@fortunefoodfinds: "MOUTH-watering! A 2 meat combo plate: "spicy" garlic furikake chicken + tender…read moren' juicy braised beef shortribs served with rice n' a side of egg macaroni salad along with chili peppah watah for dipping from BROKE DA MOUTH GRINDZ in Kapolei. When on da west side, this place can't be denied!" SERVICE: fully staffed n' accommodating, asked if the garlic furikake chicken could be half spicy (so my son could eat the chicken too) n' at first they said that would be a 3 item plate but then understood that I wasn't asking for more chicken n' were able to do in addition to the braised beef shortribs INTERIOR: good amount of seating, merch available for sale EXTERIOR: have shaded table seating WAIT TIME: ordered right away, 20 mins for food to come out PARKING: free lot in front with plenty of spaces OVERALL COMMENTS: A 2 meat combo plate can easily feed two people. The spicy garlic furikake chicken is crispy, saucy, n' brings the heat. Give a good amount of pieces. The braised shortribs are so juicy, tender, n' flavorful...a must order. To add even more flavor, the chili peppah watah makes everything next level with a slight kick n' tang. The egg Mac salad is a nice balance to the whole meal. If you're looking for somewhere to eat in Kapolei, this is it!

I've been wanting to try this place for awhile, so when my colleague suggested we go for lunch, I…read morewas excited! This restaurant is super casual, where you order at the counter. The food ordered shows up in plastic containers and every table has a huge bottle of Chili Watah... staff is friendly and quick. In terms of food I went for the Garlic Furikake Chicken with a side of Mac salad. The portions are enormous here, enough to cover a couple meals! Taste was great, especially when you add some of the Watah to it. I ate as much as I could, but probably ate only three quarters of the dish. Later in the evening I was still full, skipping dinner. It's a good spot to go in Kapolei for some Filipino-Hawaiian Grindz!

great food with even greater service!! the wait was short and the restaurant owner is very nice,…read moredownloaded yelp just off how positive the experience was! 100/10 highly recommended

The world feels like it's burning up and falling apart lately. I'm home on O'ahu for the Summer and…read moredon't recognize where I am sometimes. So many old businesses are no longer with us. So you can imagine the pure joy I experienced when I walked into Gina's and recognized the banchan, size and char on meats, the smell, being surrounded by local families and friendly faces behind the counter. My heart leapt for joy seeing that I could have both fish jun AND kalbi and if I wanted I could've gotten a third choice. My eyes spotted a familiar side dish of seasoned potatoes, which I left it for the next person and got the daikon, perfectly seasoned not dry at all jap chae, and kim chi cucumbers. When I took my first bit into the kalbi, life was made good again. It was reset and welcome home I needed. It was a perfectly cut and marinated kalbi. The fish Jin was seasoned so well I barely needed to dip it into a sauce. The portions could have fed 2. I asked if they were related to the Gina's in Market City. Bro, this is the OG Gina's!! The owner said they sold the other one and his mom helped him start this one. It looked like the whole family was behind the counter. I wanted to cry. Not all things have changed in Hawai'i! Some things got better! OG Gina's being in Kapolei is one of em.

We got invited to dinner at Monkeypod Kitchen with a big group of friends and their families, and I…read morehave to say it was such a great experience. The food was absolutely delicious -- very flavorful and surprisingly quick to come out considering the size of our group. Our server was amazing. She was so friendly, attentive, and made everyone feel welcome and special. She explained all the specials very well, and when a few menu items ran out, she was very apologetic and accommodating. I especially loved the rib eye and all the sides that came with the entrée. Everything was packed with flavor and cooked perfectly. Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience with great food, great service, and a fun atmosphere. Would definitely come back again.

Eh, I think this place is hyped more than it should be. Service was ok... some delays in…read moreattentiveness for water refills, etc. The vibe is happening with live music, plenty of options for seating indoors or out. Food wasn't anything spectacular to be real. And prices were as to be expected for the location but truly not worth the meal. One and done, I'm good. Best part of the it all? Watching the train pass by!

Another fun night at Moani's! They had live music and karaoke tonight. The food is always great and…read moretasty. Definitely never a let down in that department. The service can be a bit slow when the place is crowded but that's expected. If you haven't already tried this spot, it's definitely a local food fav of mines! Updated with photos of tonight's food.

We came here based on a suggestion from our hotel staff they said it was great "local food" we were…read moreinterested and saw that they had fried rice on their menu so we were excited to try it. The vibes are good with live music but the music is LOUD so be prepared you have to talk pretty loud to hear the people at your table. The gluten free menu is available but it is limited. The server was fantastic about answering questions and honestly she was the best part of the meal. I ordered the edamame and shrimp fried rice my mom ordered the Caesar salad. The portions are LARGE plenty for 3-4 people to split let alone two. Caesar salad was standard and good from what my mom told me. Edamame- I probably would not order this again. It was fine, but I didn't love the seasoning blend on it personally there are other things I would be interested in trying. Shrimp fried rice- I was really excited to try this and I was really hoping that it would be excellent and it was OK. The shrimp was cooked well and the fried rice just felt like it needed some more butter and it was lacking some of the things that make fried rice, fried rice like a fried egg so overall not my favorite dish. The gluten-free menu was pretty limited on options for me to try so I would probably go to somewhere else to try and get fried rice in the future.

Just had my mom's surprise bday party here in their upstairs mezzanine area and it was amazing! I…read morebooked with Tessa and she was very helpful (and patient because I reply very slow lol). The booking was very straightforward, they don't charge a space rental fee as long as your party spends at least $1000 on food and drinks altogether. It doesn't have to be on one check, as long as it all adds up. We were able to decorate the area a bit for the party. Of course if you plan on partying here be wary of making too much of a mess or damaging things. Kiki then helped me preorder all the food for the party, and she also assisted with the surprise. Ashley was our server for the night and she did amazing! I was bothering her and Kiki and asking them questions all night and they were so nice and patient the entire time. Everyone was so kind and accommodating, it was as if they were family friends :) the speed of service was great too. I know we put the bartenders to WERK but the drinks still came out in such a timely manner. Finally, the food and drinks were BOMB. I've only been here a couple times before this, so I got to try a lot of items i haven't before at the party. Everyone was raving about the food! So many people who haven't been to DB grill before said they found their new spot. And if you like to drink, they have something for everyone. My grandma kept asking for more soju cocktails . The only thing I would warn about is that the AC is poppin upstairs, so bring a jacket. I would give 10 stars if I could. We love the DB grill crew!!!

**DB Grill was a mixed experience for a get-together with friends.**…read more The food was actually pretty good overall. We tried the wings and poke nachos, and both were solid. The portions were good, the prices were decent, and it's the type of menu that works well for sharing with a group. Service was okay. The staff wasn't overly friendly, but they were efficient. Parking was good, and the overall vibe was chill, though it did get a bit noisy. The biggest issue was the condition of the restaurant. The place felt pretty run down. The floors were very dirty, the seats were torn and patched with electrical tape, and the windows were so dirty that we actually thought the restaurant had shut down one day when we were walking by. The bathrooms were also pretty gross, even for a casual bar/restaurant. I wanted to like it more because the food itself was good, but the cleanliness and upkeep really took away from the experience. They definitely need to do a better job maintaining the place. I'd probably only return if I heard they had cleaned up and refreshed the entire restaurant.

Came for brunch at 10:30 a.m., no crowd at all! Friendly staff very attentive. Took our orders…read moreright away. I got laulau combination and mom got the squid luau combination. Laulau pleasantly surprised me as this was my first foray to Waipahu Highway Inn. Every time I got laulau at the Kakaako location the meaty (non fatty) parts of the pork was dry; this one was moist throughout, even in the meaty parts. Poi was good, especially mixed with the lomi salmon. Mom's squid luau was nice, came out hot, though it was a little sweet for her taste. The smoked meat was also a little sweet, though we know that's how they prepare it at H.I. Nice mix of smoky and sweet with the meat and onions. Finished with the haupia, which is standard and always dependable there. Like the old plantation feel and the old photographs of Waipahu all over the place, right down to the palaka decor. Every time I return I try to eat at H.I.

Always so satisfied with my visits. I do normally do takeout but keep in mind they charge a 5%…read morekitchen fee if you opt to dine-in.. a practice that seems pretty common nowadays. I'm not sure why they don't pool the tips or just raise the menu price but it is what it is. Service has always been warm and welcoming even when they were at their older location by McDonalds. I do love this location more than the Kakaako one. Stopped by yesterday for two tripe stew plates and to me, the to-go container containing the stew was a little small, but they were very generous with the pipikaula. Each plate was around $17 and it included rice, salad, and haupia. To me, that's still a very fair price. I had ordered online and my order was ready to go by the estimated time. The lot is extremely small and the spaces are tight so you may have to find street parking. They also have a points program so don't forget to sign up for bonuses and rewards.

I really enjoy Camille's Hawaiian Food, besides Hawaiian food, Camille's has local foods too! The…read morestaff is really friendly and there's entertainment here too! Its feels like eating at your friend's grandma's house, will this is how I feel, home comfort food vibe whenever I grab take out or dine in. Camille's Hawaiian Food is tucked all the way in Waipahu at Westgate Center, there are many shops here and it blends in but look for the wooden board out front with the daily specials. The prices at Camille's are reasonable and the portions size are great too, you really get bangs for your bucks here. I like they have the options of mini and regular plates. I've been here a total of 3 times, first time we tried the Hawaiian food, got take out, and most recently dined in and luckily we got some entertainment. We enjoyed the Hawaiian food, but I have to give credit to the other local foods we tried so far I got the pork chops with mushroom, garlic shrimp, crack chicken and smoked meat fried rice. Everything was tasty, really enjoyed it but just the crack chicken may be on the sweeter side, I would request for light sauce. The macaroni salad was fire! Rice cooked perfectly! There are many goodies in the fridge, pistachio cake, Ho'i'o salad, dried Aku, Opelu, Smoke Marlin, pickle onions, smoke tako, dried shrimp, drinks, and even Dubai chocolates! There are T-shirts, snacks, candies, chips for sale in front of cashier and towards the back of store. I love the color green and had to get a slice of pistachio cake, ($5.) what a treat, its been awhile since I last had pistachio cake. It was a huge slice, shared w/the hubby. It was yummy, so refreshing and moist. When I had my last bite, it got a little too sweet means I need to stop eating. hehe. Check out Camille's, support local. Oh I remember that the business is named after the owner's daughter.

We usually cater from Laverne's on NYE but my husband wanted to give this place a try. We had eaten…read morethere once so we trusted that our catering experience would be as good. Big mistake! We ordered 8 pans which came out to $842.00. A price we don't mind paying IF it was worth it. Lau Lau: Tiny, didn't see any fat and leaves were undercooked, taste was ok Squid Luau: This was the most disappointing of all! It had this weird watery taste, didn't see any squid and not much coconut milk. Pan was tossed. Rice: This is a no brainer since we are in Hawaii, unfortunately some of the rice was hard and brown at the top (looked like it was scraped from the bottom of the pot) Macaroni Salad: Very bland, had to add salt Kalua Pig: Taste was good (only winner) Smoked Meat: Only my husband liked it Chicken Long Rice: Another huge disappointment, it was really soupy, basically more liquid than noodles and chicken Hoio Salad: Some of the fern shoots were so tough and I found myself spitting them out Overall: For the price we paid, this was NOT worth it and we felt embarrassed for our guests. Back to Laverne's we go. You know that saying: If ain't broke don't try and fix it.

I was on my way to Shabuya and ended up finding this food truck along the way as a happy accident…read more As a casual daily helper, I'm always looking at Yelp to help me find my next meal, so naturally I've heard of Laverne's for a while. When I found this food truck, I immediately wanted to stop by and see what the hype was about. I visited about 30 minutes before closing. The only thing they had run out of was the chop steak and one other protein, which wasn't too big of a deal for me. My eye was on the beef stew. Growing up in a Filipino household, I knew this dish as "caldareta." My dad would make this for me all the time. I asked for a bowl to go so I could enjoy it for dinner later. The first bite instantly sent me back to my family's home kitchen, where I would come home from school and find a pot of beef stew waiting for me. What I love about Hawaii is that it has a blend of cultures that I truly appreciate as a foodie, and experiences like this feel like a nostalgia tour. Thank you for this delicious meal. It made me miss my mom and dad a little more than I usually do. Food not only nourishes us, but also brings us back to a moment in time. I thank Laverne's for that.

I always like Laverne's food truck when I was living in Kunia I used to go to the one in Waikele…read morethe food was good so today me and the wife had errands to do so we got coffee and Starbucks and stop at the Kapolei one by Home Depot wasn't busy so wifey go the combo A and I got the B both with rice she got a side of the beef stew, had one guy serving the food my plate had the Kalua pig and Squid luau was ono the only downfall was the rice I guess was the day old rice cause was but other than that food was good

Tanioka's will always be one of my favorite okazuya spots on the island. It's my go-to stop before…read moreheading to the beach on the west side or catching a soccer game. The line can get long, but there are always plenty of hardworking staff members keeping things moving efficiently. My favorites are the Spicy Ahi Tempura Bowl, lumpia, ahi patties, chow fun, and vegetable tempura. Honestly, everything I've tried has been delicious. Whether you're grabbing lunch for the beach, a family gathering, or just craving local comfort food, Tanioka's is always a solid choice.

Fish is always fresh. We return to the islands every year but not always to Tanioka's. I was…read moreshocked at the price of the fish which is fresh at $35.00 a pound. OMG --- the price/lb is less where we live but it' not as fresh. Tanioka's is organized if you're patient and willing to wait in line which almost everyone is. I'm not sure if I like so much merchandise from other businesses attracting us while waiting in line. The space is already small. The ambiance could be improved by downsizing on local merchandise. We are standing in line to purchase poke not other stuff. Consider refreshing that space. Service has always been good.

Food is great and fast service. The atmosphere is conducive for family gatherings and sports fans…read morefanatics.

Did 2 25 & 30 people dinners there and let's just say they were awesome. From checking in to having…read moreour 8 preorder combo5 ready and served within 10-15 mins after sitting. Continuous services from start to finish while having a full restaurant of customers to service as well. Mine and my guests were satisfied and walked out happy campers with full tummies.