Place was recommended to us by a couple we met at the beach. We walked over and ordered the shrimp fried rice and the barbecue mix and instantly fell in love! The lady working was absolutely amazing and helpful in helping us decide what to order and the view of the mountains tied it together for us! We will DEFINITELY be coming back in the future!!!! read more

Came here after a sunset hike and enjoyed a Mochiko Chicken plate. Pretty yummy, but nothing too spectacular. Kind of tasted like mini fried chickens. Portions were huge. Service was okay. This place is great for cheap and fast food to-go. read more

Barbecue Kai - Mochiko chicken plate $9.95 with taxes - Barbeque Near Me - Waianae, Hawaii

One of the best hamburgers around ($3.99.) The patty is handmade and larger than average. Upgrade to a "deluxe" (lettuce tomato and onion) for $.99, you won't regret it. The staff is always friendly and cordial, prices are very reasonable for the quality and quantity of food you receive. read more

Chicken Katsu curry did not disappoint. We had a large take out order with no mistakes. read more

Barbecue Kai - Order here - Barbeque Near Me - Waianae, Hawaii

I really, REALLY wanted to love this place. Such a cute take-out place that reminds me of something that you grow up with. This review is based on the food only. The service was awesome, the prices are reasonable, and the portions are HUGE. Cheeseburger - The meat had bits of chewy tendons in it and did not taste like homemade patties. The fries were nice and crispy but I could tell the oil has been recycled for way too long. Chicken Katsu Curry - Each piece of the katsu's meat tasted - I don't know how else to put it - old. Same with the curry. Same with the mac salad (extremely bland, blah, and overcooked soggy macaroni). Though hungry, I was only able to eat a few bites. Maybe I'm missing something? Is there a dish they're better known for? read more

Barbecue Kai - Chicken Katsu Curry Plate - Barbeque Near Me - Waianae, Hawaii

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Our boys needed food after spending 3 hours on the water for a dolphin/sea turtle swim. They were super satisfied with bacon fried rice and garlic shrimp. It was a quick order at the window and then eat from your takeout boxes. They loved it. This particular corner of town was great with all the food options. There was something for everyone. read more

Every time we've been here we have loved the food! It is cash only, but the service is always great! Only a few benches to eat on, but Pokai Bay is just a minute away and a beautiful place as well! Best loco moco on island that I've found! read more

So good!!! I love the Mac salad. I went back it was so good. They were very kind and quick.

Barbecue Kai was really really good. I ordered chicken curry Katsu plate. It was so big I had to make two plates last me two days I will go back again I love it. read more

The barbecue cheeseburgers and extra crispy fries are my favorite go-to when I'm rolling through the Westside

The BEST fried rice! Can't beat the price if you are feeding more than 2 get the small catering pan of fried rice will feed you and then some, for under $40!! read more

awesome spot for some plate lunch. great prices for the amount of food you get too. mahalo bbq kai!

When you want the best bang for your buck, BBQ Kai right after the beach is a winnah. Be prepared...they old sku, CASH ONLY. Favorite: FRIED RICE w/ choice of your meat. Its HUGE! That with a side of french fries will add to your carb count for the year. No dine in, just picnic tables in front. Fast food. Smart move is to order ahead because it gets pretty busy. read more

Stopped here as we was driving out of the west side. Wish we kept going, food was flavor less, the gravy tasted like sweet/sour sauce, the Mac salad was jus macaroni and carrots nothing else. We ended up jus dumping our food that's how bad it was. read more

Decent Hawaiian bbq Nice rice and meats Nothing special but better than fast food

I usually go to LnL but I have gone to Barbeque Kai a few times. I don't know what was wrong today but I should have just gone to LnL where it was busy and moving from the dinner rush. There was nobody at Barbeque Kai so I decided to go there, bad idea. There was nobody else there while I was there but it still took so much time to complete a plate lunch and and a burger combo. This place means business, not much small talk or engagement by staff but I am used to it. The food wasn't what I was expecting after not going there for year. The food was meh and I didn't feel good after eating half of my food and I threw away most of it so it was a waste of $25.74. I think it was just an off day for them but I won't be going back for a while and see if there is a difference between this trip and a future trip to solidify my opinion. I know they are an institution in Waianae and are run by the same family for so long but it has changed over the years and the food wasn't what it was before. read more

Best hamburger steak with 3 good size patties home made kine not frozen with brown gravy 2 scoop rice and scoop Mc salad get em with gravy all over extra located on the west side no forget the crinkle fries extra crispy read more

A surprisingly delicious burger for a hole in the wall BBQ place. I was surprised how well it tasted and it was a handmade patty, not a pre made frozen one like a lot of these places are. Highly recommend the burger if that's what you crave. read more

Had the hamburger steak which was decent and they gave a lot so will be back to try other plates on their menu !

This place is located in Waianae across jack in da box good prices and food my favorite plate is the seafood combo with kalbi never disappoints. Service is ok. Nice location near a beach relaxing cash only read more

Lived in Waianae all my life but never thought to try it until recently... Super disappointed in myself for never trying this place until now. I got 4 different plates and was soooo surprised as the prices are cheaper than the l&l across the street for similar plates. I used to be a regular @l&l but now after finally having barbecue kais barbecue chicken plate it is clear, bbq kai is the way to go!!! Food is super cheap for the amount you're getting and it's not bad! I would definitely recommend this place to those wanting a cheap lunch/dinner out here in Waianae as $20 will be enough for two! read more

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Been visiting here from Washington State for many years, and even lived here off and on. We lived in Makaha for awhile when we discovered Barbecue Kai. Looked a little scary at first but as we pulled up to the stop sign one day, the most amazing smell was coming from this direction!!! Threw all caution to the wind and went for it! OMGOSH! Their food is amazing! Been coming here for years now. Hubby goes for the bbq combo plate and I just can't move past the Pot Roast Pork they cook with star anise! As they say here "Broke da mouf, ONOLICIOUS"! Crystal waited on us today, she was so helpful and has such a great personality! We're expecting our son and his family next week so we're excited to bring them here. We stay over on the North Shore whenever we come back now, but we always make 2 or 3 trips back to our old stomping grounds for our Barbecue Kai fix! read more

Great hole in the wall place where the locals go, no frills cheap eats place =) They definitely don't skimp on the portions here =) Combo: BBQ & Garlic shrimp: 4 stars Meat was lean, no fat & tender. Shrimp was deliciously garlicky. Combo: Garlic Shrimp: 4 stars Deliciously garlicky but not a big as Giovanni's shrimp truck & cheaper too but there was a lot more shrimps in this dish. Service: friendly, nice & very helpful Overall, I will definitely come back for lunch to try out the other combos because they're very popular when I'm in the area again. read more

Barbecue Kai - Barbeque Near Me - Waianae, Hawaii

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Good stuff! Came back to pick up stuff for dinner since it's so close to our place. Nice people. Food is good and inexpensive. Love the fried rice they have there. Love love the BBQ fried rice. This place is a hole in the wall Hawaiian joint. It's pretty much a Togo place. This place has done me good with the food. It serves a lot and also they can do ala carte which is good. Needed it for the family to try different stuff. The workers are really cool and helpful. Mochico chicken was good I didn't like it that much but the family did. The beef steak with gravy was yum!! I really like the chicken Katsu with gravy. Now that was good. Kalbi was good also. Can't go wrong with Kalbi unless you burn it. Noodle was alright. Nothing big about it. If your around Waianae you should pick up and head to the beach. Good stuff. read more

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HORRIBLE!! There was a consensus among my boyfriend, his parents, and myself that the food was terrible!! No one liked what they ordered! I had the mini BBQ Chicken. That was the worst of its kind I ever had! Usually BBQ Chicken has a semi-sweet taste where you can taste the ginger and garlic in the marinade, almost like a teriyaki marinade. This one was just salty, that's it! It didn't even have any tinge of sweetness or ginger/garlic taste. I can't even explain it, but I would never order it again. The mac salad was also horrible...so bland. I had to add some salt, which didn't help much! My boyfriend and his mom both ordered the "pork chops." Upon checking our order before leaving to ensure they got everything correct, my boyfriend was already turned off by looking at these so-called pork chops. He previously had ordered super good pork chops with mushroom gravy from Kapiolani Coffee Shop in Pearl City, so when we opened his plate to check, he said that it didn't even look like pork chops! His mom said it was pork steak, not pork chops. She ordered the same thing and didn't like it at all! My boyfriend took two bites of his plate and couldn't eat anymore. She told me that her pork steak had some kind of tomato-tasting baste. Like they brushed on some kind of tomato marinade (such as a ketchup, shoyu, etc. type marinade/mixture). Once she mentioned this, I noticed that that's what I was kind of tasting too on my BBQ Chicken because it definitely wasn't the traditional BBQ Chicken that is commonly served at other drive inns. My boyfriend's dad ordered the hamburger steak. He didn't like it either. We won't be eating here again. read more

They got the meats! We went for breakfast. We got the mix BBQ which comes with a side of rice. Seating is picnic tables outside and truthfully enough food for two meals. A lot of locals walked up and took it to go. read more

Barbecue Kai - Bbq mix perfect for breakfast ! - Barbeque Near Me - Waianae, Hawaii

I have lived in Oahu for 11+ years and this place has been my to-go for FRIED RICE! My favorite is the Portuguese Fried Rice with some chicken Katsu on the side. The plate is big enough where I can share with my wife and baby... I would get it all the time when I lived in Waianae, but now I get it everytime I go to Waianae. I always call the order 5-10 mins before pick up and it's always ready when i get there. The only accept cash. I hope they never close!!!! read more

Local food, great place to have get some tasty plates and eat at the beach. Best to gear is the bbq burger, so yummy and non like other places kind burgers. The barbecue plate are the bomb you can make any combo, I like to have the fried shrimp with bbq chicken or the fried shrimp with chicken katsu. Portions are worth the price. Aunty takes care well of her customers of their orders read more

Horrible food and horrible service very cocky women when taking your order. I prefer L&L better service and food. read more

Barbecue Kai - Barbeque Near Me - Waianae, Hawaii

The service was quite good and the lady was friendly but the food was terrible, rather bland and tasted old. I got the roast pork, which was more like boiled pork and the grilled ahi which was dripping oil. I requested a spicy sauce, any one they had, and they declined and said they had no sauces available. Please avoid this place!! read more

Barbecue Kai is located right across from it's competitor L&L. This food establishment is located on the corner of Farrington Hwy and Waianae Valley Rd on the ocean side. The establishment accepts CASH ONLY as payment for food. Prices have changed from the previous years. Mini plates are still under $10 and it comes with a scoop of rice plus mac salad. Cost of regular plates varies on the type of food that has been ordered. Regular plates comes with two scoops of rice and mac salad. Drinks are separate. One of my most recent experiences at Barbecue Kai I had placed a pickup order of regular size mochiko chicken plate and a mini teriyaki beef plate. I arrived at the establishment with my cousin from California. Crystal was working at the counter. My cousin opted to pay for the two plates with the money she received from her mother. There are three picnic tables in front of the establishment where customers can either wait for their food or enjoy their meals. I used one of the tables to sit down and waited for the order to be called by Crystal. After the order was called then it was off to head back home. The mini teriyaki beef plate was shared between pops (grandfather) and myself. The mochiko chicken plate was shared between my cousin and aunt. My aunt told me to finish up the mochiko chicken plate. The mini teriyaki beef plate was cooked just right. I had to add a little bit of black pepper to the mac salad. The few mochiko chicken that I had eaten was a bit on the crunchy on the outside and a little bit soft on the inside. I need to taste the other menu items that Barbecue Kai has to offer. Of course I just need to make sure that I have cash on hand before I head over to the food establishment. 48/100 read more

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It was a good stick to your ribs meal. Got what I expected and then some. Quick and yummy. Had the mixed bbq and a cheese burger.

We drove past and saw it was packed outside. We immediately knew it was going to be amazing. Very friendly staff, quick to make our food! My husband and I shared the BBQ Mix plate. INCREDIBLE. The portions are huge! read more

Barbecue Kai - The view of the restaurant from the stoplight. - Barbeque Near Me - Waianae, Hawaii

Shrimp was delicious. No inside seating just three benches outside the window. More of a fast food place

Used to eat here all the time. I honestly loved thete food, but one time they gave me bad meat or unschooled chicken, and I had the worst food poisoning of my life. Place is not trustworthy to eat at. read more

Generous delicious portions served by pleasant staff. They're winners I've are repeat customers

Always friendly service, double cheese burger, extra crispy fries always hits the spot. Or a mixed plate! Can't go wrong either way

TIP: call in your order if you can get through the phone lol. Unless you want to sit in the parking lot to wait. Not sure about you but I am not a fan of waiting. So I'd rather call in my order and "wait" driving over there lol - oh and bring that cash - no cards or digital payment read more

Maybe it's popular cause it's cheap?? When we first got there the people up front finished their conversation before acknowledging us. Literally ignoring our presence and talked to each other We ordered and waited a while. They finally scream "POT ROAST" and leave our food on the counter and don't acknowledge us anymore.... The food...... what the heck ??? The pot roast has a funky flavor - I threw the whole thing away. Although the pork itself was VERY tender. Great texture but I couldn't get past the oversweet flavor. My boyfriend got the chili dog plate and said it was sweet and he had to force himself to eat it cause he was starving The Mac salad had no flavor, it was over cooked noodles and warm I hate giving local food places bad reviews but I hope they read this and try to fix whatever is wrong with these plates. I'm trying to give constructive criticism but it's hard to stay impartial when I feel like I just threw my money straight into the trash (cause I literally threw the whole regular size plate away...) Good prices but customer service was abysmal and the food was not worth it, even at the low-ish price... Sorry to leave a bad review but there are things that need to be addressed read more

Had their garlic shrimp plate. Definitely a go-to dish. For some reason, seeing the picture on the menu made me want to get it and I was definitely not disappointed. It had just the right amount of butter and garlic to give it that taste that everyone talks about in the north shore. But this west side spot did just the job. With the compensation of white rice, it was definitely a good rice dish. My girl ordered the short ribs and it was up to standard with good barbecue. It had the right amount of seasoning and tasted good with the rice. Definitely a dish worth getting. They also only take cash which is unfortunate, but luckily I had cash. The seating is outdoors and gives that old school vibe. I recommend this little hole in a wall spot, it's definitely a local spot that won't get the hype as the other expensive restaurant around the island. It's just a good ol' fashion barbecue spot. Highly recommended. read more