Another solid meal from aloha 21 We recently went to aloha bbq at the district shopping center and their portions were so stingy! Also the extra cabbage for &1.69 is totally worth it read more

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A good option for Ono grindz on the mainland. Dropped in to pick some food up to go. Chicken Katsu and "Pineapple Chicken" (ie: add sweet and sour sauce w/ pineapple on the side of your katsu instead of katsu sauce). Chicken was good. Crispy. Fresh. Not dry. Decent sized portion on the full and mini, however full size still only has 1 scoop of rice (now looking at other reviews, looks like they missed a scoop for me). A bit disappointed there. But cabbage and Mac salad accompanied per usual. Musubi was good. Option to put Spam, BBQ Beef or chicken is a nice touch. Not a lot of options of hot sauce options. Sad. Inside was small, clean, with a few hints of Hawaii (Tiki masks). Few community tables outside for the food court. Service was quick. But the girl who worked the front sure was amazing. Shout out to her if this is her/her family's spot. All in all a good choice should you crave a plate lunch. Will have to try their BBQ plate next. read more

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If you are needing to have great food, service, and quality you've met the spot right here. Been needing some extra protein in your plate? This is the spot. Lots of other places that offer Hawaiian food are either too expensive for a small portion size of protein or either too cheap and horrible quality, but this place was reasonable price for the amount of meat you get (THE PLATES CAN FEED A FAMILY OF 2,3)! The chicken was so moist and the rice and macaroni was the perfect serving amount with perfect taste. Now when I want Hawaiian bbq I will for sure make the 1/2 an hour drive for this place! The chicken katsu was perfect as well, some places have it but it's too oily, but this place has the perfect katsu ever with the moisture still in the chicken and the katsu covering is so crispy and not oily at all! We also ordered Spam masubi and when I say they were the greatest thing I mean they were so great that it reminded me of my past friend how she used to make them. Service was incredible, walked in and boom this nice guy in the cash register was so patient and he helped us with whatever we needed. He was so attentive with whatever we needed. The place was also kept very clean, even the one restroom they had. And hey giving a shoutout to the chefs behind the kitchen for the incredible, amazing, top quality food! ALL THE FOOD WAS ALSO SERVED VERY WARM! read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken Combo and Chicken Katsu Combo - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

I've catered multiple times here and they never fail to disappoint! Reasonable prices considering the amount and quality of food. Owner is super nice as well as the staff. Not too much seating inside but there is plenty of seating outside in the plaza. Would highly recommend the chicken katsu! read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

Rating: 7.5/10 First time trying Aloha 21. Interior is on the smaller side, with limited seating inside but more tables available outside. Casual setup overall. Staff was very friendly and welcoming. I ordered the Chicken Katsu & Beef Plate (with Curry). Portions are the standout here - they really load up the plate, could only finish half the plate. Chicken katsu was crispy and solid, while the beef was well-seasoned and satisfying. Quality is pretty standard overall, nothing particularly unique, but it gets the job done. The curry on the side added a nice extra layer of flavor. Overall, a solid spot with generous portions and friendly service. Good value for the amount of food you get. read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Katsu and beef - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

Honestly such a good hawaiian BBQ spot! I place a large order for multiple plates in person and the worker was really helpful getting me a time estimate. They packaged the plates and sauces very nicely, placing the containers into bigger boxes so we could easily take it to the car. They also gave us soup containers worth of katsu sauce! The quantity per plate is so hard to beat given the price point! Definite a good place to go to get your moneys worth read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Menu - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

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First time trying this place and it was pretty good! It was dinner time so it was a bit busy on a Friday night when my friends and I went, but the staff was so kind and efficient. We ate outside and had a pretty big group, but a staff member came out and brought everything to us even though we told them we would grab it because it was a lot of food. I got the loco moco and it was very sweet, and the gravy came in a separate container which I loved. The container was loaded, so you really get a lot for the meal! read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Loco Moco - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

Tried the chicken katsu plate at Aloha 21 and it was a solid meal. The portion size was pretty big two chicken breasts i believe. the plate came with the usual two scoops of rice and mac salad as well as a good amount if cabbage. At about $17 it felt pretty well priced considering how much food you get, and it was definitely filling. The katsu itself was crispy on the outside and juicy inside, and the katsu sauce paired well with the rice. The mac salad was good pretty much the same you get everywhere but i also love mac salad so, exactly what you expect from a Hawaiian BBQ plate lunch. Overall it's pretty much what you expect from a Hawaiian BBQ spot, great spot for lunch Solid 4 stars. read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ is a calm luh Hawaiian eatery serving up some delicious food. This spot is located in a plaza with a good amount of parking spots. Inside, they have a casual setup with about 4-5 tables for seating. For their menu, they have a solid selection of different plates and combinations to choose from. Wifey got the Chicken Katsu Plate and I opted for the Beef Short Ribs Plate. Portions were pretty generous and flavors were on the point! Overall, this is a solid spot to get your Hawaiian food fix. All of the staff here are very and friendly. Come stop by to support and come with an empty stomach! read more

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Solid Hawaiian spot. Ordered a seafood mix plate for around $17 and it was at least 2 servings! The food was also ready in about 10min and it was hot and fresh. Would come back definitely better than L&L imo. read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Seafood Mix - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

I think just as good if not better than L&L. Generous portion but def on a greasier side.

If you're looking for large portions at a reasonable price, this is the place for you. The katsu plate portions are generous, and the mac salad is excellente! The steamed cabbage is a delightful touch as well. You'll find self-serve teriyaki and katsu sauces on a table, along with hot sauce and soy sauce packets. The staff is incredibly friendly, the food is prepared quickly, and everything is served hot. The ambiance is casual and inviting. While indoor seating is limited to fewer than 20 people, there's plenty of outdoor seating available. read more

Love the big portions at Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ, where one meal easily serves two! My fave is the BBQ Chicken ($14.99), which comes with 2 scoops of rice, a scoop of macaroni salad and steamed cabbage. There is a LOT of chicken thighs in the box. The meat is pretty flavorful on its own, though they have a teriyaki sauce in a dispenser on the side that you can add to it. Seating indoors and outside on the patio. Plenty of parking in the lot. read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Kalua Pork with Cabbage - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

Finally was able to check this spot out Friday evening after hearing great reviews from coworkers. For a Friday night, I was surprised to find parking nearly upfront and little wait. The menu at Aloha 21 is almost identical to the many other Hawaiian BBQ spots in the area - even the combos share the same corresponding numbers (#1 = BBQ Chicken, #2 = Katsu Chicken, #3 Chicken Combo...) - something I noticed since I like to visit all the different spots. I opted for the #1 BBQ Chicken Combo, and picked up a bottled tea. Food came out relatively quickly while I washed up in the clean bathroom. Don't forget to pick up your sauce containers directly behind the cashier -available in Teriyaki and Katsu sauces. Personally, I liked the Teriyaki sauce here more than the Katsu. It had just the right bit of sweet-soy taste, in a somewhat thicker than usual consistency. The portions were very generous - at least five or six medium-sized cuts of dark meat, layered on top of a bed of steamed cabbage, along with two scoops of rice and a scoop of macaroni salad. The rice was okay - it could've been more moist, but I imagine it was likely since I came only a few hours before closing. Mac salad had just the right amount of creaminess to it. The BBQ chicken was perfectly marinated, each bite full of flavor. I barely had to dip much into the teriyaki sauce - really only saving the sauce to make eating the steamed cabbage more manageable. Prices are competitive for the area - note that the prices shown in my photos are as of 2/21/25 - if you order at the restaurant. I noticed a lot of third party sites will add additional fees if you order through them instead of the restaurant. Plenty of seating both inside the restaurant and directly outside in a shared outdoor dining area with the other restaurants in the plaza. Service was prompt and friendly. I knocked off a star because with a few hours until closing, they had already started mopping the floors/pre-cleaning - and the cleaning solution had a pretty strong smell - which sorta affected my taste/perception of the food. Luckily I was almost done with my meal, but left quickly after as the smell (it was like Citrusy Pine Sol) became a bit overwhelming. read more

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#3 chicken combo. Portions here are great! This place beats all the other Hawaiian spots in town read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - #3 chicken combo - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

Filling Hawaiian eatery with solid dishes and large portion. My coworker and I came here for lunch, ordering style is counter and seating is either small indoor or there's plenty of outdoor seating. I got the loco moco plate ($17). Food came out pretty fast within 10 min. Portion is huge with 2 scoop of rice, Mac salad, and two patties. Mac salad was a bit too mayo y for me. The beef patties were thin, crispy and not overly greasy. The loco moco sauce wasn't the best I've had it needed more beef flavor. Overall solid eatery with large portions. Would love to try their seafood my next visit. read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Loco Moco - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

This is a go-to lunch spot for me -- after work, I drive down Culver and my temptation always leads me back here. The portions are huge!! It makes the price (under 20 dollars) very worthwhile. I usually spend days finishing my meal, and though the beef becomes tough, the chicken katsu and teriyaki still fall apart in my mouth. I'm a huge fan of macaroni salad too, and the one at this place is to die for. I'm a chubby girl, what can I say, I gotta replace that cabbage with more of the macaroni salad. The teriyaki sauce they have (of which you can get as much as you want from a pump by the door) is so delicious and makes the rice delightful even to someone who thinks it usually lacks flavor. When the teriyaki sauce of the rice and the macaroni salad all mix together -- it's my own little slice of heaven. As for service, I have never had a bad experience. If I were surrounded by that good food all day, I'm sure I wouldn't be in a bad mood either LOL. From what I've seen, they all appear to be young adults like myself, so perhaps it's just because we're a similar age, but we usually have nice interactions. They're smiley and polite, there's honestly not much more you could ask for at a place like this. The service is so fast! I never dine in because the interior is honestly pretty small, but you could always dine outside (it's a lovely shopping center). Although, I usually just take it home with me (there's no way I'm going to finish it all in one go anyway). I barely have time to collect my teriyaki sauce by the time they tell me my order is complete. I have low patience, so I appreciate the swiftness. Highlights: - Huge portions (like literally so big they need a rubber band to keep the to-go box together) - Fast service - Delicious food I am ADDICTED to - Friendly employees I just needed to review this place because it is literally my favorite spot in Irvine!! I consider it a treat to give myself when I'm feeling down, or after hard work, or after some good exercise. (I will be honest though I DO use this place to cheat on my diet...) read more

Lots of food for the price. Love the Mac. Favorite is the BBQ chicken. Conveniently close to home for quick pickup. read more

Co-worker told me about this place so I thought I would give it a try Friendly girl at the front suggested her favorite meal being the #3 do I ordered it. It was chicken katsu and regular chicken, rice and macaroni. The portions were huge and can totally be shared. It was all pretty good but a little greasy. It's a must to eat it with the katsu dipping sauce or teriyaki it makes a big difference. read more

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My boyfriend brought me here a few days ago for the first time. I believe I got the Hawaiian barbecue chicken plate and bae got the Hawaiian beef plate, both which came with rice, a delicious macaroni salad, and laid with a bed of steamed cabbage. You can get your own teriyaki or Katsu sauce on the side and it's very delicious. The restaurant in this unit has changed three times within the last decade, but I'm hoping that the Hawaiian barbecue place can stay. read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken Combo Hawaiian BBQ Beef - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

Sometimes, I just crave a simple kine plate lunch. Nothing fancy - just tasty food, plenty of it, and maybe a little gravy on top. HA! - I happened to be in the area, and it was creeping up on lunchtime. Did a quick search and Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ popped up with fair reviews and big portions. - Yes, please. Store front - https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=O6EBodP3Fgu_n67efSKnBQ&select=R1RhSnyZe_8eeqh3zgeXKQ Aloha 21 serves up a solid fix of Hawaiian classics with generous portions and fast, friendly service. No frills, just ono grinds. (Ono = delicious) Menu board - https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=O6EBodP3Fgu_n67efSKnBQ&select=r_eof_VQuoRTNZ_G8y_c1g I went for the Hawaiian Mix BBQ Plate - a greatest hits lineup of teri-chicken, beef, and short ribs, served over two scoops rice and one scoop mac salad. And lemme tell you: choke meat! The short ribs were the MVP - tender, juicy, plenty of flavor. The chicken had that perfect smoky-sweet glaze. The mac salad? Classic. Creamy, simple, no weird twists - just like the aunties make it. Mac salad - https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=O6EBodP3Fgu_n67efSKnBQ&select=fXOFuVdxUORKkiqPLatLng I also grabbed a Spam musubi, because how could I not? It was just okay, a bit on the dry side - maybe it had been sitting a while. Hawaiian Mix BBQ ($18) Photo - https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=O6EBodP3Fgu_n67efSKnBQ&select=L6BA2pSWsd0c3jOR8q9z7A Spam Musubi ($5) Photo - https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=O6EBodP3Fgu_n67efSKnBQ&select=rD0jlME49mWFNESxwwluyw Small Fountain Drink ($2) Grand total: $27 The place itself is casual and clean - "slippahs and no judgment" vibes. Definitely more of a grab-and-go joint, but there's indoor seating and a nice-sized patio if you want to hang out. No over-the-top island decor, just a chill spot that says, "Come grind." My kind of place. Photo - https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=O6EBodP3Fgu_n67efSKnBQ&select=exZYiJb-aNUwG9dII5UXHA Service was quick and friendly. I walked in just after 11am, and my food was out in under five minutes. No fuss, no wait, just food. I was surprised at how fast the food came out. Front counter - https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=O6EBodP3Fgu_n67efSKnBQ&select=HrOEi-xxKl3YGPm-eA41uw Portions are "mamona" - that's Hawaiian for huge. One plate could easily feed two people, or one very hungry Kanaka plus a future nap. For under $20, you get a meal hefty enough to do curls with. It's one of those places where your wallet and your stomach both leave happy. Overall, Aloha 21 doesn't mess around. No fancy reinterpretations or gimmicks, just solid, satisfying Hawaiian plate lunch done right. When you're craving something ono, filling, and familiar, this place has your back. - Big Aloha! Food: 4 Ambiance: 3 Service: 4 Value: 4 read more

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Great customer service. Great food. Came in last 10 min before closing and still let me order food. I typically don't write reviews but they're just amazing. Chicken combo plate on top. read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken combo plate Spam masubi - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

First time trying the food here and we were not disappointed. We needed something quick to take home since we were starving. We normally get plate lunches from another local place but wanted to give another place a try. There were maybe a couple other groups eating inside the restaurant on an early weekend evening. The service was fine and there were no issues. We ordered a couple of combos and the food came out very quickly. Our combos were typical with two scoops of rice, big scoop of macaroni salad and boiled cabbage underneath the proteins. We had enough food for round two leftovers the next day. We enjoyed the taste and overall quality and plan to keep it on our list of quick take out places. read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Hawaiian BBQ Mix - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

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I'm not one to leave negative reviews lightly, but this loco moco was an absolute letdown--and at $20, it felt like a ripoff. The patty was dry, smashed thin like it had been sitting around all day, and had a weird fishy taste like it had been stored next to seafood. On top of that, the meat tasted old, like it was past its prime and super oily. Not close to how Hawaii makes there loco moco. There's a saying in Filipino Loko Mo Ako meaning you fooled me! this one sounded like that LOKO MOKO. The gravy didn't help either--it was way too sweet, more like a dessert sauce than a savory brown gravy. Nothing about this dish felt fresh, balanced, or satisfying. Honestly, I've had better loco mocos around irvine for a lesser price. Hard pass on coming back. read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Loco moco - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

I ordered the chicken combo ($15.99) that comes with katsu & BBQ chicken. The BBQ chicken is flavorful & tender. For the price, the portion is big, which I love for leftovers. I also tried my friend's beef combo & it tasted good as well. Service is quick & friendly. They have a self serve sauce bar of teriyaki & katsu sauce. The katsu sauce isn't as flavorful as I'd like but it does the job. I've returned to eat here & the portions & quality are consistent. read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken Combo - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

My family and I eat here often, and I recently used their catering for a company event. Everyone loved the food so much that I ended up ordering catering again for our family year-end gathering. The food was great, the portions were very generous. I was especially happy hearing all the compliments from my family. With prices going up everywhere these days, this place really stands out for giving so much food for the price. Always a satisfying experience!! read more

We were shopping around the center and got hungry. One of the shop owners recommended this place so we stopped in to checked it out. The whole place smelt like kalua pork and smelt sooo yummy. I ended up getting the pineapple chicken and my partner got the chicken & beef combo plate. My family is Hawaiian so im usually pretty picky about hawaiian food and it's hard to find really good hawaiian food usually in California. Once we got our orders, we were both shocked by how much food we got! The plates were LOADED with chicken and proteins as well as sauce. They had to rubberband mine closed because it wouldn't stay closed. The pineapple chicken is Katsu chicken with pineapple sauce on the side with mac salad and rice. I highly recommend adding the teriyaki sauce it too. It was soooo delicious! We both had enough food after to take home and have dinner later. I highly recommend this place and I 100% will be back soon! read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Maui Pineapple Chicken Chicken & Beef Combo - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is an amazing value. It is so much food for the price. There is so much meat in the combos. Also the food is really good too. The rice is cooked well and the Mac salad is decent. I will admit that I'm not a Big Mac salad fan in general, so I'm probably not the best judge. It also comes with veggies. It was so much food that I didn't even make it to the veggies on my first seating. This place is super convenient for takeout and relatively quick. I definitely recommend for this place . Great taste and great value. read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken Combo - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

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There was so much food on my plate I was able to share with two of my coworkers! Food was delicious! Service was fast! And the ambience of the place was all there! 10/10! read more

Call in for order. Told it's a 15 min wait only to meet with a 45 min wait for two plates. Rude cashier just tells you they are working on it no explanation. Great to see all the walk in's after you get their food before you. A bit pricy but the portion is big. Decent BBQ and katsu. read more

Food and service was excellent, William in particular was very kind and attentive. I appreciate my experience here and will be coming back.

Great food and good price. Service was a little slow, I think it's because they were shorthanded. Only 2 people working, cook and Registar guy doing everything else. read more

Was craving some Hawaiian food and wanted to try other places than the big chains like L&L and Ono. Found this place on yelp and looks like they recently opened within the last month or so. Yelp photos definitely helped with identifying where this was located because there's no obvious signage outside (from what I remember). It's located in the Crossroads Plaza on the Barranca side (towards Pizza Hut, Paris Baguette, Capital Noodle Bar). There was 1 person waiting when we got in and a kind older lady greeting us. When we were ordering, she was expressive in showing that she was struggling with the POS - which granted they just opened so I assume they're still learning the system. It felt a little awkward for me just because there was a lot of awkward silences in waiting for her to figure out how to put in our order, but that's not a big deal. We did have to order slowly and double check our orders because mines was showing up as mahi + katsu. Boyfriend got a plate with bbq chicken + beef and I got mahi + bbq chicken. He wanted to sub the rice for more veggies (meaning no rice completely) but there was some miscommunication and she ended up putting it as "less rice" instead. Not a huge deal though but something to note I guess. Food came out pretty fast and was hot. I was very surprised with the weight of our boxes! Upon opening, the portions are BIG - which I'm not complaining. They give a lot of meat and a fair amount of rice, mac salad and cabbage. Sauces are self serve - they only have katsu and teriyaki sauce. BBQ chicken was flavorful but we got a few chunks that were just pure fat...we're not a huge fan but if you like it then it's a plus. Beef was tender and very flavorful. Mahi was nice and crispy! It didn't come with tartar sauce though unfortunately. Overall, place is good and portions are great. I think for the price it's pretty good for what you get. I don't go to L&L or Ono enough to compare price vs quantity though, so don't know what's more worth. But a solid place for some Hawaiian plates. read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Island favorite with mahi and bbq chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

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There are plenty of parking spaces available. They don't have a sign outside their building yet, but it's right next to Pizza Hut. You order first and they also have some indoor seating available. I got the BBQ Mix, which comes with BBQ Chicken, Beef, rib, rice, mac salad, and steamed cabbage ($16.99). You can mix and match, so you can get no steamed cabbage and get more mac salad, vice versa. They also have a sauce station where you can get Katsu and Terrakyi sauce. The food was so packed, similar to Ono Hawaiian. Everything was really good and not dry! I was afraid the BBQ chicken was going to be dry, but it was delicious. All the meat was flavorful and worth the price! The employees were also really nice and were happy to answer any questions we had. Recommendation(s): - BBQ Mix - Service: 5/5 Tip(s): - Accept Apple Pay - Plenty of parking spaces - It's right next to Pizza Hut read more

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Very good Hawaiian takeout place in Irvine. Service is normal with no issues at all. The amount of food is satisfactory for the price. With things expensive at most places, Aloha21 will still feels like a great value. read more

We order from here pretty often and like to get the family meal when we host game nights at our place. Food never disappoints. The portions are large and the family meal that feeds 4 can easily feed 5 large men and myself who sometimes eats as much as a large man (and then regrets it). Customer service here is always great too. Friendly and helpful staff who seem to just be having a good time. Great vibes. Foods always ready quick too! read more

Simple menu and fast service. Always fresh. You need to get their sauces yourself/self serve. Veggies are steamed

Spent $50 for 3 plates that were all very disappointing. The bbq beef plate tasted like old reheated jerky. The bbq chicken was the same. The rice was barely edible. Hard to get Hawaiian style bbq wrong but this place sure figured out how to do that. read more

They screwed up my order but won't fix it. Owner promised to come out to help but didn't show up.. My last visit.... :( read more

Huge portions and very tasty. I would be amazed if you don't take half of your food home to finish later. I'm talking huge portions. We like to get the chicken and beef combo. Very generous servings of beef and chicken with white rice, a scoop of pasta salad and vegetables. The service is quick. The restaurant is very clean. The bathroom is also very clean. You are sure to like this place and also have leftovers for later. read more

Aloha 21 Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken & Beef Combo - Hawaiian Near Me - Irvine, California

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