Taco Bell

If you see the Leilani's Island Tacos truck, stop immediately! This is easily one of the best food…read moretruck experiences on Oʻahu, serving up fresh, high-quality tacos bursting with local flavor. We absolutely loved their offerings. The Thai chicken tacos are divine - perfectly cooked, generously portioned, and loaded with amazing sauces and fresh ingredients. Hubs had the fish tacos, which were equally fresh and full of tang. The portions are generous, the ingredients are high-quality, and the service is top-notch. Whether you find them parked at Ko'olau Distillery (like we did!) or somewhere else on the island, these tacos are a must-try. Don't miss out!

These tacos are PACKED. Like the biggest taco I've ever had. Not just fillers like cabbage. The…read moremeat was so substantial. Very impressed with serving size. Flavor was for sure Asian fusion as the name suggests on the side of the truck. So you have to be mentally prepared for an Asian wonton salad flavor on top of a pulled pork taco.

Making the magic at da grill!

"Today's special" pulled pork tacos

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Fish Tacos

Jalapenos 808

3.8(152 reviews)

0.2 mi

Really surprised at how good this place is. Service is fast and I like the options. You can…read morebasically get any protein in any form, burrito, plate, bowl, salad, etc. We had the pork al pastor in a burrito and on a salad, the meat was excellent, tender and flavorful. It's not the cheapest, but you pay for the size and quality. They definitely don't skimp.

I am Honestly not sure why this place has so many stars. Being Mexican and from California, I know…read moregood Mexican food. $32.25 total with tip for just a steak burrito is absurd. I was very hungry and heard good things about the place so I wanted to try it. The asada wasn't bad but it could have been a little more on the portion, especially since they were just about to close soon. Service wasn't bad, no issues there. The ambiance was decent, not super authentic but clean and nice.

Veggie burrito, so satisfying and they load it up!

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Menu

Bowles Burritos

4.0(532 reviews)

Bowles is my "go to" place when I get a hanker'n for some flavorful and filling Mexican food. They…read moreknow how to put together a damn good burrito. Although I've eaten here quite a few times and tried a lot of their menu options, my personal favorite is the Green Pork Burrito. ( I can also recommend their burrito bowls, and if you are in the mood for a deconstructed burrito, it's a good option. The quesadillas and enchiladas here are also gonna satisfy. The food at Bowles is prepared, "Chef's Counter" style, where customers call out what they want as the food is sent down a short assembly line. I have always enjoyed watching food being prepared, and have marveled when I recognize someone who's skills have developed to the mastery level after doing something over and over for a bazillion times. It was slightly-fascinating (and kinda fun) to watch the chef perform the complicated movements that have become second nature. Tortillas were flipped and folded, ingredients were ladled precisely, and side-accompaniments are sprinkled on with the grace of a seasoned street magician. Speaking of, "seasoning"... the food here is seasoned very well. As one enters, the nostrils fill with a rich aromatic blend of spices like earthy cumin and smoky chipotle. Hints of garlic, and onions, citrusy cilantro, roasted chiles, and simmering beans, envelope visitors as soon as they enter. There is a vibe that the management respects and cares for it's customers, and takes pride in offering quality food. I don't know the origin story of the restaurant, I imagine the owner, at some point in his life, had some really amazing Mexican food in an amazing setting, and then decided that he wanted to share that experience with others. That brings us to the ambiance of Bowles... In addition to serving really good food, every time that I have come here, I have enjoyed the energy that the place gives off. Patrons and employees always seem to be having a relaxed, good time (well, the workers can't really relax, but they seem happy). People greet each other with bro-hugs, fist-bumps, and sincere friendly smiles. In addition to a small, welcoming bar that is attached to the restaurant, large screen televisions are strategically placed through out (to show football, basketball, or surf tournaments). The decor has an understated beach / surfer vibe and the seating is comfortable. I was by myself, last night, but every time I bring family and friends here, both the food and the atmosphere are a hit. There's a country singer named, Toby Keith, who wrote a song about a bar titled, "I love this bar" (Google it and listen to the song, it's a good song, but it also kinda-perfectly describes the vibe that this place has given off when I've been here.) My original plan was to get my order to go eat it at home, but when I noticed the place was filled with people having a good time, I decided to order a margarita and bask in the glow of people being comfortable and having fun. Mmmm...mmmm....mmmm...mm....mmm I love this burrito bar. (*You have to know the song to get this reference) .

Looked in yelp for eating places in kailua and This place looked promising. Located across the…read morepolice station and parking is pretty much limited to street parking. The insides seems to be half bar and half restaurant (pic). The insides has Wooden tables and chairs and I don't beleive I felt any airconditioning so I would assume it had ac because there was no windows. There is an ordering counter that spans the lenght of the restaurant portion. The other side is the bar side. It seems to be one of those places where you order across the counter for takeout and sitdown for table service although I did not see any wait help so who knows. The staff or the guy I ordered through greeted us with a "how's it going" but that was extent of the hospitality vibe. The rest of the vibe felt like he didnt really care and was not friendly at all Not a good vibe when serving the public. I hope the hospitality friendly vibe gets better when dining in. I had just a small interaction and got that " order your food pay me and leave" vibe. I went with a 10" burrito for $12.25 which comes with either shredded chicken..pork verde..kalua pork or fajita veggies...if you want shredded beef additional $2.50...carned asada $3.50 or fish $3.50. The burrito also comes with your choice of black or refried beans..... lettuce tomato choice of two types of rice (srry forgot) and mild or hot salsa and rice After making your selections the burrito is heated up with a toaster and wrapped in foil to go. The issue them wrapping with foil is when unraveling it the foil was all stuck to the burrito. I don't normally yelp the food itself because everbody has different prefferences but I gotta say everything worked well and it was actually really good. Better than a lot of others I have had on island. This food was tasty..prices wasnt cheap but doable...portions was fair... they just need to work on their hospitality and friendliness vibe .and what they use to wrap takeout orders.. ..yups.

Burrito Bowl, House Margarita, Complimentary Chips and Salsa!

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Good food, and fun place to "chill-ax" for bit.

Maria Bonita

4.7(52 reviews)

0.2 mi

•$

Very low key and authentic Mexican food truck in Kailua…read more Came across this food truck since my daughter's sewing class is right next to it. Tried the Mexican street tacos - carnitas. Probably the closest to true Mexican street tacos you'll find in Mexico. The tacos were simple but cooked and seasoned well. The salsa had a nice spice and flavor as well. The cilantro and onions went well with the carnitas. Service was fast as well. Looking forward to trying out more items on the menu.

Been meaning to try this for ages. Great food truck Mexican! Had the wet burrito with carnitas.read more

Lengua Street Tacos

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Paniolos - Kailua

3.9(553 reviews)

This Hawaiian Cowboy Style Establishment is famous for their made to order burritos, bowls or…read morequesadilla style grinds! You have a choice of rice, beans, grilled veggies and fresh toppings for your tastes. This place really gets busy around supper time! The Hawaii Cowboy theme inside, gives you that outdoor local vibe of Country. Super friendly staff and I recommend calling ahead if you want to avoid a wait! All orders are to go with limited outdoor seating along the walkway. Four Fabulous Stars for great grinds that satisfy!

Honestly, my family and I were excited to try something different, but we will not be recommending…read morethis location. When we walked in one employee welcomed us, but another immediately said they were closed. We left, but I checked the time and it was only 3:55p.m. on a Sunday. Their posted closing time is 4:00 p.m. They were already cleaning and refused to take our order. I've worked in the food industry, and we always served customers right up until closing time. Because of this experience, I will not be returning to this location.

Paniolo's Steak bowl

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Paia Fish Market Kailua

4.4(342 reviews)

0.4 mi

This is one of those places you consider giving a bad review to stop other people from going to…read more This walk up counter, order your fish on your desired medium restaurant is our local favorite in Kailua. The restaurant is very clean, offers plenty of seating, and the food is served relatively quickly. You cannot go wrong. The salad, the plate, the tacos, the burger are all very good and extremely fresh.

Paia is a nice casual spot in Kailua, with different types of fresh fish. There's parking lot in…read morethe back or across the street in front of the Target. You order at the register, get a number, and can choose to be indoors or outdoors, with the utensils and napkins bin already on the table. I ordered the snapper plate cooked cajun style with a side of rice and home potatoes. The fish was pretty good, with nice crisp charred parts and juicy tender parts. Unfortunately, the rice was dry and the potatoes were soggy - I'd recommend getting a side of fries instead (which I got to try off a friend's plate.)

Calamari fries, decent

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Sunset Waikiki

Kono's Northshore

4.3(1.3k reviews)

Konos is and always will be the place I go to for my breakfast burrito fix. Use to drive all the…read moreway up to the north shore from town almost 10 years ago just to have their burritos so having the Kailua location nearby is even better! Parking: street side Seating: 5 smaller tables that hold 3-4 people each. There is bench seating outside. Service: ordering was quick & easy. Actually receiving our food took a little over 30 mins but it was a weekend and they were slammed! I'd happily wait every time because the burritos really are that good. Food: nothing tastes better than a konos burrito in a to go bag on the beach. I'm a huge fan of the chorizo burrito add avocado & my husband devours the pork one! Can't beat 2 fat burritos for under $40.

Well, you can only boycott a good bagel for so long. The chewy, creamcheesy goodness was more than…read moreI could resist today, so I gave Kono's another try. I'm a business owner and to me customer service matters more than anything, even when the experience isn't perfect. Kono's stepped up. Everything went well from order through delivery, and the Tube Bagel was fresh and delicious. They were out of something, but called to offer a choice of substitutions. I would share a photo but it's currently passing through my digestive system and not feeling very photogenic at the moment. Ignore that silly disgusting mess attached to my original review, but I will leave the photos up because I think they are instructive for management. Mission Accomplished Kono's Kailua! Not a criticism but I couldn't communicate with the Uber Eats driver through the website app. Whoever it was found me.

Lava Flow Milkshake

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Lava Smoothie

Chile Relleno

4.3(676 reviews)

5.9 mi

Loved this place! We came after doing yard work in the sun…read moreand I didn't realize how hungry I was that we finished 2 baskets of chips and salsa and all of my Fajita Salad, which was delicious and enough for a hungry gal like me. I will have to try the other entrees with the beans and rice next time when I didn't have to go to Hula practice afterwards. The service was great and food came out fast. Loved looking at the artwork in the Restaurant and getting a glimpse of the kitchen and smell the good food. Apparently my Mexican Boyfriend has come here several times before I have and he said he would rate this one of the top 5 Mexican places on Oahu. I will definitely come back!

The owner has a great story - the vibe in this place is 5/5. The sculptures and amazing sayings…read morealong the wall - with the waiters being super friendly. The food is incredible! The sauces are awesome. It was a little disappointing to see that the sauces on the side were being charged from $3 to $5. My fav dish was the garlic shrimp with the Diablo sauce. Super spicy and tasty. A lot of locals were eating here - which means you know it's good food. The local is a strip mall - the decor is very ethnic and the owner believes in God and doing the right things. Definitely try this place - plus the Byodo temple is right across from it.

Chips and Salsa

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Fried ice cream

Mexico Lindo Kailua

2.9(813 reviews)

Food is seriously yum and plentiful. Decor is totally…read morecantina. The bar was packed. Outside seating was full as well. Restrooms were feeling the heat. As were the staff. But don't let that deter you. We waited quietly and patiently at the check in counter, and watched the staff walk between taking orders, delivering water and dishes. No one caught our eye to say we'll be with you in a minute, even if they stood right in front of us touching their counter pad. We thought we were being ignored. We didn't try to stop anyone, though. Others from behind squeezed past us to just get seats at the bar. However, we had a group of five wanting to dine in at a table. I watched as seated guests waited for someone to take their orders. As soon as staff were able to engage, we were greeted, and advised where we'd be seated once another staff member had mopped the floor by the table. And then the service was great from there. Well into our meal, which was delish(!), with water refills and requests fulfilled, we discovered there was a brand new gal on deck who was trying to be helpful with utensils and napkin prep, but no one had a chance to train during the lunch rush, which was above the normal crowd because of the wonderful community event right outside - the "I Love Kailua" street fair). Everything was just super busy. And I say lunch rush with tongue in cheek because it was well past the lunch hour and people were still lining up out the door. So glad everyone was patient and were able to enjoy their food and beverages (we weren't drinking but those margaritas looked fire!) in air conditioned comfort. Don't forget to ask for the salsa, sour cream, or guacamole. Once staff are in rhythm, everything works out.

My boyfriend and I were craving Mexican food, so we decided to get takeout from Mexico Lindo, and…read morewe really enjoyed it! I ordered the California burrito, and my boyfriend got the chimichanga. This was my first time having a California burrito served wet with red sauce on top, and I liked it! The burrito was moist, packed with tasty ingredients, and the sauce added an extra layer of richness. My boyfriend has been here before and always raves about the chimichanga, so of course he enjoyed his meal. I had a bite of the chimichanga and it was pretty good! I was also really impressed with the horchata--it comes in a huge portion and has a strong cinnamon flavor, so yummy! Overall, this is a solid choice for Mexican food in the Kailua area.

A little pic nxt to the greeting stand

Huevos con Chorizo

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Tamale

Kalapawai Market

4.1(413 reviews)

1.0 mi

Review written by my daughter, which I agree with: Right when we got seated outside with a…read morebeautiful view of the mountains across the street, we knew that this was the right place for us. Compliments to our waiter, Stacen. He was extremely friendly and helpful. My parents recommend the poke nachos. My mom really liked the fish tacos. "They were excellent", she said. My dad loved the caesar salad. "The hardboiled egg and delicately sliced avocado was a nice touch", my dad said. My sister loved the buttered pasta with Parmesan cheese. She said they put the perfect amount of cheese. I got the pasta with red sauce. It was delicious. I loved it. The red sauce was really good. Lastly, my sister and I got dessert. It was hard to choose which one we wanted, but finally, we decided to try the s'more brownie a la mode. It was amazing. My mom said that it was the best s'more brownie that she ever had. I agree, it was really good. By: a satisfied customer!

So usually I would recommend this place, but let the picture speak for itself with the $18 fresh…read morecatch wrap....