Jane A.

EXPLOSIVE AMOUNT OF FOOD (3.8 stars) - FOOD: good - PRICE: Groupon deal, worth it - SERVICE: excellent customer service - AMBIANCE: simple eatery Craving loco moco after going on a tiki boat tour. Came here with a Groupon deal of $40 worth of food for $22. Deal worthy. It's all the way in Poway in a plaza. The girl at the front taking orders was a rock star, she had stellar customer service regardless how busy it got. Give her a raise! LOCO MOCO ($18.99) - hamburger patties, sunny side eggs. Served with rice and mac salad. Their loco moco was just okay - I can make it better at home. One thing I noticed were the eggs were extra runny, nearly slimy. I wasn't impressed with the eggs and pulled them off of the burger patties. The patties were big but kind of dry and cooked well, might have been cooked a little more than they should as the edges curled. The glaze had a little sweetness to it like the Japanese demi-glace - for me I am more of a savory than sweet when it comes to gravy sauce. I think I liked the Mac salad the most out of this plate. SPECIAL BBQ COMBO ($23.50) - BBQ short ribs, beef, and chicken. served with rice and mac salad. I heard this was a popular item off the menu and I think it's because of the generosity of food given. It came with 2 short ribs, a bounce of beef and chicken. The short rib quality was not the best... a lot of fat parts making it hard to eat the meat. the chicken was average but the flavor on it was good. The beef was I liked most out of this plate. They were in shredded pieces and had really good flavor. This plate was better than my Loco Moco plate. RECOMMEND Overall, I think this is a great Hawaiian (kind of fast food) spot for those in Poway. Not sure if I'll be back because it's a bit far and although the size of the food was amazing the quality was ok. There are other Hawaiian spots to be had. Until the next review....

Susie T.

This is probably the best Hawaiian fast food I've had. I bought a groupon for 22$ for a value of 40$. Totally worth it! When i went it was completely empty, but at least it was very clean. I got a beef platter and a chicken and katsu platter. The chicken was excellent and the bulgogi beef was delicious! The katsu was meaty. Actually, the portions were huge, but they are about 3-5$ more than L&L or ohana and places of the likes. I got the malasadas. You have to eat them fresh. If only these were filled with custard or some kind of jelly, these would be perfect! I just couldnt give this place a 5 bc I really didn't like the mac. It tasted very vinegar- y. The rice also tasted like paste. I loved the meat! Fantastic! But the sides fell short. I would definitely come again. Especially with that coupon! Money worth!

Melodee Marie G.

Hawaiian food in poway! Very tasty and popular based on the amount of online ordering. There are kiosks to order food off of, or you can order with the worker. The restaurant was clean and tidy. Parking is plentiful. I do think the price is a little expensive, but for the quality I do think it is worth it. The rice scoops are the only thing where I really wish they offered more of. I'll be eating here again.

Catherine Z.

Such an adorable family owned spot! The service was outstanding, our server went above and beyond to help situate us. Love that they have lofi music playing in the background. The katsu was so incredibly crispy, and the mac salad was also refreshing! Will definitely be returning. Huge portion sizes for a good price

Michaela I.

Came here with family for dinner, it's a small restaurant, but was not busy when we went. We got the mixed bbq plate, bbq chicken and spicy bbq chicken plate, katsu chicken, spam and crispy spam musubis, malasadas, and two of the IPO island breeze teas. We all tried of bit of everything and overall really enjoyed the food, service was quick and restaurant wasn't super busy for 5pm on a weeknight. Highlights: crispy spam musubi and malasadas - the texture on the crispy spam with the sauce and rice was phenomenal. I loved the added crunch it gave the musubi. Malasadas were made fresh to order, they weren't filled with anything but were airy, sweet, and delicious all the same! I really enjoyed the garlic sauce that came with one of the bbq plates as well, added a good depth of flavor. Chicken katsu was fabulous, great crunch and the dark meat inside was tender. Also loved the addition of Furikake on the two scoops of rice for each plate. Cons: the meat on the mixed bbq plate was on the fattier side, making it a bit chewy. I didn't have too much issue with it but I know that can be a turn off for folks. The bbq chicken and spicy chicken tasted virtually the same to me, though flavor was good. Mac salad didn't taste like anything but mayo to me. We had a Groupon so this didn't bother me as much, but the prices can be expensive for those without it. Overall, I would totally come back and try some of the shrimp or other options on the menu, especially with the Groupon! Definitely getting the crispy spam musubi.

Paul Axel C.

Came by Ipo Hawaiian BBQ in Poway for a quick plate lunch. The food was okay overall -- nothing bad, just didn't really stand out. Service was nice. There was a screen playing with fireworks but it wasn't in Hawaii. Portions were decent and it has that classic Hawaiian plate lunch setup with rice and mac salad. Didn't really care for the locomoco. egg was a bit overdone. not enough gravy. If you're nearby it works for a quick bite, but it didn't quite give that "taste of Hawaii" I was hoping for.

Don B.

Ipo Hawaiian BBQ in Poway is the spot for all your Hawaiian food cravings. From mixed bbq, seafood, musubis and malasadas their menu has it all. I love the simplicity of their offerings from all your meats, sides and desserts. They also do catering for the large party orders. On this lunch visit I ordered my lunch consisting of the Chicken Katsu Plate as well as the Crispy Musubi. Both were fantastic leaving me full and satisfied. The Chicken Katsu plate was very good with crispy breaded katsu, katsu sauce, rice and mac salad. The portion was a good size and by the end I was full. But the standout for me was the crispy musubi, the textured on the crispy fried spam was delicious wrapped in the nori and seated on a bed of rice. Super tasty and I recommend if you love musubis. A great and convenient spot with great service and fantastic meal.

Krypton C.

Coworker and I wanted Hawaiian and found this new (to us) spot in Poway. We ordered the chicken katsu and mahi mahi plates to-go. Service was quick, food was freshly made. The crispy texture was evident and enjoyable, though the seasoning was on the bland side. That could be due to the lack of katsu and tartar sauces. They did provide spicy mayo as a dip, which was much needed. Furikake is a nice touch on the rice, but the macaroni was just okay. In summary, we are likely to select the closer L&L Hawaiian.

Jennifer L.

Haiku: IPO Hawaiian BBQ Large, hearty portions Chicken katsu is crunchy Grabbed a Groupon deal. --- It's nice to see a Hawaiian BBQ spot in the area. Large portions at decent pricing. The combo plates come with rice and mac salad. We ordered: - #2 Chicken Combo: it comes with BBQ chicken & the katsu chicken is where it's at. The breading was thin and crispy. We to-go the order and it was still crunchy when we ate it at home. You must try the garlic sauce with it. - #7 BBQ Short Rib: it was nicely marinated and had a great caramelized char. They were generous with the portions--there were at least 4 or 5 short ribs. The restaurant was decorated so festive for the holidays. The Stitch-themed blue Christmas tree and the candy canes hanging from the walls were such a cute touch. It's sweet that you can grab a candy cane for yourself and ask for a free Polaroid picture to be taken at the tree. Grab a Groupon to save money and try a new place. Service was friendly. There's plenty of seating inside and great for groups.

Art K.

Nice and comfy restaurant with nine tables for those who want to dine in, but most orders seem to be take out. You can order at the kiosk or at the counter. I've heard the portions are substantial and I wanted a dish with a smaller serving. I noticed a sign on the door offering a BBQ Chicken rice bowl with broccoli for $7.95 so I went for it. The chicken was tender and with the rice and broccoli it made for a perfect meal. I sat in the restaurant and had a peaceful lunch. Service was fast and friendly. If you're in the mood for "island style" grinds like spam musubi, kalua pork and cabbage or BBQ beef and chicken bowls, this is the place to visit in Poway. Stop in and check out their menu. I guarantee there will be something there you'll like. Aloha!

John M.

Hawaiian food done well! Ipo Hawaiian BBQ is a small shop located in Poway that serves some delicious hawaiian dishes! I often doordash from here when I'm craving a hearty meal and they have never disappointed! Chicken katsu is fried to perfection, teriyaki chicken is packed to the brim, and service never disappoints! One of the times I was eating in store, the owner slightly overcooked some katsu and ended up just offering it to us for free alongside our order, doubling our portion. It's clear they care about quality and taste at Ipo BBQ, so come here and give it a try!

Myphuong L.

My first time back since I heard it's under new ownership/management. I ended up getting the Special BBQ Combo #1 and Seafood Combo #3. The BBQ plate came with chicken, pork and beef with a side of rice and Mac salad. The seafood combo came w fried fish and shrimp. I also got 3 spam musubis. I have to say, the food blew me away. The portions are generous. The meats were flavorful and has a char without being burnt. The seafood combo was crispy. The spam musubis were proportional! Most places give too much rice to spam but here it's perfect enough take away from the saltiness. IPO has plenty of parking and lots of dining spaces to eat inside. I wanted to phone in my order but saw no phone number. When I asked, they said check IG. They have drinks that I'll have to try next time.

Christina A.

A little hidden gem. Pass by this place on a daily. I would've never tried this place if it wasn't for others recommendations. Sour: the mahi mahi was very good. The fish was light and the breading was very crisp. I just prefer LL Hawaiians more. I wish it had more flavor. Sweet: Good size portions. The chicken katsu was very good. The macaroni was flavorful. I like how they sprinkle furikake on the rice. I definitely will be back to try other items.