First time here but will not be my last and will tell everyone. Parking is hard to find but phone in your order and take a buddy driver. Cards and cash accepted! The roast chicken and guava chicken runs out quickly. I ordered on the spot. Wait time was short. Friendly staff from ordering to PU. Individually packaged Utensils included. Shh- I didn't have to request for utensils, they know I need it to eat with! The grilled ahi bowl is a must for those who need salad and also like rice. Slices of grilled ahi, onions and bean spouts topped rice, spinach and diced grape tomatoes. Pongos has a light shoyu sauce that's not overpowering under the rice and on the fish. So delish! The combo baked ahi and guava chicken came with choice of white or brown rice, toss or Mac salad. The spring greens salad was delish too. The baked ahi was not overpowered by mayo or sauce. The guava chicken was delish but I'd consider it sweet, especially if one prefers savory over sweet. Friendly staff!!!! read more

I gotta say, one of the nice things about using YELP - is finding some good GRINDZ places from my fellow Yelp friends........ I was in the mood to try a new place today, so I went over to the Yelp site, & lurked over my Yelp buddy - bruddah Darrel P.'s page. I like looking a bruddah Darrel's page, cuz I get da same kine taste as him as far as da GRINDZ go...........upon scanning his page, low & behold I found da spot today - PONGO"S Kitchen, here I come! I whipped out the phone, turned on the GPS, and off I went to the industrial area of Kalihi. I gotta say..........it's a nightmare to try and find parking here (we actually couldn't find any parking today), so may I suggest the best way to get around this, is to have your friend drive you, then your friend can keep the car running while you run inside to order the food. Upon picking up da Grindz, then you can make your "quick get away!" By the way, the little shop is basically a pick up & go kinda place........there is absolutely no seating inside. One small note - there are two small covered tables outside, if you are lucky enough to get it............but I think I'll pass on eating on a covered table by the sidewalk. Onto the GRINDZ...........upon looking at the pics from here, it appears that they are known for their Guava Chicken, as well as Sesame Chicken, & Fried Chicken. Upon scanning the menu, I decided on a combo plate of Beef Stew, & Guava Chicken. My co-worker just wanted the Guava Chicken. With my combo, I took the brown rice & a toss salad. My co-worker opted for the mac salad & brown rice. I also got two bottled waters, and the total damage was just under $19.00. Not bad, because the amount to food they served to you was very generous! ****Please note, when I had ordered the Guava Chicken, the friendly girl at the counter told me there would be a 15 minute wait***** But in actuality, I probably waited no more than 5 to 10 minutes for my food. May I suggest if you don't want to wait, you should call and place a phone order before heading down to Pongo's, so that way you won't have to deal with the wait. In my case.........I was okay with it. What can I say about the grub? Well, I gotta tell you the Guava Chicken was as advertised! It was really ono! The chicken was really meaty & juicy. The guava sauce was not overpowering, with a slight hint of Guava, with a tangy spiciness to it. NOMS!!!!! As for my beef stew..........that was just okay for me, nothing special about it. It kinda reminded me of a Hawaiian Stew, as the sauce was more on the runny side, verses on the thicker side. I've been on a quest to look for the perfect Beef Stew ever since my favorite beloved H.K. Restaurant closed down back in 2012. If anyone of da bruddah's out there know where I can get a good beef stew - similar like H.K. Restaurant...........let a bruddah know! Okay? Overall, a great little shop that serves onolishes GRINDZ! Although there was no parking, the place was still very busy, as they get a lot of foot traffic from the workers in the industrial area. Check 'em out gang! No can go wrong! read more

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Haven't been to Pongos as much since they moved to Mokauea. They used to be in this little pink lunch wagon in the Waikamilo area. But the food is somewhat the same. The sesame chicken is a good everyday pick. The baked ahi is also super tasty and delicious. Most of their plates come on a spinach bed which is a nice compliment to the meaty plate lunch. They have a variety of fish served as plate lunch style. Personally I haven't tried it but my fellow co workers like it a lot. I wish they brought back the PONGOS COMBO though. If I remember correct it came with sesame chicken, hamburger steak, Teri beef and delicious luncheon meat! Used to get it with gravy all over...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Sesame Chicken with Baked Ahi - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Fire food good service good quality as always the people are super nice and their specials are always great

Was running errands all day on monday and ended up in Kalihi. At about 1-ish. Started getting hungry and did what every smart person would do. Get out your smarter than you phone and yelp a place nearby for lunch. Pongos, I dont know what a Pongo is but it had good reviews and lots of nice red stars. So I hit the "Directions" button and I was on my way. Found the place quickly. Its really easy to spot. Big sign outside "PONGO'S" How easy is that? Now parking is a problem and Im not sure if the space just fronting the entrance is legal parking but, after circling the block (and finding out where OCCC is) I just parked there. The place is small. A counter on the inside for ordering and 2 tables outside for .... what else, eating. There is an extensive menu but, I like to go for the specials. I ordered the Opakapaka with garlic soy sauce. I used my freedom of choice and choose brown rice (healthy) and mac salad (not so healthy) I think they even each other out. Price: $8 Outcome: DELICIOUS!!! In fact some of that garlic soy sauce spilled onto my mac salad and made it even better. Not that it wasnt before. I notice a few other items that I would like to try next time. So, I will be back. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Opakapaka with garlic soy sauce. - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I found this place because they were featured on the news.... I can't remember which channel but they mentioned the sticky guava chicken. Eh! the bugga is delicious! I've ordered here a few times and have not been disappointed yet. I usually order their boneless sticky guava chicken or their opakapaka. yum!!!!! A lot of construction workers and laborers frequent this place..... I would suggest going a little early for lunch to beat the crowd and to avoid getting a sold out item.... yes, they do sell out of some things. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Grilled Opakapaka with shoyu sauce.....winnah!!!!!!!!!! - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

i had the ahi bowl for lunch today and it was one of the very best meals i have had in a long time. thank you! read more

I am so glad Pongo's decided to do a Crowdsavings deal otherwise I never would've known about this place. The food is fresh, healthy and yummy. I have tried it two times now and I'm a fan. First time around I came around 12pm, and ordered Sesame Chicken and Baked Ahi combo. I wanted to try the Guava Chicken and Grilled Mahi, but they were already sold out. No complaints- everything was flavorful, my combo was excellent and came with brown rice and tossed salad (creamy dressing). The prices are super reasonable too. My second visit was around 1pm, so since all chicken was sold out. I ordered the Grilled Opah with Garlic Butter special. Another winner! They are super fast and the owners/workers are super friendly. Keep the good food and service coming! They gave me a tip to come early. They open at 9am, so I will have to probably come by before 10:30am to try that Guava Chicken. Cons: Parking is very limited- small parking lot next door with a couple stalls and the rest is street parking. Be careful when driving or walking at the cross street intersection. I witnessed a car accident, and apparently it happens often. Limited outdoor seating. More of take out place. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Grilled Opah with Garlic Butter, brown rice and tossed salad. - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

You should be eating takeout from Pongo's Kitchen. Yes, there is no parking, go with a friend to circle with the car. Yes, there are only two outdoor tables, so really no place to sit, don't worry, I said takeout. Yes, they are only open for lunch from 10 am - 2 pm, leave school/work and Figure. It. Out. There's a lotta good happening on Pongo's Menu. If you like seafood dynamite, go for the Baked Ahi which has imitation crab-mayo goodness. The fried chickens--Guava, Sesame, Wasabi or Garlic drizzled are popular and have a dark tempura-like batter that stays nice and cruncy. The Ribeye Teri Beef sets a new standard for teri beef and they always have fish--Salmon, Opakapaka, sometimes Ahi Belly or Onaga, so look for the specials. Prices are reasonable for both mini and regular plates, and you can make combos for a nominal charge. Plates come with a choice of white or brown rice and either toss salad, mac salad or corn--I even really like the buttermilk dressing on the toss salad, damn. Really good lunch option when you're in Kalihi. The food comes out quickly, but you can also call in your order and it'll be ready when you get there. Don't forget to bring me back a plate when you go. read more

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First time there. Small hole in the wall place on Mokauea. Looked busy since there always seemed to be a line. We had a office luncheon and they did 98 plates for us. Food was really good I had the guava chicken! read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Guava Chicken plate lunch - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is one of my favorite spots I go for my lunch break. They always have great options and have a different special every time I walk in. The guava chicken always sell out so give them a call or go early. When I don't feel like chicken I mahi mahi is the way to go. I sometimes put the spicy Gallic butter or creamy garlic sauce on top . They have a ton more dressing options on the board. Here's how to order: Step 1: Mini or regular plate Step 2: choose your main dish Step 3: choice of dressing if you ordering fish Step 4: choose your rice Step 5: choose your side: salad , Mac salad or corn Step 6: order a canned drink or dessert Your order seriously comes out quick. Even the fish and steak is grilled to order but you don't have to wait long. read more

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Great food for a great price. Open for lunch only. Love the ahi and the guava chicken is to die for.

It looks like the number one combo (baked ahi and your choice of chicken) is the thing to get and frankly the pictures here don't do it justice. It is an absolute unit and you should get it, with the guava chicken. The chicken is sweet and a little hot. The ahi is pleasing and creamy. The price is eminently reasonable. Parking is tough though, so you're probably going to wait to park kinda questionably, order your food to go, and eat somewhere else. read more

This place is near my job so I decided to check it out today. I looked up their menu on their website (revised covid menu available for print) and phone ordered for pick up at 12pm. There's only street parking and if you know the area that means try and get someone to run in for you while you circle the block lol. Luckily, I got a spot near by and ran over to pick up my order. They accept cash or card. Hand sanitizer is readily available and mask rules are posted at counter. "No mask, No order". You don't enter into the shop, order is taken at table on side walk. Plenty of waiting area if you decided to just roll up. My order was fresh and ready when I got there. I ordered the Ahi Katsu and got the garlic shoyu and the siracha and unagi sauce on the side with tossed salad. The ahi katsu wasn't dry or oily on a bed of spinach which was fantastic! The rice was the right consistency (not too hard and not to mushy). Those things were great. Now the tossed salad was ok but the dressing really tasted like mayonnaise. That was a big NO for me. The siracha aioli tasted like the one out of the bottle and the unagi sauce tasted like hoisin (maybe I received the wrong one??). The garlic shoyu tasted like garlic powder, shoyu and oil (not sesame oil). I love sauces and was disappointed with all of the sauces/ dressing in this plate. Customer service was tho! read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Ahi katsu with all the sauces on the side - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Aye dios mio! After reading a few reviews, got a baked ahi & guava chicken combo plate and am now thanking the gods of Yelp reviewers. Just friggin' amazing. Don't tell anyone. Don't want crowds and lines. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Baked ahi & guava chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This place first got my radar when I saw Darrell P check in here. When he got ROTD then I bookmarked this spot. It's not often that I'm in the area so it took me 6 months to get here but I'm so happy that I finally came to check this restaurant out. This cozy hole in the wall has a simple but delicious menu. They can even customize you a combo plate. Their most popular menu items are the Baked Ahi and Spicy Guava Chicken (boneless). Most people get take out but you can dine there on the outside of the restaurant. There are two tables that seat about 4 people per table. We arrived about 10:30am on a Saturday and the place already had someone eating outside. People were coming by to pick up their phone orders while we looked at the menu. It took us a couple of minutes to decide. The kitchen was busy taking care of a catering order so the Spicy Guava Chicken wasn't ready. Just my luck that I went there to try that but it wasn't ready. The cashier asked us if it was our first time there and we told her yes it was. She walked back to the kitchen and told the kitchen that I really wanted the Spicy Guava Chicken and it was our first time there. When she came back, she asked if we didn't mind waiting and they could make that for me in 5 or so minutes. Talk about customer service! I ended up ordering a combo of the Hamburger Steak w/Gravy & Onions and Spicy Guava Chicken. She said that it's more expensive to do it that way and instead, I should order the Hamburger Steak w/Gravy & Onions then get a side of the Spicy Guava Chicken. I took her advice and did just that. You'll get a choice of white rice or brown rice then you'll get to pick between toss salad, mac salad or corn. She was very nice and talked with us while we waited for our order. I wish I got her name. 5 stars on their customer service! Since it was hot, we took our order to go. The car smelled so good on the ride home! Once we got home, we quickly took our photos then dug in. The Hamburger Steak was moist and flavorful. It tastes homemade and I loved the gravy and onions that it came with. The bed of spinach it rested on was a nice surprise. I'm so glad they made the Spicy Guava Chicken for me because it was amazing! Even Mink really liked it. She ordered the Beef Stew and Sesame Chicken (boneless) combo plate. The Beef Stew was good and had thick cuts of beef and veggies. Sesame Chicken was also good but I liked the Spicy Guava Chicken more. Now I have a reason to drive into the area! I can't wait to go back to try the Baked Ahi. Legit spot and highly recommended if you like plate lunches. read more

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Ordered through bite squad. The chicken was mostly chicken skin. Hardly any meat! We ordered the guava chicken and sesame chicken. Sesame chicken had 0 flavor. Corn had 0 flavor. Guava chicken has potential but It would be nice to have more than just the skin. :( won't be ordering from again. read more

SO BOMB! Always get the garlic ahi + guava chicken plate and the hamburger stew. Mac salad is ONO. (Better than Zippy's) and it's such a small, local business... They're so kind here. Pro tip call and order ahead -- They close at 2 but I called at about 12:20 and I got the last couple plates. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Hamburger Curry + Mac Salad - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Came in on a Saturday and finally tried their Guava Chicken. Initially order a regular plate, but had to surfice for a mini. I think I had the very last last batch. All the well, the chicken was just ok to me. Guava syrup/sauce made chicken skin sticky and somewhat hard to chew. Very flavorful though. The other was a fish dish, but cant remember what kind. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Mini Guava Chicken (front) & some kind of fish (back) - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

love that this place is so affordable and delicious! I love their baked ahi mmm! service is friendly and fast, which is awesome because it makes your lunch break go by much more smoothly. my co-workers also like to call in their orders when their in a pinch! really recommend this place, especially to those in the area. read more

Hope this place never goes out of business. It's a hole in the wall type plate lunch place but really feels like old Hawai'i. Food tastes like local home cooking. People there are really nice. Area not real nice but ok. Stew is so yummy! read more

Came here for the first time when we had a friend visiting from out of town. Had heard good things about this place from people who work in the area, and from Yelp. We ordered the grilled ahi and salmon, ahi bowl, and guava chicken - everyone enjoyed their food and said it was flavorful and perfectly cooked. While the lunch line was long, the service was efficient and very friendly. We would all go back again!! read more

I was able to get a combo plate of hamburger steak and boneless fried chicken with all toss. It was delicious! The hamburger steak had brown gravy with onions. The boneless fried chicken came with a choice of "drizzle" sauce. I chose lemon caper sauce. The coating for the fried chicken was light and crispy the way I like it. I would go back again to try other foods. Baked ahi was sold out already. Right across the street from Ross' Appliances on Mokauea St. read more

Drove by and saw a line out the door, so I decided hey I'm hungry so I stop in looking at their menu wow everything looks good! I finally decide on the Onaga with the Garlic Shoyu Sauce $9 Wow the presentation even in a Syrofoam container was nice the Onaga sat on a bed of Fresh Spinach with slivers of Green Onion on top of the Onaga, the salad was Nalo Greens an I opted for the Brown rice. The portion was a good size chunk of Onaga and the taste was spectacular coming out of a Plate Lunch place (if I closed my eyes I would have thought it came from a great sit down restaurant) the sauce complimented the fish and the Nalo greens were refreshing. Unfortunately I couldn't wait to dig in and forgot to take a picture. Parking is a bit of a challenge as there is only street parking, also there are only two outside tables as there is no seating inside. But besides these shortcomings it is well worth it to pick up food from here. I can't wait to visit again! read more

They have a consistent menu, so that means consistency! You'll love their food. I work close by so I'm eating here once or twice a week!! Go check em out!! read more

Street parking- the two spots in front of the store turns over fast so just go around the block a couple of times and phone in your order. Three of us ordered the same combination plate: baked ahi & guava chicken. The portions are generous. My two friends liked their fish. I don't like fish but I ate it bc the ahi was cooked & seasoned well, plus it's January - POST HOLIDAY DIET TIME. We all liked the guava chicken - DIET IS NOW BLOWN. We were at impressed that the salad dressing and sauces were made in their kitchen - onolicious! We got the Ultimate cookie for desert ($5.50/6pieces) - HELL WITH THE DIET! It's a crispy cookie that reminds me of a brownie brittle and SOOO GOOD!!! We all wanted the left over cookies but was too polite to fight for it. So we gave it to the skinniest person. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - New item - not impressed. Will stick with Combination #1 - baked ahi & guava chicken. - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Through recommendations I was told I had to come here to try their Sesame Chicken and their Strip Steak with drizzle sauce. I was expecting big things from the chicken which was tasty but didn't pack as much flavor as I was expecting (since I heard rave reviews about this chicken) and sadly they overcooked my medium rare steak which made it especially chewy. The do have their garlic butter drizzle sauce on point. I wouldn't intentionally make it a point to come during their opening hours, but if I found myself in the area with no lines and I was hungry, I'd give them a second try. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Strip Steak with garlic butter drizzle - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Pongo's is right near my workplace. It's less than two minutes of walking to get here. Come lunchtime, you'll slowly start to see people walking out of their shops, offices and warehouses. Where are they walking to? Why, Pongo's of course! So speed up, so there's not a line going out the door when you get there! I personally recommend trying to call in so that all you have to do is waltz in to pick up your order. It's a chill place. Nowhere to really sit though, so bet that you'll be eating your lunch elsewhere. It's too hot outside anyways. As for the food, WOW. Bomb! These are some grinds. So glad I've finally gotten to try their guava chicken. It's flavorful, and crunchy. Do I taste guava.. I'm not sure, the only guava I know is the really sweet Hawaiian Sun juice. And it sure as heck doesn't taste like that. But it tastes good. Either way, I'm really a fan. There's a bit of a tang, but not the kind that makes your lips pucker. It's almost like a barbecue flavor.. correct me if I'm wrong. I personally opted for the brown rice, which is as good as you can expect it to be. I also got their Mac salad, which wasn't my fave, but was a really great complement to the tangy, tasty guava chicken. It really calmed the flavor down and was a nice break from it all. I also find their portions to be really generous for the price, so thanks Pongo's! I got two lunches out of that one meal. I'll be back. It's hard to not give in and eat here everyday. I'm really interested in your roast turkey with homemade stuffing. So that's going to be next. Thanksgiving, here I come! read more

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

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LOCAL FOOD WITH A TWIST! A hole in the wall! So hidden, you just might miss it. A great place that offers zestfully flavored, unique food! FOOD ORDERED Guava Chicken & Baked Ahi Combo! The Guava chicken had the right amount of sweetness, sauce, & crunch! Surprisingly Outstanding taste! It was doing a happy dance in my mouth! The Baked Ahi tasted like I was eating a Dynamite sushi! Oohh yeah! http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=QuPACjm9M7dMqXbXrE9UWQ ENVIRONMENT Located in the depths of the industrial area of Kalihi on Mokauea St. Pretty ghetto area though. Street parking is very, very limited! They said you can park at the Ted's shop next door if you have take out or phone order. Benches outside. SERVICE Pretty Good! Although they forgot my chicken in my plate, they apologized and came running out to my car to give me my chicken! (because parking is pretty bad there) CONCLUSION Heck Yah, I'm coming back, I've been craving this lately! I went here twice this week! TIP Brown rice & Salad options available. Be prepared to wait about 10-15 minutes. All fresh. A phone order may be better or tag team with someone, due to parking restraints. They have various drizzles (Garlic, Creamy mild wasabi, Lemon caper, Shoyu Wasabi, Ranch or Hawaiian Salsa) recommended for baked items or sandwiches. read more

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

This place has been on my bookmarks forever and I finally made it. One of the reasons I bookmarked this place because of my curiosity to try their guava chicken. The photos looked great and I believe that if it looks good then it probably is. However, it has been hard to try this place because there are some inconveniences that make it difficult. One reason is their: LOCATION - They are located in Kalihi on the corner of Mokauea and Kalani Street. There is STREET PARKING only so it's always best to get your food with someone else (OOPA Tag Team Style). Street parking can also be a challenge here. I've even seen someone park on the sidewalk to get their food. The second reason is their: HOURS - They are open M-F from 9AM-2PM and Saturdays from 10AM-2PM. This place is pretty much a lunch only and seems to cater the people who work around the area. Kind of like a stationary food truck. Since I work M-F in downtown it's not possible for me to eat them during the weekday. They have been closed on most Saturdays for renovations. Not sure about now though. However, once I finally DID make it here, I thought the: FOOD was FA-BU-LOUS! We were able to order two different plates. First plate was the: Baked Ahi & Guava Chicken - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/SnhPcSEl-OS3uZxACzndvw#YtgBeLRVwTk-W46Z7840vA This was one of 5 set combos. Also one of their more popular combos. The baked ahi was good but the guava chicken was great! If your a fan of garlic chicken, Korean chicken, or chicken in general then you should definitely give pongos a try. We also ordered the Grilled Salmon & Guava Chicken - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/SnhPcSEl-OS3uZxACzndvw#oxLuH93aVCnR4NfgvWP0Zw This was not a combo but you can also make your own combos. They will just adjust your price accordingly. The grilled salmon was cooked perfectly and I enjoyed it a lot. What makes their food even better is their, DRIZZLES. I have said it before and I will say it again. It's all about the sauce. We got to try the garlic this time but I can't wait to go back and try their creamy wasabi. Take a look at all their different drizzles, sauces and seasoned butters that they offer. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/SnhPcSEl-OS3uZxACzndvw#jxqcSWufFh2Dzjj2B4Np7Q All plates come with white or brown rice and choice of mac salad, toss salad or corn. Yup! corn. Their SERVICE was pretty standard here. You pretty much tell them what you want, they tell you the cost and give you your food. They have a sign http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/SnhPcSEl-OS3uZxACzndvw#wds5fdfXwX2B4xYHxyW-mQ explaining how to order so you don't need to ask them when its your turn to order. Overall I am a fan and will come again as long as time permits. Solid 4 stars. read more

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Want cheap, delicious, and healthy foods? Don't mind if it's not fine dining? This is your spot! Pongo's Kitchen is located in the middle of industrialized Kalihi. Parking is nonexistent, but you can make do with parking in front of the business temporarily. Everyone was doing it even though it was a bus stop! It was understandable though because it was totally worth it with tasty and quickly made food. Plus, buses don't come very often here. Service was very fast and friendly. I ordered a beef stew and it was ready in less than five minutes! There is not much seating. There are just two crickety, rickety wooden tables with benches outside. Good enough! Definitely worth it for the low prices of the plate lunches with healthy choices. I will be coming back for sure the next time I am in the area. read more

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

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After reading all the great Yelp reviews, we had to give Pongo's a try. GUAVA CHICKEN Adequate portion of boneless chunks of battered, deep fried skin-on chicken meat coated in a sticky, sweet sauce. Apparently, this dish contains chili pepper even though the description does not indicate this. We wouldn't have ordered it had we known this. In our opinion, the texture of the chicken was a bit overcooked and slightly dry. The batter was fairly crunchy, however it could've been crispier. TOSSED SALAD WITH HOUSE DRESSING As a special request, we asked for all tossed salad to accompany the guava chicken. The mixed greens came in a very generous portion and was very fresh. However, the house dressing which had been dolloped on top was slightly on the bland side lacking in any distinct flavors other than the product they use to give it that white, creamy consistency. At first, it seemed like there wasn't enough dressing, but after a little tossing, it worked out fine. ROAST TURKEY The actual portion of roast turkey itself was a bit conservative, but with the seasoned stuffing underneath the mixture of white and dark meat, one would think it was a big plate. The turkey wasn't anything that left us desiring more, so I guess it worked out. Also, there was just enough gravy to coat and moisten the meat which was absent of any seasonings. On the other hand, the mixed bread stuffing was overpowered by the taste of thyme or some other ready-made poultry seasoning mix sold in stores. This plate was ordered with white rice which was slightly on the dry side, and tossed salad with house dressing. OPAKAPAKA WITH GARLIC SHOYU SAUCE Portion was very fair for the price. Sauce was flavorful and delicious. However, the downside is that the grilled opakapaka was dry and overcooked. The plate was ordered with white rice and tossed salad. SESAME CHICKEN Generous portion of luke warm, boneless, battered, deep fried, crispy chicken pieces. It's unfortunate the chicken meat was extremely dry and beyond overcooked to the point of being hard to chew and difficult to swallow. The plate was ordered with all tossed salad. SERVICE Among some of the worst customer service ever encountered. After waiting behind a customer who was picking up a large order, you would think the girl behind the counter would then ask the next customer something like, "May I take your order" or something along that line? Nope! Stone Faced Sally just stood there staring at me with a look of disdain. So I asked her whenever she was ready to take my order I was ready to order. She then picked up her pencil and notepad and said, "Go ahead." By the way, forget about getting a 'thank you' from her. On the up side, the order came out in the blink of an eye. Maybe that explains why the chicken wasn't quite crispy enough? PARKING Supposedly, the lot next door will allow for cars to pull in to pick up orders, but I can't confirm this as I didn't ask Miss Personality to validate this. However, we did notice cars pulling into the first stall of the lot next door to pick up their takeout orders. It's probably best to have a driver drop you off as pull-over spaces can be extremely limited. BOTTOM LINE We might give them another try. Maybe next time we'll order hamburger steak and ribeye teriyaki beef. After which we'll be able to decide if Pongo's is a keeper or not. read more

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I'm always open to trying new hole in the wall eateries. My brother said he's heard rave reviews about the guava chicken and baked ahi. Guess what they were sold out of....... the guava chicken and baked ahi. Plan B- Short ribs with a garlic butter drizzle: Finger lickin good! Throw garlic on any type of BBQ meat and you've got a winner with me. Hamburger curry: Home made comfort food. Another good choice. Next time: -get here early, they sell out of the guava chicken and baked ahi first -only street parking -not much places to sit and eat, only 2 tables that each fit 4 people right out front read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Hole in the wall gem in Kalihi - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I ate at Pongo's Kitchen on Wednesday, November 26th and let me tell you....I was happy I went there. I haven't eaten at Pongo's for at least a few years and something made me go there that day. I got really lucky and found parking right in front. Yes, lucky because parking really sucks in that area. According to their website (pongoskitchen.com), they say parking is available in their neighbors lot. I remember eating at Pongo's when they only had the pink lunchwagon on Moowaa Street. They closed the lunchwagon service and opened the kitchen on Mokauea St. I miss the lunchwagon because there were two cute girls in their everyday. Anyways, back to the food..... I had the Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs and I got lucky again as that normally sells out pretty quickly, so I'm told. There were 4 chicken thighs, brown rice and tossed salad with Ranch dressing. I really enjoyed everything about the food. The chicken was seasoned just right and was very moist. The brown rice was steamed excellent also, not too dry. The Ranch dressing was homemade and not the bottled type. They also included a side dish of Ranch dressing in case you wanted to drizzle it over the chicken. There are two tables outside to eat but it's not likely that you have the leisurely time to eat it there. You'll probably be parked illegally and will have to rush back to the car. The prices were good and I will be back again to try some other items. Too bad they don't have the pink lunchwagon anymore. Those girls were really cute...oops...sorry. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs...Mmmm! - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I was really excited to try this place cause of the videos and reviews I've seen and because of how much I like fried chicken with sauce on it. It seemed that this place would be pretty good cause they have some unique flavor options. I went with the one that sounded good and seemed to be the most popular option, the guava chicken. Wanted to get a combo with their other poplar choice of ahi casserole but they were out of that. I must say I was disappointed in the chicken but they got an extra star for their Mac salad which I feel is another integral part of the famous Hawaiian plate lunch. The Mac is good folks and maybe I just caught them at the end of a long day on the chicken. Who knows? The chicken was subpar for fried chicken and the guava sauce seemed to have a slightly burnt flavor. It was also kinda just drizzled on which I would've been pissed off about had their sauce been yummy. Luckily it wasn't. I hate leaving bad reviews and please don't think this is bad but I think my personal experience could've been better. I "may" return to give them another shot, maybe try something else. At least I know the Mac will be ono. read more

Pongo's Kitchen - Guava fried chicken plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Five stars for value and four stars for taste. Their guava chicken is pretty good and a small pan is only $24, it's a full pan too. The chicken is a little on the sweet side but too overwhelming, you can taste a hint of guava. The restaurant is in the middle of an industrial neighborhood and could be hard to find and parking is tough. My wife and I was commenting how heavy the pan feels, this is a contrast to Sugoi's garlic chicken which is light and slim pickings and sells for $36.50. read more

Guava chicken! Order it! Two cops that were there at the same time that you can't go wrong with anything you order, but suggested guava chicken. I've been here before in the past and I had already ordered the gc, so I was good to go. Can of soda is only 80 cents. Parking is tough and you probably want to take out, but there are two tables outside you can eat on. I can't wait to go back. read more

Pongo's Kitchen is open from 9:00 a.m. Monday - Friday which is perfect if you are an early riser. I called in an order for a Baked Ahi and Fried Chicken combination plate and in 15 minutes it was ready and waiting. My "Drizzle" of choice was the Creamy Lemon Caper and everything was excellent with large portions. Couldn't have been happier. Best take out and best service in town. Extensive well balanced menu. Will certainly be returning often. 5 STARS!!!!! read more

Pongo's is the best! Called my order in and it was ready within 15 minutes. The girl I talked to was so nice. Parking is tight, so if someone can drop you off and pick you up, it'll be helpful. Been going here for years. Their food is consistent and their menu options are great with reasonable prices. Their ahi katsu with sriracha sauce is soooo good! It wasn't oily or dry, and it came with two good-sized pieces of fish on a bed of spinach, drizzled with the sriracha sauce, and garnished with green onions. I think you can ask for a different sauce, but I wouldn't deviate. This was well worth $12.75. Also offered in a mini plate lunch size. The baked ahi is super good too. It has some imitation crab mixed in. Not sure what else they put in there but it was darn good. You can get this in a combo plate. We had ours with their guava chicken--our go-to. It's crispy on the outside, flavorful, and the meat is juicy. Cannot go wrong with this combo. And you can't beat the price: $10.45! Now the rice. For their brown rice, I think they use Genji Mai brand because that's what I use at home. You get all the health benefits but the taste and texture is like white rice. None of that Zippy's-kine brown rice here! This place is so good, I just wish they were open on Saturday. Go here for grinds. It's well worth it! read more

This place is the definition of a hidden gem!Their staff is always friendly and professional. Their food is amazing. My favorite thing to get is their guava chicken. I haven't tasted anything like it until I've tried theirs out! Their baked ahi is also an excellent choice. Make sure you come early before they sell out! They also take card which is a plus. The only downside is that it's hard to find parking. Their close to the corner on main road and there is no customer parking for them or the mom and pop right next door. Your best bet is to find street parking, catch the bus or pull up with a friend and jump out of the car. They used to have a small outdoor seating area, but with covid they take their orders right at the door and have removed their benches. Still an excellent place to grab a plate if you're in the area! I highly recommend trying them out! read more