The lunch teriyaki dishes taste like they are made from scratch. My favorite is the BBQ chicken, the mini is plenty for me, and I'm not small. My wife had the garlic chicken an raved for an hour after. Two people full on lunch for less than 12 dollars. Great stuff. And I am a big time fan of Musubi sushi. Big time yum read more

Noodles for the beef ramen were a little too soft but the soup was good. The beef bowl is exactly like it sounds. A bowl of beef and rice with a couple carrots and broccoli scattered here and there. The beef bowl was pretty good but then again, it's probably the simplest thing to make. Three kitchen fires later, I think even I could make it. I could see myself eating here again. read more

Love this place so much! Such a hidden gem! Being from Hawaii there is so much food I miss from home that I wish I could have in San Diego and this place makes me feel like I'm home again. Not only does it have all the best local food, it actually tastes like the way they make it back home. I'm going to have to try my hardest not to eat here every day. I highly recommend it. read more

Located a little Hawaiian spot and ate here with my lil' Happa nephew. Good taste and inexpensive. I'll come back here. Friendly service.

I've got to say that I have never seen a fusion of Korean and Hawaiian food ever before. Needless to say, I was intrigued by the concept, and after having passed by Ipo BBQ countless times, I finally tried it out. I wasn't especially hungry, so when I looked at the menu I just ordered the standard BBQ chicken bowl, and I immediately realized my mistake. This is a Korean-Hawaiian place, and I should have ordered the plate which had macaroni salad (which I love), and which would have made my meal more complete. Instead, all I have to review is a bowl of chicken and rice. And boy do they give you a lot of chicken and rice. It's enough to feed 2 people, and if you're only eating the chicken and rice it's pretty easy to get tired of eating it after a while. The rice is standard rice, and the BBQ chicken was nice and tender, though a little bit over-sauced and salty in my opinion. Not amazing, but not bad. They only give you a few measly pieces of broccoli and carrots that serves as the vegetables. Overall, it didn't feel like I was trying interesting new things, and I rather felt like I was missing out on the variety of food they have to offer. I look forward to trying this place out again though since it seems like they over a lot of interesting things, and it's such a unique concept that's not offered anywhere else in the local area (plus, the people here are pretty nice). I want to try the boba drinks, spam musubi, and any of the other dishes that they offer amongst other things. read more

IPO BBQ is a tasty place. I have had a few things here and mixed results which is why I gave the four star rating. I will say this though the Spicy Pork is amazing. Great flavor, good amount of spice and I get the large size so I get a second meal out of it. The macaroni salad is delicious too. I think this place may have actually made me want to watch Alvin and the Chipmunks too since it was on 3 out of the last 4 times I was there... read more

Came here randomly because I was wanting some hawaiian bbq. It's just about the same as L&L - same type of menu, portions, flavors, etc. Nothing really surprising o to-die-for here. I would probably come back if there was nothing else to try around here. read more

Better than L&L! The katsu was really moist and tender. I wanted a short rib plate mixed with chicken katsu but they didn't do that. My brother had fried garlic chicken which was super moist too. The macaroni salad tastes just like L&L's. read more

Spicy pork over salad? Yes please! I would have honestly passed by this place over and over if it hadn't been for a coworker suggesting it. And of course I'm going to have the Spam musubi! If you're craving island food in Poway, it's an option. read more

Their spam musubi and the chicken katsu here is delicious!! It's a hit and miss on wait times here, some days slower than others. Reasonable prices too! Lots of table and seating available. Parking is easy as well. read more

5 stars for the sweet lady that's working the day I came here. Very accommodating and thoughtful as she gave me extra gyoxa cause I can't eat rice/noodles the day I came in. I had the chicken Katsu combo which is no different to any place that offers the same thing. Overall I'm glad this place exist in Poway so I don't have to drive far to get my Hawaiian food fix. read more

I don't hate this place, and I don't love this place...it's actually pretty decent. I'm not a hater of L&L bbq, but at times the meat is really dry and I end up taking a few bites of it before trashing it. I ordered the bbq beef combo to go and it was definitely not dry, in fact it was a bit too wet. When I got home with my styrafoam box of food, the bag that was holding it also held a big puddle of meat juice that had leaked from the box, which is definitely not cool, since now I had to basically eat from the bag so that the juice that was on the bottom of the box would not get all over the place. When I opened the box, the white rice was now brown as it had soaked up a lot of this juice. As a lover of white rice, this was a big no-no. I like to my rice as a side dish to contrast the other foods that I'm eating, not have it act as a sponge for the various juices that come from the meat. Other than that, the meat and macaroni salad tastes like what you would expect from a Hawaiian BBQ joint. I'm open to trying this place again, but hopefully the next time I won't end up with a lake in my bag. read more

I've tried this place a couple times and I thought the food was good. I'm not a huge fan because I think the food is too refined. Not a lot of fresh healthy options. Just wish they has steamed veggies or something. read more

Second time trying this spot. I really do like to try and support local business'. I feel bad but kinda agree with other people on driving an extra 15 mins to get L&L BBQ. Portions aren't very big and over all taste is just "okay". After I ordered my food I did notice the place can definitely use some deep cleaning. If the dining area looks like that I'd hate to think what the back looks like. read more

It's hard to eat at a hawaiian BBQ restaurant without comparing it to L&L. But I have to say that the portion sizes and quality of meat and poultry are way better than L&L. My family and I ordered the following: Special BBQ Combo (BBQ short ribs, beef, and chicken), Fried Garlic Chicken, Pineapple Orange Chicken and spam musubi. The short ribs had a good amount of meat on them and the beef and chicken were tender. In short, the Special BBQ Combo plate was delicious! The Fried Garlic Chicken was a little too garlic-y for me but my aunt loved it. Dipping the chicken in teriyaki sauce, however, helped to off set the saltiness. The pineapple orange chicken was yummy if you like tangy flavors. Lastly, the spam musubi was awesome. Unlike L&L, Ipo BBQ wraps the whole spam and rice in the seaweed. :) Btw, their macaroni is awesome as well. Overall, I enjoyed my experience and I will definitely recommend this place to family and friends. It was clean, the customer service was great, portion sizes are huge for the price (you could share a regular plate with 2-3 people depending on your appetite), and the food was delicious! You will surely see me here again! P.S. Top off your hawaiian meal with some shave ice just a couple streets down (Wahine Shave Ice in Scripps Ranch)! :) read more

If you have tried L&L and liked it at all you will LOVE this place. I try and eat here as often as I can. I highly recommend the chicken combo (bbq chicken and chicken katsu) and the bbq chicken plate. They give you a huge portion which is hard to finish great for the price. Not the cheapest but I don't mind paying an extra couple dollars for the best hawaiian bbq around. read more

First time here, this is a Hawaiian barbecue fast food looking restaurant. I had number 5, the barbecue short ribs and number 25 the garden salad. The salad has their own dressing -- so so. Overall, I'll be back. read more

Great little Korean owned Hawaiian place. Chicken teriyaki is very lean and so flavorful! Kalua pork is my husband's favorite and the chicken cutlet is also really good. Each meal comes with rice and macaroni salad. Much much better than L&L Hawaiian! The portions are also really generous for a great price. read more

Big place with good service. The food was tasty too. We went to watch the SDSU basketball game. They were nice enough to let the band play at halftime. They were also very good to our children. read more

You can never go wrong here. We usually get a large combo plate and a small plate and share among my family of five. The portions got a little bit smaller since these new owners took over, but the taste is still delicious. I highly recommend the spam musubi as well. Everything tastes delicious and the service is always friendly. read more

Waited at the counter no employees around so I left. Boo! Was looking forward to some barbecue, be aware though it's not southern style, it's Asian, but I like Asian but was looking forward to a bbq sandwich and this they didn't have on the menu. read more

The kalua pork was SOOOOOO disgusting! It was extremely BLAN, but salty as fuckk at the same time. It was so watery and sloppy, my rice was beyond soaked. Not appetizing at all. I only chose it because i wanted to try something new and it said it was a "favorite". The meat was served at room temperature..did i mention it came out in 2 minutes? It was inedible, my boyfriend thought it was too he literally had the runs when we left and still has a gnarly stomach ache(it's 9:51pm and we ate there around 5). He ordered the bulgogi beef and thought it was good at first out of hunger.....IM PISSED I WASTED 20 bucks for such a disgusting meal. I hate leaving places unsatisfied!! I would never recommend this place to anyone, and i hope they open a decent restaurant asap. Ipo bbq has got to go....i will post somw pictures up. read more

Ipo BBQ - My disgusting watery kalua pork! Bf currently sick from his bulgogi bowl ignore everything after "gross" - Hawaiian Near Me - Poway, California

Fast, not overtly friendly, but the food was good. I had the bbq beef plate and it was loaded with beef and had a good flavor.

Service is pretty slow but it's right next to a big lots, so you can get your savings on while you wait for the food! The workers are very nice and helpful for the most part. I always get the seafood combination plate. It's a lot of food, but if you are doing to eat Hawaiian bbq, there really is no healthy way to do it, so might as well go big! It is a little pricey compared to other foods, but you pay for the amount you get! read more

I really like this place. The food is good, and better than L&L in my opinion. I have ordered the Kalua Pork, Garlic Chicken, Garlic Shrimp, Udon, Spam Musubi, and the rice bowls and never once had a complaint. The price is reasonable, portions good, and service is great. Everything is cooked fresh so it does take a few minutes but if you eat in, the employees bring your food out on real dishes. The ambiance is good too, with Hawaiian themed music/movies playing on the big screen and surf decor. read more

L&L has nothing on this place. Awesome katsu, ramen bowls, and small lunch bowls. Best Mac salad around.

I have eaten here a few times and the quality of food has not failed me. I stumbled upon IPO one night as I was driving home from work. I had a taste for BBQ and was not about to drive to Mira Mesa for L&L BBQ (nothing wrong with that place) but I was tired, wanted to grab something quick and head home. This is now my go to Hawaiian BBQ place!! read more

I give this place almost 4 stars, 3.75 to be exact. Friendly staff. Ordered the chicken combo and chicken Katsu meal, $11.25 plus tax. But dude, the smallest scoop of rice and macaroni salad ever... Enough said read more

I've been going here for years, and this is my favorite local place to grab food. I take all of my friends here, and it's become their favorites too. I go to school up in Orange County, but whenever I'm home I make sure to go here every time. I haven't been able to find any Hawaiian place that's as good. Their bbq beef, macaroni salad, mahi mahi, and spam masubi are my absolute favorite, especially when all dipped in their katsu or teriyaki sauce. The staff that works here are the sweetest, and often remember me when I come in. I would recommend this place to anyone and everyone. read more

Delicious Hawaiian style BBQ! I got the kalua pork plate that included rice and macaroni salad. The kalua pork was juicy and extremely tasty. The smaller portion size still was a generous portion and I couldn't imagine what the regular size would have been. read more

I work near Ipo, and after going once, I made it a staple in my weekly lunch routine. Their spicy chicken bowl is extremely flavorful, and very reasonably priced. It is also a lot of food for the money, but if you want more, then you can get their large plate, which isnt that much more money. All in all, the portion options are great, the food is great, and the family that owns and operates it is very hospitable. A+++ read more

Its just a hole in the wall but what fantastic food. Highly recommend the bbq meat combo.

Have tried L&L and IPO BBQ and they are both about the same. It is a nice place to go for a quick lunch. But it is not a place to take a date. Unless you want them to leave you. But it is quick and not to bad. I will be going again for lunch. I just won't recommend to my Yelp friends. read more

Stopped in with 4 year old, who loves soup and noodles, we ordered the Beef Ramen and Spam Musabi. The service was with a smile and friendly, price was fair and qualityi was good for this area. I would come back often for a quick fix of Hawaii / Asia comfort foods. read more

Unfriendly staff. Rap music not appropriate and too loud. Not real clean Rice over cooked mushy. Portion size was good but can't recommend for the money. read more

The food is here is delicious... got the bulgogi bowl and kalua pork. Also 5 stars for their customer service, someone with me has some dietary restrictions and when they ordered there was a misunderstanding regarding an ingredient they couldn't have, when it came out they were apologetic and instantly made something else for her. It was awesome, nowadays you don't get that type of service. read more

Really enjoyed their BBQ Chicken Teriyaki plate and Beef Bulgogi bowl. The bowls and mini plate portions are the perfect amount for a quick lunch. The only disappointing item I've ordered there was the chicken katsu plate which was over cooked and dry that day but based on other reviews will have to give it another chance. read more

We have been wanting to try this place for some time, and were pretty disappointed. First the people working there weren't very friendly and they have signs everywhere telling you what you can and can't do. The place isn't very clean, even though in the bathrooms they ask the patrons to keep it clean. I wondered when the last time they were cleaned. Anyway, we thought if the food is good, we can overlook the other stuff, which is somewhat minor. The food came out and the portion size was ok. I had the fried garlic chicken and it was pretty tasteless other than a powdered garlic flavor. The breading was pretty dull and unappealing as well. Some seasoning would have been nice. The mac salad and rice were pretty good. I didn't finish my meal, other than the rice and mac salad and didn't bother to take the leftovers home, which is very unusual for me. I just didn't think it was worth it nor did I want to eat it later. read more

Everything I have tried is excellent. The bulgogi is super yummy. All of the bowls are filling. I love that the food is made once you order. Not that it's sitting under heat lamps. The ramen is a great choice when you're feeling sick. There are pieces of meat in it with a few veggies. Broth is delicious. Ramen is always tasty. Overall I love this place. Stella is always friendly and greets you with a smile. 8) read more

Came during lunch time and it was empty so I was skeptical. I ordered the mango slush boba and short rib came which came with rice and Mac salad and my bf ordered the chicken combo and spam musubi and went to sit down. When she brought out my plate the short rib had huge portions I loved it and the mango boba slushie was so refreshing and the boba I could tell was newly made. The Mac salad was so good I could compare this to l&l and this place was way better the portions were bigger and their Mac salad was definitely good if not better than l&l's. I tried my bf's chicken Katsu and it was so good! Also better than l&l in my opinion he says they also tasted better. This place is the bomb! The spam musubi was well made too! I usually have the seaweed coming apart and have to eat the whole thing at other places but this thing was easy to take in small bites and the portion was also bigger. Will definitely recommend this place! read more