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Malama Pono Restaurant

4.7 (856 reviews)
ModerateSeafood, Hawaiian
Closed Closed
Updated 2 months ago

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MALAMA PONO RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

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Recommended Reviews - Malama Pono Restaurant

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Ane V.

Sherman Oaks, CA My SO and I decided to try this place. It's a Pacific-influenced and Hawaiian-style cuisine. We arrived early so we were able to get a good parking (metered street parking) just outside the restaurant. We came in as they just opened the restaurant and mentioned our reservation. And the employee couldn't find the said reservation. What a bummer. He welcomed us though and sat us at the high table. My SO did the reservation through Resy and he didn't complete the steps that's why. Food: - Spicy Garlic Crispy Chicken - Braised Short Rib Adobo - Pono Mix Plate I liked the Pono Mix Plate and wouldn't mind ordering again even though the servings are small. I didn't expect the Braised Short Rib Adobo to be soupy though. The meat is tender and I liked the nuts - it elevated the meal. But I don't think I will order it again. The Spicy Garlic Crispy Chicken is okay. It needs some flavor and I didn't like the strong smell. The slaw that came with it was good though. We ordered a Mexican Coke and a Lager to complement the meal. We find the food to be pricey and portions are small.

Beet salad
Gina M.

Loved! We shared the spicy yellowfin tuna crispy rice, beet salad and pan roasted snapper in coconut ginger reduction. I'm not a huge rice or mayonnaise (aioli, same thing) person. I can usually take or leave it, and I'll definitely leave some behind as a rule. I'm also not really a quinoa person either, but my friend had tried them so okay, fine! I was not disappointed! The crispy rice was sooo good that I didn't even really care that I was eating fried rice with a mayonnaise based fish. It was flavorful and had all of the texture that makes me happy. I do love beets, and they were delish, but the quinoa was so good, too. I kept going back for more. I am a fish/hinger/coconut/lemongrass/mushroom/roasted tomato girl, so I was also obsessed with the snapper. The ambience is cute here. We sat on the patio and I loved it. I expected the restaurant to be good, but it was definitely better than I expected. If I live nearby, I would definitely make it a regular stop. YUM!

yuzu aguachile
Susie L.

Stopped by here for an early dinner because my friend wanted to try it, and I'm glad we did. The service was excellent, and the food was delicious. We ordered the yuzu aguachile, seafood ricotta dumplings, and the Malama mochiko chicken. My favorites were definitely the yuzu aguachile and the seafood ricotta dumplings--everything tasted incredibly fresh and full of flavor. The sauces were especially well balanced. The ambiance and music were very relaxing and added to the experience. Portions were a bit small for the price, but at least the quality and taste delivered. Overall, I would definitely come back.

Caprese nann and ono endive cups
Nix N.

Don't think about it, just book the reservation! I took my partner here for his birthday and damn did we celebrate!! We sat on the patio and it was so lovely, lights and foliage to make it a romantic and special evening- it didn't even feel like we were sitting on ventura blvd! It's everything I desire from a restaurant - truly. There's nothing like this in the valley- it's one of a kind! The food, drinks, service and fengshui were all 10/10 - literally not a single miss. Tate, Matthew and I believe his name is Darren (I'm sorry if I misnamed or misspelled!! I was a couple drinks in when I asked lol) had the best personalities and gave us the best recommendation- we ordered almost everything- no shame! we came to have a culinary food experience and it was literally off the charts delicious!!!! Can't wait to come back, I woke up from dreaming about spam and tuna crispy rice and the mahi mahi ugh ~.~ Thank you for a such memorable evening :) we'll be back!!

Lomi salmon tartare
Kyle Y.

Food is excellent. Nice lively ambiance. I'd say the appetizers stole the show. The spam crispy rice is a must try The highlight was the poblano crema in the shrimp n grits. Left a memorable impression Service was attentive and on point. Definitely would like to return here for happy hour

Louisa L.

I got to try Malama Pono with my bf last night for dinner. I was craving Hawaiian food after a recent Maui trip, and this hit the spot! We ordered everything family-style. Seafood ricotta dumplings: 8/10. This was really good!! The dumplings were creamy and bursting with a strong seafood flavor. The sauce it came with was so rich and flavorful, I wanted to lick the plate! Farmer's Market Beet Salad: 6/10. Good though nothing special. Kalua Pork Lettuce Wraps: 6/10. Flavor was fine, but pork seemed a bit tough/overcooked. I thought the Mac salad it came with was fire though! Loco Moco: 9/10. Delicious!! The dish came out nice and hot, the pork patty was juicy, and the mushroom gravy on top was rich and savory!! This was one of the best loco moco's I've tried in SoCal. World Peace Candy Bar: 7/10. This was yummy, and I loved the citrus flavor from the candied kumquat. It was very mousse-dominant though, and we both thought the dish was missing some additional texture- adding cake or graham crust as a base would've been perfect. Our servers were polite and attentive. We had multiple servers throughout the night come by to refill our water. I also thought this place was pretty unique because most of the authentic Hawaiian food I found on Maui were at small hole-in-the-wall spots, and the fine dining places there were expensive and really only had American food. I'm glad to have a nicer fine dining Hawaiian restaurant close to home! We will definitely be back again to try more!

Kahlua pork wraps
Jim R.

Parking on a Dec 26 rainy night was surprisingly easy. We came into the restaurant and it's extremely dark inside. We had to use the flashlight feature on the iPhone to read the menu. We got the vegan ceviche, garlic naan, red pepper soup, crispy rice, and the spiked tofu salad. I was surprised how good the tofu salad was. I would make a return trip just for that. The other dishes were really good but not fantastic like the tofu salad. Service was really good. Great restaurant.

Loco moco plate
Kendrick L.

Was looking for interesting places in this area and came to try this place out, and it was worth it! The lighting inside is so dark that we struggled a little to see menu details, but it worked out OK. I got the loco moco plate and the drop baby drop cocktail (shochuu, yuzu syrup, and some weird sweet salt that I didn't care for), and was very happy with both. Service was nice and friendly - one of my weird quirks is asking for only half a glass of water on the refill, and most places just fill it full anyway, but this guy actually gave me half.

Pork lettuce wraps
Sara K.

Overall good but a few minor adjustments could have made everything great. The pork lettuce wraps were plentiful and had good flavor but came pre-made on the lettuce so it was soggy, as opposed to having it separate to construct your own. The mixed plate had a nice variety of meats but the mac salad was a little too al dente. HAPA crispy rice was good, but a little overpriced for the small portion. It appears that they don't have a full alcohol license, as I would have preferred a true Mai tai with rum. Luckily, service was attentive and good. Had more of a classy, moody tropical vibe than overt cheesy Hawaiian ambiance, which I appreciated.

Dessert menu
Priscilla K.

Food: 3/5 Service: 5/5 Came here for date night! Hubby reserved this spot because it had high reviews on Yelp and it was an interesting Hawaiian fusion restaurant in our neighborhood. The vibe was relaxing and casually nice for a date spot. Service was great too as their motto is taking good care of you. Hospitality was great and felt like they cared. Now onto the important food... I've had high hopes because I love Hawaiian food and the menu sounded amazing. We started off strong with the yuzu aguachile (4.5/5) where the green sauce reminded me of the Indian green chutney--refreshing, herbacious, tangy goodness. I liked the seafood (especially the scallops) and veggies in it that tasted very fresh. It's not a 5/5 only because I've had better elsewhere (Holbox). The first dish might've set the bar too high for the subsequent dishes. We had the Mochiko fried chicken (3/5) which was very lightly fried and not greasy which was nice, but it was primarily salty, and I wasn't able to taste a more robust flavor profile.. the tempura formula was perfect, just the saltiness was too much to bear. The accompanying sauce didn't really add to the dish. Next we had the hapa style crispy rice (3/5), which came with 2 spam crispy rice & 2 spicy yellowtail crispy rice. The spam one was very average for me, contrary to several other reviews that rave about it. It was again, salty and greasy. I would've preferred a bit of a tang to it to balance out the heaviness but it was topped with a mayo sauce which amplified the heaviness. I wouldn't get it again. The spicy yellowtail crispy rice was again heavy on the mayo and I couldn't taste any spice. I wish they didn't call it spicy or would actually make it spicy. Last but not least, we had the horseradish crusted mahi mahi (2/5), hoping this would be a redeeming dish, but it was actually our least favorite. There was absolutely no horseradish flavor whatsoever and I felt like the name of the dish was misleading. But, later the kind waitress explained that the grated horseradish creates the crust of the fish so when fried, there's only a slight crusty texture that remains, but no taste of the horseradish. The sauce was a heavy beurre blanc which didn't accentuate the mahi mahi at all, and the pineapple in the sauce was basically canned fruit. I couldn't finish it without the chili oil and togarashi that we had asked for on the side. At the end of the meal, I felt heavy, but not full or content. The service was great, but the food was a big miss for me. I felt that the names were misleading and they were cloying to the palate. It was worth trying once though--great experience!

French toast dessert
Tunee K.

We came here the other night for a girls night dinner and loved it! Food was amazing. Service was so nice and very attentive. They gave a very informative description of all the items we ordered. Even the bussing service felt very high end like a Michelin rated restaurant. Even though the restaurant was a bit small inside I did not feel crowded even when all the tables were filled. Great place! Definitely going back for the tuna crispy rice and pasta.

Wings
Mike Z.

From the moment you walk into Malama Pono, you're greeted by warm, friendly staff and a beautifully decorated space. The atmosphere is inviting, and the service is incredibly thoughtful. We were a group of six, and since some dishes come with four pieces, the staff offered to adjust each order so we'd receive six pieces instead--one for everyone. That kind of consideration is something I wish more restaurants would do, especially when dining family style! We tried a lot of dishes, and while everything was delicious, a few stood out as absolute favorites: the spam crispy rice, the tuna crispy rice, the short rib adobo, the seared filet, and the pork lettuce wraps. All were packed with flavor and perfectly prepared. If I had to mention a couple of dishes I'd skip next time, I'd say the potatoes and the rice pudding--but honestly, we ordered almost one of everything, and nearly all of it was excellent. Overall, Malama Pono is a fantastic spot with great food, attentive staff, and a wonderful vibe. I highly recommend giving this place a try!

Ricotta seafood wontons
Sona T.

Went for happy hour with a group of girl friends! Nice ambiance both inside and outside. Attentive service and they're also good with timing. Drinks were nice we all got cocktails and I liked the grapefruit soju one! Out of the food we got I liked the aguachile and the ricotta seafood wontons! Overall enjoyed the presentation and everything was decent. A higher price point for happy hour around here but you pay for what you get!

Hawaiian Punch!

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Ask the Community - Malama Pono Restaurant

Is there valet parking available?

Yes. Valet is available right in front.

Gluten free options?

There are tons of GF options! My sister who has celiac brought me there and she could select from the majority of the menu!

What is the corkage fee?

$30

Are there heaters in the patio area?

Yes

Do they still have happy hour?

I was there yesterday, happy hour from 5-6.

Is this a dog friendly restaurant?

Yes! But I believe only outside on the sidewalk area and on their patio. I haven't seen any dogs inside the restaurant yet

Do you offer booster seats?

I asked and they do not have booster seats. It is geared toward older kids and adults.

Are you closed on Sunday's?

Yes they are.

Is there a dress code?

Nah. The place is beautifully decorated but you can dress up or casual here. Maybe not PJ's but casual is ok

View All 10 Questions

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