Cancel

Open app

Search

Kealoha's Kitchen

4.8 (149 reviews)

Order Kealoha's Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

Kealoha's Kitchen Photos

Business Info

KEALOHA'S KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Dogs allowed
Outdoor seating

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Kealoha's Kitchen

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Inside
Aleeza A.

So I first heard about Kealoha's Kitchen through social media and it looked great. I saw the post where they needed help from the community to stay in business and wanted to check them out. We got there around 5ish and ordered both beef options (short ribs and brisket) and were notified that they were out of both. We were really excited to try either of those so was pretty bummed that we had to end up choosing the chicken options. The chicken options were okay to say the least. Nothing mind blowing. The Mac salad wasn't bad but again nothing too crazy. The inside of the restaurant was actually really nice and very clean. There was a good amount of seating and quite spacious. The service was good and the servers were really nice I just wish we could have tried what we actually wanted from here:/

Aloha Special - Mochiko Chicken, Lumpia, Rice
Shantell P.

A slide of Hawaii right in Covington! Not only did they nail the food, they also nailed the welcoming Hawaiian attitude. The staff we encountered were all so kind and helpful in deciding what to get. I went with two friends and everyone enjoyed their meals. I recommend the aloha special so you get to try an assortment of things from the menu. I got the mochiko chicken and I highly recommend it. It was fried perfectly, very light and not greasy at all with great flavor. The rice and lumpia it came with were perfect as well. I opted for the Mac salad for my salad choice and that was great as well. Will be back!

Spam Musubi
Ari L.

Food: 5 | Service: 3 | Ambiance: 5 The food never misses and even the rice slaps. Drinks are also well made! The service was super friendly but slow. Both our table and another waited quite awhile for our checks and I really hope they can get this right. There was a hula dancer on stage for several songs and it felt magical! This place holds a special place in my heart due to just how friendly and sincere the owners are. Absolutely will be back!

Potato salad
Charles T.

This is the best Hawaiian restaurant in Cincinnati and the reviews on yelp/Google agree. The meat was super flavorful. The chicken teriyaki has a smokey semi-sweet soy marinade. The beef ribs were tender and marinated in their signature pineapple teriyaki. The turkey lumpia was crisp and smelled fresh. Even the rice grains they used were high quality. The service and food prep can be pretty slow. The decor and ambiance could be updated. But overall we'll be back for Hawaiian dishes.

Dining area
Kimberly C.

If you're looking for authentic Hawaiian choices, this is the place. Relaxed atmosphere and kind employees are a big plus. Everyone we spoke to was either a family friend or relative, which gave it a cozy feel. It is perfect for any sized gathering, which is perfect for dates, friends, etc. And there is a parking garage nearby, should you find parking to be difficult. Great find!

Aloha Combo
Anna Y.

Kealoha's is truly a Cincy/NKY gem. I was AMAZED by the community support for this family restaurant- and it couldn't be more deserving! The staff and family is so friendly, they truly make you feel like you're one of their own, Kali was the best! The food..is insane. The flavor is ALL there, with so many options too to try, I cannot wait to get another plate and try a different protein! Had spam musubi for the first time too and am now in love, I truly hope Kealoha's is here to stay for a long time!

Brandie H.

My husband and I recently decided to check this place out for lunch after seeing so many positive reviews. From the moment we walked in we were greeted and treated amazing. You can tell they put a lot of love into their business and food. I asked our waitress to surprise me with her favorite protein which happened to be the short ribs, and the flavor did not disappoint. I will most definitely be back!

Mai Tai and a Blue Hawaiian.  Gee I wonder which is which?
Eric B.

What a treat. We were greeted and seated right away and one look at the menu told us we were in the right place. Our daughter and 4 grandchildren live on the island of Kaua'i, with her Hawaiian husband, and the food here was a reminder of our time on the island. Everyone was friendly, the food was delicious, and while we splurged a bit, our meal was a great value. I had the teriyaki short rib Aloha plate, with cucumber and tomato salad, musubi (spam sushi roll - don't knock it until you've tried it) with sticky rice and a lamia (sort of Filipino spring roll). Absolutely delicious. My wife went with the Mochico chicken Aloha plate with macaroni and potato salad (one combined dish). Also sticky rice and lamia, and musubi too. The chicken was incredible. Dessert brought custard pie and butter mochi. This was worth every calorie. We also each had a specialty cocktail, well made, deceiving in too light plastic, non disposable cups. However, if my only quibble was almost spilling my drink because the glass was lighter than expected, I'll take it as a win. Bottom line, decent value, delicious food, you can't go wrong at Kealoha's Hawaiian Kitchen. We will be back. You should go too.

a menu on a table
Eileen B.

I have reviewed this place before 5 stars then and 5 stars now It's delicious Hawaiian cooking

Such a cute place
Amanda H.

I wish this place got more business. The food was great. Ahi tuna was a great app and those ribs were absolutely amazing

Brenda H.

Located in the Mainstrasse area, it was easy to find and there is a parking garage just a couple blocks away. The menu is not big but if you are a first timer I would suggest the meal for two. This was more than enough for my husband and I plus it provided a variety of meats. My favorite was the pulled pork and the kabobs. Very tender. They started out a food truck but have been at the current location for a year. I highly recommend trying. People were friendly and attentive. I hope they do well.

Spam Musubi
Sonam P.

Came here on a Saturday around 6pm to grab dinner before Blink. I wanted to grab some Korean bbq and was looking up places near Covington and came across Kealoha's which was Hawaiian. The reviews looked great so I had to try it out. The inside is spacious and the staff was very attentive and friendly. I got a guava cocktail to start with which was guava juice and gin. The drink was not that special but it was refreshing. A bit pricy for what it is since you get customized flavorful cocktails for $12 at most places vs just some gin and juice. I got the bento box teriyaki chicken meal and the spicy spam musubi for my dinner. Decided to get the teriyaki chicken as the waitress said that's most people's favorite. I wish I had gotten the brisket or ribs because my friend got the pineapple teriyaki brisket and it was way more flavorful than the teriyaki chicken. The teriyaki chicken was good but I would have liked a bit more sauce and thick sticky teriyaki that's like a glaze. It just didn't have that much flavor but the brisket was so tender and juicy and the flavors were fantastic. So I know that I need to get that next time. I wish they had pictures on the menu because just from looking at the dish I knew it would be great. I do wish the bento box came with a side. For the amount of food (majority being rice) I think a scoop of 1 side should be included in the price.like some sort of slaw/macaroni salad. That would have been perfect for the meal. The waitress was attentive and sweet. She wrapped up my musubi since I was full and I didn't want to carry a take out container while going to Blink. She wrapped it in Sean wrap for me to put in my fanny pack and eat later. It was too delicious to waste. I will definitely be back to get the ribs and brisket meat with my next meal. This is an easy in and out place if you don't want to spend a long time at dinner.

Rice
Katherine D.

The menu caught my eye so we ordered ahí tuna, and the pineapple teriyaki brisket plus a side of rice. The ahí tuna was flavorful and well seasoned. The brisket had amazing unique taste, however most of the portion was fat rather than meat which was a bit disappointing. Also for the price the portion was quite small. It may be different dinning in, is worth trying it.

Short rib plate with macaroni salad, steamed rice, and lumpia. I feel like I'm in the islands. Aloha!

See all

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Fantastic service and food all around. Chill atmosphere with great taste. Highly recommend.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Gale L.
81
54
30

2 years ago

Food tastes like home! they even have custard pie! service great, received food real quick. Hawaiian music brings me back home.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Natalie S.
240
90
16

2 years ago

Unique place with delish food and nice staff. I wish the meat had less bones and more meat but regardless I Would recommend!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of K K.

K K.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 2
Photo of Daisy M.
767
66
5

4 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Tom J.
195
218
753

5 years ago

Helpful 5
Thanks 0
Love this 4
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Food was very good, I recommend the bento box with any of the meats along with the lumpia. Best service I've received in a long time.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of C T.
0
30
17

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Had lunch here today. First time visit. Sliders and brisket were delicious. Tomato-cuc salad was great. Must have a slice of custard pie!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Absolutely fantastic food and service to match. Really glad to have this restaurant as part of the Cincinnati culinary landscape.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of D V.
0
5
1

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 3 of 4

Ask the Community - Kealoha's Kitchen

Amy and Val it's cousin Cyndy !! Want to bring some friends in tomorrow night for dinner around 6-6:30 but not sure if you have a bar ? Can we bring our own beer and wine in?

They have a full bar

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

You might also consider

Huli Huli Tiki Lounge - That atmosphere is insane!

Huli Huli Tiki Lounge

4.1(294 reviews)
106.7 mi
•$$

We had such a nice night! We sat at the outdoor bar, but there is an indoor bar and some tables…read more Service was great at the outdoor bar, there were multiple bartenders circulating to help out. The food was good. I had the sampler, it was very tasty and I LOVED the macaroni salad. The Head Hunter was a great drink, and the decorations really make it.

Gorgeous place, horrendous service. Food was average. This is one of the most beautiful bars in the…read morearea. The bar staff are pretty unfriendly and weirdly enough, there is no standing room inside to grab a drink while you wait for a table. Also the music is strange. The hostess was very soft spoken, and didn't seem to be enthused to be there. She reluctantly let 2 of us sit and the other 2 stand. Maybe there was some issue that day that we don't know about? The bar area inside is relatively small, which I think adds an extra layer of coziness. The bartenders didn't acknowledge us at all, and when we finally we able to grab their attention, the female bartender didn't say so much of a hi, but said well did you talk to the hostess. We said yes, she reluctantly made our drinks. The cocktails are gorgeous. But we wanted some shots of dark rum. I kid you not, it was like they were refusing to give us these. It took 20 minutes -we counted- to get this. The food- I grew up in Hawaii, and this by no means is Hawaiian food. With that said, I loved the loaded fries. Everything else, hush puppies, coconut shrimp was just ok. The lobster rangoons were just terrible, they were overwhelmingly lemon-y. My sister had the burger and she said it was really good. A tiki bar should have a welcoming vibe, and this just isn't it. I might give the patio another shot if it's open, but for now this is a pass.

Photos
Huli Huli Tiki Lounge - Great atmosphere and service!

Great atmosphere and service!

Huli Huli Tiki Lounge - Outside patio is one not to miss. They always have it on point!

Outside patio is one not to miss. They always have it on point!

Huli Huli Tiki Lounge - Outdoor area

See all

Outdoor area

Big Kahuna - Mahi Mahi Plate

Big Kahuna

4.7(395 reviews)
72.1 mi
•$

This place is a state treasure. Sometimes I go just for the Hawaiian fries…read more.. But everything is good here. And I've tried everything at least twice. My favorites are the Big Kahuna burger, the fries obviously, but the pulled pork is amazing but the fish plate is my all-time favorite. You could just throw a dart at the menu and be fine though. They have nothing that won't rock your face off.

I had never had spam and have never been to Hawaii, so Big Kahuna was a fun option to try for…read moretakeout. I got the spam and eggs. Spam was a little salty (duh, that's to be expected) but well fried. The fried sunny side up egg was amazeballs too, so rich and runny. Fries were hot and crispy as well, but honestly the spam and eggs (which also came with sticky rice and macaroni salad) was so filling that I barely touched the fries. This delicious smorgasbord was only 9 dollars! My colleague had the juicer, which is mahi mahi with cabbage slaw and spicy mayo. He also got the Hawaiian style fries. Topped with spicy mayo, sweet soy, house chili sauce, green onion, and sesame seed, this is an extravagant dish! He enjoyed it. My other colleague got spam musubi is spam and sweet soy on sticky rice, wrapped in seaweed. He says it's his favorite dish from there. Other dishes include kalua pork (Hawaiian bbq sauce), teriyaki chicken, grilled tofu, coconut shrimp, and katsu, which is panko fried pork with their house sauces. For a meal out of the ordinary, give Big Kahuna a try. They say they have the "second best fish sandwich in town!" (Charlie's claims the first spot).

Photos
Big Kahuna - Upstairs Dining and Self Service.

Upstairs Dining and Self Service.

Big Kahuna - Katsu

Katsu

Big Kahuna - Love the artwork!!

See all

Love the artwork!!

Kealoha's Kitchen - hawaiian - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...