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    Pounders Restaurant

    3.7 (828 reviews)
    ModeratePizza, Seafood, Hawaiian
    Closed 11:00 am - 1:30 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Pounders Restaurant Photos

    POUNDERS RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Touristy
    Outdoor seating

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    Chantilly Cake with ice cream
    Jennifer N.

    Walked in to get some Chunky & Co cookies and found some cakes in the Pounders bakery display. I forgot to take pics of their signs for it, but they had 2 cakes available (by slice)- Ipo Chantilly cake and Chocolate Lava cake. They were $12 each a slice w/ a scoop of ice cream. We decided to give this a try instead of the usual ice creams nearby we typically get- esp since we don't see them have cakes too often when we pass by the area. We usually are in the area by 2/3pm on a Saturday, so idk if they have more in their display earlier in the day. The staff member (I didn't catch his name) informed us that his mother baked the cakes! We decided on getting the Chantilly cake and he was kind enough to give us 2 scoops of ice cream Giving the cake 3 stars because it was good but nothing too special, esp for the price. Wished it was colder as the cake could firm up a bit more. The frosting wasn't runny but it could've firmed up a bit if it was colder. If the price for it wasn't $12, I'd probably get it again- maybe if it was under $10. We'd try the chocolate lava cake next time just to try it, but if there's nothing very unique about it, we probably won't get it again... esp for the $12 price point.... The staff there were also super nice and friendly

    Kalua Pork Sliders
    Star T.

    Unfortunately, Pounders wasn't what we'd hoped for following our incredible experience at the Polynesian Cultural Center. The restaurant was clean the staff were great but the food was disappointing. My party ordered chicken tenders, hamburgers, pork sliders, poke, pizza and a salad. Relatively basic fare with quick prep time. The restaurant was not busy but it still had a wait time of 45 minutes(for seating) and it took 45 minutes if not more to get our food. Maybe they were understaffed that day? Most of our food was cold. Our fries were cold and stale as were the tenders, our kalua pork sandwiches were soggy as was our Kalua pork plate. The first thing my son compared the fries to were chips and I couldn't agree more. Tasteless, stale chips. I've had plenty of Kalua pork in Oahu and to each his own but the least you could do is drain some of the liquids before plating on a Hawaiian roll. It's a sandwich not a casserole. I shouldn't have to eat it with a fork. Replace the roll with a heartier bun if draining the liquids is too time consuming. The reasonable pricing, location and ambiance are what led me to dine at Pounders with my large family but this experience is what will keep me away next time.

    Tish P.

    This place is a lunch stop for all day tours. Next time, baby just let me starve. We ordered ahead so it would be nearly ready when we got there. It was supposed to be a 30/40 minute stop. We got our food 30+ minutes after we got there. I ordered the garlic shrimp which came with two scoops of rice with furikake and macaroni salad. Baby I trashed 75% of that food. They gave a little ice cream sample too. Service was ok, the lady was friendly but too orderly, like it's the military. Which might have been needed when you're trying to service so many ppl on multiple tours, however, it didn't work. If I could help it, I would not venture here again. It's dead in the middle of nowhere anyway since it's right at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

    Korean fried chicken entree
    Vivian U.

    This was our second or third time dining here, first after the pandemic. We had a vague recollection of it being a decent sit down restaurant within the marketplace, but somehow our experience this time didn't seem to match up to our previous ones. First of all, while the restaurant was relatively empty, the food took a long, long, long time to arrive. Our kids were starving, and it was hard to keep our 3 year old from singing because otherwise she kept asking us why the food wasn't there yet. And we had ordered an appetizer in partial anticipation of the wait, but the appetizer never came. We had to ask to have it be cancelled but would've really liked to try it and try it early. The kid meals of pizza and burger were devoured, when unsure if it's due to taste or starving kids. The Korean fried chicken tasted ok, though my kid's first comment was that it didn't taste like Korean Fried Chicken. And there were a couple pieces where it was just... Fried chicken skin. The pasta carbonara was well liked, but it was pretty ordinary. There was a deal of 50% kids meal with the purchase of adult entree, making me round up this 2.5 star review. But that took awhile to implement and service was largely absent. It was hard to flag down any one to ask about the food. Clearly they're just short staffed. Next time maybe we'll try other places in the marketplace.

    Chicken strips

    Stopped here as part of tour group and the food was absolute trash. The chicken strips and fries were hard and dry. Avoid this place. Wasted $40 on two inedible meals.

    North Shore Garlic Shrimp
    Brett C.

    Came here with a group of 9 people. We ordered a variety of meals. The two that I would avoid is the Huli-Huli Chicken and North Shore Garlic Shrimp. Chicken was so dry and the shrimp had a puddle of oil or butter at the bottom of the plate. Both dishes were hard to eat. The one dish I would recommend would be the appetizer Smoked Marlin Dip. That was delicious. The service was good and there was no wait for a table.

    Mango pizza, carbonara
    Mari T.

    There were highs and lows to this dining experience and overall it was positive but not amazing. We travelled over 3 hrs total to get to and from Laie from town. We went for a late lunch and caught some traffic coming back but mainly got stuck behind some construction on Kam Hwy. At least there's free parking since the food prices are pretty steep. We waited quite a while in the entrance with no one walking by to greet us. Another family came in behind us so we all just stood there awkwardly until someone finally came around the corner and greeted/sat us. We got the marlin dip, garlic shrimp, mango pizza, carbonara pasta, and smore cookie. Marlin dip was by far the best thing we got. It was tasty, a bit sweet, and served with taro chips. Garlic shrimp was not very garlicky, more like a fried shrimp plate with a little garlic. Mac salad was bland and rice was mushy. Mango pizza was 2nd best. The arugula, cheese, prosciutto and honey went well with the light and crisp crust. The mango was superfluous and just fell off the top. Carbonara pasta was way too salty and peppery. We brought most of it home to add more pasta to it. The garlic toast was good though. $5 for a cookie was pretty steep but I wanted to treat myself. It was so worth it. I would recommend they put the smore cookie in saran wrap instead of a paper bag though cuz the marshmallow (best part duh) stuck to the bag! Would 100% get it again!

    Garlic shrimp
    Stephanie W.

    We stopped by here for lunch as part of the Oahu Circle Island Tour. Our driver gave us a menu of items we could choose from and he placed the order for us ahead of time. When we arrived, the food was already prepped and ready. We got the garlic shrimp and alfredo. The shrimp was very crispy and had a good garlic flavor. It was tender and had no shells. The alfredo was good too and came with a slice of garlic bread but nothing special. Paying was a bit hectic because our server had to go through each table and each table had separate tabs with different paying methods. The server originally gave us too much change so she took the money and then short changed us later. She was condescending towards us and asked us if she needed to bring us a calculator to show that she was correct. She tried to explain the math to us and insisted that she gave the right change when we knew she was incorrect. It wasn't the amount that we cared about as it was very minimal, but it was her attitude that we didn't appreciate. I also heard others say that her service wasn't the best either.

    Side of fries
    Abby W.

    I really loved the fish nuggets here. I'm not even sure what kind of fish it is but it was delicious and I couldn't get enough. The fries were seasoned well and crispy as well, even as a to-go order. This spot is definitely on my list to return to on a future Oahu visit.

    Village side entrance
    Nancy S.

    Stopped to eat here during a tour. It was delicious! The pork was good. Alfredo was good, the garlic shrimp was flavorful and they even gave us a little ice cream at the end. It was a nice stop to fuel up. Then there is shopping in the Hukilau Marketplace oh boy! Come in and enjoy!

    Spaghetti Bolognese

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    16 days ago

    The chicken tenders were great, the waiter were great the fries were not my favorite but still good food

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    1 month ago

    Our waitress Rachel was the SWEETEST. Her service was phenomenal and she made our dinning experience one to remember.

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    3 months ago

    All three Food, Services & Ambiance was Superb! Thank you and keep it up! Excellence in all three.

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    Ken's Fresh Fish

    Ken's Fresh Fish

    4.7
    (216 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    The absolute best Ahi Katsu fix on the island!…read more Tell me I'm not the only one who will drive completely across the island just to satisfy a craving! Whenever I need an Ahi Katsu fix, Ken's Fresh Fish in Laie is our absolute go-to destination. On our last trip, we decided to try the Opah Katsu alongside our usual order, and wow! Both had the most absolute perfect crunch! The fish is incredibly fresh, perfectly fried, and drizzled beautifully with sauce. It is worth every bit of the drive from the Ewa . Outstanding flavor, great quality, and a definitive must-stop if you're up on the North Shore. 10/10!

    The best ahi katsu on the Island. Grab a plate, some poke, and fresh fish to cook later and it's…read morewell worth the 70 mile circle island drive. The fresh ahi katsu, huge! 14-16oz, panko crusted and deep fried medium or well done. It is topped with a combo of sweet katsu sauce and garlic mayo all over a bed of rice and a simple pile of dressed lettuce. Always look for the second fresh fish of the day. If available, the ono done katsu style eclipses the ahi. Just the nature of the fish, it is more tender and moist. Total weight is again, about a pound. Note: Fish can also be prepared in garlic butter. It's good but come on, garlic butter vs deep fried in a crispy coating? Good selection of half pound pre weighed containers of fresh ahi poke (ahi sesame ogo, just sayin') and fresh fish filets including ahi, mahi, ono, and marlin. Go early for best selection. Inexpensive. As of November 2025, $16/regular plate. Fresh fish filets, $7.50 / lb less than Costco. Fresh poke, $10/half pound. Cash or card. Same price. No nonsense counter service. Takeaway only. IMPORTANT: they are not active on socials. Last minute closures are posted on their door. Have a backup plan of where to eat ready. All that said, the best and based on the crowd of locals every visit, word is out.

    Photos
    Main area. No seating. Take out only
    Main area. No seating. Take out only
    Fresh ahi sesame ogo poke
    Fresh ahi sesame ogo poke
    Ahi katsu plate (on slow rainy days, the cuts get MASSIVE)

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    Ahi katsu plate (on slow rainy days, the cuts get MASSIVE)
    Papa Ole's

    Papa Ole's

    4.5
    (1.5k reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    The closing date is set, December 15, 2025…read more Their regulars have stepped up their visits while locals living farther away are making their final pilgrimages. By now, anyone who is a fan knows their food so rather than another review, some tips for securing that last taste. 1. They are in a cellular dead zone. All calls made to their number from a cell phone will fail to connect. You MUST call using a land line phone (those things plugged in the wall with physical buttons to press). BUT... 2. They do not answer their phone if they are busy helping customers. Good luck. SO... 3. Go early and order in person. Popular items like the roast pork and hamburger steak sell out by 10am. Others like the kalbi and pulehu shrot ribs by 11:30. 4. Be patient. The wait time is 45min - 1hr. It is accurate. Use the time to grab poke and drinks in neighboring Laie or Kahuku. It's all worth it. Same loaded plates. Same nostalgic taste. Same aloha delivered with a smile. One last time.

    Papa Ole's is a spot I heard about from a friend, and it hasn't disappointed me yet. It feels like…read morea small mom and pop type place that locals enjoy, which is always a good sign. My personal favorite is the kalbi ribs. They've got that backyard BBQ taste that feels like a homecooked meal, and it's usually what I end up ordering. Simple, comforting, and it just hits. I also love grabbing food here and taking it down the street to eat at the beach. It's one of those meals that feels even better when you're eating it by the water. I just read that they may be closing soon, and if that's true, thank you for all the delicious meals over the years and wishing the team nothing but the best moving forward.

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    Papa Ole's Menu
    Papa Ole's Menu
    Papa Ole's Sign
    Papa Ole's Sign
    Jumbo Shrimp Plate

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    Jumbo Shrimp Plate
    Tita's Grill and Catering

    Tita's Grill and Catering

    4.4
    (238 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    This place is sooo good!…read more They serve the best French toast for breakfast and they have really good plate lunches for lunch or dinner. I've been coming her for like 10 years and they have always been really nice and the food is great and the service is great and a great environment

    Tita's Grill This…read moreis a review for my experience eating at Tita's Grill, a food truck that serves Filipino cuisine. It is located by the Polynesian Cultural Center. Tita's Grill serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner *Be mindful of their hours Hours Monday - Saturday Breakfast: 8:00 am - 10:00 am Lunch 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm Dinner: 05:00 pm - 7:30 pm Closed Sundays & Wednesdays Words to describe Tita's Grill: Filipino Cuisine, flavorful, hearty comfort food, delicious, mouthwatering, fresh, savory Service/Menu: Friendly, efficient, seating is outdoors FOOD TITA'S PACK Rice, pancit (noodles), chicken wings, fried fish, brisket, macaroni salad *Trust me...just get it Yummy! Flavorful! Filling! GARLIC SHRIMP Garlic shrimp, macaroni salad, and rice All of the food plates we ordered were tasty-a warm hug in every bite! My favorite was the Tita's Pack! Portions were huge-and great to share All in all I enjoyed dining at Tita's Grill! Thank you aunties, uncles, and cousins for creating scrumptious and appetizing meals for us! I can't wait to dine with you again soon! Mahalo! Salamat Po!

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    Tita's Grill and Catering
    Tita's Grill and Catering
    This where they are at, check um out!

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    This where they are at, check um out!
    Da Bald Guy

    Da Bald Guy

    4.6
    (748 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    I'm so grateful he does pop ups in town because venturing out to Kahuku takes a bit of planning. So…read morefar my favorites would have to be hands down the Ribeye and Shrimp plates. The ribeye is super tender and both plates have so much flavor packed into it! I tried the Braised Boneless Kalbi and it is good and super soft! But the flavor isn't my cup of tea; I prefer my kalbi to be LA kalbi style so just something to keep in mind if that's what you were expecting Each plate can easily be shared between two people which gives you more room to try other items hehe I highly recommend coming super early for his pop ups because the lines gets ridiculously long. He is always our first stop of the list because you just can't risk certain items running out! (Trust me, I had this happen to me the first time and I was a very sad camper with what was left)

    Da Bald Guy was at the Moili'ili Summerfest, this review is based on that experience…read more And HO my wife and I got two plates, one Pan-fried Poke and one Cajun Garlic Shrimp, and both were moono'ono. Both extremely solid 9/10. If you like poke, you'll probably like it pan-fried. The spicy ahi flavor is familiar, but the change in cook method adds a different dimension. If you like shrimp, and can handle a smidge of spice, you'll probably like the Cajun version. However, the limiting factor could be location. If you're in the area, or see them at an event, try go fa sho!

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    Da Bald Guy
    Chopped Steak (@miguelmoralesphotography on Instagram)
    Chopped Steak (@miguelmoralesphotography on Instagram)
    Chipotle Garlic Cajun Garlic Butter Shrimp

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    Chipotle Garlic Cajun Garlic Butter Shrimp
    Giovanni's Shrimp Truck

    Giovanni's Shrimp Truck

    3.9
    (5.5k reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    Literally the best shrimp I ever had. Absolutely delicious!!…read more I don't say that lightly either. It was otherworldly!! The staff was great too!!!! I'll be back!

    I visited this famous spot last week while in Hawaii with my wife, and it honestly did not live up…read moreto the hype. We ordered the Spicy Shrimp and the Shrimp Scampi plates, and neither was impressive. The food came out almost instantly, which proves it is not cooked to order. Because it sits around, the shrimp is incredibly difficult to peel. Anyone who cooks shrimp knows that if you do not peel it right after cooking, the shell sticks to the meat, which was exactly the case here. The Spicy Shrimp had a decent kick, but it lacked actual flavor. The Shrimp Scampi was better but still bland. Honestly, 9 out of 10 shrimp places back home in Southern California make a better plate. To make things worse, the two ladies managing the truck were rude. My wife asked for extra napkins, not realizing some were already in the bag. The worker snapped back, "Are those not enough?" and made her feel super awkward. We also asked for a cup of ice to go with our canned sodas. They flatly refused and told us to ask another truck nearby. Luckily, the other truck owners were much nicer and gave us the ice. Save your time and money. There are much better, friendlier options out there.

    Photos
    Giovanni's Shrimp Truck order wait line
    Giovanni's Shrimp Truck order wait line
    Garlic Shrimp Scampi
    Garlic Shrimp Scampi
    Shrimp Scampi

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    Shrimp Scampi

    Pounders Restaurant - pizza - Updated July 2026

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