The food is amazing here! I'm honestly shocked people have given this place a poor review. The portions are great, food is fresh and the sauces are yummy. The service was good too, the girl who worked in the front was very nice and attentive. She deserves a raise. The ambiance was clean as well. I'll definitely return and try another item. Side Note: you can never have enough carbs read more

The food was good, but it didn't really blow me away. That said, it's definitely one of the better Hawaiian BBQ options in the Poway area, and I'd choose it over most of the nearby spots. I ordered the spicy chicken plate and the kalua pork plate. The spicy chicken had good flavor, but it wasn't very spicy. The kalua pork was tasty, although it had a lot of black pepper. Even the mac salad was on the peppery side, which wasn't my favorite. Also was $32 for both plates... Nothing really stood out as amazing, but everything was enjoyable and satisfying. If I'm in the area and craving Hawaiian BBQ, I'd definitely come back. read more

What do you mean "no substitutions"? Why am I getting two scoops of white rice AND mac salad with absolutely no option to change anything? That's an absurd amount of carbs for one meal. Not everyone wants a plate that's mostly rice. I could maybe understand if substitutions cost extra, but not allowing them at all is ridiculous. The fact that I can't swap even one scoop of rice for something else makes zero sense. It's wasteful, frustrating, and completely ignores that people have different dietary preferences. A little flexibility would go a long way. read more

EXPLOSIVE AMOUNT OF FOOD (3.8 stars) - FOOD: good - PRICE: Groupon deal, worth it - SERVICE: excellent customer service - AMBIANCE: simple eatery Craving loco moco after going on a tiki boat tour. Came here with a Groupon deal of $40 worth of food for $22. Deal worthy. It's all the way in Poway in a plaza. The girl at the front taking orders was a rock star, she had stellar customer service regardless how busy it got. Give her a raise! LOCO MOCO ($18.99) - hamburger patties, sunny side eggs. Served with rice and mac salad. Their loco moco was just okay - I can make it better at home. One thing I noticed were the eggs were extra runny, nearly slimy. I wasn't impressed with the eggs and pulled them off of the burger patties. The patties were big but kind of dry and cooked well, might have been cooked a little more than they should as the edges curled. The glaze had a little sweetness to it like the Japanese demi-glace - for me I am more of a savory than sweet when it comes to gravy sauce. I think I liked the Mac salad the most out of this plate. SPECIAL BBQ COMBO ($23.50) - BBQ short ribs, beef, and chicken. served with rice and mac salad. I heard this was a popular item off the menu and I think it's because of the generosity of food given. It came with 2 short ribs, a bounce of beef and chicken. The short rib quality was not the best... a lot of fat parts making it hard to eat the meat. the chicken was average but the flavor on it was good. The beef was I liked most out of this plate. They were in shredded pieces and had really good flavor. This plate was better than my Loco Moco plate. RECOMMEND Overall, I think this is a great Hawaiian (kind of fast food) spot for those in Poway. Not sure if I'll be back because it's a bit far and although the size of the food was amazing the quality was ok. There are other Hawaiian spots to be had. Until the next review.... read more

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This is probably the best Hawaiian fast food I've had. I bought a groupon for 22$ for a value of 40$. Totally worth it! When i went it was completely empty, but at least it was very clean. I got a beef platter and a chicken and katsu platter. The chicken was excellent and the bulgogi beef was delicious! The katsu was meaty. Actually, the portions were huge, but they are about 3-5$ more than L&L or ohana and places of the likes. I got the malasadas. You have to eat them fresh. If only these were filled with custard or some kind of jelly, these would be perfect! I just couldnt give this place a 5 bc I really didn't like the mac. It tasted very vinegar- y. The rice also tasted like paste. I loved the meat! Fantastic! But the sides fell short. I would definitely come again. Especially with that coupon! Money worth! read more

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Hawaiian food in poway! Very tasty and popular based on the amount of online ordering. There are kiosks to order food off of, or you can order with the worker. The restaurant was clean and tidy. Parking is plentiful. I do think the price is a little expensive, but for the quality I do think it is worth it. The rice scoops are the only thing where I really wish they offered more of. I'll be eating here again. read more

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Such an adorable family owned spot! The service was outstanding, our server went above and beyond to help situate us. Love that they have lofi music playing in the background. The katsu was so incredibly crispy, and the mac salad was also refreshing! Will definitely be returning. Huge portion sizes for a good price read more

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Came here with family for dinner, it's a small restaurant, but was not busy when we went. We got the mixed bbq plate, bbq chicken and spicy bbq chicken plate, katsu chicken, spam and crispy spam musubis, malasadas, and two of the IPO island breeze teas. We all tried of bit of everything and overall really enjoyed the food, service was quick and restaurant wasn't super busy for 5pm on a weeknight. Highlights: crispy spam musubi and malasadas - the texture on the crispy spam with the sauce and rice was phenomenal. I loved the added crunch it gave the musubi. Malasadas were made fresh to order, they weren't filled with anything but were airy, sweet, and delicious all the same! I really enjoyed the garlic sauce that came with one of the bbq plates as well, added a good depth of flavor. Chicken katsu was fabulous, great crunch and the dark meat inside was tender. Also loved the addition of Furikake on the two scoops of rice for each plate. Cons: the meat on the mixed bbq plate was on the fattier side, making it a bit chewy. I didn't have too much issue with it but I know that can be a turn off for folks. The bbq chicken and spicy chicken tasted virtually the same to me, though flavor was good. Mac salad didn't taste like anything but mayo to me. We had a Groupon so this didn't bother me as much, but the prices can be expensive for those without it. Overall, I would totally come back and try some of the shrimp or other options on the menu, especially with the Groupon! Definitely getting the crispy spam musubi. read more

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Came by Ipo Hawaiian BBQ in Poway for a quick plate lunch. The food was okay overall -- nothing bad, just didn't really stand out. Service was nice. There was a screen playing with fireworks but it wasn't in Hawaii. Portions were decent and it has that classic Hawaiian plate lunch setup with rice and mac salad. Didn't really care for the locomoco. egg was a bit overdone. not enough gravy. If you're nearby it works for a quick bite, but it didn't quite give that "taste of Hawaii" I was hoping for. read more

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Crispy Spam Musubi?! I did not even know this was a thing until my girlfriend told me about it & I am so glad that she did. I have yet to find other spots that serve this so def make your way over. They also serve other Hawaiian dishes such as Katsu Chicken, Crispy Shrimp, Kalua Pork & more. read more

Ipo Hawaiian BBQ in Poway is the spot for all your Hawaiian food cravings. From mixed bbq, seafood, musubis and malasadas their menu has it all. I love the simplicity of their offerings from all your meats, sides and desserts. They also do catering for the large party orders. On this lunch visit I ordered my lunch consisting of the Chicken Katsu Plate as well as the Crispy Musubi. Both were fantastic leaving me full and satisfied. The Chicken Katsu plate was very good with crispy breaded katsu, katsu sauce, rice and mac salad. The portion was a good size and by the end I was full. But the standout for me was the crispy musubi, the textured on the crispy fried spam was delicious wrapped in the nori and seated on a bed of rice. Super tasty and I recommend if you love musubis. A great and convenient spot with great service and fantastic meal. read more

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Coworker and I wanted Hawaiian and found this new (to us) spot in Poway. We ordered the chicken katsu and mahi mahi plates to-go. Service was quick, food was freshly made. The crispy texture was evident and enjoyable, though the seasoning was on the bland side. That could be due to the lack of katsu and tartar sauces. They did provide spicy mayo as a dip, which was much needed. Furikake is a nice touch on the rice, but the macaroni was just okay. In summary, we are likely to select the closer L&L Hawaiian. read more

Ipo Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken Katsu - Hawaiian Near Me - Poway, California

Haiku: IPO Hawaiian BBQ Large, hearty portions Chicken katsu is crunchy Grabbed a Groupon deal. --- It's nice to see a Hawaiian BBQ spot in the area. Large portions at decent pricing. The combo plates come with rice and mac salad. We ordered: - #2 Chicken Combo: it comes with BBQ chicken & the katsu chicken is where it's at. The breading was thin and crispy. We to-go the order and it was still crunchy when we ate it at home. You must try the garlic sauce with it. - #7 BBQ Short Rib: it was nicely marinated and had a great caramelized char. They were generous with the portions--there were at least 4 or 5 short ribs. The restaurant was decorated so festive for the holidays. The Stitch-themed blue Christmas tree and the candy canes hanging from the walls were such a cute touch. It's sweet that you can grab a candy cane for yourself and ask for a free Polaroid picture to be taken at the tree. Grab a Groupon to save money and try a new place. Service was friendly. There's plenty of seating inside and great for groups. read more

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Nice and comfy restaurant with nine tables for those who want to dine in, but most orders seem to be take out. You can order at the kiosk or at the counter. I've heard the portions are substantial and I wanted a dish with a smaller serving. I noticed a sign on the door offering a BBQ Chicken rice bowl with broccoli for $7.95 so I went for it. The chicken was tender and with the rice and broccoli it made for a perfect meal. I sat in the restaurant and had a peaceful lunch. Service was fast and friendly. If you're in the mood for "island style" grinds like spam musubi, kalua pork and cabbage or BBQ beef and chicken bowls, this is the place to visit in Poway. Stop in and check out their menu. I guarantee there will be something there you'll like. Aloha! read more

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On rare occasion you find food that is so perfect, you couldn't complain about it if your life depended on it. I've been here a few times and never had a bad experience. Most places are just "food", you go there to eat and that's it, you're not hungry anymore. The things I've had here make me happy and full. There's a big difference. read more

Hawaiian food done well! Ipo Hawaiian BBQ is a small shop located in Poway that serves some delicious hawaiian dishes! I often doordash from here when I'm craving a hearty meal and they have never disappointed! Chicken katsu is fried to perfection, teriyaki chicken is packed to the brim, and service never disappoints! One of the times I was eating in store, the owner slightly overcooked some katsu and ended up just offering it to us for free alongside our order, doubling our portion. It's clear they care about quality and taste at Ipo BBQ, so come here and give it a try! read more

Ipo Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken Katsu + Teriyaki Chicken Plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Poway, California

My first time back since I heard it's under new ownership/management. I ended up getting the Special BBQ Combo #1 and Seafood Combo #3. The BBQ plate came with chicken, pork and beef with a side of rice and Mac salad. The seafood combo came w fried fish and shrimp. I also got 3 spam musubis. I have to say, the food blew me away. The portions are generous. The meats were flavorful and has a char without being burnt. The seafood combo was crispy. The spam musubis were proportional! Most places give too much rice to spam but here it's perfect enough take away from the saltiness. IPO has plenty of parking and lots of dining spaces to eat inside. I wanted to phone in my order but saw no phone number. When I asked, they said check IG. They have drinks that I'll have to try next time. read more

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A little hidden gem. Pass by this place on a daily. I would've never tried this place if it wasn't for others recommendations. Sour: the mahi mahi was very good. The fish was light and the breading was very crisp. I just prefer LL Hawaiians more. I wish it had more flavor. Sweet: Good size portions. The chicken katsu was very good. The macaroni was flavorful. I like how they sprinkle furikake on the rice. I definitely will be back to try other items. read more

Ipo Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken Katsu and Mahi Mahi - Hawaiian Near Me - Poway, California

Ipo BBQ has refreshed their menu a bit and added a few great things to the menu. We loved the additions of fresh hot malasadas like in Hawaii. They also have a crunchy spam musubi. Yum! The restaurant is brighter and very clean. We loved their bbq chicken plate. The chicken is made of chunky pieces and marinaded. Side teriyaki sauce goes great with it. I wish the chicken plate had more cabbage in it. It had very little. Service was fine and got the order right. Food was tasty. read more

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Can't ever go wrong with Musubi. Ipo makes it hot fresh and jam packed with Spam. Good stuff. High marks for their garlic chicken too. One order was enough for lunch AND dinner and I was full after both. The shop is clean and simple, the employees were friendly and attentive. I'll be back soon to quench my musubi cravings. read more

Ipo Hawaiian BBQ - Garlic Chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Poway, California

BBQ plate for the win! We absolutely love the kabli, beef, and chicken teriyaki. The protein was all well done. Reason why it's only 3 stars for me is that the ma salad tasted a bit too bland for me. We also got the garlic chicken, that one is also why the stars dropped. The texture was crispy perfection on the outside and somewhat still juicy, but it was pretty bland as well. We couldn't really tell that it was garlic chicken, to a point my husband thought we got the wrong order because we couldn't taste the garlic anywhere. Overall though, the guy who took out order was suuuper nice! I wish I could give them 5, but I feel like two of those main items were quiet a let down. But...with that said, we would go back again for the BBQ plate! read more

Ipo Hawaiian BBQ - Garlic chicken, crispy and great texture overall, but the flavour was missing. - Hawaiian Near Me - Poway, California

DELICIOUS! I have tried a number of Hawaiian restaurants in San Diego via work catering, and Ipo Hawaiian is the best so I brought my partner here for a regular weeknight dinner. We ordered the Beef BBQ plate ($18.50) and the BBQ Short Rib small plate ($22.50). Both come with two scoops steamed rice and one scoop mac salad. Both the beefs were very tender and flavorful. But of course, the short rib is more fatty, which I LOVE. Compared to other Hawaiian restaurants, the ribs are full of meat (see picture). The rice is perfectly cooked and has a nice furikake topping. I enjoyed the mac salad, but even as a mayo-lover, I would admit that it was a bit TOO wet with the amount of mayo. It was seasoned nicely though. I really wanted to try the malasadas and lumpia, but I knew I would be too full. But I am still going to try them next time, because there's no rule against taking home leftovers! The restaurant was not busy at all. It is a very casual eatery with plenty of indoor seating available. Free large parking lot. If I recall, one single person restroom. read more

Ipo Hawaiian BBQ - Short rib plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Poway, California

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Lots of Parking, easy to get to, super nice and friendly employee. Love that they play kpop here and project the music video on the wall! Almost wanted to change my order from to go to dine in just to vibe to the music! They were playing the hits! Food was freshly made to order - I got the loco moco and spam musubi. Taste is was really good. However, there was a little bit of egg shell in the eggs. Not a big deal though, still super good and would get it again. I did have some hard rice in my spam musubi and it's a little more on the sweeter spam side. I would go here again. I would be happy to eat the same thing, but I would also want to try out other items on their menu! read more

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The food here is excellent! Big portions and very flavorful. Service was friendly and fast. I will definitely be coming back!

Okay so I wandered in because my kid has art class near by and I didn't want to wait in my car because it was cold outside. At first I was a bit put off because they had a bunch of back to back orders and were out of a lot of items. But Ava went above and beyond. Made a new batch of rice and fresh desserts. It was quiet inside and warm. No complaints. read more

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Mac salad and rice portions were so small. Barely made two tablespoons for a $15 and $20 entre??? Maybe they tell their staff go small on any customers using Groupon. Asked for double-mac salad, came with two rice one mac. Chicken Katsu was crisp and tasty. Just work on the size of your sides and what the customer is asking. read more

My mom and I drive past this place often since she loves north park produce. In addition, L & L's in Mira Mesa and homestyle Hawaiian in Chula Vista have not redeemed themselves lately. The Macaroni salad at IPO and bbq short ribs were superb . I ordered the chicken combo. Which was the chicken katsu (yum) but the bbq chicken tastes like regular adobo though (bummed). Regardless their service was awesome (loved her- sweet cashier with a hat ) and parking was plentiful. They had a good amount of tables but when I arrived after 7pm, there was no one there. Also, they have spicy mayo on their tables btw if you're dining in. Lots of parking and cute and clean lil restaurant. read more

Ipo Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken combo plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Poway, California

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First timer, dropped by for a snack around lunch time and decided on their Crispy musubi, original spam musubi and Sesame balls. Ordered thru their tablet and food was ready in less than 10 minutes. Service was very friendly from the gentleman who brought my to-go order to me at a table nearby. Never had a crispy spam musubi and I loved it! Loved the crispy texture and tasted very good. The regular spam musubi was fine. Could use a tad bit less rice. The sauce on the side that was included was a nice addition; I think like a katsu sauce. Sesame balls satisfied my craving. I really want to try one of their dishes, will be back. read more

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This is my second visit. The first time was a bit busier. I was the only customer during my visit this time. I ordered food for take-out. The staff who took my order was friendly. He recommended #1 Special BBQ combo. It included short ribs, beef, chicken, rice, and macaroni salad. The portion was big enough for three of us to share. I also ordered a Thai tea, spam Musubi and fried coconut cream mochi balls (these mochi balls were delicious). The price was reasonable for the amount of food that I got. The space was clean and has plenty of tables. read more

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Fits our $50 dollar lunch date budget for two. The food we ordered Combo 1 and 2 (sort of like their sampler) were very tasty (very Hawaiian). The Bbq Chicken, Short Ribs and Katsu are our recommendation when you visit this place. This place is the better Hawaiian Bbq restaurant in the area. Highly recommended because it fits our budget and taste. Note: $50 date budget in some areas might be high but in San Diego, it's tough to find a good place to go on a date for $50. read more

Ipo Hawaiian BBQ - Combo 2: Bbq Chicken and Chicken Katsu - Hawaiian Near Me - Poway, California

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Hawaiian California style. Why the title you say? Well it's because it's California's version of Hawaiian food. Don't get me wrong, this is a nice place but it's not like back home. They have the staples like spam musubi, long rice (it's a soup here), loco moco, chicken katsu, and kalbi (known here as BBQ short ribs). But they don't have lau lau, lomi salmon, or any type of poke. Not having these I completely understand. It's time consuming, expensive, and might not sell well in this neck of the woods. I have never heard of teriyaki garlic shrimp, pineapple orange chicken, or chicken lumpia. I got a plate of kabli, chicken lumpia, and the monchi coconut balls to go. The kalbi wasn't as soft as I'm use too. It's grilled but I'm use to the sweet savory blend. I didn't care for the lumpia. It seemed a little dry to me. And really I couldn't tell if there was any chicken. The star of the meal was dessert. Being from the islands you can't go wrong with anything coconut. Overall three stars. The place is clean with plenty of seating. Ample parking out front. read more

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Just had dinner at Ipo BBQ and it was such a great experience! We tried the chicken katsu, teriyaki chicken, and the kalua pork plate, and every single dish was absolutely delicious. Everything was juicy, flavorful, and cooked perfectly--honestly hard to pick a favorite. The Thai tea topped it all off and was the perfect refreshing finish to the meal. You can really tell they put care into the food here. We'll definitely be back! read more

Ipo Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken Combo and Kalua Pork Plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Poway, California

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I came here on a Thursday night around 7:45 pm and the closed sign was up as well as a lit "Open sign." I was worried they were closed because their hours weren't online, however they were actually open. They close at 8:30 pm but there was no one in the restaurant (maybe because the closed sign was up). There is a kiosk you can order at or someone at the front. They had an anniversary special which was a chicken bbq bowl for only $6.99 which we could only order in person so we got that along with the fried garlic chicken. Both came out with pretty decent sized portions with a lot of chicken. I like how they didn't give a bunch of rice which is a complaint I have with a lot of Hawaiian restaurants. The bbq chicken was nice and tender. It came with a sauce which I expected to be teriyaki however I don't think it was. There were a few broccoli pieces as well which came cold and I found a bit odd. The sauce was delicious and they gave 2 containers of it which was perfect to pour over the entire bowl. The fried garlic chicken was also delicious. It was fried and crispy on the outside, a few pieces a little dry but still good. It came with rice, Mac salad, and the garlic sauce. The garlic sauce was so garlicky and delicious. We asked for more which they gave for free, as we definitely needed more for the amount of chicken the plate came with. The prices are really good and I'm happy I discovered this Hawaiian restaurant. I'll definitely be back to try more items on the menu. read more

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New owners have taken over the operation of Ipo BBQ. The eatery was located in a corner suite of the Poway Town Center where parking spaces were plentiful in the lots. The dining area was clean and could seat about three dozen customers. Hawaiian-style BBQ plates were the featured items on the menu of which there were 16 choices. Rice bowls and sides were the other savory offerings. Each plate came with two scoops of white rice and a scoop of macaroni salad. I picked the Surf and Turf Combo ($24.50) which allowed one choice of meat and one choice of seafood. The BBQ beef short ribs and garlic shrimp were my selections. I also added two pieces of Spam Musubi to my takeout order. On the way home, I noshed on the musubi which were brushed with some sweet soy sauce. The pieces were average in size for the cost. As for the rest of the items, the heavy garlic flavor on the seven shrimp stood out. I easily consumed the rice because of the garlicky sauce left over from the shrimp. The BBQ short ribs were ordinary as there were two pieces included. The service from the worker was pleasant and helpful. If it wasn't so far out of my way, then I would return to try another plate from Ipo BBQ. read more

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Hawaiian food North county Poway Amex accepted Restroom inside Parking available A lot of to go orders Not vegan friendly Not vegetarian friendly No out door seating Order first then sit down When I went one person did it all Super friendly K-pop playing Catering available read more

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This is my second time coming here. They make your food when you order which is good and not out all day. This time ordered 3 spam Musubi and BBQ beef plate. The front guy is always nice. The restaurant is clean inside and welcoming. read more

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The guy at the counter was very nice. We ordered the bbq mix plate which we really enjoyed. The chicken was juicy and tasted really good. The beef was a little better than some other places and the short rib was good and tender. My son loved the mac salad and is a picky eater at two years old. I was happy seeing him eat it. We then also tried the deep fried musubi and that was pretty bomb! The only thing I didn't really care for was our chicken lumpia.... As a Filipino, I just didn't think it tasted or resembled lumpia. Nonetheless, it was a 5 star experience for us read more

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Craving a spam musubi for an afternoon snack so I stopped in here while I'm in the area. The guy who took my order was nice and friendly. The spam musubi was ok. The nori on one of the musubi was coming apart and opening up. The spam could have been thicker. It was mostly rice with a thin slice of spam on each one. I didn't order anything else so I can only say that I don't recommend the spam musubi. read more

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We have been going here for years. It's under new ownership as of this year so had to give them a try. Everything still tastes authentic and delicious. Their katsu sauce and teriyaki is sweet and perfect. Ordering to-go over the phone was a bit hectic as they kept getting the order wrong and added a dish. But everything came out correct (yay), service was quick and the food was still hot when I got home. They got a small make over inside and everything is still super cozy and cute as a mom and pop shop type of feel. Love their Islander music too. They are open 7 days a week unlike before they were closed Sundays, so that's perfect because Sunday is no cooking funday! Give them a try and keep them in your rotation! It is definitely a Poway original for years and we gotta keep them around for more years to come baby! read more

Ipo Hawaiian BBQ - Current menu 7/2/25 - Hawaiian Near Me - Poway, California

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Amazing customer service and even better food. I didn't catch the cashiers name but he was VERY attentive to all our needs and made sure we had everything we needed before even asking for it. Brought all our food and sauces/ drinks to our table and provided exemplary service. I left this place and knew I'd be coming back soon. Can't wait to try more menu items! All the food (Mac salad ) was amazing! read more

Ipo Hawaiian BBQ - Hawaiian Near Me - Poway, California