I've never been to an Ono Hawaiian BBQ so I don't have any comparison. I went for lunch with my husband since we received a coupon in the mail (buy one plate get one free). We ordered the Island Fire Chicken plate, grilled chicken breast plate (I selected teriyaki instead of the lemon pepper), guava pie, and a large drink. It's worth noting that unless specifically listed, they use dark meat chicken. Both plates came with 2 scoops of white rice, 1 scoop of macaroni salad, and 1 scoop of steamed veggies.
Island Fire Chicken plate (6/10): my husband ordered this. I did not try it as I do not eat dark meat. The staff likened the spice level to higher than Sriracha. My husband was disappointed it wasn't as spicy as he was anticipating. Keep in mind spice is subjective. He wasn't a fan of the charred bits of chicken as the texture was too tough. He said he'd order it again, but it's nothing to rave home about.
Grilled Chicken Breast plate (2/10): I ordered this as it was the only item in the menu with chicken breast (white meat). It was a disappointment. This is completely subjective, but to me, it was giving processed chicken. Like Tyson in the frozen food aisle. Also, it was not cut on the bias so it was difficult to eat. I gave up after one bite. I'll be giving the rest to my dogs.
Macaroni salad (7.5/10): tasted good at first, but as I got closer finishing it, it started tasting fishy. I had just raved to my husband about how happy I was that it did NOT have ham. Just to find out it has tuna instead. I do not eat seafood so this was a disappointment. It wasn't great until the fishy taste overpowered it. My husband (who loves tuna) was a fan.
Steamed Veggies (5/10): Frankly, it's hard to mess up steamed veggies. I was expecting more broccoli or other veggies on my plate. I got a bed of cabbage and ONE tiny broccoli floret. So did my husband. No shade to cabbage, but I expected more variety based on the menu photos.
White Rice (10/10): The only saving grace was the rice. It was as expected. Simple, steamed, white rice.
Hula Guava Pie (4/10): My job dropped (literally) when I saw it wrapped in plastic packaging. It was just sitting on the counter between the registers. I guess my greatest disappointment was in expecting it to be like the hand pies at Jollibees or McDonalds. They're obviously not made fresh in house, but they're warmed up and packaging nicely like a sweet little gift. So my expectations were shattered when I got this overpriced pop tart. You can certainly taste the guava on the inside, but it tastes quite processed. I'm a guava snob so I understand I'm being harsh. It did have the same texture as a pop tart.
Plenty of parking outside. It's in a private lot in the same complex as a Target and Chick-fil-A.
It felt a tad pricey. Without the coupon our total would have been closer to $38. With the coupon we paid $22.80 which felt like a great value since the portions are generous.
I love that they have katsu and teriyaki sauces readily available. There's a pump with little cups so you can help yourself. The katsu sauce is vinegary which I'm not a fan of, but my husband enjoyed. We both enjoyed the teriyaki sauce. It wasn't too thin or too thick in texture.
The staff was friendly and helpful.
My seating recommendation if you dine, as soon as you walk in the door, sit on the right side. The left side is near the restroom (down the hall). I have a very sensitive nose and could smell the cleaning products. It's a non issue if you're not sensitive.
Overall, I personally would not be back for myself, but husband enjoyed it. If you're into dark meat, or willing to try a different protein, give it a try and see for yourself. But personally, I've learned Hawaiian food is just not my cup of tea. read more