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    North Shore Grinds

    4.2 (290 reviews)
    ModerateHawaiian
    Open 11:00 am - 7:00 pm

    Order North Shore Grinds Takeout or Delivery

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    NORTH SHORE GRINDS ATMOSPHERE

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

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    John G.

    We got a couple of sandwiches and the fried fish with rice and macaroni salad. Food tasted good overall, the fish was crispy and the sandwiches tasty. The sandwiches are a better deal though I think, for the fish it didn't feel like we got enough for the price. Folks working there are pretty cool some of the are/were fishermen and had some good conversations while waiting. When we went there they were doing some changes to the restaurant and only had the option for take out so we drove to the waterfront park and had the food there.

    #20 Chicken Katsu & Teri Burger
    Wenz T.

    Neighborhood GEM!!! Highly recommend anything on their menu. It's a cute quaint place and great service. Only downside is no private parking lot, only street parking. But worth it, it's that good.

    Menu! As of 4/4/2025.
    Shan B.

    Go to neighborhood spot for Hawaiian food & classic local plates. Don't keep it a secret! We need to keep these down home neighborhood businesses going.

    Inside
    Stacy S.

    North Shore Grinds definitely delivers North Shore portions! This is a hefty plate lunch place. In other words... it's not for the weak! After reading all the good reviews on the furikake opakapaka, I decided on that. I called my order in and it was ready in 20 min. They're located in a residential area in Kaimuki off of Waialae Ave and 10th Street. Parking is hard to find, as the residents seem to take up all the street parking. I ended up parking illegally in front of a fire hydrant. Don't tell on me! This is a total hole-in-the-wall that you could easily pass by without noticing it. Sometimes these are the best places, sometimes not. As mentioned, I ordered the furikake opakapaka and it came with 3 pieces, a heap of rice and mac salad. There was sauce on the bottom of the fish and I was glad that they didn't drizzle it all over the fish because that would've been too much! The fish itself was good but I wish it wasn't fried. I thought the furikake would be sprinkled on top of the fish. I was not expecting it to be fried. Not my cup of tea. The mac salad was good, though. Service was pretty non-existent. The girl at the cashier didn't even say hello or thank you. She bordered on unfriendly. They have a few tables inside if you choose to eat there. I'd return again just to try the pulehu rubs. For me, that'll determine if this place is legit and maybe I'll increase the rating. For now, I'll leave this review with 3 stars.

    Char Siu Pork and Chicken Katsu Combo Plate with steamed rice and tossed salad
    Ryan K.

    After a full day of snorkeling and hiking with family and friends, we were super hungry and were lucky enough to find this spot on Yelp on the way back to Honolulu. We got there about 30 minutes before closing and their menu had so many options we were all a bit undecided. The staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating even though it was the end of their day. They gave us the full rundown of the menu and everything sounded so good that we all got different items. I got the Chicken Katsu and Pork Char Siu combo and both hit the spot...so ono. My wife and son shared the Teriyaki chicken plate...loved it. Our friends got the Teriyaki Beef, Shoyu Poke, and Furikake Crusted Mahi...they also loved it all. The 5 year old even said that it was "the best food ever!"... How do you top that? The staff was so nice that they even brought both tables some complimentary Hawaiian Poke. If I could give more than 5 stars I would.

    Alvin A.

    How did I end up in Palolo Valley? On top of that, Kaimuki isn't my neighborhood. The guy that repairs luggages for the airlines, also personal luggages lives and works out of his house in Palolo Valley. Was recommended to try this place out. Decided to call in my order for pick up from here. Ordered their Chicken Katsu, and Herb Crusted Mahi Mahi Plates. My order was ready in 20 minutes, that's way faster than doing Uber Eats or Door Dash! I would say the Chicken Katsu was really good! Mahi Mahi was alright but could use more seasoning to disguise the fishiness. Place really got 4 stars from me, but since it's a low key, casual, hole in a wall, I give it a half star more. Really this place gets a 4 to 4.5 stars only because it's good and the amount they give is enough for dinner without wanting dessert. Street parking only. If you can't find parking and if you fill up gas at Aloha Petroleum, just leave your car there and walk on over.

    Store front
    Val D.

    I realized there are so many places I haven't tried since I was born in Hawaii, and this is one of the places I have missed all my life. Now that I'm retired, I have the time to venture to different restaurants and places with other retired friends on the weekday so it's not so busy and no wait as well as lots of parking. Located on 11th Avenue of Kaimuki, this hole in the wall is a must go to. Although this place is very small and the building is outdated, the local food here is awesome! Seared Ahi with Cilantro Pesto - 5 stars. OMG, the ahi is so fresh, and the pesto dressing that goes with it looks basic, but it is the bomb. With a light sweetness to it, for $16.95, this plate is well worth buying. They also give a lot. Chicken Katsu - 4 stars - the chicken Katsu is crispy, fresh with more meat than batter, and no old oily taste like your other take out restaurants. This is one of the best katsus I've tasted, however, the katsu sauce tasted more like shrimp cocktail sauce. If they had a more traditional ketchup or bbq type katsu sauce, it would be a 5 star, though, the katsu is so good that I could eat it by itself without the sauce. Service - 4 stars - really local and hole in the wall, so you just order at their door inside the restaurant. They have only 2 tables if you want to eat in. Luckily it wasn't so busy on the day we went and was able to grab a table. Funny I noticed that they have a sign stating "please pay before consuming beverage". I wonder what all that is about. Parking - I was lucky to find street parking right in front of the restaurant, but I heard it can get crowded and you have to find parking elsewhere down the stret.

    Thanks for the great food to feed the team! I'll always be back to get more when I'm on this side!

    Dynamite ahi

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    1 year ago

    Large juicy cuts of chicken Katsu, I was a fan. Pretty good Mac. only thing I didn't like was the horseradish sauce it came with

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    2 years ago

    Very delicious chicken long rice! very great very delicious. Employees very nice with quick service.

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    2 years ago

    Best hamburger steak and loco moco gravy amongst other killah grinds. Servers super cool too

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    Helena's Hawaiian Food

    Helena's Hawaiian Food

    4.4(4.5k reviews)
    5.2 miKalihi
    $$

    Best place for authentic Hawaiian food for sure. Great service, even if they get tired of repeating…read morethemselves and could write it out, I really appreciate them explaining to newcomers every time what to eat and how to eat it to get that authentic experience. We went with what's recommended for first timers - laulau pork, you eat the leaves everything and it's filling and delicious - short ribs, some might say it's overcooked but I think it's just a different way of cooking and eating it, the pieces were thick and high quality, comes with 4 - Loki salmon, it's cured and this reminds me of ceviche or pico de gallo and salmon, it was flavorful, juicy and refreshing - comes with onions and salt to add to the complexity of the flavors - we ate it with poi, which they use as the starch to replace the rice. It's made of taro, I say give it a try for that unique and authentic experience - coconut jelly was yummy They accept cash and card Limited parking in the front, come in right before 5:30 on a weekday to beat the crowd Small family business vibes The experience lives up to the hype!

    Prior to arriving, we heard a lot of great things about Helena's and wanted to give it a try as it…read morewas our first time. We arrived and were seated right away, which was a great start. The menu is QR-based and easy to navigate. My friend and I ordered the laulau, fried ahi, and poi (unfortunately didn't get photos). When we asked for recommendations, our server was initially helpful and offered a few suggestions. However, when we decided to explore other options and asked for additional recommendations, her attitude noticeably shifted. She seemed annoyed, immediately cut the interaction short, and walked away without checking if we wanted to order anything else. That interaction left us both feeling uncomfortable and impacted our overall experience. As for the food: the laulau was decent--nothing particularly flavorful, but the meat was tender. The fried ahi was cooked well and tender, though a bit on the salty side. The poi was thinner than expected, slightly runny, and leaned more acidic with little to no sweetness. Overall, the food was okay, but the service fell short and made the experience less enjoyable.

    Photos
    Helena's Hawaiian Food - New larger inside dining area

    New larger inside dining area

    Helena's Hawaiian Food - Menu B: Kalua Pig And Pipikaula Short Ribs

    Menu B: Kalua Pig And Pipikaula Short Ribs

    Helena's Hawaiian Food - A walk back into those days gone by.....

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    A walk back into those days gone by.....

    Rainbow Drive-In - Solid little place for some local food

    Rainbow Drive-In

    3.8(6.1k reviews)
    1.3 miKaimuki
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    62 years in business

    We heard about the Rainbow Drive In from a tour guide and decided to stop in to give it a try…read more When we arrived there was a crowd but the lines truly did move very quickly and there is a great amount of seating. The amazing lady at the counter was kind and so remarkably quick with her duties. She rang up everything and delivered the food with lightning speed. We split a Boneless Chicken plate and it was plenty for two people. The chicken was tender and well seasoned and the Mac Salad and Rice complimented it well. We did get the gravy on the side. :) In reading the reviews I see a lot of differing opinions. Take this amazing spot for what it is. Good food at a good value in a good spot. Get in here and enjoy!

    Brings back memories of the good ole days! Use to frequent…read morealot while heading to the beach! Went with a long time friend to relive the good memories. Rainbows hasn't changed much, Plenty of parking , that fills up fast during meal times. Ordering was alittle slow, staff was nice@ in no rush. Ordered Hamburger Steak, Patty's 3 prepackaged thin & gravy tasteless, bad choice. Pork Cutlet, just ok, average plate lunch, Loco Moko, friend liked the over easy egg, Pattys not homemade! Eating on the clean bench tables were nice! Food not good, like years before. More of a tourist trap& locals , gone away & coming back, like me, coming back for the memories!

    Photos
    Rainbow Drive-In - Rainbows mixed plate

    Rainbows mixed plate

    Rainbow Drive-In - Loco Moco Plate

    Loco Moco Plate

    Rainbow Drive-In - Turns out I was wearing my GRAVY ALL OVER shirt so I had to get a pic with my loco moco!

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    Turns out I was wearing my GRAVY ALL OVER shirt so I had to get a pic with my loco moco!

    Side Street Inn - Our Poke Combo (Fresh Ahi Poke & Spicy Kajiki Poke) paired with Side Street's Rogue Beer!

    Side Street Inn

    4.1(2.5k reviews)
    1.2 miKaimuki
    $$

    OMG! This was a dining experience! So, the restaurant was closing so my friend said we should eat…read morethere! I didn't know that the servings were group sized!! I found so many things that looked great on the menu, to include fried gizzards, boneless Kal Bi ribs, fully loaded fried rice, Mac salad and other stuff I can't recall! So the TWO of us ordered way too much! We tried to eat as much as we could and ended up taking the rest home! Everything we ordered was delicious, so we knew we were going to eat good leftovers! The restaurant was a great place to go with a group to eat and watch sports! Our Waitress (I have to remember to get names) was a track star, she was running to and from several tables of groups to deliver food! I will go again if they reopen!

    If you're visiting Hawaii with a big group, 100% recommend taking them here…read more We initially were a party of 16, and showed up without a reservation at 6pm on a Saturday. The staff was super nice about it and was able to accommodate us, with only a small request that we be out by 8pm since there was another big party with a reservation coming in. Absolutely reasonable. They sat us right away at three large tables, which gave us plenty of space for food and didn't force us to sit super close together. Menus, waters, plates, napkins, and forks were all brought out immediately, and our waiter was quick to take our order. We started with the prix fixe menu for 8-10 guests and were going to add other items à la carte, but a handful of our group accidentally went to the other Side Street location (make sure your group is all on the same page), so what we ordered ended up being more than enough. We left stuffed and with 5 boxes of food still. Edamame was nice and steamy, and large enough to easily pop the beans out with your mouth. Wish there was a bit more salt though. The farmer's salad had everything going on from citrusy to salty to crispy. Avocado had a little bit of oxidation but the capers, dressing and potato curls provided plenty of reasons to overlook it. The fried rice came in a hefty portion, with sizable pieces of bacon and sausage. The chicken I didn't realize was boneless based on the shape of the deep fry, but it was nice to freely bite into it without worrying about hitting anything with my teeth. Probably a bit too much on fried bits but still good. Pork chops had a better meat to crisp ratio in my opinion, as well as juiciness. They even came with ketchup on the side, which I love as a pairing but don't see much of at restaurants. My favorite meat item was definitely the sizzling boneless kalbi. The presentation on the sizzling plate with a side of kimchi was spectacular, and the meat was full of flavor. We also ordered yakisoba, which wasn't part of the prix fixe. Tasted good but nothing past standard expectations. We let the waiter know we had a 30th birthday at the table, and they brought a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream with a candle, and did a decent job getting the whole room to participate in the singing. It could also be the type of crowd this place attracts, since it seemed that everyone was so friendly and approachable. Thanks to the quick and consistent service, we were out in a little over an hour with no complaints.

    Photos
    Side Street Inn - Our Chef Colin's Classics Menu feeds 3-4 guests for $105.00!

    Our Chef Colin's Classics Menu feeds 3-4 guests for $105.00!

    Side Street Inn - Oodles of Noodles! Try our Yakisoba! You can also add Kim Chee for extra flavor.

    Oodles of Noodles! Try our Yakisoba! You can also add Kim Chee for extra flavor.

    Side Street Inn - Popcorn Chicken & French Fries

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    Popcorn Chicken & French Fries

    Waiahole Poi Factory - Fresh, hand pounded poi, traditional staple of the Hawaiian people

    Waiahole Poi Factory

    4.5(1.6k reviews)
    13.8 mi
    $$

    No idea why but my wife was absolutely set on trying out Poi while we are here visiting. Everyone…read morewe asked Reccommended the Waiahole Poi Factory and I would certainly agree with them! We pulled up and were greeted by the cashier who was friendly and answered lol of our questions. We decided on a combo of Kalua Pig and Laulau along with Poi. First off, turns out that I do not care for Poi! This restaurant cooks it well and it is absolutely not their fault but what a boring food! The Pork was outstanding and the Taro Leaves on the Laulau were outstanding. We also had the Ho'io Salad which was a great addition with outstanding flavor. We finished with the dessert Sweet Lady of Waiahole which was super tasty and not to be missed. There is decent parking and several picnic tables outside. I thought the entire experience was super fun, you just may want to swap your Poi for Rice. :)

    Finally got to try this place after visiting the island so many times! My husband and I shared a…read morelunch plate with the beef stew and kalua pork, and everything was so flavorful and satisfying. We also tried their famous "Sweet Lady of Waiahole," which definitely lived up to the hype--so delicious. There's convenient parking available, plus seating if you want to stay and enjoy your meal. Really glad we stopped by!

    Photos
    Waiahole Poi Factory
    Waiahole Poi Factory - Amazing food. Ho'io salad is a must. Fresh poi is tops. You can't go wrong at Waiahole Poi Factory.

    Amazing food. Ho'io salad is a must. Fresh poi is tops. You can't go wrong at Waiahole Poi Factory.

    Waiahole Poi Factory - The Ohana at Waiahole Poi Factory with members of One Groove.

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    The Ohana at Waiahole Poi Factory with members of One Groove.

    Guava Smoked - Smoked Butterfish Collars grilled to perfection...you can't get this anywhere else!!

    Guava Smoked

    4.5(599 reviews)
    1.2 miKaimuki
    $$

    I loved it here. Truly a hole in the wall. Parking is really tough so street parking is usually…read moregonna be the norm unless you get lucky in their tiny shared parking lot. The guava bar was delicious and flavorful and just crumbles in your mouth! Definitely one of the better guava bars I've tried. Love how crumbly it is. The salmon belly was delicious OMFG. It looks so simple and straightforward but that sht is so flavorful. It is crispy and yet soft on the inside. The salmon belly is cut into bite-sized pieces so I didn't have to worry about using a knife to cut it. I usually try salmon belly where it is usually seasoned lightly to bring out the natural flavor of the salmon, but Guava Smoked's salmon belly is just grilled in a way that makes the salmon sweet/crispy and still get traces of the salmon taste as well. It's definitely not your traditional Japanese-style way of cooking salmon belly but really just their own. I'd go back and get this again. Another thing too. I'd get this with beer. This would hit very hard with alcohol but because I don't drink I need a kombucha. The grilled salmon belly would go perfect with it. Cheers! Uncle was very helpful and kind when serving and if you dine-in he brings it to your table.

    TL;DR The spicy pork…read moreis good. ----- I had Guava Smoked on my radar for quite a while, so when I found myself nearby and craving a protein-packed plate lunch, I decided to drop in. There is a dedicated parking lot behind the restaurant that is shared with the other businesses in the same building. When I walked into the restaurant at about 1pm on a Wednesday, I was surprised to find it almost empty. It's a pretty large space, so the lack of patrons was rather glaring. There was one person sitting at the counter facing the kitchen and one employee working. This was my very first visit to Guava Smoked so I asked the person at the counter what he recommends. He said the two most popular meats are the kalbi and the spicy pork. "Perfect!" I thought, because those were the two options I was eyeing. Unfortunately, they were out of kalbi that day. Bummer... Nothing else on the menu caught my eye, so I ordered a smoked spicy pork plate to go. The spicy pork was good. Did it blow my mind? I wouldn't say it did. But it was satisfying enough. Honestly, I really wish they had kalbi available when I went. Hopefully next time I stop in they will.

    Photos
    Guava Smoked
    Guava Smoked - Smoked Pork Smoked Loco Moco

    Smoked Pork Smoked Loco Moco

    Guava Smoked - Kalbi and Spicy Pork Combo

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    Kalbi and Spicy Pork Combo

    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods

    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods

    3.9(294 reviews)
    1.1 miKaimuki
    $$

    3.5 stars We wanted…read moreto try authentic Hawaiian food and came across this spot. The owner was very friendly and took the time to recommend dishes for us, including the laulau and lechon kawali. We also ordered the BBQ short ribs. Overall, it was a good experience trying Hawaiian food, but it's just not really our type of cuisine. The laulau was quite dry, and the preparation felt more like meat that had been boiled or cooked in liquid, which isn't something I usually enjoy. The lechon kawali had a crispy pork belly texture, topped with something similar to a salsa, but it didn't suit our taste either. Unfortunately, the cabbage served with it also had some black spots, which was off-putting. The BBQ short ribs were the highlight of the meal and the dish we enjoyed the most. We appreciate the experience and the hospitality, but the flavors just didn't quite match our personal preferences.

    1. The hours posted on Yelp was incorrect. They open from 12:00 pm…read more A group of us ordered food the night before for pickup at 12:30pm, on Thursday. Then someone wanted to change from rice to poi. I tried many times and no one answered. Their voice mailbox was full. We e ended going there to make the change. He gentleman looked like he was working be himself. We bads to wait almost a half hour for him to finish the order. 2. Price - the prices were higher than expected. All the plates were $26.00 and up. 3. Food - The poi was very tasty and fresh, although a bit watery. The lau lau had a lot of lean pork filling, not a lot of leaves. The long rice didn't have much chicken and was a bit watery too. We enjoyed the sweet potato. There was also lomi salmon, haupia onion and chili pepper water. 4. As mentioned before there isn't much parking. The restaurant wasn't busy when we got there. Overall the food and service was OK. The price was a bit high.

    Photos
    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods - Menu

    Menu

    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods - Short Ribs Plate

    Short Ribs Plate

    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods - Menu

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    Menu

    North Shore Grinds - hawaiian - Updated May 2026

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