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    Ono Hawaiian BBQ

    3.5 (40 reviews)
    Closed • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order Ono Hawaiian BBQ Takeout or Delivery

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    ONO HAWAIIAN BBQ ATMOSPHERE

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    Vivi H.

    The drive-thru is closed for now, so we placed a pickup order while we walked around the plaza. We got the family meal with rice, mac salad, chicken katsu, BBQ chicken, and shrimp - our order was ready when we arrived, and you can grab teriyaki and katsu sauces on the side! Portions were a bit small and nothing stood out as especially memorable, but it's a newer location, so I'd give it another try!

    Spam Musubi
    Jalina R.

    We were excited to try this place, but are a little disappointed in it. What we ordered: Crab Rangoons - felt like these could've been fried a little longer. They were just ok. Spam Musubi - can't go wrong with Spam musubis BBQ & Katsu Mix - this is where we disappointed. This plate has bbq chicken, bbq beef and katsu chicken. We got one small katsu, cut into 4 pieces and 2 small bbq chicken pieces... And all of the meat was on top of a pile of veggies which was mostly cabbage. So it seems like you got a pile of meat when really it was a pile of veggies with smaller pieces of meat on top. I think one plus about this place is that they have a drive through.

    BBQ & Katsu Mix
    Don B.

    The recently opened Ono Hawaiian BBQ in Carmel Mountain brings Hawaiian plate lunch style great for fast casual dining. I was excited when I heard Ono was taking over the old Boston Market location in Carmel Mountain. Ono has recently been expanding rapidly in the San Diego and surrounding areas. As a big fan of plate lunch style, I stopped in a on busy Saturday afternoon. Every seat was full with family and the kitchen was bustling. As this was my first time, I went with the BBQ Mix plate consisting of Katsu chicken, BBQ Beef and Chicken along with a scoop of mac salad and rice. The Chicken Katsu was good, crispy but needed some teri dipping sauce. The bbq beef and chicken were also good nothing mind blowing but tasty nonetheless. Definitely sauce is needed with the meat as the seasoning or marinade is light. The rice was a short grain and a little dry. Mac salad was great. Great spot for a fast casual meal if you are craving bbq. Glad to see more diverse food options in the Carmel Mountain area.

    Veggies and macaroni salad need some work but otherwise this fish and teriyaki chicken plate was good
    Vivian H.

    This place finally opened a few weeks ago and nice to have this as another Hawaiian option in the hood. I came in here a couple of nights ago on a weeknight to grab dinner. They have touch screens to order your food or you can order with a live human too. I got the fish & teriyaki chicken dinner. I waited about 10 min and then my order was ready. My plate was generous, but I did find some of the items to be a bit more bland than I like. Macaroni salad was so so and this definitely could be improved on. Steamed veggies were bland and needed salt and pepper. Fish was ok, maybe a little over fried. Teriyaki chicken and rice were perfect. I sat in their outdoor patio space and that was nice. I enjoy al fresco dining the best. If I could do everything outside, I would. I deducted one star because the parking area is a disaster. I blame the IN and OUT next door. I deducted another star because the plate could use some work when it comes to flavor. Overall, a decent experience. I would come back and hope they work out their grand opening kinks.

    Spam Musubi (2 pcs)
    Tony H.

    3.5 stars. A decent option if you're craving Hawaiian flavors but want something a little lighter. I like that the ordering kiosks make it really easy to customize your plate, including how much rice, mac salad, and vegetables you want. They also list calories on the menu, which I appreciate. You can get sauces from the condiment station. We tried the: * BBQ chicken & beef mix plate: solid overall, but L&L's probably has a little more flavor * Grilled chicken breast plate: it was seasoned well and not dry. A good healthy option! * Spam musubi: too much rice compared to the spam and could've used more sauce * Krab rangoons: unfortunately weren't warm or crispy enough Overall, I like the convenience, portions, and healthier options here, but it's probably not somewhere I'd regularly go.

    Michelle M.

    Fantastic Hawaiian BBQ. So happy they opened this drive thru spot up here in North County. Went to the grand opening and glad they promoted a bogo free meal! My friends and I are so happy for future trips here. Staff is amazing. This place is so chill and casual. Recommendations: Bbq plate always spam musubis And Mac salads!

    Javier B.

    Hawaiian food North county Island food Kaula pork Katsu Seafood Order them sit Drive through Parking available Restroom inside Indoor and outdoor seating Amex accepted

    Drive Through Menu!
    Misty M.

    Super excited to find out an Ono Hawaiian BBQ was opening in North County! Even better was the grand opening special blew it out of the water!!! Service was amazing on their grand opening ... we were there on the last legs of the night and the food came out great and piping hot! We ordered Hawaiian BBQ Mix plate, Seafood Mix, Chicken Katsu, Spam Musubi ... It was easy to sub mac salad for a few of the plates. Satisfied with the portions and the taste is so consistent with what i've had before. Love this place! how rad is it that this place has a drive-thru??? Side note: if you know this place has a grand opening, I don't think you would take any chances and NOT wait in the line as early as you can - just miffed someone would leave a review for their poor planning

    Cheryle L.

    Grand opening today. Quite a line (as expected). Great marketing. Friendly staff. Lots of giveaways. Two bag selections - canvas tote and plastic tote. I took the canvas. Super cute! They also had stickers. The food was good. I got the Hawaiian BBQ mix plate. Good portion - they had a BOGO! The store is clean. Ample parking. Ambiance is great. They also have a drive thru. This use to be the old Boston Market location. :) Good ol days. I'm glad this is a five minute walk from my place. I love it here.

    Bobby D.

    In North County San Diego, there aren't that many restaurants specializing in Hawaiian or Pacific Islander food. There really was one choice in the Carmel Mountain, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, and Scripps Ranch corridor and that was L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. Recently, some Hawaiian food restaurants have sprouted up, but now we can add Ono Hawaiian BBQ to the list of choices for this type of cuisine. My wahine and I stopped by for the first time after several hours of errands and couldn't wait to grub on their Hawaiian food. We purchased the Ohana Meal to go, which we thought was a good amount of food for our family of three. Ono has some opportunities when it comes to creating a more welcoming environment and the customer service needs to be more inviting. Ono is located in Carmel Mountain in the former Boston Market building just steps away from the busy In N Out burger joint. It's across from Barnes and Noble and Ross; just a short jaunt from Angelika movie theaters, Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell are down the street; and it's across from Ralph's and Trader Joe's. Parking can be challenging with In N Out next door and first timers wanting to get their Hawaiian food fix on. I recommend parking in the Ross parking lot and walking to Ono. Before even stepping into the restaurant, I imagined this spot having Hawaiian decor to create that island vibe and Hawaiian tunes playing in their speakers. The decor is minimal with thick rope hanging from a metal fixture and a single surfboard hanging on one wall. Unless the volume was turned down, there was no islander music that I could hear. It's a spacious restaurant with plenty of seating that consists of square and long rectangle tables and a variety of different chairs. The customer service from the staff wasn't memorable, so maybe introduce the staff to the Aloha spirit. Our first visit to Ono involved us ordering to go, so when we dine in on a future visit, I'll get a better assessment of their customer service. We decided on their Ohana Meal because the menu stated that it feeds a family of four, you get to choose three entree items, it includes rice, comes with mac salad, and you can get veggies. It definitely fed our family of three and I thought the price of $48.99 wasn't too bad for the amount of food we got. When we placed our order at the kiosk, we chose more mac salad and veggies instead of rice since we cooked our own rice at home. Next time I order that meal, I'd pass on the veggies and ask for all mac salad. I really enjoyed their creamy mac and it ate really well with the proteins we selected. For our entrees, we chose Chicken Katsu, Teriyaki Chicken, and paid extra for Kalbi Short Ribs. I thought the breading on the chicken katsu was tasty and with the katsu sauce, it was satisfying to eat with our home cooked white rice. Both the teriyaki chicken and the kalbi short ribs were comforting, savory, and tender. Eating any of the proteins, mac salad, and rice was a really yummy bite. Ono Hawaiian BBQ is a recent entry into the food scene in North County San Diego, so maybe they're working out some of their opportunity areas. Definitely make it more inviting with a Hawaiian vibe and incorporating the Aloha spirit, but for our first purchase, we thought their Hawaiian food was on point.

    Menu
    Elvin D.

    Waited for the bogo for about an hour and a half on grand opening night. The staff were very friendly handed out water to people waiting in line. Once you made it inside they had lots of seating inside and some outside. I ordered the Kalbi rib plate, the bbq beef plate and the bbq mix plate and a mix chicken plate. The food was good, the meat was tender and not dry, everything was made to order. So of course the wait was gonna be a little long which is understandable. The Mac salad was tasty not overly slathered in mayo and the noodles not super over cooked. The BBQ beef was my favorite tender pieces of meat well marinated. The katsu chicken was also my family's favorite. The Kalbi was good could used a little more marinade/sauce. I'm definitely coming back to try other items on the menu.

    Teriyaki Chicken Plate
    Jacob S.

    Went for lunch on the grand opening and it was wild. The line was at least an hour and wrapped through the parking lot. Lots of staff though and everyone had a great attitude. The inside is spacious and modern and reasonably well organized. The plates where a lot of food and a good value though I was a little disappointed there was precisely one broccoli and a ton of cabbage. Would have been nice to have more broccoli or other vegetables. The chicken was markedly better than the beef, though both took the same amount of time to prepare. The menu looks big but there's not actually that much variety. Still, I can see this becoming part of my rotation - it's a great location and a nice change of pace. Much better than L&L so far.

    Chicken Katsu and Chicken Teriyaki combo with rice.
    Katrinna J.

    They just opened in Carmel Mountain. I wanted to try their food. I ordered Chicken Katsu and Teriyaki Chicken combo with rice. I wasn't impressed with the Katsu. It was hard, just like other Asian restaurants menus around town. The Chicken Teriyaki was ok, nothing special.

    Front of building

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    23 days ago

    Great food for great price but portion for protein needs improving. Fix the sauce stations so the sauce doesn't spray on people please

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    20 days ago

    Clean, delicious barbecue and service. Try the wings they won't disappoint and the drinks are to die for! Pricing is great

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    1 month ago

    Taste like Flame Broiler but more expensive!!!! Mac salad has too much mayo. L&L taste better than this.

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    26 days ago

    You get good amount of chicken for a mini bowl & it was pretty yummy. Good for a cheap enough meal with good amount of protein. :)

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    1 month ago

    We had the teriyaki chicken and the chicken Katsu specials and they were both excellent.

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    Ask the Community - Ono Hawaiian BBQ

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    Grand Ole Bbq Y Asado

    Grand Ole Bbq Y Asado

    4.3(1.2k reviews)
    16.9 mi•North Park
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    I wish I had come here sooner. Got here on a Friday at 12 because I finally had a weekday off to do…read morethe boots on the ground journalism people deserve. Ordering was quick and simple at its own window the. We got a booth by the bar. We had a buzzer that rang almost immediately. I grabbed my own michelada while my partner was grabbing the food. They had on a few movies no loud music blaring and I can see it would get loud when packed. Brisket was amazing and this is my go to next time. The jalapeño link was also delicious. The beef rib was a lil dry which was disappointing I love a good beef rib. Pulled pork would be great on a sandwich. Cole slaw had no onions and it was my perfect complement to the bbq sauce. The Mac and cheese was sooooo rich and delicious. Quick tip ask for more bbq sauce if you're like me and drown your meat. Michelada was ok I'll probably just get a beer next time.

    I keep wanting to like this place, it's in my 'hood and it draws a good crowd. I remember liking…read moreit more, back in the day, but the last 2 visits were MEH. The other day, I got the tri tip sandwich with chimichurri. The order came up quickly. I live a couple of blocks away. By the time I was home, the sandwich was cold. Not lukewarm, not tepid, but cold. But the REALLY disturbing thing was the bun/bread. It fell apart, into large chunks, the minute I opened the paper wrap up. A sandwich has two major components, BREAD and the filler. Can't you have decent fresh bread? This seems to be a challenge lately for the Grand Ole BBQ. A couple of months ago, I got the hot links, and they were served on the most run of the mill, grocery store quality, HAMBURGER bun. LINKS, folks, should be on a hot dog shaped bun, not cut up into small pieces and placed on a cheap, round, bun. I can't decide if this is hipsters, serving food and doing it their way, with whatever happens to be available at the moment, or if this is management saying "we don't care about your expectations." It isn't novel, to put links on a hamburger bun, it doesn't make it artsy, or unique, it makes it look like an afterthought. So does try-tip on a bun that wasn't. And the chimichurri- driest, almost oil-free chimichurri I've ever had, I had to add oil, at home, to be able to spread it. Good chimichurri isn't difficult, I make it all of the time. Make an effort people. Restaurant are closing. Disregarding your customer is one quicker way to meet that end.

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    Del's Hideout

    Del's Hideout

    4.3(1.3k reviews)
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    Ordered 2 meat plate with cornbread and Texas toast. The cornbread was nice my Texas toast came out…read moresmooshed but was still tasty. I got pulled pork and the smoked meatloaf. The pulled pork was delicious and the smoked meatloaf had just the right amount of smoke. For sides, I got the bacon, potato salad and the Street corn. I've had both of these sides before and they hit just right each time. I also ordered the bourbon pecan pie to go. This is the first time having the bourbon pecan pie. I did find some shelves in it, which were a little unpleasant, but at least I know that it's real pecans. It does have a strong bourbon flavor so it may not be the best for kids. To drink, I got the guava lemonade. I arrived with my pup and we sat outside. Everybody was super dog friendly. They brought a nice bowl of water for my guy. I ended up taking 2/3 of my meal home because the portions are big enough for two.

    i'd give it 5 stars bc the good was fire, i had the pulled…read morepork with sides of beans, potato salad and texas toast it was 10/10, our server was super friendly as well as we sat at the bar. the only thing that made want to leave was the general manager Sabrina, she was yelling super loudly and being very obnoxious to the staff and some costumers she was "greeting" she really made the ambiance awkward as we could see the staff was being treated poorly in front of all the costumers. the tension in the air was so bad. i really wish that wasn't the case bc i really loved the food but id hesitate to come back.

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    Grand Ole BBQ Flinn Springs

    Grand Ole BBQ Flinn Springs

    4.3(1.3k reviews)
    16.4 mi
    •$$

    Honestly this is the best place for BBQ in all of San Diego !…read more I ordered the following below: *Grand Ole Beef Rib: 5/5 - The best ribs I have ever had ! Yes they are pricey, and you can only order a minimum of 1lb. However, the rib is so juicy, soft, and tender it literally falls off the bone ! It is seasoned so well you don't even have to add bbq sauce ! I was full just eating both these ribs ! *Tri-Tip Sandwich: 4/5 - A very great and tasting sandwich ! The meat its self is very tasty, juicy, & tender. The bun does complement it pretty well as well as its soft yet crispy. The chimichurri is a nice addition. *French Fries: 5/5 - Golden, crispy, seasoned fries. A great option to be paired with your delicious meats ! Fluffy white potato on the inside yet crispy and ridged on the outside ! *Mac & Cheese: 3/5 - Average mac & cheese. Was creamy, less cheesy. The macaroni was cooked perfectly however I felt it needed more salt, cheese or something to make it stand out more. Upon entering this establishment there is a lot of old western theme ! A buck in the wall, nice old oak bar, wooden tables and chairs ! They also have seating outside in the back where sometimes they play live music ! In addition on hot days they have some mist and fans spraying around to keep you cool ! The service was exceptional ! I always love coming to this place ! Very great food ! Nice vibes and friendly people !

    Unfortunately, this was a really disappointing experience, especially since we came here to…read morecelebrate my birthday. We originally planned for a party of 16, although we ultimately ended up with 13 people. Before coming, I emailed the restaurant about accommodating our large group. I was told they don't take reservations, which was confusing and frustrating because their website stated that they take reservations for parties of 10-25, and their phone voicemail also said the same thing. My wife ultimately called and confirmed the arrangements for our group by phone. We also specifically let them know that one person in our party uses a wheelchair so they could prepare for that ahead of time. When we arrived, we found out that the section/time intended for our group had been given to another party because that group apparently told the restaurant they were us. We were essentially told there wasn't anything they could do at that point other than move us to the top of the list, so we had to wait for another area to become available. That was particularly frustrating considering how much effort we had already put into communicating with the restaurant beforehand and the conflicting information we had received about reservations in the first place. Once we were finally seated, the situation became even more frustrating. The table they gave us could not properly accommodate my uncle's wheelchair. Because of the way the table and seating were arranged, he had to sit sideways just to try to eat his food. This was particularly disappointing because we had specifically told them ahead of time that we had a wheelchair user in our party. Because he was forced to sit sideways, we asked if they could give us a bowl so we could put his food in something that would be easier for him to eat from. Initially, we were told yes. But when the food came out, we were then told that their food comes in little paper boats and that they could just give us extra boats instead. A bowl or another more practical option was never provided. Unfortunately, the seating arrangement made eating so difficult for my uncle that he wasn't even able to finish his meal. He ended up having to take essentially his entire meal home. That was easily the most disappointing part of the experience. We gave advance notice about the wheelchair specifically so the restaurant would have an opportunity to accommodate him, yet he ended up sitting sideways, struggling to eat, and ultimately taking his dinner home. The food itself was also disappointing for several people in our party. The brisket we received was extremely dry. I ordered the Texas cheesesteak and was surprised that I had to pay extra for the queso to go on it. The cornbread pudding wasn't very good either, and several other people in our group were disappointed with their food as well. There were definitely some positives. The french fries were REALLY good, the wedge salad was great, and the green beans were also really good. The atmosphere and outdoor environment are awesome and were a big reason we chose Grand Ole BBQ for my birthday in the first place. Unfortunately, those positives weren't enough to make up for the overall experience. Between the conflicting information about reservations, having our section/time given to another group, and most importantly, the lack of wheelchair accommodation after we had specifically notified the restaurant ahead of time, the night was extremely disappointing. We really wanted to love this place and were looking forward to celebrating my birthday here. Unfortunately, after this experience, I can't say we'd choose it again for a large gathering or feel comfortable recommending it to someone who needs wheelchair-accessible seating.

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    The Fire Spot

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    4.5(782 reviews)
    11.7 mi•Kearny Mesa
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    this place is pretty amazing. came on a whim one night, there was a line out the door, but we…read moredidn't have to wait too long. even though there are less options at this place compared to other kbbq/jbbq places, the cuts of meat are way more high quality. there's a chili powder they use as part of your dipping sauces. i asked our server what was in it, he came back with an entire cup full for me to take home!! that was so nice of him. the place is on the smaller side, so be expected to wait. it is WELL WORTH the wait though!

    The Fire Spot was decent overall. The wait wasn't too bad when we went (especially for it being a…read moreFriday night in Convoy) so that was a plus. One thing I would definitely mention though--if you have asthma, bring your inhaler! It gets VERY smoky inside since they use actual coal for the grills. I understand that's part of the experience, but the smoke can get pretty intense. Another reason I'm giving it 3 stars is the selection. There just weren't as many options compared to other Korean BBQ places we've been to like Manna or Sura. I was expecting a little more variety. Service was okay. Nothing bad happened, but nothing really stood out either. Overall, the food was decent and I wouldn't say it was a bad experience, but with the limited selection and all the smoke, there are other KBBQ spots I'd probably choose first.

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    SOT BBQ

    SOT BBQ

    4.5(395 reviews)
    11.0 mi•Kearny Mesa
    •$$$

    One of my favorite spots in San Diego so far!…read more Since moving from NYC, I've had pretty high food standards, so I don't say this lightly--SOT BBQ is tied for my favorite restaurant I've tried in San Diego so far! The banchan was really good, and the meat quality was seriously impressive. Everything tasted fresh and high quality. The service was also incredible, especially considering how busy they were. We waited about 45 minutes during peak dinner time, which honestly wasn't bad at all given how packed the restaurant was. And you HAVE to get the cheese fried rice at the end. They use a special type of cookware that makes it look like this giant lid, and the fried rice gets perfectly crispy and cheesy. Such a fun way to finish the meal. I'd highly recommend getting the Prime package and sharing it between four people. Great amount of food, especially if you're getting all the sides and fried rice. Definitely a must-try if you're in San Diego!

    A great Korean bbq spot, have been here three times. The…read moregrill that the food cooks on is exactly what makes it special. Along with fresh kimchi & the bean sprouts that cook on the grill and the meats fat. The cuts of all the meats so far have been pretty good. I always gravitate towards pork belly and they have thick cuts here so it's perfect.

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    Banchan with kimchi and bean sprouts on grill. Ig mel_foodie_ventures.

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    Ono Hawaiian BBQ - hawaiian - Updated September 2026

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