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The food here is so good! My kids really love this place - the ambiance is warm and authentic as if you're in Hawaii. We love that we can bring our goldendoodle too. Everything here is good but we like the Roots. Poke, Hawaiian macaroni salad, Kalbi, swordfish/any fish are all stand outs. The portions are generous and the service is friendly.
Store hours on Yelp need to be updated but they are open Friday evenings from 6-9. I called to make sure as I saw on their website citing they were open. Place was busy but we didn't wait long after ordering. We got 2 roots plates and 1 plate of crack chicken. Also mango lemonade was SOOO good! Not overly sweet. Mango cheesecake was beautiful and I loved the flavor combo of purée and li hing! Everything was full of flavor and great variety of things. Wish the poke was a little more generous because it's so good! Love the homage to Hawa'ii and history provided on the walls. Definitely want to come back and try other options!
Came in with my girlfriend for dinner on a Sunday night. Ordered at the counter and paid for the food. Grabbed a table and our drinks and food were brought to us by staff. Food was tasty. The only thing that missed for me was that the poke had way too much sauce for my taste. It tasted good and fresh but the ahi tuna was overpowered by the sauce keeping the flavor from coming through. The chicken was fried well, not over cooked. The sauce was tasty with some bite but not too hot for my girlfriend's mouth. The shrimp lollipops were good but the dipping sauce was a show stopper imo. Hawaiian theme throughout wit surf boards and island motif decorating the interior. Prices were reasonable and the portion sizes were good for meals. We will be back
This has been on my list since forever! We were leaving Fashion Island and was getting hungry and decided to drop by on a Sunday afternoon! Plenty of seating inside and outside. They have picnic style tables that's divided with sauces so sharing table is pretty normal here. They also have a wall lined table so those were huge seating. Follow the marked signs to order inside. It was our first time so we asked what's good and she recommended the original plates. We decided to get Da Spicy plate that had 2 styles of fried chicken (guava chili pepper so flavorful and crispy Korean chicken- not horribly dry) and Da Roots that had ahi katsu shoyu tuna and Korean short ribs. Both were really good and came with macaroni salad and poke! Honestly it's what you crave for the day to mix and match which protein you want with the 2 sides of poke and macaroni salad. Lots of food. Delicious flavor. Will come back again!
This place. All day, every day. If you have never had Hawaiian street food, or haven't had good Hawaiian street food, you haven't eaten at 'Ai Pono Cafe, and you should be. I only began eating Hawaiian street food and flavors about 10 years ago, and even in Honolulu, the North Shore or in Hilo, I have never had such amazing Hawaiian fare. The lace is true to the Hawaiian feel with posters and stickers and great Hawaiian decor everywhere. And even on the busiest days I have been there I have never waited longer than 10 minutes. I meant to review them leaving now my last trip here, but never got to it, but what I can say is the apriete of fresh fish, Korean short ribs, katsu ahi, shout ahi poke, Mac salad, Kim chee , nothing disappoints. So much flavor, so fresh, so perfect. Grab some spam masubi or shrimp lolli for a snack, or da roots plate or da mento f*ckin bento for a full meal and treat yourself to the islands. ALEAYS worth the stop!
Second time here and it hits just the same! I loved the ahi poke from my last visit so I tried the Makai Plate with the shoyu and spicy poke. The shoyu poke was gingery while the spicy poke had a decent kick, and the sauce was to die for. The garlic shrimp was also a hit from the Stockton Slap plate, juicy and zingy. It was universally agreed that the Korean Short Ribs were top tier- sweet and salty and full of saucy goodness. Though the line was long, it went quickly, and we got our meals within 10 minutes of ordering.
My favorite place to eat in Orange County, PERIOD. Hawaiian street food at its best known for its hearty and flavorful grub! : Da Spicy Plate: Guava Chili Pepper Chicken, Korean Fried Chicken and Spicy Ahi Poke
Solid Hawaiian spots that I def recommend trying at least once. I've def seen the line here get pretty long before so I would keep that in mind. The parking lot for this spot is usually pretty packed too but it's decently big so it's not too much of a hassle. I shared some stuff with two other friends and we were all super full and had leftovers Ahi poke nachos (spicy and shoyu sauce aka chef's way): 4/5 I think this might have been a special for the day or something so I'm not sure if they have it every day. I liked the wonton chips and they definitely give a good amount of fish. We didn't realize at first because a lot of it was at the very bottom but I think it was very much worth the price. Didn't realize there was something with wasabi in this though so that caught us off guard Da zombies plate: 4/5 the galbi was super soft and good. After that, I think my next favorite meat was the pork belly then the chicken. This came with very very tiny portions of sides and normal sized sauce. Overall liked it but would prob try something else next time Macaroni salad: 3/5 it was ok but I didn't personally like how much black pepper was in it Spam musubi: 4/5 pretty standard I liked it Note: if you're looking for poke, they only have ahi here and no salmon
Ordered online because the wait was 45 min at around 1pm on a Friday afternoon Parking lot is shared with Target and other businesses. Was a little busy but found spots in the back rows Not a ton of seating inside and it was stuffy with no AC. But they offer 4 tables outside which was nicer with a breeze Was able to share 2 plates with 2 people total and had some leftovers Rice was a bit mooshy The guava chicken came with Mac salad and Cole slaw. Cole slaw was more like a pickled slaw. The flavoring for the guava chicken didn't have much guava flavor to it at all. And the chicken was dry The original plate came with teeny tiny banchans-kimchi, cucumber salad and Mac salad. Generous portions of meat on this plate! I was wanting to like this place more but the flavoring of the meats were a little off I give it a 3.5 stars I would want to come back to try their poke
Dis place was onolicious and not your typical Hawaiian plate lunch menu. Da Ahi Katsu was freakin unreal and worth every penny. Definately gonna be back soon!
Ai Pono Cafe has some of the best hawaiian food I've tried and it's definitely worth the hype! We stopped by on a Saturday evening and the place was packed, but we only waited about 5-10 minutes for our food to be ready. The girl working the register was super kind and patient, taking the time to explain certain items on the menu. We ended up ordering two combo plates and two dishes to share. Right off the bat, we noticed that the portion sizes were huge and amazing for the price. Da Spicy Plate: 5/5 We had ordered two Da Spicy Plates and added thai chili garlic shrimp to one of them. It came with the guava chili pepper chicken and crispy korean chicken as well as sides of mac salad, spicy ahi poke, and rice. The star of the show was the guava chili pepper chicken, which was so tender, and each bite was sweet and tangy with a hint of spice. As for the korean chicken, it was crispy, flavorful, juicy, and a delight in every bite. The sides also elevate the plate to the next level! The mac salad was so creamy yet still packed with lots of flavor, and the spicy poke was marinated to perfection with a great umami and buttery taste. Muay Thai Chili Garlic Shrimp: 5/5 The muay thai chili shrimp was super crispy in every bite and was tossed in a delicious tangy chili sauce that gave the shrimp a burst of flavor. Garlicky, bright, and spicy, this is the perfect unique take on hawaiian garlic shrimp. Spam Musubi: 3/5 The spam musubi wasn't anything special. While the rice to spam ratio was decent, the spam didn't have enough sauce/glaze and therefore made it a little dry. Poke Nachos: 4/5 With the recent poke nachos hype, we had to try Ai Pono's version. The dish consisted of beef tallow fried wonton crisps with fresh shoyu and spicy ahi poke on top, as well as generous drizzles of sweet soy and wasabi garlic aioli. While it was delicious overall and the sauces elevated the flavor, I had hoped for the wonton chips to be fried to a more golden brown. The chips were a little thin, so it broke more easily and wasn't as crispy as I had expected. It also felt as if the dish were missing something, as there weren't other toppings other than the poke and scatter of masago and green onions. Ai Pono Cafe is a definite must-try if you're looking for some mouthwatering hawaiian street food in the OC area. The staff are very friendly and the space has a welcoming yet lively atmosphere. I would highly recommend ordering their combo plates, as you really get to try a little bit of everything from the flavorful proteins to the fresh poke. Each dish truly brings a delicious and modern yet authentic take to hawaiian food.
Service was good the girl working greeted me right away . The menu was limited due to no poke which was fine I was looking for a plate lunch with teri beef/chicken so I ordered the teri plate. The beef slice i got on the plate was super thin so that was a bummer. Chicken lacked flavor honestly and the pork was dry maybe i have to order something else. This plate did not hit. The mac was the star of the show good flavor and texture. The teri sauce was on the bottom of the rice I would of preferred it over everything overall just okay.
Stopped by for lunch the other day, it was towards the end of lunch hour and dang were they still packed. Good to see. Great interior with good traditional Hawaiian photos and decor. Open kitchen to watch them make the food. Boy are they hustling getting that oh so delicious food out. Tried the Da Costa Mesa Crackhead Combo. What a name ha! Crackhead chicken, Korean beef short rib, musubi and mac salad. Everything about it was delicious, good crispy saucy chicken, well cooked beef with a slight perfect char. Delicious musubi . I got so full eating that plate but I couldn't stop it was so good. I'd for sure get this combo again.
1 year ago
Wanted to branch out from my usual Hawaiian BBQ spot and came across this plaza! I got the Chicken Katsu while my boyfriend got the "Crackhead" Chicken. We both shared a Mango Lemonade to wash down our food, which we were able to get a refill for! The katsu was crispy and juicy! Paired with the mac salad, I was disappointed how it lacked flavor to it. Definitely tasted more creamy than anything. The crackhead chicken was pretty salty so the mac salad actually balanced that part out. Some pieces were slightly drier than others. The portion for the price was well worth it. I would come back to try their other items! read more
7 months ago
Ai Pono Cafe strikes a nice balance between casual comfort and thoughtful preparation. The ahi katsu I tried was impressive. The fish was fresh and tender, cooked just right so it stayed moist inside while the coating stayed crisp. The seasoning was subtle but effective, letting the natural flavor of the ahi shine through, and the accompanying sides added texture and variety without feeling overdone. Each bite felt deliberate and well thought out, which is something I appreciate in a dish that could easily be rushed in a casual setting. Service matched the quality of the food. The staff was attentive without hovering, checking in at the right moments and responding to questions with genuine helpfulness. Even during a steady lunch rush, everything ran smoothly, which made the experience feel relaxed rather than hectic. The ambience complements the food and service nicely. The space is bright and open, with a casual, welcoming energy that makes it easy to focus on the meal. There's a sense of thought put into the layout and design without it feeling overly styled or trying too hard. Background noise is present but manageable, giving the place a lively vibe without it being uncomfortable. Overall, Ai Pono Cafe delivers a solid experience from start to finish. The food is flavorful and carefully prepared, the staff is friendly and efficient, and the space is comfortable and inviting. It's the kind of spot where the combination of those elements makes the meal feel enjoyable on multiple levels. read more
I've been wanting to try this place for awhile. They are closed on Mondays and between 4-6 pm Friday and Saturday. Hawaiin street food and it delivers on that note. I went for lunch and there was a steady stream of customers. I had the Da "Korean Zombie" plate. 3 types of meat, the best was the Korean short rib. They were tasty but a bit tough. The crispy chicken was missing the crisp, but breaded well. Small sides of macaroni salad, kimchi and pickles were very tasty. It comes with a sweet sauce that was nice as well. It is a small restaurant in a strip mall setting. There are a few tables inside and a small area outside along the sidewalk to sit. It has island music and decor. Staff pleasant. Food came out hot and quickly. Also had the Spam Musubi. This was a bit bland. The spam was salty and tasty as expected, rolled tightly in seaweed with white rice. Adding the available hot sauce made this better. This place has affordable and good food, I recommend it for an introduction to Hawaiin street food. read more
3 months ago
Happened to be in the neighborhood and had to stop by to check out this spot (my Instagram feed has been full of the Exit 8 Bodega ads). Lots of colorful signage to get you to the cash register to order your food plus a big menu to choose from. Today I thought I'd try "Da Chef's Plate" and I'm so glad I did. Every item had its own unique flavor and nothing was over seasoned. The Ahi, bbq, and mac salad were excellent! Not a single item was too greasy, too seasoned, too anything - just the right amount to get the flavor of each separate dish. This is definitely not your typical fast food cafeteria style spot! There is definitely time and care put into the seasoning and flavors of the items I tried. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating. The picnic style tables lend to the laid back vibe :) plus the super cute picnic table condiments holders were a nice touch. Hope to come back next time to try their desserts! read more
7 months ago
6 months ago
2 months ago
Little disappointed with two items Fried Chicken was very dry and not spicy as menu points out Mac Salad very dry and dark color I would go back Galbi ribs Ono Fried fish and seared Ahi where good read more
5 months ago
As a transplant this is hard to write cause i love supporting other transplants... i only wanna warn other transplants or visitors from home cause this is one of the only places you can find meat jun. Atmoshere... hella busy Service... small kine attitude but matches the "fuckin order" vibe but if youre gonna be tantaran make sure the food is consistent Food... mixed *Noodles are bomb!! Def would get again mo doubts about it. Comes with teri beef, would love a spam option since you have spam inventory. *Hamburger steak all rice, my sons order. I think someone forgot this was hamburger steak cause had essence of gravy. AND mushrooms was M.I.A. Patties are tasty but next time imma make sure theres gravy gravy. *Korean zombie... you know why its korean zombie because the meat jun was as dead as a zombie. Im sorry but if you go pearls, yoonyson, any of the kim chees all of their meat jun beef get flavor and is not missing half the egg. Its a good thing comes with suace cause it needed it badly. The kal bi was good, the korean chicken was ono but i mainly got it for the meat jun so thats that. *Side 2pc guava chicken... nice big thighs but one was a little pink/red for my daughter and I so we put it on the side. Flavor was sooo good and id be promoting this but yahh. *Plates come with an itty bitty manini size kimchee, cucumber and salad. Brahhh can you get more chang. Like i said mixed reviews but we didnt think it was worth the 105$. Would i go there again? doubt it, but im open to try the vegas location and see if they are better. read more
I am almost ALWAYS craving poke when I'm in OC but then I can't decide on where to eat cause I know there are so many great cooked meat options too... but here I truly get the best of both worlds. Perfect portions of Korean short ribs - super delicious, not too fatty, well seasoned. Perfect portion of poke- marinated with green onions and so much more. And don't even get me started on the katsu AHI, are you kidding?!?! I don't get that enough- it was my favorite part. Everything was so delicious & I had a great amount of rice. I personally don't like Mac salad (or coleslaw tbh), but I replaced the Mac salad for coleslaw, and the coleslaw was so YUMMY!!! I like it when it's not heavily saucey, it's a nice balance with all the meat/fish/ rice/ sauces already. It's a little above $20 but it's sooooo worth it for what you're getting. The workers were super kind and helpful. A great place to hang out & socialize too. read more
Love me some good Hawaiian food and this here is some of the best in the OC. Got food to go, other than the fact that they were quick to get my order up, I can't comment much more on service. But its a fun spot to visit with plenty of seating. Some nice Hawaiian goods for sale as well. The ahi katsu was fire, burger steak and gravy also amazing and dang that fried chicken needed another order. Be back soon! read more
Da "Spicy" Plate (7/10): The rice and mac salad and the guava chili pepper chicken was pretty good. I couldn't taste much of the spice or guava in the chicken; it mainly tasted like fried chicken. The crispy Korean chicken was not crispy; it was way too saucy and sweet. The ahi katsu had a nice breading and tasty sauce; it was definitely not too fishy, which I liked. I would not get this plate again, and I recommend getting something else. Overall Thoughts: The service is relatively timely. There was a small line to order even though I went on a Saturday at lunch. The food came out in a decent amount of time. I am definitely disappointed in the portion sizes because, for the price, the plate is definitely not worth it. My girlfriend's sister even mentioned that she was still hungry after eating a plate to herself. There is outdoor seating, which was nice because we had our dog coming along with us. This place was pretty busy indoors as well-most of the tables and chairs were packed with lots of people. The interior vibe gave Hawaiian, which was very on theme with the type of cafe/restaurant it was. If I were to come back again, I would want to try the chicken katsu. If you do end up coming here, just remember that the portion sizes are pretty small, and their Korean marinades don't seem super "authentic." read more
3 months ago
3 months ago
Guava Chili chicken has become one of my favorites. Absolutely Delicious! I Enjoyed every bite of this meal read more
My husband had an appointment in Newport, and by the time he was done, we were both starving. A quick Yelp search led us to this little hidden gem with rave reviews for Hawaiian street food--and it did not disappoint! It's a tiny spot with limited seating, both indoors and out, but it has a cozy charm. I went with the Mento Bento, kind of like a sampler box with all the meats they're known for--so good! I love being able to try a bit of everything. My husband ordered something with tuna poke (don't ask me the name--I totally forgot), but it was super fresh and packed with flavor. What I really liked was how different it felt from your typical Hawaiian fast food. It had more personality, more soul. You order at the counter, then grab a seat if you're eating in--simple and efficient. Overall, we left full and happy. Definitely planning to come back and explore more of the menu. This spot's a keeper! read more
7 months ago
Second time here and we were slightly disappointed that most of their original plates were sold out for the day btw it was only 3pm. Maybe try to come early if you know you want to try a specific item. You can't even be mad at them for being sold out, their food is BOMB!!! read more
Ai Pono Café has been (minor) hit or (major) miss for me on both visits. First visit (dine-in): We wanted to try a little of everything, so we ordered the Chef's Plate, which includes garlic butter mahi mahi, black magic teri beef, and spicy ahi poke, along with the daily special--two-choice chicken plate (we picked Guava Chili Pepper Chicken and Crackhead Chicken). In hindsight, I'd skip the seafood. The mahi mahi was dry, and the ahi poke was overly sauced and didn't taste fresh, and the sauce was terrible. We did not finish this. The guava chicken, though, was fantastic! Juicy and flavorful, I love that it's guava, because you don't see that everywhere. The Crackhead Chicken was also a standout: crispy and addicting signature sob sauce. The plates were slightly salty (which is why you need rice). The mac and slaw were good. I came back with my siblings, who were excited to try it too. And decided to go here since we were starving. Unfortunately, they had already run out of katsu (so go early if that's what you're craving). We ordered the Korean Short Rib and Crackhead Chicken, but they messed up the order and gave us garlic butter mahi mahi instead, forgetting the short rib. We drove back and they just made us the short rib. The Korean BBQ is extremely salty, but has good flavor. The Crackhead Chicken, however, continues to be the one thing I'd come back for. But because they messed up our order, we didn't get to enjoy it hot and fresh. Despite the popularity, the café hasn't impressed me, and it's pretty pricy too. And you might not even be able to get their chicken, which sucks. The space has plenty of tables and really emulates the Hawaiian beach shack vibes. If you go, I'd recommend only getting the chicken. read more
26 days ago
1 year ago
Best Hawaiian spot in OC. Diverse menu with a lot of options besides the typical bbq'd meats! I got Da "Makai" plate which came with 2 types of ahi tuna poke, Mahi Mahi and rice. The ahi tasted fresh and paired well with the cooked fish. It came with a sweet/spicy/vinegary sauce. It was delicious! I really am looking forward to trying something else next time. This place is clearly popular as it was pretty busy when we came before closing. Service is quick and the staff is friendly. Very Hawaiian vibe with pictures of past leaders like Queen Liliʻuokalani, surf boards, store merch and islander inspired art. They have seating inside and some tables outside. Located right next to Target so there is lots of parking! read more
The Best Hawaiian food outside of Hawaii! Don't sleep on this treasure. If you love Hawaiian, poke, ribs, katsu, and the works then come here! We had Da Spicy Plate- with Spicy Poke, guava chill pepper chicken, and Korean fried chicken with rice and Mac salad. and the Da Stockton Slap- with Poke, garlic shrimp, and blackened ahi with mixed greens and rice. They were both so delicious! I love a mixed plate to try different items. I can't wait to come back and try more items! read more
1 month ago
Food is absolutely amazing. Some recommendations I have are the guava chicken, short rib, and crack chicken. The vibes are so amazing and the service is so warming read more
1 year ago
Can't believe I've never been here before. Hawaiian cuisine is one of my favorite comfort food and their menu here is big enough that one can easily find a dish or Hawaiian plate combo that would tickle their fancy. The ones our group got were The Roots, The Zombie, The Stockton, and The Spicy. They all vary from having fresh poke, ahi katsu, shortrib, Korean fried chicken, jin, sweet chili garlic shrimp, etc plus rice and mac salad. A combo plate comes with three set proteins but you can also opt to order single plates if you have one favorite. They were all ono and everyone in our party had their own favorite item. Mine was the Ahi Katsu and Shrimp :) The place is casual with its walls adorned with huge portraits of significant Hawaiian figures. Laid back and friendly service was expected and that's what we got. Until next time! read more
Wow the vibes inside take me back to Hawaii; staff was welcoming and friendly and the smell of the char grilled meats is intoxicating. Be sure to come early or else there is a high chance of the popular items being sold out if you come near closing like I did. I got the Da Korean Zombie and Da Makai Plate. Both a good deal for around $20 give or take a few dollars. Each order is enough for 2 meals for me. The poke was fresh, tender and seasoned just right. The grilled mahi mahi was on the dry side but I think it's just the nature of such a lean fish. The meats in the Korean zombie all had that charred flavor that you only get off the grill. Such a gem in OC that takes you back to the islands. read more
9 months ago
Wow!! BELIEVE THE HYPE!!! This place is legit!! Best Hawaiian food on the mainland! Been wanting to visit this place since they opened.. but I'm never in the area.. tried the og beef and the crack chicken! Both were so tasty!!! And they only charged an extra ,50 for sub Mac salad instead of rice! The Mac salad was so good. The ambiance made me feel like I was home in Hawaii.. I will definitely be back!! read more
1 month ago
Used to be a 4.5 but over the years the quality has declined and today got a 2 star experience. Ordered Da 'Roots' plate as usual and took it to go where I live less than 10 minutes away. When I opened it I saw they had given me more rice instead of mac salad, despite the menu still saying served with Mac salad and register said nothing about being out. Then took a bite of the poke and not only did it taste like the shoyu and spicy poke mixed together it was WARM. like left out for hours in heat warm and no longer safe to eat. The warm temperature made the texture and already off flavor taste worse. The ahi katsu and galbi tasted fine but considering the reason I go here instead of other Hawaiian places is so I can get poke and mac salad together on my plate lunch it was v disappointing. Couldn't eat half the plate and reason why I come here specifically. 2 star experience today but bumped up for times in past. Will take a break from here for a while and try some other places. read more
4 months ago
10 months ago
Really delicious! Really small spot and draws a lot of traffic. The employees were really kind. The food was really delicious! There was not a single thing that I had that I didn't enjoy! However, the wait is insane. I ordered online an hour earlier than I actually got my food. I'm not sure if online is worse than ordering in person because I saw folks that had ordered there that got their food fairly quick. I would say just be aware of online because it might not be the best option. Other than that no complaints! Highly recommend! read more
2 months ago
4 months ago
Came here on a busy Saturday afternoon. All the food was pretty subpar. The loco moco gravy was CRAZY SALTY I couldn't even finish it, plus I got a mouthful of egg shells with it. The "garlic shrimp" sauce was drowning in what I assume is just Asian sweet n sour sauce straight from the bottle - no garlic flavor to be found. The poke was definitely sitting for a bit because the fish was starting to get slimy. I also paid $6 for "guava lemonade" which I'm sure was just Hawaiian Sun - way too sweet and no lemon flavor. Service was good though - all very nice staff. read more
1 month ago
1 year ago
The vibes in here are immaculate. I went with the Ahi Katsu, which, while tasty, ended up a bit on the dry side. Since it was my first time here, I feel that I didn't order the right thing to try. I originally planned on ordering the poke as a side, so I'll definitely have to give that a try next time. Aside from that, the service was great; the staff was quick and friendly. I really enjoyed the seating inside, especially the bench-style table. I'll be back to explore more of the menu! read more
I don't usually leave bad reviews, but this place was really disappointing. The photos of the food looked amazing, so I decided to try it out. I ordered two plates and spent about $40 total, but unfortunately, it just wasn't worth it. The Katsu was soggy and flavorless, the BBQ beef lacked any real taste, and the seared Ahi was bland too. Overall, everything was either soggy, bland, or both. Maybe it was just an off day, but I don't plan on coming back anytime soon. read more
14 days ago
I found Ai Pono Cafe through social media. Wanted to show my cousins how Hawaiian food taste like and They love this place. The vibe, the music, the merch, is giving island vibe. We all tried rice dishes because we wanted something fulfilling. My cousin got the Katsu fried chicken, Dirty-licking korean chicken rice and both were really crispy, sauce was good, I like the smashed potatoes that comes with every portion. ( only minus 1 point cause the Korean short ribs bbq was a bit on the sweeter end and my preference is I dont like my bbq to be too sweet. But It is just personal taste) I want to go back to try their Spam musubi Service was excellent If you come here at lunch time on weekend, be expecting to wait for table. Ideally Ai Pono cafe is more for togo. read more
1 month ago
2 months ago
We got takeout here and it was ready within 5-8 minutes! The service was fast and friendly and the ambiance of the place seemed more of a takeout or quick dining experience. We got the ahi poke and crackhead chicken. The poke was with shoyu sauce and it was light and fresh. The chicken was crispy and the flavor was sweet and had a tiny kick. This place was really solid and perfect for takeout to go on a picnic! read more
2 months ago
8 months ago
A place I go to when I miss Hawaii. Best Hawaiian food I've found in OC. Counter service but staff very friendly and helpful. Ambiance feels like you are in Hawaii with the decorations and music. Our go to order is "Da' Spicy Plate" and "Da'Chef Plate". Their signature ponzu sauce is to die for!! read more
14 days ago
More info about Ai Pono Cafe
283 East 17th St
Ste A
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Directions
(949) 402-6877
Call Now
Visit Website
https://aiponocafe.com/pages/costa-mesa
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Ask the Community - Ai Pono Cafe
What's the tentative timeframe for your Las Vegas location?
Aloha! This fall in the new durango casino.
When is their shaved ice available on the weekends?
Thurs-Sat 12-6:30p & Sunday 12-4:30p
How can we find out about and order the daily specials?
Social media has daily posts of specials check out their website too!!
Are you open yet?
Aloha! There was a delay in our final city inspection & unfortunately we have no control over this. We are expected to open within the next 7 days (or sooner). Latest by next week Tuesday. We will keep our customers posted on Instagram @aiponocafe…
Are you guys opening up in east side Costa Mesa near stretchlab?
Aloha! Yes, we will be opening next Month. We hope to see you!
Is this place really only open 3 say a week for a few hours like Yelp says?
We are only open Wed- Fri from 11am-2pm for now. We are opening our own restaurant on 17th street next to Burger Lounge next month. We will open for lunch and dinner, 6 days per week (closed Sundays).…
Do you take phone orders?
Yes! Please call 949-402-6877 We are open from 11a-2pm.
So wat den, "Get kama'aina rate?" - Big Aloha & congratulations on the shop!
Aloha!
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65 reviews that are not currently recommended
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Ai Pono Cafe - asianfusion - Updated August 2026
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