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    Max's Restaurant - Dillingham

    3.1 (732 reviews)
    ModerateFilipino
    Closed 10:30 am - 9:00 pm

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    Max's Restaurant - Dillingham Photos

    MAX'S RESTAURANT - DILLINGHAM ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Max's Fried Chicken, Lechon Kawali, Kare Kare, Dinuguan, Laing, Sizzling Tofu sisig, Sinigang Hipon Soup, Nilagang Baka Soup
    Liann A.

    When we arrived to Honolulu straight from the airport and rent a car we go to Costco and this Max's for our first meal. Parking can be busy in this huge lot and we got lucky that it wasn't super busy by the time we got there. Service is great, food is good. We got sinigang tyan ng bangus (stomach of milkfish) and I got the Bangsilog breakfast which comes with a huge bangus, rice, and 2 eggs. My dad got coconut juice and my mom got hot tea. Max's reminds me of my childhood and a nice spot for Filipino food in Hawaii. They have a lot of seating and kind of private room areas, can get busy here!

    wedding buffet
    Myning C.

    Attended a wedding and feast there! Food was yummers and loved all the drinks like coconut water, calamansi- so good!!!

    Fiesta Plate
    Pat C.

    Walked in on a Monday evening and got seated quickly. The interior was clean and well lit. Our server Efren was attentive. Got their combo meals with a quarter of Max's chicken. The Fiesta Plate has two choices for the lumpia: fresh or fried, and a choice of side (rice or french fries). For Max's Platter, one has a choice between pancit canton and rice noodles (bihon), and the same choices of side as above. The chicken was delicious. Juicy and very flavorful. Both come with a chewy caramel bar. Had a great experience here.

    Hearty lunch combo--crispy pork with rice and soup
    Tyler A.

    Came in to Max's Restaurant in Dillingham for a quick lunch date with my girlfriend and it was exactly what we were craving--hearty Filipino comfort food and big portions. We ordered the crispy pork belly plate with rice and dipping sauce, plus soup on the side. The pork was the star: crunchy skin, tender meat, and super satisfying with the rice. The soup was warm and flavorful and rounded everything out perfectly. Service was friendly and pretty quick, and the vibe inside was casual and relaxed--easy spot to sit, eat, and take your time. Great value for the amount of food you get. We left full and happy and will definitely be back.

    Fresh Lumpiang Ubod

    This is the fresh lumpiang ubod that we ordered.. the egg roll is too hard, only 1 pc of carrot slice and 1/4 lettuce lol..1 tinnie tiny shrimp and no crabmeat or pork .. only shredded heart of palm is in there..so disappointing.the pancit bihon and sizzling tofu is okay..

    Sis Inihaw Na Liempo
    Alan B.

    My first meal back in US, and of course it was Max's! There's no way of duplicating their lechon kawali Sisig! It's my death row meal, my ultimate cheat day plate and my guiltiest pleasure. I love how it comes sizzling on its hot plate and how crispy the bits get the longer it keeps contact with it. My cousin treated me to lunch and we ordered an ass ton of other food too but nothing, nothing, nothing compares to the lechon kawali sisig. Funny enough my cousin is a freaking celebrity here and we were treated like movies stars...he comes here weekly and orders three or four dishes just for himself! My only gripe is the increasing prices but maybe it's due to being in Hawaii...nevertheless the sticker shock was real. Saying all this, I'll pay anything for the Sisig!

    Lisa T.

    Lunch. lechon kawali, canton pansit, chicken adobo, black bean fish, garlic rice. Beef soup for dinner. Food = 5 stars. Customer service = 3 stars. Went in few times. Hard time to order, especially when there is a large party. Had few gift cards to use. Last month, dine in dinner, there was a big party there. No Customer service, didn't even get utensils. Had to ask for everything. Utensils, water, bill, take out box. Manager that night, Elizabeth, said my 2 gift cards were too old to use. After leaving, I checked on line, both cards totaled over $100+. I sent an inquiry to max's. General manager stated on email, can use old gift cards, emailed balances for both cards. Good thing I inquired. And General manager, Maly, said it's still good to use. Sharing my experiences. Note: Prior visits, Customer Service was bad. Being ignored. I am oriental, but not Filipino.

    Outside
    S M.

    Today I got to try the Lechon Kawali (Crispy Pork Belly) and it was very tasty. The service was very friendly and helpful.

    Fresh veggies with chicken and breaded fish
    Shane M.

    Large family style restaurant offering a mix of authentic Filipino cuisine. When I was there it was a Saturday and the whole restaurant was divided into various large private parties. They'll do individual plates and appetizers or a full buffet style of your choice. The whole fried chicken seems to be the specialty. They will also chop it into quarters for you. Most dishes include a large amount of fresh veggies as well. It is heavily staffed so you will not wait for drinks or any additional menu items you order. If you would like to get a dose of original Filipino food give this place a shot.

    Lechon Kawali
    Xin L.

    I love filipino food and I feel like there really isn't as much restaurants that serve it as I'd like there to be. We came on a sunday morning and the place was bustling with business. We were seated after waiting momentarily and handed out menus. The restaurant has a diner aesthetic, being very nicely decorated of its history and such. The food: - Pork Sisig: very flavorful and full of various textures of the pork ears and belly, pairs very well with rice. - Lechon Kawali: so crunchy and flavorful. however, there were some parts that were admitted a bit more dry. - Kare Kare: such a deeply flavorful dish, the peanut curry is just absolutely decadent and creamy. The meats inside was also tender and just perfect. I love kare kare in general so I knew I'd like it. I would definitely revisit and recommend to any other folks who wants to visit a filipino restaurant.

    Max's Fried Chickenchicken
    Shirley O.

    I dined here with twenty other relatives for a family dinner and to celebrate my uncle's birthday. We ordered a couple of the family sets which included several of their signature dishes. This included palabok, fried chicken, calamari, lumpia, pinakbet, bistek, crispy pasta, rice and ube ice cream. My favorites were the palabok, lumpia and pinakbet. It tasted like a home cooked meal. My least favorite was the calamari which was a little tough and chewy. The waitstaff did a good job of accommodating a large group especially on a busy Saturday evening. Service was very good. It's a large and comfortable restaurant. It's a little loud because of the many customers, but the noise level was tolerable and we had an enjoyable night

    Joseph A.

    This is a disappoinment. It's not authentic. We tried both Max's Dilingham & Waipahu. They used powdered mix for Kare-Kare. The bagoong smells stinky! The Dinuguan has an after taste. The Lechon Kawali they served turned out to be a Crispy Pata trimmings that is not crispy at all. We will never go back here.

    Max's Fried Chicken, Beef Sisig, Adobo Fried Rice with Salted Duck Egg, Pinakbet
    Marthin M.

    The food was good and reminded me of the Max in the Philippines. Since I'm from Seattle, the max friend chicken wasn't dry and really flavorful. I think due to budget cuts the food portions were way smaller, but that's probably happening to every resturant. Given that we went there on a Thursday noon time, food came out fast. Environment was nice and big.

    Sinigang Baboy Soup

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    Max's Restaurant - Dillingham Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Max's Restaurant - Dillingham

    Do they use msg?

    I'm pretty sure they do! Again, just ask them when they take your order, pretty much common sense here🙄🤔😆.

    Do they have glazed banana lumpia?

    Banana lumpia without glaze

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    Elena's Home of Finest Filipino Foods

    3.9(944 reviews)
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    My friend and I wanted Filipino breakfast so he recommended this place and I'm so glad he did! We…read morewalked in and got in line to order. There were two people ahead of us and we probably waited about 5 minutes to have our order taken which is to be expected. The inside has beautiful decor, lots of pictures of food and vibrant colors and plenty of comfortable seating. We had some questions about the menu and the women taking our order was very helpful with everything. We ordered our food and were told to sit anywhere we like. We ordered an Elena's Mixed Plate 2 plate combo with Diniguan and Monggo Beans with Pork, it came with two scoops of rice. And we also ordered the March Special which had Pancit, Gisantes, Lechon and Pork Adobo Fried Omelet. The Diniguan was made perfectly! Not sour at all but just the perfect amount of flavor.. the Monggo Beans with Pork were cooked perfectly with delicious pork pieces inside. The March Special was such a good deal! The Pancit, made just right, thr Gisantes, spot on, thr Lechon, amazingly fried and the Pork Adibo Fried Omlete was absolutely delicious! Something i didnt know I needed! The rice was also cooked perfectly, not mushy or under cooked but just right! We got cups of water to drink and they brought us out two cups and a pitcher to refill our cups at the table which I can appreciate.. Overall such a great place with kind, friendly staff and amazing delicious food!

    we just love Elena's. Food is ALWAYS fresh, the staff is always amazing…read more Anytime we are craving filipino food this is where we come. Our regular order is pinapaitan, marinated pork (altho I must say, the last 3 times we came I feel like the marinated fried pork is getting thicker and thicker like chopped pork chops, lol.. but still so good) the marinated fried pork used to be thin and crispy, now its thick and juicy, please bring back the old way, lol... We also get diniguan, sari sari, pancit. let me just say, there is not one food that we eat there that we dont like, haha... So if you have never tried them, I suggest you wait no longer :)))

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    Table seating

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    Shay's Filipino Cafe

    3.8(744 reviews)
    10.6 mi
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    Craving authentic Filipino comfort food in Honolulu? Hit up Shay's for a mix plate featuring…read morepancit, dinuguan, monggo, and veggie lumpia - spot-on flavors that hit all the right nostalgic notes. The pancit was a standout: bihon noodles perfectly stir-fried with green onions and subtle seasoning, light yet satisfying as a side that balanced the richer dishes without overwhelming. Dinuguan brought that deep, savory pork blood stew richness - tender meat in a chocolatey gravy with a vinegar kick, way better than average and not overly gamey Monggo (mung beans) was hearty and comforting, simmered smooth with malunggay or bittermelon options for that homey veggie depth - grows on you with each bite. Veggie lumpia delivered crispy perfection: fresh fillings, not greasy, and a great crunchy contrast to the stews. Generous portions at fair prices, quick service, and that lechon nearby if you want to level up next time. Solid Waipahu/Honolulu Filipino spot - will return!

    Shay's is legit. I…read moreordered the chicken adobo and an order of lumpia. You can't really go wrong with that order. The adobo was tasty. I mean to be fair, no one makes it better than my mom. But this was close enough. The portions are great probably good enough for two. The lumpia were fire as well. 4 for $10 is a bit steep but not too bad. Crunchy wrappers. Tasty inside. They have this vinegar based dipping sauce, that I didn't really enjoy. My mom softens that vinegar by mixing it with ketchup and a bit of sugar if needed. If they had something similar to that it would have been 10/10. As it is, I'm just nitpicking. Shay's did make me miss my mom's cooking a bit but in a good way. I'd totally bring her in to get her take next time she visits. Will totally go back.

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    Fort Ruger Market - These are dried aku sticks, we also have dried tako, smoked goods and now on Fridays smoked meats

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    3.9(406 reviews)
    5.2 miKaimuki
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    We were all surprised how generous they were with the poke as they kept stuffing the bowl to the…read morerim with fish. All my friends and I got the fresh mini poke bowl that comes with a side of choice. We got the limu, spicy shoyu, rugerlicious, and the tako and it was so fresh. The mini bowl is definitely enough for one person. To be honest, the mini felt like a regular sized poke bowl. I also recommend getting the fresh poke bowl where you get lechon on the side! The skin is very crispy and more on the fatty side. They also provide a complimentary vinegary sauce to with the lechon. Parking is limited with only 7 stalls at the storefront. We went on a Sunday at noon and there wasn't much poke flavor to pick from so I recommend coming before the lunch hour. Great spot to get food to picnic at Cromwell's beach!

    How prophetic- see Jennifer Y's review from a few months ago…read more Evidently Fort Ruger Market closed yesterday on April 14, 2026. Great memories over the decades. Too bad it didn't play out well. The boiled peanuts were always a buy when we were in the mood. A posting this morning on the doors indicates they will re-open after renovation (does not mention timetable). Social media indicated they closed down 4/14/26. Same owner? New owner? Totally different business? Would be a shame if the iconic "Fort Ruger Market" disappears. If you lived in Kaimuki or went to Kapiolani Community College, this store was an example of the mom n pop stores that used to dot many neighborhoods before the arrival of 7-11 and other convenience stores. They were a Kaimuki Institution for over 75+ years. Hope they come back in a new and better form. Posted notice seen 4/15/26. Note: 4/16/26- a kitv news broadcast indicated that the owner, connected with the Young Fish Market family, told KITV after renovation the bldg would be occupied by CU Korean store, and that they would carry some of the Ruger Mkt favorites like poke and boiled peanuts . Hope they can incorporate the Fort Ruger Market name. Too iconic to disappear.

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    Loyal customers from generation to generation

    Fort Ruger Market - Made 2 order sashimi grade poke. Secret is order poke plain and ask for wasabe shoyu, it's like you're eating sashimi...YUM!

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    Nona

    Nona

    4.8(60 reviews)
    4.7 mi
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    It seems Nona has moved around quite a bit. Currently, they are open Fridays and Sundays in this…read morecommunity kitchen (?) on Palolo Ave. This is great for us because it's close to our neighborhood and there's free parking. The chicken wings are very good. We tried 3 flavors in the 15 piece pack ($25.95) - calamansi chili, OG sauce, and yuzu buttah. The calamansi is tangy and spicy so you get a lot of flavor with a slow burn. The OG sauce is a classic soy garlic blend that is always satisfying. The yuzu buttah is not your typical lemon pepper rub. It has a nice fresh yet rich flavor. Our favorites were the OG and yuzu buttah. We're anxious to try the other flavors next. The waffle fries were nice, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, not dry at all. The homemade mac salad was also tasty and was a great balance to the spicy calamansi wings. I don't know how long they will be in this location orphan the hours will be. Definitely follow them on IG and make sure you catch them soon! The sandwiches look amazing... next level, for sure!

    Hella good!! Finally got the chance to check out Nona on their last day at Hapa Market & Grill in…read morePalolo. Was immediately greeted by the owner who was welcoming n' friendly. Got their chicken wings in yuzu buttah, calamansi chili, gochujang honey, OG sauce, S.P.V. + sides of slaw n' mac salad. Everything was made to perfection including the presentation. The wings were crispy n' the unique flavors were on point, I couldn't pick a fave! Def looking forward to when they announce their new spot, make sure to bookmark them n' save!

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    Max's Restaurant - Dillingham - filipino - Updated May 2026

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