Look. No. Further. This is the real deal. After going here I have no reason to stop by L&L, or any other Hawaiian barbecue place for that matter. If you're from Hawaii looking for somewhere that tastes just like home, this is the place. Poké is actually marinated in shoyu unlike these garbage poké chains. They even got Hawaiian Sun drinks. I'd give it 6/5 if I could. read more

Happy to stumble upon Ai Pono Cafe while in the Costa Mesa area for an event. I ordered the ahi tuna poke bowl with a side of kimchi. Firstly I was so surprised by how BIG the bowl was. I loved the big scoop of crab and healthy serving of seaweed salad. The ahi was cut into sizeable chunks and the quality of the fish was top notch. The rice was perfectly cooked. Overall it was the perfectly balanced and filling poke bowl I was hoping for! A great meal to order to-go. The Kimchi wasn't my favorite ever, but it was really nice and crunchy. I wish the bowl came with a little extra sauce because at the bottom of the bowl I was left with a lot of plain rice after I ate all the ahi. Overall I would definitely recommend this place if you are in the area! read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I picked up food from my team and we were all very happy with our meals. Everything was packed and labeled when I arrived . I came at lunchtime and the restaurant was packed. Seems like a really popular place. I personally ordered the Chicken Katsu and it did not disappoint. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the dipping sauce was great. I just like the macaroni salad. I will definitely be back to get other dishes. read more

Ai Pono is the most flavorful and creative Hawaiian spot I've had! Their variety of selection is amazing and they've got a well seasoned hands. Poke was delicious as well. The culture and atmosphere is spot on, cheeky posters and brings you to Hawaii read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Guava & crackhead chicken. So bomb! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The food was great. We had the guydon dish, vegetarian lumpia, and musubi. All the food tasted great but the restaurant was very crowded making seating and conversation very difficult. The musubi was the most disappointing part of the entire experience. The spam to rice ration was off and the spam didn't have much flavor or sauce on it. Plus, its a little pricy for just one piece of musubi ($3) when most places sell musubi 2 for 3. Overall, it was a good experience, but I dont think I'll go back here for musubi or guydon, especially considering I can make these dishes at home for less. However, I will for sure come back here for those vegetarian lumpia because DAMN those were perfect, crispy, golden brown, nuggets of dankness so good it would make you slap your mama. I hope to try more things on the menu, hopefully when its less hot and also less crowded. read more

I saw this spot on tiktok and was so excited to check it out, but was honestly so disappointed. If you do pay it a visit, make sure you go early because they sell out on a lot of their plates. They also ran out of chopsticks by the time I came. I came with the intention of getting a plate with kalbi, but they sold out. A bummer, but I still wanted to try their poke! I got their spicy ahi bowl and it was a letdown. I probably got 7 or 8 pieces of ahi. Fortunately, the texture was spot on; it was very tender and melt in your mouth. The spicy Mayo sauce was a good balance of spice. The seaweed and crab that it came with was pretty standard. Service was okay, nothing terrible or amazing. I just don't think this is worth $14. I can get a better quality and quantity bowl elsewhere. read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Spicy ahi bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

When I first came here, I fell in LOVE. The food here is amazing and the restaurant itself is very cute and clean. Recently, the second time I came, I ordered something on accident thinking it was a loco moco (I got the hamburger steak instead) and when I approached the counter to change it the girl made it seem like it would be super hard to do even though it was literally just adding an egg and changing a side (her words!). The dish I accidentally ordered was already more expensive than the loco moco so I really don't know what the big deal was. After going back and forth with her for a bit, I just asked her to charge me extra and add an egg. ‍ The interaction was disappointing but here's to hoping I don't encounter that employee again. Despite the annoying customer service experience, I recommend this place to all my friends if they happen to be in the area. read more

Guava lemonade= very good! Plate lunch combo of ahi poke, Korean chicken= ono-licious! I'll be stopping by there again whenever I'm in Costa Mesa and need a taste of home! read more

You cant knock the hustle. Ai Pono is always creating and innovating - From the food to the marketing. They are unparalleled, Best in the game. Chef Gene has coined the term "Hawaii Street Food" and has used his culinary expertise to take it to the next level. read more

Super big portion I'm happy I shared mine. I got the spicy plate and it was a good timers first choice! They have indoor and outdoor seatings as well. Their food kinda reminds me of da Hawaiian kitchen in hb. read more

I do not like this place. It's lk the food was ok lk edible good but it's not authentic Hawaiian food. If you want authentic Hawaiian food do not come. I have so many issues w what they did... the katsu breading was wrong, the fried guava pepper chicken was dry. how did that not have a sticky sauce on it? & then the kalbi, which should not need it, had sticky sauce. Lk you're ruining Hawaiian food at this point. Also let me send you a pic of what the spam musubi was like... that was what I was so mad about... I mean at this point you should just sell a rice block for $3. A can of spam costs $4 for the entire can at most. So you're already up selling that lk crazy & this is what you give out? Lk you can't even give a thick slice of spam. Don't even worry about the spam at this point, tell people you have a rice block for $3 read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I'm sure your stuff is way bettah than Hawaiian Bros like how you went there to clown them but some stuffs was mid. Ok I going start with the good. Hamburger steak, on point. I love it how the patty is homemade and not one hockey puck. The gravy was good too. The fried noodles had plenty flavah but was kinda dry. The musubi was mid as well as the thing only taste like spam. Now the bad The kalbi. Kalbi is marinated already right, so why still drizzle Teri sauce or something that is so salty was hard fo eat. We also had the meat Jun..... or so I thought it was. The meat was so thick that it made the meat chewy. If you had the meat Jun without the dipping sauce then it wouldn't have flavor. Was your chicken in the zombie plate baked first and then grilled just to make it seem like it was grilled cause was mushy in the inside. Other than that pricey but is expected for Costa Mesa and the atmosphere is good. Hope you can take constructive criticism to help you be bettah. Aloha and I'm not coming back read more

Ai Pono Cafe - The zombie plate I think - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I've been wanting to try this place for quite a while and my boyfriend and I decided to give this place a try today. We were blown away! The ahi katsu had amazing flavor and the batter was light and crunchy. My boyfriend ate his entire "Da Spicy" plate in 10 seconds. Finger lickin good! Good service, and we didn't wait long for the food! Will come back! read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

delicious place will definitely recommend and will be back!! everyone here is welcoming and makes you feel like you're back in hawaii read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Ahi Katsu - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I would have to easily say this is at least one of the best Hawaiian restaurant. The place were absolutely or not, and that I caught was amazing! I love the casual vibe and the inappropriate signage seems so appropriate! read more

Best Hawaiian food in the OC. The two things I wish to make this place better are big portions and allow substitutions. The fried chicken and kalbi short ribs are delicious . The Mac salad is okay if you like tuna in it. read more

Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Atmosphere: 3.5/5 Parking: 5/5 This spot has been one of my top places to try for quite some time and it did not disappoint. The menu here is a bit on the pricier side but that is a bit expected considering it is mostly seafood. If you're looking for something more substantial, I'd suggest going for anything on the Ai Pono originals. I got the 'Da "Stockton" Slap' which features garlic shrimp, ahi poke, and mixed greens that were really flavorful and didn't feel too heavy. You can tell that the dish was made with fresh and high-quality ingredients. I was definitely satisfied at the end of it. One of the great things about this place is the location so you can take a quick drive to Huntington Beach to enjoy your meal with the ocean breeze. Unfortunately, this place is a bit far from where I live but will definitely be my go-to spot when I'm in the area. read more

To all my fellow Hawaii transplants... FACK. This place is good. I got the Kalbi plate with a side order of shrimp. It's not Kahuku shrimp, but it's tasty as hell and will have you licking the sauce off your fingers. The kalbi plate was delicious with good char, something I feel like is missing from other "Hawaiian" restaurants in the area. It was so good I had having a kanak attack while eating ... I had to get takeout to bring to my fiancé so he could enjoy it too. If you're open to the idea, consider having a second store in Torrance/Gardena area. There are plentyyy aunties and uncles looking for that taste of home. If not, I'll come visit anyway :') read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Kalbi lunch plate with a side of shrimp. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This place is a drive for us but I've been wanting to try so we did the hour+ drive and it did not disappoint. Firstly, it was packed. All the tables are full and there's a line to order. Its an immediate confirmation that this place is good. The music was a bit loud so I'm a bit yelling . It's vibrant and alive. We ordered a few dishes and everything was so good. Chef Gene, please keep the garlic noodles on the regular menu. It was so good; it was home. Can't wait to come back and will make the drive again. It's so worth it. read more

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What can i say other than great food, great vibes and great staff. Big Ono throughout the menu read more

What an epic restaurant, and what unbelievable prices! You can tell so much heart goes into this experience. My go-to is the 'Da Roots Plate'.. it hits every time. The owner / chef is an amazing down to earth human being who I got to have a great conversation with. Nothing makes me more happy than seeing places like this succeed; the place was packed and they just opened one in Vegas too! if you're scared of people, get takeout (ordering online is instant and even shows you a pickup time). 10/10 read more

Quite possibly the best Hawaiian restaurant in OC. How did I not hear about this place until now? I'll admit, when I first saw Ai Pono I thought this was just gonna be another overpriced poke joint opened by haoles in Costa Mesa but I was wrong. DEAD WRONG! For someone who loves Hawaiian plate lunches as much as I do, Ai Pono is very dangerous because I could easily see myself gaining ten pounds from eating here on a weekly basis. Not only do they have your typical Chicken Katsu, Fried Korean Chicken, and Kalbi plates but they have things like Guava Chili Pepper Chicken, Muay Thai Garlic Shrimp, and Jamaican Jerk Fried Chicken. I haven't seen this level of creativity with Hawaiian food since my last time in Oahu... and the grindz here broke da mouf! Between the tributes to King Kamehameha, Queen Emma, Queen Liliuokalani, Duke Kahanamoku, Eddie Aikau and the expansive menu, I was overwhelmed so I ordered a sampler... Da Spicy Plate ($18.50), Birds Nest Shrimp ($8), and a Spam Musubi ($3). The Spam Musubi was normal but SHOOTZ, Da Spicy Plate and the Birds Nest Shrimp were phenomenal! Birds Nest Shrimp is similar to an appetizer seen at a lot of Thai and Vietnamese places called Shrimp Rocket, with fried potato string wrapped around the shrimp like a bird's nest. Served with a sweet and sour sauce, this dish was surprisingly light and like the movie it was GONE IN 60 SECONDS... definitely recommended. Da Spicy Plate is literally a dream come true: Guava Chili Pepper Fried Chicken, Spicy Garlic Ahi Poke, and Korean Chicken all on one plate, served with steamed rice and mac salad. The Guava Chili Pepper Fried Chicken had a sweet guava flavor to it, something I've never encountered before, and the Korean Chicken was crispy with a slightly sweet and spicy marinade. The Spicy Garlic Ahi Poke was good, nothing out of this world compared to other authentic Hawaiian places, but the mind blowing thing to me was to see it included in a combo meal... something I have never ever encountered on the Mainland before. It's funny how these little things make such a huge impression! As far as Southern California goes, South Bay and surrounding areas still reign supreme with places like Aunty Maile's and Back Home in Lahaina offering both quantity and quality... but as far as creativity goes, Ai Pono tops them both and that says A LOT! My tastebuds may get overwhelmed from eating here too often, but between the choices and the portions available here, I may just be staying closer to home and making less trips up to Gardena and Torrance when I'm craving Hawaiian food. Ai Pono too ono! read more

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The food here was amazing. My friends and I came here cause of a video we saw on Instagram, and it didn't disappoint. The staff were so friendly and the food came out quick. All the ingredients tasted so fresh. I definitely recommend getting "the chef" that was my favorite with the two sides of poke and beef. read more

Ai Pono Cafe - The chef, maikai - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We had to stop by to try this street style Hawaiian food! We have been dreaming of some good Hawaiian. we used to like in Vegas and there was a place called the 808 plate where they had all kinds of yummyness. Since we were visiting garden grove area we decided to take a shot and head here ! Let me tell you they did not disappoint! We had Da Roots Plate which is a Bone-in short rib, ahi katsu, shoyu ahi poke, mac salad, rice plate , spam musubi & a passion fruit cheesecake (still drooling over this rich passion fruit curd.) We walked in and we're immediately greeted. Everyone there was super nice! We ordered our meal to share. As we were enjoying our meal the made sure to check on us to assure that we were doing ok. We left so satisfied! We want to go back for the fried chicken ! 10/10 for sure ! read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Da Roots Plate Bone-in short rib, ahi katsu, shoyu ahi poke, mac salad, rice & spam musubi - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Fantastic Hawaiian Street Food. We tried several plates. Poke. Mahi Mahi. Ahi. All top notch. Staff is quick and helpful. Zero complaints. Take this food out of the styrofoam clam shell and put it on a piece of china and it goes from $20 to $50. read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Mahi Mahi, regular and spicy poke... - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Some Soul Food away from home Great food, great vibe from staff... love the art, and loaner books to educate folks of Hawaii... music is on point read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Da Menu - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Absolutely OUTSTANDING food! I ordered the Stockton slap and just about fainted! It was SOOO DELICIOUS! I was ready to marry the chef!!! I cannot wait to go back again. I'll prob go back tomorrow. I'm obsessed!!! Great service too! Loved loved it! very cool ambiance with great music. Loved it all! read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Ai Pono Cafe! The girlfriend and I stood at my dining table at my house, trying to think what to eat after my basketball game. A lot of different options were thrown back and forth between us. My girlfriend then said the magic sentence "there is a place I have been wanting to try"...BOOM...caught my attention so I said "I am already down, but what is it?" she said a Hawaiian Restaurant...my response "Shiiieeet" grabbed my keys and wallet and started heading for the door. Its located in a big plaza but at the end of it, if you see the target in front of you, look right and there it is, in between Stretch Lab and I think a beauty center. Inside is very clean, left side of the restaurant was a long high table with high chairs, in the middle were two picnic tables...is it benches? NANI?! they are the same!!! Too the right of the tables...(or benches)...were two tables with four chairs each. The back right you first saw was a merch area, where they sold I want to say shirts, long sleeves and tanktops...maybe hats? Really amazing design they did with the native Hawaiian flag symbol, the end of the paddles are a fork and knife. Past the merch area was the where all the food was being made. You order a little more down the way to the left, its really easy to see where to order, look up with a big sign that says "Order Fucken Here", couldn't help but laught at that. Beneath that sign was their menu, to the right of the menu was their daily specials. The staff was very friendly and made sure we were doing okay while we sat and ate. This was a huge plus for me, I loved loved loved the mini park benches....or tables....that held the condiments. It instantly reminded me of all the times I spend with the girlfriend in Hawaii...all the different park benches we sat at and I had a different Loco Moco on each bench. Being there on a Sunday lunch time (3ish) it was pretty busy and stayed busy while we finished eating. Here is what the girlfriend and I ordered: Girlfriend ordered from the specials menu, she got the "Can I Get A" which was Pork Lau Lau, Guava Chili Pepper Chicken, Shoyu Ahi Poke and mac salad and rice. Everything was very good, I thought some things needed just a pinch of salt, but I am a salt person so uhh yea. My favorite thing on the plate, its a tough decision between the Shoyu Ahi Poke and the Guava Chili pepper chicken. As mentioned before all of it was delicious. I of course always have to try any Hawaiian restaurant's loco moco, here at Ai Pono Cafe it was called Ai Pono Loco. Everything was really good! Of course I added a pinch of salt. Hamburger patty was cooked perfectly with a nice char that it gave it a nice crunch texture. The gravy was not runny like some places I have been to near home and it had really good gravy flavor. Egg cooked perfectly! I ended up throwing in some of the jalapeno hot sauce into my mix and it added a nice smoky taste to it. Why does all the really good Loco Moco's gotta be so far from my house!!! Maybe its a good thing....I'd have loco moco everyday for breakfast if I could, cheeeehoooooo! We also ordered two spam musubis and one Portuguese sausage musibi. Both musubi's were rellly good, it was a nice way to end the meal, top your stomach off to be fully satisfied. We will most definitely return to try other menu items, like their breakfast dishes, their katsu and others! Feast well fellow yelpers! - Taicho read more

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Dear Ai Pono! I absolutely love you! I have been craving your guava chicken since I was last there and best believe I will be there THIS weekend!!! This chicken has the best flavor I have ever tasted in my life, and trust me I have eaten ALOT of chicken!!! The chicken was crisp, nah I mean CRISPEE!!!! Imagine taking a bite of a crispy chicken thigh that's not only crispy BUT juicy AND full of flavor.....I mean it doesn't get any better than that! The katsu chicken was also very delicious, crispy and very well seasoned. The shrimp was good but I wouldn't get it again. Service was quick and it's a nice beach vibe with good music playing! The food prep persons are organized and they have your food out fairly quickly but even if they didn't it's worth the wait! See ya soon! read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Guava chili chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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The food here is delicious I got the spicy plate and it was a amazing. The Mac salad is perfect the chicken is extremely crispy and the spicy poke was amazing and so fresh. I also got the vegetable lumpia and they were so good and I recommend getting a side order of those. They were perfectly crispy on the outside and the filling was delicious with the sauce. Also the inside of the store is so cute and has the funniest signs. The service was also 10 out of 10 fast service and super sweet people. I will definitely be back I want to try the rest of the menu. read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I was craving spam musubi today and for the heck of it I ran a search for it in Yelp and 'Ai Pono popped up! A friend of ours had told my husband and I about this place, but I never knew how close it was to my office...less than a mile away! It's always a great feeling when you're walking up to a Hawaiian restaurant and you can hear the Hawaiian reggae jamming out the front door...and then you walk in to be greeted with by a big smile and "aloha!!!" from the gal working the front counter - all to find out that she's one of the owners who's from Hawaii She offered great recommendations and we were not disappointed with our orders! We'll definitely be regulars from now on Mahalo Dana and kitchen krew!!! read more

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We wanted to try this place when they were at their old location, but they used to have super weird hours, so we never go to. Now they've relocated within a large shopping center (near Ross) and are open during more regular hours. You order at the register and then wait for your order. Some communal and bar seating. Some private tables. Tasty food, but too expensive! We spent $30 for one entree and two sides. No drinks. The mento box is $18 (as of November 2019) and is basically a sampler with a bit of everything - one of the biggest menu items food-wise. Good thing to try if you want some tasters. Our sides were spicy poke and Korean fried chicken musubi. It was barely enough for two people. Again, to theoretically spend $15 per person and not be full at a quick serve restaurant doesn't sit well with me, but everything was delicious! read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Korean fried chicken musubi (left, mento box (center) and spicy poke (right) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Alright, before I start this off. I want to be clear that I've dined here a handful of times and I'm no stranger to Hawaiian style street food. I feel like there's such a stigma on leaving this place a bad review as the owner seems to bash anyone who doesn't agree with him or leaves this place with 4 stars or below so many don't do it. Atmosphere 5/5 Food 3.5/5 Mac salad is no flavor. Kalbi ribs small portions Guava chili peppa chicken- no "wow" factor and honestly the chili peppa chicken with spicy garlic sauce on side over at DHK smacks way harder. Poke was decent, small pieces of tuna would prefer the normal size chucks you normally get at poke shops. I can only speak on what I've tried here but yeah mids Hawaiian local food at best. I've shared this spot to friends/family who live in hawaii and some of them have dined here while visiting OC to see what it was all about it and they also said the same and did not live up to their expectations. Not here to shoutout other restaurants I like but I'll be sticking to maitiki for my beef ribs and kalbi and DHK for my chili peppa chicken read more

Not a professional or aspiring foodie but a born and bred musician from Oahu. I've enjoyed food from all around the world and the first thing I do when I return from tour, is eat here again. I can easily say that the food and attention to detail regarding flavor, ambience, and above all...ALOHA never falls short. This place never dishes out BS, only the best in grinds straight from the islands and hardened in the states. Been blessed to experience the love from this place for 3 + years now and look forward each and every time. This is truly the gathering place, you get more than what you ask for, bring your best and rest assured, you'll be taken care of. Long live Ai Pono! read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Chefs Plate - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Visited Ai Pono Cafe after seeing that hilarious Instagram reel. I ordered Da "Stockton" Slap and my boyfriend ordered Da "Spicy" Plate. We also shared a spam musubi and guava cheesecake. I personally don't like hot mustard, so I made sure I didn't order anything on the menu with it... Lol. Everything was chef's kiss and the vibes were immaculate. All the staff were pleasant and helpful. We will definitely come back when we're in the OC! read more

Ai Pono Cafe - Da "Spicy" Plate - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Ugh, why is everything so sweet here, except the employees? Ok, the cashier was nice and friendly, but the other workers, ugh. Everything was just over sauces and overly sweet. Not sure if they were trying to mask the quality of the food, but yeah, not good. Ordered two plates and they only brought one out. Waited and waited, then finally asked and they said they already brought all the food out. So you're telling me I paid $50 (tip included) for one plate and one can of soda??? Then they had to go figure it out. Asked what was missing, then brought out the wrong plate again. Finally they got the correct plate out. Food was just not it. The place itself has a cute Hawaiian vibe to it though. read more

Rice is overcooked. Mahi katsu is not crunch on the outside. Cole slaw has no flavor.. neither is the macaroni salad. Blahhhh. Terrible food for the price. read more

This is one of the worst experience I've had at this place. This isn't my first time at Ai Pono and the service has always been great whenever I order in store but the one time I ordered online, I waited over an hour long, because one of the worker told if I didn't want to wait long, I should just order online. If I knew I was going to be waiting in store an hour long for my order while seeing other people getting there food within 10-15 minutes, I would've order in store. I asked the worker and she even said that online order isn't a priority for them just baffles me even more. Just ridiculous. After: even after getting my order an hour later, you guys gave me no utensils to eat my food with. You should just remove the online order feature if this is how online orders are going to be treated. read more

My boyfriend absolutely loves Ai Pono Cafe. He says its one of the best restaurants that serve Hawaiian food and competes with some from the island too. Guava chili pepper chicken was surprising because there is a slight subtle sweetness that complements the saltiness. Both of the fried chicken were crispy and fresh. I personally enjoyed the guava chili pepper chicken because the korean fried chicken lacked some flavoring. Our only complaint is that we needed more rice for the meal. Wait times can be long but the workers are doing their best to keep up with the demand. Sometimes the wait can be more than an hour, so I recommend ordering ahead. Tables are always filled during peak times as well. read more

Ai Pono Cafe - da spicy plate - Asian Fusion Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I figured I'd give Ai Pono another try after my last negative experience about 6 months back. Unfortunately not much had changed. I tried the crackhead chicken along with spam masubi this time. The masubi was good, but the chicken was so over cooked and mostly breading, and the Mac was really bland. Add to that I've had nausea and an upset stomach for the last 24 hours shortly after eating here. Not worth coming back ever again. The service was great and the atmosphere was cool, but of the 4 times I've been here I've only had 1 good meal a couple years ago. read more