What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Hawaiian cuisine? (Sorry, but Hawaiian pizza doesn’t count.) It’s not just pineapple and teriyaki sauce. Thanks to the rise in foodie culture and shows such as Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, more people than ever are aware of Hawaiian food. But you don’t have to be in the islands to enjoy some local-style comfort food—there’s a handful of restaurant chains that have made it big on the mainland USA. Pretty much all feature the plate lunch—a filling combination of starches (rice and macaroni salad), protein (usually BBQ and/or panko bread crumb battered) and (if you’re lucky) maybe a vegetable (often salted cabbage beneath the protein). This style of dining goes back to the days of the sugar plantations when workers from different ethnic backgrounds gathered together at lunch to share, trade and become inspired by each other’s cuisine.
While we wish we could cover every food truck and small restaurant that specializes in Hawaiian-style cuisine, the list would essentially be never ending. We’re just covering the restaurants that have the most locations so as wide an audience as possible can check out the food before coming to Hawai‘i for the home grown versions. We’re also avoiding poke shops since the mainland versions tend to be more of a burrito bowl-style concoction that rarely lives up to what is found at actual shops in Hawai‘i. (Heck, the local grocery stores in Hawai‘i have better poke than we’ve seen on the mainland.) Feel free to drop a comment on any we missed that you think should get a shout out.
L&L Hawaiian BBQ
We’ll start out with the restaurant that has the most locations of any on the list, including many in Hawai‘i. L&L Hawaiian BBQ started on O‘ahu in 1952 as a small drive-in. Saimin (the Hawaiian version of ramen), burgers, chili and plate lunches were on the menu then, and the winning combination has brought them to eighteen other states, as well as Japan. Chances are you’re not too far from an L&L. Quality tends to be good, or at least better than most fast-food options. While not all locations will have the full menu you find in Hawai‘i, items such as pork lau lau, loco moco, BBQ short ribs and Spam musubi are some standouts to look for.
Mo’ Bettahs Hawaiian Style Food
Two brothers started this restaurant in 2008 in Utah and have been expanding ever since. The focus on the protein favorites of the plate lunch world—teriyaki steak, grilled and katsu-style chicken, kalua pig and shrimp tempura. They’ve wisely added the Spam musubi to the menu in recent years, giving it the nickname “Hawaiian energy bar”. We’ve admittedly not had a chance to try their food yet, but they seem to keep the options fairly simple and straightforward making the decision making process easier to any Hawaiian cuisine newbies. And they must be doing something right as you can find them in Utah, Idaho, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Oklahoma and Minnesota.
Hawaiian Bros Island Grill
We had never heard of these guys until we started researching for this blog. For a restaurant that only opened its first location in 2017, at the time of writing this they had expanded to 79 locations across fourteen states. However, these guys seem to be the least Hawaiian of any on our list. Their story conveniently leaves out their origins (the “brothers” aren’t actually from Hawai‘i) and the menu is more akin to Chinese fast food with mostly heavily sauced chicken and one pork dish they call “luau” pork. (the word lu‘au should have the Hawaiian diacritical mark, the ‘okina.) Being based in Hawai‘i, we can’t help but raise our eyebrows at a place that so heavily uses place names for menu items and the term Hawaiian. While some reviewers give them high praise, we’ll reserve judgment until we get a chance to try the food for ourselves. (Though the reviewer in the article may be mistaken in calling the menu gluten-free. Soy sauce does contain wheat and is an ingredient in many of their sauces—so there.)
Homestyle Hawaiian
While this restaurant chain is essentially exclusive to the San Diego-area of California, their menu stood out to us. The options here are much closer to what you’ll find in Hawai‘i, as least in terms of elevated local-style cuisine. While they have things such as chicken katsu, kalua pig, saimin and Spam musubi, you’ll also find things you don’t see as at many of the other mainland restaurants. Portuguese sausage, lumpia, garlic ahi, and malasadas (a type of donut) are also on the menu. Besides the restaurants on this list that actually have locations in Hawai‘i, Homestyle Hawaiian at least looks like the kind of menu you’ll see in the islands. We’ll have to get back to you on our opinion of the execution of flavors, but they’ve won several awards from diners in San Diego.
Zippy’s
While not as old as L&L BBQ, Zippy’s has the honor of being an actual Hawaiian restaurant that dates back to the 1960s. They aren’t as widespread on the mainland as other restaurants we’ve mentioned—they only have a presence in Las Vegas (besides all the islands, except Kaua‘i). O‘ahu is their homebase and where they have the most locations. It’s a definite nostalgia trip for many from the island, and there was a time it was great value. Think of it as the Hawaiian version of Denny’s. While quality has remained more or less consistent through the years, the prices (at least in Hawai‘i) have outpaced the nostalgia for us. We feel there’s better, more affordable options from mom-and-pop eateries and drive-ins to be found. Don’t get us wrong—Zippy’s is still a great option for anyone that wants to try local-style cuisine. They definitely have the largest menu of anyone we mention in this write up. If a trip to Hawai‘i isn’t in the cards for you but Las Vegas is, definitely check them out.
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