So worth the 1 hour drive down south from Dayton, OH into Kentucky! Kealoha's Kitchen treated us like Ohana and had some delicious Hawaiian style food! They had the works today! Pineapple glazed kal-bi (short ribs), ahi tuna Poké, kalua pig (pulled pork) with cabbage, teriyaki chicken and pork bbq sticks! They even had some specials going on today with some garlic shrimp and char siu on Bao buns! You HAVE to give them a try. Being from Hawaii, I can taste certify that they give you a taste of the islands! It was so great to have something close to the tastes of home, all the way out here in the mid-west. Hope you all get a chance to try it! Big MAHALO (THANK YOU) to Unko Koa, Aunty Amy and Unko Kenna (sorry if I misspelled) for having us! We'll see you again soon! read more

See all

This cozy bar/restaurant is the only place that I know of in the tri-state area that serves up great Hawaiian fare. My first time trying aloha food turned out to be a very memorable experience. The pork kabobs are loaded with savory flavor and the Hawaiian sliders were so tasty on their sweet breads. Lumpias , the crispy Filipino egg roles were so scrumptious that I could have probably eaten ten more! To be honest i had my reservations about spam musubi, but after it was all said and done I would totally get it again! The bar had a good selection of brews from our local regional breweries while also a nice selection of national brands. Kealoha's is a definite hidden gem that might be off the beaten path for some, but not a place you would want to miss. read more

Kealoha's Kitchen - Kalua pork slider, spam musubi, marinated pork kabob, and lumpia - Hawaiian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

The bento box with ahi tuna poke and a side of sriracha, an absolute must. The tuna is fresh and it's a perfect portion. I love it! The staff are always kind and the restaurant is clean and adorable. Two thumbs up! read more

My heart burst with joy when I found out about this amazing Hawaiian joint! We found out through Asian restaurant week, a great avenue to new and tasty restaurants around town. Located just outside of Covington in Latonia, the carry out window is inside but space is limited. We were inside with another couple and one other gentleman, it was a tight squeeze. Don't worry, they don't keep you waiting long for your order. We went with the Kanak attack special. It included short ribs, teriyaki chicken, pork kabobs, cabbage/pork and we chose the spicy papaya salad and lumpia. Oh my and can you imagine I forgot to mention rice! This meal fed myself and my husband for lunch and dinner. Wow! The meat was so flavorful! My favorite was the cabbage and pork! My husband was partial to the short ribs and teriyaki chicken. The lumpia was crispy and the dipping sauce added a sweet kick to each bite. Lucky for us they were also offering chocolate cream puffs, an exclusive Hawaiian recipe. Can't rave enough about this great place!! read more

Kealoha's Kitchen - Kanak attack and chocolate cream puffs - Hawaiian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

What a fun gem to stumble across while exploring Covington. Unbelievably nice and welcoming staff from the moment we set foot in Kealoha's til we were out the door after our great meal. The apps were a fun mix of Hawaiian takes on Filipino lumpia and SE Asian green papaya salad. Then on to the legit Hawaiian fare of mac salad with kalua pulled pork and pineapple glazed brisket. The mochi-flour fried chicken also sounded awesome so we'll be back for that! Oh and don't be fooled by the cocktails - they're neon hues and are EXTREMELY easy to drink, but they pack a sneaky punch. And that's coming from a big guy who likes his tropical cocktails. Finally, in the context of what you pay for what you get in Covington, Kealoha's is well worth wandering in and spending an hour. We'll absolutely be doing the same again before long! read more

Amazing is an understatement!! You can tell this family puts their all into this establishment. They constantly have a smile on their face while serving you. Probably a good thing I live further away from here otherwise I would eat here everyday that they are open! I wish nothing but the best for this wonderful family. read more

A quaint little family owned restaurant. Stopped in for lunch and the food was unbelievably good! Servers were attentive and quick and the amount of food we got for the price was unbelievable. I haven't stopped thinking about the pineapple brisket. Definitely stop in for authentic Hawaiian food! read more

I've been several times by now and everything is always fantastic. Everything on the menu has been great (never thought I'd look forward to spam, but the spam musubi are delicious), the staff is always welcoming and attentive, and they occasionally have fun bonuses like a musician or hula dancer. I've seen them on a few occasions go out of their way to accommodate large groups that walk in (seriously folks, if you have more than like 6-8 ppl for any restaurant, call ahead, it's better for all involved) read more

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

My husband and I love to try foods we haven't had and Hawaiian was one. Everything was amazing from the time we walked in to the spectacular service, fantastic food and oh my goodness get the poke - WOW!! We couldn't recommend this restaurant more! read more

Everything here is the BEST! The food is amazing. If you want to know what food tastes like in Hawaii come here! Val's food is better than most food on the islands (and I'm from there). The kalua pork is broke 'da mouth . It's better than waiahole poi factory which is saying a lot. The kalbi is awesome too. Everything they make is! All of their salads are amazing. Their poke is the best too. Val has made me fall in love with desserts I didn't even like back home. The best thing is it's all made with serious Aloha. Everyone there is sooo nice they make you feel like ohana as soon as you meet them. The kanak attack is where it's at. We feed 3 with it and you get to sample all of their delicious food. We drive from Dayton for all the yummy aloha. Promise you won't be disappointed. read more

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.

Went there on a friend's recommendation and glad I did, carry out only but most go next door to the bar and eat, we ordered a drink and the bar was happy to have the clientele. Now on to the food, one word "delicious " Nothing crazy ,just well prepared simple traditional island food . Mom n Pop vibe for sure and the owner who does the cooking was super friendly and inviting. Wasn't sure what I wanted when I got there so I got samples handed to me which I thought was very generous of them. This place will do well because of their dedication and delicious food to boot. Everything I sampled I liked but ended up with the teriyaki chicken which was perfect. read more

Kealoha's Kitchen - Hawaiian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

This place is a hidden gem! Super tasty authentic Hawaiian food. Even nicer people! It's a must try! Take other food to go next door for a drink and some live music with it. I had had the ahi tuna poke with the spicy papaya salad. Yum! I'll be back! read more

Highly recommended. Great food and service from a lovely family owned business. The pork platter was delicious and fed 2+ people and the poke was excellent. A real taste of Hawai'i. Love the hula during dinner service. I will be back! read more

I was there with a 15 people party. The service was exceptionally bad. It started off with a waitress, teaching us about a drink menu .... like we were children. After about an hour, while they plates were not cleared away, another waitress gave use a lecture in guest vs waitress relations. I was the most awful experience in a restaurant ever. The food was "present" at best...... The ambiance was terrible for the party ...... the Service was "WORST EVER SEEN IN A RESTUARANT" .... I don't recommend read more

First time visiting and definitely will be back to try some more items on the menu. The Tuna Poke, Salmon, and Lumpia were fantastic, but we were also very impressed with the service. Our waitress brought toys out for our 16 month old to play with at the table and he thought it was the coolest thing ever, they definitely made us feel very welcome. read more

The food was incredible! But we really enjoyed meeting the family that owns the restaurant ! My husband asked lots of questions and our waitress who is the youngest daughter, was awesome! We enjoyed every minute!! We even were treated to the son playing beautiful piano! Awesome!!!! Definitely going back!!! read more

If you like supporting small businesses and eating some of the best, most flavorful food you've ever had-- this is the place for you. A friend told me this place was good, but I was blown away. Every single thing was so delicious and well flavored. The whole family is around working or helping and they're all so nice and generous. I had the short ribs + rice + macaroni salad. All were delicious. The short ribs are a star. I also tried my friend's spam musubi- first time trying spam and I'm a fan. They also gave me some poke and I'm excited to try it. I will be back to try more! read more

The food was soooo good. The teriyaki brisket was delicious. As a Texan, a juicy well smoked piece of brisket makes us want to return. Both the tomato cucumber salad and the papaya salad were a wonderful compliment to the brisket and the pork. read more

Family run business with authentic Hawaiian recipes from owner Val. Good value for the money and large helpings. Springs rolls are terrific. Full bar and family treats you like one of their own. read more

Well, I guess it's hard to review since I did not try it. We went down on Saturday night and it was closed. Said it was closed for a private event. I bet they lost a lot of money. They should post it on their website when they're closed for special events. read more

If you haven't eaten here before do yourself a favor and change that. We ate the kanak attack with some spam musubi. Plenty to feed two people at a very reasonable price. The service was friendly and fast. Food was absolutely delicious. My favorite of the night ended up being the Mac salad and the mochiko chicken. Will absolutely be back again!! read more

Ok so I don't write many reviews. But this place deserves it! We have now been here multiple times and every single time it is AMAZING! Every dish is great. The owner is super friendly and a pleasure every time. Highly recommend. Just a note- you can actually order and sit down at the little bar next door. (We always just go inside the actual place because is such a great atmosphere and the people are so friendly) then walk next door to find a table and they will bring the food to you. Everything is always made fresh and service is fast. read more

Love it here! Food was excellent, price was excellent, service was excellent, overall one of the best restaurants on Mainstrasse! Support this awesome family owned business, you won't regret it!! read more

Looking for good vibes and good food? Look no more! This place has fabulous Hawaiian food selections. We had the teriyaki chicken combo with lumpia. Chicken was tender and juicy. Also had the kalua combo also with lumpia and Hawaiian Mac potato salad. Kalua pork was so good. Bonus they serve Coke products :-). Come here for good food, good service and a relaxed Hawaiian vibe-Aloha read more

One word: lumpia I inquired about it as lum-pee-ah, and asked if I got it right. Nope, Its loom-pee-ah. Regardless of how one pronounces (or mis-pronounces) it, this is THE one thing you absolutely must order here. The best comparison I can make is to a pork egg roll one can get at any chinese carryout joint, only....well, these lumpia are what every one of these egg rolls wishes and prays it could be when it grows up. They are smaller than a typical egg roll, with a thinner and crispier wrapper, but the pork and veggie filling is just outstanding and pairs oh so very well with the outside crunch. From reading, it seems this is more a Phillipines dish than a Hawaiian dish, but no complaints from me unless they are out of them :-) I got the big meat sampler dish they call the Kanak Attack. Easily more than a pound of meat. Might have been a pound and a half. At 23 dollars, I was a little worried itd not be a good value, but I will get 2-3 meals out of this. I'd compare it to the same sort of meat combo plate one might get at a bbq place, only these seemed more marinated and grilled than smoked. Except the kahlua pork and cabbage, which were simmered/braised. All of the meats were good, with the kalbi being my favorite despite being a little fatty. A friendly warning about the kalbi......I like medium rare to rare meats, and this is how this item came despite being a very thin cut. If you like your beef more well cooked, ask about it before you order They had a non-menu dessert item called cocoa puffs. Basically small cream puffs filled with chocolate custard. I think I tasted coconut as well, but I am not positive about that. They were a bit pricey at 6 dollars for two 2-bite pieces, but they were pretty tasty. I have to issue a friendly warning about these as well - the custard is somewhat thin and so when I bit into it, the custard squirted e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. A big mess :-). Bite slowly and carefully and over a plate, I'd say :-) I asked about some of the dishes I had seen mentioned or pictured in other reviews, but it turns out many of these (like chicken shoyu) are specials that are not regularly scheduled. There werent any specials available at all on the day I went, but I was told they offer specials more commonly on weekends So if you want a certain item you saw or read about in a review, call ahead to see if they have it that day Customer service was just as friendly as it can possibly be. Dad, mom, and their kids. Exactly the kind of place I love. Parking was a little problematic. I didnt see a parking lot but found parking on a side street nearby. Carryout only. There is no inside dining available. Room for maybe 6 people between the door and the counter. They do take credit cards If you liked this review, please send me lumpia, not cash Recommended read more

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

The best customer service that I have ever had! Was a newcomer and everyone in the building made me feel so welcomed. Tried the garlic shrimp bento box and would come back for it every day if I could! Food came out super quickly and was fresh and well prepared. I will definitely be coming back and bringing my friends!! read more

Kealoha's Kitchen - Garlic shrimp bento box - Hawaiian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

What a delicious meal I had here! The Pineapple Teriyaki Beef Rib was so delicious. The service and atmosphere were absolutely delightful! Val and Amy do a magnificent job and set customer service at the forefront of their business. read more

Great food and service!! The lumpia's are one of the best foods I've ever eaten. Also tried the pineapple teriyaki short rib which was delicious! Definitely will be back read more

I did carry out today during their grand opening at the new location, and oh my gosh the food is incredible! I almost shed a tear of joy eating the spam musubi, and the ahi tuna is amazing. The staff is so friendly, even when busy from the grand opening. Inside was really cute too, and there was a ukulele player singing as well. So excited to come back soon! read more

Having tried many things here I can say that you can't go wrong with ordering here. The food is fresh, authentic, and tasty! The owners are incredibly nice and the restaurant is clean. You can order food and take it to the bar next-door to eat if you would like. read more

The food so ono feels like we nvd left home. We fr hawaii we kno whats good n not. Kealoha's kitchen broke da mouf lesssggoo read more

This is the REAL DEAL! Best Hawaiian food we have had since visiting Maui (maybe even better!). The chicken and pork are delicious and the Poke - like a celebration in your mouth! Be sure to try the Spam Musubi as well! The owners are so warm and welcoming! If you want true Hawaiian food - please visit! Be sure to ask about the homemade custard pie - awesome! read more

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

Amazing food, great service, and a beautiful place to dine. The poke was stellar and well worth the price as I have yet to find something so fresh in the Midwest. The dishes were truly representative of classic dishes we have had in past visits to Hawaii, fresh, flavorful, and simply delicious. read more

Had a great meal at Kealoha's Kitchen! Mac salad is Ono. Papaya salad, winna. Love the pineapple teriyaki brisket. Can't lose with the kalbi ribs. Everything they are doing here is killaz! If you don't try em you're missing out. The thing about good Hawaiian food is you just feel good. Aloha is spreading! read more

Kealoha's Kitchen - Everything was Ono! - Hawaiian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

If you want Authentic Hawaiian grub, this is the place. Char Siu Chicken special was on point tonight. Food was too good to stop eating and take a photo read more

Kealoha's Kitchen - A hidden gem!! - Hawaiian Near Me - Covington, Kentucky

The restaurant was a walk in and order. If you want to sit to eat, you head to the bar next door which has a relaxed atmosphere, we were there early. The service was super above and beyond. It's a family ran business. They checked on use made sure we enjoyed our food. We even got complementary custard pie they make them selves! That custard pie was delicious! I tried to save some for my husband to try since it was just a girls dinner.... It made it home but he waited too long. I ate the rest of the slice! It kept calling my name!! Lol! I didn't get any pictures of what we ordered. I got the chicken. Juicy! What was the best was the veggie roll. It's not called that FYI. I also got the spam roll. Also not called Spam roll.... Great experience! Will be coming back! Mahalo read more