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    Hanai Hawaiian BBQ

    4.9 (12 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 8:00 PM

    Hanai Hawaiian BBQ Photos

    Business Info

    HANAI HAWAIIAN BBQ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Hanai Hawaiian BBQ

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    Cuurent menu (as of May 16, 2026)

    LUNCH Best plate lunch I've had without having to fly home to the Islands! (And I am pretty darn picky about food. It doesn't have to be fancy, but it has to be good, otherwise where's the pleasure?) AMBIANCE Important note: they are in the same building as Buffalo Brewing Company, so don't get confused, you are in the right place. So nice and cool (and clean!) inside, but there are also open windows with seats facing out and a few tables outside. Also important: check their hours when planning to go so you aren't disappointed that you missed out. And you are missing out if you don't go. Though now I am wondering if I will regret sharing this slightly hidden gem - it won't be hidden for long. FOOD Other people already posted pictures of the Pipikaula short rib plate, which is good because I forgot to take a picture before I ate mine. We found out the Big Belly Bento is new to the menu, but it was also a huge hit. We got the unagi sauce and gochujang sauce on the side - so glad we did, because in addition to dipping the pulled pork in the sauces (the way it was meant to be eaten) I stole some of the sauce and dipped some of my short rib bites, and then I ate it with my mac salad and my Asian slaw. The rice vinegar in the sauce went well with the vinegar based slaw. The sauces normally come on the pork and short ribs. Heat warning for those who have low tolerance: it's a slow and delayed heat in the spicy poke and the gochujang sauce, so go easy until you find your sweet spot (and eat a bite of rice or mac salad if you got it wrong). Spam musubi was made to order. Personally I like it cooked a little more, but that's a personal preference. And watching other orders go out? We got food envy watching the big portions of won ton chips for the poke (or pulled pork) nachos even though we were eating our own delicious food. Which also showed how much thought goes into it - won ton chips because tortilla chips got soggy and made the food too salty. SERVICE Can't get any better. I saw the owner check on people eating outside (I'm sorry I didn't get his name!) I'm very happy we went a little later than peak hour so we could chat with him. Any little quibbles were due to supply chain issues, so I am looking forward to coming back and seeing how things progress as those issues get ironed out. Because even with those issues, the food was great. Delicious. Amazing. Unexpectedly fantastic. (Now I need a nap aka kanak attack - incidentally, there's a plate lunch with that name.) We started planning our next trip before we even finished paying our bill. And sent the details to a friend and her son before we even started the drive away. After all, how often do you want every single thing on the menu? Or think everything sounds good? And if you don't go - well, just go. Thank me later. DINNER YES, we went again for dinner, because we wanted to try other stuff (did I mention we wanted everything on the menu?) And they are closed tomorrow. This time one of the college kids joined us. We guessed and got him the Local Boy plate. Then a POG (which he said was really good). The only thing he didn't do was lick the plate. So we got him a piece of guava cheesecake (last one!) and finally managed to satisfy the bottomless appetite that plagues teenage boys. The Loco Moco was good, but classified as a meal for when you are feeling slightly delicate (i.e. hungover). Not going to lie, we overheard people having food envy so we told them what it was, in case they wanted it. I had Auntie's favorite - loved the garlic poke, the chicken not as much. But that's probably because you just can't top the pipikaula short ribs (which sold out!) And POG #2 - I can hear you judging, so I challenge you to try it and NOT want to get another one. Go ahead, it's ok. Someone has already had 2 in one day, so don't feel ashamed, you're only doing as recommended by some crazy person who's really happy for a taste of home. You're very welcome! And...SNACK (does this count as meal 3 from Hanai?) We took home Ahi Poke Nachos, but had the won ton chips packed separately because we knew we weren't going to eat it for several hours (um hello, did you see how much food we ate already?) And I got a 1/4 shoyu poke to go too, because hey, much healthier midnight snack than ice cream or chips. It was a very generous serving, but I would never be upset about that. And usually I hate big pieces of raw onion, but I think these had been soaked or something so it was nice and crunchy, but didn't make me want to cry from onion-y flavor. Little details that add up to lots of pleasurable eating. SO GOOD - we actually didn't mix the poke into the chips, we just loaded individual chips with the poke (he didn't like the shoyu poke, so more for me!) Thank you Hanai-Guy, those name I have learned is David - we can't wait to see you again! Also, you are such a great find that I think I got some "cool" points.

    Spam musubi
    Khristina S.

    I was so excited to finally make it to Hanai Hawaiian BBQ!! I've been trying to get here since the very first pop-up in June 2025. I ordered 2 spam musubi, one cut in half for my kids to try and one for myself, two teri bowls for my kids, and a Pig & Poke plate for myself. The pork was a little on the dry side, but the poke & slaw was great. The mac salad helped the dryness of the pork. I am so happy to have finally made it here and I can't wait to come back.

    Menu
    Ruby S.

    This place is amazing! The staff are so friendly and attentive answering any and all questions I have. The food is just delicious I had the spam masubi and both cheesecakes on the menu I will definitely be going back! The ambience is also super cute I loved the artwork on the walls it's a very cozy spot I went an hour before close and there were not a lot of people. Overall 100/10 it's so good!

    Short rib plate
    Alicia D.

    Picked up some to go and have no regrets. Both the pork and rib plate were awesome. Passion fruit glazed cheesecake, excellent! We will definitely go back.

    This is an amazing gem to come to Buffalo! I've been craving plate lunch ever since I visited Maui a few years ago and this hits the spot! There are others who try to make "Hawaiian bbq" but this is finally a real taste of the street food. The ribs are insane and the fact I can order a musubi in Buffalo makes this place a new favorite.

    Beef short ribs

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    1 month ago

    The find was so delicious. I had the short ribs. And will definitely be returning doon!

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    Ask the Community - Hanai Hawaiian BBQ

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    Southern Junction

    Southern Junction

    4.7
    (217 reviews)
    2.4 mi
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    Ok this place falls under the category of "Where have you been all my life"…read moreThe food was so good, we completely forgot to snap pics of it. Two of my favorite cuisines in one - Indian and BBQ. You will not be disappointed and that's all I have to say about that.

    This was the first time we've been to Southern Junction. This place has a great vibe and made me…read morefeel like I was in Austin again.The staff was so helpful, lively, and it felt like they loved working there. We ended up ordering the 2 meat platter with pork and brisket, milk bread, cardamom corn bread with brown butter, potato salad, coleslaw, a barbacurry foldie and banana pudding. Where do I begin? The food was excellent and the flavor combinations brtween the smoked meats and Indian spices were amazing. I never thought brisket with coconut curry would be so good. The coleslaw is delicious with roasted chopped peanuts on top giving it an extra crunch and nutty flavor. The cornbread was so tasty and not dry, especially when you dip it into the brown butter. The pulled pork has an extra seasoning sprinkled on top that gave it another layer of flavor that complimented the smoked meat well. Both the pork and brisket were moist and tasted even better with the hot bbq and coconut curry sauces. My husband enjoyed the potato salad more than I did only because it had a strong mustard flavor, which is personally not my favorite condiment. That's just my taste buds though! The foldie was a naan bread (I believe) filled with meat and slaw and a curry dipping sauce. Delicious. The banana pudding was very good as well. I'm so glad I have leftovers that I'll be eating shortly!

    Photos
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    Brisket and ribs
    Housemade Japanese milk bread, shokupan
    Housemade Japanese milk bread, shokupan
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    Tsg Bbq

    Tsg Bbq

    4.7
    (148 reviews)
    10.0 mi
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    Well now that I know this spot is only ten minutes away, it has become one of my favorite dinner…read moreoptions. We didn't want to cook and BBQ sounded great so we're back for more! We got a brisket sandwich, a half rack of ribs and then an order of the BBQ eggrolls. My son loves the ribs and will eat so many of them. My wife finished his ribs and had the BBQ eggrolls which are incredible. And I got the brisket sandwich this time and it was great. The brisket was seasoned and cooked perfectly. Everything was delicious. When I walked in to pick it up, they were just finishing up my order and were super friendly. The inside of the restaurant is great and has that classic BBQ spot vibe so we will definitely be here more to dine in too.

    I am going to start by saying I am in search of my favorite BBQ in the area. Some will be new to…read moreme, others need a memory refresher. I will say BBQ preference is typically very personal. I know what I am looking for. I will start by saying the staff and service at TSG are above par. Friendly, helpful, and fun. I stopped in to grab a to-go meal. Two meats and two sides. Ordering was easy and staff were helpful. Food was ready to go quickly. I didn't stay to eat, but the space looks like it could be very enjoyable with plenty of outdoor style seating. I ordered ribs and brisket with a side of coleslaw and tater tots. The servings were VERY generous. I was surprised at the weight of the bag. Tater tots beat expectations for a MN boy, and coleslaw was quite good. Ribs were fall-off the bone, if that is what you are looking this is for you. Me? I am looking for a little "tug" on my ribs. Even though they were falling off the the bone, they were surprisingly dry. Brisket rub was unique and delicious. The brisket on the other hand was so dry I needed liquid to get it down. This is the second time I have visited TSG. The first was shortly after they opened and my memory was that it wasn't for me. This visit confirmed it.

    Photos
    Order up
    Order up
    Smoked turkey and tots
    Smoked turkey and tots
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    B&B BBQ

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    4.9
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    They are still the best Barbacue restaurant in western NY. I have been to Al…read moreIt's all the others and this is my go to place. Great food and great staff what else could you ask for !!!!

    I can't remember the last time I ordered a pulled pork sandwich. To my surprise, this time I ate…read morethe whole thing. "Let's pig out" said one of the signs on the wall, and I did :). It was an easy task. The sandwich was very good. Smoked pork with the satisfying sweetness of bbq sauce?! I couldn't ask for more... but there was much more! I had to taste everything that we ordered. The Brunswick Stew is a must try. It was actually the only dish which was heated to a satisfactory temperature. The Hog Wild is a good way to sample four meats. Everything was beautifully served and presented, but the food wasn't warm enough. The flavor was there, no complaints. I can imagine how wonderful the chicken is straight out of the smoker pit. Ours was dry, not fresh. Oh! The potato salad brought back memories of my early days discovering the flavors of the States. It's exactly how my mother-in-law used to make it. I loved it! You can taste all the ingredients combined in perfect proportions with a mayonnaise-cream dressing. I could eat a whole bucket of this :). Mac & Cheese could have used much less butter. I believe, for some, it is just the right amount, but too much of a good thing can be overpowering. It's definitely a five star restaurant, but possibly not on Mondays. No one here wants to be particularly picky, just honest. The B&B BBQ is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. Either way, we left full with plenty of leftovers. The owner made us feel welcome and invited. It's a great place to stop by if you're in the area.

    Photos
    BBQ is served here, indeed!
    BBQ is served here, indeed!
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    Big Dan's Smokin Barbecue

    Big Dan's Smokin Barbecue

    4.7
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    Brisket, OMG And get a side of beans, none better. I never had a better brisket. I went to a party…read morethat Big Dan's catered, Everything was great, Pulled pork , YUM.

    Decided to check this place out because my favorite BBQ in the area (LaVerdad Cafe) shifted to…read morecatering only. This place also had exemplary reviews and unlike another BBQ joint I was considering due to their also very high reviews, they actually deliver. Only bummer was that I was looking for ribs and this place didnt have any to offer on their site. However what they do offer is very good. I had the brisket sandwich with greens and baked beans. The brisket was tender, flavorful, with a generous amount of meat. The bun complimented well as it was soft and gave me thoughts of old school BBQ with just meat and a plain slice of bread. I saturated it in the hot BBQ sauce. The sauce was thick, spicy but in a balanced, not overpowering way. The beans were thick, almost pasty, but good. The greens were my least favorite and I assume cooked by someone who doesn't understand the soul importance of this soul food staple, known as greens. Perhaps I'm being a bit dramatic, but they were the most al dente, undercooked "greens" I've ever experienced. Literally the crunchiest! Ordering was easy and delivery was prompt. Pricing was ok. The sauces were also good. Overall very good, would definitely have the sandwich again and again, but avoid the greens like the plague.

    Photos
    Cute little smoking hut.
    Cute little smoking hut.
    Pulled pork or brisket sandwich combo
    Pulled pork or brisket sandwich combo
    Try our new "Pig Fingers" pre-cut ribs. Single, double or combo orders.

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    La Verdad Cafe Deli

    4.9
    (152 reviews)
    2.7 mi
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    After making the list of being #19 on the best BBQ in the country, I knew I had to make my way back…read morefor some more food. And after eating, I can definitely agree that this is some of the best food in the country. Ms. Vivian is a saint among us as she is not only a great chef but she is one of the kindest people I have ever met. She remembers every customer, things about their life, family, and genuinely cares about everyone. All of this love goes into her hardwork and dedication to her craft and community. The food is absolutely incredible in each in every bite. The brisket here is my favorite whether it is on a sandwich or rice bowl. Both are great options depending on how you're feeling. The jalapeno mac and cheese is delicious and not too spicy even for the kids. If you're looking for a great local business, this is the benchmark of the community as far as great service with even better food. Ms. Vivian said she plans on doing some pop ups and things coming up so I will stay tuned.

    Upon seeing that they were permanently closing on Friday, we decided to order their food for one…read morelast time. We ordered the 2 for $32 brisket dinner, which was delicious. My wife got the one with the yams and mean beans, whereas I got the one with collard greens and mean beans. They gave us cornbread last time, but this time it wasn't included in our meal. They will be missed, and if you got to eat their food, you were fortunate.

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    Hanai Hawaiian BBQ - asianfusion - Updated July 2026

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