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    Fort Ruger Market

    3.9 (406 reviews)

    Fort Ruger Market Photos

    Business Info

    FORT RUGER MARKET ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Fort Ruger Market

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    Spirits
    Katherine A.

    If you can smell the barbecue pork when you drive up, you are in the right place. This little local market offers a lot of variety, but the fresh Hawaiian style lunch plates are the feature. Since we were there early in the day, we grabbed a bacon and egg musubi and a breakfast bento box with adobo pork. The adobo pork was tender and delicious on top a bed of fried rice. The dish was topped with a scrambled egg. While I'm not a big bento box fan, I liked this one. The musubi is made fresh daily and was one of the best musubi that I have tasted. The ahi poke is made fresh daily as well, and the clerk was just putting out the tray as we were leaving. The poke looked delicious. I even bought a locally made birthday card (featuring Diamond Head, which we had just climbed). They have a small convenience store offering for the neighborhood. Beer, beverages, a bit of spirits, apples and cookies were on the shelves. The clerk was aloha friendly and was happy I bought a card. There are a few tables to eat outside. We parked in front of the store.

    Nate M.

    Fort Ruger Market is more like a convenience store rather than a market, that being said the food here is great and the portions are huge! I ordered the spicy ahi poke and their Ruger special poke with a base of white rice. They also offer brown rice, sushi rice, and greens as a base. Along with all of that each bowl comes with a side of your choice. Mac salad for me, it's truly one of my fave sides. Great flavor and super fresh, obviously! I wanted some of their homemade sauce on top, but they were out and the poke case was looking a little sparse when we got here, but we still got hooked up. Like I said, it's basically a convenience store that sells poke, so there's no place to sit and all drinks and snacks are grab-n-go style. Super friendly staff and very helpful to this haole, when I asked a million poke questions. Aloha!

    Poke to go and enjoy at the beach
    Stephanie Y.

    I actually really liked the poke bowl and it was a huge portion and it came to about $22 and the fish was so fresh and they have about 6-8 options to choose from. I went with the house ahi and the spicy shoyu ahi and it had a nice kick to it and the combo of both on a bed of sushi rice, was great. You are allowed to pick one side, and I went with the spicy kim chee and again, a great kick! Don't sleep on the squid lau- it's like a creamed spinach and not cheap, it was delicious. So, why not 5 stars? The actual grocery was a wee bit lacking. No fun drinks, no fun desserts or local chips, etc.. No place to eat, so take it to go, like the beach. ;) Overall, great poke.

    Poke and lechon
    Rachelle C.

    Wanted to give Fort Ruger a try after learning about their poke and lechon combo bowl! Fort Ruger Market is more of a convenience store with a hot window service. There weren't many options of food to order in the afternoon, so it may be best to go in the morning. We enjoyed sitting outside, we love the artwork! Unfortunately, the poke did not smell or taste fresh. The lechon seemed to have been sitting under a warming Iight all day. The pieces were very dry and the few pieces of pork skin were tough. The heavy oil from the lechon spilled onto the poke and rice, which was not a pleasant experience.

    Lechon Kawali plate. Comes with 2 scoops rice and a side (pictured with kim chee).
    Bonnie T.

    Haven't been to Ruger Market in awhile, as we no longer live in town. We were near Kaimuki today and decided to go back. Considering we showed up around lunch time, and there was a line of about 4 to 5 people ahead of us, service was pretty quick between the 2 people taking orders, and they were friendly. They have always had good food with good sized portions. Today, both my husband and I decided to get the lechon kawali plate, and we were a little disappointed. Both of us had a lot of tough pieces of meat that were hard to chew on. Unacceptable @ $21.95 per plate. Otherwise, the checkout was good as well. Cashier was very friendly, but not sure if it's enough for us to take a chance on going back.

    Jenny L.

    We were all surprised how generous they were with the poke as they kept stuffing the bowl to the rim with fish. All my friends and I got the fresh mini poke bowl that comes with a side of choice. We got the limu, spicy shoyu, rugerlicious, and the tako and it was so fresh. The mini bowl is definitely enough for one person. To be honest, the mini felt like a regular sized poke bowl. I also recommend getting the fresh poke bowl where you get lechon on the side! The skin is very crispy and more on the fatty side. They also provide a complimentary vinegary sauce to with the lechon. Parking is limited with only 7 stalls at the storefront. We went on a Sunday at noon and there wasn't much poke flavor to pick from so I recommend coming before the lunch hour. Great spot to get food to picnic at Cromwell's beach!

    Kalua Pig Ocean Salad
    Steven M.

    Awesome service, got the amazing simply poke bowl with spicy togarashi, adobo, and mac salad. My girlfriend got the kalua pork, ocean salad, and kimchi cucumber. We'd definitely come back to try more things since both were so flavorful!

    Poke Special
    Larene U.

    Wowwwww I love it here. It's so terrible that I never made it a point to come here but omfg this place is insane. Super good poke and they give a ton. I got the Ruger Poke special which came with my choice of Lechon, and kimchi omg. So. Much. Food. Insane. Everything was delicious too!! They have outdoor seating. The indoor also is like a mini market so you can grab your poke and a snack/drink if you want. Will definitely be back!

    Pork Lau Lau, Lechon, Mixed Filipino Plate w/ Shoyu Chicken & Pinakbet, Local Style Ahi Poke, Sea Asparagus Ahi Poke, Pork Lau Lau Plate
    Jennifer Y.

    By the time this review gets posted, there's a high probability that Fort Ruger Market may not have much longer before they go out of business. The reason for our recent visit was because of a gift certificate given to us for Christmas. The store itself is spacious with a small parking lot in the front, but the interior looks extremely tired with merchandise shelves that are worn and practically bare. At the seafood counter, there's only a handful of poke options in the chiller. Along the steam table, there are about half dozen hot items that look as if they've been sitting around for a while. Note that we arrived at 11:45am on a Saturday. Hanging overhead, there's a modern digital menu with promising items, but mostly every item I tried to order they didn't have. I asked if it was because we were there too late in the day. The person behind the counter was nice enough to honestly disclose that the store owes too much money so they no longer carry a lot of anything at all. It's a good thing we were there to redeem the gift certificate so soon after the holidays. As for the takeout I managed to order, it was okay. I can certainly picture better days for this place. Here's what we tried.... - Ahi Poke by the pound: Fresh with good texture, not overly salty or drown in sesame oil like most poke shops. Unfortunately, like most places, it contained a hint of chili pepper which isn't our thing. Also, at $31.95 per lb., it's gotta be one of the most expensive poke on Oahu. - Lechon by the pound: Nice and crunchy, if not a bit overcooked on the meat side. The positive is that it wasn't too salty. Unfortunately, the 1 lb. container was about 1/3 pure fat and 1/3 overcooked meat which all went into the trash. - Pork Lau Lau Plate: Good portion, sizable and full of tender pork and luau leaf. The only downside is that the salt level was too high for us, but we personally are accustomed to low sodium so they're not at fault. However, the macaroni salad was a huge disappointment. It literally only tasted of Tabasco sauce and not much else. Lastly, the steamed white rice was also a let down. It was cooked with not enough water which makes for dry and hard results. Both sides went into the garbage. - Mixed Filipino Plate with Shoyu Chicken and Pinakbet: Shoyu chicken was okay if not a tad too sweet and a tad too dry. At least it wasn't too salty. Pinakbet was good. The veggies were tender and flavorful, but there was no bittermelon due to the fact that the business isn't doing well and couldn't afford the expense. Like the other plate, the macaroni salad and rice was inedible and had to be thrown away. If you're reading this review and are in possession of a gift certificate, go immediately! Yes, the staff there require a great amount of patience. It was unpleasantly stressful, but I'm glad we weren't too late.

    Simply Amazing poke bowl (lechon and spicy togarashi poke)
    jason n.

    Haven't been here in a while but we were in Kapahulu and wanted to eat somewhere we haven't been recently. Food looked good but the lechon was mostly fat with very little meat. I don't mind fat but it barely even rendered in most of the pieces. Ahi in the both the spicy ahi and spicy togarashi poke was below poke grade with over half of the pieces inedible due to being mostly sinew. It looks like ahi used is the type you'd scrape to make spicy ahi, not serve and hide with sauce. The best thing in our bowls were the kim chee and lomi salmon. The chicharron was the high point and I'm glad those are still ono. Service was pretty slow even though there were only a couple other people in the store. Sad to see the quality drop off so much. It'll be a while before we return and next time we'll stick to the hot food.

    Fort Ruger Market
    Rebecca C.

    Poke me! Another hidden gem I've heard of from a co-worker. It's a convenient store located on Diamond Head. They have about 4-5 parking stalls out front of the store. You can also find parking on the street. We came here to grab longanisa bento for breakfast and for lunch, we picked up 2 mixed plates with pork adobo, pork guisantes, dinuguan/pork blood meat, and spicy ahi poke. The lady is super nice and friendly. I think she scooped a little extra since I gave her a big smile as well! :) This made me extra happy since I'll be sharing my plate lunch with another person. I know it's almost pork, pork, pork. But the meat in each dishes was not only seasoned well and burst into so much good flavors but the meat was super soft! It almost melts in your mouth or should I say, it was so tender and easy to chew ;) Either way, definitely a must try!!! The spicy ahi is also well made. I love it!!! I definitely will come back to try the other pokes and the lechon kawali (roast pork). They didn't have it when I went. It's a simple store filled with so much goodness. You can either grab your breakfast, lunch, dinner and even your non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks, some snacks or simply purchase a gift card to gift to someone ;) I know they'll enjoy you! Thank you for taking the time to read my post. Have a great evening!

    Jayson D.

    Can. Not. Get. Enough. Of their chicken long rice! Been coming to Ruger forever and never been let down. These guys always serve up the best Hawaiian and Filipino local grinds. The lechon in particular is a total winner. Crispy skin with the juicy, fatty meat. Mmmmm! Order a combo plate or get it a la carte by weight. Visitors, do yourself a favor and take a break from the bougie joints on Kalākaua Avenue. Get some good local food, done right.

    Menu
    Tin Lung C.

    This Sunday, after I finished my long bicycle ride and I'm out of water so I stop by this place to get some drinks. Although I drove by this store like 1000 times in the past, I never went in. They have a few parkings in front of the store. Surprisingly, inside is pretty simple. They have some snack items. A lot of drinks. Poke, poke bowels. They also serves hot food, I did not order any hot food, so no common on that. They do have a sign saying 3% will be charged if we use credit card. At lease the sign is clearly displaced, not like some other stores try to put small print and hide it. All and all, a conscience spot in an area that no other store around. I did purchase some spicy ahi besides a drink and it tastes fresh. There are tables and chair that we can eat outside which is nice.

    Poke menu, 06-2024

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    Fort Ruger Market Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Fort Ruger Market

    Are there gluten free options?

    Do they use MSG in their food such as chicken long rice?

    No MSG in the food.

    Do they serve breakfast?

    Yes I believe they do!

    How's their lau lau's?

    Excellent!

    View All 5 Questions

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    Helena's Hawaiian Food

    Helena's Hawaiian Food

    4.4(4.5k reviews)
    5.6 miKalihi
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    Store has a small parking lot of 10 cars, so you may have to find street parking like we did. Came…read morehere for lunch, first thing was needing to sign in through waitlist on yelp from kiosk outside. They'll call you along with announcing your name, so make sure the entire party is there. There's water outside while you're waiting. You'll need to scan the QR code to take a look at the menu. Service was quick as they brought out the food within a few minutes after ordering. It's really busy inside with limited seating. However, servers and busboys are ready to clear and clean the tables for the next guests within a few minutes of any tables leaving. First time having poi (fermented crushed taro) and laulau (slow cooked fatty pork), which were solid picks. They go well together. Really liked the haupia at the end. Atmosphere was good. No rush to finish our food. I did wish they had the butterfish as that was out for the day when we arrived.

    I was looking forward to eating at Helena's Hawaiian Food, but unfortunately my experience with the…read moreservice was incredibly disappointing. When ordering, I mentioned that I probably wouldn't be able to finish all of my food and would take the rest to go. Because I said that, I was told I would NOT be allowed to eat inside the restaurant and that my entire order had to be takeout. I was honestly shocked. I was a paying customer ordering a full meal and simply said I would take whatever I couldn't finish with me--which is something people do at restaurants every day. I even added a 20% tip to my order. I tried to explain the misunderstanding at the front counter. I explained that I absolutely wanted to eat my meal there; I was only saying that because I knew I wouldn't be able to finish everything, I wanted to take my leftovers with me afterward. The employee at the front counter with tattoos refused to hear my explanation. Her answer was completely black-and-white: either my order was "to go" OR I could eat it there. There was no willingness to listen to what I was actually saying or resolve what should have been a very simple misunderstanding. Their customer service model simply doesn't make any sense to me. Why should a paying customer be forced to choose between eating their entire meal inside or ordering everything to go simply because they know in advance that they'll need a container for their leftovers? Taking home food you don't finish is an ordinary part of dining at a restaurant. I wasn't asking for anything unusual or special. I simply wanted to sit down, eat the food I had purchased, and take whatever I couldn't finish with me afterward. The interaction felt unnecessarily rude and incredibly unwelcoming. I had specifically come here because I wanted to experience a well-known local Hawaiian restaurant, and instead I was made to feel like I wasn't welcome to sit down and eat the food I had just purchased--even after leaving a 20% tip. Unfortunately, I never even got the opportunity to enjoy the restaurant because of how I was treated. Very disappointing experience and definitely not the kind of hospitality I expected.

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    Menu B: Kalua Pig And Pipikaula Short Ribs

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    Highway Inn Kaka'ako - Mochiko Chicken

    Highway Inn Kaka'ako

    4.1(2k reviews)
    4.1 mi
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    So much aloha in this place. The hostess was friendly and cleared a table as our friends waited for…read moreus to arrive. Our server was informative and helpful. The restaurant is quite busy during weekday lunch, but the tables cleared pretty quickly. Two of us shared the sampler ($33.99 for pork lau lau, compared to $31.99 for chicken lau lau), although our server said that some individuals order it for themselves. The sampler came with lomi lomi salmon, squid lu'au, chicken long rice, poi, lau lau (pork or chicken), sweet potato and poi. It was filling for the two of us. We thought we might add something else à la cart, but we didn't need anything more. So good. We were surprised by the sweetness of the coconut milk in the squid lu'au. Everything was yummy! We were happy to have had such tasty Hawaiian food. Yay! There's a smaller paid parking lot in front of the restaurant. It was full, so we went to the parking structure behind. The restaurant validated for 90 minutes. Remember to scan the QR code in the parking lot after you park and to ask the hostess at the restaurant to validate online before you leave the restaurant.

    When the tattoo artist tells you where to eat Hawaiian food... you listen!…read more While we were in Hawaii, we told my husband's tattoo artist that we really wanted to try some Hawaiian food. Not the touristy version. We wanted to actually experience some of the local food, and she recommended Highway Inn Restaurant & Catering. So of course, we had to give it a try! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt very laid-back and comfortable. Nothing overly fancy or trying too hard. It had that relaxed, home-style feeling where you could just sit down, eat, and enjoy yourself. Now let's talk about the food! I had the BBQ chicken with rice and salad, and that chicken was so tender! The barbecue sauce was absolutely delicious, and surprisingly, that salad was GOOD too. I loved the dressing they served with it. The hubby went more traditional and ordered the Lau Lau with pork, which gave us exactly what we came for, a chance to experience Hawaiian food while we were here. But y'all... I have to mention something completely random. THE COKE! I don't know what was going on with that Coke, but it tasted like Coke used to taste back in the day! I kept saying, "Now THIS tastes like a Coke!" Sometimes it really is the little things. The service was great. Our server was friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience easy and enjoyable. No complaints at all. As far as value, absolutely worth what we paid. Good food, good portions, friendly service, and a relaxed atmosphere. 4.5/5 Would we go back? Definitely. Especially if we wanted another casual spot for Hawaiian comfort food. And shout-out to the tattoo artist because she definitely didn't steer us wrong on this one!

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    Rainbow Drive-In - Solid little place for some local food

    Rainbow Drive-In

    3.8(6.1k reviews)
    0.7 miKaimuki
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    62 years in business

    There was something very right about this drive in!! I stopped by for a quick dinner with the fam…read moreand ended up enjoying this place a lot more than I thought I would. I didn't expect much from this small corner diner, but everything turned out real solid! The exterior is especially entrancing, with its bright, rainbow neon sign that glows out the darkness of the night! The hooded interior was clean and followed well with the rainbow theme, especially with its rainbow pastel, title wallpaper. I would also like to compliment the workers, who were very nice and approachable! We ordered the loco moco plate, mixed plate, and saimin. Both plates were very filling and came in huge portions! The plates are for sure a top choice if you want a nice, hearty dinner! I especially enjoyed my loco moco! The saimin was less filling and came in an instant noodle cup. Still yet, it wasn't half bad--and it actually seems like a fairly good piece if you are on a diet or budget; it wasn't as expensive as the other dishes and only came out as 220 calories! I also want to note that they have a variety of tasty dessert pastries and icee treats if you are looking for a treat after your dinner. Overall, I would say this is a great diner to try if you've got a big appetite and are looking for something to share with a friend or family! Great vibes and great Hawaiian plate meals!

    My family, across multiple generations, has been going here for decades, close to back when they…read morefirst opened. We have homes in the neighborhood. And we just can't go here anymore unless changes are made! We used to prefer them over Zippy's, but now they are less than 7-Eleven quality, while charging higher-end prices for the neighborhood. We have given them many chances, hoping it was just a fluke, but we have repeatedly been disappointed. Their chicken has become chewy and fatty, their rice is mediocre, and condiments such as mayonnaise are stripped down to the bare minimum quantity. Chile is poured so lightly that it is practically a minuscule amount. And their prices have continued to rise. I don't know if greedy people took over the restaurant who just don't care anymore, or what is going on. I remember when I used to take people here, and they would be impressed with the quality and quantity--plates just heaping with good cuts of meat, noodles, and rice. Those days are no more. As they say in Japan, the price performance is poor. Furthermore, their staff is rude. I can only imagine it was an owner working this day because it was a face I haven't seen that often. An older gentleman who appeared to be of Okinawan descent, working the cashier register, accosted us because I was privately discussing with my family about splitting different items with them. We were all ordering something, so he wasn't losing any money, but he told us about how prices are double in Waikīkī. First of all, it is rude to interrupt your customers that way. Secondly, we don't go to Waikīkī or care about Waikīkī. What happened to serving the locals? Third, Waikīkī has an assortment of restaurants, prices, and qualities, and they shouldn't be how you base your services. Lastly, I guarantee I could find a better deal in Waikīkī if I wanted to. Next time you're in the area, just go get a $6 bento or a $5 burrito from 7-Eleven next door. I assure you, the price performance and experience will be better. If Rainbow Drive-In is in the business of comparing themselves to other things, let's compare them to 7-Eleven and at least try to be better than them, right? I can get mochiko chicken from 7-Eleven for $6.99 that is similar in portion size and better quality. Meanwhile, they are serving their fatty, dry chicken for $16.75. Highway robbery! And they are not fancy, with their dirty picnic tables and plastic cutlery. They are just a step above a food truck, if that. Save yourself from the hype. They have gone downhill like a landslide. Go elsewhere.

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    Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Teriyaki spam musubi, egg + eel + avocado musubi, spam + egg + bacon + avocado musubi

    Musubi Cafe Iyasume

    4.5(5.5k reviews)
    1.2 miWaikiki
    $

    We were waiting for our hotel room to be ready and wanted to grab some food since we were starving…read moreafter the flight. I was so happy to found that the Musubi Cafe was located nearby. We ended grabbing the unagi musubi, shrimp egg musubi, and their poke. It is a super quick grab and go experience. Our total was 22.14, which I don't think is too bad. The flavors of the musubis are soooo good! Everything was made so deliciously and fresh. It could get a bit messy eating it though because of the sauce, so make sure to grab napkins! Overall, I was really happy to have stopped by here for some quick lunch!

    This Musubi Cafe is one of my favorite spots to grab a quick bite. They're open around 6:30 AM in…read morethe morning, and surprisingly you'll find a long line inside this cafe. There are 2-4 seats in this space, but you won't find anyone sitting at this cafe. Usually, it is grab and go. I was impressed with their various options. They have salmon musubi, tuna mayo musubi, and many more. My personal favorite is the chicken musubi, and I would usually buy it before I go off on a big adventure on the island or after my swim at Waikiki Beach. The staff here are kind, patient, and friendly. I wish I knew they had a stamp card because they actually do. I buy from them a lot. Along with musubi and sushi, you'll find that they sell trinkets, bags, and other souvenirs. Be sure to come by. They are handmade and fantastic!

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    Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Inside the shop

    Inside the shop

    Musubi Cafe Iyasume - Teriyaki Spam & Rice with Hawaiian drink

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    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods

    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods

    3.9(297 reviews)
    0.8 miKaimuki
    $$

    3.5 stars We wanted…read moreto try authentic Hawaiian food and came across this spot. The owner was very friendly and took the time to recommend dishes for us, including the laulau and lechon kawali. We also ordered the BBQ short ribs. Overall, it was a good experience trying Hawaiian food, but it's just not really our type of cuisine. The laulau was quite dry, and the preparation felt more like meat that had been boiled or cooked in liquid, which isn't something I usually enjoy. The lechon kawali had a crispy pork belly texture, topped with something similar to a salsa, but it didn't suit our taste either. Unfortunately, the cabbage served with it also had some black spots, which was off-putting. The BBQ short ribs were the highlight of the meal and the dish we enjoyed the most. We appreciate the experience and the hospitality, but the flavors just didn't quite match our personal preferences.

    Good local Hawaiian food restaurant. Street parking only. Small restaurant I believe it was Ono…read moreHawaii on Kapahulu before. Now it is named the Da Ono Hawaiian Foods. Either the owner or the manager seemed like a one man show. He was the server, bus boy, and chef. Husband got the pipikalua short ribs/he enjoyed. Sisters got the pork lau lau which came with sweet potato, rice or poi, lomi lomi salmon (more onion and tomato than salmon). i got the chicken lau lau, again stuffed with chicken, not enough taro leaves. The Haupia was smoky, so either burnt or something- inedible! Only six tables in the entire restaurant. The gentleman that was serving us I believe was also the bus boy, cook, server and cashier! Place is a hole in the wall with missing ceiling tiles and exposed panels above our table (gross!!). Sis loves this dive so we keep coming back!

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    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods - Menu

    Menu

    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods - Short Ribs Plate

    Short Ribs Plate

    Da Ono Hawaiian Foods - Menu

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    Menu

    Fort Ruger Market - hawaiian - Updated September 2026

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