This place is mean! First time I ever heard of this place was yesterday from a friend after grabbing coffee over at Lion's which is pretty near by! Let me start with parking, I had to circle around the block a couple times for a spot to finally open up. Entered the place with a friendly greeting from the lady working up front who I could tell had a sense that we were first timers. My friend ordered the Opakapaka with garlic shoyu all white rice ($8.75) and I got the baked ahi with guava chicken all brown rice ($8.50). Price was fair and no tax too! Wait was reasonable around 5 minutes for mine and 7 for my friends. There are only two benches outside and luckily we were able to have one. Now the best part, the food. Oh my GOODness! I opened that plate and wow, did I really pay $8.50 for this!? This plate was loaded. The scoops of rice were huge! And the baked ahi, smeeen. The chicken was good too! My friends Opakapaka was great, the shoyu is killer. You really get why you pay for here! Downside to this was while eating I got mean heartburn which totally killed the experience. But other than that this place is worth 5 stars! read more

The first thing to note about Pongo's is the parking situation. Basically, if you're lucky, you can temporarily park right in front. Otherwise, you may be searching for a while in the sea of industrial businesses. Next, there is no seating at Pongo's (at least that was the case when I went in early December 2011). So it's really only a takeout establishment. Pongo's regular menu may look complex initially, but is fairly simple: (1) choose a size; (2) choose an entree (probably the hardest part of the entire process); (3) ask for white or brown rice, (4) choice of corn, mac salad, or mixed vegetables; and (5) choice of drizzles or sauces if applicable. I got one of Pongo's (changing) daily specials: Grilled Ahi Belly with choice of chicken ($8.25). I went with the guava chicken, boneless dark chicken pieces battered and fried, with a special guava drizzle. The garlic ahi got topped with a ginger green onion sauce. I went with brown rice and mixed vegetables. The ahi was perfectly cooked, very moist. Come on now, this is ahi belly, you *know* you want this part of the fish. The sauce was outstanding here because it elevated a good fish to superstar caliber. Great layers of flavor. The ginger came through front and center. I enjoyed that guava chicken. The glaze lightly coated each chicken piece, adding that bit of sweetness. I found the chicken hard to cut, but then again, I was using a plastic knife (dang those plastic good-for-nothing things....). The rice did not appear to be the real fibrous brown rice; it had more of the white rice (smoother) texture. Thee mixed vegetables were as pedestrian as one can get...dull-looking peas and diced carrots that likely came out of a can. Perhaps I shoulda gotten the mac salad, but oh well, maybe next time. For $8.25, I got what I felt was a lovely portion of food. Great presentation for the fish and chicken. Overall, it was well worth the price and then some. Check out Pongo's Kitchen, and I recommend getting one of the fish/chicken combination plates! read more

Love the food here! If I could have it my way I would order the baked ahi with beef stew, w/ white rice and Mac! However, eating healthy is what the other half demands, so luckily Pongo's serve awesome fish dishes w/ brown rice and toss salad! They have multiple fish options w/ multiple sauce options.. I personally ask them for their recommendations which is always spot on! If they could stay open a lil' while longer and stop running out of stuff throughout the day, I would have gave them 5 stars!!! Still, super ONO! read more

Found a worm in my salad. Not good. Wash your salad next time please. Got grossed out and threw food away If you don't believe me look at photos and see the video I posted read more

Tried the loco Moco with hamburger curry bowl and pickled onions. Delicious and just the right proportion of brown rice to and vegetables and hamburger in the curry. The reason why I ordered this was because I went there late in the day and they were sold out of almost everything on the menu(even their delicious cookies were all sold out). read more

LOVE Pongo's! The people are great and the food is terrific! They don't offer your "normal" plate lunch fare, but they have a lot of options, from beef stew, roasted chicken, baked ahi (my fave), and lots of other grilled fish and chicken dishes. The mini plates are good enough for me, as the portions are just right! There are daily specials everyday, but be forewarned that they go out quick! The only problem here is the parking, there is a bus stop right in front of the entry way (on Mokauea Street), and people park there all the time but you can park on the streets all around the area. Also of note, there are only two small picnic tables in the front for people to sit on, so Pongo's is a place you'll want to pick up from and take home or to the park or beach, etc.to enjoy. Try it out, you will not be sorry! read more

Do not underestimate this little hole in the wall located in Kalihi. Their food is great, their fish plates are good, and so far I have not been disappointed. Their dressings, sauces, and drizzles make their food so much more yummy, but is just as good without. Even their ranch dressing makes their mixed green salad yummy! My favorite is the baked ahi. My boyfriend loves the opakapaka, and my family likes everything they've had there. I recently catered from them for a luncheon at work. Everyone enjoyed their food, despite not having a delivery service for catering. The prices are very reasonable for the amount and quality. I usually do takeout since their seating is limited and outside. I am definitely a fan and will continue to visit! Very yummy! read more

Since we were in the Kalihi area, we decided to stop by Pongo's and try the mini sesame chicken and the mini guava chicken. We went early and luckily found a parking spot in front. It's more of a takeout place (no dining area inside). Service was so fast! My order was ready before I could even put my wallet back into my purse. The portions are pretty good, as well as the price ($5,75 for each of the mini plates we ordered). Of the two chicken plates we ordered, I prefer the guava one since it was more tasty. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Mini sesame chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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My aunty catered from Pongo's last week to feed everyone that was helping my uncle move. All I gotta say is, if they're going to serve food like this when someone needs to move house, sign me up!! Here's a true test of yum-ability: bring the food, but everyone is still busy unloading the truck so it sits for about an hour... So the food gets kind of room temp... Then try eat 'em! If it's like the food from Pongo's, the guava chicken will still have crunch yet still be nice and tender inside, the beef stew will still be gravy-licious, the steak will still be tender and not chewy, and, most surprising of all, the baked ahi casserole will still be moist and not dry! Funny enough, the rice was the worst thing - dry and clumpy. But fixable with a nice scoop of stew gravy... Ohhh yeah, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout!! I will definitely try to get there soon to order off the regular menu. Will update my review when I do! read more

I went to Pongos for the first time today and ordered their grilled salmon with spicy butter sauce, it was delicious! Normally I don't like too much spicy foods but the spice sauce was not too hot it just had the right amount of spice too it and the salmon was cooked perfectly not dry but moist and tender. I found out that their food runs out real fast so best to phone order by 11 and pick up, I think it's what we'll do next time because there's not much street parking around there. But even with the parking situation, the food is excellent and I'd surely go back again to try their other dishes! read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Grilled Salmon with spicy butter sauce. - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Ive walkd past here for yrs..and theres always a bunch of people in line bt nvr have i thought to try this place out for myslf..untill today.Coworkers suggested the guava chicken&baked ahi combo bt sadly they were out of ahi when we called in our order so decided on jst the guava chicken,mini(3 pcs of boneless chicken) with a scoop of rice(white or brown)and a choice of toss salad,mac salad or corn,which i decided on..It was Sooo GOOD!! the chicken was sweet, tangy, with a little spice to it..So yummy!! Ill be back for sure... read more

Pongo's Kitchen - mini guava chickwn w/brown rice n corn - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Heard a lot about this place and finally tried it. The guava chicken was sold out so I had to settle for the sesame chicken. The chicken was awesome! Great taste and crispy too! Also tried the beef stew plate and the fresh turkey with gravy. The food there is delicious and homemade, plus very affordable. I think each plate runs between $5.50 to $10. Portions are good too! Parking kind of a problem and the wait was very long. The saving grace there is the guy at the front. This guy works well under pressure and is very professional and patient. Definitely got his act together! Thanks for the great customer service! I will be back! read more

I've never had something I didn't love from here. I'm always on the look out for healthier lunch choices and this is one of the places that have brown rice and nalo greens. You can choose between a few different types of fish, pork, steak, shrimp, short ribs and then you choose what sauce to go on top of it. The guava chicken is also amazing! Everything on the menu is between $5-9. Give it a try! read more

I like this hole in the wall place. Great for a nice local home style plate lunch when you're on the go! They're famous for their chicken, but everytime I try it, I am not impressed. It's always dry. The dipping sauces are good and I like their tossed salad. Besides that negative point, the rest of their menu is great! The menu changes here and there daily. Can't go wrong with local favorites like curry beef, beef stew and sometimes they have turkey with gravy and a side of corn. Kind of reminds me of school lunch in a way, but waaaay bettter. Just that old school comfort food kind of feel. Try the place! Parking can be a hassle, but it's reasonably priced, fast and friendly. read more

There's a reason this place is called a "kitchen" and not a restaurant. There are 2 tables outside that are essentially on the sidewalk, and there is barely any roof covering. It's also located in the middle of an industrial area. Perfect for a date, if your date was a robot. The Grilled Shrimp was the best, very tasty and pretty good portions. The Guava Chicken was good but the sauce was a bit too sweet. The Grilled Ahi was a bit dry. The Beef Stew was one of the better ones we've had, but Sesame Chicken seemed like the Guava Chicken without sauce.. and they burned it a little bit. Overall I think the food could have 4 star potential, but with the mess ups on the Ahi and the Sesame Chicken, I have to drop it to 3 stars. read more

Heard about their weekly specials for $4 so I decided to check out this $4 plate I've been hearing about. Co-worker and I went there for lunch today and the $4 special was for spaghetti and garlic roll. They just have 1 special on the menu. a few people in front of me ordered the special too so I figured since I'm there I'd try it out. I think the prices for the other items came up again. Most plates are now $8 and up. I heard this lady that walked in and looked up at the menu say "WOW the prices are high". She started counting the money she had in her hand to make sure he had enough to pay for lunch. The spaghetti was a full sized plate and wasn't anything special. It was just spaghetti noodles covered with tomato sauce (Ragu?) and they added in some parsley and very light sprinkle of cheese. As I was eating I noticed that there were a few noodles that were black. I'm hoping it's because it was burnt and not.... well you can make your own conclusion. That kind of made me lose my appetite. I guess for $4 it's a great deal compared to their regular items... I'll drive by next time to see what's the next weekly special for $4. read more

Pros: ONOLICIOUS plate lunches (hamburger curry is my favorite)! Cons: Super hard to find parking (you can chance parking right up front but watch for the popo). Don't go too late or all the good stuff is gone! A few tables outside to eat on but other than that, plan on eating elsewhere, especially if you're in a bigger group. read more

Absolutely delicious!!!! If you're driving through the area - make sure to stop by for lunch!! Small whole in the wall, but quality food!

It's a hole in the wall, but it had a line out the door which was a great sign. Food was fresh and delicious! I had the guava chicken and mongchon fish combo & honestly that was one of the best meals I had on the island. They were running out of chicken dishes though by the time I arrived around 1:30pm read more

ribeye steak lunch was super delicious, the mac wasnt great, but the sauce with the meat was some of the best teriyaki i have ever had. Its kind off off the beaten path in a commercial area, but definitely worth a stop on your way back to the airport. read more

Excellent fresh fish. A hole in the wall that is very clean. Parking is extremely scarce. You can pretty much modify any order to suit your needs. Good place to get a good piece of protein and some good veggies and a healthy starch. Tastes gourmet, with reasonable pricing. read more

Guava chicken plate with extra drizzle!!! Its the next hole-in-the-wall place, beats out Gulick Delicatessen. Its only a Take Out place. They have two benches outside. This is where you can take your plate back to the office and ENJOY by yourself. read more

Pros: Opakapaka fresh with shoyu/oil, large portion Friendly staff Lots of fish on menu Picnic tables Cons: Mac salad bit discolored Rice hard ***** Can't get everything you want but sides really make a difference to make a good meal read more

This place can be deceiving by its small location (whole in the wall), but do not get deceived. This place is soooo delicious and the price is so fair. I would come back in a heart beat! read more

It's incredible how one can pass by a place and never know it's there. If not for a friends suggestion, I would have never tried this gem located in the middle of Kalihi. I'm sure glad I did for this place does not disappoint. My go to is the spicy guava chicken and baked ahi combo. The Mac salad is solid and the portions are a great value for the price. It's a good idea to call ahead as they do tend to sell out quickly. read more

Great food and friendly staff. Would've gave them 5 stars but their specials are inconsistent. Sometimes they'll have a special I love and come back the next week on the same day and it's something completely different. Other than that, great grinds! read more

I had the hamburger steak with a side of guava chicken. The guava chicken was so crispy and delicious! Kind of similar to garlic chicken but sweeter with a tang of spice. The hamburger steak was ok. I will probably try something else next time like the ahi with the many different sauces you can choose from! I would recommend because the portions are generous and their menu just sounds delicious. Definitely want to try more things from the menu. read more

Nice little mom-n-pop place. I had the sirloin sandwich with garlic drizzle. Be aware, a sirloin here is not a steak (they have this prominently posted). It is a hamburger steak. Mine was served on a toasted French roll and had plenty of garlic flavor. Nice. BF had the guava chicken. He got a mini and still had plenty to eat. It was several pieces of boneless fried chicken, rice and salad. Good flavor, a bit heavy on the breading, but quite good. The lady behind the counter was friendly, helpful, and the service was good. They have two (slightly rickety) booths outside, under a nice awning. A comfortable place to sit and eat. Street parking only - can be tough or easy, depending on day of the week and time. read more

Omg I'm going to miss this place!!! We tried this place before heading to the airport. Guava chicken and baked ahi are amazing!!!! We arrived around 12. They only had 1 plate of guava chicken left. I'm so happy we were able to try it. Call in advance to see if they have it. Parking sucks but it's worth the walk. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Guava chicken and baked Ahi - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Just as good as I remembered it! We got 2 regular orders of guava chicken and 1 regular order of opak and it filled the 4 of us! read more

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

Finally came here & found parking. Street parking. Right in the front!!! It helped that we came on the weekend right after opening. I've passed by here during the week & I could never find parking. It's in a predominately business/warehouse area. So that cuts down on parking spots & they get a lot of customers from the area so you the weekend worked out well. On to the food. Wanted to try the guava chicken but was told it was a 15 minute wait. Oh well. Had the sesame chicken & baked ahi combo instead. The chicken was tasty & good but the baked ahi made me wish I had only ordered that. It was moist & delicious. Broke da mout!! Lol Next time hopefully I'll be able to try the guava chicken. read more

This is my favorite lunch spot! My favorites are the guava chicken and the NY Strip Steak. I like to call in advance to put in my order.

Their steak is on point, the roasted chicken is awesome, the grilled salmon...to die for!!! Their seasoned butter sauces are so ono for the steak, the salmon, the chicken, I can eat here like everyday! Reason to come here for lunch, cuz its worth it!!! read more

Pongo's Kitchen - The menu of goodness!!! - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

All kinds of good options. Good price. Never had an issue with parking. Depends on the time that you go I'm assuming. Any of their fish plates I like. Good portion. Friendly staff. Near my school. I usually have them recommend the drizzles for their dishes. Never dissatisfied. Always content!! Thank you beautiful ladies of Pongo's Kitchen. You are all bomb!! Can't forget their NY strip steak, with that butter garlic read more

This place has the meanest grinds! It's a little hole in the wall and almost everything is really good. If you only have one chance to eat here though, go for one of the chicken dishes (namely the guava chicken). Most importantly, come early because they ALWAYS run out of the good stuff even by 12:30. read more

Awesome local food for lunch!!! Great price. Great portion simple and god quality at the same time. I love their shoyu ginger sauce!! I've always wanted to try the Guava chicken but they seem to run put almost everyday. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Hidden secret in Kalihi area - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Pongo's was the first place we ate at after landing in Oahu - it was lunch time and we were hungry and it had good reviews. We showed up and there was a line, which made us think that we must have picked the right place. Lo and behold it was a nearby conference on a lunch break but either way, we weren't disappointed! I had the guava chicken and my boyfriend had the curry hamburger/fish of the day combo and both were good. Service was friendly and fast (once we got to the front of the line) and parking was easy enough (street parking). Good for plate lunch in Hawaii. read more

Probably my favorite spot to go to for lunch in kalihi, that guava chicken baked ahi combo is to die for. And for a price that's hard to say no. But make sure to go there early, as it tends to sell out before 1pm read more

I had the craving for the Hamburger steak today. I love this place! Every time I go there I don't know what to to get, so I get a few things. I love the specials and the fresh fish. You can't go wrong with the salmon or the Ahi belly!!! I'm a sucker for the Turkey and Gravy. Real baked turkey, not the funky compressed garbage. I also love the beef stew, hamburger curry and the short ribs are WINNER! You can't go wrong. Everything is made fresh in the back so you know it will be good when you get it. Mac salad is the daddy mac! Even have dishes like pork tenderloin and penne pasta. MMMM! Go to Pongo's Kitchen and ROCK YOUR BELLY! Healy options too! My "go to" for healthy is grilled salmon and tofu on a bed of fresh spinach with ginger green onion sauce!!! Will not disappoint. It's the bomb when the fresh spinach leaves wilt from the heat of the griled fish and tofu. It mixes with the sauces and the juices...OMG YUMMMM! Candace rocks!!! read more

Pongo's Kitchen - I had a craving for the Hamburger Steak at Pongo's Kitchen yesterday. Sooo goooood! 100% sirloin patty. Thank you Candace!!! mmmm... - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Pongo's is awesome. Always have a good selection with excellent service and short wait. One day when I was really late to go to lunch I stopped over but they just closed the kitchen. They ended up making a special order for me even though they were closing down the kitchen. read more