Ono Hawaiian Foods

Visited 7/31/2017

We were lucky to visit this place twice before their closing. So unfortunate for this place to close. The food is SO good.

They are very busy, and there's a line to get in and I can see why. It's not very big inside. It's kind of dated, but the food was to die for. It was kind of expensive and they only accepted cash which sucked.

We ordered the laulau plate for $18 on our first visit. On the second visit we ordered the laulau ala carte for $6.90. It's so large, I was able to share it. If you go late, they actually run out of laulau! We were lucky both times.

We are not a big fan of poi, but we saw people really enjoying the stuff.

So sorry to see this place go. What a loss.......

Serving Great Hawaiian food for many years. Lot's of memories here with our family dinners and really going to miss this place when they close in August. Thank You Oh Young Family for your excellent service and hospitality all these years with ONO Hawaiian Food.

First timers just order the Combo, what is good? Everything! LauLau , Kailua Pig and Poi , Lomi Salmon, Trip Stew, dip your raw onion in the salt with poi DELISH!

Ono Hawaiian Restaurant (not to be confused with Ono Seafood across the street) is the place I traditionally bring visiting family and friends for their first meal upon arriving on island. We're all sad that this place will close on August 26th!

This establishment is simple, but satisfying. Authentic Hawaiian feast served family style, cash only. Very affordable meals. There is usually a line of customers waiting to be seated, but like any quality restaurant, it is worth the wait. The walls are covered with newspaper clippings and autographed photos of local and international celebrities watching you enjoy your meal.

All you need to keep in mind until the 26th is the COMBINATION PLATE which includes kalua pork AND laulau, along with a side of salt meat watercress soup and "poke squid." To my fellow Filipinos, salt meat watercress soup is basically bulalo that's fall-off-the-bone delicious with a beef broth that's equally amazing, topped with fresh watercress. You're welcome. ;)

Now, I have to find another default Hawaiian restaurant to introduce family and friends too! I will miss you, Ono Hawaiian!

What a yummy, delicious place to visit! Decided to visit Ono Hawaiian Foods based on all of the reviews, and wow, it was quite the experience! LOTS of different dishes to try, and we were definitely stuffed after ordering the Chicken Long Rice and Kalua Pig Plate. Way more than enough for two people!

Was immediately seated...and the food came out very quick too! Caution: CASH ONLY. It was around 6pm when we got there, and they were already out of the Laulau plates - apparently those are a big hit!

Chicken Long Rice: It's like a soup with clear noodles, so be prepared for that - it's not a rice dish...but you can either choose rice or poi. I'm not a big fan of the poi, but doesn't hurt to try it! It's pretty bland...but some people love it! Chicken Long Rice was tasty and coupled with the other dishes it comes with, it was filling.

Kalua Pig Plate: At first it seemed like there wasn't a lot of kalua pig, but looks are deceiving - before we knew it, we were super full, and there was still half the dish left! Also, very yummy.

If you want genuine Hawaiian food, visit Ono's. Lots of to-go orders via phone calls too! So...it would be a win win here, for sure! Friendly staff too. And, if you have questions about what certain things are, they will absolutely help you. It was great to visit! Thank you!

OMG, THIS PLACE IS A GEM!

Too bad the owners are closing shop. Greatest visit for Onolicious Hawaiian Food. The salted meat watercress soup, very good. Broth is very tasty. Short ribs cooked to perfection with fall off the bone broke da mouth action. It comes with chopped watercress all over. The laulau is packed witj big pieces of pork and fa which makes it so juicy. We got the combination plates. Service is awesome, came really quick all at once. Love the family style dishes.

I was taught to eat in this order with all the food mixed in your mouth.

First- dip slice onion with Hawaiian salt, grab Kailua pork or lau leaves and pork, dip in chili water paste, then scoop of poi then rice all in mouth. OMG! Wonders happening all at once.

4 thumbs up (including feet thumbs).

Please visit them this month. They are closing by the end of August. Lots of memories for those who grew up there. It's sad to hear it closing. Another gem that will always be remembered in their hearts.

Date: Friday, October 7, 2016
Time: Approximately 1345 Hours

After that grueling hike at Koko Head, we we're starvin' like a WWII POW freed from captivity in the jungles of the Philippines. This time, we wanted some real Hawaiian grindz and Ono Hawaiian Foods had been on our radar since we first landed. It came highly recommended from our Ohana from Waipahu indicating that it was authentic Hawaiian food.

Since it was cash only, we made a quick stop at the ATM and I thought I was going to pass out from starvation and we couldn't get here soon enough. We were lucky enough to find a parking spot right outside the place and it was just after the lunch hour rush. At that time, my legs felt like jello and I waddled over and parked my behind on the chair.

We already knew what to order as we got Combination Plate ($26) as it came with Kalua Pig, Lualau, Pipikaula (beef jerky), Lomi Salmon, Haupia, Rice, Poi, Sweet Maui Onion and some type of chili sauce. We also got a small bowl of Ahi Poke for good measure and the plates started coming out in a jiff. At first I didn't think we ordered enough, but it became evident that it was just the right order without going overboard as to not waste any leftovers.

As we started to dig in, I could feel my energy started to get back to normal with all the delicious sustenance entering my body. The Pipikaula appeared to be dry, but it was pleasantly tender with lots of flavor. The Ahi Poke and Lomi Salmon were as fresh as can be that provided a nice contrast to the pork dishes. The Kalua Pork was excellent as it was lovingly slow-cooked and reciprocated its love back as it tasted like the Island's Pu' uwai.

But the best dish by far was the Laulau expertly cooked wrapped in Taro Leaves that resulted a melt-in-your-mouth moment with every bite. The meat was so moist and tender that it separated so easily without much effort with an aroma that could make Bugs Bunny float in the air. This was the flavor of Hawaii and its rich culture that it was bursting with umami flavor that constantly draws in Japanese tourist flocking to this establishment.

As for the Poi, I'm not much of a fan of it as it taste like a bland version of a baby food. However, I have been eating it wrong all this time as I was properly instructed to mix them together with a little bit of onions and a little bit of the chili sauce to your liking. OK, now that tasted way better and it made sense. Now I gotta spread the word. Oh and I can't forget the Haupia as it was a solid and delicious dessert that satisfied my coconut craving.

As for the joint, it's straight up Old School and unpretentious even with the walls of famous Hawaiians and celebrities that have dined there. There's nothing fancy about the place and it has remained the same for over 40 years just the way we like it.

Looking for authentic Hawaiian food? Well, look no further, Ono Hawaiian Foods is the place for you! It's located off the Waikiki strip on Kapahulu Avenue, about a 20-25 minute walk from the strip.

We ordered the Combination meal ($28) which included Kaula Pig, Laulau, Pipikaula jerky, Loki Salmon, Haupia, and Rice (or Poi). The combination meal is perfect for 2 people and includes a variety of authentic Hawaiian dishes. Kaula pig was super savory and juicy and the Laulau was unbelievably soft, tender, and had a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Pipikaula jerky was another delicious component but only came with a couple pieces. Not a fan of Loki Salmon because it reminds me too much of pico de gallo (Cali girl, here) mixed with super fishy pieces of salmon. Lots of people love it but just not for me. We got rice over the poi but they ended up bringing both out for us. Their poi was one of the more better pois I tried in Hawaii and really enjoyed it. Haupia was a refreshing coconut jelly dessert and one waitress was even nice enough to bring us extra when she brought over our bill.

Restaurant walls are covered in cool pictures (see pics below) and the servers are all super friendly and make the place feel homey. A couple things to note is that they only take cash and you have to wait outside the restaurant if there is a wait. The restaurant is small so don't be alarmed if you see a small line gathering outside the door. Really cool place with authentic Island food. If you're staying in Waikiki or even on Honolulu in general, I highly recommend you come by Ono Hawaiian Foods.

If this place has shut down that's so unfortunate because this was some of the best authentic Hawaiian food I had during my stay in Hawaii. I wanted to get some authentic Hawaiin food and to do that I had leave the touristy spots. Now this place doesn't look like much on the outside but the food is everything. I like to try and visit places recommended by Anthony Bourdain, this did not disappoint.

Finally made it out here after hearing about it for months. The food was good and there was a lot of it.

I ordered the combination Kalua pork and lau lau meal and couldn't finish it! I chose poi instead of rice because I can make my own rice at home. The pipikaula was perfectly moist and tender. The portions of lau lau and Kalua pork were big enough that I probably wouldn't have finished even if I got a single entree meal.

I took one star off because the lack of parking. There are about five metered parking spots in front.

We make it a point to make Ono our first meal whenever we are in Oahu. There's a lot of expectation and hype built up in my mind bc eating here is all I can think about on our 6 hr flight from LA. As always, Ono delivers the good stuff and satisfies my hungry soul. My favorite is their Kahlua pig plate which includes pipikalau, haupia (so good), poi or rice, and lomi salmon. I've also tried their other combination plates and they are all just as delicious. I just prefer the savory, salty, juicy Kahlua pork. The portions are generous even though it doesn't look like it bc everything comes in a small green bowl.

The restaurant is a really cute hole in the wall with the same lady working there every time.