I went here because my dad is in the hospital and I needed to eat. My sister and my nephew had gone the day before and she highly recommended it and said the place was good. The next day I went for the first time, I was in a hurry and I only had 20 minutes to be back at the hospital. Although I wanted shrimp and or a fish that was going to take 20 minutes to make it and I did not have that to give. The cashier lady said that the barbecue beef would be the fastest thing to make so I went with that. I ordered two. I got that in about 10 minutes and I was able to rush back to the hospital in time. Later, I was eating this on my way home and while driving and can I tell you that this was GOOD. I really wish I was sitting at a table to eat it because I just wanted to chow down, but I could only take quick bites at lights so I was very sad about that. The next day, I decided to stop by again because if you find something good, no need to go somewhere else. This time, I was with my mom and based on the pictures on the wall, she chose the Hawaiian fried rice mix and we decided to share it. There was so much food. We were both able to eat and each had leftovers to eat the other half the next day. The food is really good and I will definitely be back. Not only is it good, they give you a lot and the price is not too outrageous. Highly recommend. read more

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Oh I loved this place.. after going to Hawaii and knowing what it should taste like I can confidently say this place is authentic!! They have all the dishes I missed from loco moco, to curry and everything in between.. everything was delicious! Portions are great too! They have a poke bar too! I didn't try it but my friend did and said it was delicious.. They have plenty of seating, all booth seating the tables move if you need more space on one side.. the restaurant is spacious and cutely decorated. Perfect for family and friends kids too! 10/10 would recommend and would come back! read more

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The price! The price point and the amount of food that you get, is really unbeatable. You don't leave hungry. The food itself is good. It's not the best Hawaiian I've had; It's not the best Hawaiian I've had in the area, but it's pretty good. Overall this is a good place. If I lived in the area, I would go again. But I'm not in the area; it's not the type of place I would go out of my way for. read more

Kaua Hawaiian Bbq - Kalbi, shrimp and chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Riverside, California

You walk into the restaurant and it is very quite with booths. The food is fresh and delicious. Chicken Katsu is my favorite. The crispy crunch on that is amazing. Also the shrimp appetizer is great paired with thier curry sauce. The family comes here for our Hawaiian fix. Food is consistently great and employees are amazing. read more

Kaua Hawaiian Bbq - Chicken Katsu Plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Riverside, California

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Good food. I got the chicken katsu. I didnt get the sauce that comes with it. I think they forgot it? But the portions are big. The inside place was nice. The food came in a timely manner and the woman who took our order was friendly and gave us a recommendation. read more

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The food here is delicious savory flavors, it's not supper processed like at the main chain Ono. Nicest servers and the place is always clean no matter how busy it is. Highly recommend over other Hawaiian spot read more

The service was good for the poke. But the grill order took a long time. I was done with my poke before my nephew got his plate. The poke was lacking in flavor. The sauces were not enough. But I did appreciate all the toppings. The Hawaiian bbq plate was great. The meat was cooked to perfection. read more

Kaua Hawaiian Bbq - Poke bowl - Hawaiian Near Me - Riverside, California

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The food from this restaurant is amazing! They have a big selection of plates, and I got the Seafood BBQ Mix. The food was very tasty and was a huge portion (so much meat and can last two meals!). It did take a while to get the food, but it was worth the wait. Just wished they do make it more clear if we go up to get the food or if they will bring it to us when we sit in to eat. read more

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amazing and friendly service. good and peaceful ambiance. even better food! the place is very nice and clean. we got the hawaiian house special fried rice which comes with chicken, beef, and shrimp as the protein. all rice plates come with sweet pineapple, corns, green onion mixed in. the plate was loaded and full of protein in each bite. for $13.59 you cannot beat it! great portion especially for the price. doesn't come with any sides but it doesn't need them. it is the perfect combination of sweet and salty. not too oily, not under seasoned, not cold, just perfect. we also shared the hawaiian bbq mix plate that comes with macaroni salad, rice, and steamed vegetables (under the meat) as sides. the proteins are bbq chicken, bbq beef, and kalbi short ribs and you get all that for $15.99!! the meat is all well cooked and seasoned. the macaroni salad was very delicious and not sugary or sweet like other places. it was the perfect salad...i just wish there was more of it haha! would be awesome if sides were two scoops or just a little bit more. the steamed veggies were also delicious. nothing ordinary about them because they are just places under the proteins so they soak up the juices and are perfectly steamed. rice is amazing too! even tasted better than just regular white rice made at home. employees are busy but ready to help if need be. they have self serve sauce stations which was very cool! i really enjoyed the curry sauce with the rice and the teriyaki with some of the protein (even though they are perfect without sauces also). they also have a poke bowl station which seems so yummy and fresh. it is also a good price at $13.95 for a small with 2 scoops, $15.95 for medium 3 scoops, and $17.89 for a large with 4 scoops. also a plus is that they gave free refills for dining in. only con i can think of is some of the meat being too tough/chewy. i think it was the beef. when i would get a piece with the rice it would be too chewy to eat but i think it was probably just connective tissue (?) it just made me spit out a lot of the smaller meat pieces. just part of eating meat i guess but my mom agreed it was a bit too chewy/full of fat. however, would love to come back and try the seafood plates, a poke bowl, and to have more macaroni salad!! read more

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In my opinion, the best Hawaiian BBQ in the area. It's a little nondescript (the building and the strip mall space is obviously old), but the inside is clean and well kept. Pretty big menu with your usual classics, albeit without the trendier non-Hawaiian stuff at certain places farther out toward Rowland Heights. Not a big loss imo, since what they do offer, they do really well :) I've been twice and tried the classic chicken, short ribs, spicy chicken, and fried fish. Everything was really flavorful, well marinated and fresh. Their teriyaki sauce is super addicting-- It's sugary but also does have a flavor besides purely sweet. And the seasoning they have at their tables is amazing; I think it might be some kind of ramen seasoning or a blend. It's really nice that you can swap out the rice for another serving of veggies or mac salad! read more

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If you were in the Riverside area this is a spot to go to if you're in the mood for Hawaiian food don't go to those other fast food run-of-the-mill Hawaiian spots this one is it I am telling you as one big black boy to another this is the spot you want to go to. one little thing to be aware of their prices advertised on their menu are not the prices in which you are charged so just be aware of that it said 12.99 for my meal it was 15.99 don't worry though the mill portions are worth it this is the spot you want to go to and support. read more

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Okay okay first I was so confused cuz I searched this place up and I thought this was ono Hawaiian and I was like this ain't the place but turns out it was ahahaha. Sorry for the mistake :((( The inside has I meant lots and I mean lots of seating. Wasn't the freshest inside but it was also open where you can see them cook!!! Service was still pretty quick and nothing to consoling about honestly. The food was sooooooo good. I couldn't finish it and I had leftovers. Went home and was gonna eat it later but my family ate it and asked where I got it cuz they thought it was bombbbb. Their words not mine but it was good!!!! Ngl I was sad that they ate my leftover cuz the meat was sooooo good. I personally like the beef more than the chicken and I do love my chicken but the beef was better for me. Idk but it had a really good flavor and I'm definitely gonna come again!!!! read more

Kaua Hawaiian Bbq - Hawaiian Near Me - Riverside, California

Came here because I was craving poke and this was the closest spot to me. I was surprised by how affordable their food is! They have a variety of different Hawaiian plates but I went for the poke (plus it was 30% off!). I got a medium bowl which came with 3 proteins. The scoops were kinda small but the 30% off made it worth it. Even if there wasn't a discount, I would come back to try their Hawaiian bbq plates! read more

Kaua Hawaiian Bbq - Hawaiian Near Me - Riverside, California

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This little hole in the wall restaurant is my favorite local Hawaiian place! It's such a little unsuspecting gem. While the interior is large with ample seating, it honestly looks a little run down and outdated, but that's how you know the food is going to be life changing... Service was wonderful. The lady who helped me was very sweet and let me swap out the rice for veggies or another scoop of mac. Super kind and accommodating. When you get your order, definitely try the table seasonings and self serve sauces. I think the reddish seasoning is an addictive spicy ramen powder and the teriyaki sauce is like 90% sugar and seriously delicious. Even plain though everything already comes out well-seasoned. Loved the crispy fish (no fishy taste or smell) and creamy mac salad. If you like bold flavors and Hawaiian food, I'd definitely recommend stopping by! The menu is huge and there's something for everyone. read more

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I was there to do a pickup I have a family in the hospital down the street and man I was in a rush to get back and they forgot to put me a fork or at least some chopsticks but nothing I did not notice until I ready to eat. My poke had no spicy mayo which I ask and it had no flavor it was so disappointing read more

Been here a few times and continue to truly enjoy the food I get. There can be some language barriers depending who is working the front desk so be mindful of that and simply just point to the printed menu and things will move nicely. Food is always a large portion. Always have leftovers. Can't go wrong with their sides. read more

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Im so glad this place opened up. This place is my family's go -to Hawaiian food for dinner. The vegetables are cooked nicely and the chicken and beef is so tender and juicy. Mac salad tends to be a hit and miss for me, but i really like how their mac salad tasted! It tastes better than ono hawaiian's mac salad. Yummmmmmy! read more

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One of the best take out Hawaiian bbq I've had in a long time. Their family meal provided a generous portion of food. I especially enjoyed their chicken and beef teriyaki. It was so good. The katsu was also good. This was also my first time trying fried shrimp and it was huge and tasty. And of course, the biggest test on what constitutes a delicious hawaiian bbq place is the mac salada and I absolutely LOVED it. I don't have any insite on the store itself or service as my sister purchased the food for the family and I was lucky enough to partake. I wish they had a location in LA, closer to where I live! It's far better then the chains we have. read more

I had a craving for some chicken katsu and ordered for pick up. You'll receive a notice that your order is made fresh so could be minimum 25 minutes to be ready. The katsu is crisp, definitely fresh. My only feedback would be the chopped cabbage. Didn't really taste like it was complementary to the katsu than a steamed cabbage leaf. read more

Kaua Hawaiian Bbq - Hawaiian Near Me - Riverside, California

I had a large to go order that I didn't get a chance to call ahead. They were able to put it together fairly quickly and were super helpful and attentive. When I was there, there wasn't many people eating, but they had a lot of seating areas available. read more

Tried the poke today and loved it! I got the 3 scoops salmon, scallop, and shrimp and everything tasted super fresh. Mixed with eel sauce and their poke sauce, it was so flavorful! I'm so glad they offer poke now, now i can try 2 foods in 1 place Love it! read more

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TL;DR: What you expect for average Hawaiian food. It's good if you're hungry. Portions are good size. We found this place in our way back to LA from the desert. Hawaiian food sounded good and this place got good reviews. We had a large group so we figured food was going to take a long time. Not sure how long they've been open but they were running a buy two entrees get a free Katsu or bbq chicken entree free. Good deal as prices are a little higher than I thought for Riverside. Mixed bbq plate was $16. I paid $14 for the same thing in Irvine. Food was what you expect for basic Hawaiian food. The bbq mixed plate was good but like any other I've had. We also got a Hawaiian fried rice and that was good, especially the shrimp. The free Katsu plate had a lot of Katsu but daughter said it was ok just like any other. Brother got the loco moco which is a staple at these Hawaiian places. Patties were good sized but they actually forgot the gravy. The worker said the gravy might be in the bottom but it wasn't. They actually asked if they wanted gravy. Wasn't that the point of asking why there wasn't gravy? So they gave him some gravy on the side and it was a container the size of those plastic salsa cups they use at Mexican fast food places. This is some details they are lacking. The spam musubi is what you expect at these places: over over stuffed with rice to make them look big. Spam tasted like spam when some places give you a tastes of teriyaki. Overall this place is ok. Basic Hawaiian food but like any other. It's ok. read more

Food was great! A lot bigger portions to chain-restaurants for the same price (9/10). Spam musubi is just rice with sauce and spam (5/10). J posted my receipt. The staff are friendly and hard working. Very chill environment and family friendly. My new Hawaiian bbq spot! So glad I found this local spot! read more

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Very plentiful in portions and tastes great. Service was good. Clean inside very chill.

First time and man let me tell you I will be going back again and again! The food was more flavorful than the food I had in Hawaii! Everything was so good, fresh and the portions are plentiful. If you like good Hawaiian food this Mom and Pop is great. read more

Kaua Hawaiian Bbq - Hawaiian BBQ Combo - Hawaiian Near Me - Riverside, California

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This is one of the best and most authentic Hawaiian restaurants I have been to. I have been to Hawaii, and this honestly feels like a little piece of Hawaii, like the best food trucks out there. We ordered takeout the first time and wow, it was amazing. I tried the shrimp, and on another visit I came back for the short ribs, and both were perfect. The shrimp had a well seasoned batter and was not overcooked, and the short ribs were incredibly flavorful and tender. The rice was cooked perfectly and the macaroni salad was so good. Do not forget the sauces either because every single one was amazing. Every time we go to Riverside, this is a must stop for us. read more

Found this little family owned spot thru yelp and read the reviews so decided to give it a try. Located in the same plaza as Taco Bell, Mama Mia and Nanay Gloria across Walgreens. The place is clean and decorated like a tiki room/Hawaii island party. The service was ok...I will say it was not the friendliest. There was literally no one in the restaurant and I made eye contact multiple times with the cook and the front desk and barely got any smile let alone a hello. I let that go tho...maybe they were tired but maybe work on the customer service skills for the future. The food is good I will say. Not sure if they cook all the time as you go, (or bc it was super slow that day so they had to) but they literally didn't make anything until I ordered it. So even tho it took a while to receive my food I appreciated it being fresh and made to order. We ordered a couple plates. The Hawaiian fried rice comes with pineapple, corn, chicken, beef and 4 shrimps. Everything was well seasoned and a huge portion, well worth the $13.99. I will say if there were a little more shrimp it would be even more perfect but then again there was also chicken and beef so that's a lot of food! I recommend this dish. Also it's something different from all the other staple Hawaiian places. We also ordered the garlic fried shrimp plate. I wish it was a little more garlicky, I kind of thought it was going to be like the garlic shrimp from Hawaii with like extra sauce and garlic, but the garlic is like dried into this shrimp. Still tasty, just not what I thought it was going to be. I would still order it again. The other two plates we got were the Hawaiian bbq plate and the bbq chicken. Both also were huge portions and flavorful. Kind of reminded me of Ono Hawaiian but the portion was more. I personally was not a fan of their Mac salad, but my dad loved it and ate all of it. The veggies were also very good, cooked and seasoned well. I'd come back again for the price, flavor and portion. read more

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When I tapped the 5 star symbol to start my review, Yelp replied, "Amazing!" Hey! They took the words right out of my mouth! For only being open approximately 2 months (I am writing this in January 2025), Kaua has charged onto the Riverside food scene with impressive vigor! They are located literally across the street from the huge (and getting bigger) main Kaiser facility in Riverside. With such strategic placement, earning the trust of all the employees and visitors is critical. And I have to say, "By George, I think they've done it." The solid reviews speak for themselves. Cute Hawaiian themed decor, plenty of seating for the lunchtime surge, friendly greetings from the employees, clean/neat interior, and a very compelling list of my personal, favorite foods offered at very manageable prices made a great first impression. But the clincher was the great food. I would have ordered one of everything if I might, but they were one step ahead of me, offering combo plates of 2 - 3 different entrees. Ordering this way was a must. Glad I did it. The Kaua Hawaiian Mix was my choice ($14.59). This combo has 3 smaller servings of proteins: bbq chicken, galbi short ribs, and fried fish. But I got even luckier. Chef forgot this plate had chicken and instead, gave me bbq beef. So to correct this, out came a plate with the MIA chicken. All I can say was YUM! It was all delicious. The servings are big. The plate comes with one huge, marinated chicken thigh, one Korean rib (3 bones) and two breaded, very crispy fish filets (white bass), all cooked to perfection. The (unexpected) marinated bbq beef was simply great, too. Very tender, tasty , nicely cooked. The plates include delicious cooked cabbage, one scoop of rice, and the predictable Hawaiian macaroni salad. A "must try" are their dipping sauces. The teriyaki sauce was a good one with a satisfying, gingery flavor. They have really raised the bar on quality for our local Hawaiian Restaurants, and made it incredibly difficult for me to proclaim any one entree as my absolute favorite. So I won't. Besides, I have so many more to try. (Here's looking at you Kahlua Pork and Chicken Katsu for starters!) They have Party Trays for big events. They offer Family Meal options for under $40 (serves 4-5) that give you a choice of three entrees plus sides. There are lunch-sized Mini Meals that really aren't that small, and they run under $9. You can't go wrong. Now, plug in a little soothing, Hawaiian musical background and we have a total winner! I am definitely looking forward to returning. read more

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Generous portions on their mini plates, and we loved the convenience of ordering online for pick up. I felt that my teriyaki chicken was a bit too salty, but the chicken katsu was super crunchy! Overall, it was a good experience! read more

False ad. Stopped into take advantage of their offer. They would not honor it or recognize the sign they have in front. I don't like doing business with companies that lack integrity and have false advertising. read more

Kaua Hawaiian Bbq - Hawaiian Near Me - Riverside, California

A nice welcoming restaurant with killer chicken Katsu and scrumptious short ribs! They have a special spice at their tables called "Hot Spicy" that is really great on the rice, cabbage and macaroni salad. They are very welcoming and checked in on us to make sure we were okay and the music is just the right volume. It's not bad for kids and it is clean. read more

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My OBFF (Original Beat Friend Forever) and I were visiting another friend in Palm Springs and on our way back to OC to drop me off at the airport we decided we should stop for lunch. I hopped on Yelp and found Kaua Hawaiian. We got there and it was pretty quiet inside, only one person ordering in front of us and a couple of tables already had people. The guy taking our order was so patient while we tried to figure out what to eat. My friend is from Hawaii so I let her lead the ways. We ended up sharing a plate with extra mac salad, my favorite thing on a plate lunch! We got teriyaki beef and chicken katsu. It was really good and my part of lunch kept me full until hours later when I got back home to Las Vegas. It was our last little while together since we live a state apart and it was a nice place to visit more and relax. read more

Finally, a Hawaiian barbecue place closer to home and it was surprisingly good. Upon entering, the interior appeared clean and inviting with the colorful Hawaiian decor. The staff were very welcoming and took my to-go order right away, which took maybe between five and eight minutes. There is a sauce bar where you can help yourself. I ordered a No. 1 Barbecue Chicken and a Lemon Chicken plate. The reason for the four stars is that the cabbage (which I love) was pretty anemic in color and the texture felt as though it had been boiled. I like a cabbage that has been thrown on a grill or stir fried a little so that it has some charred bits , as well as an al dente texture. But overall, the chicken, rice, and macaroni salad was yummy and they were very generous with the servings. There's plenty of leftovers. I'll definitely be returning to try other menu items. read more

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Ordered the #1 and #7. Very large portions! Friendly staff. I'm not from the area but would definitely stop here again if I am passing through again. 10/10 read more

Service was very friendly. Giant portions! The 1 combo plate gave me 2 servings even when I shared with my pups. Food was delicious too.

Love this place! Feels like I'm back in Oahu! The poke tastes so fresh and good. The people that work here are so nice and welcoming. The vibe is just right - very aloha and smells like the islands. Will be here often! read more

Have been here a few times and every time the food is fresh and delicious. We haven't tried the poke from here yet but everything else so far has been great. Flavorful and our orders are always correct. My kids love the spam masubi. read more

I really wanted to try this restaurant out so I finally made my way there today with a friend after a tough Kaiser visit since it's right across the street. We were extremely hungry going in and were excited to try the food. Customer service was good the only disappointment here was the food. The chicken was a bit on the rubbery side and the beef and Kalbi short ribs had a lot of chewy fat. I know everyone likes their meats differently but this was just not it for me. read more

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I used to go to this place when it was originally a Ramen Shop. They rebranded to a Hawaiian BBQ place a few years ago. It's always been a solid spot! I go to it even more now since the rebrand. The Teriyaki Chicken, Chicken Katsu, and BBQ Beef are all delicious. I've also had the Hamburg Steak and Spam Musubi. You can't go wrong with anything here. I go here about twice a month. I'm not one to leave Yelp reviews, but I feel compelled to leave one for this place because it's a local business, and I think it's important to support it since it's genuinely good and has had to close down in the past. I'm worried, because there is an Ono Hawaiian BBQ being built across the street from Kaua, which I think is foul play. Kaua is way better than Ono. The portions are about the same, and the prices are way cheaper (The Hawaiian BBQ Mix plate at Kaua is INSANE value). I'm a pretty heavy eater, but I've been content with just getting the Mini-Meal for my lunch break which is a ton of food for just $11. You really can't beat that in this economy. I don't want to see this place fall under due to pressure from a chain like Ono poaching business from it, so please, continue to support Kaua! They have poke as well which they recently have added to the menu. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm just saying that to say that there's variety here. There can sometimes be a bit of a wait (10 - 15 minutes), but that's just because they're making all your stuff fresh. Your food comes out piping hot. Order ahead of time on their website if you want to save some time. They've always had my order ready to go at the estimated time of completion. read more

We were feeling for Hawaiian BBQ for dinner and decided to give Kaua Hawaiian Bbq a try. We ordered the house Fried rice and the ribs. The house Fried rice came with different proteins in it: shrimps, chicken and pork, I think? And the beef ribs came with some rice and macaroni salad. These are just simple yet staple food when you're feeling hungry and needed something to fuel you up! It was comforting, but our house Fried rice that night seemed to have been missing either a little salt or some seasoning! The smell and the color and the presentation was on point, but upon tasting it, it needed a bit more help! Adding a touch of soy sauce and the teriyaki sauce boosted the flavors a bit more. The ribs were a lot better compared to the fried rice. It was grilled nicely and the rice and macaroni salad pairs really well with the meat. We'd probably give this place another try and try the other dishes they have on the menu. The staff were friendly and efficient. read more

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