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    Moa Kai Hawaiian Diner

    4.6 (179 reviews)

    Moa Kai Hawaiian Diner Hawaiian Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    MOA KAI HAWAIIAN DINER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Moa Kai Hawaiian Diner

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    Lunch combo
    Dolly S.

    This place is a little bit hot inside due to all the glass windows but decorated very cute. Service was Super nice. They are small on the inside so all the servers help each other. Good choice for lunch. Chicken, pork, rice, bowls I had the 2 lunch combo so I could try the pork and the crunchy chicken. Both were delicious

    Natalia P.

    Fantastic hawaiian dinner! Have a great experience from the start to finish, this place have the aloha atmosphere, love that vibe. Great customer service staff is so friendly and attentive. Food and cocktails are so delicious, served with generous portions. For appetizer we order their popular fried spam musubi and char siu manapua a steamed buns filled with slow cooked char siu. For entries we got the garlic shrimp with noodles and mac salad and the mix plate pick two with fish and korean chicken and kalua pork withbkorean chicken everything is so tasty mouthwatering. For cocktails we got their popular hoku poni and lele lychee. My favorite was the hoku poni. We cannt go without trying their popular ube haupia pie, soo delicious. This is a must spot if you are in Orlando.

    Passionfruit martini
    Carolyn C.

    Well, it our second time visiting this authentic hawaiian restaurant. This time my husband amd I brought my father in law who has never been here before. Excited to share the experience we had here with my father in law we ordered. As we waited for our food ee spoke to him about how great the food here is. The owners are super nice and friendly. They are very easy to talk to and you can tell they enjoy conversating with their customers. I really like that the owners enjoy getting to know their customers. That makes such a difference and makes us want to come back. That to me is a plus. Not only the food is great but the owners are ready ro mingle. Can't wait to go back. Always looking forward enjoying great company and phenomenal food!

    Pork and Chicken mixed plate
    Vic M.

    Love a good Hawaiian restaurant! We took a trip to explore Mia Kai for lunch on a Saturday. This is a seated diner style restaurant. Right when we walked in we were greeted, even though there is no dedicated host. We were promptly seated. The servers came to us quickly and were very helpful with recommendations and answers. Hubby ordered a mix 2 plate with the pork and chicken. The pork was delicious. I ordered the pick 2 with the fried mahi and the ahi tuna. Everything was very good. I would definitely come back, and would probably try the pork or one of the other dishes. Both fish items were good, they just weren't blow-your-mind good. I nearly drooled when I tried the pork. The serving size is very large. The entrees come with 2 scoops of white rice and 1 giant scoop of macaroni salad.

    Sign outside that you can spot from the road!
    Mia R.

    Moa Kai Hawaiian Diner is a great spot for the aloha spirit in Orlando. We finally got to try this place out during a recent trip. We got there right at opening on a Saturday and it wasn't too busy, thankfully. We were greeted right away and, even though we were right next to East Colonial by the road, we felt like we were transported to Hawaii. From the friendly greeting to the casual setting, we felt the warmth even before ordering our food! We were seated right away and took a look at the menu. They have a lot of Hawaiian classics here from musubis to their classic plates. I ordered the garlic shrimp (of course) and my partner ordered a mixed plate with the kalua pork and shoyu chicken. We also go the fried musubi because we were curious. The fried musubi was good but definitely on the heavier side with a generous serving of the sauce poured on top. Not sure if I'd get it again just because it was so heavy but good nonetheless. I really enjoyed the garlic shrimp. It's not my favorite out of all the Hawaiian spots in Orlando but pretty solid. My boyfriend liked his mixed plate. The services for each dish was super generous where we ended up taking our dishes to go and they were delicious even after reheating them later that day. I really love the diner feel in here and the friendliness that the staff emits. Overall a great spot for some Hawaiian comfort food in Orlando!

    Rachel G.

    Another great time at Moa Kai. We were the only ones in the diner past 2pm and it felt like time stopped. We stayed for almost two hours just reminiscing the memories we shared together on Oahu and Maui 10 years ago. This is the closest place my fiance and I can get to a real Mai Thai and Korean fried chicken. The staff is amazing as always!

    Ngoc N.

    Moa Kai Hawaiian Diner - A Friendly Spot with Room to Grow I believe Moa Kai is one of the newer Hawaiian-inspired diner concepts here in Orlando, and I was really excited to give it a try. Overall, the experience was just OK for me -- not bad, but not quite what I expected flavor-wise, especially compared to some of the Hawaiian and Japanese spots I've visited before. We ordered a variety of dishes to share. The mixed plate platter was decent, but I personally felt like it was missing some richness and depth of flavor. I've definitely had better spam musubi elsewhere -- and especially in Japan and Hawaii -- so my expectations may have been a little high going in. That said, not everything was a miss. My brother really enjoyed the Korean chicken, and my brother-in-law loved the burger, especially the one topped with pineapple, which added a fun island twist. The staff were very friendly and welcoming, which made the dining experience more enjoyable and relaxed. Overall, it's a casual, friendly spot worth trying if you're curious about Hawaiian-inspired comfort food. While the flavors didn't fully wow me this time, the warm service and laid-back vibe make it a nice place to hang out with family and friends.

    Spam masubi
    Lisa S.

    My husband and I stopped by for dinner on a Saturday night. Most tables were full but we were able to snag a small table that seats 2 with no wait. Several parties came after us and had to wait, though most of the parties were 3-4 people. My husband and I ordered Mai Tais which were delicious and a little strong. We each ordered spam masubi to start which arrived quickly. Nice size portion. So simple but so tasty. For the main course, my husband got the salmon poke bowl. I tried a couple bites and enjoyed it. I got the garlic shrimp. Sides included rice and mac salad. It was a lot of food. We both really enjoyed our meals. The service was good. We didn't have to wait long. Eating here brought back some good memories of vacations to Hawaii. I will definitely be back! Mahalo Mia Kai for an excellent meal!

    Pick 2 fried fish and Korean chicken with spam fried rice : 5/5 fantastic.
    Thomas P.

    I've never had Hawaiian food before and was very eager to try some down home, diner style cooking. First, I was greeted right away by a very cheerful person. I let her know it was my first time and she took care of me like an all star. Wonderful service! The dining room is a box with tables and a diner counter that overlooks the cooks. Might be weird staring at the cooks as they prepare the meal! But it's a nice setup. I went with the pick 2 plus 2 sides. Fried fish, Korean spicy chicken, mac salad, and upgraded to spam fried rice. The portion was HUGE. And for under $20? A steal. Seriously, they could have given half the food and it would have been a good value. Everything was perfect. Fish was crunchy, tender, and slightly sweet. And the sauce was killer. Korean chicken was good too. Spam fried rice was to die for. Wow. I'll take it over pork fried rice any day. Finally the mac salad was creamy and delicious. I'll take that at any picnic ever. Outstanding meal. Outstanding service. Great price. And right near Mills 50 so the traffic is...challenging! But well worth it.

    Jax T.

    *Rating: 2 1/2 but rounded up to 3 Moa Kai Diner is a cute little spot and the latest restaurant to take over one that didn't do well. I was so excited to find a Hawaiian style diner since I have fond memories of eating in Hawaii. I had high expectations and frankly, it was rather lackluster. The server was nice and food came out at a reasonable timeframe. The portions were decent but the presentation was a bit underwhelming. It reminded me of hot mess on a plate. I ordered Spam Musubi which was pretty good. The Loco Moco consisted of a hamburger patty with a fried egg over it. There was mushrooms, onions and gravy poured over white rice. Also a mac salad was the side item. The entree tasted mediocre even though it was rich but lightly seasoned. The beef patty was just okay. I liked the gravy over rice which gave the entree some flavor. I did enjoy the creaminess of the mac salad the most. The Ube Pancakes were big and kind of fluffy with a scoop of whipped cream. I was disappointed that it was so sweet. I'm sure someone with a sweet tooth would enjoy it. I had high hopes for it because I love anything ube. My niece had a breakfast plate that consisted of spam slices, fried eggs, white rice and mac salad. It was as simple as the taste. I ordered a nonalcoholic lemonade drink which was also unmemorable. I'm not sure if I went on an off day, but I'm willing to give this place another chance. Maybe order something different next time. I love small local eateries, so although my experience wasn't the best, I don't discourage anyone from supporting them. It's still fairly new to Orlando and has time to improve. I can see the charm and potential of the place. It's great for a quick meal with friends or an informal date. While I was there around brunch time, the diner started to pick up. I was glad to see a Hawaiian diner resonating with people. There is a small parking lot and street parking.

    Kelly T.

    Was pretty acceptable. Space was clean with simple interior including vibing music and comforting yet spaced out seating. Drinks were quite simple with no major "out of the ordinary" aspect. The food was pretty good as well, but it didn't necessarily surprise me in such limits where I was in awe of coming back.

    INSIDE
    Delaney S.

    What a great restaurant! I saw this restaurant mentioned several times on social media and so glad I gave it a try. My coworkers and I met here for lunch on a weekday. The restaurant offers a cute and quaint vibe. The diner atmosphere is apparent with a nice modern touch to it. The service was great! Everyone was very attentive and helpful when going over the menu. I ordered the lunch mix plate where you choose 2 meats. I chose the Korean chicken and the kalua pork. The plate also came with white rice and Mac salad. It was alot of food for $16! I really enjoyed everything. The Korean chicken was out of this world good. The pork was juicy and flavorful. The rice was seasoned well and the Mac salad was yummy and added a nice chilled element. While visiting I tried the fried spam musubi appetizer. It was pleasantly great. I like the saltiness level to it. I cannot wait to come back and try more from the menu!

    Bar stool seating in front of the open kitchen
    Desiree A.

    My husband and I had been seeing multiple stellar Yelp reviews for Moa Kai, so when we were in Orlando and looking for a place to have brunch, choosing Mai Kai was a no brainer. I loved the kitschy Hawaiian decor that was interwoven throughout the typical diner set up! Lots of color and mini hula dancing dashboard ornament on each table. Our server was friendly and remained pleasant and attentive as the restaurant filled to capacity by noon. There were so many tasty options on the menu , so we opted to start out with the pu pu platter appetizer so that we could try a little bit of some of their dishes. My husband ate most of it (as I only really eat chicken as far as meat goes) and loved everything he tried. I ate the chicken skewer and really liked the sauce that was used. For our entrees, I ordered the garlic noodles (which came with chicken) and my husband ordered the beef ribs with a side of rice and a chicken skewer. The portions were generous and we both couldn't finish our meal, but both dishes were delicious! We will definitely come back!

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    Ask the Community - Moa Kai Hawaiian Diner

    Are there gluten free options?

    Yes Regular Sides * White… Read more

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    Bad As's Sandwich - Hangover

    Bad As's Sandwich

    4.5(730 reviews)
    0.6 mi
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    Came here a ways back but finally doing a review and boy do they deserve it. Everything about this…read moreplace was phenomenal (aside from their tiny parking lot).The parking is a little tricky but well worth trying to get a spot because the food is delicious here. Tiny hole in the wall but once you're inside there is a very nice amount of seating, both tables and a barstool area to sit at. I placed an order and proceeded to sit at the bar area and wait for my food. Once it came out (super fast despite how many people were there), I understood why the sandwiches here are a little on the pricier side. The Ya-Mon which is jerk chicken, sweet plantains, pork rinds, jalapeno pesto, mango jam, gouda, jerk lime mayo, was heavenly. All the flavors blended in perfectly and the bread was so soft. The lime mayo was outstanding! It was about $16 and we'll worth every penny. The staff was super friendly and got everything cooked and sent out to each table very quickly. I will say if you come here during peak times, be ready to take the order to eat in your car or somewhere else because the tables filled up insanely fast while I was here!

    This is a solid spot! Its not spectacular, and their food is kind of heavy, but when you're in the…read moremood for something like that it really hits the spot. The sandwiches are really creative and actually taste good which says a lot - I feel like most places with this style over-do it. Kind of reminds me of New York City bodega subs but with a twist. Beer selection is solid too, plenty of options to pair with whatever sandwich you may get. Makes for a good sit down lunch with a beer. I do wish their patio had more coverage though, great little outside seating area but often the sun is beating down on you and that sucks.

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    Bad As's Sandwich - The half size Black Knight sandwich

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    Potbelly Sandwich Shop

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    0.3 miColonialtown Center
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    Tried Potbelly Sandwich (East Colonial store) for the first time, and it was AWESOME! Service was…read moreexcellent and patient with us first time boomers. I ordered the Big version of the Prime Beef sandwich thinking I'd take half home for leftovers. Unfortunately the 1st have was so darn delicious, I ate the 2nd half. Yes, I'm uncomfortably full now but due entirely to my lack of discipline . The sandwich shocked me how good it was. We used to love Quizno's toasted subs but they have been long gone. So glad to see a toasted sub place again. The wife ordered same sub - original size, and loved it too. We will definitely be back again and again to try different options.

    I was excited to see that there's a Potbelly here in the Orlando area. I used to visit Potbelly…read moreoften when I spent time in Chicago and always enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to trying this location. I stopped in after doing some shopping and placed my order online so it would be ready by the time I finished. I ordered the chicken club sandwich and a Dream Bar. It was after 8 p.m. on a Saturday, and the restaurant was pretty much empty. My order was ready ahead of the quoted pickup time, which I appreciated. However, the sandwich didn't quite live up to what I remember. The bread didn't taste as fresh as I expected, and the sandwich was lukewarm instead of warm and toasty like I've experienced at other locations. The Dream Bar was also not quite what I remembered. It didn't have the same richness or taste that made it a favorite for me in the past. I'm not sure if the time of day impacted the quality, but the overall experience just didn't match the Potbelly I remember from Chicago. That said, because I've had great experiences with this brand in the past, I'd be open to giving this location another try. Food: 3 out of 5 Service: 4 out of 5 Value: 3 out of 5 Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

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    Stasio's - Mmmmm

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    0.6 miLawsona / Fern Creek
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    The best authentic Italian spot in town!…read more Walking inside of Stasio's brought me back to the small town outside of Philadelphia where I grew up. My Italian grandparents would take me to the market every weekend and we'd buy cannolis and deli meat and Italian cheeses to prep for different Italian dishes. My friend and I split the eggplant Parmesan sandwich. The sandwich was huge! It was definitely too much for just one of us so we decided to split it. It was served hot and had the perfect amount of sauce and eggplant and cheese. My friend told me that I had to try this pistachio cream cake and it was so flavorful and creamy and delicious! The next time I dine here, I would love to try one of their cold sandwiches! The service was very quick, and the staff was very kind and answered all of our questions!

    You're immediately transported as soon as you walk in. With fresh ingredients like bread and…read morecheeses, Stasio's is serving up delicious sandwiches that feel authentic to their roots. The steak sandwich is my favorite; it has the perfect amount of spice and zest. Bread holds up nicely without becoming soggy from the steak. Rotating soups, sandwiches, and deli items are also available. Associates kindly ask upon entering if it's your first time so they can give you the run-down. Parking can be a challenge at times, and the interior can feel tight and overwhelming if there's a crowd of guests waiting. Stasio's is a great addition to the city as we don't have too many bodega style delis around. I forgot I'm in Florida when I'm here.

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    Stasio's - Inside Stasio's

    Inside Stasio's

    Stasio's - The package ($12)

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    Stasio's - Spicy Italian Sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich & Cappuccino.

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    Bread Box Handcrafted Sandwiches - Cuban

    Bread Box Handcrafted Sandwiches

    3.8(331 reviews)
    8.8 miDr. Phillips, Horizons West / West Orlando
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    I ended up coming here twice while spending days at Universal. Each experience was quite…read moredifferent. I would suggest coming earlier in the day vs towards the end of the day as the earlier experience and food was better. I ate their Cuban each time. One lacked pork, but generally the taste was good. The bread was a little soft compared to other Cuban sandwiches I have had, but for what it was, it was good enough. On one visit, I had French fries, and on the other, I had tots. I preferred the taste of the tots over the French fries. Ketchup is rationed out, as you need to ask someone behind the counter for ketchup. I ordered the grilled cheese sandwich for my daughter, which she enjoyed. It was 3 pieces of bread and had lots of cheesy goodness, which makes for a delicious grilled cheese. They had a couple of swinging bench seats, which were unique and fun for the kids to sit on. This was a good option for a fairly quick meal. I would eat here again.

    In the mood for a sandwich? Bread Box will meet your expectations. I ordered the Hot Vegan and my…read morehusband ordered the Sichuan Chicken. Jerika took our order and she was nice. You order at the counter, grab a seat, and they bring the food out to you. There were some fun-looking swing seats, but they were all taken when we arrived. The spot is located upstairs from Voodoo donuts, and I appreciate that they're open later and offer a vegan option.

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    Cosa Nostra - Muffuletta Nostra

    Cosa Nostra

    4.8(104 reviews)
    25.2 mi
    $$

    I have been wanting to try this spot for a while after hearing such great things. We stopped by for…read morelunch and had the tastiest sandwich and flatbread. The quality of meat and cheese and subtle sweetness of the balsamic glaze mixed with the fresh arugula was out of this world. And the texture of the fresh bread was perfection. The super thin pepperoni on the flatbread were so delicious and the sauce had a subtle sweetness flavor. There were tons of options I can't wait to try again and a bakery case full of treats. They serve breakfast too which looked amazing. We especially enjoyed the vibes on the outdoor sidewalk seating with Italian music playing as we enjoyed our food. Because this spot is in the historic downtown area of Clermont, street parking is your best bet and there is a public parking lot a short walk away. Will be coming back again and again to this great business.

    Excellent Italian deli in downtown Clermont. For my first meal here I ended up sharing a turkey…read moresandwich with my brother who does not eat pork where because of this the sandwich was tad on the basic side for my taste. Having said that, the sandwich was still well-made and quite tasty where all the ingredients were fresh and the bread was still warm and appeared to be fresh baked in house. Nice! If I was eating this sandwich by myself, I would've asked for bacon on the sandwich, which definitely would have made it a top shelf turkey sandwich in my opinion. Being an Italian deli, the majority of the sandwiches do use pork of one kind or another where they looked and sounded quite tasty with a number of house specialties on the menu. The next time I am here, I will definitely make sure to order one of their specialty sandwiches to give this business a much fairer assessment and probably the fifth star that I so wanted to give.

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    Cosa Nostra - Super Tuscany sandwich and Minestrone soup

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    Moa Kai Hawaiian Diner - hawaiian - Updated May 2026

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