It's not a trip to Catalina without a Wiki Wacker. If you like strong drinks, great people watching, straw hats, and caves? Then this is just the place for you. I suggest that you do whatever you have do during the day, but you MUST be sure to end your night here. I just wish I didn't have to travel 26 miles across the sea to get there. read more

This review is for Luau Larry's breakfast. First off, I realize Luau Larry is where you go to get a Wicki Wacker Drink + the hat, and grab a bite for lunch or dinner, but alas I didn't come in here for drinks or a burger, I was stupid enough to come in here for breakfast. Breakfast here was weak. Portions were small, and expensive. More so than other establishments on the street. Had an omelette, walked out and went and got a burger on the pier. read more

If you miss those college spring breaks, then this is the place for you. Pretty gaudy decor, complete with a fake cave you can sit in in the back. Drunk 40 year olds in these stupid straw hats and a couple of teens (either look young or fake IDs) in slutty sailor costumes. I think people who say the food is good is nuts. Seriously?? The chips were stale and the guacamole had zero flavor. The coconut shrimp was decent but I think it came from Costo. The mexican shrimp cocktail was more salsa and water than shrimp. The boys got a regular burger and a buffalo burger and they couldn't even taste the difference. Hmm... Ok I didn't give 1 star because the drinks actually weren't bad and I can taste the alcohol a little bit even in the colada, but that's honestly the only redeeming thing about this place. read more

Overrated, but a Catalina staple. I went in pretty much only for the straw hat that they give you when you order a wicki wacker. The drink was good. Buffalo milk, the Catalina local drink is served here and is pretty good. Also ordered the hot wings. which were good and spicy, but really gave us heartburn. My favorite had to be the bison burger. they did a great job with it. Don't worry, the bison on the island aren't allowed to be killed for any reason - the burger is shipped in from Wisconsin. If you're on Catalina, you need to go here. It's a staple and a given. read more

Had a couple hundred dollar tab and ordered a round of drinks (8 of us) and some shots that wasn't exactly cheap which isn't a big deal considering it's Catalina. A 5 year old asked about my straw hat that comes with our drinks and so I ended up giving it to her. I asked if it'd be alright if I could grab another from the bartender cause the circumstances and said ya if you want to pay for it. Figured with our tab it wouldn't be a problem, kind of a let down with the customer service aspect. read more

This was the WORST customer service I've been exposed to in my lifetime. I got there and the waiter taking my order wasn't even listening to me. Then, after ordering just a bacon cheeseburger with fries they messed up my burger and had no bacon on it. He then laughed in my face after going back to try to get a new one and told the chef to just grab two slices of bacon and slap it on there with a grin! He enjoys messing up peoples orders! This took place on Friday, June 18th, 2021 at about 4pm. Never going here again. read more

My bf and I came here because it looked like the hot spot to be in avalon. Always has a lot of people in it and I was craving clam chowder (the place on the pier was already closed, which was our original plan). This is a very small place so definitely not good for big groups. When we walked in the bartender said we could sit anywhere (we had to ask, would have been nice if someone said we could. although a lot of restaurants in avalon are like this). My bf ordered the "wicki whacker" drink which came with a free hat. That was nice and funny. We wanted to order oyster shooters and the waitress said they were already out (6:30pm at night). We then ordered our food. I ordered the clam chowder bowl and my bf ordered the pepperoni pizza. We waited about 40 min when the waitress finally came out and told us they ran out of pizza dough! How does this happen?! I don't even know. They couldn't have told us this when we made our order?! The clam chowder is decent. Not that much bread in the bowl to eat with the chowder. The burger ok too, nothing spectacular. At least the place was conveniently located next to our hotel. If u want to come here, come before 6:30pm. read more

We were looking for a place to grab a bite to eat after taking the Catalina Express to Catalina Island. The place was playing music (which caught our attention) and looked like an open, fun spot so we gave it a try. I ordered the swordfish sandwich, which was pretty darn good. The fish was fresh and the sandwich was tasty. My hubby ordered the buffalo burger and was quite pleased. The fries are absolutely to die for. Now to the drinks, the WIKI WACKER is a drink that will definitely get you buzzed. You have to get your Wiki Wacked when visiting Catalina Island!!! It is super good and gives you that warm fuzzy feeling:-) You also get a hat or sticker with the purchase of the drink. This place ROCKS. Oh, the service was really good as well. read more

Was at Catalina Island, and wanted to try the buffalo. Decided to try Luau Larry's since it was most affordable, and actually open for lunch. Ordered the buffalo burger and the fish'n'chips. FOOD (3 stars): - Buffalo burger: Was pretty big. Would recommend taking out some of the veggies and eating them on the side. All in all, the burger was pretty good, but nothing amazing. Taste of the buffalo meat, itself, was interesting--slightly gamier than beef, but nowhere near as gamey as lamb or goat. - Fish'n'chips: There was something about either the batter or the frying oil that gave the fish an unsettling sweet/fruity taste, which I wasn't fond of. The salad that was included had an awesome vinaigrette, but I couldn't enjoy it due to an odd bitterness of the actual salad. SERVICE (Up to 4 stars): - Kitchen timed the food well-- all orders of a particular party came out at the same time - The singular waitress there was very attentive. Always checked up on us frequently, and water was always refilled. OVERALL: A decently priced (considering that it is on a tourist island) and quaint establishment that's good for trying Catalina's buffalo burger. Doesn't offer anything I would return to satiate a craving for, but the service is up to par and much appreciated. read more

After landing at the Avalon port, I had some time to kill til my friends got to the island. I'd made a new friend on the boat to Catalina and he asked me to join him for a drink - we ended up at Luau Larry's. Pretty rowdy place already by 2pm. It was loud, it was fun, and the drinks were pretty good. Ken's Punch is the way to go. Our waitress was a bit of a dummy. My new friend asked if they had Oysters Rockefeller, and she was quick to say yes. I then saw her go behind the counter and ask her co-worker what they were. She came back quickly to say she was mistaken and that it was the previous place she worked at that had Rockefeller, and she was confused (nice attempt at recovery). Then my buddy asked if their oysters were steamed. She again was quick to say yes. And when she served them, they were not steamed at all. I knew they'd come out raw and I was happy with that. But my new friend was expecting steamed oysters since that's what the waitress said he was getting. We didn't say anything because we felt bad for her. Poor girl - so dumb but so sweet. The place is cool though with its tiki theme and random mariachi band. The place was packed both with people and luggage. It seemed to be the first stop off the boat for a lot of people and everyone was having a great time. read more

Went here at night. Cool spot to have drinks and listen to the one man band. I enjoyed the variety of music he played and I definitely had fun singing along to a couple of songs. Drinks- 5 stars I got my wiki whacked and some. Service - 5 stars very friendly and fast service Food- 4 stars it was good but that's it overall 3 stars based on the fact that the girls restroom was out of order and I had to use the men's restroom that was really gross!!!! ewww!! Also remember this is a bar and people come here to get "wiki whacked" drunk so if loud drunk people dancing for you is not your thing skip this place at night lol I enjoyed it. read more

I can't say much for the food as we didn't eat here but for drinks and live music we loved Luau Larry's (we have about 9 Wiki Wacker hats to prove it ;) Both nights that had a guy playing (with no intermission...that's one crazy long set!) popular rock hits...AC/CD, Bon Jovi etc that by the end of the night had people dancing! I loved the Wiki Wackers although the guy's in our group said they were too sweet and foo foo. I tried Buffalo Milk's elsewhere on the island but these were far the best. They tasted just like a banana milk shake with no alcohol (which could be a very good or bad thing). The bartenders were super friendly and gave everyone heavy pours! read more

Luau Larry's - Buffalo Milks!! MMmmmm - New American Near Me - Avalon, California

1. Food was awesome 2. Drinks were good, great selection 3. BITCHY SERVER -2 stars, sorry. read more

Someone had recommended this place as a great place for food and drinks. I was sadly disappointed. It's pretty tight, so my friend and I decided to sit at the bar. I got a vegetarian burger with curly fries and a mojito. The burger wasn't very flavorful but I was too hungry to care. The mojito was pretty weak and average. It gets really loud inside, so be prepared to talk over others. read more

Luau Larry's - Vegetarian burger, curly fries and a weak mojito - New American Near Me - Avalon, California

This place was so cute! The drinks were amazing and the atmosphere was just as good. Service was great, fast and everyone was nice. The buffalo milk is a must and one of the top drinks here. And if you get the wiki waki you get a neat straw hat that you could walk around the island with and people will ask you about it or acknowledge where you got it lol. The food wasn't bad either. It reminded me of typical bar food but not cheap bar food. The location is beautiful with the ocean just outside the window. Everything about it was great. I will definitely be back to visit! read more

Awesome bar!!!!!! Bartender and server were great and very outgoing!! Those wiki-waki's are STRONG! Be careful! Very fun, and will be back!

What a nice bar. Drink menu is awesome (get a Bong Water), bartender is very friendly and accommodating. I can't speak to pricing as I didn't pay, but I really enjoyed this place. read more

First time in Catalina and fresh off the boat we stumbled into Luau Larry's . . & MY GOOOOODNESSSS it was amazing . I had the Hawaiian burger my my bf had the chicken burger . Our first bite was so delicious that we ended up cutting our burgers and switching half ! ALSO it was served curly fries . There's soo many drinks to choose from but I ended up ordering the Mexican lollipop , so worth the $10 ! I would of had another one but we had to head out zip line tour ! Best birthday lunch ever ! Thanks Luau Larry's . read more

RUDE!!! I called to see if they were still open which they should have been cause it was an hour till closing and when they answered they said no and immediately hung up on me read more

The drinks are really expensive, I split mine and they made me pay for it. I am a waitress back home, and if a customer spillers a drink or drops food, We always replace it free fo charge. Bit to mention there's some creeps there at night. read more

I love it. We came here for the breakfast. It was delicious and the hospitality was great. I would like the visit this place again.

Cool music. Televisions were muted. Drinks were strong. Cheese burger with purchase of drink only three bucks. Service a bit inattentive. Pretty cool bar for Catalina Island. read more

I'm giving this place 4 stars because I think it's definitely one of the best bars on Catalina Island. I went here on a Saturday night and there was live music (played mostly rock). The atmosphere was loud and fun. Whether the people were locals or tourists, the crowd was really friendly. The bartenders were very accommodating and nice, my friend and I never had to wait long when ordering our drinks. I recommend ordering the WIKI WACKER drink, it's fruity but very strong. The wiki wacker is a cocktail that consists of rum, brandy, pineapple/orange juice, and grenadine. You get a free straw hat and sticker with the drink! read more

A round of wiki wackers definitely got this party started.And you get a hat with it too!! We were able to squeeze 12 of us in the back of the bar. I like the kinds of tropical drinks they make here. However, every time we needed a refill we had to flag down our server. This place was not very busy, and we're a group of 12 ready to spend money, and a lot of it. Better service would have been more pleasant. read more

Went here for lunch after arriving on the island. Ordered a Buffalo Burger that was ok, but the meat was a bit dry and couldn't taste much of the meat's flavor (the fritters, red onion slices, and sauce masked the meat flavor). Should've known that it was listed as a special for $11.95 (typically is $14.95), which probably meant that they were trying to rid of their buffalo meat inventory. I was hungry anyway. The clam chowder in sourdough bread bowl for $8.95 was a better choice. The amount of clams was decent and the chowder was quite rich. The sourdough bread tasted better than I expected. Service was ok. read more

best experience, ever! i came in here for the birthday special, a Wiki Whacker, and got a free hat! Second one, and I got a sticker! Yoni was the best bartender, ever! Friendly, witty, and made me feel special as a guest visiting on my bday. Cheers! A+++++ read more

Luau Larry's - Free sticker or hat on you bday!!! - New American Near Me - Avalon, California

Food: 4 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 5 Value: 4 Better food than you might expect. The bar is exactly what you'd expect. Good island fun. read more

Our first night here was so much fun! Started off with a few margaritas, and then of course we had to try the wiki wacker. Those guys sure do know how to make a drink! All of our drinks were strong yet tasty! We ordered some chips and guacamole to nibble on, not bad, but not great. Later, we ordered the buffalo burger and the fried seafood platter which came with fried fish, clams, and shrimp. My boyfriend loved his burger! The clams were the best fried clams I've ever had! Everything else was ok. We came back the next night for another margarita. There was no room at the bar so we grabbed a table. Service was not as good as the previous night. :-( Overall, a good place to grab a yummy drink and some decent food. Make sure to sit at the bar though! read more

The boyfriend and I came here on the evening of the 13th of September a little tipsy from wine & cheese hour. We wanted to have a small dinner before bedtime and stopped in here for some oysters. Decor is cute and kitschy. Everyone at the bar was wearing these crazy hats but it was cute. We asked to sit in this huge booth at the front with the beautiful view of the beach although it was just the two of us in our party. They let us take that booth which we really appreciated. I had the Buffalo Milk which was pretty good. It tasted like a chocolate covered frozen banana. I had forgotten I don't really like vodka and milk together but that was my bad for ordering it. The drink itself was good. Oysters were really fresh! My bf never eats raw food but he loved these oysters. The calamari was a soft texture. I have never had calamari with such tender texture. It was very good as well. Clam chowder was good too but I've never had clam chowder that wasn't good. Overall, I'm coming back for the view and the oysters next time we visit! read more

My friend and I went on a cruise last week from Long Beach to Catalina and Ensenada. Catalina was by far the best little place I've ever visited. I'm surprised I had never been before this, but everything was great. We came here for our 3rd stop and it was definitely my favorite. I'm extremely picky with any type of food and my turkey avocado sandwich was super good and the fries were amazing. My friend got their fish n' chips and said they were really good as well. We got basic whiskey cokes but both decided to try one of those fancy blended drinks and we both loved them. I usually hate those type of drinks but I actually really liked this one. The best part of this place is the service. Our waitress was so laid back and friendly. She was quick and made sure to come back occasionally and make sure we were all good. I wish I remembered her name but next time I come back I hope to get her! The price was very reasonable as well which is a plus when you're on an already expensive vacation. It's absolutely tiny inside. Even though it's cramped, they were still really efficient. The decor is cute (obviously the Hawaiian type theme), and everyone there seemed like they were having a super good time. If you're lucky enough to visit gorgeous Catalina, you must come to Larry's. It's the best read more

Great place to have cocktails!! Definitely a place to check out once you're in town!! read more

Luau Larry's - Bloody Mary - New American Near Me - Avalon, California

Jonny the Bar tender BEST EVER! Thanks for the fun weekend and I love my hat!

I'm usually not a fan of themed bars, but this place is legit. A few beers on tap and a semi-decent bottle selection, along with a splash of the usual tropical island drinks. Cool bar to hang at, especially near the window. The food we had was decent and the service friendly. I'd go back...what else need be said. read more

This review is for breakfast only. We had breakfast here and it was very good. Fast service, huge portions & friendly wait staff. I had the breakfast burrito and my hubs had an omelet. We had to inhale our food since we had to get to our boat tour. I would eat here again if I were to ever return to Catalina. read more

Cool spot to have some drinks and apps. We went there during the day so it was not that busy. We walked by the same night and the place was packed! Place was blasting with fun music, and people having lots of fun. "Wacked the wiki" for the win! Fun times.. read more

My wife and I visited Catalina on a stop from a Carnival Cruise ship. Catalina was the best stop on the cruise and Luau Larry's was the my favorite place we visited that day. The island decor was not too over done and the seeting confortable. The service was propmt even though the place was almost full. We each had the Green Flash IPA beer and I tried the Buffalo Burger with sweet potato fries. They all were excellent and worked very well together. You have to try the buffalo burger. I ordered it medium rare and they got it exactly right. Buffalo can be too lean for a burger but this one was jucy yet not greasy. The meat paddy was thick and large enough to justify the $11 cost for the plate It came with the right fixings and proper sized bun for paddy. Luau Larry's is deffinitly desirving a second visit. read more

Luau Larry's has an interesting "tiki room" vibe which may not appeal to all, but I found the decor nice enough for what it was. Having been there twice, I found two problems with the place in particular. 1. The fish in their fish and chips are, from what I can tell, sourced from either Van De Kamp's or Gorton's. This is exceedingly puzzling - and disappointing - given that the place is on an island. If one can literally throw a stone into the ocean from a restaurant's front door, there is no excuse to have sub-par seafood. Note that this complaint doesn't extend to any other menu items (the burger I had on my first trip was pretty good). 2. Luau Larry's attracts a raucous crowd. Loud and obnoxious day-trippers and the like. On our last visit we ended up being seated next to a group of frat boys loudly acting as frat boy types tend to. Upon leaving, they were replaced with a group so large that they stole chairs from neighboring tables and blocked the way to the restrooms. Our previous visit attracted a similar crowd, so I don't think it was an isolated incident. If you can overlook these flaws, the food is otherwise fine and they do have a sizable drink menu. The second time we were there they had a live musician playing/singing classic rock on his guitar, and he was pretty good. read more

The mixed drinks don't have prices but they are $9.00 Nice little place to get som drinks. Overall for the location and surrounding places this is the best for drinks. Didn't try the food. read more

Larry's got its Luau back!!! Took the family while visiting a few weeks ago, and the service was greatly improved, the wings better, and the kids (yeah, during the day, so brought the kids) loved the place, as well as the menu options. Not sure if we hit a bad spot previously, but they seem to be picking it back up again... read more

This place is amazing. Stopped here first thing for a day trip off the cruise ship and ended up coming back again later in the day on our way back. The drinks are l great and the food was tasty. Loved wearing the ridiculous wiki wacker hats around the island, they made everyone smile when they saw us :) Would have loved to sit at the bar but it was packed all day so maybe next time. If you're a horse racing junkie like we are, you'll love that HRTV is on all day!! read more

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