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Never knew about this place until I walked past one day on my way to the liquor store. Fishing gear caught my eye as I passed. Two days later and I'm kicking myself for not eating here in the past!!!! Pastele stew was unreal! Inhaled my plate in 5 minutes. Will definitely be back to get some fishing stuff and try their garlic chicken. YOU MISSING OUT!
Delicious food. Great prices. Definitely will be back! I've been wanting to try Pupukea Grindz for so long now, but since they have limited hours, I always find myself checking them out when they're already closed (funny, not funny). Lucky for me, it's summer time and I'm off (for a while lol) so I took the kids on a spontaneous run for some grindz. Yesterday, we ordered the Ahi Katsu plate with tossed salad, and 2 Korean Garlic Chicken plates with mac. The food was spot on - fresh and flavorful. I absolutely enjoyed my ahi katsu and having the option of FRESH GREENS! The dressing tasted like a basic Oriental, that of which I switched out once I got home, but overall, that plate was 5 stars. Both kids got the Korean chicken. They really should've shared one plate; each had a nice hefty portion. Chicken was so frickn crunchy and perfectly seasoned with their sauce. Mac was somewhat grainy from the potatoes, but still another 5 star dish. Sorry, my pic just doesn't do the KGC justice. Why 4 stars then? They seemed to be out of a good chunk of their menu. And most importantly, I'm a simple person and the first impression goes far. I don't want to sound picky, but it's a pet peeve of mines when I walk into a place AND ITS EMPTY, and the workers can't even say hello. I just don't get it. Maybe they were super busy with phone orders (although we got eye contact) and didn't realize the unwelcoming tone when we got the "I'll be with you in a minute" from the kitchen prep area, but that's my piece with hopes that it makes a difference for the better of the business. Upon grabbing my food after the 20 minute wait, the guy seemed to have cheered up a slight bit, just to add. Can't change the first impression tho. Anyways!! Go check em, go check em, go!
"What's going on foodie ohana?" Have you ever binge watched something because you wanted to see / hear something outrageously funny (roulade being pronounced roo-la-dae, "use-to-to", "taste-ta-tid good", "dranken", saying in Hawaii we call it o-ka-zoo-ya with the emphasis on the zoo because it's different from Japan), and along the way picked up some knowledge? That's what prompted the visit. 1. Outstanding old school ahi katsu. Thick cuts of ahi marinated in miso, coated with panko and fried mid well before being doused in a sweetened ginger, garlic, soy sauce. Umami supercharged goodness. 2. Solid garlic chicken. Boneless thighs sat in flour for a while to get the perfect crisp coating flash dipped in a sweet soy, garlic, cayenne, green onion sauce. The skin still crisp even 20 minutes later. All is not perfect. The boiled shoyu chicken is extremely sweet and being sat on a bed of chow funn, alters the taste of the noodles. The cone sushi, too dense and wet. Portions are HUGE. Prices fair. Good value for the money. Friendly local service. Take out only. Check yelp (they update their hours daily if there is a change) and/or call ahead to be sure they are open. Sometimes, even through tears of laughter, you find a worthy recommendation. Going to eat Japanese shabu shabu at a Chinese hotpot resto... ROFL.
Was out with vertigo and I was hungry. Right after work the hubby came across this place and was intrigued and had heard about from our son-in-law so he tried them out and it is one we will keep in our top collections! So ONOLICIOUS! I had the shoyu teriyaki chicken was really yummy and not sweet at all, if anyone who knows me I don't care for teriyaki flavor but this soothed my taste buds (thumbs up)! The hubby had their Pipeline plate with Korean garlic chicken, my Boi had the regular plate and it was really good to. So if you in Waipahu, go check them out, you'll be back for more! Mahalo and we'll stop by again to try your pastele and chili.
Actually a pretty good place, good food for and good portions for the price. Only reason for one less stars is the wait times, think was a little over 20 maybe 30min wait for our 2 plates. The past few days they been getting slammed so it's understandable. While I'm ok with waiting others may not especially if short lunch hrs. So it's better to call it in. On with the food...2 plates that was shared and left overs for dinner. Ahi katsu plate. Good filet of ahi, good well outside nice crispy and still very moist inside. Most other places will overcook and be very dry. Light katsu style sauce all over. I usually prefer the mayo unagi/teri sauce style but was actually good this way to. Food company Kailua has their sauce this way as well. Like the potato mac most places don't take time on the sides and just throw macaroni and mayo salt call it good. Like that here they put potatoes and others things to change it up Pipeline Plate... 2 chickens was Fried and Shoyu, 1 cone sushi, 1 ume musubi, with chow fun underneath. Chicken was good and crisp nice flavor little dry on some pieces but better than red and raw. Shoyu chicken was OK not overly sweet but did have some redness inside by the bone which I dislike. I know it's fully cooked and safe but just a taste I dislike. Chow fun was ok, and cone sushi was OK as well not overly sweet. Overall those 2 plates are probably the 2 best sellers. Great portions and great for grab and head to the beach etc. They are inside the same complex as the old Highway Inn. Like that they cleaned up this complex as it used to be a little run down and filled with homeless everywhere.
I had the Korean Garlic chicken. It's so tasty, delicious. My friend had the pastels rice and i tasted it. Really tasty, little spicy. overall the food is delicious the atmosphere a few tables and chairs. Drinks are all canned and bottle there's no fountain drinks. The owners are Shawn and Barry, very nice guys. It's a fairly new local spot, opened in March 2018 . They're same owners of (20years) Pupukea Grill Lunch Wagon, can find their lunch wagon across sharks cove. So whether you there or in waipahu come check these guys out. Today I had the Ahi Katsu. Omg it's true, reviews are on point. This is a first and honestly I didn't think I would like it so much. It's so crispy delicious and moist all in one bite. The sauce they put on the Katsu compliments it,even yummier
Decided to give this place a try and I was pretty impressed. We decided to try the ahi katsu, shoyu chicken, and the Açaí bowl. Shoyu chicken and açaí bowl was okay, but the ahi katsu was one of the best I have ever had, so crunchy on the outside and so juicy on the inside. The Ahi Katsu was the star of the show!! Ahi katsu 5 stars (the best of the best) Shoyu chicken 3.5 stars (shoyu chicken like any other shoyu chicken) Açaí bowl 1.5 stars (açaí had a pasty taste and there was too much going on)
This place is simply amazing! I've been here a bunch of times, and I finally wanted to make a proper review. This place has local plate lunches served in good portions, I feel that it makes it worth the drive to Waipahu. The shopping center it's located in is newly renovated, with a new parking lot and lots of nice plants. I got the Pipeline Plate with shoyu teri chicken and boneless Korean garlic chicken as my meat. It also comes with ume musubi, chow fun and cone sushi. I highly suggest that you buy a side of their mac (macaroni) salad to make it complete. They also have different desserts in their showcase that changes every so often. When I went, they had a creamy coconut cake which came in a huge square piece almost the whole size of the container! It reminded me of a coconut tres leches cake. I ate the whole thing! The owner Shawn is one of the nicest people I've ever met! You can tell he's really cares about his customers and we small talked for a bit. Follow their page on Instagram @pupukeagrindzxlocalkinelures
Was recommended by a friend. Asked the cashier what is the most ordered dish. He said ahí Katsu And Korean garlic chicken. I opted for the Korean garlic chicken with tossed salad. Hey it makes me feel like I made a healthy choice! It was divine! Will be back to try the other stuff on the menu and will update!
Surprisingly dropped in a not-so-upscale neighborhood. At first I was skeptical, but after discovering the atmosphere inside was more small family owned business, emulating the north-shore plate lunches; I was hooked. My husband claimed the Mac-potato was some of the best he had ever had!
11 months ago
Had Pupukea Grindz on our list of places to try for over a year and finally went the other day to grab a couple plate lunches. Went with the ahi katsu and Korean garlic chicken. Took about 15 mins to get our orders. Plates were hefty, and the food was soooooo delicious. The katsu and chicken were lightly fried, neither were greasy at all. Mac salad was good. Greens were fresh and the dressing was tasty. Such great food and worth the price! read more
I work in Waipahu and just happen to discover this eating place Not disappointed at all. I ordered the garlic chicken plate with potato/Mac salad and a side order of pastele stew. There is seating however, I took mine to go. The food was delicious but I forgot to take some pictures. I must have been very hungry. read more
Delicious plate lunch and other offerings at Pupukea Grindz! Stopped by for lunch on a weekday, and it wasn't busy at all. I wanted their turkey chili, but unfortunately, they were sold out. I ordered the hummus wrap instead which was super fresh and tasty with nice local veggies. Hubby had a plate lunch with shoyu chicken, Ono katsu, cone, and Maki sushi and chow fun. My son had a side of chow fun, and the portions were generous! Ample dine in space. They have AC, but it was a little war. The food came out fresh and pretty quickly. We will be back to try more! read more
1 year ago
Never knew about this place until I walked past one day on my way to the liquor store. Fishing gear caught my eye as I passed. Two days later and I'm kicking myself for not eating here in the past!!!! Pastele stew was unreal! Inhaled my plate in 5 minutes. Will definitely be back to get some fishing stuff and try their garlic chicken. YOU MISSING OUT! read more
7 months ago
Delicious food. Great prices. Definitely will be back! I've been wanting to try Pupukea Grindz for so long now, but since they have limited hours, I always find myself checking them out when they're already closed (funny, not funny). Lucky for me, it's summer time and I'm off (for a while lol) so I took the kids on a spontaneous run for some grindz. Yesterday, we ordered the Ahi Katsu plate with tossed salad, and 2 Korean Garlic Chicken plates with mac. The food was spot on - fresh and flavorful. I absolutely enjoyed my ahi katsu and having the option of FRESH GREENS! The dressing tasted like a basic Oriental, that of which I switched out once I got home, but overall, that plate was 5 stars. Both kids got the Korean chicken. They really should've shared one plate; each had a nice hefty portion. Chicken was so frickn crunchy and perfectly seasoned with their sauce. Mac was somewhat grainy from the potatoes, but still another 5 star dish. Sorry, my pic just doesn't do the KGC justice. Why 4 stars then? They seemed to be out of a good chunk of their menu. And most importantly, I'm a simple person and the first impression goes far. I don't want to sound picky, but it's a pet peeve of mines when I walk into a place AND ITS EMPTY, and the workers can't even say hello. I just don't get it. Maybe they were super busy with phone orders (although we got eye contact) and didn't realize the unwelcoming tone when we got the "I'll be with you in a minute" from the kitchen prep area, but that's my piece with hopes that it makes a difference for the better of the business. Upon grabbing my food after the 20 minute wait, the guy seemed to have cheered up a slight bit, just to add. Can't change the first impression tho. Anyways!! Go check em, go check em, go! read more
"What's going on foodie ohana?" Have you ever binge watched something because you wanted to see / hear something outrageously funny (roulade being pronounced roo-la-dae, "use-to-to", "taste-ta-tid good", "dranken", saying in Hawaii we call it o-ka-zoo-ya with the emphasis on the zoo because it's different from Japan), and along the way picked up some knowledge? That's what prompted the visit. 1. Outstanding old school ahi katsu. Thick cuts of ahi marinated in miso, coated with panko and fried mid well before being doused in a sweetened ginger, garlic, soy sauce. Umami supercharged goodness. 2. Solid garlic chicken. Boneless thighs sat in flour for a while to get the perfect crisp coating flash dipped in a sweet soy, garlic, cayenne, green onion sauce. The skin still crisp even 20 minutes later. All is not perfect. The boiled shoyu chicken is extremely sweet and being sat on a bed of chow funn, alters the taste of the noodles. The cone sushi, too dense and wet. Portions are HUGE. Prices fair. Good value for the money. Friendly local service. Take out only. Check yelp (they update their hours daily if there is a change) and/or call ahead to be sure they are open. Sometimes, even through tears of laughter, you find a worthy recommendation. Going to eat Japanese shabu shabu at a Chinese hotpot resto... ROFL. read more
Was out with vertigo and I was hungry. Right after work the hubby came across this place and was intrigued and had heard about from our son-in-law so he tried them out and it is one we will keep in our top collections! So ONOLICIOUS! I had the shoyu teriyaki chicken was really yummy and not sweet at all, if anyone who knows me I don't care for teriyaki flavor but this soothed my taste buds (thumbs up)! The hubby had their Pipeline plate with Korean garlic chicken, my Boi had the regular plate and it was really good to. So if you in Waipahu, go check them out, you'll be back for more! Mahalo and we'll stop by again to try your pastele and chili. read more
Actually a pretty good place, good food for and good portions for the price. Only reason for one less stars is the wait times, think was a little over 20 maybe 30min wait for our 2 plates. The past few days they been getting slammed so it's understandable. While I'm ok with waiting others may not especially if short lunch hrs. So it's better to call it in. On with the food...2 plates that was shared and left overs for dinner. Ahi katsu plate. Good filet of ahi, good well outside nice crispy and still very moist inside. Most other places will overcook and be very dry. Light katsu style sauce all over. I usually prefer the mayo unagi/teri sauce style but was actually good this way to. Food company Kailua has their sauce this way as well. Like the potato mac most places don't take time on the sides and just throw macaroni and mayo salt call it good. Like that here they put potatoes and others things to change it up Pipeline Plate... 2 chickens was Fried and Shoyu, 1 cone sushi, 1 ume musubi, with chow fun underneath. Chicken was good and crisp nice flavor little dry on some pieces but better than red and raw. Shoyu chicken was OK not overly sweet but did have some redness inside by the bone which I dislike. I know it's fully cooked and safe but just a taste I dislike. Chow fun was ok, and cone sushi was OK as well not overly sweet. Overall those 2 plates are probably the 2 best sellers. Great portions and great for grab and head to the beach etc. They are inside the same complex as the old Highway Inn. Like that they cleaned up this complex as it used to be a little run down and filled with homeless everywhere. read more
11 months ago
1 year ago
I had the Korean Garlic chicken. It's so tasty, delicious. My friend had the pastels rice and i tasted it. Really tasty, little spicy. overall the food is delicious the atmosphere a few tables and chairs. Drinks are all canned and bottle there's no fountain drinks. The owners are Shawn and Barry, very nice guys. It's a fairly new local spot, opened in March 2018 . They're same owners of (20years) Pupukea Grill Lunch Wagon, can find their lunch wagon across sharks cove. So whether you there or in waipahu come check these guys out. Today I had the Ahi Katsu. Omg it's true, reviews are on point. This is a first and honestly I didn't think I would like it so much. It's so crispy delicious and moist all in one bite. The sauce they put on the Katsu compliments it,even yummier read more
4 years ago
Decided to give this place a try and I was pretty impressed. We decided to try the ahi katsu, shoyu chicken, and the Açaí bowl. Shoyu chicken and açaí bowl was okay, but the ahi katsu was one of the best I have ever had, so crunchy on the outside and so juicy on the inside. The Ahi Katsu was the star of the show!! Ahi katsu 5 stars (the best of the best) Shoyu chicken 3.5 stars (shoyu chicken like any other shoyu chicken) Açaí bowl 1.5 stars (açaí had a pasty taste and there was too much going on) read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
This place is simply amazing! I've been here a bunch of times, and I finally wanted to make a proper review. This place has local plate lunches served in good portions, I feel that it makes it worth the drive to Waipahu. The shopping center it's located in is newly renovated, with a new parking lot and lots of nice plants. I got the Pipeline Plate with shoyu teri chicken and boneless Korean garlic chicken as my meat. It also comes with ume musubi, chow fun and cone sushi. I highly suggest that you buy a side of their mac (macaroni) salad to make it complete. They also have different desserts in their showcase that changes every so often. When I went, they had a creamy coconut cake which came in a huge square piece almost the whole size of the container! It reminded me of a coconut tres leches cake. I ate the whole thing! The owner Shawn is one of the nicest people I've ever met! You can tell he's really cares about his customers and we small talked for a bit. Follow their page on Instagram @pupukeagrindzxlocalkinelures read more
Was recommended by a friend. Asked the cashier what is the most ordered dish. He said ahí Katsu And Korean garlic chicken. I opted for the Korean garlic chicken with tossed salad. Hey it makes me feel like I made a healthy choice! It was divine! Will be back to try the other stuff on the menu and will update! read more
Surprisingly dropped in a not-so-upscale neighborhood. At first I was skeptical, but after discovering the atmosphere inside was more small family owned business, emulating the north-shore plate lunches; I was hooked. My husband claimed the Mac-potato was some of the best he had ever had! read more
Nice quaint local place for ono grinds and local fare. Located close proximity to Highway Inn, we stopped here to try their famous açai bowl. It was exceptionally well executed. Deeply appreciated that they were happy to make the dish without the high glycemic ingredients. Definitely recommend. The plethora of other 5 star reviews says it all. Mahalo for reading my review. read more
2 years ago
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5 years ago
Super tasty plate lunch- like a gourmet version of your everyday plate lunch! The chicken was so crunchy, tender and flavorful, delicious sauce, the greens fresh, and the rice perfectly cooked. Really hit the spot after a long day in the ocean. read more
8 years ago
I was browsing Yelp for places to eat in/near Ewa and this place popped up. Since the ratings were so good and I saw that they had korean fried chicken (which is high on my list), I had to try it. It was flippin' scrumptious, and the serving size was super generous. There was also ample room to sit and eat in the restaurant, and ample parking stalls in the lot. On top of all that, the gentleman who was working was such a nice guy. Would definitely go back again, even despite the drive from town. read more
4 years ago
Meannnnnn boneless fried chicken evaaaaaa on this island! Better than Tanioka's! I love you Tanioka's but this place get some majah grinds too! My second fav place for local food! read more
So first I don't come down to waipahu that often so this was a fun little treat. New restaurant in a older shopping center, but very clean and very well decorated. Ok now to the important stuff, order ahi hand rolls and ahi katsu. The hand rolls are nice and big with big chunks of ahi I'm them, very delicious. Now OMG the ahi katsu was absolutely fantastic. Ahi was cooked to a crispy perfection and the sauce was very well done. The rice was cooked well and the Mac salad was very taster. However, the ahi katsu was by far the star Will def be making this a regular spot. read more
7 years ago
This place is hidden and the parking lot has plenty potholes but geez this place is so good and so worth it.. I went here with my dad because he said there was a bomb ahi katsu plate lunch here and I wasn't disappointed. Ahi katsu 10/10 - if you don't get this, then what are you doing? Go back and order this ASAP. The plate comes with two generous pieces of ahi and the Teri sauce on top adds that extra flavor! Korean fried chicken 8/10 - pretty good, and really generous amount of chicken and super garlicy (my fav) I was sort of skeptical since the outside doesn't look like much.. but it's in the same shopping center as the highway inn, but honestly I'd rather eat at Pupukea any day. Too good. read more
2 years ago
Pupukea Grindz is my family's go-to for ahi katsu and pastele stew! Their ahi katsu is perfectly breaded (light and crispy), their teri sauce is perfect- not overwhelmingly sweet or thick, and the pastele stew is just YUMMMM. Prices are fair, especially for the generous portions that they serve. Parking shouldn't be a problem, and it can get a little "ghetto" in the area if you aren't from Waipahu, but no worries, you're fine! Haha I haven't had any of their desserts yet, but I am so tempted to buy them all the time. I have a terrible sweet tooth, and need to limit myself, yikes! read more
4 years ago
2 years ago
5 years ago
8 years ago
Found a new favorite! Was in Waipahu with the family, and was looking for a place to eat lunch. I found Pupukea Grindz on Yelp, and the menu had something for everyone in my finicky family. I was a little confused when I saw the name on Yelp, but talked story with the owner who explained their history (which by the way, explains all the fishing gear and supplies in the restaurant/store). The owner is a really nice guy. We ordered the Ahi Loco Moco, Pastele Stew, Ahi Katsu plate, Korean Chicken, spicy Ahi rolls, bacon and crab roll, and Ahi Katsu roll. The Ahi Katsu was great. A nice portion of Ahi, which was crunchy yet tender. The sauce was sweet, but not overpowering. Probably the best Ahi Katsu plate lunch I've eaten. 3660 has my favorite Ahi Katsu, but you'll pay two to three times for their version. The Pastele Stew was good. Seems like all "local" places offer Pastele Stew now. Pupukea's has a lot of meat, black olives, and is seasoned just right. Not too salty like some others. We definitely enjoyed it. Got the potato Mac salad with the Pastele Stew based on a previous Yelper's post, and I was happy I did. I usually opt for the toss salad when given the choice, but took a chance this time. The potato mac salad is like old school homemade with plenty of potatoes and just the right amount of mayonnaise (not heavy like some others). The Korean chicken, like the potato Mac was like homemade old school like the auntie's used to make. Boneless thighs lightly floured, and fried crispy, then dipped in a Shoyu sugar, red pepper sauce. We definitely liked it. I'm kind of over all of the garlic chicken that is out there. The Ahi Loco Moco was not what I expected. Unlike other Ahi loco mocos that have a gravy poured over, Pupukea's is served with a butter, caper, and I think dill and lemon sauce. It's not what I expected, but it was definitely tasty, and we all enjoyed it. The rolls we're terriffic like everything else. The ingredients, like their plates, are fresh, and made to order. If you enjoy thwir entree's, you'll enjoy their rolls. The only bummer we experienced was that my wife was ono for some chow fun, but that ran out. Right when we were leaving, the owner passed a container of freshly made chow fun to my wife. The owner insisted that it was on the house. I guess no bummer for us! Pupukea definitely has that local welcoming feel of yesteryear, with a menu that will please locals, yet their menu definitely has 21st century trendy upgrades such as acai bowls, hummus wraps, and Tahitian poke bowls. If I lived in Waipahu, I definitely would stop by at least once a week I really hope that Pupukea has a long run. My concern is that they could probably find a better location. Good luck to the guys at Pupukea. We really enjoyed our meal, and I really do think their food is special. I rate the quality of their food up there as one of the best, if not the best upscale plate lunches. By the way, Pupukea doesn't sell themselves as upscale plate lunch like some of the other proprietors out there. Maybe they won't like that I categorize it as that. Their food is definitely above and beyond regular "plate lunch fare". read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
8 years ago
This place was killah's!!! I had a tough time deciding what to order because everything on the menu appealed to me. So I began with the Ahi Katsu Handrolls, one spicy, the other regular. Hooooo the buggah was Onolicious!!! I then had the Pastele Stew, this plate was "Broke da Mouff"! Very tasty plate! For dessert I had the Chow Funn and dis Buggah was Meeeean! Pupukea is da spot!! #killahgrindz read more
The name is what grabbed us! I grew up in Pupukea so we had to go in. Very intersting...they sell fishing supplies as well as food. :) Unfortunately...we were killing time waiting for a Pizza Hut Pizza (it was National Pepperoni Pizza Day...what else was I supposed to eat?!?), so I did not eat anything, but I saw a few items on the menu we have to go back & try like the Ahi Katsu. My husband did get two hand rolls, which he thoroughly enjoyed. We spent some time chatting with the owner. He was super nice. Their original food truck is parked across from Sharks Cove in Mike & Ronnie's Shell Gas Station parking lot. read more
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More info about Pupukea Grindz
94-226 Leoku St
Waipahu, HI 96797
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(808) 741-0502
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Anyone know the hours of operation?
10am-7pm Tuesdays - Saturdays Sundays - Mondays closed
