This has to be some of the best local food in Kalihi. It is delicious and affordable, when prices are skyrocketing everywhere. We definitely need to support the small mom and pop local spots or they will disappear completely in Hawaii. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a small grab and go window, but perfect for picking up lunch on a workday or grabbing a quick plate to hit the beach.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Parking can be difficult, but that's pretty common for this area. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Mini beef stew - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Nice friendly customer service. Take out only. Street parking. Ordered the new chicken and mix plate of sweet sour spareribs and sesame chicken. The spareribs wasn't overly sweet, more on the tangy side. The sesame chicken was crispy, tasty, delicious and not salty. I got a taste of the new chicken and it was too spicy for me although it wasn't for my husband. By the time he ate his chicken. It wasn't crispy. read more

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They have a good selection of dishes that are on the menu along with daily specials average cost. Also have a few dessert items including butter mochi, banana bread. Everything was prepared perfectly, everything is solid at a reasonable prices. Staff are nice. 4 STARS for the bad parking and there is NONE! Calling ahead to place orders is the way to go. I parked in the business next door ran in paid, and grabbed food and was out of there. read more

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Heard from our fellow Yelper's about Pongo's Kitchen. We finally had the opportunity to get over there. Oh my their food is awesome . Ordered their famous Baked Ahi a wonderful casserole type dish with Ahi, imitation crab, onions, mayonnaise, paprika, and some green onions. We also ordered the Roasted Turkey with homemade stuffing and gravy. Simply delicious . We definitely have to stop by again for their equally famous Guava Chicken. Locally owned and operated. Service is World Class friendly and efficient. Take out only. Recommend you order online and pickup. Parking is limited, best bring a pal to run in and grab your order. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Roast Turkey with Homemade Stuffing & Gravy - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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"Cause you're amazing just the way you are" - Bruno I am crushing on Pongo, but not for her beauty or elegance. I'm in love with her Kitchen! I've been here three times while doing work near the airport. Located in the heart of the industrial side of Kalihi you can find this hole-in-the-wall that has been serving islanders since the early 1990's. Just read *Jo Y.'s review on the history of Pongo's Kitchen. Oh! And amazing Pongo was fondly named after their Dad! I've ordered full plates of Hamburger Steak ($12.95), Baked Ahi ($13.20), and Sesame Chicken ($12.55). All were incredible! Each came with a large scoop of rice, and side (corn, toss greens, or mac salad). There's a new chicken entree that was just added to the menu - I was told by regulars in line that it's the latest craze, and yes, the plate is called "new chicken" lol. Next time!! In the end, I can't endorse this gem any more than saying awesome sauce! The food and value are tops! While waiting for my take-out lots of working locals were ordering, and a handful of military too - I guess word is out on base too! Pongo's Kitchen is strictly take-out in today's world and parking is rough here, but if you want Kanak attack and bang for your buck... Come! Pls follow my IG travels: @eric_travel_guru read more

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This is the first time I got introduced to this place. They have a good selection of plate lunches with reasonable prices. I got the baked ahi and spicy guava chicken combo plate. Great food, although the chicken wasn't spicy at all, it was sweet and tangy. You can also order online and choose your side/add ons. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Casual vibes, good service, reasonable prices, tasty great comfort local plate lunches.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] What's not to love? OK, maybe the lack of parking may work against this local institution but since it's strictly a takeout place, all the double parked cars are constantly coming and going so you are sure to get an illegal space quickly. Hahah. Pongo's, located in the heart of Kalihi has "broke da mout" food which on many days sells out by 11/11:30am... at least the more popular dishes. And the most popular and most delicious choices IMHO are the mochiko (fried) chicken, sesame (fried) chicken, guava (fried) chicken, and the baked ahi casserole THO whenever I visit Pongo's I see other "regulars" ordering all kinds of dishes I never thought of ordering so... will have to return to try their beef stew or curry one day! Always be sure to save room for their onolicious butter mochi! read more

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It has been roughly 5 years since I had first visited Pongo's Kitchen I'm glad I was able to return and try the wonderful food on the menu. I opted to try for something different (as the guava chicken has been my favorite), and went for the kalua pork! It was just right, and melted into the taste buds of my tongue. The lunch was well balanced with a salad and the rice helped to soak up the sauce, which enhanced the overall flavor of the meal! The Brookie brownies were also very flavorful, that I ended up sharing them with my parents so they could also taste how amazing they were. [[HIGHLIGHT]]As always, the service and ambiance are top notch.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 10/10 recommend Pongo's Kitchen! read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Grilled ahi with butter garlic drizzle & natto on brown rice. Always get this. So delicious

I went here to grab lunch today and got ahi katsu for a co-worker and baked ahi with garlic cream sauce for me. Prices are reasonable here. Parking can be a bit tricky to find but I always seem to find something right in front! Food here is yummy! Love everything here! read more

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Food is awesome as always. Got my go to order ... baked ahi and chicken combo They also have military discount Will definitely be back read more

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The best food. I was craving this kind of chicken for the longest and it became our comfort food for the trip! read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

It is shockingly good for a plate lunch in the middle of an industrial park. The fish was crispy and delicious paired with a chicken glazed to perfection. Service was quick and friendly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's mostly workers stopping by for a quick lunch, not a place to sit down and take a long lunch.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Fresh, delicious food that is hard to beat in Honolulu. Parking can be tough. read more

My quick lunch stop. Been eating here for few years. Spicy Guava chicken is my go to menu

Opened in 1991 by sisters Tracy and Cindy Sakuma, Pongo's Kitchen was a hot pink lunch wagon on Moowaa Street in the Kalihi industrial area and aptly named as "Pongo," as it was the nickname of Tracy's and Cindy's dad. I remember working in downtown way back then, and we would occasionally cater certain dishes, including the still popular baked ahi, for office parties, knowing how delicious their offerings were. In 1996, Candace and another sister joined the team, with Mom Barbara a year after that. They were able to launch a 2nd lunch wagon, silver in color, near the Young Brothers shipping company location on Nimitz Hwy. In 2001, the Sakuma family sold the two lunch wagons and opened a brick and mortar building on Mokauea St., where it is now. In 2006, significant menu changes were made to include healthier options and to offer different kinds of drizzles, sauces, and butters to complement the main dishes. Cindy and Tracy subsequently left to pursue other ventures, and Mom passed away in 2008, with Candace overseeing the business and coming up with a new team. Pongo's Kitchen is literally a hole-in-a-wall restaurant that offers take-out lunches. They include: * Plate lunches: ahi (katsu, baked, grilled); grilled salmon; beef stew; hamburger curry/steak; roast turkey; chicken (fried, sesame, spicy guava, roasted). All plates come with white or brown rice and mac salad, tossed salad or corn; and either regular or mini plates. * Combos. Variations of the above. * Bowls: grilled ahi, hamburger curry and egg, loco moco. * Drizzles: creamy garlic, lemon caper, ranch, sriracha, wasabi. * Sauces: spicy shoyu vinegar & onion, garlic shoyu sauce. * Butters: garlic butter, spicy house. * Desserts: cookies, energy bars, mochi. * Specials: Varies, which may include Korean fried chicken bowl, chicken & natto, tuna roll w/ cucumber, spam musubi, grilled short ribs, rib eye steak, spam & eggs, sushi bake, pickled onions. * Drinks: canned soda, bottled water. Popular dishes are their ahi bake and guava chicken, although many enjoy their various kinds of fried chicken, fish, and other menu offerings, complemented with various house made drizzles, sauces and butters. You can also purchase chicken by the piece. They also provide catering orders, which must be placed five days in advance. Catered dishes include the regular offerings, plus grilled pork, kalua pig, grilled salmon. I've always enjoyed the baked ahi, as I go back a long time with it, when our office used to include this as one of the catered dishes for office parties. This delicious ahi itself is so moist, as it is topped with a mixture of imitation crab, round onions, and mayo mixture while baking, and served on a bed of fresh spinach leaves. The baked ahi is always a favorite! I also chose the tossed salad, which is a fresh spring mix with homemade ranch dressing. The guava chicken is also good with it tasting like sriracha, sweet chili sauce, and guava sauce on a fried chicken; however, it's a little too sweet for me. Hours of operation are Mon to Fri 10a to 2p, Sat & Sun closed. Due to the short opening hours and its popularity with construction workers, items are limited, so it's best to go early, as Pongo's does sell out of their popular items. Prior to Covid, you could go inside the store to order; however, during Covid, you would have had to order at the front door and pick up your order there. This has not changed as of today. Friendly and efficient staff will accommodate your orders and questions. In addition, two outdoor tables with benches were permanently removed, so it is strictly take-out. Credit cards are accepted. Finding a parking space is an issue, as Pongo's is in the heart of Kalihi's industrial area, next to Puuhale Elementary School and across the street from Ross Appliance & Mattress. It only has a couple of parking spaces fronting the restaurant, but there is a bus stop at that same spot. You can also park next door at Ted's Automotive Machine Shop based on prior agreement with Pongo's. Both the bus and Ted's are forgiving, as they know that you'll be in and out within a few minutes. Best to come with a driver so that one of you can quickly pick up the order while the other waits in the car. I just love these old-school local places and hope that Pongo's continues their legacy for future generations. With reasonable prices and delicious food, Pongo's Kitchen will always remain a favorite for take-out local food! read more

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I work in the area of this restaurant and I love ordering from here for lunch! The prices are reasonable and they give so much food I eat half and then give my fiancé the rest when I go home! My favorite is the guava chicken and baked ahi combo but honestly no matter what you cannot go wrong! They do have online ordering which makes it super convenient, parking is just a little limited. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It is just a window, no seating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] And when we order online, I work down the street but our food is always ready by the time we get there! Love coming here, and will continue to come! read more

Came here because of TikTok of course, and got the guava chicken- it wasn't bad. But it wasn't broke da mouth either. The staff is super great, and the rice was ono! I would say I would come back to try something else, but parking is really hard. read more

Takeout lunch in Kalihi, Honolulu, Hawaii... My friends (Bruddah Fran, Dear Daniel, Gary, Kelli, Jozlyn, Lori, Mei-Lan, and Travis) wrote glowing reviews for this plate lunch establishment. Darrell even got ROTD (Review of the Day) for Pongo's Kitchen in 2017! What took me so long to visit? PARKING Luckily, on the day of my visit, I was "early" (around 10:30am) and easily found free street parking right in front of the shop. There was a nice lady at the window. She was so efficient and organized: taking orders, giving change, and calling out names when orders were ready! I decided to get the Hamburger Steak Plate and Baked Ahi Plate. I was starving! As soon as I got my package, I started eating the hamburger steak in the car. It was so delicious that I almost finished it all! I stopped and thought: someone else probably needs this parking space... So, I moved my car and finished that plate at home! I think the savory gravy really enhanced the patties. I left part of the brown rice "for Mr. Manners", but devoured the corn. I had a taste of the Baked Ahi - yummy - and finished off the green salad that came with it. Gosh - that was a surprisingly good lunch! I think I will return soon! The presentation was beautiful... The entrees were on beds of spinach! So healthy and colorful! read more

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You should've seen the look on my face when I put the first bite of Guava Chicken in my mouth...WOW!!! I can see why it sells out before noon. The baked Ahi was perfect! Fried Chicken was really good! Service is awesome and very quick. The closer you get to 12pm, the more difficult parking will be. Call ahead when you're nearby. Be sure to ask what the daily specials are. A literal hole in the wall with just an order window. It's an efficient and very affordable place to get an amazingly delicious plate lunch! read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Guava Chicken - as good as it looks! - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The food here is always so fresh and delicious! You have to try everything from their chickens to their baked ahi !!! You won't regret it. They hand make a bunch of their sauces you can pair with any dish of your choice. Call ahead for a phone order or order online. If you're looking for fresh fish they got that too :) follow her on Instagram for daily specials Candace and her team rocks, great customer service and yummy food ! read more

Had to kill some time in the area, so I drove around looking for a place to eat. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I saw this hole in the wall with several people standing outside in a line, which usually means it's a good thing, so I decided to give it a try.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I got very lucky and got a curbside parking spot right in front of them, otherwise you'll need to drive around to look for street parking. When I try new places, I usually tend to try their loco moco, as I may have mentioned in my reviews of other places. Because, as simple as that dish is to make, if the place can't get that right, I am not going to bother ordering anything else off your menu. So, here I am at Pongo's, and I ordered their loco moco. It came in a decent sized bowl, just the right amount to hit the spot without filling you up too much. It comes with one egg (I order over easy) and one patty, with gravy and rice. The patty was probably one of the best patties I've tasted in a LM: it was large and tender, very tasty and not gamey. The gravy was what you would want from a gravy: dark brown and thick, not overpowering or salty. It was the perfect size meal and hit the spot. I failed to buy a side of their mac salad, which always goes great with LM, but I won't make that mistake next time. And yes, there will be a next time. Very friendly staff, food took minutes to come out. Support local!! read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Just right. Next time I'm getting a side of mac - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Pongo's is my go to for quick, cheap, and awesome food. The sistah's there are amazing at what they do. YOu can't go wrong with any of their plate lunches, even their mini size is a lot of food. read more

It was my first time trying this place. They're located right next to puuhale elementary school & across of Ross appliances. - the service was super good. Aunty was so nice and chill. She was friendly and very cool to approach. You can't go in the restaurant yet because of covid so you order from outside. - I got their combo plate which was baked ahi & kickin chicken. They are out of their famous guava chicken because of a missing ingredient that they have to wait for but aunty said that the substitute chicken was the same but less spicy so I tried it. The food was good. The baked ahi was super good. It even had large chunks of crab which was super good. The chicken had a lot of taste. The sauce they used was a little tangy but still good. I loved it! Flavory & they gave me 4 pieces of chicken! They pack the plate. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Baked ahi/ kickin chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

They have a grilled Ono special today so I ordered a mini with brown rice and Mac salad. You can't go wrong with fresh fish at $8 a plate in Hawaii! Enjoy!! read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Grilled Ono - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Pongo's is a little hole in the wall spot on lower Mokauea St with really Ono tasting food,My go to plates are of course the Ahi casserole,Ahi Katsu or what every fish they have in the lemon caper butter sauce the Grava chicken not bad but the Ahi is there standout go check them out super Ono read more

I happened to be in the area during lunchtime and Yelp led me to this pick-up only local eatery. They're known for their plate lunches. After perusing the menu, I ordered the ahi katsu, which came with mac salad and 1 scoop rice, plus your choice of sauce - if you want your sauce on the side, they charge .25 cents. This was a decent ahi katsu, but I wish I would've splurged on the .25 cent sauce on the side, as it was more than just a "drizzle", as they had mentioned it would be. It was more like a big blob, and a bit over-powering. The fish itself was tasty and didn't need to be masked with so much sauce IMO. The mac salad had a bit too much mayo in it. I could only handle a couple of bites of that. Prices are on par with other local plate lunch places in the area. This place attracts most of the workers in the area. There is no parking, unless you get lucky to get a spot right in front. Street parking is your best bet. I would return to try some of their other plate lunches, but I'd definitely request the sauce on the side. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Outside - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Amazing people and amazing cooking. Juicy, incredible and fresh! The best flavor. I'm still in a food coma. We are very sad to be leaving Hawaii because we know we will be craving this. We will be back. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Katsu ahi, spicy guava chicken (my favorite) and lolo moco with katsu spam she even threw in some beef stew for me to try - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I always get the grilled ahi. Always good! Service is awesome! I recommend Pongos if you want yummy plate lunches!

I ordered the guava chicken and baked ahi and it was so amazing! The chicken actually has a lot of meat and was glazed perfectly. The service was also very good! I ordered 9 plates at 10:30am and it was ready to go by 9:15am. Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

I've been here once years ago and tried the baked ahi which I loved. We decided to go here for lunch as my friend was raving about their guava chicken. It was my first time trying it! We called in a phone order and it was ready right away. We got there at about noon and surprisingly there was no line and we were happy about that. My friend said there is usally a line especially during lunch. When you walk up, they have a table outside with an umbrella. The girl take ur payment then hands you your food. It was really quick. We ordered four plates: 1) Regular guava chicken with rice and corn 2) Mixed Combo consisting of grilled ahi with their shoyu sauce and the guava chicken all toss (they only have ranch dressing) 3) Mini grilled ahi with garlic butter along with white rice and mac 4) Regular guava chicken with rice and mac Everyone was happy with their order and it was the first time for 2 of us. The guava chicken has a great flavor. Sweet and tangy with a slight hint of spice. The chicken is deep fried and tossed in the guava sauce. The fish was grilled well and just right. It was not over cooked or dry. The shoyu sauce that accompanied it was also good if you like that type of sauce. It had onions inside of the sauce as well. Each plate came with 1 scoop of rice and one side. The prices are pretty reasonable as well. If you are in the area and looking for a good plate lunch spot, you have to try them out. read more

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One of my favorite local plate lunch spots on island! Always delicious, consistently fresh. The combos are the way to go! Some of our favorites: Guava Chicken Baked ahi Ahi katsu mac salad Even their roast chicken is delicious! This is a great spot for takeout work lunches! read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Guava Chicken & Ahi Katsu combo - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I noticed this place on Yelp and couldn't help wondering what the shop's featured picture of the delicious looking seafood thing was. It looked absolutely amazing, and I had to try it! It's located on the corner of Mokauea St. and Kalani St. in the residential-industrial area in Kalihi. Parking is kind of difficult as there's no parking lot. Street parking is usually full around the immediate area but not impossible to find. I got the featured picture which was the baked ahi and the guava chicken for me and my boyfriend to share. The prices here are really cheap! Mini and regular were all less than $10 per plate. Wow! I got both regular sized (because why not) and the portion were big! Wonder how small the minis were if I had gotten that. Each plate got a side option of either corn, mac salad, or tossed salad. The guava chicken had a TON of flavor. It had a sweet glaze and super crispy. Really really good! The baked ahi was delicious! It wasn't too heavy at all. The fish wasn't over cooked and the flavor was really good. It just looked kind of sad compared to the guava chicken LOL. A cheap price for good food. What more can be asked? Highly recommend the guava chicken and trying the baked ahi. Definitely will be back to try more of their menu! read more

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Great portion sizes and tasty food! The have only street parking which can be tricky. Quality hasn't changed since my first visit about 8 years ago. read more

Always my favorite place to eat from. Friendly service Best to Phone Order or Order Online. Once I find something I like, I tend to stick with it Hehe which is Ahi Bake, Hamburger Steak, Garlic Ahi, Baked Ahi read more

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Phenomenal food, great customer service! [[HIGHLIGHT]]In a respectful area where people just want to come and eat[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]!

Food came out fast, fresh and hot. Prices went up since last time I came here, but what hasn't gone up in prices. Got the SESAME CHICKEN/ hamburger steak combo. And the SPICY GUAVA CHICKEN/ hamburger curry combo.. won't be getting the hamburger steak again. Patty was bland and gravy didn't really have taste. But will stop by if in the area for the spicy guava chicken for sure. read more

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2/13/25 The Roasted Chicken Thighs w mixed greens(healthier spinach lettuces mix...) Ask for the vinegar onion sauce to dip the chicken in I add a Hawaiian chili pepper to spice it up read more

I heard about this place from a coworker and I don't know why I've never been here! The menu is local style and there's a variety of options. How are the short lunch hours so it does get busy. I believe it's cash only, didn't see a sign for credit cards. Aunty taking the orders is so friendly!! Parking is very limited so be sure to either phone call, drive by with others, or be prepared to park not in front of restaurant but along side streets. The baked ahi has the right amount of flavor, so good! And the spicy guava chicken, amazing! I'm sure the other items won't disappoint if my plate was already this great tasting. I would highly recommend this place for small lunch orders for your office, and support local! read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Baked Ahi and Spicy Guava Chicken Plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is small hole in the wall is in kalihi. They give big portions and the food is pretty good. Only street parking. You should call your order first before getting there. I like their guava chicken and the ahi cake. The guava chicken tastes more like garlic chicken to me but it was pretty good. The ahi cake was my favorite. It was the perfect texture and was full of flavor. We had a big order for work and they got our orders waiting for us by the time we picked it up. They mixed up the sides of some of our orders but it wasn't a big deal. Overall, food was good.....service was fast and friendly. read more

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A nice stop for some fried chicken if you're in the area. I was intrigued by their guava chicken which turned out to super yummy- a little sweet and spicy sauce. I really like that they sell chicken by the piece so that I dont have to over eat an entire plate. No seating, only and outside stand for transactions. Friendly and quick service. read more

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