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    Pounders Restaurant

    3.7 (830 reviews)
    ModeratePizza, Seafood, Hawaiian
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:30 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Pounders Restaurant Photos

    POUNDERS RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Touristy
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Kalua Pork Sliders
    Star T.

    Unfortunately, Pounders wasn't what we'd hoped for following our incredible experience at the Polynesian Cultural Center. The restaurant was clean the staff were great but the food was disappointing. My party ordered chicken tenders, hamburgers, pork sliders, poke, pizza and a salad. Relatively basic fare with quick prep time. The restaurant was not busy but it still had a wait time of 45 minutes(for seating) and it took 45 minutes if not more to get our food. Maybe they were understaffed that day? Most of our food was cold. Our fries were cold and stale as were the tenders, our kalua pork sandwiches were soggy as was our Kalua pork plate. The first thing my son compared the fries to were chips and I couldn't agree more. Tasteless, stale chips. I've had plenty of Kalua pork in Oahu and to each his own but the least you could do is drain some of the liquids before plating on a Hawaiian roll. It's a sandwich not a casserole. I shouldn't have to eat it with a fork. Replace the roll with a heartier bun if draining the liquids is too time consuming. The reasonable pricing, location and ambiance are what led me to dine at Pounders with my large family but this experience is what will keep me away next time.

    Tish P.

    This place is a lunch stop for all day tours. Next time, baby just let me starve. We ordered ahead so it would be nearly ready when we got there. It was supposed to be a 30/40 minute stop. We got our food 30+ minutes after we got there. I ordered the garlic shrimp which came with two scoops of rice with furikake and macaroni salad. Baby I trashed 75% of that food. They gave a little ice cream sample too. Service was ok, the lady was friendly but too orderly, like it's the military. Which might have been needed when you're trying to service so many ppl on multiple tours, however, it didn't work. If I could help it, I would not venture here again. It's dead in the middle of nowhere anyway since it's right at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

    Korean fried chicken entree
    Vivian U.

    This was our second or third time dining here, first after the pandemic. We had a vague recollection of it being a decent sit down restaurant within the marketplace, but somehow our experience this time didn't seem to match up to our previous ones. First of all, while the restaurant was relatively empty, the food took a long, long, long time to arrive. Our kids were starving, and it was hard to keep our 3 year old from singing because otherwise she kept asking us why the food wasn't there yet. And we had ordered an appetizer in partial anticipation of the wait, but the appetizer never came. We had to ask to have it be cancelled but would've really liked to try it and try it early. The kid meals of pizza and burger were devoured, when unsure if it's due to taste or starving kids. The Korean fried chicken tasted ok, though my kid's first comment was that it didn't taste like Korean Fried Chicken. And there were a couple pieces where it was just... Fried chicken skin. The pasta carbonara was well liked, but it was pretty ordinary. There was a deal of 50% kids meal with the purchase of adult entree, making me round up this 2.5 star review. But that took awhile to implement and service was largely absent. It was hard to flag down any one to ask about the food. Clearly they're just short staffed. Next time maybe we'll try other places in the marketplace.

    North Shore Garlic Shrimp
    Brett C.

    Came here with a group of 9 people. We ordered a variety of meals. The two that I would avoid is the Huli-Huli Chicken and North Shore Garlic Shrimp. Chicken was so dry and the shrimp had a puddle of oil or butter at the bottom of the plate. Both dishes were hard to eat. The one dish I would recommend would be the appetizer Smoked Marlin Dip. That was delicious. The service was good and there was no wait for a table.

    Chicken strips

    Stopped here as part of tour group and the food was absolute trash. The chicken strips and fries were hard and dry. Avoid this place. Wasted $40 on two inedible meals.

    Mango pizza, carbonara
    Mari T.

    There were highs and lows to this dining experience and overall it was positive but not amazing. We travelled over 3 hrs total to get to and from Laie from town. We went for a late lunch and caught some traffic coming back but mainly got stuck behind some construction on Kam Hwy. At least there's free parking since the food prices are pretty steep. We waited quite a while in the entrance with no one walking by to greet us. Another family came in behind us so we all just stood there awkwardly until someone finally came around the corner and greeted/sat us. We got the marlin dip, garlic shrimp, mango pizza, carbonara pasta, and smore cookie. Marlin dip was by far the best thing we got. It was tasty, a bit sweet, and served with taro chips. Garlic shrimp was not very garlicky, more like a fried shrimp plate with a little garlic. Mac salad was bland and rice was mushy. Mango pizza was 2nd best. The arugula, cheese, prosciutto and honey went well with the light and crisp crust. The mango was superfluous and just fell off the top. Carbonara pasta was way too salty and peppery. We brought most of it home to add more pasta to it. The garlic toast was good though. $5 for a cookie was pretty steep but I wanted to treat myself. It was so worth it. I would recommend they put the smore cookie in saran wrap instead of a paper bag though cuz the marshmallow (best part duh) stuck to the bag! Would 100% get it again!

    Garlic shrimp
    Stephanie W.

    We stopped by here for lunch as part of the Oahu Circle Island Tour. Our driver gave us a menu of items we could choose from and he placed the order for us ahead of time. When we arrived, the food was already prepped and ready. We got the garlic shrimp and alfredo. The shrimp was very crispy and had a good garlic flavor. It was tender and had no shells. The alfredo was good too and came with a slice of garlic bread but nothing special. Paying was a bit hectic because our server had to go through each table and each table had separate tabs with different paying methods. The server originally gave us too much change so she took the money and then short changed us later. She was condescending towards us and asked us if she needed to bring us a calculator to show that she was correct. She tried to explain the math to us and insisted that she gave the right change when we knew she was incorrect. It wasn't the amount that we cared about as it was very minimal, but it was her attitude that we didn't appreciate. I also heard others say that her service wasn't the best either.

    Side of fries
    Abby W.

    I really loved the fish nuggets here. I'm not even sure what kind of fish it is but it was delicious and I couldn't get enough. The fries were seasoned well and crispy as well, even as a to-go order. This spot is definitely on my list to return to on a future Oahu visit.

    Village side entrance
    Nancy S.

    Stopped to eat here during a tour. It was delicious! The pork was good. Alfredo was good, the garlic shrimp was flavorful and they even gave us a little ice cream at the end. It was a nice stop to fuel up. Then there is shopping in the Hukilau Marketplace oh boy! Come in and enjoy!

    Spaghetti Bolognese

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    24 days ago

    The chicken tenders were great, the waiter were great the fries were not my favorite but still good food

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    1 month ago

    Our waitress Rachel was the SWEETEST. Her service was phenomenal and she made our dinning experience one to remember.

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    Ken's Fresh Fish

    Ken's Fresh Fish

    4.7
    (216 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    The absolute best Ahi Katsu fix on the island!…read more Tell me I'm not the only one who will drive completely across the island just to satisfy a craving! Whenever I need an Ahi Katsu fix, Ken's Fresh Fish in Laie is our absolute go-to destination. On our last trip, we decided to try the Opah Katsu alongside our usual order, and wow! Both had the most absolute perfect crunch! The fish is incredibly fresh, perfectly fried, and drizzled beautifully with sauce. It is worth every bit of the drive from the Ewa . Outstanding flavor, great quality, and a definitive must-stop if you're up on the North Shore. 10/10!

    The best ahi katsu on the Island. Grab a plate, some poke, and fresh fish to cook later and it's…read morewell worth the 70 mile circle island drive. The fresh ahi katsu, huge! 14-16oz, panko crusted and deep fried medium or well done. It is topped with a combo of sweet katsu sauce and garlic mayo all over a bed of rice and a simple pile of dressed lettuce. Always look for the second fresh fish of the day. If available, the ono done katsu style eclipses the ahi. Just the nature of the fish, it is more tender and moist. Total weight is again, about a pound. Note: Fish can also be prepared in garlic butter. It's good but come on, garlic butter vs deep fried in a crispy coating? Good selection of half pound pre weighed containers of fresh ahi poke (ahi sesame ogo, just sayin') and fresh fish filets including ahi, mahi, ono, and marlin. Go early for best selection. Inexpensive. As of November 2025, $16/regular plate. Fresh fish filets, $7.50 / lb less than Costco. Fresh poke, $10/half pound. Cash or card. Same price. No nonsense counter service. Takeaway only. IMPORTANT: they are not active on socials. Last minute closures are posted on their door. Have a backup plan of where to eat ready. All that said, the best and based on the crowd of locals every visit, word is out.

    Photos
    Main area. No seating. Take out only
    Main area. No seating. Take out only
    Fresh ahi sesame ogo poke
    Fresh ahi sesame ogo poke
    Ahi katsu plate (on slow rainy days, the cuts get MASSIVE)

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    Ahi katsu plate (on slow rainy days, the cuts get MASSIVE)
    Papa Ole's

    Papa Ole's

    4.5
    (1.5k reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    The closing date is set, December 15, 2025…read more Their regulars have stepped up their visits while locals living farther away are making their final pilgrimages. By now, anyone who is a fan knows their food so rather than another review, some tips for securing that last taste. 1. They are in a cellular dead zone. All calls made to their number from a cell phone will fail to connect. You MUST call using a land line phone (those things plugged in the wall with physical buttons to press). BUT... 2. They do not answer their phone if they are busy helping customers. Good luck. SO... 3. Go early and order in person. Popular items like the roast pork and hamburger steak sell out by 10am. Others like the kalbi and pulehu shrot ribs by 11:30. 4. Be patient. The wait time is 45min - 1hr. It is accurate. Use the time to grab poke and drinks in neighboring Laie or Kahuku. It's all worth it. Same loaded plates. Same nostalgic taste. Same aloha delivered with a smile. One last time.

    Papa Ole's is a spot I heard about from a friend, and it hasn't disappointed me yet. It feels like…read morea small mom and pop type place that locals enjoy, which is always a good sign. My personal favorite is the kalbi ribs. They've got that backyard BBQ taste that feels like a homecooked meal, and it's usually what I end up ordering. Simple, comforting, and it just hits. I also love grabbing food here and taking it down the street to eat at the beach. It's one of those meals that feels even better when you're eating it by the water. I just read that they may be closing soon, and if that's true, thank you for all the delicious meals over the years and wishing the team nothing but the best moving forward.

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    Papa Ole's Menu
    Papa Ole's Menu
    Papa Ole's Sign
    Papa Ole's Sign
    Jumbo Shrimp Plate

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    Jumbo Shrimp Plate
    Tita's Grill and Catering

    Tita's Grill and Catering

    4.4
    (238 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    This place is sooo good!…read more They serve the best French toast for breakfast and they have really good plate lunches for lunch or dinner. I've been coming her for like 10 years and they have always been really nice and the food is great and the service is great and a great environment

    Tita's Grill This…read moreis a review for my experience eating at Tita's Grill, a food truck that serves Filipino cuisine. It is located by the Polynesian Cultural Center. Tita's Grill serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner *Be mindful of their hours Hours Monday - Saturday Breakfast: 8:00 am - 10:00 am Lunch 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm Dinner: 05:00 pm - 7:30 pm Closed Sundays & Wednesdays Words to describe Tita's Grill: Filipino Cuisine, flavorful, hearty comfort food, delicious, mouthwatering, fresh, savory Service/Menu: Friendly, efficient, seating is outdoors FOOD TITA'S PACK Rice, pancit (noodles), chicken wings, fried fish, brisket, macaroni salad *Trust me...just get it Yummy! Flavorful! Filling! GARLIC SHRIMP Garlic shrimp, macaroni salad, and rice All of the food plates we ordered were tasty-a warm hug in every bite! My favorite was the Tita's Pack! Portions were huge-and great to share All in all I enjoyed dining at Tita's Grill! Thank you aunties, uncles, and cousins for creating scrumptious and appetizing meals for us! I can't wait to dine with you again soon! Mahalo! Salamat Po!

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    Tita's Grill and Catering
    Tita's Grill and Catering
    This where they are at, check um out!

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    This where they are at, check um out!
    Seven Brothers

    Seven Brothers

    4.4
    (1.6k reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    In the sleepy town of Laie on the North Shore of Oahu, my son and I stopped into Seven Brothers to…read moretry their signature burger and fries. We were welcomed into the small hole-in-the-wall restaurant in a neighborhood strip mall by a young woman named Telani. Telani could not have been more excited to tell us everything there was to know about the entire menu and the history of the family who owned it. Telani was so genuinely interested in us and asked question after question that made us feel like we were celebrities that had just walked into a small town diner. Telani is the star of this story, but I want to mention that the other two employees left a positive impression as well, amazing service is clearly a culture at this restaurant. Our shake took a little longer than usual because they were accommodating a young boy with a severe peanut allergy. At the end of our meal, Telani walked over and handed us a personalized postcard that she had written to commemorate our visit! This 17-year-old medical student at BYU Hawaii just put my own customer service expectations to absolute shame. I cannot wait to get back to my hotel staff and share this story and hopefully inspire them to start writing some postcards of their own. I've just finished writing one of my own. P.S. All the food was AMAZING! We got the Shez's paniolo burger, the Sterlings teriyaki burger, the paniolo fries, the banana bread, and a vanilla shake with Nutella and Oreo. Gonna have to hit the hotel treadmill hard tomorrow.

    Burger and everything with was very tasty. Burger patty was on point, the crazy fries were super…read morefilling. To be fair I don't eat as much as I use to. But, very tempting to eat the burger here and take crazy fries to go. Service was friendly and quick. The decor was nice and super chill. Definitely a go to burger spot.

    Photos
    Behind the counter
    Behind the counter
    Housemade fries
    Housemade fries
    In Laie Shopping Center

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    In Laie Shopping Center
    Seven Brothers

    Seven Brothers

    4.4
    (1.4k reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$

    Definitely worth the stop if you're on this side of the island! We checked out the bakery first,…read morethen grabbed food from the separate chicken sandwich shop. The chicken sandwich and fries were so good we ate every bite before I even thought to take a picture. The whole area has such a fun, relaxed vibe with lots of little shops and places to walk around, making it a great spot to spend some time instead of just grabbing a quick meal. The service was friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even better. We'll definitely be back!

    Super hot in Kahuku the other day but we had decided that we came this far and that I was going to…read morehave garlic shrimp for lunch today. I parked next to the well-known shrimp truck but when I turn my head, I saw the blue truck that was featured in Netflix. So I decided to walk over the hill unfortunately this truck closed at 2 PM for the day. Looking at the distance, I saw seven Brothers and heard a lot of good things about this burger joint. After after browsing the menu, I saw that they did have the garlic shrimp plate and decided on the combo of the garlic shrimp and garlic ahi. I also ordered a drink and and the largest size they had is a medium size at other fast food places however the very sweet counter girl did let me know that refills are free. Sister number one ordered the sandwich Sister number two ordered the regular garlic shrimp plate and my brother-in-law ordered the Seth burger. While we were able to find a table in the patio area, although they also have seating indoors available. As told by the counter girl, our meal would be delivered in about 15 minutes and it came in just under that time We all like our own dishes. The only complaint is that the regular garlic shrimp plate only head six shrimp and they were on the smaller size compared to the other garlic shrimp trucks in the area. To our surprise there was a young girl that's approached her table asking how arm you was and if we needed anything like more sauce, and we did ask her for a knife. And we thought that was a nice touch for counter, ordering and outdoor dining. I do recommend this place for burgers and the however for garlic shrimp plate I do recommend trying one of the other shrimp trucks

    Photos
    Interior seating.
    Interior seating.
    Paniolo and onion rings
    Paniolo and onion rings
    Large Home Fries

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    Large Home Fries
    Giovanni's Shrimp Truck

    Giovanni's Shrimp Truck

    3.9
    (5.5k reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    Literally the best shrimp I ever had. Absolutely delicious!!…read more I don't say that lightly either. It was otherworldly!! The staff was great too!!!! I'll be back!

    I visited this famous spot last week while in Hawaii with my wife, and it honestly did not live up…read moreto the hype. We ordered the Spicy Shrimp and the Shrimp Scampi plates, and neither was impressive. The food came out almost instantly, which proves it is not cooked to order. Because it sits around, the shrimp is incredibly difficult to peel. Anyone who cooks shrimp knows that if you do not peel it right after cooking, the shell sticks to the meat, which was exactly the case here. The Spicy Shrimp had a decent kick, but it lacked actual flavor. The Shrimp Scampi was better but still bland. Honestly, 9 out of 10 shrimp places back home in Southern California make a better plate. To make things worse, the two ladies managing the truck were rude. My wife asked for extra napkins, not realizing some were already in the bag. The worker snapped back, "Are those not enough?" and made her feel super awkward. We also asked for a cup of ice to go with our canned sodas. They flatly refused and told us to ask another truck nearby. Luckily, the other truck owners were much nicer and gave us the ice. Save your time and money. There are much better, friendlier options out there.

    Photos
    Giovanni's Shrimp Truck order wait line
    Giovanni's Shrimp Truck order wait line
    Garlic Shrimp Scampi
    Garlic Shrimp Scampi
    Shrimp Scampi

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    Shrimp Scampi

    Pounders Restaurant - pizza - Updated July 2026

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