjoyed it. The reason for the 3-star rating however was my husband's pulled pork tacos. The meat was dry and over-cooked and quite frankly, wasn't as saucy as it could have potentially been. Not sure if it was an off-night, but it left us feeling disappointed. However, the service was superb and our server was an amazing help for us. We will be back again, and hopefully give the pulled pork another chance! read more

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Aesthetic was fun for a tiki bar and the heated outdoor seating was the best for families with kids. Food was overpriced for what you get and the flavor was dependent on the dish. The kids enjoyed the sweet potato fries and kids quesadillas. The appetizers were 8$ during happy hour which luckily we hit. They aren't worth more than that. The chicken wings were flavorful. The fish tacos were fine and packed. The rice tastes like minute rice, not authentic sticky rice which was disappointing. The kalbi was good and the real short ribs were appreciated. The Mac salad was aloha style! The Duke's luau pork was a bundle of pineapple shredded pork, not delicious to my pallet. It included pineapple chunks, minute rice and Cole slaw that was over gingered. The plant based chicken sandwich tasted fine with lots of fries. Overall with all the options on the street I'll be giving the others a try. read more

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My food was quite tasty! We has to wait for a table for 5 people on a Sunday at 2:45pm. The music was too loud for some people at our table to hear others who were talking. There is a speaker right above the table, we asked if it could be turned down and were told it wasn't possible. Other than that, it was great. read more

Hula's Island Grill - Spicy Thai Bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Monterey, California

Pros: A whole page of vegetarian options - plant based bowls , tacos, and more ! We had the banh mi tacos with jackfruit which were really good. A bunch of cocktails. Good kids options. Fun lighting and great music . Friendly, attentive service. Cons: the aesthetic of a lot of the imagery on the walls is culturally appropriative. Large paintings of girls by Gauguin- a documented pedophile. read more

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3.75 rounded up (4/5) The cechive is really good! A tad of spice but the coconut milk cools it down right after. There is a more tart/lemony forward flavor profile that I love bc I love sour. The chips are fun too -- crunchy and a solid companion to the fish. We both got the barramundi fish market. I did chimmichurri, husband did lemongrass. After I made my order I regretted it because I don't usually like chimmichurri so IDK why I was compelled to order it LOL. That said if you like chimmichurri I think it's fine. It wasn't bad but not my thing. (3/5) The lemongrass one was better imo with a creamy sauce that feels hearty and warming like clam chowder. (3.5/5) The brown sugar lemonade is also more sour than sweet (win for me but I know some people prefer a sweet lemonade). I feel like it reminds me of an Arnold Palmer but no tea haha (4/5) Service is friendly and solid. Their outdoor ambiance is really cute and preferred with such nice summer weather with a light breeze. read more

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Great vegeterian menu, ambiance Godzilla tots 1/5 skippable Tofu tacos 5/5 Wasabi cream tofu bowl 5/5 Hula pie 5/5 This was the standout item on the menu. :chefskiss: Lilikoi margarita 3.5/5 A bit too watered down Service and ambiance were on point. read more

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I've been to Hula's in Santa Cruz more times than I can count, and it never misses--so when I found myself hungry in Monterey and spotted a familiar name, it felt like an easy win. I'm happy to say the Monterey location absolutely lived up to expectations. From the moment we walked in, everything just clicked. We were seated quickly, which is always a great start, especially when you're hungry. The staff was friendly, attentive, and impressively efficient without ever making us feel rushed. Our food and drinks came out fast, and everything was spot-on. The atmosphere had that same fun, tropical energy I've come to love--lively, upbeat, and full of good vibes. It was definitely on the louder side, but in a good way--it felt like the kind of place where people are genuinely enjoying themselves. The place was busy and buzzing, which only added to the experience. And of course, the food delivered. Consistently delicious, well-prepared, and full of flavor--exactly what I've come to expect. It's always reassuring when a second location keeps the same quality and spirit as the original. All in all, a fantastic experience from start to finish. If you're in Monterey and craving great food with a fun, energetic atmosphere, this place absolutely won't disappoint. Five stars, no question. read more

We had a small birthday gathering in the outdoor patio. We had wonderful service, yummy food, delicious drinks and a fun ambiance. We will be back and highly recommend this restaurant. The shrimps tacos were delicious. You need to get the Ohana pie! Wow!! read more

I can't believe I haven't reviewed Hulas yet. Our go to place for Happy Hour with great snacks and stiff drinks. $8 lilikoi margaritas and spicy Edamame is the best happy hour combo in town. We try spicy Edamame everywhere we go and you can't beat Hula's way of doing it. Little bit of char and sliced serrano peppers. So good! For food the burgers are really good. The arugula salad makes me really have to think about fries or salad as my side for the Cajun burger. The drinks are your standard tiki drinks with a couple of standouts. The previously mentioned margarita or the blood orange martinis are definitely worth a try. Or get some friends and enjoy the punch bowls. They also have some almost non alcoholic drinks that are really tasty. If there's a wait try Next Door, their waiting room speakeasy. Just look for the sign. They'll call the bar when your table is ready. read more

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Whoever made the ceviche put their foot in it today , amazing. This place is consistent, great tasting & has great quality food. Everything I've eaten over the years is good. If I wasn't full I would've gotten the Mac & cheese & cheese as well. read more

Hula's Island Grill - Ceviche - Asian Fusion Near Me - Monterey, California

Friendly service although they said they couldn't seat us till all five of us were present. Just one of us was about 3 blocks away, but then they sat us in a nice shaded area outside. Food was good. Sweet potatoes were really good. So was the poke bowl, blackened sandwich and chicken teriyaki bowl. Spicy edamame and ceviche apps were also good. What I wouldn't recommend is the shrimp tacos. They looked good and were filled with Cajun seasoned shrimp with rice and beans. But it just didn't have much flavor. Overall good experience. About avg $24/person. Would recommend! read more

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Wow. The Jawaiian jerk chicken was overcooked... but since I do love me some SPICYYYY, the spice overshadowed the dryness which made it delicious for me lol... slaw was overpowering by ginger, rice was rice, fried plantains delicious, as well as the fried bread it came with! I will definitely be returning to try other things on the menu! read more

Hula's Island Grill - Jawaiian jerk chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - Monterey, California

Fun gem of a seafood spot with laid-back island vibes! The abalone-style calamari was done just right--lightly battered and served with two tasty sauces. The Trader Vic's Fish Sandwich had a slight kick to it, which we had with the best sweet potato fries - crispy but soft on the inside! Duke's Pork Luau Plate was delicious and we couldn't finish it all, so we took the rest with us--just added a side of rice and it made a great second meal. Service was friendly while we sat at the bar. There's also a speakeasy next door, but we enjoyed the patio with the heaters instead. read more

Hula's Island Grill - Abalone-style calamari - Asian Fusion Near Me - Monterey, California

5 stars for the Jamaican Jerk Chicken. This dish is perfectly paired with the perfect variety of food to deal with the heat. The Cole slaw has bits of ginger which I have never had anywhere else. Love it. In fact, everything on the plate is delicious by itself. And, the perfect pairing makes this one of my favorite dishes on the peninsula. Ambiance, music and decorations brings me back to Hawaii. Speed of service isn't always spot on. Not sure if it's the layout of the restaurant or the days ratio of customers/server. So, can't attest to the consistency of service time. Today, I had Nelly, who's being trained. She was great! read more

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Stopped by Hula's in Monterey after a short walk from the water and tried the ahi tuna bowl--definitely worth it. Super fresh, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. Light but satisfying, and a great post-beach bite. Would absolutely come back. read more

Hula's Island Grill - Ahi tuna bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Monterey, California

I had the best server, Kelly. However, I really did not enjoy my entree...ordered the curry bowl. It was beautiful, but the butternut squash was not cooked through, and the green curry had no flavor: couldn't taste the coconut milk, no salt, no anything. Very disappointed. read more

Hula's Island Grill - Curry bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Monterey, California

I have been to Hula's a couple times now, once on a date and once with friends, and every visit has reminded me why I keep coming back. Most recently I ordered the Luau Pork Plate, which is always solid. I really like their cold slaw, though it is heavy on ginger, so that flavor has to be something you enjoy. I personally love it. I also tried the Jamaican Jerk on one of my visits. I appreciated the plantains so much because I swear you can barely find plantains anywhere in Monterey. The spice blend was not completely to my personal liking, but it definitely tasted like a true jerk style seasoning, so I think it was just my preference and not the dish itself. One of the biggest reasons I love Hula's is how hard it is to find food like this in Monterey. There are plenty of Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese spots, but anything that falls under Hawaiian, tropical, or Pan Asian fusion is almost impossible to find here. Whatever category Hula's officially fits into, it fills that gap. They describe themselves as a throwback to old tiki restaurants, and that feels right. The whole place looks like a giant tiki bar. Dark lighting, immersive decor, tropical touches everywhere. You walk in and it immediately feels like a theme, in a good way. I have gone with my vegan friend before, and they love this place. They usually get the Wild Mushroom Curry. I did not try it directly, but they swear by the curries and love that Hula's has real vegan options and plenty of gluten free choices too. It is honestly pretty rare to have a Hawaiian inspired place that is this accommodating. Kyle has gotten the Kalbi Ribs Plate and one of their burgers before. I tried a bite of his plate and it was really good. No complaints on his end either. Service has always been great for us. The server we had during our most recent visit was especially kind and helpful. Just easygoing, attentive, and made the whole experience even nicer. Overall, Hula's fills a unique niche in Monterey. Great vibe, fun menu, and food you really cannot find anywhere else around here. If you want something tropical, Hawaiian inspired, or just different from the usual local options, this is one of the few places that really delivers. read more

Sooooo gooooooodd. All the options are a win. And the drinks are good and cold. SECRET SECRET: check the door to the right of the restaurant at 5:30pm (it's a hidden almost-like speak-easy bar that's part of the restaurant and they can bring your drinks next door when your table is ready). read more

My friends and I took a day trip to the aquarium and wanted a chill and cool place to have dinner before we head back home. One of my friends mentioned they are here before, so we decided to give them a try. We had a reservation, so we were seated pretty quickly and easily. We also sat during happy hour, which we decided to get a few things to try as well. Blue Hawaiian: This drink packed quite a punch for me. I haven't had a cocktail in quite sometime, and it hit me fast. Still, it tasted delicious and refreshing. Ceviche: My friend got this and I took one bite with a wonton chip. Overall, it was not bad. I'm not the biggest fan of ceviche, but it felt fresh with nice chucks of seafood inside. Kona Wings: I really enjoyed this happy hour dish. A supple amount of wings and the sauce had a nice kick to it. It came out steaming and I thoroughly enjoyed the appetizer. Ahi Tuna Steak Sandwich: This was very delicious. It was recommended to get medium rare and it came out exactly as described. The sandwich worked well together, with the acidity from the slaw balancing the flavors of the tuna steak. The sweet potatoes fries were crispy and the dipping sauce worked perfectly for me. Overall, we had a great time here. Service was nice and the atmosphere was lively. I can see myself coming back here again read more

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Many vegan, gluten free and Omni deliciousness to choose from. We love coming here with our friends as the drinks are amazing and there is something delectable for everyone in the party. Come hungry and don't skip dessert. Servers are helpful and courteous. And the ambiance is as good as Tahiti Nui Kauai. Fun times. read more

My wife, daughter and I made the 3 hour trip out just to check this place out and honestly we had a pretty good time. I picked up a souvenir tiki mug to add to my collection and we ordered a few drinks and a basket of the house-cut fries. The fries were really good--not crispy, more soft and tender but full of flavor. Perfectly salted too. I wish I could get mine to turn out like that at home but nope--never happens. I had the Dr. Funk and while it was a little sweeter than I usually like, I still enjoyed it. The coconut and banana flavors came through nicely and gave it a fun tropical vibe. The other drinks were good too. The place has a cool island theme--tiki'd up but not in a corny way. Staff was super friendly, very welcoming, and the place itself was clean and comfortable. Only thing I'd change? I kinda wish it was darker inside... those big windows let in a lot of light and it messes a little with the tiki atmosphere. Overall we had a good time. Snapped a bunch of photos, got a new mug for the collection, and left full and happy. Worth the stop for sure read more

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We stopped in after visiting the Cypress Grove trail at Point Lobos. This is a calm place, with kind and courteous service. Food sensitivities (gluten) handled perfectly. There is a true gluten free menu. The pulled pork was great. We would like to visit again! read more

Hula's Island Grill - Pulled pork platter - Asian Fusion Near Me - Monterey, California

First of all Holly is amazing. Any one who is Deaf you need to come here and ask for Holly. She knows sign language. Give her a chance to share her story. Secondly I ordered the barramundi macadamia crusted with mango. Sides cole slaw and Mac salad. Was so good. Hubby ordered crab curry. Also so good. One thingn missing was Coke zero instead of diet Coke. Ambience was nice outside. Lights are very low. Crisp. A sweater was fine. Have heat lamps but we were a lie far. Food came out hot and steaming read more

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Happy hour here is great! Amazing flavors, crab cake special and Hawaiian ceviche were awesome and wings had tons of flavor too. Mai Tais are strong. Fun atmosphere with indoor and outdoor seating. Will be back! read more

Hula's Island Grill - Mai Tai - Asian Fusion Near Me - Monterey, California

After winning Sexiest Man in Hawaii 2008, it was prophesized that the spirit of the Champion of Alola and his excellence King Kamehameha was forever instilled upon my spirit. Henceforth, every time I would step upon the island sands, the dolphins would jump higher, rainbows would appear more colorful, volcanoes would erupt more vigorously, the bees would produce sweeter honey and the hula skirts would rise higher as they swayed a bit more rhythmically. Wait, what were talkin' about? Oh yes, Hula's is an island grill destination restaurant nestled in the trees of the Monterey Bay. Their bringing island vibes and island food to this California destination was a success. The back patio was where the host sat our family since we had a pup along with us and there were plenty of doggo friends there. We had our table switched since the sun was glaringly facing half the table. After a quick switch, I was back to a sour brown sugar lemonade that had me puckering at the tartness. A half cup of water mixed in was exactly what we needed. I tried a bite of the island style poke, which I thought would benefit from some rice or simple tortilla chips. Any starch to go with and highlight the raw ahi, soy, sesame oil, chunks of avocado, onion, and sesame seeds. For my main, I got the korean style beef ribs or l galbi, the wonderful island side of macaroni salad, and a scoop of white rice. I added a spicy sriracha mayo, but was honestly surprised by the little dish of soy teriyaki dipping sauce. A mountain of ribs were stacked in the middle of the plate and there were plenty to share. Service was amazing for this busy time of day. I would recommend this place for an informal lunch or dinner with royal portions. read more

Hula's Island Grill - Patio - Asian Fusion Near Me - Monterey, California