What a magical experience today at Noelani's for my mom's birthday lunch. We couldn't take her to Hawaii, so we brought Hawaii to her! Made a reservation and the phone answerer kindly made an exception for us (normally it's just for 7 people, but we were a party of 5). (Please don't bust her for that nor expect that for your party! It just made my mom's 80-something birthday that much more special!) That started the chain of great service and the amazing day we were to have ahead! We ordered a variety of dishes - Shaka Chicken, Saimin, Chicken Katsu Bowl, Mahi Mahi Tacos, and Mixed Plate. All were delicious! The icing on top was when we told the sweet hostess that it was my mom's birthday, and she said to definitely tell our server! After our yummy lunch, we were given a complimentary order of malasadas (yum!) and then Mom got a special ice cream cup with a huge sparkler candle and the entire restaurant sang to her! But wait, there's more! Noelani's was celebrating their 13th anniversary today, so we got free live musical entertainment (normally it's only on Friday and Saturday nights) by the talented Rick Rasay. Who then proceeded to serenade Mom by changing the words to one of the songs he sang! She felt so special! AND finally, as part of their 13th anniversary, Noelani's was giving out coupons to their paying customers for free shave ice from Paradise Shave Ice who put a pop-up outside their restaurant. So yummy! And they were so super nice too - will definitely keep them in mind for any shave ice catering needs! We don't visit this restaurant as we're down in the South Bay, but we definitely plan to visit them more often! Thanks for making my mom's day so wonderful! This was an especially bittersweet birthday, as it was the first one without my dad, but somehow I think he was smiling down at us and blessing us today! read more

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We had our daughters baptism lunch here (party of 15) and had such a great experience! First off- Noelani communicates quick & efficiently if you send an email about a larger party. I felt taken care of before the lunch had even happened. The lunch itself was great- we did family style food and everyone loved it from the appetizers to the entrees and yummy sides. You really feel like you're in Hawaii on their back patio! Maria was our server and did a great job handling our group. Forever a special memory for us! We did the chicken lumpia (amazing), spring rolls and coconut shrimp as appetizers. Beef short ribs, chicken katsu & teriyaki chicken as entrees. Wouldn't change a thing on the menu we chose. It also comes with rice, salad and macaroni salad. Thank you Noelanis!!! read more

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I anticipated this would happen, but dining at Noelani's makes me miss Hawaii so much. I truly felt like I was in Hawaii and not the Bay Area once we settled down and ate. FOOD: 9/10 DRINKS: 9/10 SERVICE: 9/10 AMBIANCE: 10/10 What we ordered: Island Sliders (Spam, Kalua Pork, Katsu) Fish Tacos Pork Belly and Pineapple Bites Lilikoi (Passionfruit) Margarita Mai Tai FOOD: 9/10 The food is flavorful and yummy, as well as served hot. Of all the things we ordered, I think my favorite is the Katsu Sliders, which shocked me because I am not a fan of katsu lmao as it is normally underwhelming, respectfully. DRINKS: 9/10 The drinks are yummy, and you can definitely taste the alcohol in the best way possible. Strong, but not to the point where it overpowers the different flavors within the drink. The garnishments for the drinks are the cutest! SERVICE: 9/10 The staff are very friendly, attentive, and served the food at a decent time, considering how packed they were getting. AMBIANCE: 10/10 My absolute favorite. Everywhere you turn, there is a piece of Hawaii in every aspect of this restaurant in unique and eye-catching ways. The live music is my favorite and very good! I love all the island reggae hits sung as well as covers of different popular hits. I would say the ambiance and live music are what make me feel like I am in Hawaii for sure. You definitely feel the Aloha spirit out here!!! read more

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If you like local Hawai'i food, then you gotta check this place out. The food and live music made me feel like I was back home. I'd highly recommend going when they have live music (I'm not 100% sure when they have live music but I think it's every Friday/Saturday night). Overall great food, drinks, and vibes. Can't wait to come back! Sorry ate half the lumpia before taking the picture! read more

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4.5/5 Let's just jump straight into the food and drinks, because everything on the menu sounded intriguing and appetizing! Drinks: 4/5 P.O.G. Mai Tai: Super delicious tropical cocktail, if you're looking for something summery, fruity, and fun. 4.5/5 Ube Whiskey Colada: I love anything coconut, so when you offer a cocktail with ube, whisky, coconut, and pineapple, that was a no brainer for me to order. It lived up to my expectations and it was absolutely delicious! Food: 4/5 Tsunami Fries: Crispy, sweet, salty, and yummy! A great appetizer to share with the table. 4.5/5 Shaka Chicken: The chicken was marinated and cooked really well. They were perfectly crispy, and bonus points because they were boneless too. The sauce on-top had great flavoring. The coloring threw me off a bit, but it was still good. 5/5 Kaka'ako Nachos (Poke Nachos): This was my favorite! There was a fair portion of ahi poke. The flavoring of all the sauces were great. I really enjoyed the texture of taro chips, compared to traditional corn tortilla chips. I've heard they have a good Happy Hour menu. I'd definitely come back to check that out! read more

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A great time here. Love the drinks and the food. A piece of tropical paradise on the mainland. Sit down and enjoy a drink with a friend! Check calendar for events like music Food- Shaka chicken is good. I like the rice plates you choose a meat and it comes with rice and a great potato salad. Happy hour available. Nice thing is you can sit anywhere Back patio for large group parties special bookings. Very themed and pretty floral decor! read more

My family and I decided to try this place for lunch while we were in the area. The place was busy when we arrived, but the host mentioned there was a high top table available and sat us right away. They were still serving brunch and I was grateful for that because the kids wanted egg, spam and rice and they thoroughly enjoyed it after our hike. They also thought the POG juice was refreshing. My husband got the poke bowl and I got the grilled fish tacos. I liked the fish tacos, but I feel like the fish itself could've been seasoned more. The staff were very friendly and thoughtful too. Before we got our food, one of them wanted to switch my son's stool to one with a back to it so he wouldn't fall. She had someone bring him one from the bar. The kids also got these cute Stitch coloring pages. While we were eating, live music started playing and it felt like we were in Hawaii again. The ambiance had nice island vibes. I would maybe come back again and try something else. Maybe enjoy a cocktail from the bar. read more

AloooooHA! This might be our new favorite Hawaiian food spot on the mainland. From the cocktails to the food and the service, we really enjoyed our first experience here. The Spam Fried Rice is SO yummy, we each had it with our orders lol. Granted, since I got the Loco Moco, the flavor was a bit conflicting with the sauce Absolutely no regrets though - I loved it all. The Loco Moco sauce seemed pretty authentic- good meaty flavor (no powder packets here for sure!) and nice consistency. Would definitely get it again. Came here as we were picking up family from SFO. Live music on Saturdays made for a fun dinner. Wish there was a South Bay location. Although, I suppose that would be dangerously too close for me! Lol read more

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We celebrated a birthday on the patio at Noelani's in San Carlos, and it was such a treat! The atmosphere was cheerful and relaxed--exactly what you want for a special night. The Spam Fried Rice was perfectly flavorful, the Fish Tacos were fresh and crispy, and the Asian Noodle Salad was light, refreshing, and full of vibrant flavors. Every dish was a winner! The staff made the evening extra special with attentive and friendly service. Highly recommend Noelani's for birthdays, casual nights out, or anytime you want amazing food and a lovely patio vibe! read more

Noelani's Island Grill - Menu - Hawaiian Near Me - San Carlos, California

Came here on a Tuesday evening around 7:30 PM to celebrate my sister's birthday. The food was okay (definitely not authentic), the drinks were good, and everything came out fairly quickly. Unfortunately, the service completely overshadowed what could have been an decent experience. Our server, Maria, was inattentive and came across as rude throughout the night. After taking our order, we barely saw her. When I politely asked for a water cup, understanding that she was busy, her response was simply, "I know," in a dismissive tone. Before dinner, we had asked the restaurant to refrigerate our birthday cake. By 8:30 PM, we had finished eating and I kindly asked for it to be brought out. My sister had also received a birthday dessert promotion directly from the restaurant's website. When we asked about it, Maria told us they "don't do that anymore." If that's the case, it should probably be removed from the website to avoid misleading customers. When Maria eventually returned to clear a few dishes, I politely reminded her about the cake since we were trying to finish up before closing and be respectful of the restaurant's time. Her response was, "I know, can I do this first?" Again, it felt unnecessarily rude. Considering she hadn't checked on our table in over an hour, I simply wanted to make sure everything was moving along so we can leave on time and allow for the employees to close up and leave on time. It also took an unusually long time to receive our final bill. Ironically, the only time Maria seemed attentive was when it was time to pay. The Hawaiian food, drinks, and overall atmosphere were decent, but the poor service made what should have been a special birthday celebration disappointing. Based on this experience, probably will not return to this establishment. Plenty of negative reviews regarding service, believe it! read more

We were pleasantly surprised to find a sit-down Hawaiian restaurant so close to home. Got seated fast despite there being no reservations. My wife had the Chicken Katsu Plate and I had the Shaka Chicken Plate. We both had the standard sides. The meals were great and the pot-mac was a combination I wasn't expecting (in a good way!). Also, you can't go wrong with tasty cocktails. read more

Noelani's Island Grill - POG Margarita and Mango Hot Honey Mai Tai (I think) - Hawaiian Near Me - San Carlos, California

There aren't many Hawaiian places in the Bay Area that aren't Hawaiian bbq, but luckily Noelani's is one of them and they take you away to the islands. With the live ukulele musician and the decor filled with leis & totem poles, it makes you forget where you are almost. Noelani's is located in this quiet San Carlos residential neighborhood, away from the busy shopping centers nearby. They got seatings inside and outside with cushioned seats and hay-style umbrellas when the weather is nice. I came on a Sunday afternoon and parking wasn't too bad. CK and I sat at the bar and the bartender was wonderful - very friendly and attentive. We got the Kaka'ako Nachos (poke nachos w/ taro chips) to start and it was good and fresh. Initially I thought there wasn't enough sauce cause they were all at the top, but we found a lot of it sitting on the plate on the bottom, and I recommend mixing up the poke. I got the Shaka Chicken lunch plate, which is boneless chicken marinated in shoyu, pineapple juice, rice flour breaded & flash fried, drizzled with sriracha wasabi aioli & unagi sauce. The lunch plate comes with potato-mac salad and rice, but I upgraded with spam fried rice. The chicken was nicely panko'ed around and tender/juicy inside. The flavor was good as you could taste the umami flavor, and there was a good sauce ratio too. CK got the guava steak lunch plate. It was a 10 oz steak with a guava puree & soy sauce marinade, pickled cucumber side. The steak itself was cooked medium rare, and it was tender and flavorful. We both enjoyed this dish as it was also subtly sweet from the guava puree, but you can't really tell. CK and I both enjoyed the meals here and we can't wait to try other things next time! read more

This was our first time here and I ordered the pork plate which wasn't as tasty as I thought, definitely needs more flavor. The Shaka Chicken was amazing though and the breakfast masubi was delicious as well! Definitely worth ordering again. What really made the top review was the Big Island Pie! Wow if you're an ice cream lover, you would love this dessert! The pie is full vanilla and coffee ice cream, Oreo crust, chocolate drizzle, and coconut! So delicious! The service was okay and food came out pretty quickly but server forgot to check on us a few times. They have a nice outdoor seating area and indoor seating areas. Looks like they also have people play live music since we saw people leaving with instruments. We will definitely come back to try different dishes. read more

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Noelani's is always a great treat for us. If we lived a bit closer, I'm sure we'd be here more often! Must have: Kaka'ako Nachos! (I forgot to get a picture of it) This time, on top of the nachos, we ordered: Guava Steak Chicken Katsu Plate My favorite item on the menu though, is still the Shaka Chicken. Can't say enough good things about this place! read more

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ORDER Guava Steak STARS (stand out qualities) -Food (4/5 stars) - tasty food -Service (4/5 stars) - pretty friendly staff -Ambiance (4/5 stars) - great atmosphere, you can reserve area with semi private room STAIRS (areas of growth) -More promotions for birthdays -Doing something to go above and beyond in terms of customer service (e.g. more check ins, birthday freebies) TIPS -You can call ahead if you have a big group; there is an area in the back that could hold a private party of maybe about 40 people (I'd call to confirm more accurate capacity) Food a bit pricey but perhaps fair peninsula prices. It's nice to support local business which I think is owned by a woman of color. read more

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I do event planning and needed to cater food for about 50 people, so I chose Noelani's Island Grill based purely on Yelp reviews, even though I had never been here before. It was definitely a risk, but one that paid off. I love Hawaiian food and have been to Hawaii many times, so my expectations were pretty high. For catering, I ordered the guava steak, Shaka chicken, BBQ short ribs, sautéed veggies, spam fried rice, Thai noodle salad, and macaroni potato salad. I also ordered other Hawaiian items like musubi, poke, and garlic shrimp from places I already love, but the food from Noelani's Island Grill absolutely held its own. The food was delicious, and I had so many people come up to me asking where it was from. The Shaka chicken was a big hit. A lot of people mentioned how flavorful it was and were surprised that it stayed crispy even after being set up for catering. Another standout was the guava steak. One guest loved that it was cooked rare, and since the food was kept in chafing dishes, some pieces ended up more medium, which worked out nicely so people could choose their preferred doneness. The short ribs were also very good with great flavor and tender meat that wasn't chewy, which says a lot about the quality. A few pieces were a bit fatty, but overall they were still well received. I heard from multiple people that the macaroni potato salad was the best potato salad they've ever had. Personally, I really enjoyed the Thai noodle salad since I'm a fan of peanut-style noodles, and I honestly wish there had been more because it was popular as well. Since this was catered, we had the food delivered. The delivery guy arrived early, double checked that everything was there, and also provided utensils along with cards listing each dish and its ingredients, which I thought was a really thoughtful touch. I would highly recommend this place for catering and will definitely be using them again in the future. read more

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The first thing you notice about Noelani is the nice outdoor seating. Then you notice the friendly staff. Then you notice that Happy Hour includes Saturday! Street parking, but not a terribly busy street around 3pm on Saturday. As for the food, not as authentic Hawaiian and you'd expect. The inside decor brings a bit of island feel, but the food falls a short of authentic island food. For example, the lunch plate has potato salad and cole slaw as opposed to mac salad? The burger was decent, expect the bun felt cold to the touch when it was brought out--making me think that it was pulled from the fridge and just slapped together. The pineapple pork belly was okay, a bit too saucy for my liking. That said, I make these comments as someone who has been to Hawaii multiple times over the recent few year and married someone who spent many years growing up on the islands. While the food itself strays from authentic Hawaiian, maybe to cater more to state-side tastes (you'd get more authentic Hawaiian from Ono's or L&L), the service brings a bit of authentic and familiar ohana-ness. read more

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Found myself parked at Noelani's bar sipping Mai Tais like I was on island time, except my wallet didn't feel like it just took a vacation to Maui. Most cocktails hover around $13 - practically a public service in San Carlos, where you usually need a small loan for a decent drink. They've nailed the classic Hawaiian and tropical cocktail menu. Little umbrellas, lot of flavor, zero regrets. The live Hawaiian music on weekends is a great touch. Someone's 50th birthday party was raging in the back, and honestly? Not a bad idea. Hawaiian shirts and all. Now I need to find a young one turning fifty and convince them to celebrate it here and invite me. Haven't tried the food yet, but if it's anything like their cocktails, I'm about to become a regular. See you at the bar - I'll be the one pretending to know the words to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ read more

Noelani's Island Grill - Something with Lychee in it - Hawaiian Near Me - San Carlos, California

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In the midst of all of these Hawaii reviews I've been writing (with plenty more to come), I couldn't help but miss that island life more than I always do. As such, it was quite fortuitous that I've ended up at Noelani's twice in the time since getting back. Even though coming here could ever come close to substituting for the real thing, I'll take whatever i can get! Not to mention the fact that it gave me the chance to scratch off another place on my list of bookmarks! Before we even sat down and got settled in, I was already a fan of the vibe of this place. Between the live music and their wealth of outdoor seating both in front and on their back patio (awesome on those warm San Carlos nights), this is a rather cozy sort of spot. As for their menu, it's surprisingly extensive. Although some dishes do overlap (kahlua pork plates/bowls, for example), it still has a wide variety of apps, plate lunches, and bowls to choose from, like musubi, kalua pork, beef short ribs, loco moco, saimin, teriyaki chicken, Zippy's chili (on occasion), and more. Plus, they also have a (weekend?) brunch menu that features a solid mix of American and Hawaiian offerings! -- SPAM MUSUBI - Nori Wrapped around White Rice, Spam, and Furikake...$13 Ehh...this was fine. While I do wish the Spam had been cut into larger pieces, they were still browned nicely and lightly slathered with sauce. Plus, the rice wasn't overcooked either, which is always appreciated. -- KALUA PIG QUESADILLA - Flour Tortilla with Slow Roasted Kalua Pig and Cheddar-Jack Cheese Blend Served with Sour Cream, Guacamole, and Pineapple Salsa...$18 Kind of unique, kind of not...but still pretty good! The Kahlua Pork, In this case (see below), was much more successful - it was juicy, there was a good amount of it, and it was well complemented by all of the cheese. -- NOELANI'S "MIX PLATE" with Shaka Chicken, Hawaiian Short Ribs, and Kalua Pig & Cabbage with White Rice and Potato-Macaroni Salad...$29 Given how many things I wanted to try, this was perfect! Of the three, the Shaka Chicken was my favorite - very crispy and flavorful. Sadly, the Kalua Pork underwhelmed (kind of bland, light on meat), but the Short Ribs were decent (a bit dry, but I liked the sauce). -- LILIKOI CREAM CHEESE STUFFED "FRENCH TOAST" - Panko Breaded Sliced Sweet Bread, Passionfruit Cream Cheese, Fresh Fruit, and Whipped Cream...$15 Honestly, this was just as interesting as it sounded, but also a bit much in the end. I liked that the lilikoi flavor was quite strong, and there was just enough sweetness to balance it out. However, all of that cream cheese got be a little heavy/rich. -- HAWAIIAN SHORT RIB PLATE PLUNCH with White Rice, Mac-Potato Salad, and Kimchi...$30 Even though part of me initially wished we had opted to try something new, I'm glad we got this. Not only was the sauce just as good, but the short ribs were a lot juicier and had a nice char. Their mac-potato salad was tasty as well, but I wish we subbed in their Spam Fried Rice. Along with the food, it should be noted that Noelani's cocktail menu is pretty solid as well. Since I haven't tried any of them, I can't speak to how they taste, but their collection of cocktails, margaritas, and other specialty drinks is impressive. Which, along with their lounge seating, also makes Noelani's a terrific spot to spend a lazy sort of afternoon or evening. Of course, it doesn't hurt that they have an appealing happy hour menu, too. So, despite how coming here will never invoke the same level of joy I get when I'm in Hawaii, it's nice to know there's a place like Noelani's around that can at least get me a little closer, as well as a potential fix of Zippy's chili! read more

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Great place for mai tai! Highly suggest there drinks, love there music and hawaiian vibes!

I came back here after many years hoping to change my review to a positive one. However I arrived a Friday night not crazy busy. I got seated quickly but no one came to greet us or bring us water for 5 minutes. We had to ask someone for water. We then waited another 10 minutes for someone to come take our order. No one ever came. Left with a hungry stomach and another disappointed experience read more

Just sitting down here felt like I was transported back to Hawai'i. I ordered a fruity cocktail and the first sip was a mouthful of fresh fruit juice. I haven't had such a refreshing cocktail in a while! Mom ordered the skirt steak while I enjoyed the Ahi spicy poke. The poke was fresh and the greens in the bowl were even fresher. The steak was juicy and well marinated/sauced Service was quick and I felt so relaxed sitting in a lounge chair in the sun. read more

Noelani's Island Grill - Hawaiian Near Me - San Carlos, California

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The vibe was nice. Not busy at all when we were there. After we were seated, we waited for about 10 minutes and no sign of staff at all. My husband had to get up and walk to look for a staff. The food came out fast and delicious. The restroom is very clean. read more

Noelani's Island Grill - Ahi Spicy Poke Bowl - Hawaiian Near Me - San Carlos, California

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It was my first time trying taro chips, and they were nice and crunchy. The ahi was excellent as well, and the service and ambiance were both great. I just felt that the $32 price for this particular appetizer was a bit high, although it is meant for sharing. read more

Noelani's Island Grill - Kaka'ako (Poke) Nachos - Hawaiian Near Me - San Carlos, California

Noelani's Island Grill | San Carlos 1. Shaka chicken -- boneless chicken thighs marinated, rice flour breaded, and flashed fried, dorzz;ed with sriracha wasabi aioli, unagi sauce 2. Tsunami fries -- sweet and salty tossed with Li Hing Mui aioli with furikake 3. Mamas spicy garlic prawns -- sweet pacific prawns, sriracha aioli, lemon, garlic, butter parsley 4. Love for Lahaina (ube martini) & forgot the other drink Noelani's Island Grill, located in San Carlos, serves Hawaiian-Asian fusion cuisine. They're known for their tropical atmosphere, live music, and island-inspired food and cocktails. My friend and I decided to try the Shaka Chicken, Tsunami Fries, and Mama's Spicy Garlic Prawns. The presentation was spot on, but the food itself fell short. Everything sounded great on the menu, but when it came to taste, we were left disappointed. That said, we definitely want to give this place another try! read more

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This is a MUST VISIT place for good Hawaiian food and drinks! My family and I ventured here after learning about the restaurant from a YouTube video. They have a vast array of appetizers, entrees, drinks, and desserts. *We had the Shaka Chicken which had a nice crispy exterior from the breading. The chicken was soft, juicy, and had nice flavors all around. *We also ordered the Guava Steak, which was nicely cooked, with sweet and savory all around. *The Loco Moco was a good sized entree as well. The flavors were tasty. *The Hurricane Fries were delicious with the sauce sautéed throughout. You tasted both sweet and saltiness, with a nice crisp with every bite. The furukake seasoning was a nice addition of flavor. Service was excellent! Our server, Lei (sorry for any misspelling) was so hospitable and friendly. She checked on us frequently, made sure we had everything we needed for every meal, including napkins and extra plates. As far as ambiance, the place has such a nice island vibe. It's clean, spacious, has nice indoor and outdoor seating, and just reminds us of being on the islands. I highly recommend Noelani's Island Grill! We're so happy to have found the restaurant and look forward to more visits to come! read more

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Y'all this is one of my favorite restaurants out here. I like the vibe and the music. They have really great choices of cocktails and I enjoy their creative dishes. At the time we went the service was quick, right before the evening rush. read more

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My husband and I stopped by the Wags hotel near by and found this cute spot for lunch afterwards. The theme of the restaurant was Hawaiian, which was adorable. We felt like we were in Hawaii. The service was fast and friendly. The food was amazing!!! We would definitely be returning soon. read more

Noelani's Island Grill - Lomi Salmon Poke Bowl - Hawaiian Near Me - San Carlos, California

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I stopped by for dinner on a weekday evening. The place was not full. Shaka chicken plate was my favorite item here by a huge margin. Chicken was crispy and flavorful. Side salad was excelent. Island slliders was my next favorite. Chicken katsu was fried crisp. Kahlua pig and spam was flavorful. Loco Moco was good. It was slightly low on flavor compared to the other items. read more

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First time at Noelani's Island Grill was on Friday, March 21, 2025, when Wendell flew in from Redondo Beach and the boys and I took him out to dinner here for a surprise birthday dinner. Noelani's doesn't have a private lot for parking, but we immediately found a spot on the street just a few feet away from the restaurant. Indoor, patio, and bar seating are offered here. We arrived shortly before 8 PM and were seated immediately inside the main dining room. Kauai native Rick Rasay was performing that night. His music added to the aloha air. Wish that he played longer than he did, though. We probably caught the last half hour of is set. The venue appeared clean and well kept on the night of our visit. Below are some of what we ordered: SPAM MUSUBI ($13) - Very good. These Hawaiian sushi-like snacks were very soft and tasty, making for such good PUPUS that we ordered a second plate to share (V finished his order so quickly that no one got to taste one from the first serving). "LUMPIA" (chicken $13) - A decent version of the popular Filipino egg rolls. FRESH SPRING ROLLS ($10) - Not bad. I preferred the Peanut Dipping sauce over the Sweet Chili version. PISTACHIO-ESPRESSO MARTINI ($13) - Both Wendell and I ordered this creamy cocktail. We both enjoyed it, but I did wish that the pistachio flavour came through more. HURRICANE FRIES ($12) - Z loved these uniquely flavoured french fries. MISO YAKI SALMON ($35) - Good, but nothing super special. A bit overpriced. CHICKEN KATSU BOWL ($18) with Substitute of Spam Fried Rice ($3) - Both of the boys ordered this HOT BOWL for their meals and found it to be yummy for their tummies. MALASADAS ($7) with Vanilla Heavenly Ice Cream ($3) - We weren't given the DESSERT Menu nor were we asked if we wanted to order any after dinner sweets. Instead, our waitress came out with a complimentary plate of malasadas and a side of vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream and candles (no sparkler, unfortunately) for Wendell to blow and make a birthday wish. The birthday boy said, "Those malasadas were good." Service was very friendly and warm. Noelani, herself, was also very responsive to my email inquiry prior to our visit. We definitely felt the aloha at Noelani's Island Grill. read more

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If you're looking to feed on some Hawaiian eats and Aloha atmosphere this is the place to visit! From the welcoming hosts to the yummy good Hawaiian dishes, together they will make you feel like you're back on the islands! The entire staff were so welcoming and attentive to our party that we felt we were at our families home and not at a restaurant!! I highly recommend you visit this establishment to get that Aloha feeling!!! read more

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6/7/2025 Noelani's Island Grill 1037 Laurel St San Carlos, CA 94070 We went there for a family pre-wedding event with about 18 persons on a June Saturday evening. It's in DT San Carlos with hard to find street parking if you hit high times. It's popular and does have a Hawaiian ambiance. The interior has table and chair, bar stool table and bar seating. If you like Hawaiian style, they are authentic. I liked the Kalua pork sliders and quesadillas, the spicy Lomi Lomi salmon could have been more plentiful, the teriyaki short ribs were a little chewy and could have had more fat, the chicken karaage was just okay, the shrimp and greens didn't have many and the chili edamame was very good. The dishes weren't super salty which some places are. For desert the ice cream cake vanilla/coffee combo was on a concrete Oreo crust, just okay and needs more work. I think the live music was way too loud to have any good conversation and I would avoid for that. Otherwise a repeatable Hawaiian style place if in the area. read more

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I love Noelanis! Music Cocktails and Food! My only suggestion would be to improve upon your pancakes! If I see banana macadamia nut pancakes on a menu, I imagine that they should be a signature pancake to your location. Meaning people would go there on Sunday brunch specifically to have something yummy like that, I found the pancake to be dry. The whipped cream was a little flat and there was hardly any bananas on the top, and I hardly even tasted macadamia. I would make the batter rich, add cream, maybe even put the banana inside the pancake with crushed macadamia's, and then even crushed or roasted macadamia on top of the pancake. It was a real letdown I had been wanting to go and try those for many many months and it was one of the only disappointing things on the menu and I think you could elevate that breakfast experience by improving upon that! read more

So many gluten free options!!! The best gluten free fried chicken I have ever tasted. Wished we lived closer!

After take out. 8 "pieces" of spam musubi aka 2 actual size cut up into 4 for $15. Not worth it since it wasn't spectacular. Fried rice was good. Overall if youre wanting Hawaiian food then this could satisfy but other than that, nothing amazing. Good local hang out place though. read more

I have been here a few times and tried different things. Each time does not disappoint! The staff are very nice and welcoming. Always able to accommodate where they can. The live music is a great addition to the typical restaurant experience and makes for a casual and easy dining experience. The overall feel of the restaurant is as if you've been there plenty of times to feel comfortable. The food is great, I recently had the Shaka chicken, which made my whole table take a picture, probably because of the green sauce on it. It was great and I ate the whole plate. The Spicy shrimp plate is a favorite of whoever I bring to the restaurant. I've had the poke bowls before and it could have more fish but that's always my feedback since I'm used to Hawaiian poke bowls. Love coming to this place for the great food and easy atmosphere read more

I got my food to go but the quality was still delicious and tasty. The sauces helped add more flavor since the poke wasn't pre marinated. read more

Noelani's Island Grill - Hawaiian Near Me - San Carlos, California

Awesome Hawaiian place! I got the Shaka Chicken, which was delicious -- tender, juicy, and the perfect combination of savory and sweet. Wife got the fish tacos, which she really enjoyed. The atmosphere is inviting and very Hawaiian. Multiple big screen TVs if you want to catch the game, and a full bar. There's nice patio dining as well. Lots of street parking nearby. We'll be back! read more

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We were craving Hawaiian food and we found this spot. The food was good and the ambience was pretty chill like the islands. It hit the spot. read more

Noelani's Island Grill - Ahi Poke Bowl - Hawaiian Near Me - San Carlos, California

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I got a to-go Kalua pork plate and there was a lot of pork, rice and potato Mac salad. The portion was really good for the price I paid too. Really recommend this Hawaiian restaurant in the Bay Area! read more

Noelani's Island Grill - Kalua Pig & Cabbage Plate - Hawaiian Near Me - San Carlos, California