I was riding my horse around Kahala and stumbled upon this wonderful Mexican takeout-style restaurant. Very similar to the Kapolei location except that Kahala mall doesn't have horse parking. I find that is generally the case, the farther I get from the wild Westside, the less horse parking I find. This location seems to accommodate larger paniolos like me very well. In addition to my protein, I got sautéed veggies and guacamole. Of course, guac is extra. The portion was plentiful and the black beans were nicely prepared. All of the food was really delicious. The steak was good, the K pig was nice and greasy, and the guac was fresh and offered in a generous portion. I saved a little guac for my horse because that filly likes her avocado. If you have never been here before, it's like a subway for burritos, bowls, and tacos, where the staff custom makes your entrée right in front of you. Oh, the staff... they were excellent! Sometimes restaurant staff look at me funny because I often come with a rough equestrian fragrance, but not here--staff was fabulous! I highly recommend visiting this location, especially by car, bus, or bike. If visiting by horse, its best to park your horse upstairs, on the side of the Ross door. read more

Paniolos - Honolulu - Bowl, guac is extra - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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With one exception, my grilled chicken bowl was excellent and the counter service was polite and courteous. The issue was the edges of cut lettuce greens were already turning light brown. I would not serve browned lettuce in my own home, so why would they serve it here and charge money for it? Otherwise, everything was excellent and ALL other food items were fresh and in excellent condition. I give three stars. If they would use fresher green lettuce on my next bowl, I will give them five stars. read more

Expensive and mediocre. I don't like to leave bad reviews but my experience left me kinda flabbergasted. It was slow when I went for a late lunch. There was only one person in front of me ordering her burrito. I too was ordering a burrito and was excited to try this place. The customer in front of me asked for extra beans and they said it was going to be $3.25 for an extra scoop of beans! What in the world!? I said "I don't want beans in my burrito so you can just put it in hers" the lady laughed and the server said NO you can't do that. The other lady continued with her order and another server came to help me. I asked for my beans on the side and they said no problem lol so I gave it to the other lady for free lol. I got the paniolo steak burrito with no beans and I got soooo little meat. The sour cream is served out of a squirt bottle so I asked if I can get one more pass of the sour cream and the server literally put like an extra dime sized squirt. My burrito with side of guacamole was $18! I tried it when I got home and the meat was dry and had no flavor. The rice also tasted like plain white rice. It was very bland. Idk if it's bad service or if they are trained to be completely "Chang" with their portions but def not impressed and wouldn't go back. I'll go to Taco Bell for same quality food at a cheaper price. read more

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Good option if you're at the mall. It's no chipotle and it's not cheap but the food is fresh and good. If the rice looks hard or overly mushy avoid it though. I've found the rice to be super inconsistent. Sometimes it's overly crispy and feels like you're crunching on something. And sometimes it's mushy and balls up into clumps. Guacamole is $2.55 for 2 small melon ball scoops. Not sure if that's really worth it. I had no idea how little they would give but now I know. They have a sign that you can order on the heartland app I think but I haven't tried it. No one's overly friendly there but they're not mean or anything. They do their job well and that's good enough. I wish they let you have more than 2 salsas. I've been back many times and will probably continue to go. read more

Paniolos - Honolulu - Chicken burrito bowl. Not sure those two tiny scoops of guacamole were worth $2.55. - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The service was fast and friendly, which I appreciated. Unfortunately, the food was disappointing. The pinto beans tasted old and didn't seem fresh, and the portions were small. They barely put any rice, so the bowl felt barely filled. Overall, it didn't feel like a good value for the price. I will be looking for an alternative in the future. read more

Online ordering was easy, price wasn't bad and the service was quick and friendly. Sadly, the food wasn't great (I'd give it a solid C). I had ordered a bowl with rice, beans, steak, salsa, cheese and jalapeños. Sorry, there's no picture but the rice was slightly undercooked, the steak was a little dry and chewy. The salsa was okay, but there was very little of it. Maybe it would have been better to order in person so I could have seen the ingredients? Not sure. I'll probably give them another try sometime, but can't say it'll be very soon. read more

Eff this place! Horrible customer service and portions a so small. We ordered a bowl and burrito but the portions on the meat was so little it's like it was all salad and the meat portion was the topping SMH. What a waste of money. If I wanted a salad I would have just enjoyed one from aloha salad. Where the price there is right and salad is local. Everything here went wrong. 3 employees working and not one "hi!" From any one of them. They over charged me so instead of getting a refund for the chips and cheese I just took it. BIG MISTAKE. Cheese was over cooked with a cheese film on it and they still served it to me. Chips was so stale yet they claimed they just cooked it. More like microwaved the bag. The beans - straight out the can. The rice omg don't get me started. It's like day or two old. It's so dry u can literally make fried rice with it. And additional charge for a tiny scoop of guac @ $2.55 a scoop is so ridiculous! read more

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Usually we go to Kailua Paniolos, but we went to Kahala. I'm really sad to give 3 stars for this location. We love Paniolos cuz the foods are so fresh. So sad for the steak bowl. That's where I minus 1 star unfortunately. The server gave so little steak in comparison to what we're used to. Also $2.55 for 2 small scoops for guacamole. Hmmmm. Kind of expensive for small serving. You can then add rice, beans and vegetables then salsa. Minus another star for the employee who drank from his water cup while wearing his food handling gloves, then proceeded to grab the lettuce with his dirty gloves. Then next customer. He adjusted his eyeglasses with his gloves. Then grabbed the lettuce with the same dirty gloves. He didn't use any serving utensils to grab lettuce. Not sure if it's a normal practice. I'm so sad about this experience cuz we really do love your guys food. read more

They charge you for salsa lol spent 25 dollars on a bowl and if I want salsa it's additional? Confusing and awkward. Very mid

As someone who lived in California and recently moved back to Hawaii, I was hoping Paniolos would be a good local alternative to Chipotle, but unfortunately, it falls short. The flavor just isn't there. The meat, salsa, and rice were all pretty bland, and the portion size was kinda lame for the price. I expected double the amount for $14. The one plus is that they use quality meats, which is appreciated -- but overall, the experience didn't live up to expectations. read more

Paniolos - Honolulu - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Ummmmmmmmmmm, what a great burrito!!! I had Paniolos inside of Kahala Mall bookmarked for the longest time, as I remembered seeing my Yelp buddy - Bruddah Daniel C. posting some foodie pics from this place, but every time I'm thinking about Mexican cuisine, somehow I end up at a different Mexican joint. Lol! As luck would have it, I finally had the opportunity to give Paniolo's a try, as my friend - Nat N. had suggested this place to try. Paniolo's kinda reminds me of a "Mexican Subway" where you order & build your own meal. Paniolo's menu is pretty basic, as they offer burritos, tacos, & bowls. In my case, I was here to give da burrito a try! 1st, you pick you base - they had the following choices - a, cilantro lime white rice b, cilantro lime brown rice c. romaine hearts 2nd, you pick your beans. They had the following items - a. pinto beans b. black beans c. refried beans 3rd, you pick you proteins or vegetables. They offered the following choices : a. grilled vegetables b. tofu c. free range chicken d. kalua pig e. Paniolo steak f. grilled steak To top off your creation, they offered an array of toppings like - cheese, sour cream, salsa, onions, cilantro, jalapeño, limes, greens, & guacamole. So I built my burrito with the cilantro lime brown rice, black beans, free range chicken, and I had them dump a crap load of toppings to kick my burrito up a notch, and I must say I was pretty happy about my creation! My friend ended up getting a veggie steak bowl, which looked pretty darn good! What can I say about my burrito??? Since I could choose what I wanted in my burrito, I was most certainly pleased with my creation! The ingredients they used were fresh, and they were very generous with applying the items into your creation! I enjoyed my burrito so much, I'm already thinking about coming back here soon to build me another burrito!!!! :D Great efficient service, fresh ingredients, and reasonable prices.........Paniolo's is WINNAH'S!!! Chance 'em! No can go wrong! read more

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This was ok. Not bad for a mall food court type set up. Meat needed a lot more flavoring, veggies were fresh and prices were a little high. Portion size was very good and location is convenient since it's located in Kahala Mall. Of all the meat choices I surprisingly liked the Paniolo meat the LEAST. Although this place is kind of a mixed bag I recommend if you're looking for a healthier mall food option. read more

Paniolos - Honolulu - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Worst customer service. The female workers rudely stared me down and rudely began preparing my order by very sparingly, very messy scooping and tossing rice and meat into my bowl. I asked for light beans and yet that's what got piled on. The next girl handling the lettuce and toppers was even more rude by repeatedly saying "anything else", "anything else", "anything else"... I am rather simple, but I could not believe that these girls were representing this establishment. Can't imagine it will be in business very long with the current workers. Two stars are for the fresh and tasty food, but don't think it's worth the rude experience. read more

Food was okay that I would've consider going back if the customer service was good. Terrible customer service and because of that I wouldn't go back or recommend this place. read more

Great food and amazing service! Recommend the beef or the pork. Great flavor and would definitely get it again!

Delicious bowl/burrito/wrap with whatever you want! It was worth waiting for them to open at 11 for my brown rice, black beans, roasted veggies and grilled chicken bowl with extra kick. Fresh ingredients and fast service... it was my first time here... maybe I'll do double protein and have them put lettuce on the bottom. I loved the read salsa, pico de gallo, coon and jalapeños on top. I'd definitely come back again read more

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Food is delicious but very stingy with their portions and rice looked old and tasted hard. My stomach hurt a bit after. I always eat here because my order is very good but disappointed today. Portions are getting stingy and very expensive for a bowl. read more

Only saw 3 pieces of chicken in my burrito. Ordered through uber eats. Complete rip off, never coming back. Please give me a refund, thanks. read more

Paniolos - Honolulu - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Would have been four stars if only rating the female making the burrito and taste But gave it a 3 because of the way the male cashier passed the burrito to me after I paid. Instead of nudging the burrito or picking it up and handing it, he actually pushed the burrito over in same motion you'd push a puck in air hockey. I'm sorry. You don't do that when people are paying money, if you want them to go back. I would avoid going there if I saw he was working read more

So i give this place a 2 star. The service was decent. Which is the 2 star I give the food 1 star. As far as the food goes, it was terrible for the price! $19 for stale tortilla chips and a flavorless bowl. Portion size was decent i suppose. But The chicken had no taste, The veggies look old, romain had brown stuff and vety wilted, i picked them out! I asked for lime And the dude gave me 1 debydrated lime. Which i asked for 2. When i got home it was to late to say anything! I know the prices on groceries is high but damn if they gonna charge that much then it should be atleast decent, i asked the guy for extra sour Cream and i got a drizzle. I had to go next door and buy more. Flavorless bowl. Safe to say i wont ever come back read more

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Every single different worker I've seen looks like they genuinely don't want to be there the service is so terrible lol it's kinda unbelievable. Seems like a terrible manager is running things. Upcharge everything , skimpy portions. The workers attitude baffles me though like no way you hate your job that much. read more

If you're looking to fill a chipotle craving, Paniolos does an okay job. The portions are definitely less than chipotle, and the guacamole is just okay. However, I did think the steak was decently cooked. Good flavor and only a bit dry. The service was quick and kind and it's in Kahala mall, which has a warm atmosphere. read more

Paniolos - Honolulu - Paniolo steak bowl - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The service isn't great. The employees rarely smile, and the portions are inconsistent. There have been several times they didn't even fill the spoon with meat, which is frustrating considering the prices they charge. Please do better. If this continues ilI don't think this place is going to last. read more

Came in with my mother for our first time trying Paniolos. She was asking basic questions about ingredients and menu options, which should be expected from first-time customers. Instead, we were met with impatience and a clear lack of interest in actually doing the job. The employee helping us was disengaged and dismissive, acting as if answering questions was an inconvenience. At a certain point, the professionalism completely dropped. As someone who has worked in the service industry, this was unacceptable. Personal distractions should never come before customer service. I don't normally leave reviews, but this experience was frustrating enough to warrant one. First impressions matter, and this one missed the mark entirely. Employee name Trevor Ticket# T151 read more

I almost can't figure out what to definitely classify this place as. Is Mexican? Is cowboy food? The name, I guess, does that. The food does not have a lot of flavor. I mean, yes there is the flavor of the beans(bland), the meats don't have plenty flavor, then you have the red and green sauces and sour cream. When it's all put together nothing pops out. It always tastes bland. Oh well... read more

I've been a regular customer of Paniolos since they have opened up. It's the only option there is if you want something healthy for takeout. I love the fact that they use a local beef. I'm only giving it three stars because lately the portions have seemed to have gotten smaller. The last couple times we came in to get our bowls. We were so disappointed that they were using mixed greens instead of Romain lettuce. Mixed greens don't really go well with Mexican like burritos, tacos and bowls. It's a completely different texture and we were so disappointed because this is one of our go to for takeout so I really hope this change is not permanent. read more

This place is great. The quality is always great and service is outstanding. It was by best burrito. It is my favorite Mexican food place in town. read more

This place is my go to spot in kahala mall. It's fast, convenient, and reasonably priced. My 5 yr old daughter loves rice and beans or a simple keiki burrito. I love the cilantro rice and tofu meat alternative. read more

This review is for the Kahala Mall site. Kahala is a small mall so you can't miss it- it's next to Aloha Salad. Paniolo's is a build your own taco (3), bowl or burrito. First you choose your protein- chicken, kalua, paniolo beef (pulled meat) or grilled steak (cubed) then add rice and beans (burrito or bowl only), salsa and veggie toppings. I had the tacos this time- it comes on corn tortilla and there's 3 of them. The grilled steak was pretty soft and tasty. I was nice and full after scarfing the 3 tacos. I've had the burrito before as well. It's pretty satisfying for one person. Pro tip: grab a table and have someone sit there before getting your food. Sometimes it's hard to find tables, especially during lunchtime. read more

Paniolos - Honolulu - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Eaten here at least 4 times within the past year, I keep going back to see if their standards and customer service changes but no luck...it's still a 3/10 experience for the price, taste, and friendliness of the staff. Not worth $14+ for bowl of hard crusty rice, lot of beans, very little meat, a few pieces of lettuce and skimped toppings. The workers are not consistent in their portion size and not welcoming. I waited for a good 3 minutes for them to take my order. There was no line, they were just talking and ignoring me while I waited patiently. No apology, and for sure not a "hi what can I get for you, or a thank you for waiting..." I should've just walked away and went to aloha salads. read more

Paniolos - Honolulu - Shredded beef paniolo bowl - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This restaurant is basically a Hawaii version of Chipotle. Unfortunately does not compare to chipotle. Portion much smaller, more expensive, and less flavorful than chipotle is. Would I eat it if I was starving and craving a burrito bowl? Yes. Would I come back otherwise? No. Would normally be a 3 star review but I am docking an additional star because they forgot to add my sour cream. Also, if anyone is curious, "paniolo steak" is replica barbacoa from chipotle. read more

Paniolos - Honolulu - no sour cream ‍ - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Paniolos is a copy of Chipotle, but far from its quality and portions. It has so much potential to be a thriving, go to spot, but I always leave underwhelmed and unsatisfied. The flavor is not bad but not great either. Just meh. The portions are way too small for what you pay. Once in while you'll get lucky to have an employee serve you what should be considered a normal portion. But instead, it's usually the owner handling the serving, measuring out exact, stingy scoops. The veggies are not fresh or prepared with quality in mind. Cilantro and lime are always spoiled. Lettuce looks aged and browning. The tomatoes are always mushy and the stems never cut out. The only care shown js making sure you get no more than those stingy scoops. read more

One of the last standing places to build your own bowl/burrito/tacos. I finally made my way to this place and try it out. Ordering is simple; you select what you would like (bowl/burrito/taco), what type of protein, choice of rice and beans, and your choice of veggies and salsa. I decided to order myself a burrito with paniolo steak with cilantro brown rice, black beans, tomato fresca, cheese, and lettuce. The burrito was quite massive filled with a lot of flavors. Definitely worth checking out. read more

Paniolos - Honolulu - Burrito (protein: paniolo) - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Food was bland. Service was lacking. The workers just stare at you and arent helpful with explaining the options for toppings/choices.

We ordered 2 bowls, 2 burritos, and chips. We got 2 leaking bowls with much of the food in the bag and soggy containers and no chips. I tried to call but they are not reachable by phone. They will respond only to you in person. I don't think I should have to go down to their store again just to get the chips that I had already ordered and paid for. The bowls were a mess - everything mushed up and leaking profusely out of the CARDBOARD containers because all 4 orders were crammed into a too-small bag, so the bowls were tilted at an angle. My order should have been put into a larger bag or 2 separate bags. But that was TOO DIFFICULT for the 3 employees who were playing around at the counter. No wonder everything about my order was wrong or missing not one of those useless clods at the counter gave a hoot about their customers. I'll never order online from them again. NO customer service and CHEATED me by not filling my order. I also asked that the burritos be cut in half. Of course this was not done. What a terrible experience. If I could give ZERO STARS I would. read more

Very small on the portions. You can tell the workers are directed to give small amounts. Charged me 50 cents extra because I asked for " a little more lettuce." We went there right when it opened but the chicken was definitely not fresh. The rice was hard. The price is not worth the food. read more

10/10 do not recommend food was horrible rice crunchy and not cooked all the way, no flavor at all, and extremely over priced.

The Hawaii Chipotle! I've been to Paniolos A LOT the last few years when I visit. This location generally does ok. There's a lot of parking since it is inside Kahala mall. Park in the lot in front of Whole Foods and take the automatic doors into the mall and Paniolo's is to the left. Pick and choose what you want down the line. I've definitely been in a long line at this location before during peak dinner hours. So you may need to wait 10-15 min in line. In general, ingredients are usually good. The only main highlight that needs improvement is consistency in scoops. I've been skimped out really bad on the steak, and I've had to ask for them to put on a full scoop at times (and they will add a few more pieces). Hopefully they can make it more uniform in the future...but in general, a safe (generally quick) food spot! Follow the adventure @shoyuthebest on IG! read more

It was a meh burrito. Nothing special and the worker seemed like he hates his job. First and last time going here.

Rice was not cooked all the way so it was hard. Everything else was bland and had no flavor read more

Paniolos - Honolulu - steak burrito... with hard rice - Mexican Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii