Moved here from Oahu after living there for 16years - seen this restaurant go from hole in the wall to chain. It's L&L, typical plate lunch food which will not fit in with any Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers diet - that's easy on the pocketbook. If you know Zippy's, then this is the closest thing to it here in Keauhou Big Island (minus the 24hrs availability). I enjoyed the Oxtail soup (soothing soup with the usual oxtail soup fixings) and chili cheese fries (chili is chunky with bits of bell pepper and celery).
(4)
Brian H.
I like this place. Good mac salad and rice. The garlic mahi mahi was as good as many expensive restaurants. This place is also good for breakfast. Eggs and rice with pancakes very good. It is inexpensive and tasty.
(4)
Bruce P.
I should have read this before we ate there. I just wanted a plate of Polynesian food. I had the roast pork with macadamia nut shrimp. The shrimp was so fishy tasting that I only ate one. The pork was so salty, I had to drink soda to wash it down. Finally, I gave up and tossed it. I should have given up earlier because I spent the rest of the night in the bathroom.
(1)
MIke S.
To be fair, I only really like going to L&L no matter where it is (SoCal, NorCal, Seattle, Hawaii) when I'm craving an inexpensive plate lunch and I never really leave L&L feeling like I'm getting good "local" food. Given such low expectations, this place still failed. I got the meat heavy katsu/BBQ chicken/mac salad/rice plate and had some spam musubi. I love all of these things and I still managed to feel disappointed. I think I would've been better off driving 2 hours to Hilo and eating at Vernas III.
(2)
Merrilee T.
Whenever I've asked a local a good lunch place, I get directed to a place like this. BBQ or teryaki dark meat chicken, lots of rice, lots of mayo, some cabbage, basically not the way I would normally eat. Considering these aren't my favorite things, the food was still fine. As long as I can drown my meal in sriracha, I'm happy. It's fast food, so I didn't expect 4 star dining. It reminds me of Hawaiian Panda Express. Quick and filling, and heavy on the fat. The bbq beef was really tasty.
(3)
Steve R.
The absolute WORST food we had after 2 weeks on the island. Tough, fatty short ribs and the chicken was dripping grease. The Teriyaki sauce was more like jello than sauce. Really, really bad food.
(1)
Watch M.
I like the food here, but these workers kind of act like Jerks. Don't seem to care about you and begin to speak a different language with other employees as your ordering. But like I said, good food with nice portions.
(3)
Angela H.
Taste OK, not as good as Hawaiian BBQ in Los Angeles though! I think it's operated by Chinese ( I heard them speaking Chinese), so it's probably a combination of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Hawaiian dishes. I think it would be better if they just focus on Chinese food if the chef is Chinese. I would have go to Subway if I'd knew there's one in that same plaza.
(2)
Rick S.
Hawaiian fast food! Reasonable prices for good in Hawaii plus they now have a "Healthier Meals" menu. One of the few places in Hawaii to get reasonably price food! The portions are pretty large so you can split a meal if you're not big eaters. This is one of our favorite places to stop on the island.
(4)
Rod D.
Picked up to go for a late night dinner. Was told this was the "Hawaiian McDonald's" by a local who said it was here or Tesoro (not many options at 9:30 PM in this area). It was measurably better than that, can confirm it was real REAL FOOD. The BBQ Beef and BBQ Chicken were quite tasty, obligatory mac salad and two scoops rice fill you up for sure. Would have gone with 3 stars if the young lady running the counter wasn't so rude. Do it right and pick up some Steinlager or your favorite Kona beer to wash it all down.
(2)
Melissa B.
Gave three stars because of how greasy and fried many of the options were. Deep fried scallops were nearly fried to death. Spring rolls ARE greasy, so no complaints there. And I loved the banana lumpia. Musubi wasn't the best. However, the ox tail soup was 5 star worthy. It was in a nice clear broth with cilantro. Delicious. Next time I'll stick with the ox tail soup. And try the healthy shrimp dish that is not deep fired. It was inexpensive, which makes it ok to have ordered some mistakes. Next time I'll stick to the least fried options. And, yep, I will be back.
(3)
Steve A.
Impressively good food. You can buy a combination plate and easily split it among 2-3 averagely hungry people. Kali's pork was very flavorful. Pork lumpia was delicious. If you've been to another L&L you'll know why to expect.
(4)
Ty N.
The BBQ mix is delicious, cheap and the portion is huge so better to share with someone. The taste of the BBQ is actually so so needs more sauces but satisfying enough if you are craving for Hawaiian BBQ.
(5)
Ali V.
I'm pretty sure this is the best l&l ever!!! It's clean Same price, great food. Even the people are nicer here then oahu.lol
(5)
Denni P.
Good vale I was hungry and had breakfast here they do a good job. I would come back, but of a greasy spoon but hey this is part of the charm of it.
(3)
Lizzie L.
The food was okay. The staff was super unfriendly. If you ask for BBQ sauce, you'll get teriyaki. If you ask for napkins, you'll get two paper napkins. Ask for any more, you get glared at and handed one more paper napkin. Too bad.
(2)
Bonnie I.
Good L&L with okay service and yummy food at decent prices. The store is clean and has lots of seating.
(3)
Mina L.
Honestly, the best value on the island. Hubs always got the BBQ mix plate... While my 3 boys and I shared chicken katsu and BBQ chicken plate. Other times on the menu we tried include: lau lau(dri and didn't care for flavor) Korean chicken(too salty) Simien(flavorless) Minus 1 star for the lackluster customer service. We stopped by here MANY times that i cant admit the number And Never did we get a friendly Aloha or Mahalo from the Chinese/Taiwanese people behind the counter. We ignored the unhawaian atmosphere and enjoyed the grub. We have L&L here in Cali... It just seems better in Hawaii. Can't pinpoint what it is... It's just that good in Hawaii.
(4)
Susan W.
Went here twice during the 4 days we were in Kona. Loved it both times. First time went there for lunch to go. Picked up a mini combo of teriyaki chicken, chicken katsu & fried shrimp served with one scoop rice & one mac salad and a regular combo of kalua pork & lau lau with 2 scoops rice & one scoop mac salad. The fried shrimp were amazing ! I could go for 6 or more of them right now. Their mac salad is THE BEST!! Super creamy. First time having lau lau & loved it! Added a little "rooster sauce" to pep it up a bit. Ended up with at least 2 full scoops of rice left. Just can't eat all the carbs. Second time went there to pickup breakfast to go. Hubby had the ham & egg sandwich with fries for $4.95. Fries are excellent. Giant krinkle cut. Sandwich was just ok. I had the egg, bacon & spam combo with rice. Didn't know I would love rice for breakfast but I did!!
(4)
Eric T.
Great breakfast with spam and Portuguese sausage about $6. Great value will go back again before we leave. My wife had the hot links nice flavor but not very hot
(4)
Nancy C.
My family and I are on vacation and we were looking for a place to eat lunch so we went to L&L Hawaiian BBQ. I ordered orange chicken and It was AWFUL!!! Can I say "gross" on yelp. My husband got the garlic ahi and he said it was good but I noticed he had to cover it in teriyaki sauce. If you are hungry, I would not recommend L&L Hawaiian BBQ. FYI I am not a picky eater.
(1)
Tony M.
This food was nasty. Greasy over cooked wierd tasting sauces and WTF is up with macaroni salad in with the rice and greasy food? Pass on this folks!
(1)
Noelle M.
This is the worst L&L's I've ever been to! Healthy Chicken plate was the same chicken as the regular BBQ chicken. .. covered in fatty soft skin that was hard to peel off and super salty. The mix plate was no better. Ribs were all fatty and meat seemed almost chewy like it wasn't cooked all the way. Our stomachs felt like there was a war going on after eating here. Extremely disappointing!
(1)
Tricia L.
Very delicious and a good variety. Served steamy hot food that soothed the soul. I had the pork plate and my husband had the BBQ sampler with banana lumpia. Great local place!
(5)
Lydia H.
Island comfort food hot and fast. I walked in at 11:51 went right to the counter and ordered. 7 minutes later the lunch crowd started to show up.
(5)
Jeff N.
Got the BBQ platter and a diet Pepsi. Took a swig of the soda and got a very distinct pine flavor from cleaner in the lines. I returned the soda for a different kind and got my order. I liked the food however 45 minutes later I was blowing up the toilet and tied to it for the rest of the night. I would never go back. Avoid
(1)
Louis R.
Little Chinese people behind the counter taking orders. Ginourmous tatted-up Hawaiians buying BBQ Mixed plates. I HAVE AND ALWAYS WILL LOVE L&L HAWAIIAN BBQ. Ma-fuckin-halo
(5)
J H.
I should have listened to the previous reviews... Food was OK, kahlua pork was fatty and bland, husband's macaroni salad had a hair in it. Staff definitely needs some customer service training, no smile, thank you, how are you or anything. One good thing would have been the generous portions, if the food were good; fills the belly if you're really hungry. Other than that, NOT recommended.
(1)
Cocoa F.
Korean chicken was freshly made, but the chicken tasted completely freezer burned. It was too salty and the garlic was burned giving it a bitter taste. Yuck.
(2)
Keely P.
Yuck, not sure what cuts of meat they use, but im pretty sure its not quality. If your not local and have grown to like this place( its packed w/ locals) then avoid!
(1)
Greg B.
This place is poorly managed! They lacked in customer service, ambience, and good food. Our bad experience here started with bad customer service. The workers barely speak English, was not helpful, won't smile, and didn't know anything about the menu. I asked the female cashier a simple question "is it possible to order a bowl of kalua pig by itself?" and the girl looked annoyed because the menu didn't have kalua pig in a bowl. She stared at the menu to verify, then walked away from me. She didn't want to take my order! WTF? Awkward. I had to yell over to the guys behind in the kitchen to tell them I still needed to order. So she finally came back to get my order. The kalua pig was very dry - seriously, how do you ruin kalua pig in Hawaii? The rice was old, there were grains that were hard/dry. So if you love rice like I do, and eat rice with almost every meal, this was a big disappointment. The one thing that was good however, was their loco mock. My kids loved it every bite of it. Otherwise this store would have only one star. Good selection of food on the menu, just too bad we didn't try anything we haven't tried before because of the cashier's lack of helpfulness. I knew it would be too hard to ask her for any recommendations. We will not be back here. L&L should screen who buys their franchises for the sake of consistency and keeping a good reputation.
(2)
Sam R.
The family meal for $29.99 is a deal, we fed 8 people. Overall the food was great, good flavor and taste. Certainly one of the better deals on the island.
(5)
Greg K.
I usually absolutely love the L&L brand having dined at, formerly "L&L Drive Inn", now "L&L Hawaiian Barbecue" for decades. I once booked a hotel room in Manhattan based on how close it was to the NYC L&L! (Okay, okay... I'm not that bad anymore... I have since learned how to make Kalbi at home! LOL) Unfortunately, this store just wasn't so great. Yes, it had all the "new store" accoutrements for the L&L chain (furniture, decor, menu boards, etc.) - but the food just wasn't cooked as juicy or tasty as I know L&L usually makes it. I had the seafood mixed plate because I had a hankering for Mahi-Mahi. Ummmm... kinda slimy fish (not firm Mahi!), overcooked shrimp... On the flip side, my wife was borderline generally satisfied and not-great with her loco moco which was the special of the day. So kinda below half-half experience for us. Although I couldn't help but notice the entire staff (at least 4 of them, on their own) were all eating something they brought from home and not made at the store! Hmmm...
(2)
P K.
When you are hungry and want something Hawaiian style and fairly cheap this is a good spot. Funny because the staff seems pretty non-expressive. The one in Keauhou is kept clean and nice. I must say I wish all L& L's would be more environmentally conscious since this is beautiful and fragile Hawaii. I would come alot more often if they used recycled boxes and utensils. everything here is Styrofoam and plastic. I don't like that. But I do eat here quite a bit, and usually leave satisfied.
(3)
Nick H.
Eew gross. Greasy, fatty BBQ chicken with the skin still on it. Macaroni "salad" loaded with mayo. The garden salad looked like it was harvested last week. I'm afraid I could only have a few bites and tossed the rest. Serves me right for picking a chain in a shopping center.
(1)
Lo N.
It's kind of a Hawiian fast food place. Quick and fairly cheap. The steak combo was deliciously satisfying for just $8. I had $40 steak at Japengo and it was not much better than the steak here. Actually the steak here tasted more flavorful. The only minus is one of the guys who seems to be in charge (he spoke English more fluently than the others) is a bit of a jackass.
(3)
Steve S.
It's L&L what did you expect. I eat here way mire than i should, For sure! The rice, green salad and mac salad are all excellent. The short ribs are always a never, chicken is ok covered in teriyaki sauce. The kauluia pork is kinda good with no cabbage. They have a little bit if everything at this one. Breakfast through dinner. If you want budget food at a budget price, then hurry on over to l&l. Hey by no means is this Hawaiian home cookin. The only thing Hawaiian are the locals eatin there. This is fast food for a cheap price at it's best.
(3)
Sarah W.
Just happy to have escaped without food poisoning! L & L boasts "Hawaiian Food" and "Local." They are neither, in my opinion. Took a family of 7 there recently on our vacation, in an attempt to find a quick, inexpensive lunch. Menu items ordered included Mongolian Beef, Short Ribs, Kahlua Pork/Cabbage Bowl, Garlic Shrimp w/Steak, some kind of noodle soup, and some other chicken dish. Wow, so many ways to go wrong! The short ribs were fatty and tough. The "steak" was seared on the outside and raw on the inside. The shrimp were battered and fried with the shells still on! The mongolian beef was swimming in some kind of reddish sauce with frozen vegetables - peas and carrots. The pork & cabbage was edible but not good. The mac salad was all mayo. The soup was less than delicious. The chicken was fatty. Bottom line: Don't go in!!! The "inexpensive" portion of this equation was not worth the worry that we were going to spend the rest of the day in the bathroom. By far the worst meal we had during our vacation.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch, Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
JeiNice H.
Moved here from Oahu after living there for 16years - seen this restaurant go from hole in the wall to chain. It's L&L, typical plate lunch food which will not fit in with any Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers diet - that's easy on the pocketbook. If you know Zippy's, then this is the closest thing to it here in Keauhou Big Island (minus the 24hrs availability). I enjoyed the Oxtail soup (soothing soup with the usual oxtail soup fixings) and chili cheese fries (chili is chunky with bits of bell pepper and celery).
(4)Brian H.
I like this place. Good mac salad and rice. The garlic mahi mahi was as good as many expensive restaurants. This place is also good for breakfast. Eggs and rice with pancakes very good. It is inexpensive and tasty.
(4)Bruce P.
I should have read this before we ate there. I just wanted a plate of Polynesian food. I had the roast pork with macadamia nut shrimp. The shrimp was so fishy tasting that I only ate one. The pork was so salty, I had to drink soda to wash it down. Finally, I gave up and tossed it. I should have given up earlier because I spent the rest of the night in the bathroom.
(1)MIke S.
To be fair, I only really like going to L&L no matter where it is (SoCal, NorCal, Seattle, Hawaii) when I'm craving an inexpensive plate lunch and I never really leave L&L feeling like I'm getting good "local" food. Given such low expectations, this place still failed. I got the meat heavy katsu/BBQ chicken/mac salad/rice plate and had some spam musubi. I love all of these things and I still managed to feel disappointed. I think I would've been better off driving 2 hours to Hilo and eating at Vernas III.
(2)Merrilee T.
Whenever I've asked a local a good lunch place, I get directed to a place like this. BBQ or teryaki dark meat chicken, lots of rice, lots of mayo, some cabbage, basically not the way I would normally eat. Considering these aren't my favorite things, the food was still fine. As long as I can drown my meal in sriracha, I'm happy. It's fast food, so I didn't expect 4 star dining. It reminds me of Hawaiian Panda Express. Quick and filling, and heavy on the fat. The bbq beef was really tasty.
(3)Steve R.
The absolute WORST food we had after 2 weeks on the island. Tough, fatty short ribs and the chicken was dripping grease. The Teriyaki sauce was more like jello than sauce. Really, really bad food.
(1)Watch M.
I like the food here, but these workers kind of act like Jerks. Don't seem to care about you and begin to speak a different language with other employees as your ordering. But like I said, good food with nice portions.
(3)Angela H.
Taste OK, not as good as Hawaiian BBQ in Los Angeles though! I think it's operated by Chinese ( I heard them speaking Chinese), so it's probably a combination of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Hawaiian dishes. I think it would be better if they just focus on Chinese food if the chef is Chinese. I would have go to Subway if I'd knew there's one in that same plaza.
(2)Rick S.
Hawaiian fast food! Reasonable prices for good in Hawaii plus they now have a "Healthier Meals" menu. One of the few places in Hawaii to get reasonably price food! The portions are pretty large so you can split a meal if you're not big eaters. This is one of our favorite places to stop on the island.
(4)Rod D.
Picked up to go for a late night dinner. Was told this was the "Hawaiian McDonald's" by a local who said it was here or Tesoro (not many options at 9:30 PM in this area). It was measurably better than that, can confirm it was real REAL FOOD. The BBQ Beef and BBQ Chicken were quite tasty, obligatory mac salad and two scoops rice fill you up for sure. Would have gone with 3 stars if the young lady running the counter wasn't so rude. Do it right and pick up some Steinlager or your favorite Kona beer to wash it all down.
(2)Melissa B.
Gave three stars because of how greasy and fried many of the options were. Deep fried scallops were nearly fried to death. Spring rolls ARE greasy, so no complaints there. And I loved the banana lumpia. Musubi wasn't the best. However, the ox tail soup was 5 star worthy. It was in a nice clear broth with cilantro. Delicious. Next time I'll stick with the ox tail soup. And try the healthy shrimp dish that is not deep fired. It was inexpensive, which makes it ok to have ordered some mistakes. Next time I'll stick to the least fried options. And, yep, I will be back.
(3)Steve A.
Impressively good food. You can buy a combination plate and easily split it among 2-3 averagely hungry people. Kali's pork was very flavorful. Pork lumpia was delicious. If you've been to another L&L you'll know why to expect.
(4)Ty N.
The BBQ mix is delicious, cheap and the portion is huge so better to share with someone. The taste of the BBQ is actually so so needs more sauces but satisfying enough if you are craving for Hawaiian BBQ.
(5)Ali V.
I'm pretty sure this is the best l&l ever!!! It's clean Same price, great food. Even the people are nicer here then oahu.lol
(5)Denni P.
Good vale I was hungry and had breakfast here they do a good job. I would come back, but of a greasy spoon but hey this is part of the charm of it.
(3)Lizzie L.
The food was okay. The staff was super unfriendly. If you ask for BBQ sauce, you'll get teriyaki. If you ask for napkins, you'll get two paper napkins. Ask for any more, you get glared at and handed one more paper napkin. Too bad.
(2)Bonnie I.
Good L&L with okay service and yummy food at decent prices. The store is clean and has lots of seating.
(3)Mina L.
Honestly, the best value on the island. Hubs always got the BBQ mix plate... While my 3 boys and I shared chicken katsu and BBQ chicken plate. Other times on the menu we tried include: lau lau(dri and didn't care for flavor) Korean chicken(too salty) Simien(flavorless) Minus 1 star for the lackluster customer service. We stopped by here MANY times that i cant admit the number And Never did we get a friendly Aloha or Mahalo from the Chinese/Taiwanese people behind the counter. We ignored the unhawaian atmosphere and enjoyed the grub. We have L&L here in Cali... It just seems better in Hawaii. Can't pinpoint what it is... It's just that good in Hawaii.
(4)Susan W.
Went here twice during the 4 days we were in Kona. Loved it both times. First time went there for lunch to go. Picked up a mini combo of teriyaki chicken, chicken katsu & fried shrimp served with one scoop rice & one mac salad and a regular combo of kalua pork & lau lau with 2 scoops rice & one scoop mac salad. The fried shrimp were amazing ! I could go for 6 or more of them right now. Their mac salad is THE BEST!! Super creamy. First time having lau lau & loved it! Added a little "rooster sauce" to pep it up a bit. Ended up with at least 2 full scoops of rice left. Just can't eat all the carbs. Second time went there to pickup breakfast to go. Hubby had the ham & egg sandwich with fries for $4.95. Fries are excellent. Giant krinkle cut. Sandwich was just ok. I had the egg, bacon & spam combo with rice. Didn't know I would love rice for breakfast but I did!!
(4)Eric T.
Great breakfast with spam and Portuguese sausage about $6. Great value will go back again before we leave. My wife had the hot links nice flavor but not very hot
(4)Nancy C.
My family and I are on vacation and we were looking for a place to eat lunch so we went to L&L Hawaiian BBQ. I ordered orange chicken and It was AWFUL!!! Can I say "gross" on yelp. My husband got the garlic ahi and he said it was good but I noticed he had to cover it in teriyaki sauce. If you are hungry, I would not recommend L&L Hawaiian BBQ. FYI I am not a picky eater.
(1)Tony M.
This food was nasty. Greasy over cooked wierd tasting sauces and WTF is up with macaroni salad in with the rice and greasy food? Pass on this folks!
(1)Noelle M.
This is the worst L&L's I've ever been to! Healthy Chicken plate was the same chicken as the regular BBQ chicken. .. covered in fatty soft skin that was hard to peel off and super salty. The mix plate was no better. Ribs were all fatty and meat seemed almost chewy like it wasn't cooked all the way. Our stomachs felt like there was a war going on after eating here. Extremely disappointing!
(1)Tricia L.
Very delicious and a good variety. Served steamy hot food that soothed the soul. I had the pork plate and my husband had the BBQ sampler with banana lumpia. Great local place!
(5)Lydia H.
Island comfort food hot and fast. I walked in at 11:51 went right to the counter and ordered. 7 minutes later the lunch crowd started to show up.
(5)Jeff N.
Got the BBQ platter and a diet Pepsi. Took a swig of the soda and got a very distinct pine flavor from cleaner in the lines. I returned the soda for a different kind and got my order. I liked the food however 45 minutes later I was blowing up the toilet and tied to it for the rest of the night. I would never go back. Avoid
(1)Louis R.
Little Chinese people behind the counter taking orders. Ginourmous tatted-up Hawaiians buying BBQ Mixed plates. I HAVE AND ALWAYS WILL LOVE L&L HAWAIIAN BBQ. Ma-fuckin-halo
(5)J H.
I should have listened to the previous reviews... Food was OK, kahlua pork was fatty and bland, husband's macaroni salad had a hair in it. Staff definitely needs some customer service training, no smile, thank you, how are you or anything. One good thing would have been the generous portions, if the food were good; fills the belly if you're really hungry. Other than that, NOT recommended.
(1)Cocoa F.
Korean chicken was freshly made, but the chicken tasted completely freezer burned. It was too salty and the garlic was burned giving it a bitter taste. Yuck.
(2)Keely P.
Yuck, not sure what cuts of meat they use, but im pretty sure its not quality. If your not local and have grown to like this place( its packed w/ locals) then avoid!
(1)Greg B.
This place is poorly managed! They lacked in customer service, ambience, and good food. Our bad experience here started with bad customer service. The workers barely speak English, was not helpful, won't smile, and didn't know anything about the menu. I asked the female cashier a simple question "is it possible to order a bowl of kalua pig by itself?" and the girl looked annoyed because the menu didn't have kalua pig in a bowl. She stared at the menu to verify, then walked away from me. She didn't want to take my order! WTF? Awkward. I had to yell over to the guys behind in the kitchen to tell them I still needed to order. So she finally came back to get my order. The kalua pig was very dry - seriously, how do you ruin kalua pig in Hawaii? The rice was old, there were grains that were hard/dry. So if you love rice like I do, and eat rice with almost every meal, this was a big disappointment. The one thing that was good however, was their loco mock. My kids loved it every bite of it. Otherwise this store would have only one star. Good selection of food on the menu, just too bad we didn't try anything we haven't tried before because of the cashier's lack of helpfulness. I knew it would be too hard to ask her for any recommendations. We will not be back here. L&L should screen who buys their franchises for the sake of consistency and keeping a good reputation.
(2)Sam R.
The family meal for $29.99 is a deal, we fed 8 people. Overall the food was great, good flavor and taste. Certainly one of the better deals on the island.
(5)Greg K.
I usually absolutely love the L&L brand having dined at, formerly "L&L Drive Inn", now "L&L Hawaiian Barbecue" for decades. I once booked a hotel room in Manhattan based on how close it was to the NYC L&L! (Okay, okay... I'm not that bad anymore... I have since learned how to make Kalbi at home! LOL) Unfortunately, this store just wasn't so great. Yes, it had all the "new store" accoutrements for the L&L chain (furniture, decor, menu boards, etc.) - but the food just wasn't cooked as juicy or tasty as I know L&L usually makes it. I had the seafood mixed plate because I had a hankering for Mahi-Mahi. Ummmm... kinda slimy fish (not firm Mahi!), overcooked shrimp... On the flip side, my wife was borderline generally satisfied and not-great with her loco moco which was the special of the day. So kinda below half-half experience for us. Although I couldn't help but notice the entire staff (at least 4 of them, on their own) were all eating something they brought from home and not made at the store! Hmmm...
(2)P K.
When you are hungry and want something Hawaiian style and fairly cheap this is a good spot. Funny because the staff seems pretty non-expressive. The one in Keauhou is kept clean and nice. I must say I wish all L& L's would be more environmentally conscious since this is beautiful and fragile Hawaii. I would come alot more often if they used recycled boxes and utensils. everything here is Styrofoam and plastic. I don't like that. But I do eat here quite a bit, and usually leave satisfied.
(3)Nick H.
Eew gross. Greasy, fatty BBQ chicken with the skin still on it. Macaroni "salad" loaded with mayo. The garden salad looked like it was harvested last week. I'm afraid I could only have a few bites and tossed the rest. Serves me right for picking a chain in a shopping center.
(1)Lo N.
It's kind of a Hawiian fast food place. Quick and fairly cheap. The steak combo was deliciously satisfying for just $8. I had $40 steak at Japengo and it was not much better than the steak here. Actually the steak here tasted more flavorful. The only minus is one of the guys who seems to be in charge (he spoke English more fluently than the others) is a bit of a jackass.
(3)Steve S.
It's L&L what did you expect. I eat here way mire than i should, For sure! The rice, green salad and mac salad are all excellent. The short ribs are always a never, chicken is ok covered in teriyaki sauce. The kauluia pork is kinda good with no cabbage. They have a little bit if everything at this one. Breakfast through dinner. If you want budget food at a budget price, then hurry on over to l&l. Hey by no means is this Hawaiian home cookin. The only thing Hawaiian are the locals eatin there. This is fast food for a cheap price at it's best.
(3)Sarah W.
Just happy to have escaped without food poisoning! L & L boasts "Hawaiian Food" and "Local." They are neither, in my opinion. Took a family of 7 there recently on our vacation, in an attempt to find a quick, inexpensive lunch. Menu items ordered included Mongolian Beef, Short Ribs, Kahlua Pork/Cabbage Bowl, Garlic Shrimp w/Steak, some kind of noodle soup, and some other chicken dish. Wow, so many ways to go wrong! The short ribs were fatty and tough. The "steak" was seared on the outside and raw on the inside. The shrimp were battered and fried with the shells still on! The mongolian beef was swimming in some kind of reddish sauce with frozen vegetables - peas and carrots. The pork & cabbage was edible but not good. The mac salad was all mayo. The soup was less than delicious. The chicken was fatty. Bottom line: Don't go in!!! The "inexpensive" portion of this equation was not worth the worry that we were going to spend the rest of the day in the bathroom. By far the worst meal we had during our vacation.
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