I recently used iLava for catering a party of 50 people. The food was delivered on time and there was so much of it! The food was delicious and still fresh/hot upon arrival. I highly recommend their white fish and their shrimp. I think they are reasonably priced and they were very easy to deal with for catering purposes. read more

First off, look at the steam from my food. Freshly cooked still piping hot. The portions were crazy good for the price too. At about $13 for my chicken combo, that is sooo insane for the amt of food I got. While the portions are great, the food is a bit on the saltier side. Not bad if you eat it with the rice and veggies but on its own, its definitely way salty. The service was fine. You order and you wait for your food and you can take it to go or eat there. There weren't many people dining in at all, there was one group who left quite soon after we arrived. I did notice that they do not clean the tables after each guests sit there so thats something to keep in mind. All in all, would come back again for a solid lunch read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - #1. Chicken Combo - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

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Scrolling DoorDash I didn't know what to eat, and then I saw a picture of the bbq beef plate and clicked on iLava's page. Ordering the garlic shrimp and bbq beef with half katsu and half teriyaki sauce was recommended, so I decided to give it a try after looking up the taste of katsu sauce. I don't eat a lot of chicken katsu, so I knew it was a thicker sauce but couldn't remember the taste. Glad I chose what was recommended. When my order arrived I was pleased with the amount of food having not eaten all day. If I didn't have the sauces to complement the garlic shrimp and bbq beef, I'm also sure I would have been fine. My plate was evidently seasoned. Everything on my plate was delicious except for the macaroni salad. I used to love that as a side whenever I'd get Hawaiian bbq, which is rare. I'm usually craving a lot of meat whenever I order any bbq, but the macaroni salad from various places has stood out to me over the years. Not anymore. It was dull in taste, lacked creaminess, and tasted like the small amount sugar used in a batch probably wasn't added at all. Maybe they don't add that to their own recipe but some things were missing and I can't put my finger on it. I'm giving em four stars because my plate was so good and so were the crab rangoons. I'd have replaced my macaroni salad with more vegetables if I'd known it wasn't going to taste like much. I guess the saying's true here - your side dish shouldn't be better than your main dish. That said, I'd order from here again. There was more than enough sauce in the bag for both of my items so they get points for that - two teriyaki cups and one katsu sauce + 3 sweet & sour sauces for my crab rangoons. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and there wasn't a whole lot of fat on my beef, making it an easy eat that chewing through fat could never be. read more

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ILava Hawaiian BBQ is such a hidden gem in Oakland! The moment you step inside, you're instantly transported to Hawaii. The vibe, the decor, everything feels so fun and welcoming. They even have a cute little photo backdrop spot. I first experienced their food when they catered my husband's birthday, and they absolutely went above and beyond. Everything arrived fresh, hot, and delicious. Our guests couldn't stop talking about it, and we even had leftovers for days! I also visited the restaurant in person, and the staff were incredibly friendly and polite. Food came out fast, the portions were huge, and the flavors were next-level. The chicken katsu is my personal favorite. Super crispy, juicy, and full of flavor in every bite. Honestly, it's way better than other Hawaiian spots. If you want authentic Hawaiian BBQ with a welcoming, tropical vibe, iLava is the place to be! read more

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This is my go to Hawaiian bbq in Oakland ! The food every time is fresh , cooked to perfection and they give you big portions for the price . The staff working there is always friendly and very much so catering . read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - #11. Garlic Shrimp & BBQ Beef - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

pretty big portions, accomodates with substitutions of more veggies and no rice. fast, and tasty. i usually go with their Hawaiian mixed plate or chicken bbq plate. one plate feeds me for 2 meals to be honest. take away. read more

Damn, why didn't anyone tell me how good this food was.... look, I finally had iLava Hawaiian Barbecue for delivery and WOW--this food showed up like it had something to prove. Everything arrived hot, fresh, and smelling so good I forgot I was supposed to plate it. Straight out of the container and into my heart. The portions are MASSIVE. Like, "this box feels heavier than my responsibilities" massive. The meat was insanely tender and flavorful, drenched in that smoky, savory goodness that somehow survived the delivery journey perfectly. Not dry. Not sad. Just thriving. Mac salad was still creamy and delicious (delivery mac salad is risky, and this PASSED). Rice was fluffy and plentiful, clearly there to support the star of the show like a loyal sidekick. I fully intended to save some for later. That plan lasted approximately 3 bites. If you're ordering delivery and want food that arrives tasting like it was made just for you five seconds ago, iLava is the move. 10/10 would order again. 11/10 would fight my family over leftovers. read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - #9. BBQ Chicken & Short Ribs #C2. Chicken Katsu S02. Macaroni Salad S01. #BP4. Hawaiian BBQ Beef #A6. Spring Roll #A4. Crab Rangoon - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

Another satisfying visit here! Got the teri beef/garlic shrimp combo. Teri beef my usual go to but don't usually care for shrimp but they do the work for you and take the shell off ! That's why I don't care for the shrimp trucks back in the 808. Met the nice and friendly owner. read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - Teriyaki beef/Garlic shrimp combo - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

My go to Hawaiian spot in the Oakland area. Food is always well prepared. Healthy portions and flavors are spot on. Beats out the competition hands down. Run, don't walk! read more

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I've frequented iLava a few times & they haven't failed me. Garlic Shrimp 3outta5 The shrimp were cooked nicely and IYKYK, I loved the extra garlic! However, the cold rice left a lot to be desired. I'm trusting that it was fresh but that was a big turnoff. Spring rolls 4.5outta5 I'm going through a diet change, eating less 4-legged flesh & more of everything else. I have to admit, I was going on 20+ hrs of not having had a decent meal. My stomach was on my back! I don't think it was the hunger tho...That first bite was celestial. It was absolutely delicious! The veggie medley danced harmoniously on my palate. Wild berry smoothie 5outta5 Great flavor blend & very refreshing Service is always great, greeted w/a smile & very efficient. Atmosphere, is what it is. They're one the of many small gems in an impoverished community. I'll be back... read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - #A6 Spring Roll , Wild berry smoothie - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

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Great Hawaiian food and comfortable atmosphere! I ordered the Honey Walnut Prawns with White Rice, Macaroni Salad and Cabbage! Delicious! read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

I've ordered takeout from ILava a couple times on Doordash. Their orders have been tasty, with pretty good portion size relative to the price (these days). I've had their Chicken Combo Plate (Chicken Katsu and Chicken Teriyaki), Walnut Prawns and the Curry Chicken (BBQ Chicken with Curry Sauce instead of the teriyaki sauce). Their normal plates come with two scoops of rice and one scoop of macaroni salad. Compared to some of the other Hawaiian places in the area, this is probably one of my new favorites. read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - Chicken Combo - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

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I Love-a iLava! I can't think of a better combination of deliciousness, freshness, and value in the East Bay (and value is a top priority in my ratings). My go-to and recommendation for a first-timer is the Garlic Shrimp & BBQ Beef combination, or anything with the Garlic Shrimp really. You get around 10 plump, juicy, super garlicky shrimp - I personally like that the shrimp is peeled unlike traditional Hawaiian garlic shrimp. The BBQ Beef is well-marinated and tender. The plate costs around $18, but you will likely have leftovers, and again, you get a ton of shrimp. Pro-tip: If you're undecided on which proteins you want, you can get most options as a side / a la carte (even on DoorDash). I typically get a side of Chicken Katsu - it's $5 and you get a mountain of lightly-breaded, meaty katsu (see picture). A plate and a side order can definitely feed two. Do also get the Spam Musubis. The food is made to order and comes fresh, crispy, and piping hot. Given that, orders can take 10+ minutes though, so consider ordering ahead! read more

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iLava never disappoints. They provide consistently good food that's hot and fresh when ordered. I frequently order them on uber eats and they have never failed me in getting my order exactly how I like it. The service is great both in person or via food delivery. The inside of the establishment is clean and has TV entertainment for guests who dine in. read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - #S4. Garlic Shrimp S02. Macaroni Salad no rice just how I ordered it :) - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

The food was fine, we were starving and quickly chose a nearby restaurant. At first, we thought it might be similar to an L&L BBQ, as the menu seemed comparable. However, the restaurant wasn't very clean, and while the food was okay, it didn't stand out. Not a place I'd return to. Maybe another restaurant location. read more

I ordered to go and my food was decent. I ordered a loco moco plate and a chicken katsu plate. Loco moco gravy tasted a bit off and the katsu was slightly dry. Service was quick and friendly. Ambiance is ok. A little sticky inside and the restaurant is located in a strip mall on high street. read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - #C2. Chicken Katsu - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

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I was hit with a sudden craving for loco moco Thursday afternoon, and luckily I had plans to eat out with a friend. After googling the Hawaiian spots nearby, iLava looked the most promising, so we headed here for an early dinner around 5:30. There are 4-5 tables for 4 people each, so seating is a bit limited, but it seems like it's mostly a takeout joint. We were the only ones dining in for most of the time we were here, and there was a constant stream of folks coming in to pick up their order. The menu covers all of the standard Hawaiian rice plates, such as BBQ chicken, chicken katsu, loco moco, kalbi, garlic shrimp, etc. For the indecisive, they have combo plates as well if you wanted to mix and match some of the meats. They also offer some apps such as musubi and potstickers as well as tropical smoothies. Prices are very reasonable, especially given the huge portions. I ordered the loco moco for $11.99 as well as the BBQ chicken musubi for $5.99. Each musubi was ginormous, and eating one already filled me up quite a bit. The loco moco was just okay; I found the beef patty a bit dry, and the gravy they provided was only enough to eat with one of the patties. I asked for extra gravy which they kindly provided, otherwise I would've had to eat my leftovers at home completely dry. I did appreciate that they offered to give me more veggies when I asked for no macaroni salad for the loco moco. My friend got the chicken combo ($11.99), which comes with chicken katsu and teriyaki chicken over rice. She was very satisfied with her food. I tried a bite of the chicken katsu and it was crispy and tender, so the food here is pretty solid in general. I will be back next time I'm craving some Hawaiian food! read more

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The food is delicious, definitely big portions, reasonably priced and the service and atmosphere are excellent. Great place for families, or date night or just one person. Love this place and always stop by when I am close by. read more

Id recommend this place for a one time kinda thing ill admit their katsu sauce is better than onos but onos has better katsu but theirs wasnt bad dont get me wring just comparing. What i like about this place MORE is there hospitality they are so friendly you do not see that hardly any where anymore. Local, convinient, and delish. read more

Absolutely incredible food. The chicken teriyaki rice bowl is my favorite. Their homemade teriyaki sauce is maybe the best I've ever had. They have good hearty portions for good prices, and service is always quick. Prices are slightly higher on doordash but i understand the app takes a big cut of the money they make off it. I recommend going in person or picking up your food, it's better than door dashing. All around really great place read more

I decided to try this place since it is close to where I work. Ordered the BBQ chicken and Spam musubi, because if you are any islander or pinoy heritage you must. The one things I love about Hawaiian food is that the portions are always big and enough to last a couple meals. This was no exception. I believe the chicken piece were thigh meat and deboned and cooked just right. Sometime the sauce can be overwhelming and this was basted just right. Even though the menu says two pieces of Spam musubi, I thought they were probably small. Nope. I only was able to eat one. This is a close enough place that I would order again. read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - Bbq chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

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Food was amazing! Quick service and relaxed environment inside the location. Would definitely eat here again.

Great community doing the Job and great customer service and the food are very delicious. I enjoy the ambience because they are very friendly. read more

We have tried multiple Hawaiian restaurants. The macaroni salad, spam musubi, and kalbi were all top notch!! The portions in the family meal were generous, so we took home leftovers. We ordered at the counter and ate in the restaurant. The ambiance is nothing special but we were there for the food read more

My first time having iLava and it was AMAZING! From the ambiance, to the service, to the food itself, all 10/10, would recommend to anyone. They let you customize your combo order, so I had to try their chicken katsu as well as their lau lau, which both exceeded my expectations. And I saved the yummy Mac salad for the end! to top it off their smoothies are great too. I got the Hawaiian sunset. Come try their food!! read more

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If I can't go to Hawaii, then dammit, Hawaii has to come to me. Tough talk from somebody who hasn't been back to the islands in at least fifteen years. Breathtaking scenery and well-endowed fire dancers aside, I guess I don't have to with all the Hawaiian barbecue places around the Bay Area. This one's over on High Street in Fruitvale, and as usual during the pandemic, I haven't been there myself, but I was enticed enough to find my inner kama'aina to have my paina delivered. Just call me Jason Mamoa. I ordered the $14.24 Hawaiian BBQ Chicken, which was quite a pile of tender thighs marinated in katsu sauce. It came with the requisite scoop of white rice and the requisite scoop of macaroni salad (photo: https://bit.ly/3HHXQht). You would've thought that would be enough, but for no rational reason, i ordered the $5.99 side of Macaroni Salad, but it was on the gluey side all by itself (photo: https://bit.ly/3MfeU1E). Even I have my limits when it comes to mayo consumption. Wait, I wasn't done yet. I also ordered the $6.99 Spam Musubi. There was a pair of them with thin slices of grilled Spam and way too much rice (photo: https://bit.ly/3IL0FQe). Time to get back to my little grass shack and probably do a few laps around it to ward off all those calories. FOOD - 3 stars...the chicken thighs were good, but the rest made me want to go back to Zippy's AMBIANCE - n/a...haven't been there but I hope the tiki vibe is there SERVICE - 3.5 stars...portions were generous TOTAL - 3 stars...hang loose, brudda RELATED - Hungry for Hawaiian? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: https://bit.ly/38V52G4 read more

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OMG, the "Garlic Shrimp and BBQ Beef" Combo Meal is hellya good! I had to order it today, just to remind myself how good it is so I could write this 5-Star review. They load you up on tender shrimp and thinly sliced beef, add a couple of scoops of rice, a scoop of macaroni, and toss in some green veggies and.....BAM! You got a delicious balanced meal.....proteins, carbs, and veggies. I picked Teriyaki Sauce, and poured it all over the shrimp, beef and rice. The thinly sliced beef has a strong rich flavor. The shrimp are tender and easy to eat. Not all Hawaiian BBQ places are the same. This place serves up meals that will fill you up! Located in a strip mall on High St near International Blvd, in East Oakland. Off street parking lot. read more

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They delivered for my graduation lunch at Cal. It was a stressful day for me. I wanted to please my guests--I had a bunch of guests because I was giving the commencement speech (yasss humble brag). I mean about 20 guests so I had a pretty big order. But the food from iLava Hawaiian Barbecue was pretty yummy, came nice and warm and really good handoff with the delivery person - thanks for calling several times to look for where the heck we were in the campus. You're awesome. read more

I truly love this place..the food is great and the staffs is awesome..Nicole is extremely very friendly and welcoming. I truly recommend this place if you are looking for a great food or catering service in the bay. Nicole is the best . read more

I mean, what more could you want? This place hooks it up. Huge portions for a great price. My partner and I split a plate of the OG bbq chicken, we got some extra veggies for health, and I got extra Mac salad because I go goblin mode for it. It's my favorite I've ever had. But that's personal preference I have no clue on authenticity so don't come for me. I love this spot. It leaves you feeling fulfilled and is all at a great price. Thanks for hooking it up. read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - S03. Mixed Veggies S02. Macaroni Salad BBQ Chicken Meal - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

I had a craving for Hawaiian bbq and this popped up. Ordered through DoorDash, so I can't say how service was. I ordered the Kalbi ribs with rice and Mac salad. The ribs were very juicy, and good ratio of fat. The sauce wasn't too sweet or too salty, it went perfectly with the sides. The Mac salad is one of my favorites. It's just simple. I would order again from here. read more

So delicious! The winner for me was definitely the BBQ chicken. The chicken Katsu was good, but I personally liked the bbq better. Their Cajun fries are legit!! The cheeseburger tasted like a backyard bbq burger, but the fries and other Hawaiian food made up for it :) Super reasonable prices and they were so nice when I came in to pick up my order. read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

Still good! Perfect dinner pick up to go. Big portions, delicious, reasonable prices, and super quick service. When I'm ever in a bind and can't decide what to eat, iLava comes through in a pinch! read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - ##1. Chicken Combo, ##11. Garlic Shrimp & BBQ Beef, #BP1. Loco Moco - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

I was surprised by the poor quality of the food considering the high reviews. I don't think I will be coming back here. The chicken katsu was overcooked and dry-- it was hard and tasted burnt on some edges. The crab rangoon did not taste fresh at all but they were crispy. I do wish I asked for some sweet and sour sauce to dip these in. The cajun fries were your standard fries. The teriyaki and katsu sauce was definitely watered down so it didn't provide too much flavor. I did, however, get my food pretty quickly and couldn't complain about the price of food. The service here was pleasant. read more

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***4.5 Stars*** Haven't even made it to the actual store location yet, but ordered through Doordash twice in one week because the food was so damn scrumptious! If you know me, that's kinda rare. Twice in one week? But it was so GOOOOOD, bro! They had me saying "iLUVA" this Hawaiian bbq! Mmm. It was staff lunch week but we weren't really "staffed" enough to actually leave the office to pickup any food. *Inserts Doordash here*. Doordash saved the day for us. We looked to see what we could order and all of the food pictures from iLava looked mouthwatering. We ended up ordering a chicken katsu plate, garlic shrimp & beef combo plate, and bbq chicken musubi. I'm on a low carb diet... *ahem*... I mean a low carb "lifestyle" change, so I requested all veggies instead of rice and mac salad with my garlic shrimp & beef combo. All I can say is that these folks DELIVERED, mmkay? No pun intended! That BEEF was so incredibly tender, juicy, and flavorful. It came glistening in goodness and really didn't even need any bbq sauce with it (but I love me some bbq sauce!). The garlic shrimp was good too but a little too heavy on the garlic. I think whoever prepared it this time around may have a heavy seasoning hand because the garlic didn't seem this excessive in any of the pictures that I saw of the garlic shrimp on yelp. They gave me a ton of veggies to compensate for the no carbs. My employee had their chicken katsu and she really enjoyed it. I had a taste of it too, and it was perfectly crispy. I don't normally order chicken katsu when I get Hawaiian bbq, but I would definitely be down to order from here. We shared the bbq chicken musubi and damn was it tasty. Definitely different from your traditional spam musubi, but the bbq chicken was a refreshing twist. Food was so damn good that we ended up ordering from them again a few days later! This time three of us ordered food. We ordered the seafood bbq mix, chicken wings, salmon salad, and a guava smoothie. I had the seafood bbq mix with all veggies and it came with fried shrimp, fried island white fish, and bbq chicken. When I tell you that the fried shrimp and fish was friggin' amaaaazing, I am not playin'. Ish was so tasty. Too tasty. The seafood tasted fresh and not frozen like many Hawaiian bbq spots that I've been to, and the fried skin was perfecto! The bbq chicken was good but not great. A little fatty and a tad bit dry. I definitely prefer the beef over their chicken. They also forgot to provide me with bbq sauce for the chicken the second time around which probably would have helped. I didn't try the salmon salad, chicken wings, or guava smoothie, but both of my employees raved about how tasty everything was. The salmon in particular looked amazing. I would definitely like to try this next time around. I loved the fact they paid attention to the all veggie and no rice/mac salad detail. I rarely ever order for delivery because it seems like there are usually always mistakes. iLava did an excellent job in preparing the food the way that we asked for it. This gives me hope in ordering for delivery more often. BUT... the next time that I visit this place will be at the actual location. I can't wait to work my way around their menu. Looking forward to many more scrumptious meals from here! Nom nom nom! read more

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We kicked New Year's Eve and New Year's off right this year!!! aka, we stayed in, avoided the crowds, saved hella money, and ordered some delicious food from iLava! As you get older, the idea of going out starts to get less and less appealing. Therefore, this year for New Year's our friends decided to stay in and cater dinner! I stumbled upon iLava on EZ Cater and their menu had exactly what I was looking for - some good comfort food, plenty of protein, and easy to eat appetizers! They also kept it simple and had an option for 25 people, which was perfect! Food was delicious and I received so many great compliments! I was especially pleased with the Katsu because it is really difficult to keep fried and crispy items crispy by the time it is delivered, but they did a great job! The mac salad was also soooo good - that was the first dish that disappeared. If I had to say one negative thing, it was that they gave wayyyyy too much rice! I didn't want to throw it away..you know, food waste and stuff.. so I ended up with about a dozen frozen blobs of rice in my freezer. But you also kinda can't have too much frozen rice either..so not really a con. Great and on-time delivery...I will definitely be back for more catering!! read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - Catering Order - Crab Rangoons, Egg Rolls, Rice, Spam Musubi, Katsu, Kalbo - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

Sadly there isn't that many good spots that serve Hawaiian bbq, but this spot is so delicious, I ordered garlic shrimp and steak with a side of bbq chicken, and my boyfriend got #8 aloha mix, everything was so gooooood, the only negative about this spot is the area is very crowded and it's hard to find parking. read more

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It's funny how 20 years will change a Neighborhood!! I used to live in the Ilava hood when I was a kid... I used to roll in my Bro's 1970 Caprice Coup with True Spokes and Hydraulics!!! My Bro Juan would almost drive with his Bandanna over his eyes LoL. I found parking in the ILava lot fairly easy. There is a Roving Security Guard watching the Cars in the parking lot. I rolled into ILava and was impressed how Clean it is . I perused the Menu and Ordered Curry Chicken Katsu and Got my free Soda for Checking into Yelp !!!! I paid by Credit Card!! I grabbed a table to wait for my food. 10 Minutes later my number was being called . I claimed my food and was very happy when I opened my food container and saw the Heathy Portions of Chicken Katsu with Curry Sauce!!! The Flavors were there !!! Nice Fresh Ingredients!!!! It was a great meal!!! ILava is a Baller On a Budget Approved Establishment!!!!! read more

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I love their Hawaiian BBQ . The teriyaki chicken, the barbecue chicken, the fish is all so good. The sweetness of the teriyaki matches so well with the fresh chicken. I can tell the chicken is fresh. I've ordered here many times and each time it always taste fresh. The breaded fish is so flaky and tastes like good fish should. Whenever I think of Hawaiian BBQ this is my first go to read more

Hands down the best garlic shrimp! Saw iLava Hawaiian BBQ food truck at Fremont Street Eats a few times but I was never able to order anything because the line was super long whenever I got there. This time around I went early and was the first to order. I ended up ordering the garlic shrimp and bbq beef combo. If you haven't tried this then you're missing out. Portions here are huge for the price. The bbq beef was tender and juicy. The garlic shrimp was good. It was kind of a little heavy on the garlic side but was very flavorful. Overall, the food was very delicious. Can't wait to try out the other dishes. read more

iLava Hawaiian Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

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