A little confusing where they are in the complex. Almost walked away before the owner grabbed us and I'm glad he did. Food was delicious and it was a much nicer set up than I've experienced at other Hawaiian places. Recommend checking this place out. read more

This is a hidden gem! The actual restaurant is a bit difficult to find, but it's inside a building all the way in the back. Probably one of the best Hawaii food places I've had. The outdoor seating is really nice, with lots of greenery, and the inside seating is very cute. The employees are extremely kind and welcoming. However, I do think they need to hire maybe one or two more employees so customer service flows better when there's more customers in the restaurant. But other than that everything is great! I would definitely come back. I got the chicken katsu and a spamasubi. Everything was delish!!! (: read more

Say Aloha - Hawaiian Near Me - San Diego, California

This place can be difficult to locate . To find it, head left of AWOL Bar, follow the hall, and keep an eye out for a surfboard. The atmosphere is incredibly charming, especially the cozy, "secret garden" patio. I highly recommend their Shanghai Egg Rolls - perfectly crispy and flavorful. My Combo Plate was also delicious, particularly the creamy Mac Salad. Service was good , and we even managed to snag convenient metered parking nearby (a rare Hillcrest win!) read more

Say Aloha - Mix Plate - Hawaiian Near Me - San Diego, California

This is a hidden gem, and I mean hidden. You first have to look for the sign on University St., right near AWOL. Once you venture inside, if you look lost, someone might tell you where to go, but if not, veer to the left side and enter. There are some tables in a cozy dining room, and a counter. If you wait, someone will come out and greet you. When we went, there were a couple of groups playing D&D. There was another group doing a taste test of a new dish. The energy is upbeat! We sat in the back patio which was perfect for Cako. Our server was so friendly! I didn't get her name, but she looked like the only one serving tables. The menu is not extensive. Though we thought a loco moco would be on it, I settled for The Jim Special which came with chicken katsu and chicken teriyaki, steamed rice and mac salad. This was really good! Lightly breaded with panko, and tonkatsu sauce for dipping. The sauce on the teriyaki was perfect and not overly sweet like some places. I also ordered a Spam musubi, which was perfectly made, but I didn't care for the hoisin sauce drizzled plate that it sat on. It just changed the flavor. I think there's a full bar, but I ordered an iced tea, which was a mango iced tea that was sweetened. Not my favorite way for iced tea, but it was refreshing. I do look forward to coming back and have added them to my rotation. Parking is only street and can be a challenge. Again, the relaxing vibe on the patio makes all the difference. Plus it's dog friendly! Cako Approves! read more

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Food is amazing and so are the people that work here. I cannot stress enough how good everything is here. Especially the macaroni salad, probably the best I've ever had. Get the Jim's special come with chicken katsu and teriyaki chicken. read more

Say Aloha - Jim's special Fried rice, katsu, chicken teriyaki, and Mac salad - Hawaiian Near Me - San Diego, California

Say Aloha is a vendor that is sharing a space with Rosemary and Thyme Cafe in the Hillcrest neighborhood. They operate only from Thursday to Sunday during limited late afternoon and evening hours. A surfboard with the business name and a sidewalk stand displaying the menu were placed outside the entrance. After walking through the doors, you continued down the corridor to a back left suite where the cafe was located. Beyond that, there was a small set of steps which led down to an internal courtyard with more seating. A one-page menu listed the categories of Starters, Salads, Mains, Combos, Sides, and Desserts. They also provided catering, however I did not see a pricing sheet for party trays. The choices for my takeout order were the Shanghai Lumpia and a Mix Plate. The former was three pieces of crispy spring rolls with a filling of ground pork, glass noodles, and vegetables. A cup of sweet chili sauce was provided for dipping. The rolls were long with a thick diameter and resembled the shape of a cigar. They were crunchy and worth the price of $2 each. The plate consisted of grilled short rib, teriyaki chicken, and kalua pork for proteins. Steamed white rice (or fried rice) and creamy Hawaiian mac salad were included. Of the places I have tried in SD that serve Hawaiian food, this place had the most tender and juicy meats. The pork really stood out as it had both good flavor and moisture. The mac salad was different too because it wasn't just mayonnaise and macaroni. There was seasoning added to the cream which enhanced the taste. The portion sizes were generous as my takeout container was heavy. The execution of the proteins was what elevated my rating of Say Aloha to the highest level. read more

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Amazing spot with great service. It's a bit hard to find once you're inside you travel to a beautiful Hawaiian oasis. The teriyaki chicken had a smoked flavor and was perfectly tender. 10/10 recommend. read more

Say Aloha - Teriyaki Chicken & Rice - Hawaiian Near Me - San Diego, California

Possibly the best Hawaiian food in San Diego. My husband and I split the 2 person meal and it's more than enough food and comes with dessert. The folks that run the place are so nice and the food genuinely tastes home cooked. read more

Say Aloha - Two person meal - Hawaiian Near Me - San Diego, California

Came back and tried the Kailua pork. Awesome!! I love the mac salad and the meat was delicious. read more

Say Aloha - Came back and tried the kailua pork. Awesome!! - Hawaiian Near Me - San Diego, California

New favorite Hawaiian food spot! Been to several other Hawaiian spots, and this one is by far the best I've had. Bit difficult to find -- gotta walk through rosemary and thyme cafe to find the entrance in the back patio. Kalua pork was so juicy, mac salad was made with love, and the grill on the chicken and short ribs was perfect. Definitely check it out if you're in the neighborhood! read more

Fantastic place! Great service and food was DELICIOUS. The chef came out to greet us and introduced himself, and he was very friendly. Music was great and just an all around good vibe. Definitely coming back. *I love that they have the options of a bowl or plate for each meal. You can get a smaller portion or a larger portion. read more

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I had high expectations for this place after reading the reviews, but it was disappointing. It took more than an hour to get our food. I order the mixed plate, and it wasn't good. The chicken was overcooked to the point where it was hard to chew. Pork was watery. The beef was alright. They did give is edamame and drinks because the food was delayed, so that was good at least, but overall, it was a disappointment. read more

Solid food! Solid couple who run the restaurant. Definitely worth the hunt to find them in the back. You might think you're going to the wrong place but that just means you're heading the right direction. read more

Top Hawaiian food I've ever had! Service was outstanding! The food was delicious! Never had grilled pineapple but this might be my new favorite dessert! read more

Say Aloha is relatively new in the area but, boy it did not disappoint. Located in the back of the building, once you walk in, you feel like you've been transported to a nice dinner in Hawaii perfect for families or a date night spot. My girlfriend and I ordered the garlic edamame, combo plate, and spam musubi to share. Each plate was Chef Avian's unique blend of traditional Hawaiian cuisine along with the years of mastery of his craft he picked up along the way. Avian greeted us during our meal and gave us some history on his journey which was very welcoming. Will definitely be coming back whenever we crave Hawaiian food. PS - order the Katsu, it will NOT disappoint! read more

Say Aloha - Chicken Katsu - Hawaiian Near Me - San Diego, California

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The food was amazing!!! .Me and my husband had dinner here for Valentine's Day and celebrating our recent marriage . We ordered the dinner special for 2 , and there was so much food that came with it for a reasonable price . It also came with a delicious desert at the end . There was nothing on our plate that i was dissapointed with . i cant wait to go back and recomend to try it out Im disapointed to say the video i took i didnt not save it i accidentally deleted thinking i saved it Go check this spot out and see for your read more

Great service and wonderful good located in a central area. Delicious food w wonderful presentation. Highly recommend!

Say Aloha genuinely is spectacular. The food was amazing, fresh, warm and deliciously flavored. The warm, welcoming atmosphere and amazing people made the visit truly special. Definitely coming back!! read more

Say Aloha - Lumpia with bananas and Nutella filling. Along side vanilla ice cream!!!!!!! Delicious - Hawaiian Near Me - San Diego, California

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This restaurant is so good, the food is fresh and delicious. They are on it when it's come to service. When I waked in It felt very welcoming. And u could tell the food was made with care. read more

Say Aloha - Lumpia is warm and fresh,when u bite into it, it feels like a warm hug - Hawaiian Near Me - San Diego, California

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I had the absolute pleasure of working with Avian (Say Aloha) for my daughter's wedding, and I cannot recommended him highly enough . From the very first meeting he was attentive, professional, and genuinely invested in making the day special. Every dish was beautifully prepared and full of flavor. Guest are still talking about how delicious the main dishes were. His team was courteous, efficient, and ensured that everything ran smoothly throughout the evening, plates were cleared promptly, and guest felt well cared for. Thanks to Say aloha the reception was seamless, joyful, and memorable. If you're looking for someone who combines culinary excellence with outstanding service, look no further. read more

I first discovered Say Aloha when they catered a charity event I attended, and their teriyaki chicken was so good I knew I had to visit the restaurant. I'm so glad I did--this place is an absolute hidden gem in Hillcrest! It's tucked away behind Awol, but once you find it, you're greeted by the cutest tropical patio with total Aloha vibes. It's small and quaint in the best way. The service here is fantastic, and the owners are genuinely wonderful people; warm, welcoming, and clearly passionate about what they do. The food was incredible. The portions are huge, and everything we tried was delicious. We came with a party of six and sampled a little bit of everything: lumpia, chicken katsu, teriyaki chicken, and the Galbi ribs. Every dish was perfect. And I have to say... they serve some of the best mac salad I've ever had. Do yourself a favor and also try the strawberry lilikoi lemonade. It's SO good! My husband grew up in Hawaii so he can be somewhat of a Hawaiian food snob- but he absolutely loved everything too! If you're coming with a bigger group, I'd recommend making a reservation online like we did to snag one of the larger tables on the patio. Say Aloha is definitely worth the search and absolutely worth the visit. I can't wait to come back! read more

Amazing food, service, and ambiance! The owners are awesome! Have never had better Hawaiian BBQ in my life

food was phenomenal and the portions were generous! also excellent service and ambience

The food was tasty, delicious and comforting. We loved the tropical surroundings and it felt like being in a tropical forest back in hawaii. Great drinks too. read more