This place has a pretty decent happy hour and extensive menu. Friendly staff and decent food. It is a bit expensive but is a specialty burger. Alone, the burger is almost $20 though. Piku Fig Burger: 8.5/10 Very solid burger. The fig jam is very sweet though and I would almost recommend two patties. The bun was soft and meat was tasty. Truffle fries: 5/10 Most disappointing fries ever. So soggy and thin. Awful. I even asked for different dips and those were disappointing too. Chipotle one isn't very strong and the truffle one isn't very pungent. read more

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Pono Burger is a very cute location with extra back seating. Very quint ambiance, but it's very nice for a relaxing catch up or a chill date night. Dylan was our server and he was amazing! Fast, efficient and very nice and made us feel very welcomed during our dinner. The star out of the three dishes for sure was the salmon burger! But all three dishes were very delicious and not lacking flavor at all! The wrap had a good kick to it so if you don't want spice I wouldn't get it but for the spice lovers, go ahead and indulge! We will definitely be back to try more food! read more

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Check in with the host in the building to the right. We were a party of 3. Oreo milkshake 9.6/10 "Can't think of what's wrong with this, -.4 because there should be more. So good" This did not last and was finished before the food arrived. Salted caramel bacon bites "The sweetness and hit of that salt. Aw so good! I wanna go yell at whoever made this milkshake cause it tastes so good. Definitely need to bang out some push ups after this." Truffle fry's were too greasy and not very crunchy. Truffle cheese gives it 7/10. Reminded of in n out fries a little but make it truffle. Panko chicken bites Very dry. Don't recommend personally. Pono and classic burgers. Bomb and could not go wrong The staff left us alone. Didn't check up on us and refill our waters. It was also 59 degrees outside and with the door open the space felt cold. read more

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One of the best burgers and chicken sandwiches in Santa Monica. All the food is excellent, and try the Onion Rings. It is a very cool space and they have FREE parking in the basement. Try a bite today!! read more

Got to try the Paniolo and Piku burger and both were delicious. They have some great selections of beer/wine/cocktails as well. We also ordered their truffle fries and onion rings although I didn't really care of the onion rings. The service was efficient and friendly. read more

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Cute cafe with horrible burgers. I was the first time there and asked for something interesting - they gave me a tiny burger with good sauce but overcooked and not seasoned patty. All that with NO drinks and sides was $17.5. Sad but true. Will never come back read more

Pono Burger - Burgers Near Me - Santa Monica, California

5years and it is all over walking out through the once lively patio our last meal in hand with Olivia Newton-John belting out hopelessly devoted to you we will miss every last one of you the life and love you brought to our neighborhood the food you slaved over every smile every milkshake we truly loved this place and trust that everyone of these intelligent beautiful souls out of a job will quickly land on their feet thank you for everything and goodbye read more

Pono Burger - The last meal made and sold at Pono the paniolo burger a caramel milkshake and a bottle of trefethen chardonnay - Burgers Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Parking was easy and there is free parking inside the garage. There is ample parking for the restaurants in this building. It is also attached to an apartment complex so just be careful where you park. -1 star because it took awhile for them to get our orders in and for the truffle garlic parmesan fries - the flavor was good but just the pieces of fries was a majority of small pieces in there (probably the last/bottom of the package or batch made). I got the Posh burger and it was delicious, the meat was juicy and the truffle aioli was flavorful. The servers were nice and the restaurant had a nice ambiance to it. Good lighting and cute aesthetics. read more

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With the meaning behind the Hawaiian word Pono--being in perfect alignment with all things in the universe--it's no wonder that while running errands on a hectic day, I drove past Pono Burger when I was starving. I'm so glad I finally stopped in to try their amazing organic, grass-fed burgers! I arrived just in time for Happy Hour, which was perfect for petite me. I ordered The Classic, allowing me to select from a variety of delicious cheese options. To accompany my burger, I opted for their organic craft Mojito cocktail, which was both refreshing and delightful. Every time I've been in the area, the Pono building has caught my eye with its unique airplane hangar design. The interior is thoughtfully curated to transport you to a little slice of Hawaii without ever leaving LA, with cheerful beach vibes that make your dining experience even more enjoyable. The staff perfectly complements the cheerful décor, being friendly and helpful with menu suggestions. You order in the building right next door on the north side, just off the front door of the hangar seating area. This building also leads to their outdoor patio if you prefer to sit outside. The burger was so delicious that I immediately ordered a second one, and I can't wait to return to explore more of their menu. The prices are reasonable, and who doesn't love taking advantage of a Happy Hour menu that helps your budget? Thank you, Pono Burger--you've secured a spot on my list of new favorite places in LA! read more

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Such great service. Our waiter was kind and funny. Our group was sat outside and I will note that the tables and chairs could be cleaner. However, their happy hour is an amazing deal. I believe it runs everyday from 3-6 pm and you can get $5 margs as a result. read more

Pono Burger - Happy hour five dollar margaritas - Burgers Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Came back for their happy hour again and happy to say it was still $5 for all the items on their happy hour menu. We tried the seasonal spiced punch and liked it, it's a simple cocktail and mainly taste of apple cider with a nice smell of cinnamon from the topping. We also added the soju shots on again for only $1 which is a killer deal. We also got the nachos again and they're good. Their actual menu and food looked incredible but we loved coming for happy hour. The service was def slower this time but almost all the tables were taken up. read more

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Great food and option of gluten free. They have a gluten free fryer and buns. I had the piku burger with gluten free bun.Amazing Strawberry shake made with fresh organic strawberries was delicious. Service was great. Cute place too. You feel that you are in Hawaii. read more

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I've been meaning to write this since 6/12/25! SO ... let me start by saying that I normally love Pono and can make up the best sandwiches and burgers on their site. The last time I went I was jonesing for a BLTA since it has been difficult to get up to my fav BLTA place since the fires. So I ordered one as well as an order of sweet potato fries. I believe it was $24. Ok. That's expensive for a sandwich and fries by anyones standards I believe but I was so looking forward to it. I got back to the office and was appalled by what was in the bag. I am uploading a pic of it as well as one (without avo) from Jack in the Box and another from my fav Pali Cafe. To be fair I emailed Pono to find out what was going on and got crickets. So ... here we are. read more

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Food is yummy!! The name of the restaurant is good as well. Fry's are crispy and lemonade is sour and delicious. read more

Pono Burger - Classic burger. - Burgers Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Love me some Pono Burger. Super cute, chill vibes, and delicious food. The staff here are very friendly and welcoming. Great menu selection and an even better happy hour menu! I usually do the garlic truffle fries to start - YUM! Beware: very addicting. For the main dish, i do the salmon burger. Soo good. Amazing flavor with quality ingredients. Their salmon patty is made in house and is topped with heirloom tomato and ponzu avocado spread. The first time i had it, i was hooked - i came back the next day! LOL. read more

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My favorite happy hour ever 3-6pm. Any burger as a slider for $5.... come on! Ridiculous deal and a quality burger. And they're all so different and equally delicious. The truffle burger is my favorite. Love their little outdoor shack to sit and eat it. Always love coming here. The girls are so nice that work here and work super hard. read more

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Consistently great food, newly expanded menu is great but the burgers are always the signature. Came here with family and my dog and the staff offered to take a picture of him for the very cute dog wall. The fries and milkshakes are always my favorites read more

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Overall rating: 3.5 stars / 5 stars The interior is super cute. You order next door and then walk over to the indoor greenhouse-like tunnel to enjoy your meal. We went on a Tuesday night and to our surprise, each burger came with complimentary French fries! The fries were crispy and delicious. They didn't taste oily. They tasted gourmet and irresistible! Our server was super friendly and helpful. He was patient in explaining all the items on the menu. I got the Piku Burger which came with organic grass-fed beef, fig jam, bacon and baby kale. The burger came out too sweet for me. The fig jam was overpowering and made the flavor of the burger one note. The beef patty however was perfect. I loved the texture of the meat. My partner got the Spicy Kuawa Crunch and it had potato chips inside. That caught him off guard and he didn't really love that surprise. Besides that, he did love his burger. It came with organic grass-fed beef, sharp cheddar, potato chips, coleslaw and spicy guava rum sauce. I also ordered the local-made Diet Coke. It had a strange medicinal taste. I am not sure if I would be returning but I am glad I tried this place once. read more

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Went for happy hour and was fully satisfied! The happy hour menu is $5 with drinks, milkshakes, appetizers, and sliders. We ordered the sliders, nachos, 1/2 sized milkshake, and a beer. All for $35 before taxes and tip. What a deal! The nachos were surprisingly good, lol. The ingredients were fresh and spread equally among the chips. The sliders were filling too, 2 is all you'd need. The milkshake was delicious too! I got the strawberry and it tasted fresh and creamy. I'll be back! read more

Pono Burger - Happy hour milkshake and sliders - Burgers Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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PB is a quirky and fun restaurant with great burgers and service. I also liked the unique dining room shaped like a mini airplane hangar but with comfortable seating. I also had a milkshake that was excellent and side of fried cauliflower. Service was great by Jackie. Recommended. read more

Pono Burger - Fried cauliflower, shake and margarita - Burgers Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Thanks Dillon for your great charm and wonderful service! We came here because they support the Maui fires and a portion of what you spend goes to a great cause. Plus they have a great happy hour! We ordered Burnt Miso Butter Brussel Sprouts, chili beef nachos and some 6% charcoal flavor kombucha. I can really get into this kombucha! It's good for you and I got a great buzz. Ambiance is casual and great vibe! read more

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I thought it was really good quality and flavor. We went on a Monday where they offer all day happy hour. We ordered the Spicy fried green beans, and my husband, who doesn't even like green beans, gobbled them up. He ordered the classic and russet potato fries, and enjoyed it. Fries got a little soggy and were just ok. His sister got the portabella mushroom sandwich and liked it. I got the posh burger and strawberry shake and would definitely order again! Service was good. Unique ambiance. Will go again when in the mood for a good burger and will get the green beans again! read more

The Pono Burger has really great food and Services I highly recommend the New grilled chicken Samie Thomasina and Olivia thanks for the recommendation read more

Pono Burger - This is the Chicken Sammie - Burgers Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Customer service: the staff at the register is great in particular I want to comment about Jaqueline she goes the extra mile to let you know you are valued as a customer and you leave with a smile. She sees me with my daughters and when I call in an order she takes the time to draw a picture for my daughters to enjoy. It's so sweet. Food quality: I enjoy the Fig Burger the Oreo Shake and my daughter loves the kid slider. Thank you to upper managment for hiring people like Jaqueline in a coprporate world it is nice to feel like more than just a number. This is true Pono and more like a made to feel at a Mom and Pops restaurant. read more

Pono Burger - Thank you Jaqueline for the thoughtful drawing it brings a smile to my daughter's face every-time we order from you. - Burgers Near Me - Santa Monica, California

This place has gone down hill sadly. We ordered the crispy chicken salad and the house-made ranch dressing and the dressing was watery with zero flavor. We also ordered the pesto chicken sandwich and the chicken was so dry we couldn't eat it. We l took a few bites of each and decided to just eat the truffle fries which were delicious. If we go back we will stick to ordering a burger. In better news, the staff was friendly and attentive and the decor is cute. read more

Food was great, service couldn't been better. We got there and the was only one table being occupied. Apparently they had been there for a while. We got seat and weren't offered water. When he asked the first table if they were ready to order they asked for water to start. When he asked if we were ready to order I asked him for water to start. We didn't get our cups of water until the third table showed up which they got served first ‍. The restaurant wasn't full nor busy. I asked for more water since he sees our empty cups and doesn't offer and asked for the check too. He said he'd bring them... time passes he comes in just to prepare a drink and leaves. To prevent leaving all the plates on the table to stacked everything and cleaned the table ourselves. A new waiter arrived I asked if we're done, yes and take the plates. after waiting a while he comes in with the check and pitcher of water. And asks us did she take the cups. We said yes, well just take the check at this point. He didn't apologize for the lateness but did offer cup of water to go but I needed the water with my food. He leaves the machine with us and we wait a couple of minutes. We decided not to wait on him and go take it to him just to find 3-waiters talking. His name is Christian. He needs to do better not excuses. read more

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Pono runs quite the racket -- selling top buns the width of tennis balls is goofy af. I believe all 3-5* reviews are coerced through free item promotions. Right hand to God I keep coming here to give it a third, fourth chance, but they honestly can't make a decent burger. Raw patty, soggy fries, four measly mushrooms -- this is the last time I come to this dystopian eatery. Please refer to the attached pic. Being a "quirky eatery" doesn't give you the right to swindle the working man. read more

Pono Burger - "The Pono Experience" summarized - Burgers Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Nice ambience Food is overpriced Hamburgers were 3 stars Fries- 4 stars Service was fine but the server was outside vaping and then serving us without washing hands first. read more

I had never been to this spot and my friend suggested it so I was excited to try. I had already had a burger earlier in the day so I decided to get a buffalo wrap. I asked the server if it was very spicy since I'm not a fan and he said no, so I asked for light buffalo sauce just in case. The wrap was prob the worst wrap I've ever had and not because of the spice. The chicken did not taste fresh, I even had my friend try it and she confirmed. We also ordered the tempura green beans and onion rings. The batter on the green beans was very heavy so we ended up removing it and ate just the green beans. We sat in the separate barn area and the tables were all dirty when we came in and when we left. The server kept sitting down with his friends and chatting with him instead of cleaning. It just wasn't a good experience and I don't think I'll be back. (My friend did like her burger though) read more

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Part 2 of this long review continues the documentation of Emily the manager's horrifying attitude towards customers: So you just read the first half of the review, and now you're here for the rest of the gory details. Brace yourself, it gets worse! After this whole negative interaction with Emily and returning home to find missing fries, we're now grumpy and hungry and wondering just how hard it can be to get the order right when it's just two burgers, two fries, one shake. That being said, it's still way understandable because humans make mistakes, so we get it- not the first time in Yelp history that there's a missing item and at least it wasn't one of the burgers because then we'd have been left super hungry lol. Even at this point wre still willing to return to give Pono Burger another chance to become one of our go-to spots. Nope--It's the next day interaction and Emily's incredible customer service skills that seal the deal on this Yelp review rating and us never coming back. So get this- we call the next morning about the missing fries because I really had wanted to try those truffle aioli fries damnit! Nice employee Conor picks up and we let him know the fries were missing- he's super chill and like yea we can definitely refund you for the fries alone; that sounds great; honestly, even offering just to tack on the fries to our next time order would have worked too. Then, we hear Emily the manager in the background asking and lo and behold she has a Grudge with a capital G against us because we apparently committed some mortal sin in her restaurant by asking politely for the Yelp offer to be honored as written. She picks up the phone, then starts off by saying "I remember you guys Very Well...your husband walked out with the food and then immediately came back to ask for the Yelp offer to be honored after you got off the phone with me and he didn't mention any missing fries then." UM, okay? Emily, do you open your stapled bag of food to make sure the restaurant did its job? LOL! You apparently open your stapled bag of food that is insulating the food and keeping it warm so it doesn't get all COLD on the drive home while in store to check your paid-for fries aren't missing? Also??? This is how customer service attitude should be? You accuse a customer of lying over missing fries that literally cost like WHAT, a mere 3? 7? Literally such a petty amount of cash that I would donate in the blink of an eye to someone in need and not even miss? LOL. What does a customer need to do to finally see the fries they bought?? Then she goes on to insinuate that either I lied to Conor the employee in saying on the phone I am a first time customer or that my husband lied for having apparently told her yesterday that we frequently used Yelp coupons at restaurants, which she misinterpreted as frequent customers of PoNo Burger with the coupon. I have to ask, where did Emily the manager get her training? And is there a manager to the manager because Chef M's delicious restaurant is getting a bad look singlehandedly because of Emily the manager. At this point, I call her out and ask her how she dares call my husband (and myself) a liar. I state I will be documenting this very concerning behavior on Yelp and also looking into reporting her on Better Business Bureau or the equivalent. Not even sure where you report Btw, how does this conversation with Emily the manager end? Abruptly. LOL. She says "I don't need to take this harrassment" (LOL she called us liars?? But apparently we're harassing her, and that's not her harassing us over not getting products we paid for) and then HANGS UP. Incredible. Protip: don't call your customers LIARS. Protip 2: really, don't call them a liar over $3 fries. It makes you and your restaurant look real bad, and your restaurant food does not deserve you doing that to it. And don't hold grudges against customers for simply holding to the standup principle that coupons offered by the restaurant should be honored. We're not coupon-hunters for goodness sake, but we've never seen a Yelp check-in deal blatantly denied by management. Yikes! Talk about false advertising. That suggests a whole legal conundrum we kindly won't bring up here. Protip 3: PoNo Burger needs a new non-Emily manager. Like, stat. Save yourself, PoNo Burger!! That's a 1 star for us! read more

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I came for DineLA 2023 and ordered the piku burger with the sweet potato fries, a great deal for $15! The burger was cooked perfectly medium rare, and topped with brie, bacon, and fig jam. I was excited for the melding of these flavors, but there was too much jam and the sweetness overpowered all the savory elements. The sweet potatoes were shoestring thin and crispy! It came with a bacon aioli, but unfortunately the bacon flavor didn't come through very strongly. The place is dog friendly and I appreciated the water bowl provided. And the decor of their covered outdoor dining space is cute and cozy! There is validated parking underneath the building, the entrance is off Lincoln Ct by sweetfin. Be careful down there, there was a lady unapologetically zooming around tight corners and almost hit me. read more

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My brother and I came awhile back pre pandemic. We sat outside since it was nice weather and both ordered the paniolo burger, along with some purple chips and guac/avocado dip. Burger was huge and crunchy due to the onion rings. This isn't like Burger King cowboy burger! This is legit giant onion rings. I cut mine in half because I wasn't sure if I could fit a whole bite in my mouth.It was so savory and bbq-y. I was glad I had the avocado dip to be a refresher in between bites. I enjoyed the onion ring crunchiness, not a hard crunch, but crisp like a Funyun! the purple chips were a cool concept, but probably wouldn't order again. I liked the avocado dip, but only good as a "in between" bites type of deal. Service was good. The guy who greeted us and served us had a big belly laugh was great conversationalist. We found parking on the street close by, around residental. It is away from downtown so parking was on the easier side. I like that it was close enough walk so we could take a stroll and visit little shops. read more

Pono Burger - Paniolo Burger - Burgers Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Came for DineLA and the deal is pretty good, you're basically getting free fries. But the food and service was just okay, could've been better. Service was very slow. I understand they have a separate building for the kitchen, but they should really at least have one staff member in the building with seating. - the fries were thin and crispy but unevenly cooked. They were mostly fine, but there were many overcooked and basically burnt pieces. Enjoyed the sweet potato fries more than the regular fries. However, they gave us the wrong aioli. The regular and sweet potato fries were supposed to have different aioli but we got the same one for both - Piku burger : enjoyed the fig jam and hazelnuts, but this burger was too sweet. It needed a pickle or something for acidity. Also felt like it wouldve gone well with a sharper cheese than the brie - Paniolo: the onion rings were great - seasonal Pina Colada milkshake : disappointed that I couldn't taste any pineapple flavor. Other than that it was fine, but I don't think they should be serving it or calling it pina colada flavored unless they fix that read more

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There's there's great burgers service was kind. Great the staff great new staff shake looks amazing. Look forward to coming back. Thanks Carmen Tomasita and Connor. We will be back. read more

Pono Burger - This was yum - Burgers Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I've been wanting to come here for a while and I finally had the chance on a Sunday for lunch. The seating is in an area that looks like a hangar for planes but is decorated very nicely with fake plants. There are about 10 or so tables inside and about 2/3 were taken when we arrived around noon. We ordered the piku, paniolo, fries and fried green beans. Everything tasted delicious and I especially liked the paniolo for its flavor and the dips that the sides came with. The fries and the green beans both had a great crisp to them. Service was ok but the waiter forgot to bring out our bill and we had to ask again after about 20 minutes. I would definitely come here again to try the different burgers and other items on their menu! Free parking in the alley behind the restaurant. They currently have a Yelp check in for 10% off. read more

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Cute little burger place in Santa Monica. A little hard to find but worth it when you get there. Burgers are awesome, onion rings were great, and I love the tomato soup! Service and ambiance is also wonderful! read more

super solid spot in santa monica for happy hour!! they now (as of October 2024) have daily happy hour 3-6pm and all day happy hour on Mondays, and it is such a steal for drinks and good food. please don't ever take it away... cocktails were superb and food was great for sharing. we have visited for burgers in the past as well, and I leave feeling satisfied. parking could be better but that is to be expected for santa monica. vibes are cute and chill, especially in the industrial chic dining area. would love to come back with a big group in the future :) read more

Kuawa Crunch Burger (spicy) - it was not spicy for me but waiter said it's very spicy. Good juicy burger ask for medium on the patty. Truffle parm fries also good a little to garlicky but good read more

Pono Burger - Spicy Kuawa Crunch - Burgers Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Arrived on Sunday 07:45 pm to order for pick up and they did not take my order since they said they are closed. The hours of operation is till 8pm on Sundays. Very disappointing. read more

Average burger joint. I wasn't too impressed with the posh burger and sweet potato fries. It's not bad but wasn't amazing. I'm willing to give it a second try because I do like the fact that they're organic and pricing is not bad for a sit down burger spot. Service was nothing special, we hardly saw anyone as they seemed to prefer to be in the building where the kitchen is instead. It's an interesting setup as the dining area is separate from the kitchen and where you check in to get a table... read more

Pono Burger - Spicy Kuawa Crunch - Burgers Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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