4. Restaurants

Keneke’s Plate Lunch & BBQ

41-857 Kalanianaole Hwy, Waimanalo, HI, 96795
  • (808) 259-9800
  • Store is closed

Keneke’s Plate Lunch & BBQ Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

Visit below restaurant in Waimanalo for healthy meals suggestion.

Subway ( 41-1537 Kalanianaole Hwy )

Visit below restaurant in Waimanalo for healthy meals suggestion.

Subway ( 41-1537 Kalanianaole Hwy )

  • Jen L.

    After a jam packed morning of visiting several beaches, snorkeling and sight seeing, my girlfriend and I scoured Yelp to find the nearest high rated eatery to satiate our stomachs. Keneke's came up and after seeing all the rave reviews, we had to try it out. This place is off on the side of the road and isn't your typical sit down restaurant. There is a walk up window where you order your food, then you wait for it to come out and then you can take it home or eat it in the designated eating area (I will explain this later). We ordered two Spam Breakfast Sandwiches. It was spam, eggs and cheese in between a hamburger bun. We also ordered the Macaroni Salad. It was delicious!!! Our only complaint was that the portions were quite small. After finishing our meal, we were still hungry and ended up sharing a Pulled Pork Sandwich. I was quite pleased with how everything tasted and was amazed at how cheap everything was and that good food could come out of a place that looked like Keneke's! Why do I say this? Well, the outside is quite dirty. If you need to use the restroom and you are a girl, I suggest bringing a buddy to be your lookout while you pop a squat in their small, dark, dirty restroom located in the back of the building facing an alley and abandoned building. You have to walk all the way around the building to get to the restroom. Secondly, their "eating area" is very interesting. It's an attached enclosed brick structure with tables and benches and it is pretty dirty. The surrounding walls are COVERED in religious script and writing. There are drawings of crosses, and sentences upon sentences of sayings from the Bible. It is a little hard to concentrate on my food when the walls were shouting out prayers at me. All in all, I would definitely come here again if I was in the area and I would order more than one portion for myself!!!

    (4)

  • Liz O.

    Keneke's put on an amazing spread for our wedding in March. Keith, the manager, was helpful leading up to the event, let us know what would taste good together. We paid a total of $39 per person and that included passed pupus for the cocktail hour, mango chicken skewers, breaded fan tail shrimp, roasted veggies and a few other appetizers. It also included all the set up, place settings including, plates, salad plates, knives, forks, wine and water glasses. The food we chose was fillet mignon, mahi mahi and a full roasted pig (served on a wheeled out silver cart, big crowd pleaser). We had kale and sesame salad, nalo greens salad with papaya dressing, grilled asparagus and taro buns. The food was tasty and plentiful! I'd received quotes from other caterers for $6000-$8000 for the same or similar catering, so to find Keneke's and pay under $2000 was phenomenal. They were professionally dressed, all in black with aprons and Keith himself was there to oversee everything. Food is such an important part of your wedding day, and all of my guests and my husband and I were completely happy :)

    (4)

  • Bay D.

    This review is for the shave ice and not the food. I enjoy hawaiian food but if I had to rate both the rating would go down. The service was good considering their was a long line and although they were swamped the servers were nice and courteous. Although the eating area was run down with crooked tables and benches. There was a pleasing sight as you focused on the walls of the dining area. There was writing all over the walls but it was Bible scriptures and good ones too. References to salvation which gave a calming and comforting presence to stone and wooden dining area. So let's talk about the shave ice, it was heaven! As others have mentioned you can combine different flavors of syrup with delicious ice cream. I had the macadamia nut ice cream that was superb. I don't like to mix the shave ice with the ice cream and this was especially good in this instance because I could really taste the difference. I would definitely return to this place the next chance I get!

    (4)

  • Fawn L.

    I was a little off put by all the Bible verses written all over the walls and it was a bit unclean, but I loved their food. I like the location, plenty of parking, and the lush environment. I got their mahi mahi plate and it was awesome. I wanted to come back and try their shave ice, but ran out of time.

    (4)

  • Judy K.

    Keneke's has really great Kalua Pig. That is pretty much the only thing I have eaten there. It is so good I never think to try anything else. If you are looking for ambiance, keep on driving, but if you want a good Kalua Pig sandwich this is your place.

    (4)

  • Matt S.

    The best plate lunch I had while in Hawaii (and I tried a lot of different ones). The Kalua pork was amazing and their sauce is perfect. I also tried the teriyaki beef (which was very tender) & chicken. Another thing I love about this place is that the portions are huge. Understand this; It's not healthy and its big nasty servings, but if you are looking for good authentic Hawaii plate lunches, this is the place. This spot in Waimanalo is kind of dingy and the scriptures all over the wall is weird, but hey ... its paradise right? The service is good and the people are friendly. Tip - they also serve Dave's Ice Cream at this spot, which if you know anything about Waimanalo and Dave's Ice Cream ... this will make you happy .. one stop shopping baby! GO TRY THIS PLACE and then thank me later.

    (5)

  • Alysha K.

    This rating is solely for the shave ice. Line was long and wait was even longer. I understand they serve food too, but waiting 15-20 minutes just for shave ice is pretty ridiculous. They need to have two separate lines. When I finally got my shave ice, I was disappointed. It was chunky and super sweet. There were a lot of things on the food menu that sounded good. So I would probably go back, if it was convenient, to try some food since it does have better ratings.

    (2)

  • Ryan T.

    Tastes like Keneke's has lost it's groove... the Kahlua Pig today was so bland... what a disappointment! Guess we'll stick to Ono's.

    (2)

  • Lauren T.

    3.5 Stars Came here on a whim and ordered the pork adobo. HEAVEN! Just like mama make it! haha. No, but seriously their pork adobo is legit.

    (3)

  • Raquel D.

    This is local eating at it's finest, folks! Lucky for me, my personal tour guide (aka BFF who lives there) took us here after our NEED for local goodies. The price is ridiculously affordable and one meal feeds two. Seriously. The Kahlua Pig is off the heazy goodness - made-to-order, fresh, tender, tasty and just plain perfect pork. Rice and mac salad accompanies your main entree, which puts the portions over the top. And I think we got a small to share. Insane. But hey, no complaints here. I would have just kept on going if there was more in front of me...no matter how stuffed I was! Yes, it's that good. If you ever make it out to Oahu, this is a must! Who says Honolulu has to be pricey??

    (4)

  • Natalie K.

    BIG lunch plates that taste pretty good. We had kalua pork and lau lau plates- kalua pork was good, a bit salty, but very tender and generously portioned. The lau lau was light on the meat, heavy on the taro leaves. Mac salad was good, but mayo heavy. If you are into heavy handed dishes (lots of salt, mayo, big portions) you will appreciate Keneke's. Overall, not a bad plate lunch.

    (3)

  • Jenna T.

    Why just 3.5 stars overall? I love this place! It's much less touristy and quiet which I enjoy. The only thing I took one star off for was the eating area. It's very sticky and dirty and maybe they could hose it down once in a while. I like the random Bible quotes on the walls; I think it gives it character. I had the combo with kahlua pork, shoyu chicken, and short ribs. All were super delicious and juicy. I would definitely come back here the next time we make a drive out to Waimanalo.

    (4)

  • Ane P.

    Oh I love Keneke's...and I will drive all the way over to Waimanalo to have some shave ice and plate lunch, although I have no other reason to be over there. Actually, add some red bean and ice cream under that shave ice.

    (5)

  • Stephanie A.

    Fast, tasty, cooked food, and cheap prices in Oahu where everything seemed to be about milking the tourists...I would give them even fifth star if the place wasn't that ugly looking. The fist time here we were hungry and decided to give it a chance. We came back once more, and everything we ordered was good. I liked the Shoyu Chicken best. Every time we took our boxed lunch, and ate it at a picnic table in the near by beach. One objection - the ice cream had an old taste.

    (4)

  • Lee A.

    Let's talk about the good. The prices are very good, especially for the portions they give you. I had the mixed plate so I could sample several items - Lau Lau, Mahi Mahi, and I think Kalua pig. Having just been to a Lua the previous night I was hoping for more long slow cooked swine! Well the Lau Lau didn't disappoint, it was pretty good. But.. The rest was terrible. My fish was full of bones, and as soon as you hit one you never want to go back for fear of another one killing you. The eating area is sheltered with several picnic tables to eat on. It was a very hot day and the shade was appreciated. What was not was the flies. The trash cans were not being emptied and the previous customers didn't seem to be the best job cleaning up after themselves so it attracted bugs. I hate bugs. After our meals I did get a shave ice. I love shave ice. But what's not to love, it's hot as hell and you're giving me flavored syrup covered ice. Everyone claims to have the best shave ice on the island and I had it probably 10 different places in the week I was there and they were all pretty much the same. The same being excellent in this case. Honestly I wanted to give this place a one star, but it's not their fault (hopefully) that I was vomiting this up later on the boat. I'll blame my weak stomach and seasickness, but it did make me never want to come here again. Fortunately for them, there isn't much competition close by on that side of the island.

    (2)

  • Jay M.

    I wish I knew about this place during my first trip. I love how you can choose 3 different items for under $10! My favorites are the lau lau and the mochiko chicken. It's great to pick up a plate to bring to the beach =) I wish they had an indoor restaurant. It gets so hot, I think I got a sunburn just from standing in line.

    (4)

  • Jane H.

    Came for the shaved ice, drooled over the plate lunches! I enjoyed my ice, but it was a bit choppy compared to other places. The syrups were amazing though. It is so hard when a place has great syrups but only better than OK ice texture. (There are places with great ice texture but syrups that aren't that great) I also didn't like how they put the red beans at the bottom of the cup. How am I supposed to get at them and eat them with the ice?! So why did I give them 3 stars when they deserve at best 2.5 for their ice? For their plate lunch... they look sooo good. I will definitely come back for the plate lunch.

    (3)

  • Eileen S.

    Awww man so dissapointing. :( All of our food was (as Tanny said) DISGUSTING! What happen??? First they got part of the order wrong. Stood there while the cook tried to blame the girl who took the order (who took the order correct it was just done wrong). Dry as sand mochiko chicken like it was yesterday's leftovers. Ahi ahi that was drowned in lemon juice. Teri beef that you can barely recognize. Even a cheeseburger was barely edible. So sad to have my memories killed. Grade = FAIL-

    (1)

  • Kuulei J.

    THANK YOU FOR OPENING IN PUNALUU!!!!!!!!!!! Awsome food right around the corner from home, massive plate lunch!!!

    (4)

  • Jason C.

    I always wanted to try this place if not for any reason except that it's an inviting country roadside stop, and it shares the name of Danny Zuko's nemesis (sorry I digress). It was a hot Sunday and perfect for a shave ice break. While waiting in line we baked under the hot afternoon sun, and I had to laugh because I wondered if it's a requirement that waiting in the direct sun is part of the "price" you pay in getting shave ice just like at other places. The Good: The shave ice is nice and fluffy and offers a fair number of familiar flavors that aren't too sweet. There was just the right amount of syrup; some places give you a skosh too much while others are just ripping you off with plain white ice down the middle. I enjoyed my strawberry and lilikoi shave ice with a nice sized scoop of ice cream. There is only one size, but it's amazing how large it is considering they use a styrofoam coffee cup rather than a paper cone. The Weak: The covered seating area felt a little too enclosed and dirty. It was also noisy due to the sound bouncing off the low ceiling and hallow tile walls, the pukas helped with the breeze but not the noise. The Nasty: I spied a low wall in the back parking lot that was in the shade so we decided to try and eat out there. The wall was downwind from a dumpster that was full, and not all the garbage was bagged which attracted flies. But if that wasn't bad enough there was also the smell from the used cooking oil which was nauseating. The ground outside the back kitchen door was coated with a black film from the countless cooking oil spills that weren't cleaned up and it just reeked. The Regret: My rule of thumb is that if a restaurant's dumpster area shows a lack of cleanliness, you can assume that it's also reflected in the kitchen. Too bad, because I liked the shave ice, and no matter how good the plate lunches look, I will pass on coming back anytime soon.

    (2)

  • Blake M.

    Moneyball: good plate lunch waimanalo side. More about convenience than the food in my opinion. Makes: I went at 4pm so parking wasn't a problem but I could see how it could be during peak hours especially since its right off kalanianaole. If it is just turn down the side road right next to kenekes. Seemed to have ample seating. Service was fast, food was done in less than 5 mins. Misses: food isn't totally awesome but there's just nothing much else to compare to keneke's in waimanalo, hence the 3 stars, otherwise 2 stars if it were in downtown. Prices are actually ok, $8.50 for a plate lunch, $9.50 for a mixed plate, whew Hawaii is expensive! Food tried: BBQ chicken - sauce based and sweet, hamburger steak: very good but very thin, mochiko chicken: fatty, tasted too deep fried, not enough flavor, not recommended. Just too oily and mass produced and typical...nothing different, nothing setting it apart from any other plate lunch place. You don't really have any other choice in waimanalo...definitely try serges next door though.

    (3)

  • Brian W.

    Had the lau lau there... pretty good but then I pull a chunk of fat out of it as my first bite. Not a good first impression, and the pork inside all the taro leaves is only okay. Granted I haven't had much lau lau in my life, but the kalua pork we had was much better-- although still more salty than anything else. Service was a bit slow too, although maybe lau lau takes time to cook? Or my other friend (who's a Honolulu native) said maybe it was from Costco (thanks for the bucket of cold water! This place looked better than that...). The shaved ice was pretty tasty though, also light and fluffy, although not quite as good as the best we'd had here. Definitely off by a bit, but at the same time, still nom...

    (3)

  • Jody S.

    I have been a fan of Keneke's always making a pit stop to this location after spending a day at the beach all day on weekends. The place brings back childhood and young adult memories, cruising there after a long day at the beach and waiting in line with the locals and visitors alike for shave ice and our plate lunches. I also always ordered me one of my faves: The french fries, which are fat, crinkly and are SUPER ono! They are just oily enough and come out piping hot--you add a little bit of ketchup and...broke da mouth! :) Today I was reintroduced to Keneke's as our company-wide retreat and the food was just as good. It was a nice flashback to the old days.

    (4)

  • Sarah P.

    Not a plate lunch kind of girl but definitely a shave ice kine so this review does not reflect the food... only the shave ice. Brother came for a visit and drove all over Oahu sampling the different shave ices... Matsumoto's, Island Snow, those on the beach in Waikiki, some sketchy places in Honolulu, and even hopped over the Big Island to try Scandanavian Shave Ice... this one takes the cake according to him. Best flavors and generous with the syrup. We returned here a few times due to his love of the place. Especially after an afternoon of boogie boarding, hit this place up to soothe the sun burn and hydrate the bod with some concentrated sugar deliciousness. One critique - I think the ice crystals are just a touch too large for me... I like my shave ice nice and smooth. He's more of the flavor lover so that was more important to him.

    (5)

  • Rachel P.

    Not going to lie, a little disappointed about our trip here. Boyfriend and I both got a three-entree lunch box, which both had their high's and low's. Overall, we got Mahi-Mahi, Kalua Pig, Shoyu Chicken, Chicken Katsu and Teri Chicken. Mahi-Mahi - Juicy, great filet. Tasted wonderful. Kalua Pig - Good overall, but a little on the salty side and overwhelming fatty juice that flooded my white rice. Shoyu Chicken - Good flavor, but on the bone.. -_- Chicken Katsu - Again, good flavor, but poor quality chicken that was quite rubbery. Teri Chicken - Not the best cut of chicken, but teriyaki sauce was good. Mac Salad - Way too much mayo for our taste.. Boom. Roasted!

    (3)

  • Amanda Z.

    The food at Keneke's is solid local food - tastes good and the price is decent for the amount of food given. We got 2 laulau plates, 1 side order mochiko chicken, 1 side order pork adobo and 1 side order kalua pig. The pork adobo was juicy and flavorful, really ono! The lau lau and mac salad were delicious. I probably wouldn't order the kalua pig (super dry) or the mochiko chicken (small portion, tasted just okay). I'd definitely return to eat more of the yummy pork adobo!

    (4)

  • Reimi D.

    After reading most of the reviews for Keneke's, I really think you gotta be from Hawaii to truly appreciate the food here. I'm not gonna lie. It's not for the health conscious--no one should eat this kind of food (plate lunches) on a daily basis if you want to live past 40--so if you are one of those kind of people that don't like the occasional Hawaiian plate lunch, don't come here. It's as simple as that. BUT if you are one of those people that like to indulge in some freaking good Hawaiian food every once in a while, you gotta have Keneke's. I'm not going to bother explaining what comes with a plate lunch because if you don't know then you're just not ready. Today I had the lau lau plate. SO good. I've had better mac salad (Zippy's is my favorite) but other than that it was awesome. My sister had the shoyu chicken plate and grinded it up, and hubby had the hamburger steak plate--i had a bite and it was juicy and delicious. The shoyu chicken, and the hamburger steak plate were each $6 which also included a large drink. I forgot how much my lau lau plate was but it was a little more (around $8, I think.) Hint: For those of you that don't want to commit to a plate lunch because of the amount of food they give you, get a mini plate. It's smaller, just as delicious, and it hits the right spot. Don't go nuts and order a bunch of different kinds of food your first try (something tourists and newbies tend to do) because it's too much food. Now, to address the fly problem: yes, they have a fly problem. DUH. But that's why you don't eat there. Get your food to go and eat it at the beach (which is like, 5 minutes away) or find another spot to eat at. Eat in your car if you have to. Even if they DIDN'T have a fly problem, it's still better to take your food and eat it at the beach...their seating area is a bit dingy and, well..just go to the beach and eat. Keneke's is not for the uppity...it's bare bones Hawai'ian as is 'nalos and you gotta appreciate that to appreciate the food.

    (5)

  • Fabiola C.

    Boyfriend and I had the shaved ice (with ice cream) 2 for a total of $7. I loved it! I didn't get to try the food, but it smelled really good. I will definitely come back!

    (4)

  • Cynthia V.

    Used to go there all the time, kept getting the runs. Don't anymore, and watch out for the roaches.

    (2)

  • sybril s.

    It's kinda scary looking but man... the food is goood, portion's huge and a very reasonable price. Since the place was kinda scary, we got our orders togo and ate at the park next to the beautiful beach just minutes away. Got the lau lau I was craving for (but we couldn't find a place that sells it), BBQ chicken, Kalua pig and pork adobo. The lau lau (pork) was nice and fatty - yum! lol BBQ chicken and everything else were all very flavorful and tender. Compare to what we get from the usual "Hawaiian BBQ" places in the mainland... this is heaven! Be sure to share it with someone else if you haven't starved yourself for a day before you eat here... portions are just ginormous.

    (4)

  • Jeremy H.

    My favorite on the whole island! I love the bible verses written on the walls!

    (5)

  • Brenda A.

    I love shave ice! I live in Kapolei but when I go on the windward side, I always stop at Kaneke's and get a cherry shave ice its the best on a hot day and the location is on the way to Sandys gotta love that.

    (5)

  • Scott B.

    There loco moco is ammmmmaaaaaazzzziiiinnnnngggggg!!! So good!! Friendly staff!! I also suggest any of there meat mix plates. Yum!!

    (5)

  • Hanna N.

    Still has the best Kalua pig plate lunch :) The portions are generous and it's the perfect stop to eat on your way to get some beach sun and waves!

    (5)

  • Jon M.

    Used these guys for my father in laws funeral, they showed up a little late but the food was good and the two brutha's that set up were very efficient, helpful and friendly, never been to the restaurant but give them two thumbs up on the catering side.

    (4)

  • Kai T.

    Service was a bit slow. To make matters worse, two of the three plate lunch orders we placed were screwed up. Decided to sit in...and oh boy, pigeons and bird poop galore. Mac salad had an unusual yellow tinge, and tasted slightly sour too. Biting through the kalbi was similar to chewing on a pacifier. Shoyu chicken was pretty good, but then again, i had initially ordered teri chicken before the order mix-up. my experience wasn't so pleasant with the service and food i received. I'd hate to give one star to a locally owned biz, so ill give them the benefit of the doubt...2 stars...just because

    (2)

  • Evan F.

    Been going to Keneke's since I was younger. I'll say that I like some thing but definitely not all things. I'm sure others will agree with me that you definitely have to know the ins and outs of the place to truly enjoy it. Otherwise, you could easily haul off and order something that will deter you from ever coming back. That much said, three stars from me.

    (3)

  • Tim W.

    This place really grossed me out. For some reason the outside patio smelled like warm garbage. We tired to eat our shave ice there while enjoying all the bible verses written all over the walls.... but just couldn't do it. A bite of shave ice and a whiff of nasty garbage just doesn't cut it. We got the hell outta there a-sap! We only had shave ice and it was average but the place is just too dirty and smelly. PASS!

    (1)

  • Jerry F.

    The loco moco and kalua plate lunch is winners here!

    (4)

  • Jae L.

    I've been here twice in the last week. This place looks pretty ghetto but the service and food is pretty good. Shaved ice is awesome. You have the option of putting ice cream, azuki bean, and/or top with condensed milk. Only reason they get three stars is because the shaved ice drips everywhere and attracts flies (maybe if they had a hose to wash down the sidewalk it would help) also, my brother said the bathroom was gross. My pork adobo was tasty, not salty, and was juicy and fatty :D The Mac salad isn't good, it's sweet which caught me off guard.

    (3)

  • kristin g.

    Keneke's is a MUST EAT every time I get to go home. I can't EVER go home without making a trip to the Windward side for some adobo, gisantes, pig and fruit punch! If you're looking for great food at an even better price - Keneke's is THE place! Come hungry - the portions are for the hungry only! Prepare yourself for a food coma...You won't regret it!

    (5)

  • Steve Y.

    There's only one dish that I love here, and it's the Pork Adobo plate. Haven't tried the others because I'm not one to venture out. But for the last 10 years of my life that I've been going here, it's the only thing I've ordered. Personally, I make the best pork abodo on the island. Pork Adobo is a filipino food dish that consist of pork boiled shoyu, vinegar, and spices. Just a warning, it's an oily dish. So if you don't like greasy food, this dish is not for you... But if you're a fan of flavor like me, you'll fall in love with it.

    (5)

  • Jason N.

    Great food and service. Not the cleanest place in Hawaii, but no worse than any other plate lunch place. Pork adobo was better than most.

    (5)

  • Hanna C.

    My boyfriend and I were driving around the island playing tourist. We were hungry so we happened to see Keneke's on the way. Parking was right in front. Walked in, loved the atmosphere. Staff was friendly, lots of fresh breeze passing through, and the interior made it feel like I was in a whole different era. Lots of Bible versus on the walls so it gave me something to read while I was waiting for my food. I had the garlic fish with brown rice and my boyfriend had the teri chicken with fries. eh~ the fish was a little too oily for my liking but it was ok. The teri chicken was a little too sweet and too much sauce. The food wasn't the greatest but everything else about the place made up for it. It was a nice stop by place.

    (3)

  • Roll N.

    Yum! The portions are huge so share if you're not that hungry. We ordered one of the kalua pork and that was more than enough for 2 for lunch! The seating area isn't nice, think of middle school lunch benches. But you're there for the food! The line wasn't long at 3pm on a weekday; however it took awhile and we weren't sure why. The crowd was a nice mix of locals and tourist. Yummy. That is all.

    (4)

  • theresa s.

    i love, love keneke's fried chicken! it is super crispy due to the not-so-thick batter; i think it is double-fried and cooked to order. soooo yummy. great place to go for plate lunch while spending the day at the beach. i took my brother's family here on our way to the beach, and they came back the next day just for the chicken! they are from the south, so who can blame them?! i don't see a pic posted of the fried chicken, so i gotta do my yelp civic duty and go out there this weekend to take a pic! stay tuned...

    (5)

  • Brian T.

    Cheap place to eat along the road and the servings are hefty. Lunch special was $6 and included teriyaki chicken (or shoyu chicken), rice, a side, and a large drink. Not bad at all. Food was decent and more than enough if you were really hungry. Seating is all outdoors on concrete benches. Might have to try some of their other food next time around. Those combination plate pictures other people have posted look tasty.

    (3)

  • Jon C.

    In Alabama, we have these roadside BBQ stands. Small, whitewashed cinder block buildings with open air seating. These by far are the best places for BBQ. Apparently, this rule also applies to Hawaii. Keneke's has all the charm of a country bbq stand, with a side of rice and soy sauce packets. My family had variations on barbecue pork and chicken, served with rice and a surprisingly tasty macaroni salad. My sister had the teriyaki chicken, which was salty, savory with good smoke flavor from the BBQ. I had the shoyun chicken, sticky sweet with hints of ginger. Very tasty. This is Hawaiian soul food. Japanese flavors meets island cooking meets country BBQ stand. Oh, and the dining area was covered in bible verses, for extra flavor. -jc

    (5)

  • Tina S.

    Keneke's catered our wedding on April 4 and they did a great job. This was a destination wedding and I went off of reviews and recommendations and I'm glad I did. Keith was awesome. Our wedding started at 3 and they were there around 1:30 and when the ceremony was over the waitresses brought appetizers to all the guests. Dinner started at 5 and it was a buffet style. The food was so delicious, all the guests loved it. They stayed until 10pm when the reception was over and cleaned up everything. I highly recommend Keneke's!

    (5)

  • Bridget P.

    It would be so easy for this place to get a rave review. All they need to do is cover their garbage and clean their picnic tables. I don't need a really clean place to eat. I'm not overly picky. But Keneke's is seriously in need of a cleaning! There were 25 or so flies hanging around 3 open garbage cans, two of which were ready to overflow. Then, when we went into the little covered dining area, I was really surprised that it was that dirty! You could see layers of grubby dirt, and the picnic table was so sticky that I couldn't pick my napkin up. There's lots of scripture written on the walls, about how Jesus saves them. Hey, I'm all for people expressing themselves, but somebody needs to understand that maybe Jesus saved them, but he sure doesn't clean the tables. The food was okay. I had the Lau-lau pork. It was half fat, but tasty. I orderd the adobo, they gave me the Kalua. My sweetheart had the adobo, which was pretty good. But I couldn't really enjoy it, wondering if the kitchen was as dirty as the rest of the place.

    (1)

  • Katherine O.

    So one plate will feed 3 people. I felt bad that I had to throw so much food away, but I'm pretty sure that my leftovers wouldn't last very long in my moped. I had a chicken dish that was delicious and my husband had the pork adobo. He loved it and claimed he could have possibly eaten the whole plate, but I'm pretty sure he would have exploded a few minutes after. I think this is more of a drive your car and take your food to go place because it wasn't that comfortable sitting outside on a bench, but we didn't have that option.

    (4)

  • Sara T.

    Anytime I drive through Waimanalo to go beach, I always stop at Keneke's for one of two things: 1) shave ice ($2.75 for three flavors, and it's giant!) 2) kalua pig plate (about $6) Giant portions and SO ONO. The hamburger steak plate is also very good, but I recommend sharing it with a friend, because it comes with THREE patties and is smothered in gravy. You can also get a mixed plate (two meats and choice of rice, fries, mac salad or toss salad) for $7. Only problems: the little eating area is a little creepy with all the scripture paintings, the tables are always sticky, and it's hard to pull out of the parking lot back onto the main road. NOTE: they also have a catering business - yelp.com/biz/kenekes-wai…

    (4)

  • B. S.

    Dear Kenekes Pork Adobo, I LOVE YOUUUUU. Mountain Biked 20+ miles to kenekes, swam for a bit, then ate some pork adobo. I'm so addicted to this stuff and this is probably my 7th time here so far. I order nothing but Pork Adobo, but some day I'll venture into shaved ice. Maybe. I'll be back Mr. Pork Adobo.

    (5)

  • Troy M.

    Massive Massive plate lunches here. i would give them one notch above L&L. Place is super busy on the weekends and food comes out quick. Shave Ice takes forever though. I would recommending talking the food to a near by beach vs. eating at their location. The seating area is kinda ghetto.

    (3)

  • Kaiulani K.

    Keneke's (n.) [Cuh-neck-ays] A plate lunchery located in Waimanalo right next to 7-11. Disputed pronunciation: [Cuh-nick-eez], rare. This place has great food, okay prices, and mediocre shave ice. If you're out adventuring at Hanauma Bay or Koko Head and feel like grinding on a big plate of adobo, kalua pig and kal-bi with side rice and mac salad -- this is your place. Some of the food is really good, and other things I could live without. Some of the things I don't like are the amount of fat on the adobo and kal-bi, how dry the kalua pig is, and the large grated ice for the shave ice.However, that's all a matter of personal preference so I suggest you try it because I swear I heard couple of malahini kines talking about how good the shave ice was. WORD OF WARNING: if you walk into the seating area, the inside walls are covered in scripture (and some other, random scribbles). I've been coming here for years, so I was used to it, until I brought some friends from the mainland and noticed their surprise.

    (4)

  • Gidget T.

    Last summer, some of my friends were learning to skimboard and spent weeks on end at Waimanalo Beach Park. After going to the beach all day, we would stop here and grab lunch. I understand they are in support of cleaning up the drug problem on the island, getting kids jobs and promoting the church. All of those things are wonderful, and I support that. But, I cannot get into their food, service or atmosphere. The food was less than mediocre. The service was just a notch above rude. The atmosphere was uncomfortable, dimly lite and dirty. And the prices don't compensate for any of it. For all the hope and positivity that this establishment brings, I wish I could get behind it more than I am. I was looking to like it, but I just can't. Stop by and grab a shave ice or a drink, but get your lunch elsewhere. I subtract three stars for the poor food, service, atmosphere, seating and overall condition. I give it two stars for good intentions and decent shave ice.

    (2)

  • Liz T.

    At one time you were my #1 for plate lunch. WHAT HAPPENED? Cleaner place--that's good. New paint--that's nice. Price increase--I can cope. But the food! Your Kalbi, which I considered the best in Hawaii once, was so small and subtle-tasting this time. Your Kalua Pig wasn't as moist or sweet. Your BBQ Chicken was burnt to a carcinogenic black. The only thing that improved was the Pineapple Smoothie, but I can't justify driving out to 'Nalo when I have fresh pineapple and an Oster at home. Please get better or get buried by Koi ( yelp.com/biz/koi-caterin… ).

    (3)

  • Lisa K.

    The kalua pig sandwich was delicious, well-proportioned, and decently priced (at $5 - the menu they have posted online seems out of date). The adobo pork was also very tasty. In both cases the pork was cooked perfectly. It may be blasphemous but the kalua pig was improved further with the provided bbq sauce. So I would stick to those items in the future, because the grilled mahi mahi was oddly greasy and the mac salad was quite flavorless. The steak fries were great though, and I've decided I'm just not into lau lau, although again, the pork there was great. We took our food to go (to a nearby beach) so we didn't have to deal with any bible verses or flies!

    (4)

  • Megan S.

    A friend told me to stop at Keneke's if I got the chance on my trip to Oahu. On our drive out east one day we ran across this location and happened to be dying of hunger! Perfect. We had to wait in line for a bit in the intense heat because some folks were getting shave ice. It looked damn good, but I was all about the lunch, skip the sweets. However, once we ordered, our plate lunch was up in a matter of seconds. My boyfriend and I split the shoyu chicken plate lunch and that was plenty for us. We even had a bit leftover even though, like I said, we were starving! We ducked into the side seating area that was shady and cool. The concrete walls were covered in Jesus graffiti. No joke. It was crazy scarfing down this delicious chicken that falls off the bone while being surrounded with bible quotes. There's something so primal about it. Ha ha! After we had our fill, it was on to da beach! Good price as a giant soft drink was included. Mmmm...meat.

    (5)

  • Lou D.

    Keneke's is truly a hidden gem on Oahu. If you want to experience local Hawaiian food this is the place to go. The Kalua Pig is incredible, the Loco Moco is the best I've ever had and the Mac Salad is the perfect complement to any dish there. Seating can be a little hard to get at times, but there is a state park nearby with a great beach that you can take your to. Most food in Hawaii is pretty expensive, but Keneke's prices are very reasonable. We can't wait for our trip in May so we can make a couple trips there for lunch!

    (5)

  • Winnie L.

    $7.95 for a mixed plate - choose 3 items; includes 2 scoops of rice and a scoop of mac salad - is a pretty good deal. i got mochiko chicken, kalua pig, and bbq chicken. they were delicious. the chicken katsu is also tasty. the shave ice is a bit syrupy and $2.50, it's a little on the tourist-price side check out the menu... for fries, they have the big size and the wimpy size. way to make you order the large. if you are a jeebus-lover, be sure to put graffiti in their eating area. see pics!

    (4)

  • Douglas L.

    While leisurely driving along the eastern coast of Oahu, we stumbled into Keneke's looking for a late lunch. WOW! FABULOUS and incredibly low priced food! My wife had the LocoMoco lunch plate - which was enough food for several people and delicious. She especially enjoyed the pulled pork. I had the teriyaki beef plate and it too was extremely generous and delightfully tender. I love the Bible scriptures that are handprinted along all of the open wallspace. It's nice to see people of faith doing so well in their business! Be sure to walk to the separate building containing the restrooms. The scenic view out the back door is spectacular. If only I lived in Hawaii - because I'd be a frequent customer at Keneke's.

    (5)

  • Mendie L.

    The kalua pork and pork adobo are excellent if you're craving something a little salty. My favorite though, is the chicken katsu. Wonderfully crispy and the dipping sauce is a tangy delight. I didn't really like the macaroni so I just replace that with another scoop of rice. Their shaved ice is huge and you can pick three flavors. One of the best places around here to get some good ol hawaiin plate lunches.

    (4)

  • Danielle P.

    Excellent value for the portion size and quality. It's a dive type place with picnic table seating, outside only. I got the mixed plate with the BBQ Chicken, Chicken Shoyu and Teriyaki Beef. It came with 2 huge scoops of sticky rice and a tossed salad. (I skipped the macaroni salad). The beef was tender and slathered in a delicious teriyaki sauce. It was by far my favorite of the three. The Chicken Shoyu was literally falling off the bone and had an amazing ginger flavor. It was a little fatty, but that's what makes chicken so juicy, so I didn't mind picking it apart. The BBQ Chicken could have had more of a sauce on it, but was very good. Spend a day at Waimanalo Beach and make this your lunch spot!

    (4)

  • Ariana L.

    Following a suggestion from a friend I decided to try this place out. Unfortunately I wasn't very impressed with what I had. I ordered the Breakfast Plate that came with a lot of rice, a lot of egg but not very many Little Smokies. There were four. Now normally I can get past small portions but the ratio of rice and egg to Little Smokies was so disparate I was actually confused when I opened up my container and thought they had forgot to put the rest of the sausages on. Had they got their portions right, it would've been great. That amount of food for only $5 would've made me a very happy camper but I had to pawn all of my extra rice to a friend. Reading all of the other reviews makes me want to go back and try everything but the Breakfast Plate. Or at least order another meat instead of the Little Smokies. Sorry Keneke's. I'll learn to love you another time.

    (2)

  • Wayne S.

    Not ONLY Waimanalo.....the North Shore is GREAT also!!!! The daily specials including a 22oz drink for $7.50......and the portions are HUGE!!! I had to take it home to finish!!!! One thing REAL COOL about these folks, they use an enviromentally safe recyclable lunch plate....compared to the foam ones....its roomy and confortable for dining inside also!

    (5)

  • Nat C.

    I'm queen of phone order...phone order because there is always a line. Must eats: steak fries-- big boy style!

    (4)

  • Alicia G.

    I loooove Keneke's! This is my favorite plate lunch. We can't go to or through Waimanalo without stopping there. The Kalua pork is the BEST. The owner, Keith, is fantastic. The portion sizes are HUGE and if you aren't starving split a plate with someone. The also have a catering business if you are interested.

    (5)

  • Arnold P.

    I've probably tried most of the menu and the food is still consistent as the first time I tried them. Servings are very generous and would often just get the mini plate. From the $5 breakfast plate to the lunch plate, this place is excellent. This is always on my list to go to when I'm in Oahu.

    (4)

  • Val D.

    Ate catered lunch for a party from Keneke's. The kalua pig and fried noodles were a bit salty. The fish was ok, but the shoyu chicken was ono (if you like foods on the sweeter side).

    (3)

  • Nadia Fern C.

    So on a partial whim, the longtime bf and I decided to get married in Hawaii this past weekend. After a long flight, immediate appointments and lots of super slow speed limits, we were told by our wedding coordinator to stop here for a 'mixed plate'. Being completely starved to death, we obliged! Our hunger was actually bigger than our bellies, or they just gave us a ton of food, I dont know which is the actual truth. I had some kind of pork, mahi mahi and fried shrimp. It also came with a shit ton of rice and a little salad. The little salad was basically lettuce and shredded carrots and DELICIOUS ranch dressing. The mahi was good but a little dry. The shrimp was BOMB. They were huge butterflied shrimps that were perfectly fried. The pork was great also. Really tender and juicy but after a eating a few forkfuls of it I felt extremely sick and couldnt eat anymore. I think it was a combination of eating too fast, being in the heat and it being a tad bit greasy. The bf (now husband, whoa!) got little ribs that werent really ribs at all but were good, teriyaki beef and chicken. All were far more delicious than my items. Being from the South I really loved and appreciated that inside the little outside eating area were scriptures that various people had written inside. It was just a peaceful feeling in there. Overall, the food was good, the price was good, the Jesus was good but I much prefer to sit inside when I eat and not be surrounded by flies!

    (3)

  • Ruben A.

    Good solid plate lunches. I had the Kalbi rib platter with mac salad and white rice and that was good. The b-fast platter is great deal, only $5 for large helping of white rice, mac salad, two eggs prepared your way, and your choice of meat, e.g. spam, portagee ssausage, bacon, ham, etc. A good consistent place to eat when hungry. Customer service is great too!

    (3)

  • Ken E.

    Wahooo!! After a hiking Diamond Head and making our way to the temple for sightseeing. I was telling my friend that there was a great plate lunch place someplace on our way. I had been there pre-paint era. But we found it, we ordered a plate lunch boy thats enough food for two people. It was yum yum our tummies were nice and full. Order the mixed plate with Kalua Pork, ribs and Chicken. Hope to swing by again next time in the islands!

    (5)

  • Mertani G.

    I've been meaning to yelp this place since my last visit to hawaii and it always seems to slip my mind. This is mine and my husband's favorite spot to go to for shaved ice in Oahu. Their plate lunches are pretty good as well. Wish i can be there right now...

    (5)

  • Jennifer A.

    Keneke's is a nice stop for a quick plate lunch. Very convenient location along the highway on your way to the beaches on the east side. Great Mochiko chicken, good lau lau and mac salad. The mahi mahi wasn't that great, pretty bland. Get the mixed plate - You get three choices of meat versus one for only a buck more. I would recommend sitting under the covered area to hopefully avoid some flies.

    (4)

  • Anna R.

    After a beautiful day at Lanikai beach, we were starving for some food. What better way to finish off our relaxing island day with some local grinds. I ordered the mixed plate ($7.95 for your choice of any 3 meat or seafood dishes, mac salad, two scoops of rice) with the hamburger steak, kalua pig, and mochiko chicken. Unfortunately, the hamburger steak was a huge disappointment. It was a thin ground beef patty with what seemed to have no seasoning what so ever. The gravy was just as much a disappointment. It tasted like powdered gravy that came straight from the box. Ick. Luckily, the kalua pig was tasty, smoky, and flavorful. A little on the dry side but it could do.The mochiko chicken was yummy though. Just like katsu chicken but breaded in mochiko so a lighter breading with just as much crunch, and a little sweetness to it. Yum! The mac salad was subpar - too wet and I didn't like the mayonaise they used. My friends had the pork adobo and chicken katsu which I sampled. The pork adobo was yummy, marinated nicely, and not oily. The katsu was also good. Though it was fried, it wasn't greasy at all. The have a ton of meat and seafood selections so Keneke's definitely has something for everyone. For a $7.95 mixed plate, you definitely will have more than enough food. They also serve ice cream and shave ice if you want some dessert to finish off your meal.

    (4)

  • Duane G.

    Ok, had a day off and decided to drive to Nalo for some Grinds. Been wanting to try this place for a long time. 3 different menus with the same things with 3 different prices. Ordered Hamburger Steak and had 3 patties and had plenty Gravy. Mac Salad was not too good. Over all will probably go back but only if going around the island.

    (3)

  • Bill T.

    Good food...oversized portions - too much, really! Counter person was sarcastic which made me not want to return.

    (3)

  • Omid M.

    Being from the mainland everything seems like it takes longer in Hawaii. The food was okay so it wasn't really worth the wait. However the ice cream and shaved ice makes the trip to this place worth it on a hot day. They have some of best flavors that doesn't taste like factory made ice cream. That is why I gave it 4 stars. Some people said it looks dirty. I won't disagree with that but at the same time what do you expect with a roadside shack serving food. Consider it a traditional Hawaiian experience which is why it makes it unique. Its kind of out of the area, most tourists don't see this side of Oahu.

    (4)

  • Jenn C.

    Must eat here at least once during every visit. This is one of our fave local spots. Even when we're hungry from pasalubong shopping at aloha stadium, we'll make the drive out to Waimanalo just to fulfill the craving. Shoyu chicken, teriyaki chicken, pork adobo, fried shrimp. Pretty much anything comes in generous portions and is cheap and tasty.. Grab a plate lunch and eat it on the beach. Waimanalo Beach Park is right next door.

    (5)

  • Steph L.

    You must be tolerant of three things when dining at Keneke's: 1. a high salt diet, 2. being surrounded by bible verses, and 3. sharing your food with FLIES! Loads of them too! I don't understand the high ratings. Yes the portions are huge and the place has a cool island-dive feel to it (The small outdoor shack where you eat and its bible verse plastered walls, yelp.com/biz_photos/PAE8… , add "character" to this place), but the food just wasn't very good. Plus, all the flies buzzing around in the shack really killed *my* buzz. Seriously, there were A LOT of flies. (I think "flies" ought to be in the Review Highlights!) As for the food, I had the mixed plate with 3 choices of meat/seafood, rice, and mac salad. For the meats I chose the kalua pig, pork adobo, and shoyu chicken ( yelp.com/biz_photos/PAE8… ). The KALUA PIG was so salty and lacked the smokiness that I love. The PORK ADOBO is supposedly sautéed in garlic, peppers, bay leaf, vinegar, and shoyu, but the only thing I could make out was the shoyu because the saltiness completely overwhelmed everything else (but at least the pork was tender!) The only meat I liked was the SHOYU CHICKEN, which was moist and tender. It was a little sweet and the only meat in the styrofoam box that didn't have me stuffing myself with rice to dilute the saltiness. The MAC SALAD was super mayonnaise-y and didn't have any seasonings at all - a little salt and pepper goes a long way. (I mean, they remember the salt in everything else!) I also got a mini LOCO MOCO ( yelp.com/biz_photos/PAE8… ). This was your basic loco moco - not amazing, but satisfying (and surprisingly, not *that* salty. Or maybe my taste buds were just desensitized by the kalua pig and pork adobo...) They sell Dave's ice cream too. I got the CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT ( yelp.com/biz_photos/PAE8… ) so my meal ended on a high note. There aren't a lot of food choices around the area, but consider going to the shrimp truck across the street (especially on Fridays when they sell kalua pig, pork laulau, and squid luau!)

    (2)

  • E C.

    Sorry - I so wanted to like this place, but it was mediocre at best :( my kids (6 yrs old) are typically cool with a cheeseburger but nearly spit it out with the first bite and ended up eating our food - Kalua pork and teri chicken plate, which wasn't much better.

    (2)

  • Michele C.

    If u like kalua pig be adventurous and try the pork adobo! Its amazing! No one does it better than Keneke's plate lunch either! Oh so ono and tender chunks of pork! The best place to grab a bite to eat on your way to Kailua!

    (5)

  • Alyssa T.

    Can't beat a $2 grilled cheese sandwich and their mac salad is amazing. Their shave ice certainly isn't one of the bests on the island (very messy to eat since they overflow a cup with no catcher cup) but it's still delicious and you definitely get your money's worth. We didn't have to wait in line and probably received our food in 5 minutes. I'd definitely go back.

    (4)

  • E.L. B.

    In a nutshell: just go there. I have local friends from Kailua that told me that if a place has a line, just try it out. Anthony Bourdain gives the same advice. They're ono grinds and since my work takes me to Oahu frequently, I make a stop there for the loco moco every time. I found it completely by accident on my way up the windward side and I'm glad I found this gem. This is a roadside stand, so if you are not used to food carts or hawker centers like they have just about everywhere else in the world, you should be prepared for a lack of amenities. This is not high-end cuisine, nor does it aspire to be. It's a good, honest, filling meal that ignores the modern conventions on restricting starch, fat, and sugar. Don't be put off by the bible quotes in the spartan cinder-block patio. Don't be put off by the lines. Don't be put off by the remote location. Don't be put off by the rudimentary kitchen. I've eaten here a dozen times and it never lets me down. The upside is that the food is cheap, the service is friendly and fast (provided you don't dawdle indecisively at the window and hold up the line), and it's walking distance to the beach. Give it a try. And if you've got extra cash or are still hungry, you can grab some excellent pastries at Ken's Bakery next door.

    (4)

  • Michelle J.

    Keneke's catered for our wedding reception and they did a fantastic job. The food was delicious, the staff was friendly, and we had some delicious leftovers afterward. I would have them cater for us again. With more pupus! I hardly got any pupus because I was socializing and taking pictures, but that was my own fault :)

    (4)

  • Lori K.

    Keneke's is a decent spot to hit up on your way to or from the beach or if you're just passing by. They offer local favorites such as plate lunches and shave ice. Plate lunches are pretty good. Portions are generous and the food is tasty, but there's nothing exceptional about it. I'm not a huge fan of their mac salad. It's a little too mayonnaisey for my taste. I would probably stick with the plate lunches if coming here. The burgers are just not that great and fries are nothing special. The shave ice is good, but I've had better. The ice is not quite as finely shaven as I like, but the portion is pretty big. And if you add ice cream, which you should, they give you plenty. The ice cream doesn't cost too much more as other places tend to charge a ridiculous amount for one little scoop of creamy goodness to go along with the shave ice. It's a nice and refreshing treat that's worth getting if you're passing by. Overall, the prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you get. Oh, and don't come here for the atmosphere. You come here for the food. If you're looking for a pleasant ambiance to match a good meal, you won't find it here. Best to take your food to the beach or eat it on the go.

    (3)

  • .Alan Y.

    We stopped here on the way to Kaneohe from a short hike at Makapu'u Point. We got a nice shave ice fix for a couple bucks. I guess it's hard to mess up shave ice, but I was super thankful that this joint was here. Lilikoi, guava and lychee was just the fix I needed. They've got a six buck plate lunch too, which is a pretty damn fair price.

    (4)

  • Adam M.

    On an island where everything seems pricier than the mainland, Kenekes was an overwhelming and satisfying surprise: Tasty, quick food, awesome prices, and a lot of local flavor off the heavily beaten tourist path. Being a legit southern boy worth my weight in grits (cause i eat em all) I'm a sucker for some good ole' comfort food. I'm no more of a Hawaii expert than James Cook was (he was killed by the natives cause he pissed 'em off, y'all) but this place is what I'd consider true Hawaiian comfort food, at least as it exists today. The "plate lunch" is something that seems to be really popular in Hawaii (at least Oahu), which is pretty similar to our southern neighbors in Mexico. Usually you get a meat dish with a side or two, like white rice, fries, etc. It's the Hawaiian rice and beans. I ordered the Pork Gisantes plate lunch with french fries and mac salad and nearly fell out of my chair. I was on my 6th day away from Georgia (yah, i know, in paradise but seriously) and it was exactly what i craved after fighting the brutal waves at awesome Makapu'U Park beach (see yelp.com/biz/makapu-u-be… ). Th pork was soft like southern bbq and mouthwateringly good. Even the mac salad panged of southern flavor. I found it appropriate that this place is a bit of a dump. The only seating is in a make-shift outdoor shack with a roof, decorate by hundreds of bible quotes, which i suspect are remnants from the previous tenants (or of some co-relation with Keneke's and the big man upstairs, which isn't a big stretch). Oh, and your food is definintely coming in styrofoam, ready to-go where you go, but it will taste great just the same. Another quick note - if you're not looking for food specifically but just need a cool treat the Hawaiian shave ice seemed to be a big draw. PS: The area, while not as ritzy, has some really great beaches, too, so if you're in the area, grab some Keneke's and hit one of the beautiful beaches. Makapu'U (linked earlier) is but one of the local strips of sand that look like a scene on Lost. $#!, now my mouth is watering...

    (4)

  • Richard G.

    Classic plate lunch: Wife-unit and I shared a three meat (kalua pork, teriyaki chicken and lau lau) with double mac salad. Large portions, ono and very reasonable. But as noted by others, this is a (deleted) hole; a pure and simple third world experience. The dining bunker was dirty and the flies from the two overflowing garbage cans had every one who was eating outside doing the Waimanalo Wave. Grab your food and head off to Occupy Waimanalo Beach or whatever it's called.

    (5)

  • Christian R.

    Stopped by here on a drive up the east side of Oahu. It's a quaint lil joint...we had a teriyaki beef plate. Nothing spectacular, but it definitely hit the spot. The lady who took our order was pleasant to talk to. The eating area has a bunch of bible scripture scribbled on the wall. Decent food. Worth the stop if you're on that side of the island.

    (3)

  • Tsz Hin K.

    Eat here if you like tasty food and really don't think about what you eat. I was recommended Kenekes by a couple of locals after I requested "authentic hawaiian food." As a Canadian, I have no reference for what authentic hawaiian food is, but I did have very mixed feelings about Kenekes. The Good: (1) Tasty Food. I had the Lau Lau (tender pork in taro leaves) and the Loco Moco (a Hawaiian concoction that almost defies description -- rice topped with three hamburger patties, three sunny-side up eggs, and drenched in gravy, plus macaroni salad to boot). Both were divine, in that artery clogging way. If we didn't have to wear bathing suits and could wear ponchos all day, we probably would have finished the dishes. (2) Irreverent Surroundings. People have mentioned the lack of AC, flies, and bible verses. All three are present, but surprisingly, they are not dealbreakers. In fact, there are also pigeons in the area, and the combination is not that offensive. You're eating by the side of the road, so you accept a bit of insanity. The Bad: (1) I ate the food, and I ate more than I should have, but I also was very aware of how terrible the entire meal was for me. Seriously, if you care about the health of your GI tract, you will make this a very occasional indulgence. If you think about it, a loco moco is nothing but salt, fat, carbs (and a nominal amount of protein). (2) The location is out of the way. If it was in Honolulu, I would probably go there more often. But because it's somewhere by Waimanalo, the idea of driving out there prevents me from going there because I have enough time to think about exactly what it is that I'm consuming. Conclusion. I started off giving Kenekes 3 stars, but as I wrote this review, I remembered the flavors, forgot the the fat content, and upped it to four. If you're a tourist and you're in the area, there's no reason not to go, even if it's just to go there as an experience. Otherwise, go there if you're able to be blissfully ignorant of the nutritional value (that is, there is none) of your food, and just think om nom nom.

    (4)

  • Tom A.

    Kind of a standard since it's been there forever, but I can't say I'm a fan. I keep trying because so many people recommend it. It's nice to park and take in the mountains there while sitting outside. Friends who visit Hawaii always seem to want to go here, because I guess it's cheap for the portions, popularized by tour books and a nice "local" stop on the way from Hawaii Kai to Kailua. If you must eat here, try the Kalbi or Fish ... Can't recommend the Katsu or Chicken.

    (2)

  • Dave H.

    Has to be one of the best Oahu Plate Lunch places there is. This is a pretty far drive from town, dare i say it might be worth it despite the hiked up gas prices? My only gripe about this places is the cleanliness! What a dump! Apparently, I am told that, that was the effect the owner was going for. If i wasnt worried about getting some sort of disease from sitting down on one of their benches, I'd probably give it the full 5 stars it deserves.

    (4)

  • Kari L.

    DELICIOUS!! Anytime we are on this side of the island we make it a point to stop at this locale for a bite to eat. May look sketchy, but definately STOP for a bite! We had a bbq pork, mahi mahi sandwich (which I think had a small bone in the fish), cheeseburgers and a grilled cheese. I recommend them ALL!

    (4)

  • Laura R.

    This place was delicious. There is one in North Shore and one near Wiamanalo. Great plate lunch and pretty good shave ice too!

    (4)

  • Katie F.

    This place is a gem. $7.95 for a heaping box of mahi mahi, luau pig, and kalbi is the shit (included is also 2 large scoops of white rice and macaroni salad). Mahi mahi was a little fishy, but that's just that type of fish. Regardless, the kalbi was thick and juicy and the pig was salty and savory. Delicious. I can't wait to go back and get a shaved ice the size of my head!

    (4)

  • Elaine C.

    The only really good thing I can say about Keneke's was the drive there; Super scenic with the clear blue water for miles and miles on out and palm trees. Keneke's serves Hawaiian style plate lunches. Rob ordered the mixed plate with lau lau, kahlua pork and kalbi (korean short rib). I ordered a mini plate with just kalbi, rice and mac salad. Cons: The kalbi had a lot of fat on there and wasn't that flavorful. The kahlua pork was ok and the laulau was ok. Nothing orgasmic in my mouth. The mac salad needed a little more salt. Pros: The portions are really big here so it's always good for leftovers but that much fat on kalbi is just wrong. I wish I ordered something else like the fried chicken or teriyaki chicken with fries instead of rice. It's a good stop before you hit up Waimanalo Beach. The only time I'd ever come back here is if I make my way out to Waimanalo Beach, but I won't be getting the Kalbi plate.

    (2)

  • Censor T.

    Here are the reasons Keneke's is my favorite plate lunch on the island: 1.) More food than anywhere else I've found (3 hamburger pattys!) 2.) Cheaper than anywhere else I've found ($6 even includes the big meal, with a large drink) 3.) The food is really, really tasty. My favorite plate (which I get any time I can make it here) is the Teriyaki Burger plate - so delicious. I also really like the mac salad. The place is out of the way, but it's worth it.

    (5)

  • Kelly M.

    Pros: pasta salad, fried chicken, teriyaki sauce (mixed in with the rice) and steak fries. Cons: everything else, especially the chicken katsu and teriyaki chicken (just poor quality chicken breast is what it comes down to..) Atmopshere is a bit dicey, and we had to wait quite a while for our food even though it wasn't too busy.

    (2)

  • N H.

    Love Love Love the food at Kenekes! I would give it 5 stars, but their service isnt so great... We absolutely adore their Mochico chicken, the bbq pork and kaula pig are definitely worth writing home. :D We also had their ice cream- Yum! Coconut and pineapple ice creams are to die for. Their chocolate macadamia nut ice cream tastes just like reg chocolate. Their vanilla is quite good. I wish that we had a Kenekes in Minnesota. I will miss you Kenekes! Quick tip- take a right to go straight next to Kenekes- park in the residential area and swim on some gorgeous beaches!

    (4)

  • Kacey S.

    Keneke's catered our wedding. Everybody LOVED the food. That part was easy. The service was awesome! You usually get one or the other not both. We got both. The line was always moving. The food was always hot. Keith and his staff could not be better. My wedding planner Kathe Garcia hooked me up with them. She told me they were the best and she wasn't lying. I was a busy bride but I wish I could have hugged every single person there for making my wedding even more awesome. I could never thank them enough. The Kalua pig was my favorite. It was so juicy! My husband and I like to eat there for lunch when we

    (5)

  • Dan W.

    Great local place! Skip all those darn hotel restaurants, you've gotta try the BBQ chicken and Kalua Pig. Just one plate lunch can feed two people. If this is your first plate lunch experience, which it was for me, it usually comes with two servings of rice and a serving of macaroni salad. The pork was soft and juicy, and I wasn't sure what to expect of the BBQ chicken but it was very good as it was a sweet Hawaiian BBQ style that I really liked. The macaroni salad had an interesting flavor, and the rice was actually quite good. Yeah the place is al fresco, the patio had Christian writing all over it, and the tables aren't cleaned but maybe once or twice a day but with food like that who cares. And if you do, then stay in the hotels!

    (4)

  • Shali X.

    Husband & I ate here twice on our recent Hawaiian vacation, and liked it. We came once for breakfast & once for lunch. The breakfast was good, nothing really special, just good yummy food. I ordered two eggs over medium & spam (had to try it!), and the eggs came cooked perfectly, which made me happy. Definitely cheap eats, as mentioned before. Also great shaved ice. I would recommend this place as a quick, cheap, solid place to eat while on vacay!

    (4)

  • John E.

    On my previous 3 trips to Oahu, this place would get 4 stars. This last time was a miserable experience. I ordered the combo plate with kalua pig, kalbi ribs, and bbq chicken. The kaula pig was dry, not juicy at all. The ribs and the chicken smelled off, kind of like they were not refrigerated for a day or so. When I bit into the rib, it was raw in the middle and smelled like rot. The chicken also had a spoiled taste and it caused me to spit out the bite out. The mac salad even had a funky smell. On top of this the dining area had an overpowering odor of the warm garbage can that went well with my spoiled food. Ick. I think I will stick to the Waimanalo L&L for my shortribs for now on

    (1)

  • X I.

    Went for lunch today, cashier was very cheerful....but they always are! They give very generous portions for the price! Now I eat a lo,t and I left stuffed! Pork Adobo was the flavor of choice.

    (5)

  • Graceypoo M.

    After passing by Hanauma Bay (which was closed), I kept driving up Kalanianaole Highway and came upon Waimanalo. This area is poorer and not the "Hawaii" that the rest of the world know. Where there are areas of (material) wealth... such as the beaches and tourist-centered economy of Waikiki... Waimanalo is where the poorer locals live. In my food-hunting experience, I always love going off the beaten path and seek out places where the locals get grub....I just think these places are more "legit" since the way they prepare their foods cater to the locals' palates (rather than the pootiefied versions I had at Waikiki). (NOTE TO MY PEEPS: This is like the LFC on 6th/Market, or the old Pop Inn in Alameda). I see this place called Keneke's Plate Lunch--old, 1-story concrete building with a seating area next to their kitchen. The seating area has murals of various Bible scriptures. I had a feeling that this place is an institution in these parts. (didn't realize Maya S. recommended this place to me too.... so glad Keneke's found me!) My favorite quote: "God created the Hawaii and The earth" 2 opinions 4:2 For $7.50, you can get a "mini plate" lunch--a combo of 3 different meats, and the standard "two scoops of rice and 1 scoop of mac salad." I had the kalua pig, mochiko chicken (first place I've been to during this trip that offered this item), and mahi mahi. I hate mahi mahi on the regular because it is usually flavorless in other places (e.g. Bubba Gump Scramp), but Keneke's mahi mahi is so flavorful. They give you HELLA food--enough for 3 people with mini appetites, or 2 voracious-ass people. They also have shaved ice and ice cream. They also deliver (and supposedly one of the most popular caterers on Oahu). The staff include Hapa, Filipino, and haole peeps. Very nice and very down peeps. Definitely worth the trip. ( | )

    (5)

  • helen s.

    Tried the kalua pig and the mochiko chicken and both were alright. The mochiko chicken lacked flavor and the kalua pig was just way too salty. Food just was not memorable.

    (2)

  • Keala P.

    perfect for lunch after going to Sandy's. + fresh food, good kine grind, brah. lol. + the workers are super chill/nice + $5 breakfast plate!! and its fucking huuuge and comes with a jumbo drink (: - parking is sometimes tricky - gets super crowded during lunch time and the wait can be around 15-20 mins sometimes - you have to wait in the hot sun so yeah. overall, the wait and everything else is soooo worth it. if you want REAL/GOOD local food. funny story: i ordered a breakfast plate with portuguese sausage and the sausage tasted kinda... weird/spoiled. so i told them if they could make me new sausages, but they gave me a whole plate for free! awesome deal (: i basically got two breakfast plates for $5 altogether!

    (5)

  • Nina N.

    out of all the shaved ice places, this one was the best. Kind of ghetto but it is pretty tasty after a nice surf :)

    (4)

  • Johnny B.

    I was here back in January of 2007 with the wife. I know, I know that was 3+ years ago but I had to yelp this place due to a great meal we had. Well here we go...After a day at Waikiki we decided to go get lost and just drive. So as we were driving around enjoying the scenes we past this place. We saw a bunch of cars parked up front so we decided to make a U-turn and give it a try. I can still remember the taste of the plate lunches we had like it was yesterday!!! Top notch for a family owned business. The young man who was the owners son was very polite. The food was tha bomb!!! We really enjoyed the eating area, which was full of bible verses. I don't remember the fly problems that some have mentioned. All in all a great experience!!! We will definitely be back when we come back to the islands.

    (5)

  • Daryl Y.

    At lunch here with family...the hamburger streak plate was good and the beef curry...the Teri beef was salty and the BBQ was like L & L it was ok but nothing to write home about...parking or the five or six stalls are ok but getting back on the road was a challenge.

    (3)

  • Maryrose S.

    I was introduced to this place by our tour guide during our first visit to Oahu. I've returned to this place on every subsequent visit. Service is a little slow, but the kalua pig is completely worth it. I don't think I've tried anything else other than that dish. Follow it with an order of shaved ice and you're set!

    (4)

  • Nick Y.

    Is the water really potable at Keneke's in Waimanalo? Back in the day, my friends and I would always come here after Sandy's during the summer. I haven't eaten here in over ten years, but I remember the food, especially the teri burger plate, to be quite pleasing to my "cottony" palate. The cleanliness, however, is questionable at best.

    (3)

  • Tiana L.

    I'm a fan. Taste good. My chix long rice was a little dry but it had a good flavor.

    (4)

  • R O.

    Used them to cater my son's 1st birthday party. The Good: booking them was a breeze. I could communicate through e-mails and charge over the phone. I did have to send a couple - "so you're saying..." or "please confirm..." type e-mails, but that was fine with me. The not-so-good: Food was OK, nothing spectacular. The Bad: Portions seemed unbalanced. especially weird since they were serving the food. you would think that they were serving "one serving" at a time, right? we had ordered for about 25 people more than showed at our party. You would think we'd have tons of leftover of everything. Nope. Sushi...ran out before half of our party was able to eat. we didn't have any leftover beef or pork, but had about 4 gallon sized bags of chicken katsu leftover. The Worst: They were almost one hour late for our party!!! They were supposed to start serving at 11:00. Our guests didn't start eating until about 11:50. Timing is very important when you have a venue booked for only a limited amount of time. I will never use them again, nor will i recommend them to anyone planning an important function.

    (1)

  • Aaron S.

    Keneke's is a decent place to eat right after hiking or spending some time at the beach. It's a short drive from the Makapuu lighthouse trail hike and right next to Waimanalo beach park. I like to come here after a morning hike to the makapuu tide pools, and will point tourists in this direction if they want to try a plate lunch. Good- The kalua pig (shredded smoked pork) sandwich w/ bbq sauce was pretty good. Not dry, tasteless, or too salty, which is what people typically complain of when served this dish.The lau lau (pork steamed in taro leaves) is also pretty tasty, but not available as a mini plate. The pork is tender and juicy- but could use some more salt/pepper seasoning in my opinion. Also, despite the line getting long at times, my food was always served relatively quickly- maybe a 3-5 minute wait. Bad- The seating area may be less than desirable due to the lack of cleanliness the amount of flies that hang out around there. Also the wall is riddled with religious graffiti, which I personally find interesting but may not be considered appropriate by others. No worries though, just head to the beach which is close by.

    (3)

  • John D.

    First of all, it's divey. Real divey. Don't worry that is looks like ur gonna get shot when you get out of your car. A) you're not. B) If you do it will be the best final meal you can have! Seriously though, not the best spot for a department of tourism picture, but a great stop nonetheless.

    (5)

  • Adam H.

    I used to live within walking distance of Keneke's. This place rules. But for you tourists and others not used to places that sell shave ice, be aware of the bees :) See what happens is people drip the shave ice on the ground, when lots of people do it, bees come to eat the syrup. As for the experience of Keneke's: - Old white cinder block building with a window to order from - Some indoor seating, but its basically a cement room with some picnic style tables to chill when you leave the beach -Hand written menu on the wall next to the window where you order :-D -Bible scripture covered walls and bible scripture cups (reminded me of the south) - EXCELLENT PLATE LUNCHES Full Plate: Plenty meat, 2 Scoops rice, 2 scoops mac salad Mini Plate: Less meat, 1 Scoops rice, 1 scoops mac salad (how I usually order) Meats consist of: Short ribs, teri beef, teri chicken, spam, hot dog and chili, and a whole array of Hawaiian plate lunch standards! I am getting hungry while I type this. -Cold Refreshing Shave ICE! My recommendation - Plan a nice day at Waimanalo beach. Its a fantastic little local beach with gentle surf usually and is usually amazing in the summer. Its not as hot as the leeward and westside beaches. Then when your done, shower off, wrap your towel around you and head to Keneke's as is. Wet hair, towel, and rubber slippers are the standard look at Keneke's

    (4)

  • Jackson G.

    This was our first stop when we arrived in Oahu. We stumbled upon Keneke's via Yelp mobile and knew we had to have a plate lunch while in Hawaii. The value is great and you get a ton of food..too much really, but that's the way to do it when you're there. The down side are all the flies that hover over you and your food as you eat.

    (3)

  • Jess M.

    This is for sure my favorite plate lunch on the island. I dream about it, and yes I even have "Fear God Powerlifters" sticker on the back window of my truck. It's a local gem just off Waimanalo beach, really not by much else but a gas station and a McDonald's nearby. It's worth the drive to this quirky little spot where you will find the menu written on the wall, and psalms, religious quotes and artwork covering the dining area. The food is authentic, the folks are friendly- and the Kalua Pig is the absolute best on the island! Note: Yes they do also cater- and it's equally delicious when it's cooked up fresh in your home!!

    (5)

  • John R.

    Good plate lunch, big portions. I got the ultimate combo of mochiko chicken, kalbi, and kahlua pork, and it was very good. Will definitely hit them up when I go winward side!

    (4)

  • Matt M.

    Terrific plate lunch joint. I had the mixed plate with kalua pig, pork adobo, and kalbi. All of the meats were excellent, but the adobo really stood out (nice and vinegary). My wife had the shoyu chicken and it was very good. All of the servings were also huge and reasonably priced. This place probably isn't worth a trip just for the food, but if you in the neighborhood and hungry, this is the place to hit.

    (4)

  • AhLin C.

    There is nothing better than a huge rice plate after swimming! We were quite famished after our swim at Hanauma Bay. We passed by this place and our friend said it's pretty good. Maybe it's b/c we were starving, but I still say it was damn good. I had their mix lunch plate w/ the shoyu chicken, kalbi ribs and pork adobo. Super yummy! The pork was a bit too salty, but w/ the rice, it was perfect. I liked the shoyu chicken too! With a side of mac, it was just perfect!

    (4)

  • Tony L.

    I've had better plate lunches elsewhere. The nice thing is you can have a variety of foods in the 3 dish meal. The Mochiko Chicken was pretty good, sweet and tasty. The Pork Adobo was tender but greasy. And I definitely would not recommend the hamburger dish, nothing special and salty.

    (3)

  • Melanie T.

    Great Local Place to check out, as it is located in a remotely country side of Oahu. We ordered their Loco Moco, Combination Plate of Kalbi, Adobo Pork and Kalua Pork, and Lau Lau Plate. Portions here are generous and the prices are reasonable. However, I wasn't a huge fan of their loco moco as the gravy was chunky- it looked as if it was canned gravy that wasn't stirred and heated up thoroughly. The Lau Lau was just ok but it wasn't amazing. The only thing I think I really liked was the pork Adobo and Kalbi which was both full of flavor and tender. The food is mediocre but the service here was great and friendly.

    (3)

  • Jen H.

    Rude cashier, gave me the wrong order and refused to give me a refund or make it right, wanted me to buy a whole new plate just to get what I'd originally ordered. The food is mediocre, I don't recommend this place.

    (1)

  • Bethany W.

    Food was extremely bland, wait was long, and both my husband and I said we wouldn't go back. We had chicken katsu, teriyaki chicken, kalua pork, rice, and mac salad (very bland). It was cheap for all the food we got though.

    (1)

  • Dong T.

    Not a lot of peeps know about this place since it's kind of out of the way. Great food, make sure you order up some of their fries. Watch out for the huge chunks of fat.

    (4)

  • Boki C.

    looks grimy but it's good. not a typical plate lunch place cuz it's got a variety of fish u can order =) yay i'm a fan, but it's kinda far for me =) portions & price - good!

    (4)

  • Carlos S.

    Ok so when you are driving around the Island and you find yourself hungry some people will just stop and settle for anything...lucky for you Keneke's is not anything it is GOOD! It was recommended to me before I leave left the mainland so you better believe that I was going to check it out. The Plate Lunch is just that plate lunch; you know that good Chicken. Again as with other reviews here on Yelp who likes to comment on the decor, I don't eat at places because of the decor. Do not expect any white table clothes at a place like this! Enjoy the Good EATS!!!

    (4)

  • Lance K.

    i'm craving LOCO MOCO... this place arguably has the best plate lunches on the island. their plate lunches are infused with real hawaiian love and their handwritten menu is rad. the entire place is one big poetic piece of art. also added to the experience are the many writings and quotes on the walls. read them while you gorge on Lau Lau. the next time i go back i'm planning on ordering a different plate lunch each day. Their mantra is "divine grinds" and i love that they are the proud sponsor of the "Fear God Powerlifting Team"! oh and while you are at keneke's, MAKE SURE you run over to 7-11 next door and grab some delicious SPAM MUSUBI for a late afternoon snack.

    (5)

  • Jay K.

    love the price, love the food it was a quite a surprise! i would definitely go back

    (5)

  • S. R.

    I love this place. We stopped here twice on our vacation in '09. Everything was good. The teriyaki was especially good. Although my wife did not agree, I loved the mac salad. The only item I would not recommend would be the loco moco, the burgers were just too dry. The rice was awesome, it was my first experience with sticky rice. I went on a quest when I returned to Pennsylvania to make rice like Keneke's. Fear God Powerlifting and good food, I like the combination.

    (4)

  • Mack T.

    Power food, I grow up on their plate lunch and they made me the person I am today. Yummy, yummy stuff, eat with the big boys.

    (5)

  • Nancy B.

    As a visitor to Hawaii, I only understood plate lunches intellectually. Keneke's brought me to a totally different level of understanding. DEEEELICIOUS. I had the fried shrimp and I was in heaven. threeonenine.com/2009/03…

    (4)

  • Ann N.

    the one thing that someone from California needs to remember when you are in hawaii, everything is mellow and slower. we waited about 20 minutes for our one order...just three items over rice and macaroni salad (chicken katsu, shrimp katsu and teriyaki beef). but it was one of the best 20 minute I had ever waited for a meal. when it finally came and ready to eat, it was HELLA GOOD!!! the chicken katsu was crunchy with an awesome sauce that came with it. the teriyaki chicken had sauce poured on it so it was dripping with a nice coat. of course one has to remember that this place is like a pit stop for a lot of ppl who eat and run or get it to-go so it will not be the swankiest place but if you want good old hawaiian food, this is the place to be :)

    (4)

  • Rex F.

    This place has basic plate lunches that are probably 3 star quality and a decent value. The reason I give 4 stars is for the shave ice. The guava and lychee flavors in particular were quite good when we went there. There's crude outdoor seating - a couple of tables with no covering and more tables in an open air cinderblock structure.

    (4)

  • Beth P.

    best plate lunch between haleiwa and honolulu. craving it from 4000 miles away,

    (5)

  • Grace Y.

    I got the mochiko chicken plate lunch, and it was mediocre. A friend got the daily special, $6 for full size shoyu chicken plate lunch + drink. It was good, but just shoyu chicken, nothing special.

    (3)

  • J K.

    This food is great! We came from the mainland to get married and attend the USC game at Aloha Stadium afterwards where we wanted to have a tailgate reception. What better place, right?! I checked online for a place to get some food for the 20+ family and friends who joined us. Keneke's is located just down the street from the beautiful beach where we got married, so we ordered a couple of dishes from them to take to the game. Wow! We had so much food, and it was so delicious! Mahalo!

    (5)

  • Barry A.

    The wife is leaving for the motherland in a few days, so I can't help thinking of this spot. Mama loves the silky white sand and calm waters of 'Nalo, so we're usually down this side a lot when we're back on vacation. This means of course, at least once on our trip, we're hitting up Kenekes. The other reviews give you the specifics, and they're all true. This place is all 808. Good tasting local comfort food, big portions, served with aloha. Perfect after surfing Sandys or Makapu'u. Perfect after roasting on the beach in Waimanalo with the wife. Perfect after driving all the way back to Mililani to eat.

    (5)

  • Nick M.

    Real HBBQ. Now we're talking! It's just as it should be. Surrounded by beach. Walk up in sandles to a friendly mom and pop shop and get your eat on. I had the largest Loco Moco they offer. Rice, 3 eggs, 3 ground beef patties, gravy, mac salad....big boy food.

    (5)

  • Christine K.

    A couple of years ago I made arrangements to have food catered for a party. I chose my selections, emailed it to Kenekes. The response back to me were more of one word responses. For the event though, I did get the requested items delivered to my location...and the food was good. This second time around, I wanted to do the same so I emailed a message to Kenekes On Jan 3, 2012. I simply wanted to know if they could do an ordered for Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. The one word response back was "yes" so I figured, no problem. I emailed Kenekes second time on Jan 3. my selections for the date I wanted it for. Received no response. I emailed again on Jan. 5......still no response. After not hearing back from anyone, I sent an email on Jan. 11 to cancel my order. While the food is good, the communication is not great.

    (2)

  • Beverly E.

    Two of my favorite things in Waimanalo are the beaches and Keneke's. Keneke's is definitely a hole in the wall type of place with a good variety of plate lunches. I would get either the mochiko chicken, lau lau or kalua pork here. Their mini size portion is pretty huge, so make sure you really want to eat if you want anything larger. You'll want to save some room for some shaved ice or vanilla (or chocolate) mac nut ice cream... mmm mmm good.

    (4)

  • Geezup C.

    I had heard about Keneke's from some travel show I watched years ago, but was reminded of it in Hawaii, when my travel partner had mentioned that he was looking to find this restaurant. On our trip, we had asked around Honolulu and other areas about the location of Keneke's and nobody appeared to know. This was hard to believe, but perhaps we were asking tourists or there's some locals in Honolulu who don't know about the goodness that is Keneke's. On one of our drives to the beaches on the east side of Oahu, we finally found it. Although we had had a light lunch at Hanauma Bay, we instantly pulled the car over into the parking lot, once we saw that Keneke's sign. After a few days of searching, it felt like we found the holy grail. I ordered the adobo, fried chicken, and Kalua pig and it was awesome. The adobo tasted like authentic Filipino, and the Kalua pig was so moist and tender. The fried chicken was good also. It was served with rice, and some mac salad. The dining area was a bit dirty, but added to the "charm" of the place. Also reading all the bible quotes on the walls was interesting. Definitely a spot that you must find on your trip to Oahu.

    (4)

  • Joanne S.

    It's now a tradition to have a meal at Keneke's after spending the day at Lanikai. Keneke's was even our post-engagement celebration meal (hey, doesn't take much to make me happy!). A good friend introduced me to this lil hidden gem a few years ago (thanks, Mary!) and I've been coming back ever since. Good inexpensive plate lunches and they also have yummy shave ice! You can even choose a flavor other than the standard vanilla ice cream. I got guava, mango and lychee shave ice with mac nut ice cream and azuki bean! Yum yum yummy! And big enough for 2 to share! The BBQ chicken is usually pretty good, but can sometimes be a lil too "cajun style". I tried my friend's mochiko chicken...I'm gonna have to go back for that on my next visit! Oh yes, and the mini plate is a pretty filling meal! Sure they don't have a bathroom or fancy tables, but who needs that when you have good, well-priced food? Okay, so that doesn't solve the bathroom problem, but there are other businesses close by that do have bathrooms! So, there you go!

    (4)

  • W. T.

    My favorite place to eat out in the Waimanalo/Kailua area. I recently started eating seafood again after being vegetarian for years--so the last couple times there were the first chances to really try their plate lunch. Got the mahi plate both times--was expecting the usual over-battered and greasy plate lunch and was happily surprised. The fish was fresh, grilled and tasty. Didn't need the tartar sauce, just squeezed on some lemon juice and didn't come up for air until I was done. Service was also really quick for my food--the backlog in service seemed to be more on the shave ice side.

    (4)

  • Jess M.

    The Kalbi plate lunch was my favorite and really quite filling - they give large portions so be sure to come with an appetite. The BBQ chicken was pretty tasty as well - better than the mochiko chicken in my opinion. When we got to Keneke's at 6pm, the place was closed already but the guy said they have another location called Ken's about a mile down the road (literally behind Jack in the Box at the closest strip mall) and they have $5 plate lunch specials from 5pm-9pm that come with a drink. Awesome value. The place looks pretty run down but the food is good.

    (4)

  • M B.

    PLATE 1 - Short rib, fried shrimp, teriyaki beef - YUM!!!! PLATE 2 - teriyaki beef, fried shrimp, pulled pork - YUM!!!! both came with the mac salad and rice. the teriyaki beef was so juicy and flavorful!!!! i will order both of these OVER AND OVER!!!! truly a perfect plate lunch!!!!

    (5)

  • Russ W.

    I've been going to Keneke's for over 15 years now. Never seen,Keith, the owner unless he's that huge guy driving the delivery van ;) The food is great although I agree with the review about the Kalua pork being dry. I always stop by here once a trip and love reading the scriptures in the dining area. It's part of the experience.. I usually get the kalua Pork (drier than others) or loco moco..

    (4)

  • Leah H.

    We've been going to Keneke's for about 15 years. They have really good kalua pig and pork adobo plate lunches. The mini size is more than enough. This last time we went....not so good. The food was still good. And cheap. But it was SO dirty. The covered area smelled like an outhouse. And there were lots of tweakers hanging around. And the shave ice was too hard and icey. Very disappointing.

    (3)

  • Autumn Skye R.

    A local gem w/ grubbin' plate lunch! I tried the Lau Lau - pork steamed in taro leaves - which was simple & super flavorful. Keneke's is completely understated & unassuming & authentically Hawaiian & delicious! And don't even get me started on the shaved ice! Try the lilikoi & the li hing mui - surprisingly good & ssssoooo refreshing. The undenibly mackin' food aside, this place is truly local, from the low-key, handwritten menu board to the plethora of Bible quotes on the walls to yes, company sponsorship of the Fear God Powerlifting Team! Local passion for Christianity was something unexpected to someone visiting from the mainland, but I give Keneke's props for keepin' it real & lettin' the local flavor shine!

    (5)

  • jenny A.

    Ok, I may get fire-bombed by haters from the Aloha state but I'm going to give a three stars Keneke's. The reason is this: you can find better plate lunch, even in Waimanalo, and the atmosphere is not only weird, but I think it's pretty unhealthy. If you get take out, or eat in your car, or at the beach than you are fine. But sometimes you just want to sit down and eat right then because lets face it plate lunch is better hot, and at Keneke's that is just not an option for me. The dining area is a covered brick patio with benches and tables inside that are so covered with bird crap from the bird's nesting in the roof, that I think if bird flu is ever transmitted to humans, it will probably be traced back to Keneke's. The outside tables are a bit better, in at least daily rain showers clean them off occasionally, but of course, then they are usually wet. Add to that the extreme evangelical religious tracts painted on the walls, mostly about Hell and you just have an atmosphere that makes my skin crawl. And I see reading the other reviews, I'm not the only yelper skeeved out by this. Seriously, Keneke, get yourself a big bottle of 409 and paint some marginally less hostile psalms on the walls and I will automatically up you a star. As for the food, as I said, I've had better plate lunch in Waimanalo. L&L's BBQ next to the feed store is just as good at Kalua pig and I don't feel like I'm going to die, if I'm just too hungry to carry my plate lunch out. There used to be an awesome lunch truck that parked next to the gift store and the McDonald's but apparently that guy was so good and so popular he opened a restaurant in Waikiki.

    (3)

  • Marina K.

    Keneke's is like Hawaii's version of a drive-in country bbq or fried chicken stand. Authentic style that you can only find at an original dive. We drove from Honolulu to try the Lau Lau and Loco Moco. The pork in my Lau Lau was soooo tender and flavorful. Loco Moco was an enormous heaping serving flooded in their lipsmacking gravy. Must say it was well worth the drive which was scenic both ways.

    (5)

  • Monica C.

    Two words: THE BEST!!!!!!! Even though I've only been here 3 times in my life, but i go every time i vacation in Hawaii. Even though the bus is over an hour long from Waikiki, it is worth every minute siting on the bus and spending over 2+ hours traveling round trip. i highly recommend EVERYTHING. esp the macaroni salad with chicken terriyaki rice plate. every bit is like biting a piece into heaven. I've haven't been back to this place for about 3 years, but i am sure it is as good as i remember

    (5)

  • Voice Of The People S.

    i love hawaiian plate lunch and theres is really good here...but what is up with all the crazy religious writings all over the walls????

    (3)

  • sampaguita p.

    the sweets and i were having a quiet christmas day, esp since he has to work tonight, so we decided to celebrate by driving waimanalo side, picking up a plate lunch at keneke's to eat at sherwood's. egad. never again. the sweets and i are all about value for the price and we never expect five star dining from a hole in the wall. that would be ridiculous. we just wanted an honestly good plate lunch. we ordered a mixed plate of chicken katsu, shoyu chicken, and saba and also got a small steak fries. first, the fries were super greasy and not salted. second, the katsu was burnt and over oily. third, one of two shoyu chicken thighs tasted as if it had been burnt on the bottom of a pot that had been left unmanned. fourth, the saba was dry and not seasoned at all. i know it was christmas day and i should be glad that someone was open to serve plate lunch on what is a family-centered holiday. but what galls me is that they thought this pile of crap was serve-able. to the previous poster who commented about keneke's rice, i'll say the rice on our plate was the best thing! it was really bad. in five years, my sweets has never seen me spit out food because it was awful until today. i had to spit out a bite of chicken katsu that was nothing more than a thread of very dry chicken muscle with a burnt crud-crust of oozingly oily panko. disgusting! i really hate to say bad things about a place that is obviously been around for quit a long time and whose owner really cares about the community. we need more local, small businesses like keneke's. but truly--they just didn't care about the plate they served us today. as my sweets put it, keneke's took some perfectly good ingredients and made them into slop. that's such an unfortunate thing because there are other places in the world that don't have access to ingredients as good, but yet they make better tasting food! when comparing keneke's to another local plate lunch institution, rainbow drive in--no wonder rainbow's is so well loved! i have never known rainbow's to serve me a bad plate lunch, whether it was the chili, the hamburger steak, the katsu, the saba, or anything else. and i think it's because they care about what they hand over to their customer each and every time. we feel that today, keneke's knowingly ripped us off of our ten dollars. we'll never go there again.

    (1)

  • Joj o.

    The area, and building, are pretty sketchy, but the food is great. As far as plate lunches go, this is near the top of my list. I've had the BBQ chicken and kalbi. Both are cooked quickly, reasonably priced, and taste delicious.

    (4)

  • Monica B.

    tastey food next to my favorite beach. the religious themes on the walls were in fact a little bit freaky, and the meats in my plate were a little on the dry side, however my boyfriends plate was juicy and delicious and if you look past the religious indoctrination, you get the beautiful views that look like they jumped off a post card. will certainly be returning next time we come out.

    (4)

  • Joanna L.

    It's just OK. The mixed plate was a greasy mess, nothing out of the ordinary for most plate lunch places that don't care about clogging up your arteries. I also got a kalua pig sandwich. bleeech. I was looking forward to some tasty kalua pig, but was majorly disappointed with the tasteless, non-sweet, non-salty meat that overwhelmed the hamburger bun and lettuce leaf which were completely soaked through in oil and grease. I am not sure how kalua pig can be dry and yet leak that much oil out at the same time! I sifted through this "sandwich", which was impossible to eat without a fork, while I sat outside on cement blocks at the sticky picnic tables and stared at the ginormous flies hovering around the trash cans just a few feet away. Of course the flies get curious and make their way to the fresh food that you are trying to wolf down before an actual giant fly can follow it into your mouth too. I can only imagine how many giant flies are landing all over the place in the kitchen. There was no way I was eating in the half-indoor/half outdoor dining room. The walls creeped me out with all the talk of hell, and I was beginning to wonder if I should have stopped here at all. We are half time residents of Oahu and not recommending this place to our visitor friends, unless out of desperation.

    (2)

  • Jennifer M.

    A yelpers 100th review is kind of a big deal. Some yelpers write about fancy schmancy restaurants that of course serve fabulous food, others will write reviews on daring adventures undertaken. However, after Christmas my wallet is too light to even begin to think about heading out for an extravagant dinner, and I'm too much of a coward to try something like skydiving. Those two options taken out of the review equation I decided that I would write about a place near and dear to my heart. It's true Keneke's is not the fanciest of places, but it was love at first bite. My first visit to Keneke's was over 15 years ago, after spending the day at the beach we were ravenous and as we were driving past this little hole in the wall joint our hunger pangs demanded that we pull over. I can remember staring longingly at the handwritten menu and their adobo plate lunch, and then casting a dubious glance at the white guy doing all of the cooking. My mom could sense my indecision and told me I should order the adobo if that was what I wanted, to which I replied that I wanted Filipino Adobo. I guess the cook must have overheard me because he turned around and told me that if I wanted Filipino adobo he would serve me my plate lunch without a fork. Someone else might have been offended by his response, but I knew that this was a man who knew about Filipino food. That was one of the best plate lunches I have ever had, succulent and tender pork flavored with bay leaves, peppercorns, soy sauce, and vinegar...I was in heaven. Every year I go back to Keneke's to enjoy their plate lunches and I am never disappointed. Keneke's huge portions, ridiculously low prices, and seriously ono food keep me coming back for more year after year.

    (5)

  • Kurt K.

    Delicious. Period. If you're in the area, worth grabbing a plate.

    (4)

  • Jill k.

    a rousing afternoon at makapu'u is only improved upon by a stop at keneke's afterwards! their mochiko chicken, or kalua pork will surely keep you going (or at least standing) for the rest of the day!

    (5)

  • Ruchell F.

    we wer going to waimanalo beach and hungry wen we passed by this place...so we stopped by. i ordered chicken teriyaki sandwich...my boyfriend had a burger and we shared fries. we paid less dan $10 and the food was great. it hit da spot.... i had energy for da waves in waimanalo beach after....sadly i got stung by a jellyfish haha

    (3)

  • TINKER B.

    I love their food but have you guys tried their shaved ice??? It is really yummy! I'd say one of the best on the island! My favorite flavors are Mango, Lilikoi, Pineapple, Lychee, Lime, and Guava. I wished I lived closer so I could get it more often.

    (5)

  • Tak K.

    We had 3 things and all 3 were bad. The fried chicken had no taste and it was very dry. The teri beef was also dry and drowning in oversweet and salty teri sauce. The mahimahi was also very very dry. I can't believe people think it's that good. I'm a local and I love my plate lunches, this is not good plate lunch. Tried it and swear never to eat there again. I can't believe that they're in any tourist guide. It's embarrassing that the tourists think this is suppose to be good local plate lunches. It just isn't so.

    (1)

  • jt P.

    Great place for a plate lunch. Healthy portions, good value. The Shoyu chicken was awesome. Kalua pork was also very tasty. My son enjoyed his burger and fries. Terryaki chicken wasn't as good as the others (overly sweet). Don't go here looking for ambiance!

    (4)

  • David M.

    cheap eats. awesome place. great food. i got the mixed plate with the kalbi, pork adobo, and bbq chicken. not exactly a place to take a hot date, but definitely a place for solid local food. right next to waimanalo beach, close to sandy beach - both great beaches to visit as well. Shaka brah!

    (5)

  • Tash T.

    I only eat pork on vacation. Having said that, I'm trying to figure out how to be on vacation more often. Holy Sh*t! Kahlua pork is AMAZING! I have been jonesing for it since I left Hawaii. I call this place In-N-Out Burger to the next level because of all the religious insignia on the cups and scrawled on the walls. Conspicuously absent is Leviticus 11:7 - 8. Hmmm... It's true: The portions are huge. I ordered the kiddie size and I still couldn't finish it. One thing I adore about Hawaii is the elbow-noodle salad. It comes with everything. What? I love me some elbow-noodle salad. Also have a milkshake. Who doesn't want chocolate macadamia nut flavored shake? It's worth writing home about.

    (4)

  • Samantha V.

    The shave Ice is the only thing I'd recommend from this place! I have been here a couple times, each time I end up throwing out the food because it's so gross. If you like 2 scoops of rice loco moco it may be for you, but it was NOT for me.

    (2)

  • Nani S.

    I worked for a production company that needed someone to cater lunches for various set locations as well as in studio. After calling all over the island, Keneke's came through with the best value, flexibility, service, quality and PRICES! I was so impressed that I hired them to cater our baby luau. The lau lau, poi, everything was so ONO! My friends and family still talk about the great food. Keneke's is the best!

    (5)

  • Mich Q.

    Always a must stop when driving past Waimanalo.... an institution in the East Side! Food is always fresh and tasty! For a mere $7.95, you can have a mixed plate with 3 items from the board, rice and mac. What!!! And its a whole lotta food... good enough to share between 2 people if you care for that! I'm a swine lover so I always opt for the Kalua pig, chicken katsu and mochiko chicken! And after devouring all this food, I was ready for a nap... Quick, easy and tasty!

    (4)

  • Stacey C.

    Everything is super greasy & fatty! Stopped by this place after some fun in the sun, swimming, tanning, and building sand castles. My mister was very HUNGRY! GRRRrrrrr.... Cute joint and interesting wall decors. It's HOT HOT HOT in hawaii in July so beware! ;)

    (3)

  • Lana L.

    Oh, Keneke's, Keneke's, Keneke's... despite our long distance relationship and those treacherous bus rides from Honolulu, you are worth every moment as I take each bite of your juicy, flavorful teriyaki chicken. I don't care what they say about hole in the wall joints, but you make my wallet happy, my tummy happy, and my life even happier -- KENEKE'S ROCKS!

    (4)

  • Wiley G.

    On vacation here in Hawaii. Came here for lunch. Love the Saba and the kalua pig. Would definitely come back here again!

    (5)

  • Sam D.

    Great place if you're in the area. Shave ice and plate lunch all in one place?! Nice portions & good food.

    (5)

  • Moani C.

    My favorite shave ice on the island. The ice is not as smooth and silky as Waiola's Shave Ice, but they put more syrup (and who doesn't like that?). I also like the topping choices they have, including: sweetened condensed milk and ice cream. Great place to stop if you're on the East side of the island. Can't wait to try their plate lunches and burgers.

    (4)

  • Nate R.

    I remembered Keneke's for the "Fear God Powerlifting Team" bumper stickers from a long time ago, so when I went to Waimanalo Beach for the first time in several years, I looked up Keneke's again and stopped by afterwards. Sadly, the stickers are no longer there; apparently they closed that part down about a week ago. The food was still there, though, and that was a plus. The portions are great. Definitely plenty of food. My girlfriend and I each got mixed plates. Hers: Kalbi, Katsu Chicken, and Pork Adobo. Mine: Fried Shrimp, Katsu Chicken, and Kalua Pig. The Good: The Pork Adobo was hands-down the best thing I tasted there. Juicy and amazingly flavorful, if I were to go back I would simply get a big plate of this. The shrimp was juicy and chunky, very tasty. The Bad: Katsu chicken was thin, dry, and not very tasty. Kalbi was gross. Fatty, nasty, bad. Kalua Pig was fine, but dry and tasteless. So that's why I gave it 3-stars. It was A-Ok overall, with high points of Adobo, and low points of Kalbi, with some mediocre in between. Still a worthwhile place to go after a fun day at the beach, just if I went back I'd get just the Adobo and be about 20 times more pleased and satisfied. Also, i wish I could have got another FEAR GOD sticker, cause they're funny.

    (3)

  • Thomas T.

    Have to thank my bud for showing me this place; a definite must visit. Perfectly slow cooked kalua pig with outstanding favors and right amount of juice and tenderness. Best part, the small kalua plate lunch runs only $6! When i say small, one would be hard pressed to attempt to finish it. They're known for their kalua pig, and i would definitely agree. A great place to swing by after spending the day in the surfs....it has a small, though not the cleanest outside dinning area....recommend getting the plate lunch and taking a short drive to a nearby beach and enjoy!

    (3)

  • Cristina C.

    I'd travel 3,000 miles to eat here. And have. But I am from Hawaii so this place has a very special place in my heart. But I digress. This is CLASSIC 'plate lunch'...no pretense...no gluten free...no certified organic. However, it is very good 'local' food. If you are not from the islands, I'd recommend the Kalbi (Korean short ribs) or the Kalua Pig (slow roasted pork). This will introduce you to the flavors. Just so you know, the reason 'plate lunch' joints serve Hawaiian, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Spam! is an odd fluke of history. All of these cultures were jammed together in the sugar plantations and when the spouses brought lunch, the result was a cocophany of cultures. It totally works, and I have found few places with more diverse food on the menu where it is all good. I mean, seriously, where else can you say, "...so, what are you in the mood for today? Korean? Japanese? Hawaiian? Chinese? Haole? Portuguese?"

    (5)

  • Sarah L.

    Keneke's make the BEST kalua pork, hands down. we ordered several trays for our wedding reception and all the guests raved about it.

    (5)

  • James W.

    I like the variety of the mixed plate, with two plates we had 6 entrees to sample! The BBQ and teriyaki chicken were good, but did not care for the overly cooked mochiko chicken. The lau lau pork was a nice local flavor, very tender. The mahi mahi and sabo, however were very underwhelming. If your in the area, it's a great place to try to get a taste of local food.

    (3)

  • Lilly G.

    We ordered a chicken plate and a special plate with lau lau, kalua pork, and kalbi. We barely finished the kalbi, and threw everything else away. First of all, it was a bit strange to sit in a dining area with bible verses hand written in pen all over the walls. Secondly, the "no meth" stickers everywhere should have made us jump back in the car and order elsewhere. Third, it wasn't the cleanest place we'd ever eaten at. Perhaps the lau lau was the best? However, I feel like its one of those dishes that is an acquired taste, the steamed pork in banana leaf had a strange flavor. The kalua pork was a bit dry, and the chicken needed a bit more flavor. The kalbi was a bit sweeter than I'm used to. The rice even seemed to have an odd flavor. Believe me, I know my rice! Suffice it to say, there was plenty of food, however, we left hungry. The poor man went back to the hotel room and tossed his cookies, in a bad way.

    (1)

  • Rich P.

    Decent mahi mahi sandwich, though it could use a little sauce of some kind. Pretty good shave ice. Place is a bit run-down.

    (3)

  • Bekah L.

    Best shaved ice on the island! The portions are epic and the flavors are incredible...it hardly even tastes like the regular syrup! The teriyaki burgers and steak fries are delicious too. Plus...you can't beat their prices!! Last time I was there it was about 3 bucks for a Teri burger.

    (5)

  • Madeline M.

    What E.L.B. said... It's definitely a nice-sized food stand, and was instrumental in my quest for shave ice. It was just gravy when I saw that they had plate lunches. If I lived here, I'd be so humongous!!! I ordered a shave ice with lilikoi, li hung mi (I think. I can't remember HTF it's spelled), and lychee with a snow cap and azuki beans (which were actually a paste). What a treat after a drive from the North Shore. They make the shave ice to order, one at a freaking time, and there were a bunch of peeps ahead of me. I was so ready to yell "Shark!" just to get my order done that much faster. Almost sickeningly sweet and absolute heaven! Two very full thumbs up! (That's for you, Paul!)

    (5)

  • Ashur Y.

    My brother & I stopped off at this place on our trip around the island. The place is really a hole in the wall but it's definitely worth stopping off at to grab a bite. We both ended up ordering cheeseburgers deluxe which is everything on it. The food was reasonably priced for being in Hawaii. Under $9 is a steel for the 2 of us! The cheeseburger was good and tasty and filling. Highly recommend it to stop off and get something even to snack on for there isn't many places to stop off at going around the island that are reasonably priced and not off the route.

    (5)

  • R J.

    I love the prices of everything along with the sizes but I feel that their customer service people need to check their attitude. Growing up in waimanalo, kenekes is the known place. But I feel that if the ladies in the front can't consistently keep a smile or at least fake that they are irritated then kenekes will go down hill.

    (2)

  • Sweetz M.

    Fast and awesome customer service!!! Staff is really nice and real down to earth kine!! From my experience I would most definitely would go back and bring the entire family!! The prices is perfect and there food is well worth that long drive!!!

    (4)

  • Biggie F.

    Rating stays the same, but I did want to mention that after another week or so of the cabbage being gone from the Kalua pig plates -- and they even acknowledged it had disappeared when we inquired about this, although they were non-specific about when, and/or why -- it's back. Not a lot, but some.

    (4)

  • Jon R.

    Worst plate lunch on the island, hands down!! Had the Combination Plate with Teri Beef, Kalua Pork, and Mochiko Chicken. Ate literally three small bites and threw the rest out, that's how bad it was. AND I was starving too. Teri Beef was thick and chewy, the sauce was just meh, the Kalua Pork tasted like rotten death, and the Mochiko Chicken was crispy chicken jerky. Mac salad made with Kewpie mayo not Best Foods so it's more sour. They use way too much mayo also. Even the rice was a bit mushy/overcooked. STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE AT ALL COSTS!!

    (1)

  • Ryan G.

    Might be good for Nalo but not good enough for me! We ordered a katsu / hamburger plate and got frozen patties and dry Katsu that looks like it was double fried!!! The only reason I gave them 2 * was for the customer service, on that end it was great.

    (2)

  • S E.

    this is my 5th trip to Hawaii and we always stop here for a quick lunch. their pork guisantes is good.

    (5)

  • Ryan H.

    I got the mixed lunch plate. Macaroni salad was good, the Mahi was grilled and slightly dry, the rice was good, and the teriyaki chicken was delicious. The pork was also very good. Didn't wait very long, the girl at the window was nice. Solid place to get some Hawaiian chow. The venue just seemed run-down and old, could use some fixing up.

    (3)

  • Dave S.

    Almost everything I love about Hawaiian food is here. The food is good, they have shaved ice, there right of the road, the food is hot when you get it and the service is sweet. Half way through a moped ride we stopped in for lunch and got a belly full of love. Just the right amount of everything. Garlic shrimp was really good as was the garlic fish and spam and eggs. Last word... thankful.

    (4)

  • Jessica C.

    Nothing special, but convenient if you're in the area. I had an egg and cheese sandwich, basically a toasted burger bun brushed with butter, filled with American cheese and egg. Like something I would make at home. Shaved ice was pretty good, nice flavors but needed a little more syrup and ice texture wasn't as soft as I would like. The eating and waiting area really needs to be cleaned and painted, it is pretty gross. Lots of locals were here though, maybe the plate lunch is better.

    (3)

  • Charles D.

    I stopped over this place and had the adobo chicken lunch special. For under 8$ I was full and it came with a drink that wasn't flat. The 3 piece chicken adobo was so.. good that it fell off the bone. Openair dining, nothing fancy about it. Kinda ghetto in the seating area, could use a paint job or better handwriting on the walls.

    (4)

  • Vianca C.

    One of my favorite places to grab lunch on the Windward side!! Their plate lunches are a bit pricey but you get what you pay for. The portions are big, the food is amazing and you have to try everything on the menu at least once!! I had the plate lunch with 2 choices of Kailua pork and mochicko chicken. The pork was tender and juicy while the chicken had delicious breading. Plus the sides of "hapa rice" (brown and white rice) and Mac salad were good too. Not to mention the outside seating are is to die for. It's in an open area with the view of the mountains. Definitely give it a try if you haven't already!!

    (4)

  • Halee H.

    This was a local recommendation for us. Overly salty food, cuts of meat were fatty and there pieces of cartilage in them. Wasn't the cleanest of places with birds all over the eating area pooping on adjacent tables but especially do not frequent the bathroom. Don't go in there under any circumstance. Nice portions for the price though and the walls were entertaining, but also terrifying. May the lord bless you and keep you.

    (2)

  • Paul C.

    While heading to the beach we were debating where to grab a quick bite. Whole Foods in Kailua was brought up and were most likely to go there until we stumbled upon here. There was a line forming which intrigued us so we pulled up to check out their menu, which is posted on their wall. Travelling with out-of-town friends we thought this would be a cool place to eat and the menu appealed to all. The majority you will find a long list of plate lunch entrée. Local favorites such as BBQ chicken, beef curry, fried chicken, hamburger steak caught my eye but I wasn't really hungry so I opted for the teriyaki hamburger deluxe with side order of french fries. Despite the line our orders were taken quickly and in less than 15mins our names were called. The french fries came right out of the fryer and piping HOT. After eating one it was obvious they forgot to add salt. Not sure if they don't add any salt as part of their procedure but found a salt shaker at the cashier front with other condiments. My teriyaki hamburger was very tasty. The raw onion slice was thicker than to my liking but I still ate it. In a matter of few minutes I wolfed down my lunch. I was able to sample what my friends ordered. The grilled Mahi Mahi plate was also very good and served with mac salad and french fries. It also came with a lemon wedge and tartar sauce, the fish was cooked perfectly and not fishy at all. On their menu, they advertise using locally made Dave's Ice Cream and my friend ordered the coconut milkshake. OMG, one sip and I had a foodgaism at the table! If you enjoy coconut this is a MUST order peeps!!! The inside dining room here reeks the 70's. It brings such character to this joint. With the great food, quick service and affordable prices I can truly see why this place is enjoyed by both locals and tourists. Just like dining at any open-spaced dining areas, we were annoyed by the constant bombarding of the flies. Whether you are looking for food before or after the beach, Keneke's is a great place. NOTES: 1) Credit cards accepted here. 2) Private parking lot in front of this place. 3) Several tables available of outside seating. 4) Garbage bins located behind the restaurant. 5) Coca Cola products are offered here.

    (4)

  • Jake H.

    The only reason why I gave this place 4 stars is because it can be a little dirty for some. If you're looking for some good plate lunches on the east side, this is definitely a solid option. There's always a line outside so expect to wait a little bit. Coming here brings back so many memories from when I was in high school. My friends and I would spend all day at Makapu'u then come here for a late lunch or early dinner. We would always be super hungry after the beach and this place would always fill us up. I love the Loco Moco here because they give three patties and three eggs, while most places only give two patties and two eggs for the same price. The taste is good too! They mostly serve local plate lunches here. They even have some killer breakfast specials. I also love all of the Bible verses written on the inside of the dining area.

    (4)

  • Toni B.

    Food is very good and portions are sizable. It would have been enough for my husband and I to share. Although I felt the environment wasn't the cleanest in the eating area, overall out experience went well and the food was delicious.

    (4)

  • Scott R.

    I wish I could give this place 5 stars and but they are lucky to get 3 stars. I used to frequent this place about 2-3 times a week because the food is delicious and the food portions are huge, could maybe feed 2 people! Usually ended up having left overs from here. My favorite is the pork adobo, mochiko chicken, and chicken Katsu. Now the cons, which I think are easily fixable but I'm not sure if they'll change it. I can recall 5 times where the meat portions were not prepped properly. Enjoying the mochiko chicken and all of a sudden I bite into a large piece of cartilage. Same with the Katsu a day later. Pork adobo would have large pieces of fat. The other huge turn off for me was one day I was enjoying the kalua pig when I got near the bottom of it, I found a nice crispy fly floating on the bottom in the grease. If you been here you know they have a bad fly problem. Which again I think could be fixed with proper trash cans. All in all a good place to fill up on food.

    (3)

  • Q K.

    I have watched this place deteriorate over the past 20 years, and it seems to have picked up speed in deterioration in the last 3-5 years. First of all, let me say that the younger crew (especially girl with the tattoo on her arm and cook that always wears a backwards hat) are probably the best thing about this place. They take orders quickly and get them out quickly. That being said, the quality of food is substandard and inconsistent, the service is terrible when other crews are working (take forever to take and get orders out) and the place is just so dirty. What do I mean by dirty? Smells that are unimaginable at times (rotting garbage), gross pigeons occupying the rooftops and food benches (they look like pigeons that were caught in some type of oil spill, only the oil being grease and dirty) and for several weeks there was an unpleasant smell coming from the kitchen. I'm not sure if the state food safety department has done it's inspection yet, but I have heard over the years that this place has had lots of fails in the past. With regards to the food, this place gives you a lot of food for the amount of money you spend, but 10-# of junk for the same price as 1# of quality product is not better. I would actually prefer to spend more money to get better quality food that was cooked properly and cooked with consistency from order to order. This used to be one of my favorite spots because everyone likes a cheap meal. But with the decrease in quality of their product and the rising prices of that sub-standard product, I don't think I will be coming here anymore unless I'm literally starving.

    (1)

  • Chibi C.

    Great place to stop for shaved ice and snack good after swimming in the ocean. There are variety of food and shaved ice flavors.

    (5)

  • Mike P.

    Love the mom and pop places, but can only give this place a so-so. My buddy got a loco- moco, 3 burgers, 3 eggs, sunnyside up, over rice covered in gravy. It was pretty good. I did the Pork Adobo, also good. Wives got shouyu chk and Teri burger, not so good. Don't know what is is but building was putting off crazy amount of heat. Hottest i have been on this trip. May have effected my meal.

    (3)

  • Joanne C.

    We had our destination wedding in the North Shore of Oahu, Loulu Palm Estate. We wanted to find catering with good local Hawaiian food at a reasonable price. After doing some research online, we found Keneke's. When we emailed our inquiries, Keith answered all our questions quickly and was very helpful . We choose Wedding Special #1, $39/person. He was flexible and let us change a few things from the wedding special menu. This package includes delivery, staff for onsite cooking, to hand pass appetizers, and help serve at the buffet. This package helped us save a lot of money w/ our party rentals since our package also included china, flatware, water goblets, stainless steel warmers (otherwise we would have to pay per item). My coordinator mentioned they only charged 50% for kids & for vendors we fed. On the wedding day, Keith and the entire staff were very helpful and provided great service. I loved how the servers made sure I had appetizers before and after running off to take pictures. They even set some aside & put on our table. More importantly, the food was delicious. For appetizers we had shoyu ahi poke, maki sushi, teriyaki beef, mochiko chicken, and grilled pineapple skewers. For dinner we had nalo green salad, mixed veggie medley, garlic prawns, garlic mash potatoes, hapa rice, hibachi chicken, kalua pig, and the prime rib carving station. Nothing but compliments from our guests, everybody loved the food. We didn't get enough time to sit and eat for long. They were kind enough to wrap our food to go and labled it "Mr. & Mrs". They also packed all of our leftovers for us. If you're looking for catering with attentive service and delicious island-style food for a reasonable price, we definitely recommend Keneke's. Thanks again to Keith and his staff!! You guys are awesome!! We will stop by next time were on the island for sure. Joanne & Patrick #JoandPatsHalloWedding...

    (5)

  • Ranada R.

    We made a stop here before hitting bellows. I got the mixed plate with the Teri beef, kalbi, and hamburger steak. My husband ordered the muced plate with the mochiko chicken, kalua pig, and pork guisantes. Then we added shaved ice to our order. I got li hing mui, guava, and lychee flavored with ice cream and snow cap. They were out of azuki beans so I couldn't add it. My husband ordered the guava, mango, and strawberry flavor Lso with the ice cream and snow cap as well. Everything was delish!!

    (5)

  • Brittney K.

    M boyfriend took me here because he said he often frequented this establishment with his father. When we got there, it was extremely crowded which is understandable since it was during the lunch rush hour; however, when we got our food, it was TERRIBLE. My boyfriend ordered mochiko chicken which was more like fried chicken if you could even call it that... It was bland and was burnt to a crisp. I ordered hamburger steak which wasn't horrible but wasn't great either. To be honest, I wouldn't taken Zippy's over this place any day. To make matters worse, the rice in both of our plates was HARD. I actually heard a few chunks crunch as I bit into it. I'm not sure if we came on a bad day or something but I know we definitely will not be returning again anytime soon.

    (1)

  • Denby R.

    I used to go to Kenekes when I was in undergrad at UH and we would grab to go here and head to the beach. The shave ice was always refreshing. The service was always nice. It's not necessarily the cleanest place I've ever eaten. But it never stopped us from going. They were relatively quick. But most times so greasy that I would kanak attack and fall asleep on the beach and get super sunburnt. No Bueno. I've been back a couple times recently after they catered a friend of mines wedding. The prices were a little higher, as expected over the last so many years. The portions are still more than generous. And the food was just as greasy as I remember. And sometimes greasy is just what you want. I don't think I would drive out to waimanalo just to have Kenekes. But if I'm headed that way anyway and I need a good nap I might just stop again. At least now that I'm older I remember to bring sunscreen.

    (3)

  • Kahanu Z.

    HORRIBLE! Cater to the tourists and screw the locals! Went to take my nieces and nephews for shave ice. Stood in one of 2 lines. 15 min later I got to the window and proceeded to order my 8 shave ice and was told to go to the other line coz "she was busy" not to be preceeded by her face looking completely disgusted after I had made my order. The 7 people (who were all tourist) ordered before me and had no problem. Regardless of the cashiers behavior, I restood in the other line for another 10 minutes, got to the front, ready to order and the cashier at the window asked my order. I told her 8 shave ice, she "huh'd me"(another disgusted face) and said "try wait" than took her time calling out orders and walked over to the other window, complaining about having to take an order of 8 SHAVE ICE! I waited another 5 min at the window for her to come back until finally I took my business access the street to 7-11. RIDICULOUS!!!! Regardless of the convenience of keneke's (4 min walk from my home), I'll take my business to ISLAND SNOW!

    (1)

  • Jamie H.

    Excellent food! I was visiting Hawaii and we took our entire softball team there. They took great care of us! We all loved the atmosphere (they had bible scripture on the walls). Definitely would eat here again when visiting Hawaii.

    (5)

  • Jarrod F.

    This was the first plate lunch I had in Hawaii, and it was OK. Nothing over the top but the beef teri plate tasted like beef jerky because it was so over cooked. I did like the sides though. A super chill spot but nothing special and not too clean. Aloha.

    (3)

  • Neal J.

    It was my first time here and I had the Loco Moco. It takes a lot to fill me up and this certainly did the trick for a very fair price. The service was good. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Keneke's.

    (4)

  • Marie W.

    I love buying breakfast plates here. Your choice of meat, 2 scoops of rice, toast or Mac salad, eggs, and a drink. On top of that, you can buy their breakfast anytime of the day. Nothing beats a good portion of breakfast plate for $5 bucks! Definitely my go to place whenever I'm in a mood for breakfast.

    (5)

  • B R.

    Upside: Nice folks. Good plate lunch, good shave ice, great ice cream (from Dave's). Downside: Annoying, filthy, scraggly pigeons inside the less than well kept eating area. Recommendation: TAKE OUT. Three stars for the food, one star for the grotesque pigeons.

    (5)

  • Steve R.

    Cool country atmosphere, lots of food, all the locals stop here. They have a huge selection on the menu but beware MSG. 12 hours later I am still parched. I just wanna eat some good local food minus the salt.

    (2)

  • Braddah Joe P.

    Two words...kalua pig. Unless you sumo or play offensive line, get the mini plate. I see all the negative reviews. Um, if you're ordering mahi mahi at Keneke's, then you're not local and you should probably drive up the road to Sweet Home Cafe. Spot's not for you. But if you get sand in the da hair from Mak's or Sandy's and like GRIND, then go Keneke's and get the kalua pig with mac salad and rice. Since you're still all buss from getting pounded, you won't even notice get choke pigeons and small kine cleanliness issues...cause you'll be too busy stuffing your face. Then go home wash out sand from beach and grease from Keneke plate, rinse and repeat next weekend. Lucky you live Hawaii!

    (4)

  • J S.

    Had a lunch for about 50 people catered by Keneke's. Food was awesome. Everyone went on and on about how good it was. The Kalbi beef went quick! Keith was very helpful in getting the menu right for the size of our party and adjusting as things changed. Thanks for making it a great day!

    (5)

  • David H.

    Of the plate lunch places I have enjoyed, this was not one of them, 1) My mahi mahi lunch plate tasted so fishy, i couldn't eat it. definitely wasn't fresh. 2) Dining area is not clean and constantly has pigeons roaming on the tables 3) Bathroom is filthy and light didn't work, we ran out of TP. 4) Shoyu chicken tasted like it was straight shoyu and no other flayors, just salty On the plus side, we enjoyed the shave ice to wash down the tasteof the lunch.

    (2)

  • Darrell P.

    The food here is ok. Grilled chicken is bland. The adobo we got was dry. Mac salad is laced with just mayo flavor. Its definitely not the best. But I have to say the teri beef sandwich is the best imho. It blows Bob's bbq out of the water with their one slice folder paper thin meat. Dont forget those big ass fries and a large lemonade. Get two teri beef sandwiches. You'll be glad you did.

    (4)

  • Linda C.

    We used keneke's catering service, the service was great. We got the funnel package #2 all the dishes that came in that package was good good except for the chicken katsu it was very dry and rubbery. We had that feeling that it would be hard to keep chicken katsu from being fresh as if just came out. I ask if we could substitute it with another dish and pay the price but was told there is no substitution. If I had to use them again I would take a package with out the chicken katsu.

    (3)

  • Judy L.

    We saw this place a few times while heading to the beach. We decided to stop 1 day to the beach and grab teriyaki burgers, fries, a kalua pig lunch plate, drinks, and ice cream. The burgers were ok. I didn't like the flavor of the teriyaki sauce too much. A little too salty for my taste. The fries were good. The kalua pig lunch plate was huge. The flavor was there, but a little dry. Drinks and ice cream was GOOD. Service is friendly but quick and short due to the fast pace.

    (3)

  • Jennifer O.

    Great shave ice. Yum. Bad Teri burger. Yuck. I'll order something else next time. Kinda dirty place to eat, but whatchu eckspek?? Not crowded like Matsumoto's. Flavors so far: vanilla, guava, lilikoi, pineapple, strawberry. Yum. My son tried bubblegum. Yuck. But das what u get when you order bubblegum. Go get your shave ice!!

    (3)

  • Juliet A.

    Shaved ice - gotta have it when you're in HI. Keneke's is a great deal (considering the price hijacking that happens at other places in say, Waikiki), with a HUGE serving a shaved ice, three flavors, for $2.75. The line is long but there are many happy customers who return for the cold treats as well as hot lunches. Favorite shaved ice flavors here: pineapple, mango, and Li Hing sugar. Only complaint is that too much syrup is used and the bottom half of the shaved ice portion pretty much is liquid sugar by the time you get to it.

    (3)

  • Thomas G.

    Great deals! We order our food from this place, every year for our family day.

    (5)

  • Tracy K.

    This local favorite used to be our pit stop after the beach when we were in high school. Prices are reasonable. Lots of menu choices. It's a hit or miss with the plates. I usually order a mixed plate of pork adobo, kalua pig and lau lau. The adobo is above average in taste but not the best I've eaten. Kalua pig is slightly under seasoned IMO. I like it a little saltier but I'm sure you can just douse the shoyu on top. And the lau lau was pretty delicious! My boyfriend ordered the chicken katsu and he said it was just alright, nothing to write home about. Service is friendly. The cove of tables and benches has lots of religious references (misspelled biblical passages but a statement nonetheless) on the walls. We kept having to swat pretty fat flies away from our plates the whole time we were there. Parking can get a little tricky when busy because it is right off the highway. If you can park rear end first, you won't be stuck trying to bounce back into oncoming traffic. I'd return to try other items and possibly the shave ice the next time I roll around Waimanalo.

    (3)

  • Fran V.

    I bought the Mochiko Chicken/Shrimp plate and the chicken was hard, rubbery and burnt. Like it was cooked earlier and then recooked when I placed my order. The shrimp was ok. Could have used more garlic for more taste. The place seemed a little dirty. Had to chase flies away while eating.

    (2)

  • Mikki G.

    We went here after we hiked coco head and it hit the spot. It's a hole in the wall place but they give you a ton of food for what you pay for. We got the mixed plate with Kailua pig, chicken katsu, and lau lau pork.

    (4)

  • Michael C.

    Ugh. This place was gross. And I never day those words. Their LauLau pork was just awful.

    (2)

  • Cocoa F.

    If you want to take your food safety and throw it right out the window, this is the place to eat. Let's start with the first thing that hits you, if you approach from the left side or back side of the building, it is the smell. Then if you look closely, you'll see how filthy this place is. There is a big black drum of who knows what standing outside the kitchen in the back. It looks like old grease. Also, the garbage bin is nasty. It might be the garbage, but I think you should keep everything clean around food. The front if the place isn't any better and is just dirty. To top it off, there are flies every where. Huge, black flies buzzing around the food. I couldn't even get to the food I was so grossed out. Check out the back of the restaurant for yourself, then head to any number of clean food establishments next door at Serg's, Ono Shrimp or Sweet Home.

    (1)

  • Chris B.

    Keneke's catered my wedding for 70 guests. They were professional, courteous, on time, well equiped & provided a great product. Their lead caterer even fixed a plate for the bride & I, & brought it to our table. The quantity was sufficient with just enough left over to enjoy it again a day or two later. The food was cooked properly & spiced with local flavor. I appreciate food that is spiced in such a way that does not require condiments, and Keneke's did just that for our event. Their menu & packages have plenty variety to please anyone from the "meat & potatoes" type to the "grazer". They also had a 15% military discount!

    (5)

  • Keith K.

    Hey, my outlaws are visiting us and had Dad on the Makapu'u hike. He said he was hungry for a quick burger so we drove up towards Waimanalo... and just dove into Keneke's. The place was busy and 2PM, but placed a order for a deluxe hamburger, coconut shaved ice an coca cola. We ordered nothing fancy and got nothing fancy. Dad ate the burger and I ate the shaved ice. $8 later, both of us left content. Saw a lot of negative reviews on this place after coming home. Cannot vouch for the rest of the menu, but we noted the dirty eating area and the flies. I liked the bible verses so it's cool. Won't place Keneke's on my "Best in Oahu" list, but will come back here for a burger or ice. No worries.

    (3)

  • Jennifer L.

    Arrived at 5pm on a Thursday for a late lunch with some friends. It was pretty empty. Food came out super fast. We ordered the following: Teriyaki Chicken - not that great but the best out of what we had. Too sweet which is saying a lot coming from me. Pork Adobo - not that good Kaliha Pork - somewhere between not that great and not that good:-) Mac Salad - too much mayo The seating is a little awkward. The tables are not really big enough for both sides of the table to reach it since the seats are concrete not movable benches. One plus is that you get a lot of food and it is not that expensive. I was hoping for a great find but was completely disappointed. I would not go out of my way to come here.

    (1)

  • Diosa B.

    A friend and I were staying in Waimanalo, so we headed up to Keneke's for a quick lunch after seeing the tons of great reviews here and on Yelp. Being . . . well, not Hawaiian, I wasn't quite sure what to get, but the girl working the window was incredibly helpful and suggested which things I should try. The Shoyu chicken was AWESOME. Seriously, so good. The Teri Beef and Pork Gisantes were both good, but not great. Honestly, I'd go back just for the Shoyu Chicken. Yum. I could probably do without the glurgy Christian stuff everywhere, but that's neither here nor there and certainly not enough of a bother for me to ever not go there.

    (5)

  • Anne K.

    Holy shithole--and I do mean that in the most literal sense! If the bible verses plastered on the wall and Fox News blaring on the tv don't upset your stomach then the food surely will. Because it smelled so badly and was so filthy, we just ordered a shave ice which took 15 minutes to prepare despite being the only ones in there. The shave iced was served in a small styrofoam cup and was nothing but a disgusting overflowing mess. I've seen more appetizing food in a toilet. Because we couldn't even find a trash can we left it untouched on a nearby table and got the hell out of there. Obviously one important biblical verse is overlooked in this establishment...Act 9:32--Cleanliness is next to godliness.

    (1)

  • Harry S.

    Let's be honest: you either love this place or you love it and feel terribly ashamed of it. I'm a mix of both, I'd say. The kalua pig plate is generously portioned, tasty beyond words, and pretty cheap too. Service is steady as she goes. The eating area is, however, repulsive. And that's just the bible scripture quotes sprayed haphazardly strewn about the sorry and rotting excuses for walls. The tables are filthy, there are pigeons and flies abound, and everything is sticky. At least they promote a meth free environment. "No meth around." But hey! The food is great and you gotta just get into it. You'll love it! Write something chaste on the walls when you stop by.

    (4)

  • That Guy B.

    Horrible food and service. Sorry but it's the truth. Lived in Waimanalo my entire life and make the mistake of trying it again from time to time. Big mistake. If your a tourist go down the road a mile and eat at sweet home Waimanalo. Not great but edible. Beware kanekes

    (1)

  • Carl Vincent C.

    I'm a sucker for plate lunches. The last time I was here was nearly three years ago & all I got was shave ice. This time around, I made sure I had an empty stomach to satisfy. I hear their adobo is one of their more popular choices. But alas, being Filipino, I have adobo all the time. I needed to try something that not even L&L can match up to (... I do love me some L&L though...). I had the mixed plate with Pork Lau Lau, Kalua Pork, & Chicken Katsu. You can honestly never go wrong with these three. The Kalua Pork was the most moist Kalua Pork I've ever had. The Lau Lau's flavor had so much depth to the flavor. & the Chicken Katsu was well... Chicken Katsu. I don't think there's any way to mess that dish up. There are a hell of a lot of options to order here. But this mixed plate was definitely the best one I've had yet!

    (5)

  • Patrick C.

    Got a couple plates here on my last trip to HI. Huge portions were nice. Mac salad was ok. Rice not very good -- overcooked -- maybe it was just a bad batch

    (3)

  • Kimo K.

    Yeah, the place is dirty and needs a good cleaning, but the food and prices are decent. Nothing great and not cheap, but OK. We stopped here for a quick lunch during an around-the-island jaunt, and got two plate lunches and two drinks for under $20. I had chicken katsu and my GF ordered the kalua pig plate. Lots of decent food.

    (3)

  • Paul C.

    Only go here for the kalua pork. Everything else is unknown because this one sandwich is incredible. Don't get the BBQ pork, stick to the Kalua and let the meat talk to your taste buds, you will not be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Jason H.

    Too much wild life flying around the seating area. I would recommend taking your food and eating it at one of the tables at Waimanalo Beach Park. It is a lot cleaner and you can eat in peace. I ordered the BBQ Chicken Plate and it was alright. The Chicken was very good, but the rice was hard and I for some reason couldn't trust the macaroni salad.

    (2)

  • Jeff C.

    They say you can't judge a book by its cover, but in this case you can. The place is filthy and the best table is the one by the trash can surrounded by flies as it is farthest away from the birds. That is where we tried the kalua pig, lau lau and teri chicken and unfortunately the rice was the best part of the meal. We could only stomach a few bites of the lau lau, the kalua pig was way too salty, the chicken was rubbery and the macaroni salad had way too much mayo. Our biggest regret of our trip to Hawaii so far was stopping here so if I were you I'd keep on driving.

    (1)

  • ter b.

    THE BRAT GIRLS SPRAYED BLEACH SOLUTION onto my special needs nephew that was watching them make shave ice through their small order window so he wouldn't watch them!!!! Doesn't look like the health inspector stops by too often, or they use that bleach on anything that might need cleaning. Food was ok. If you can get your stomach to settle after looking into the little order window, past the questionable kitchen. Outside dining area was gross. Maybe they treat the locals better. Tourist money is money too. But since they have zero business sense, the place will always be a dive.

    (1)

  • Tony L.

    We drove past this place after visiting the Sea Life Park nearby. They serve mainly Hawaiian plate lunches and small desserts. This place has a decent street vendor ambience to it. There are both indoor and outdoor seating, we started outdoor, but then it started raining, so we were glad there indoor seating. The service was a little slow, but the small desserts will keep you occupied. We ordered a few shaved ices with different flavors, a loco moco, a luau pork sandwich, and a chicken plate. The shaved ices were delicious. The loco moco was ok, but slightly fattening. The luau pork was surprising salty, I had to discard it half way done. The chicken was rather bland and tasteless. The place has many vicissitudes, and I was rather disappointed by the poorly made luau dish since this is a Hawaiian owned place, so I would consider this place ok at best.

    (3)

  • Lisa T.

    Keneke's is AMAZING! We had the good fortune of having our original caterer cancel on us three weeks before our wedding. Good because that lead us to Keneke's. Keneke's was a God send! They swooped in and saved our wedding - literally! I do not have enough positive adjectives to describe how wonderful they truly are! They worked with us and were able to accommodate our budget, while still getting everything we wanted and MORE! The service was amazing, and the food - OMG the food was phenomenal! Not only are their ingredients farm fresh organic, usually picked the day of, but they do some sort of magic with them which makes you taste buds want to sing! I fell in love with their Kalua Pork with Kale - it is so tasty my mouth is starting to water just thinking about it! I give Keneke's the highest recommendation possible! Go with Keneke's you will not be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Sophie S.

    I ordered the chicken katsu plate with rice and mac salad. the Mac salad was good but they gave me so much rice for the amount of chicken katsu I got. not to mention every katsu piece had a bone in it and was super rubbery. I got so little katsu compared to l&l and there was a fly in my plate lunch when I opened it up. won't ever be coming back here no matter how big of a landmark it is.

    (1)

  • Jess C.

    Better than Rainbows, huge portions, great prices! What I can't get over was the lackluster kalua pork. I came to Hawaii for two things: beaches and kalua pork. This didn't quite do it, but the adobo was excellent!

    (3)

  • EN K.

    Great shave ice and good size plate lunches

    (5)

  • Ken E.

    Wahooo!! After a hiking Diamond Head and making our way to the temple for sightseeing. I was telling my friend that there was a great plate lunch place someplace on our way. I had been there pre-paint era. But we found it, we ordered a plate lunch boy thats enough food for two people. It was yum yum our tummies were nice and full. Order the mixed plate with Kalua Pork, ribs and Chicken. Hope to swing by again next time in the islands!

    (5)

  • Mertani G.

    I've been meaning to yelp this place since my last visit to hawaii and it always seems to slip my mind. This is mine and my husband's favorite spot to go to for shaved ice in Oahu. Their plate lunches are pretty good as well. Wish i can be there right now...

    (5)

  • Jennifer A.

    Keneke's is a nice stop for a quick plate lunch. Very convenient location along the highway on your way to the beaches on the east side. Great Mochiko chicken, good lau lau and mac salad. The mahi mahi wasn't that great, pretty bland. Get the mixed plate - You get three choices of meat versus one for only a buck more. I would recommend sitting under the covered area to hopefully avoid some flies.

    (4)

  • Anna R.

    After a beautiful day at Lanikai beach, we were starving for some food. What better way to finish off our relaxing island day with some local grinds. I ordered the mixed plate ($7.95 for your choice of any 3 meat or seafood dishes, mac salad, two scoops of rice) with the hamburger steak, kalua pig, and mochiko chicken. Unfortunately, the hamburger steak was a huge disappointment. It was a thin ground beef patty with what seemed to have no seasoning what so ever. The gravy was just as much a disappointment. It tasted like powdered gravy that came straight from the box. Ick. Luckily, the kalua pig was tasty, smoky, and flavorful. A little on the dry side but it could do.The mochiko chicken was yummy though. Just like katsu chicken but breaded in mochiko so a lighter breading with just as much crunch, and a little sweetness to it. Yum! The mac salad was subpar - too wet and I didn't like the mayonaise they used. My friends had the pork adobo and chicken katsu which I sampled. The pork adobo was yummy, marinated nicely, and not oily. The katsu was also good. Though it was fried, it wasn't greasy at all. The have a ton of meat and seafood selections so Keneke's definitely has something for everyone. For a $7.95 mixed plate, you definitely will have more than enough food. They also serve ice cream and shave ice if you want some dessert to finish off your meal.

    (4)

  • Duane G.

    Ok, had a day off and decided to drive to Nalo for some Grinds. Been wanting to try this place for a long time. 3 different menus with the same things with 3 different prices. Ordered Hamburger Steak and had 3 patties and had plenty Gravy. Mac Salad was not too good. Over all will probably go back but only if going around the island.

    (3)

  • Bill T.

    Good food...oversized portions - too much, really! Counter person was sarcastic which made me not want to return.

    (3)

  • Alicia G.

    I loooove Keneke's! This is my favorite plate lunch. We can't go to or through Waimanalo without stopping there. The Kalua pork is the BEST. The owner, Keith, is fantastic. The portion sizes are HUGE and if you aren't starving split a plate with someone. The also have a catering business if you are interested.

    (5)

  • Arnold P.

    I've probably tried most of the menu and the food is still consistent as the first time I tried them. Servings are very generous and would often just get the mini plate. From the $5 breakfast plate to the lunch plate, this place is excellent. This is always on my list to go to when I'm in Oahu.

    (4)

  • Val D.

    Ate catered lunch for a party from Keneke's. The kalua pig and fried noodles were a bit salty. The fish was ok, but the shoyu chicken was ono (if you like foods on the sweeter side).

    (3)

  • Steph L.

    You must be tolerant of three things when dining at Keneke's: 1. a high salt diet, 2. being surrounded by bible verses, and 3. sharing your food with FLIES! Loads of them too! I don't understand the high ratings. Yes the portions are huge and the place has a cool island-dive feel to it (The small outdoor shack where you eat and its bible verse plastered walls, yelp.com/biz_photos/PAE8… , add "character" to this place), but the food just wasn't very good. Plus, all the flies buzzing around in the shack really killed *my* buzz. Seriously, there were A LOT of flies. (I think "flies" ought to be in the Review Highlights!) As for the food, I had the mixed plate with 3 choices of meat/seafood, rice, and mac salad. For the meats I chose the kalua pig, pork adobo, and shoyu chicken ( yelp.com/biz_photos/PAE8… ). The KALUA PIG was so salty and lacked the smokiness that I love. The PORK ADOBO is supposedly sautéed in garlic, peppers, bay leaf, vinegar, and shoyu, but the only thing I could make out was the shoyu because the saltiness completely overwhelmed everything else (but at least the pork was tender!) The only meat I liked was the SHOYU CHICKEN, which was moist and tender. It was a little sweet and the only meat in the styrofoam box that didn't have me stuffing myself with rice to dilute the saltiness. The MAC SALAD was super mayonnaise-y and didn't have any seasonings at all - a little salt and pepper goes a long way. (I mean, they remember the salt in everything else!) I also got a mini LOCO MOCO ( yelp.com/biz_photos/PAE8… ). This was your basic loco moco - not amazing, but satisfying (and surprisingly, not *that* salty. Or maybe my taste buds were just desensitized by the kalua pig and pork adobo...) They sell Dave's ice cream too. I got the CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT ( yelp.com/biz_photos/PAE8… ) so my meal ended on a high note. There aren't a lot of food choices around the area, but consider going to the shrimp truck across the street (especially on Fridays when they sell kalua pig, pork laulau, and squid luau!)

    (2)

  • E C.

    Sorry - I so wanted to like this place, but it was mediocre at best :( my kids (6 yrs old) are typically cool with a cheeseburger but nearly spit it out with the first bite and ended up eating our food - Kalua pork and teri chicken plate, which wasn't much better.

    (2)

  • Michele C.

    If u like kalua pig be adventurous and try the pork adobo! Its amazing! No one does it better than Keneke's plate lunch either! Oh so ono and tender chunks of pork! The best place to grab a bite to eat on your way to Kailua!

    (5)

  • Alyssa T.

    Can't beat a $2 grilled cheese sandwich and their mac salad is amazing. Their shave ice certainly isn't one of the bests on the island (very messy to eat since they overflow a cup with no catcher cup) but it's still delicious and you definitely get your money's worth. We didn't have to wait in line and probably received our food in 5 minutes. I'd definitely go back.

    (4)

  • E.L. B.

    In a nutshell: just go there. I have local friends from Kailua that told me that if a place has a line, just try it out. Anthony Bourdain gives the same advice. They're ono grinds and since my work takes me to Oahu frequently, I make a stop there for the loco moco every time. I found it completely by accident on my way up the windward side and I'm glad I found this gem. This is a roadside stand, so if you are not used to food carts or hawker centers like they have just about everywhere else in the world, you should be prepared for a lack of amenities. This is not high-end cuisine, nor does it aspire to be. It's a good, honest, filling meal that ignores the modern conventions on restricting starch, fat, and sugar. Don't be put off by the bible quotes in the spartan cinder-block patio. Don't be put off by the lines. Don't be put off by the remote location. Don't be put off by the rudimentary kitchen. I've eaten here a dozen times and it never lets me down. The upside is that the food is cheap, the service is friendly and fast (provided you don't dawdle indecisively at the window and hold up the line), and it's walking distance to the beach. Give it a try. And if you've got extra cash or are still hungry, you can grab some excellent pastries at Ken's Bakery next door.

    (4)

  • Michelle J.

    Keneke's catered for our wedding reception and they did a fantastic job. The food was delicious, the staff was friendly, and we had some delicious leftovers afterward. I would have them cater for us again. With more pupus! I hardly got any pupus because I was socializing and taking pictures, but that was my own fault :)

    (4)

  • Lori K.

    Keneke's is a decent spot to hit up on your way to or from the beach or if you're just passing by. They offer local favorites such as plate lunches and shave ice. Plate lunches are pretty good. Portions are generous and the food is tasty, but there's nothing exceptional about it. I'm not a huge fan of their mac salad. It's a little too mayonnaisey for my taste. I would probably stick with the plate lunches if coming here. The burgers are just not that great and fries are nothing special. The shave ice is good, but I've had better. The ice is not quite as finely shaven as I like, but the portion is pretty big. And if you add ice cream, which you should, they give you plenty. The ice cream doesn't cost too much more as other places tend to charge a ridiculous amount for one little scoop of creamy goodness to go along with the shave ice. It's a nice and refreshing treat that's worth getting if you're passing by. Overall, the prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you get. Oh, and don't come here for the atmosphere. You come here for the food. If you're looking for a pleasant ambiance to match a good meal, you won't find it here. Best to take your food to the beach or eat it on the go.

    (3)

  • .Alan Y.

    We stopped here on the way to Kaneohe from a short hike at Makapu'u Point. We got a nice shave ice fix for a couple bucks. I guess it's hard to mess up shave ice, but I was super thankful that this joint was here. Lilikoi, guava and lychee was just the fix I needed. They've got a six buck plate lunch too, which is a pretty damn fair price.

    (4)

  • Adam M.

    On an island where everything seems pricier than the mainland, Kenekes was an overwhelming and satisfying surprise: Tasty, quick food, awesome prices, and a lot of local flavor off the heavily beaten tourist path. Being a legit southern boy worth my weight in grits (cause i eat em all) I'm a sucker for some good ole' comfort food. I'm no more of a Hawaii expert than James Cook was (he was killed by the natives cause he pissed 'em off, y'all) but this place is what I'd consider true Hawaiian comfort food, at least as it exists today. The "plate lunch" is something that seems to be really popular in Hawaii (at least Oahu), which is pretty similar to our southern neighbors in Mexico. Usually you get a meat dish with a side or two, like white rice, fries, etc. It's the Hawaiian rice and beans. I ordered the Pork Gisantes plate lunch with french fries and mac salad and nearly fell out of my chair. I was on my 6th day away from Georgia (yah, i know, in paradise but seriously) and it was exactly what i craved after fighting the brutal waves at awesome Makapu'U Park beach (see yelp.com/biz/makapu-u-be… ). Th pork was soft like southern bbq and mouthwateringly good. Even the mac salad panged of southern flavor. I found it appropriate that this place is a bit of a dump. The only seating is in a make-shift outdoor shack with a roof, decorate by hundreds of bible quotes, which i suspect are remnants from the previous tenants (or of some co-relation with Keneke's and the big man upstairs, which isn't a big stretch). Oh, and your food is definintely coming in styrofoam, ready to-go where you go, but it will taste great just the same. Another quick note - if you're not looking for food specifically but just need a cool treat the Hawaiian shave ice seemed to be a big draw. PS: The area, while not as ritzy, has some really great beaches, too, so if you're in the area, grab some Keneke's and hit one of the beautiful beaches. Makapu'U (linked earlier) is but one of the local strips of sand that look like a scene on Lost. $#!, now my mouth is watering...

    (4)

  • Richard G.

    Classic plate lunch: Wife-unit and I shared a three meat (kalua pork, teriyaki chicken and lau lau) with double mac salad. Large portions, ono and very reasonable. But as noted by others, this is a (deleted) hole; a pure and simple third world experience. The dining bunker was dirty and the flies from the two overflowing garbage cans had every one who was eating outside doing the Waimanalo Wave. Grab your food and head off to Occupy Waimanalo Beach or whatever it's called.

    (5)

  • Christian R.

    Stopped by here on a drive up the east side of Oahu. It's a quaint lil joint...we had a teriyaki beef plate. Nothing spectacular, but it definitely hit the spot. The lady who took our order was pleasant to talk to. The eating area has a bunch of bible scripture scribbled on the wall. Decent food. Worth the stop if you're on that side of the island.

    (3)

  • Tsz Hin K.

    Eat here if you like tasty food and really don't think about what you eat. I was recommended Kenekes by a couple of locals after I requested "authentic hawaiian food." As a Canadian, I have no reference for what authentic hawaiian food is, but I did have very mixed feelings about Kenekes. The Good: (1) Tasty Food. I had the Lau Lau (tender pork in taro leaves) and the Loco Moco (a Hawaiian concoction that almost defies description -- rice topped with three hamburger patties, three sunny-side up eggs, and drenched in gravy, plus macaroni salad to boot). Both were divine, in that artery clogging way. If we didn't have to wear bathing suits and could wear ponchos all day, we probably would have finished the dishes. (2) Irreverent Surroundings. People have mentioned the lack of AC, flies, and bible verses. All three are present, but surprisingly, they are not dealbreakers. In fact, there are also pigeons in the area, and the combination is not that offensive. You're eating by the side of the road, so you accept a bit of insanity. The Bad: (1) I ate the food, and I ate more than I should have, but I also was very aware of how terrible the entire meal was for me. Seriously, if you care about the health of your GI tract, you will make this a very occasional indulgence. If you think about it, a loco moco is nothing but salt, fat, carbs (and a nominal amount of protein). (2) The location is out of the way. If it was in Honolulu, I would probably go there more often. But because it's somewhere by Waimanalo, the idea of driving out there prevents me from going there because I have enough time to think about exactly what it is that I'm consuming. Conclusion. I started off giving Kenekes 3 stars, but as I wrote this review, I remembered the flavors, forgot the the fat content, and upped it to four. If you're a tourist and you're in the area, there's no reason not to go, even if it's just to go there as an experience. Otherwise, go there if you're able to be blissfully ignorant of the nutritional value (that is, there is none) of your food, and just think om nom nom.

    (4)

  • Tom A.

    Kind of a standard since it's been there forever, but I can't say I'm a fan. I keep trying because so many people recommend it. It's nice to park and take in the mountains there while sitting outside. Friends who visit Hawaii always seem to want to go here, because I guess it's cheap for the portions, popularized by tour books and a nice "local" stop on the way from Hawaii Kai to Kailua. If you must eat here, try the Kalbi or Fish ... Can't recommend the Katsu or Chicken.

    (2)

  • Dave H.

    Has to be one of the best Oahu Plate Lunch places there is. This is a pretty far drive from town, dare i say it might be worth it despite the hiked up gas prices? My only gripe about this places is the cleanliness! What a dump! Apparently, I am told that, that was the effect the owner was going for. If i wasnt worried about getting some sort of disease from sitting down on one of their benches, I'd probably give it the full 5 stars it deserves.

    (4)

  • Kari L.

    DELICIOUS!! Anytime we are on this side of the island we make it a point to stop at this locale for a bite to eat. May look sketchy, but definately STOP for a bite! We had a bbq pork, mahi mahi sandwich (which I think had a small bone in the fish), cheeseburgers and a grilled cheese. I recommend them ALL!

    (4)

  • Laura R.

    This place was delicious. There is one in North Shore and one near Wiamanalo. Great plate lunch and pretty good shave ice too!

    (4)

  • Katie F.

    This place is a gem. $7.95 for a heaping box of mahi mahi, luau pig, and kalbi is the shit (included is also 2 large scoops of white rice and macaroni salad). Mahi mahi was a little fishy, but that's just that type of fish. Regardless, the kalbi was thick and juicy and the pig was salty and savory. Delicious. I can't wait to go back and get a shaved ice the size of my head!

    (4)

  • Elaine C.

    The only really good thing I can say about Keneke's was the drive there; Super scenic with the clear blue water for miles and miles on out and palm trees. Keneke's serves Hawaiian style plate lunches. Rob ordered the mixed plate with lau lau, kahlua pork and kalbi (korean short rib). I ordered a mini plate with just kalbi, rice and mac salad. Cons: The kalbi had a lot of fat on there and wasn't that flavorful. The kahlua pork was ok and the laulau was ok. Nothing orgasmic in my mouth. The mac salad needed a little more salt. Pros: The portions are really big here so it's always good for leftovers but that much fat on kalbi is just wrong. I wish I ordered something else like the fried chicken or teriyaki chicken with fries instead of rice. It's a good stop before you hit up Waimanalo Beach. The only time I'd ever come back here is if I make my way out to Waimanalo Beach, but I won't be getting the Kalbi plate.

    (2)

  • Censor T.

    Here are the reasons Keneke's is my favorite plate lunch on the island: 1.) More food than anywhere else I've found (3 hamburger pattys!) 2.) Cheaper than anywhere else I've found ($6 even includes the big meal, with a large drink) 3.) The food is really, really tasty. My favorite plate (which I get any time I can make it here) is the Teriyaki Burger plate - so delicious. I also really like the mac salad. The place is out of the way, but it's worth it.

    (5)

  • Kelly M.

    Pros: pasta salad, fried chicken, teriyaki sauce (mixed in with the rice) and steak fries. Cons: everything else, especially the chicken katsu and teriyaki chicken (just poor quality chicken breast is what it comes down to..) Atmopshere is a bit dicey, and we had to wait quite a while for our food even though it wasn't too busy.

    (2)

  • N H.

    Love Love Love the food at Kenekes! I would give it 5 stars, but their service isnt so great... We absolutely adore their Mochico chicken, the bbq pork and kaula pig are definitely worth writing home. :D We also had their ice cream- Yum! Coconut and pineapple ice creams are to die for. Their chocolate macadamia nut ice cream tastes just like reg chocolate. Their vanilla is quite good. I wish that we had a Kenekes in Minnesota. I will miss you Kenekes! Quick tip- take a right to go straight next to Kenekes- park in the residential area and swim on some gorgeous beaches!

    (4)

  • Kacey S.

    Keneke's catered our wedding. Everybody LOVED the food. That part was easy. The service was awesome! You usually get one or the other not both. We got both. The line was always moving. The food was always hot. Keith and his staff could not be better. My wedding planner Kathe Garcia hooked me up with them. She told me they were the best and she wasn't lying. I was a busy bride but I wish I could have hugged every single person there for making my wedding even more awesome. I could never thank them enough. The Kalua pig was my favorite. It was so juicy! My husband and I like to eat there for lunch when we

    (5)

  • Dan W.

    Great local place! Skip all those darn hotel restaurants, you've gotta try the BBQ chicken and Kalua Pig. Just one plate lunch can feed two people. If this is your first plate lunch experience, which it was for me, it usually comes with two servings of rice and a serving of macaroni salad. The pork was soft and juicy, and I wasn't sure what to expect of the BBQ chicken but it was very good as it was a sweet Hawaiian BBQ style that I really liked. The macaroni salad had an interesting flavor, and the rice was actually quite good. Yeah the place is al fresco, the patio had Christian writing all over it, and the tables aren't cleaned but maybe once or twice a day but with food like that who cares. And if you do, then stay in the hotels!

    (4)

  • Shali X.

    Husband & I ate here twice on our recent Hawaiian vacation, and liked it. We came once for breakfast & once for lunch. The breakfast was good, nothing really special, just good yummy food. I ordered two eggs over medium & spam (had to try it!), and the eggs came cooked perfectly, which made me happy. Definitely cheap eats, as mentioned before. Also great shaved ice. I would recommend this place as a quick, cheap, solid place to eat while on vacay!

    (4)

  • John E.

    On my previous 3 trips to Oahu, this place would get 4 stars. This last time was a miserable experience. I ordered the combo plate with kalua pig, kalbi ribs, and bbq chicken. The kaula pig was dry, not juicy at all. The ribs and the chicken smelled off, kind of like they were not refrigerated for a day or so. When I bit into the rib, it was raw in the middle and smelled like rot. The chicken also had a spoiled taste and it caused me to spit out the bite out. The mac salad even had a funky smell. On top of this the dining area had an overpowering odor of the warm garbage can that went well with my spoiled food. Ick. I think I will stick to the Waimanalo L&L for my shortribs for now on

    (1)

  • Moani C.

    My favorite shave ice on the island. The ice is not as smooth and silky as Waiola's Shave Ice, but they put more syrup (and who doesn't like that?). I also like the topping choices they have, including: sweetened condensed milk and ice cream. Great place to stop if you're on the East side of the island. Can't wait to try their plate lunches and burgers.

    (4)

  • Graceypoo M.

    After passing by Hanauma Bay (which was closed), I kept driving up Kalanianaole Highway and came upon Waimanalo. This area is poorer and not the "Hawaii" that the rest of the world know. Where there are areas of (material) wealth... such as the beaches and tourist-centered economy of Waikiki... Waimanalo is where the poorer locals live. In my food-hunting experience, I always love going off the beaten path and seek out places where the locals get grub....I just think these places are more "legit" since the way they prepare their foods cater to the locals' palates (rather than the pootiefied versions I had at Waikiki). (NOTE TO MY PEEPS: This is like the LFC on 6th/Market, or the old Pop Inn in Alameda). I see this place called Keneke's Plate Lunch--old, 1-story concrete building with a seating area next to their kitchen. The seating area has murals of various Bible scriptures. I had a feeling that this place is an institution in these parts. (didn't realize Maya S. recommended this place to me too.... so glad Keneke's found me!) My favorite quote: "God created the Hawaii and The earth" 2 opinions 4:2 For $7.50, you can get a "mini plate" lunch--a combo of 3 different meats, and the standard "two scoops of rice and 1 scoop of mac salad." I had the kalua pig, mochiko chicken (first place I've been to during this trip that offered this item), and mahi mahi. I hate mahi mahi on the regular because it is usually flavorless in other places (e.g. Bubba Gump Scramp), but Keneke's mahi mahi is so flavorful. They give you HELLA food--enough for 3 people with mini appetites, or 2 voracious-ass people. They also have shaved ice and ice cream. They also deliver (and supposedly one of the most popular caterers on Oahu). The staff include Hapa, Filipino, and haole peeps. Very nice and very down peeps. Definitely worth the trip. ( | )

    (5)

  • helen s.

    Tried the kalua pig and the mochiko chicken and both were alright. The mochiko chicken lacked flavor and the kalua pig was just way too salty. Food just was not memorable.

    (2)

  • Keala P.

    perfect for lunch after going to Sandy's. + fresh food, good kine grind, brah. lol. + the workers are super chill/nice + $5 breakfast plate!! and its fucking huuuge and comes with a jumbo drink (: - parking is sometimes tricky - gets super crowded during lunch time and the wait can be around 15-20 mins sometimes - you have to wait in the hot sun so yeah. overall, the wait and everything else is soooo worth it. if you want REAL/GOOD local food. funny story: i ordered a breakfast plate with portuguese sausage and the sausage tasted kinda... weird/spoiled. so i told them if they could make me new sausages, but they gave me a whole plate for free! awesome deal (: i basically got two breakfast plates for $5 altogether!

    (5)

  • Nina N.

    out of all the shaved ice places, this one was the best. Kind of ghetto but it is pretty tasty after a nice surf :)

    (4)

  • Johnny B.

    I was here back in January of 2007 with the wife. I know, I know that was 3+ years ago but I had to yelp this place due to a great meal we had. Well here we go...After a day at Waikiki we decided to go get lost and just drive. So as we were driving around enjoying the scenes we past this place. We saw a bunch of cars parked up front so we decided to make a U-turn and give it a try. I can still remember the taste of the plate lunches we had like it was yesterday!!! Top notch for a family owned business. The young man who was the owners son was very polite. The food was tha bomb!!! We really enjoyed the eating area, which was full of bible verses. I don't remember the fly problems that some have mentioned. All in all a great experience!!! We will definitely be back when we come back to the islands.

    (5)

  • Daryl Y.

    At lunch here with family...the hamburger streak plate was good and the beef curry...the Teri beef was salty and the BBQ was like L & L it was ok but nothing to write home about...parking or the five or six stalls are ok but getting back on the road was a challenge.

    (3)

  • Maryrose S.

    I was introduced to this place by our tour guide during our first visit to Oahu. I've returned to this place on every subsequent visit. Service is a little slow, but the kalua pig is completely worth it. I don't think I've tried anything else other than that dish. Follow it with an order of shaved ice and you're set!

    (4)

  • Nick Y.

    Is the water really potable at Keneke's in Waimanalo? Back in the day, my friends and I would always come here after Sandy's during the summer. I haven't eaten here in over ten years, but I remember the food, especially the teri burger plate, to be quite pleasing to my "cottony" palate. The cleanliness, however, is questionable at best.

    (3)

  • Tiana L.

    I'm a fan. Taste good. My chix long rice was a little dry but it had a good flavor.

    (4)

  • R O.

    Used them to cater my son's 1st birthday party. The Good: booking them was a breeze. I could communicate through e-mails and charge over the phone. I did have to send a couple - "so you're saying..." or "please confirm..." type e-mails, but that was fine with me. The not-so-good: Food was OK, nothing spectacular. The Bad: Portions seemed unbalanced. especially weird since they were serving the food. you would think that they were serving "one serving" at a time, right? we had ordered for about 25 people more than showed at our party. You would think we'd have tons of leftover of everything. Nope. Sushi...ran out before half of our party was able to eat. we didn't have any leftover beef or pork, but had about 4 gallon sized bags of chicken katsu leftover. The Worst: They were almost one hour late for our party!!! They were supposed to start serving at 11:00. Our guests didn't start eating until about 11:50. Timing is very important when you have a venue booked for only a limited amount of time. I will never use them again, nor will i recommend them to anyone planning an important function.

    (1)

  • Aaron S.

    Keneke's is a decent place to eat right after hiking or spending some time at the beach. It's a short drive from the Makapuu lighthouse trail hike and right next to Waimanalo beach park. I like to come here after a morning hike to the makapuu tide pools, and will point tourists in this direction if they want to try a plate lunch. Good- The kalua pig (shredded smoked pork) sandwich w/ bbq sauce was pretty good. Not dry, tasteless, or too salty, which is what people typically complain of when served this dish.The lau lau (pork steamed in taro leaves) is also pretty tasty, but not available as a mini plate. The pork is tender and juicy- but could use some more salt/pepper seasoning in my opinion. Also, despite the line getting long at times, my food was always served relatively quickly- maybe a 3-5 minute wait. Bad- The seating area may be less than desirable due to the lack of cleanliness the amount of flies that hang out around there. Also the wall is riddled with religious graffiti, which I personally find interesting but may not be considered appropriate by others. No worries though, just head to the beach which is close by.

    (3)

  • John D.

    First of all, it's divey. Real divey. Don't worry that is looks like ur gonna get shot when you get out of your car. A) you're not. B) If you do it will be the best final meal you can have! Seriously though, not the best spot for a department of tourism picture, but a great stop nonetheless.

    (5)

  • Adam H.

    I used to live within walking distance of Keneke's. This place rules. But for you tourists and others not used to places that sell shave ice, be aware of the bees :) See what happens is people drip the shave ice on the ground, when lots of people do it, bees come to eat the syrup. As for the experience of Keneke's: - Old white cinder block building with a window to order from - Some indoor seating, but its basically a cement room with some picnic style tables to chill when you leave the beach -Hand written menu on the wall next to the window where you order :-D -Bible scripture covered walls and bible scripture cups (reminded me of the south) - EXCELLENT PLATE LUNCHES Full Plate: Plenty meat, 2 Scoops rice, 2 scoops mac salad Mini Plate: Less meat, 1 Scoops rice, 1 scoops mac salad (how I usually order) Meats consist of: Short ribs, teri beef, teri chicken, spam, hot dog and chili, and a whole array of Hawaiian plate lunch standards! I am getting hungry while I type this. -Cold Refreshing Shave ICE! My recommendation - Plan a nice day at Waimanalo beach. Its a fantastic little local beach with gentle surf usually and is usually amazing in the summer. Its not as hot as the leeward and westside beaches. Then when your done, shower off, wrap your towel around you and head to Keneke's as is. Wet hair, towel, and rubber slippers are the standard look at Keneke's

    (4)

  • Tash T.

    I only eat pork on vacation. Having said that, I'm trying to figure out how to be on vacation more often. Holy Sh*t! Kahlua pork is AMAZING! I have been jonesing for it since I left Hawaii. I call this place In-N-Out Burger to the next level because of all the religious insignia on the cups and scrawled on the walls. Conspicuously absent is Leviticus 11:7 - 8. Hmmm... It's true: The portions are huge. I ordered the kiddie size and I still couldn't finish it. One thing I adore about Hawaii is the elbow-noodle salad. It comes with everything. What? I love me some elbow-noodle salad. Also have a milkshake. Who doesn't want chocolate macadamia nut flavored shake? It's worth writing home about.

    (4)

  • Samantha V.

    The shave Ice is the only thing I'd recommend from this place! I have been here a couple times, each time I end up throwing out the food because it's so gross. If you like 2 scoops of rice loco moco it may be for you, but it was NOT for me.

    (2)

  • Nani S.

    I worked for a production company that needed someone to cater lunches for various set locations as well as in studio. After calling all over the island, Keneke's came through with the best value, flexibility, service, quality and PRICES! I was so impressed that I hired them to cater our baby luau. The lau lau, poi, everything was so ONO! My friends and family still talk about the great food. Keneke's is the best!

    (5)

  • Mich Q.

    Always a must stop when driving past Waimanalo.... an institution in the East Side! Food is always fresh and tasty! For a mere $7.95, you can have a mixed plate with 3 items from the board, rice and mac. What!!! And its a whole lotta food... good enough to share between 2 people if you care for that! I'm a swine lover so I always opt for the Kalua pig, chicken katsu and mochiko chicken! And after devouring all this food, I was ready for a nap... Quick, easy and tasty!

    (4)

  • Stacey C.

    Everything is super greasy & fatty! Stopped by this place after some fun in the sun, swimming, tanning, and building sand castles. My mister was very HUNGRY! GRRRrrrrr.... Cute joint and interesting wall decors. It's HOT HOT HOT in hawaii in July so beware! ;)

    (3)

  • Lana L.

    Oh, Keneke's, Keneke's, Keneke's... despite our long distance relationship and those treacherous bus rides from Honolulu, you are worth every moment as I take each bite of your juicy, flavorful teriyaki chicken. I don't care what they say about hole in the wall joints, but you make my wallet happy, my tummy happy, and my life even happier -- KENEKE'S ROCKS!

    (4)

  • Wiley G.

    On vacation here in Hawaii. Came here for lunch. Love the Saba and the kalua pig. Would definitely come back here again!

    (5)

  • Sam D.

    Great place if you're in the area. Shave ice and plate lunch all in one place?! Nice portions & good food.

    (5)

  • Nate R.

    I remembered Keneke's for the "Fear God Powerlifting Team" bumper stickers from a long time ago, so when I went to Waimanalo Beach for the first time in several years, I looked up Keneke's again and stopped by afterwards. Sadly, the stickers are no longer there; apparently they closed that part down about a week ago. The food was still there, though, and that was a plus. The portions are great. Definitely plenty of food. My girlfriend and I each got mixed plates. Hers: Kalbi, Katsu Chicken, and Pork Adobo. Mine: Fried Shrimp, Katsu Chicken, and Kalua Pig. The Good: The Pork Adobo was hands-down the best thing I tasted there. Juicy and amazingly flavorful, if I were to go back I would simply get a big plate of this. The shrimp was juicy and chunky, very tasty. The Bad: Katsu chicken was thin, dry, and not very tasty. Kalbi was gross. Fatty, nasty, bad. Kalua Pig was fine, but dry and tasteless. So that's why I gave it 3-stars. It was A-Ok overall, with high points of Adobo, and low points of Kalbi, with some mediocre in between. Still a worthwhile place to go after a fun day at the beach, just if I went back I'd get just the Adobo and be about 20 times more pleased and satisfied. Also, i wish I could have got another FEAR GOD sticker, cause they're funny.

    (3)

  • Thomas T.

    Have to thank my bud for showing me this place; a definite must visit. Perfectly slow cooked kalua pig with outstanding favors and right amount of juice and tenderness. Best part, the small kalua plate lunch runs only $6! When i say small, one would be hard pressed to attempt to finish it. They're known for their kalua pig, and i would definitely agree. A great place to swing by after spending the day in the surfs....it has a small, though not the cleanest outside dinning area....recommend getting the plate lunch and taking a short drive to a nearby beach and enjoy!

    (3)

  • Cristina C.

    I'd travel 3,000 miles to eat here. And have. But I am from Hawaii so this place has a very special place in my heart. But I digress. This is CLASSIC 'plate lunch'...no pretense...no gluten free...no certified organic. However, it is very good 'local' food. If you are not from the islands, I'd recommend the Kalbi (Korean short ribs) or the Kalua Pig (slow roasted pork). This will introduce you to the flavors. Just so you know, the reason 'plate lunch' joints serve Hawaiian, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Spam! is an odd fluke of history. All of these cultures were jammed together in the sugar plantations and when the spouses brought lunch, the result was a cocophany of cultures. It totally works, and I have found few places with more diverse food on the menu where it is all good. I mean, seriously, where else can you say, "...so, what are you in the mood for today? Korean? Japanese? Hawaiian? Chinese? Haole? Portuguese?"

    (5)

  • Sarah L.

    Keneke's make the BEST kalua pork, hands down. we ordered several trays for our wedding reception and all the guests raved about it.

    (5)

  • James W.

    I like the variety of the mixed plate, with two plates we had 6 entrees to sample! The BBQ and teriyaki chicken were good, but did not care for the overly cooked mochiko chicken. The lau lau pork was a nice local flavor, very tender. The mahi mahi and sabo, however were very underwhelming. If your in the area, it's a great place to try to get a taste of local food.

    (3)

  • Lilly G.

    We ordered a chicken plate and a special plate with lau lau, kalua pork, and kalbi. We barely finished the kalbi, and threw everything else away. First of all, it was a bit strange to sit in a dining area with bible verses hand written in pen all over the walls. Secondly, the "no meth" stickers everywhere should have made us jump back in the car and order elsewhere. Third, it wasn't the cleanest place we'd ever eaten at. Perhaps the lau lau was the best? However, I feel like its one of those dishes that is an acquired taste, the steamed pork in banana leaf had a strange flavor. The kalua pork was a bit dry, and the chicken needed a bit more flavor. The kalbi was a bit sweeter than I'm used to. The rice even seemed to have an odd flavor. Believe me, I know my rice! Suffice it to say, there was plenty of food, however, we left hungry. The poor man went back to the hotel room and tossed his cookies, in a bad way.

    (1)

  • Rich P.

    Decent mahi mahi sandwich, though it could use a little sauce of some kind. Pretty good shave ice. Place is a bit run-down.

    (3)

  • Bekah L.

    Best shaved ice on the island! The portions are epic and the flavors are incredible...it hardly even tastes like the regular syrup! The teriyaki burgers and steak fries are delicious too. Plus...you can't beat their prices!! Last time I was there it was about 3 bucks for a Teri burger.

    (5)

  • Madeline M.

    What E.L.B. said... It's definitely a nice-sized food stand, and was instrumental in my quest for shave ice. It was just gravy when I saw that they had plate lunches. If I lived here, I'd be so humongous!!! I ordered a shave ice with lilikoi, li hung mi (I think. I can't remember HTF it's spelled), and lychee with a snow cap and azuki beans (which were actually a paste). What a treat after a drive from the North Shore. They make the shave ice to order, one at a freaking time, and there were a bunch of peeps ahead of me. I was so ready to yell "Shark!" just to get my order done that much faster. Almost sickeningly sweet and absolute heaven! Two very full thumbs up! (That's for you, Paul!)

    (5)

  • Jackson G.

    This was our first stop when we arrived in Oahu. We stumbled upon Keneke's via Yelp mobile and knew we had to have a plate lunch while in Hawaii. The value is great and you get a ton of food..too much really, but that's the way to do it when you're there. The down side are all the flies that hover over you and your food as you eat.

    (3)

  • X I.

    Went for lunch today, cashier was very cheerful....but they always are! They give very generous portions for the price! Now I eat a lo,t and I left stuffed! Pork Adobo was the flavor of choice.

    (5)

  • Jess M.

    This is for sure my favorite plate lunch on the island. I dream about it, and yes I even have "Fear God Powerlifters" sticker on the back window of my truck. It's a local gem just off Waimanalo beach, really not by much else but a gas station and a McDonald's nearby. It's worth the drive to this quirky little spot where you will find the menu written on the wall, and psalms, religious quotes and artwork covering the dining area. The food is authentic, the folks are friendly- and the Kalua Pig is the absolute best on the island! Note: Yes they do also cater- and it's equally delicious when it's cooked up fresh in your home!!

    (5)

  • John R.

    Good plate lunch, big portions. I got the ultimate combo of mochiko chicken, kalbi, and kahlua pork, and it was very good. Will definitely hit them up when I go winward side!

    (4)

  • Matt M.

    Terrific plate lunch joint. I had the mixed plate with kalua pig, pork adobo, and kalbi. All of the meats were excellent, but the adobo really stood out (nice and vinegary). My wife had the shoyu chicken and it was very good. All of the servings were also huge and reasonably priced. This place probably isn't worth a trip just for the food, but if you in the neighborhood and hungry, this is the place to hit.

    (4)

  • AhLin C.

    There is nothing better than a huge rice plate after swimming! We were quite famished after our swim at Hanauma Bay. We passed by this place and our friend said it's pretty good. Maybe it's b/c we were starving, but I still say it was damn good. I had their mix lunch plate w/ the shoyu chicken, kalbi ribs and pork adobo. Super yummy! The pork was a bit too salty, but w/ the rice, it was perfect. I liked the shoyu chicken too! With a side of mac, it was just perfect!

    (4)

  • Tony L.

    I've had better plate lunches elsewhere. The nice thing is you can have a variety of foods in the 3 dish meal. The Mochiko Chicken was pretty good, sweet and tasty. The Pork Adobo was tender but greasy. And I definitely would not recommend the hamburger dish, nothing special and salty.

    (3)

  • Melanie T.

    Great Local Place to check out, as it is located in a remotely country side of Oahu. We ordered their Loco Moco, Combination Plate of Kalbi, Adobo Pork and Kalua Pork, and Lau Lau Plate. Portions here are generous and the prices are reasonable. However, I wasn't a huge fan of their loco moco as the gravy was chunky- it looked as if it was canned gravy that wasn't stirred and heated up thoroughly. The Lau Lau was just ok but it wasn't amazing. The only thing I think I really liked was the pork Adobo and Kalbi which was both full of flavor and tender. The food is mediocre but the service here was great and friendly.

    (3)

  • Jen H.

    Rude cashier, gave me the wrong order and refused to give me a refund or make it right, wanted me to buy a whole new plate just to get what I'd originally ordered. The food is mediocre, I don't recommend this place.

    (1)

  • Bethany W.

    Food was extremely bland, wait was long, and both my husband and I said we wouldn't go back. We had chicken katsu, teriyaki chicken, kalua pork, rice, and mac salad (very bland). It was cheap for all the food we got though.

    (1)

  • Dong T.

    Not a lot of peeps know about this place since it's kind of out of the way. Great food, make sure you order up some of their fries. Watch out for the huge chunks of fat.

    (4)

  • Boki C.

    looks grimy but it's good. not a typical plate lunch place cuz it's got a variety of fish u can order =) yay i'm a fan, but it's kinda far for me =) portions & price - good!

    (4)

  • Carlos S.

    Ok so when you are driving around the Island and you find yourself hungry some people will just stop and settle for anything...lucky for you Keneke's is not anything it is GOOD! It was recommended to me before I leave left the mainland so you better believe that I was going to check it out. The Plate Lunch is just that plate lunch; you know that good Chicken. Again as with other reviews here on Yelp who likes to comment on the decor, I don't eat at places because of the decor. Do not expect any white table clothes at a place like this! Enjoy the Good EATS!!!

    (4)

  • Lance K.

    i'm craving LOCO MOCO... this place arguably has the best plate lunches on the island. their plate lunches are infused with real hawaiian love and their handwritten menu is rad. the entire place is one big poetic piece of art. also added to the experience are the many writings and quotes on the walls. read them while you gorge on Lau Lau. the next time i go back i'm planning on ordering a different plate lunch each day. Their mantra is "divine grinds" and i love that they are the proud sponsor of the "Fear God Powerlifting Team"! oh and while you are at keneke's, MAKE SURE you run over to 7-11 next door and grab some delicious SPAM MUSUBI for a late afternoon snack.

    (5)

  • Jay K.

    love the price, love the food it was a quite a surprise! i would definitely go back

    (5)

  • S. R.

    I love this place. We stopped here twice on our vacation in '09. Everything was good. The teriyaki was especially good. Although my wife did not agree, I loved the mac salad. The only item I would not recommend would be the loco moco, the burgers were just too dry. The rice was awesome, it was my first experience with sticky rice. I went on a quest when I returned to Pennsylvania to make rice like Keneke's. Fear God Powerlifting and good food, I like the combination.

    (4)

  • Mack T.

    Power food, I grow up on their plate lunch and they made me the person I am today. Yummy, yummy stuff, eat with the big boys.

    (5)

  • Nancy B.

    As a visitor to Hawaii, I only understood plate lunches intellectually. Keneke's brought me to a totally different level of understanding. DEEEELICIOUS. I had the fried shrimp and I was in heaven. threeonenine.com/2009/03…

    (4)

  • Ann N.

    the one thing that someone from California needs to remember when you are in hawaii, everything is mellow and slower. we waited about 20 minutes for our one order...just three items over rice and macaroni salad (chicken katsu, shrimp katsu and teriyaki beef). but it was one of the best 20 minute I had ever waited for a meal. when it finally came and ready to eat, it was HELLA GOOD!!! the chicken katsu was crunchy with an awesome sauce that came with it. the teriyaki chicken had sauce poured on it so it was dripping with a nice coat. of course one has to remember that this place is like a pit stop for a lot of ppl who eat and run or get it to-go so it will not be the swankiest place but if you want good old hawaiian food, this is the place to be :)

    (4)

  • Rex F.

    This place has basic plate lunches that are probably 3 star quality and a decent value. The reason I give 4 stars is for the shave ice. The guava and lychee flavors in particular were quite good when we went there. There's crude outdoor seating - a couple of tables with no covering and more tables in an open air cinderblock structure.

    (4)

  • Beth P.

    best plate lunch between haleiwa and honolulu. craving it from 4000 miles away,

    (5)

  • Grace Y.

    I got the mochiko chicken plate lunch, and it was mediocre. A friend got the daily special, $6 for full size shoyu chicken plate lunch + drink. It was good, but just shoyu chicken, nothing special.

    (3)

  • J K.

    This food is great! We came from the mainland to get married and attend the USC game at Aloha Stadium afterwards where we wanted to have a tailgate reception. What better place, right?! I checked online for a place to get some food for the 20+ family and friends who joined us. Keneke's is located just down the street from the beautiful beach where we got married, so we ordered a couple of dishes from them to take to the game. Wow! We had so much food, and it was so delicious! Mahalo!

    (5)

  • Barry A.

    The wife is leaving for the motherland in a few days, so I can't help thinking of this spot. Mama loves the silky white sand and calm waters of 'Nalo, so we're usually down this side a lot when we're back on vacation. This means of course, at least once on our trip, we're hitting up Kenekes. The other reviews give you the specifics, and they're all true. This place is all 808. Good tasting local comfort food, big portions, served with aloha. Perfect after surfing Sandys or Makapu'u. Perfect after roasting on the beach in Waimanalo with the wife. Perfect after driving all the way back to Mililani to eat.

    (5)

  • Nick M.

    Real HBBQ. Now we're talking! It's just as it should be. Surrounded by beach. Walk up in sandles to a friendly mom and pop shop and get your eat on. I had the largest Loco Moco they offer. Rice, 3 eggs, 3 ground beef patties, gravy, mac salad....big boy food.

    (5)

  • Christine K.

    A couple of years ago I made arrangements to have food catered for a party. I chose my selections, emailed it to Kenekes. The response back to me were more of one word responses. For the event though, I did get the requested items delivered to my location...and the food was good. This second time around, I wanted to do the same so I emailed a message to Kenekes On Jan 3, 2012. I simply wanted to know if they could do an ordered for Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. The one word response back was "yes" so I figured, no problem. I emailed Kenekes second time on Jan 3. my selections for the date I wanted it for. Received no response. I emailed again on Jan. 5......still no response. After not hearing back from anyone, I sent an email on Jan. 11 to cancel my order. While the food is good, the communication is not great.

    (2)

  • Beverly E.

    Two of my favorite things in Waimanalo are the beaches and Keneke's. Keneke's is definitely a hole in the wall type of place with a good variety of plate lunches. I would get either the mochiko chicken, lau lau or kalua pork here. Their mini size portion is pretty huge, so make sure you really want to eat if you want anything larger. You'll want to save some room for some shaved ice or vanilla (or chocolate) mac nut ice cream... mmm mmm good.

    (4)

  • Geezup C.

    I had heard about Keneke's from some travel show I watched years ago, but was reminded of it in Hawaii, when my travel partner had mentioned that he was looking to find this restaurant. On our trip, we had asked around Honolulu and other areas about the location of Keneke's and nobody appeared to know. This was hard to believe, but perhaps we were asking tourists or there's some locals in Honolulu who don't know about the goodness that is Keneke's. On one of our drives to the beaches on the east side of Oahu, we finally found it. Although we had had a light lunch at Hanauma Bay, we instantly pulled the car over into the parking lot, once we saw that Keneke's sign. After a few days of searching, it felt like we found the holy grail. I ordered the adobo, fried chicken, and Kalua pig and it was awesome. The adobo tasted like authentic Filipino, and the Kalua pig was so moist and tender. The fried chicken was good also. It was served with rice, and some mac salad. The dining area was a bit dirty, but added to the "charm" of the place. Also reading all the bible quotes on the walls was interesting. Definitely a spot that you must find on your trip to Oahu.

    (4)

  • Joanne S.

    It's now a tradition to have a meal at Keneke's after spending the day at Lanikai. Keneke's was even our post-engagement celebration meal (hey, doesn't take much to make me happy!). A good friend introduced me to this lil hidden gem a few years ago (thanks, Mary!) and I've been coming back ever since. Good inexpensive plate lunches and they also have yummy shave ice! You can even choose a flavor other than the standard vanilla ice cream. I got guava, mango and lychee shave ice with mac nut ice cream and azuki bean! Yum yum yummy! And big enough for 2 to share! The BBQ chicken is usually pretty good, but can sometimes be a lil too "cajun style". I tried my friend's mochiko chicken...I'm gonna have to go back for that on my next visit! Oh yes, and the mini plate is a pretty filling meal! Sure they don't have a bathroom or fancy tables, but who needs that when you have good, well-priced food? Okay, so that doesn't solve the bathroom problem, but there are other businesses close by that do have bathrooms! So, there you go!

    (4)

  • W. T.

    My favorite place to eat out in the Waimanalo/Kailua area. I recently started eating seafood again after being vegetarian for years--so the last couple times there were the first chances to really try their plate lunch. Got the mahi plate both times--was expecting the usual over-battered and greasy plate lunch and was happily surprised. The fish was fresh, grilled and tasty. Didn't need the tartar sauce, just squeezed on some lemon juice and didn't come up for air until I was done. Service was also really quick for my food--the backlog in service seemed to be more on the shave ice side.

    (4)

  • Jess M.

    The Kalbi plate lunch was my favorite and really quite filling - they give large portions so be sure to come with an appetite. The BBQ chicken was pretty tasty as well - better than the mochiko chicken in my opinion. When we got to Keneke's at 6pm, the place was closed already but the guy said they have another location called Ken's about a mile down the road (literally behind Jack in the Box at the closest strip mall) and they have $5 plate lunch specials from 5pm-9pm that come with a drink. Awesome value. The place looks pretty run down but the food is good.

    (4)

  • M B.

    PLATE 1 - Short rib, fried shrimp, teriyaki beef - YUM!!!! PLATE 2 - teriyaki beef, fried shrimp, pulled pork - YUM!!!! both came with the mac salad and rice. the teriyaki beef was so juicy and flavorful!!!! i will order both of these OVER AND OVER!!!! truly a perfect plate lunch!!!!

    (5)

  • Russ W.

    I've been going to Keneke's for over 15 years now. Never seen,Keith, the owner unless he's that huge guy driving the delivery van ;) The food is great although I agree with the review about the Kalua pork being dry. I always stop by here once a trip and love reading the scriptures in the dining area. It's part of the experience.. I usually get the kalua Pork (drier than others) or loco moco..

    (4)

  • Leah H.

    We've been going to Keneke's for about 15 years. They have really good kalua pig and pork adobo plate lunches. The mini size is more than enough. This last time we went....not so good. The food was still good. And cheap. But it was SO dirty. The covered area smelled like an outhouse. And there were lots of tweakers hanging around. And the shave ice was too hard and icey. Very disappointing.

    (3)

  • Autumn Skye R.

    A local gem w/ grubbin' plate lunch! I tried the Lau Lau - pork steamed in taro leaves - which was simple & super flavorful. Keneke's is completely understated & unassuming & authentically Hawaiian & delicious! And don't even get me started on the shaved ice! Try the lilikoi & the li hing mui - surprisingly good & ssssoooo refreshing. The undenibly mackin' food aside, this place is truly local, from the low-key, handwritten menu board to the plethora of Bible quotes on the walls to yes, company sponsorship of the Fear God Powerlifting Team! Local passion for Christianity was something unexpected to someone visiting from the mainland, but I give Keneke's props for keepin' it real & lettin' the local flavor shine!

    (5)

  • jenny A.

    Ok, I may get fire-bombed by haters from the Aloha state but I'm going to give a three stars Keneke's. The reason is this: you can find better plate lunch, even in Waimanalo, and the atmosphere is not only weird, but I think it's pretty unhealthy. If you get take out, or eat in your car, or at the beach than you are fine. But sometimes you just want to sit down and eat right then because lets face it plate lunch is better hot, and at Keneke's that is just not an option for me. The dining area is a covered brick patio with benches and tables inside that are so covered with bird crap from the bird's nesting in the roof, that I think if bird flu is ever transmitted to humans, it will probably be traced back to Keneke's. The outside tables are a bit better, in at least daily rain showers clean them off occasionally, but of course, then they are usually wet. Add to that the extreme evangelical religious tracts painted on the walls, mostly about Hell and you just have an atmosphere that makes my skin crawl. And I see reading the other reviews, I'm not the only yelper skeeved out by this. Seriously, Keneke, get yourself a big bottle of 409 and paint some marginally less hostile psalms on the walls and I will automatically up you a star. As for the food, as I said, I've had better plate lunch in Waimanalo. L&L's BBQ next to the feed store is just as good at Kalua pig and I don't feel like I'm going to die, if I'm just too hungry to carry my plate lunch out. There used to be an awesome lunch truck that parked next to the gift store and the McDonald's but apparently that guy was so good and so popular he opened a restaurant in Waikiki.

    (3)

  • Marina K.

    Keneke's is like Hawaii's version of a drive-in country bbq or fried chicken stand. Authentic style that you can only find at an original dive. We drove from Honolulu to try the Lau Lau and Loco Moco. The pork in my Lau Lau was soooo tender and flavorful. Loco Moco was an enormous heaping serving flooded in their lipsmacking gravy. Must say it was well worth the drive which was scenic both ways.

    (5)

  • Monica C.

    Two words: THE BEST!!!!!!! Even though I've only been here 3 times in my life, but i go every time i vacation in Hawaii. Even though the bus is over an hour long from Waikiki, it is worth every minute siting on the bus and spending over 2+ hours traveling round trip. i highly recommend EVERYTHING. esp the macaroni salad with chicken terriyaki rice plate. every bit is like biting a piece into heaven. I've haven't been back to this place for about 3 years, but i am sure it is as good as i remember

    (5)

  • Voice Of The People S.

    i love hawaiian plate lunch and theres is really good here...but what is up with all the crazy religious writings all over the walls????

    (3)

  • sampaguita p.

    the sweets and i were having a quiet christmas day, esp since he has to work tonight, so we decided to celebrate by driving waimanalo side, picking up a plate lunch at keneke's to eat at sherwood's. egad. never again. the sweets and i are all about value for the price and we never expect five star dining from a hole in the wall. that would be ridiculous. we just wanted an honestly good plate lunch. we ordered a mixed plate of chicken katsu, shoyu chicken, and saba and also got a small steak fries. first, the fries were super greasy and not salted. second, the katsu was burnt and over oily. third, one of two shoyu chicken thighs tasted as if it had been burnt on the bottom of a pot that had been left unmanned. fourth, the saba was dry and not seasoned at all. i know it was christmas day and i should be glad that someone was open to serve plate lunch on what is a family-centered holiday. but what galls me is that they thought this pile of crap was serve-able. to the previous poster who commented about keneke's rice, i'll say the rice on our plate was the best thing! it was really bad. in five years, my sweets has never seen me spit out food because it was awful until today. i had to spit out a bite of chicken katsu that was nothing more than a thread of very dry chicken muscle with a burnt crud-crust of oozingly oily panko. disgusting! i really hate to say bad things about a place that is obviously been around for quit a long time and whose owner really cares about the community. we need more local, small businesses like keneke's. but truly--they just didn't care about the plate they served us today. as my sweets put it, keneke's took some perfectly good ingredients and made them into slop. that's such an unfortunate thing because there are other places in the world that don't have access to ingredients as good, but yet they make better tasting food! when comparing keneke's to another local plate lunch institution, rainbow drive in--no wonder rainbow's is so well loved! i have never known rainbow's to serve me a bad plate lunch, whether it was the chili, the hamburger steak, the katsu, the saba, or anything else. and i think it's because they care about what they hand over to their customer each and every time. we feel that today, keneke's knowingly ripped us off of our ten dollars. we'll never go there again.

    (1)

  • Joj o.

    The area, and building, are pretty sketchy, but the food is great. As far as plate lunches go, this is near the top of my list. I've had the BBQ chicken and kalbi. Both are cooked quickly, reasonably priced, and taste delicious.

    (4)

  • Monica B.

    tastey food next to my favorite beach. the religious themes on the walls were in fact a little bit freaky, and the meats in my plate were a little on the dry side, however my boyfriends plate was juicy and delicious and if you look past the religious indoctrination, you get the beautiful views that look like they jumped off a post card. will certainly be returning next time we come out.

    (4)

  • Joanna L.

    It's just OK. The mixed plate was a greasy mess, nothing out of the ordinary for most plate lunch places that don't care about clogging up your arteries. I also got a kalua pig sandwich. bleeech. I was looking forward to some tasty kalua pig, but was majorly disappointed with the tasteless, non-sweet, non-salty meat that overwhelmed the hamburger bun and lettuce leaf which were completely soaked through in oil and grease. I am not sure how kalua pig can be dry and yet leak that much oil out at the same time! I sifted through this "sandwich", which was impossible to eat without a fork, while I sat outside on cement blocks at the sticky picnic tables and stared at the ginormous flies hovering around the trash cans just a few feet away. Of course the flies get curious and make their way to the fresh food that you are trying to wolf down before an actual giant fly can follow it into your mouth too. I can only imagine how many giant flies are landing all over the place in the kitchen. There was no way I was eating in the half-indoor/half outdoor dining room. The walls creeped me out with all the talk of hell, and I was beginning to wonder if I should have stopped here at all. We are half time residents of Oahu and not recommending this place to our visitor friends, unless out of desperation.

    (2)

  • Jennifer M.

    A yelpers 100th review is kind of a big deal. Some yelpers write about fancy schmancy restaurants that of course serve fabulous food, others will write reviews on daring adventures undertaken. However, after Christmas my wallet is too light to even begin to think about heading out for an extravagant dinner, and I'm too much of a coward to try something like skydiving. Those two options taken out of the review equation I decided that I would write about a place near and dear to my heart. It's true Keneke's is not the fanciest of places, but it was love at first bite. My first visit to Keneke's was over 15 years ago, after spending the day at the beach we were ravenous and as we were driving past this little hole in the wall joint our hunger pangs demanded that we pull over. I can remember staring longingly at the handwritten menu and their adobo plate lunch, and then casting a dubious glance at the white guy doing all of the cooking. My mom could sense my indecision and told me I should order the adobo if that was what I wanted, to which I replied that I wanted Filipino Adobo. I guess the cook must have overheard me because he turned around and told me that if I wanted Filipino adobo he would serve me my plate lunch without a fork. Someone else might have been offended by his response, but I knew that this was a man who knew about Filipino food. That was one of the best plate lunches I have ever had, succulent and tender pork flavored with bay leaves, peppercorns, soy sauce, and vinegar...I was in heaven. Every year I go back to Keneke's to enjoy their plate lunches and I am never disappointed. Keneke's huge portions, ridiculously low prices, and seriously ono food keep me coming back for more year after year.

    (5)

  • Kurt K.

    Delicious. Period. If you're in the area, worth grabbing a plate.

    (4)

  • Jill k.

    a rousing afternoon at makapu'u is only improved upon by a stop at keneke's afterwards! their mochiko chicken, or kalua pork will surely keep you going (or at least standing) for the rest of the day!

    (5)

  • Ruchell F.

    we wer going to waimanalo beach and hungry wen we passed by this place...so we stopped by. i ordered chicken teriyaki sandwich...my boyfriend had a burger and we shared fries. we paid less dan $10 and the food was great. it hit da spot.... i had energy for da waves in waimanalo beach after....sadly i got stung by a jellyfish haha

    (3)

  • TINKER B.

    I love their food but have you guys tried their shaved ice??? It is really yummy! I'd say one of the best on the island! My favorite flavors are Mango, Lilikoi, Pineapple, Lychee, Lime, and Guava. I wished I lived closer so I could get it more often.

    (5)

  • Tak K.

    We had 3 things and all 3 were bad. The fried chicken had no taste and it was very dry. The teri beef was also dry and drowning in oversweet and salty teri sauce. The mahimahi was also very very dry. I can't believe people think it's that good. I'm a local and I love my plate lunches, this is not good plate lunch. Tried it and swear never to eat there again. I can't believe that they're in any tourist guide. It's embarrassing that the tourists think this is suppose to be good local plate lunches. It just isn't so.

    (1)

  • jt P.

    Great place for a plate lunch. Healthy portions, good value. The Shoyu chicken was awesome. Kalua pork was also very tasty. My son enjoyed his burger and fries. Terryaki chicken wasn't as good as the others (overly sweet). Don't go here looking for ambiance!

    (4)

  • David M.

    cheap eats. awesome place. great food. i got the mixed plate with the kalbi, pork adobo, and bbq chicken. not exactly a place to take a hot date, but definitely a place for solid local food. right next to waimanalo beach, close to sandy beach - both great beaches to visit as well. Shaka brah!

    (5)

  • Biggie F.

    Rating stays the same, but I did want to mention that after another week or so of the cabbage being gone from the Kalua pig plates -- and they even acknowledged it had disappeared when we inquired about this, although they were non-specific about when, and/or why -- it's back. Not a lot, but some.

    (4)

  • Mike P.

    Love the mom and pop places, but can only give this place a so-so. My buddy got a loco- moco, 3 burgers, 3 eggs, sunnyside up, over rice covered in gravy. It was pretty good. I did the Pork Adobo, also good. Wives got shouyu chk and Teri burger, not so good. Don't know what is is but building was putting off crazy amount of heat. Hottest i have been on this trip. May have effected my meal.

    (3)

  • Ashur Y.

    My brother & I stopped off at this place on our trip around the island. The place is really a hole in the wall but it's definitely worth stopping off at to grab a bite. We both ended up ordering cheeseburgers deluxe which is everything on it. The food was reasonably priced for being in Hawaii. Under $9 is a steel for the 2 of us! The cheeseburger was good and tasty and filling. Highly recommend it to stop off and get something even to snack on for there isn't many places to stop off at going around the island that are reasonably priced and not off the route.

    (5)

  • R J.

    I love the prices of everything along with the sizes but I feel that their customer service people need to check their attitude. Growing up in waimanalo, kenekes is the known place. But I feel that if the ladies in the front can't consistently keep a smile or at least fake that they are irritated then kenekes will go down hill.

    (2)

  • Denby R.

    I used to go to Kenekes when I was in undergrad at UH and we would grab to go here and head to the beach. The shave ice was always refreshing. The service was always nice. It's not necessarily the cleanest place I've ever eaten. But it never stopped us from going. They were relatively quick. But most times so greasy that I would kanak attack and fall asleep on the beach and get super sunburnt. No Bueno. I've been back a couple times recently after they catered a friend of mines wedding. The prices were a little higher, as expected over the last so many years. The portions are still more than generous. And the food was just as greasy as I remember. And sometimes greasy is just what you want. I don't think I would drive out to waimanalo just to have Kenekes. But if I'm headed that way anyway and I need a good nap I might just stop again. At least now that I'm older I remember to bring sunscreen.

    (3)

  • Kahanu Z.

    HORRIBLE! Cater to the tourists and screw the locals! Went to take my nieces and nephews for shave ice. Stood in one of 2 lines. 15 min later I got to the window and proceeded to order my 8 shave ice and was told to go to the other line coz "she was busy" not to be preceeded by her face looking completely disgusted after I had made my order. The 7 people (who were all tourist) ordered before me and had no problem. Regardless of the cashiers behavior, I restood in the other line for another 10 minutes, got to the front, ready to order and the cashier at the window asked my order. I told her 8 shave ice, she "huh'd me"(another disgusted face) and said "try wait" than took her time calling out orders and walked over to the other window, complaining about having to take an order of 8 SHAVE ICE! I waited another 5 min at the window for her to come back until finally I took my business access the street to 7-11. RIDICULOUS!!!! Regardless of the convenience of keneke's (4 min walk from my home), I'll take my business to ISLAND SNOW!

    (1)

  • Jamie H.

    Excellent food! I was visiting Hawaii and we took our entire softball team there. They took great care of us! We all loved the atmosphere (they had bible scripture on the walls). Definitely would eat here again when visiting Hawaii.

    (5)

  • Jarrod F.

    This was the first plate lunch I had in Hawaii, and it was OK. Nothing over the top but the beef teri plate tasted like beef jerky because it was so over cooked. I did like the sides though. A super chill spot but nothing special and not too clean. Aloha.

    (3)

  • Neal J.

    It was my first time here and I had the Loco Moco. It takes a lot to fill me up and this certainly did the trick for a very fair price. The service was good. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Keneke's.

    (4)

  • Marie W.

    I love buying breakfast plates here. Your choice of meat, 2 scoops of rice, toast or Mac salad, eggs, and a drink. On top of that, you can buy their breakfast anytime of the day. Nothing beats a good portion of breakfast plate for $5 bucks! Definitely my go to place whenever I'm in a mood for breakfast.

    (5)

  • B R.

    Upside: Nice folks. Good plate lunch, good shave ice, great ice cream (from Dave's). Downside: Annoying, filthy, scraggly pigeons inside the less than well kept eating area. Recommendation: TAKE OUT. Three stars for the food, one star for the grotesque pigeons.

    (5)

  • Steve R.

    Cool country atmosphere, lots of food, all the locals stop here. They have a huge selection on the menu but beware MSG. 12 hours later I am still parched. I just wanna eat some good local food minus the salt.

    (2)

  • Braddah Joe P.

    Two words...kalua pig. Unless you sumo or play offensive line, get the mini plate. I see all the negative reviews. Um, if you're ordering mahi mahi at Keneke's, then you're not local and you should probably drive up the road to Sweet Home Cafe. Spot's not for you. But if you get sand in the da hair from Mak's or Sandy's and like GRIND, then go Keneke's and get the kalua pig with mac salad and rice. Since you're still all buss from getting pounded, you won't even notice get choke pigeons and small kine cleanliness issues...cause you'll be too busy stuffing your face. Then go home wash out sand from beach and grease from Keneke plate, rinse and repeat next weekend. Lucky you live Hawaii!

    (4)

  • J S.

    Had a lunch for about 50 people catered by Keneke's. Food was awesome. Everyone went on and on about how good it was. The Kalbi beef went quick! Keith was very helpful in getting the menu right for the size of our party and adjusting as things changed. Thanks for making it a great day!

    (5)

  • David H.

    Of the plate lunch places I have enjoyed, this was not one of them, 1) My mahi mahi lunch plate tasted so fishy, i couldn't eat it. definitely wasn't fresh. 2) Dining area is not clean and constantly has pigeons roaming on the tables 3) Bathroom is filthy and light didn't work, we ran out of TP. 4) Shoyu chicken tasted like it was straight shoyu and no other flayors, just salty On the plus side, we enjoyed the shave ice to wash down the tasteof the lunch.

    (2)

  • Darrell P.

    The food here is ok. Grilled chicken is bland. The adobo we got was dry. Mac salad is laced with just mayo flavor. Its definitely not the best. But I have to say the teri beef sandwich is the best imho. It blows Bob's bbq out of the water with their one slice folder paper thin meat. Dont forget those big ass fries and a large lemonade. Get two teri beef sandwiches. You'll be glad you did.

    (4)

  • Linda C.

    We used keneke's catering service, the service was great. We got the funnel package #2 all the dishes that came in that package was good good except for the chicken katsu it was very dry and rubbery. We had that feeling that it would be hard to keep chicken katsu from being fresh as if just came out. I ask if we could substitute it with another dish and pay the price but was told there is no substitution. If I had to use them again I would take a package with out the chicken katsu.

    (3)

  • Judy L.

    We saw this place a few times while heading to the beach. We decided to stop 1 day to the beach and grab teriyaki burgers, fries, a kalua pig lunch plate, drinks, and ice cream. The burgers were ok. I didn't like the flavor of the teriyaki sauce too much. A little too salty for my taste. The fries were good. The kalua pig lunch plate was huge. The flavor was there, but a little dry. Drinks and ice cream was GOOD. Service is friendly but quick and short due to the fast pace.

    (3)

  • Jennifer O.

    Great shave ice. Yum. Bad Teri burger. Yuck. I'll order something else next time. Kinda dirty place to eat, but whatchu eckspek?? Not crowded like Matsumoto's. Flavors so far: vanilla, guava, lilikoi, pineapple, strawberry. Yum. My son tried bubblegum. Yuck. But das what u get when you order bubblegum. Go get your shave ice!!

    (3)

  • Juliet A.

    Shaved ice - gotta have it when you're in HI. Keneke's is a great deal (considering the price hijacking that happens at other places in say, Waikiki), with a HUGE serving a shaved ice, three flavors, for $2.75. The line is long but there are many happy customers who return for the cold treats as well as hot lunches. Favorite shaved ice flavors here: pineapple, mango, and Li Hing sugar. Only complaint is that too much syrup is used and the bottom half of the shaved ice portion pretty much is liquid sugar by the time you get to it.

    (3)

  • Thomas G.

    Great deals! We order our food from this place, every year for our family day.

    (5)

  • Chris B.

    Keneke's catered my wedding for 70 guests. They were professional, courteous, on time, well equiped & provided a great product. Their lead caterer even fixed a plate for the bride & I, & brought it to our table. The quantity was sufficient with just enough left over to enjoy it again a day or two later. The food was cooked properly & spiced with local flavor. I appreciate food that is spiced in such a way that does not require condiments, and Keneke's did just that for our event. Their menu & packages have plenty variety to please anyone from the "meat & potatoes" type to the "grazer". They also had a 15% military discount!

    (5)

  • Tracy K.

    This local favorite used to be our pit stop after the beach when we were in high school. Prices are reasonable. Lots of menu choices. It's a hit or miss with the plates. I usually order a mixed plate of pork adobo, kalua pig and lau lau. The adobo is above average in taste but not the best I've eaten. Kalua pig is slightly under seasoned IMO. I like it a little saltier but I'm sure you can just douse the shoyu on top. And the lau lau was pretty delicious! My boyfriend ordered the chicken katsu and he said it was just alright, nothing to write home about. Service is friendly. The cove of tables and benches has lots of religious references (misspelled biblical passages but a statement nonetheless) on the walls. We kept having to swat pretty fat flies away from our plates the whole time we were there. Parking can get a little tricky when busy because it is right off the highway. If you can park rear end first, you won't be stuck trying to bounce back into oncoming traffic. I'd return to try other items and possibly the shave ice the next time I roll around Waimanalo.

    (3)

  • Fran V.

    I bought the Mochiko Chicken/Shrimp plate and the chicken was hard, rubbery and burnt. Like it was cooked earlier and then recooked when I placed my order. The shrimp was ok. Could have used more garlic for more taste. The place seemed a little dirty. Had to chase flies away while eating.

    (2)

  • Mikki G.

    We went here after we hiked coco head and it hit the spot. It's a hole in the wall place but they give you a ton of food for what you pay for. We got the mixed plate with Kailua pig, chicken katsu, and lau lau pork.

    (4)

  • Michael C.

    Ugh. This place was gross. And I never day those words. Their LauLau pork was just awful.

    (2)

  • Cocoa F.

    If you want to take your food safety and throw it right out the window, this is the place to eat. Let's start with the first thing that hits you, if you approach from the left side or back side of the building, it is the smell. Then if you look closely, you'll see how filthy this place is. There is a big black drum of who knows what standing outside the kitchen in the back. It looks like old grease. Also, the garbage bin is nasty. It might be the garbage, but I think you should keep everything clean around food. The front if the place isn't any better and is just dirty. To top it off, there are flies every where. Huge, black flies buzzing around the food. I couldn't even get to the food I was so grossed out. Check out the back of the restaurant for yourself, then head to any number of clean food establishments next door at Serg's, Ono Shrimp or Sweet Home.

    (1)

  • Keith K.

    Hey, my outlaws are visiting us and had Dad on the Makapu'u hike. He said he was hungry for a quick burger so we drove up towards Waimanalo... and just dove into Keneke's. The place was busy and 2PM, but placed a order for a deluxe hamburger, coconut shaved ice an coca cola. We ordered nothing fancy and got nothing fancy. Dad ate the burger and I ate the shaved ice. $8 later, both of us left content. Saw a lot of negative reviews on this place after coming home. Cannot vouch for the rest of the menu, but we noted the dirty eating area and the flies. I liked the bible verses so it's cool. Won't place Keneke's on my "Best in Oahu" list, but will come back here for a burger or ice. No worries.

    (3)

  • Jennifer L.

    Arrived at 5pm on a Thursday for a late lunch with some friends. It was pretty empty. Food came out super fast. We ordered the following: Teriyaki Chicken - not that great but the best out of what we had. Too sweet which is saying a lot coming from me. Pork Adobo - not that good Kaliha Pork - somewhere between not that great and not that good:-) Mac Salad - too much mayo The seating is a little awkward. The tables are not really big enough for both sides of the table to reach it since the seats are concrete not movable benches. One plus is that you get a lot of food and it is not that expensive. I was hoping for a great find but was completely disappointed. I would not go out of my way to come here.

    (1)

  • Diosa B.

    A friend and I were staying in Waimanalo, so we headed up to Keneke's for a quick lunch after seeing the tons of great reviews here and on Yelp. Being . . . well, not Hawaiian, I wasn't quite sure what to get, but the girl working the window was incredibly helpful and suggested which things I should try. The Shoyu chicken was AWESOME. Seriously, so good. The Teri Beef and Pork Gisantes were both good, but not great. Honestly, I'd go back just for the Shoyu Chicken. Yum. I could probably do without the glurgy Christian stuff everywhere, but that's neither here nor there and certainly not enough of a bother for me to ever not go there.

    (5)

  • Anne K.

    Holy shithole--and I do mean that in the most literal sense! If the bible verses plastered on the wall and Fox News blaring on the tv don't upset your stomach then the food surely will. Because it smelled so badly and was so filthy, we just ordered a shave ice which took 15 minutes to prepare despite being the only ones in there. The shave iced was served in a small styrofoam cup and was nothing but a disgusting overflowing mess. I've seen more appetizing food in a toilet. Because we couldn't even find a trash can we left it untouched on a nearby table and got the hell out of there. Obviously one important biblical verse is overlooked in this establishment...Act 9:32--Cleanliness is next to godliness.

    (1)

  • Harry S.

    Let's be honest: you either love this place or you love it and feel terribly ashamed of it. I'm a mix of both, I'd say. The kalua pig plate is generously portioned, tasty beyond words, and pretty cheap too. Service is steady as she goes. The eating area is, however, repulsive. And that's just the bible scripture quotes sprayed haphazardly strewn about the sorry and rotting excuses for walls. The tables are filthy, there are pigeons and flies abound, and everything is sticky. At least they promote a meth free environment. "No meth around." But hey! The food is great and you gotta just get into it. You'll love it! Write something chaste on the walls when you stop by.

    (4)

  • That Guy B.

    Horrible food and service. Sorry but it's the truth. Lived in Waimanalo my entire life and make the mistake of trying it again from time to time. Big mistake. If your a tourist go down the road a mile and eat at sweet home Waimanalo. Not great but edible. Beware kanekes

    (1)

  • Carl Vincent C.

    I'm a sucker for plate lunches. The last time I was here was nearly three years ago & all I got was shave ice. This time around, I made sure I had an empty stomach to satisfy. I hear their adobo is one of their more popular choices. But alas, being Filipino, I have adobo all the time. I needed to try something that not even L&L can match up to (... I do love me some L&L though...). I had the mixed plate with Pork Lau Lau, Kalua Pork, & Chicken Katsu. You can honestly never go wrong with these three. The Kalua Pork was the most moist Kalua Pork I've ever had. The Lau Lau's flavor had so much depth to the flavor. & the Chicken Katsu was well... Chicken Katsu. I don't think there's any way to mess that dish up. There are a hell of a lot of options to order here. But this mixed plate was definitely the best one I've had yet!

    (5)

  • Patrick C.

    Got a couple plates here on my last trip to HI. Huge portions were nice. Mac salad was ok. Rice not very good -- overcooked -- maybe it was just a bad batch

    (3)

  • Kimo K.

    Yeah, the place is dirty and needs a good cleaning, but the food and prices are decent. Nothing great and not cheap, but OK. We stopped here for a quick lunch during an around-the-island jaunt, and got two plate lunches and two drinks for under $20. I had chicken katsu and my GF ordered the kalua pig plate. Lots of decent food.

    (3)

  • Paul C.

    Only go here for the kalua pork. Everything else is unknown because this one sandwich is incredible. Don't get the BBQ pork, stick to the Kalua and let the meat talk to your taste buds, you will not be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Jason H.

    Too much wild life flying around the seating area. I would recommend taking your food and eating it at one of the tables at Waimanalo Beach Park. It is a lot cleaner and you can eat in peace. I ordered the BBQ Chicken Plate and it was alright. The Chicken was very good, but the rice was hard and I for some reason couldn't trust the macaroni salad.

    (2)

  • Jeff C.

    They say you can't judge a book by its cover, but in this case you can. The place is filthy and the best table is the one by the trash can surrounded by flies as it is farthest away from the birds. That is where we tried the kalua pig, lau lau and teri chicken and unfortunately the rice was the best part of the meal. We could only stomach a few bites of the lau lau, the kalua pig was way too salty, the chicken was rubbery and the macaroni salad had way too much mayo. Our biggest regret of our trip to Hawaii so far was stopping here so if I were you I'd keep on driving.

    (1)

  • ter b.

    THE BRAT GIRLS SPRAYED BLEACH SOLUTION onto my special needs nephew that was watching them make shave ice through their small order window so he wouldn't watch them!!!! Doesn't look like the health inspector stops by too often, or they use that bleach on anything that might need cleaning. Food was ok. If you can get your stomach to settle after looking into the little order window, past the questionable kitchen. Outside dining area was gross. Maybe they treat the locals better. Tourist money is money too. But since they have zero business sense, the place will always be a dive.

    (1)

  • Tony L.

    We drove past this place after visiting the Sea Life Park nearby. They serve mainly Hawaiian plate lunches and small desserts. This place has a decent street vendor ambience to it. There are both indoor and outdoor seating, we started outdoor, but then it started raining, so we were glad there indoor seating. The service was a little slow, but the small desserts will keep you occupied. We ordered a few shaved ices with different flavors, a loco moco, a luau pork sandwich, and a chicken plate. The shaved ices were delicious. The loco moco was ok, but slightly fattening. The luau pork was surprising salty, I had to discard it half way done. The chicken was rather bland and tasteless. The place has many vicissitudes, and I was rather disappointed by the poorly made luau dish since this is a Hawaiian owned place, so I would consider this place ok at best.

    (3)

  • Lisa T.

    Keneke's is AMAZING! We had the good fortune of having our original caterer cancel on us three weeks before our wedding. Good because that lead us to Keneke's. Keneke's was a God send! They swooped in and saved our wedding - literally! I do not have enough positive adjectives to describe how wonderful they truly are! They worked with us and were able to accommodate our budget, while still getting everything we wanted and MORE! The service was amazing, and the food - OMG the food was phenomenal! Not only are their ingredients farm fresh organic, usually picked the day of, but they do some sort of magic with them which makes you taste buds want to sing! I fell in love with their Kalua Pork with Kale - it is so tasty my mouth is starting to water just thinking about it! I give Keneke's the highest recommendation possible! Go with Keneke's you will not be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Jen L.

    After a jam packed morning of visiting several beaches, snorkeling and sight seeing, my girlfriend and I scoured Yelp to find the nearest high rated eatery to satiate our stomachs. Keneke's came up and after seeing all the rave reviews, we had to try it out. This place is off on the side of the road and isn't your typical sit down restaurant. There is a walk up window where you order your food, then you wait for it to come out and then you can take it home or eat it in the designated eating area (I will explain this later). We ordered two Spam Breakfast Sandwiches. It was spam, eggs and cheese in between a hamburger bun. We also ordered the Macaroni Salad. It was delicious!!! Our only complaint was that the portions were quite small. After finishing our meal, we were still hungry and ended up sharing a Pulled Pork Sandwich. I was quite pleased with how everything tasted and was amazed at how cheap everything was and that good food could come out of a place that looked like Keneke's! Why do I say this? Well, the outside is quite dirty. If you need to use the restroom and you are a girl, I suggest bringing a buddy to be your lookout while you pop a squat in their small, dark, dirty restroom located in the back of the building facing an alley and abandoned building. You have to walk all the way around the building to get to the restroom. Secondly, their "eating area" is very interesting. It's an attached enclosed brick structure with tables and benches and it is pretty dirty. The surrounding walls are COVERED in religious script and writing. There are drawings of crosses, and sentences upon sentences of sayings from the Bible. It is a little hard to concentrate on my food when the walls were shouting out prayers at me. All in all, I would definitely come here again if I was in the area and I would order more than one portion for myself!!!

    (4)

  • Liz O.

    Keneke's put on an amazing spread for our wedding in March. Keith, the manager, was helpful leading up to the event, let us know what would taste good together. We paid a total of $39 per person and that included passed pupus for the cocktail hour, mango chicken skewers, breaded fan tail shrimp, roasted veggies and a few other appetizers. It also included all the set up, place settings including, plates, salad plates, knives, forks, wine and water glasses. The food we chose was fillet mignon, mahi mahi and a full roasted pig (served on a wheeled out silver cart, big crowd pleaser). We had kale and sesame salad, nalo greens salad with papaya dressing, grilled asparagus and taro buns. The food was tasty and plentiful! I'd received quotes from other caterers for $6000-$8000 for the same or similar catering, so to find Keneke's and pay under $2000 was phenomenal. They were professionally dressed, all in black with aprons and Keith himself was there to oversee everything. Food is such an important part of your wedding day, and all of my guests and my husband and I were completely happy :)

    (4)

  • Bay D.

    This review is for the shave ice and not the food. I enjoy hawaiian food but if I had to rate both the rating would go down. The service was good considering their was a long line and although they were swamped the servers were nice and courteous. Although the eating area was run down with crooked tables and benches. There was a pleasing sight as you focused on the walls of the dining area. There was writing all over the walls but it was Bible scriptures and good ones too. References to salvation which gave a calming and comforting presence to stone and wooden dining area. So let's talk about the shave ice, it was heaven! As others have mentioned you can combine different flavors of syrup with delicious ice cream. I had the macadamia nut ice cream that was superb. I don't like to mix the shave ice with the ice cream and this was especially good in this instance because I could really taste the difference. I would definitely return to this place the next chance I get!

    (4)

  • Fawn L.

    I was a little off put by all the Bible verses written all over the walls and it was a bit unclean, but I loved their food. I like the location, plenty of parking, and the lush environment. I got their mahi mahi plate and it was awesome. I wanted to come back and try their shave ice, but ran out of time.

    (4)

  • Judy K.

    Keneke's has really great Kalua Pig. That is pretty much the only thing I have eaten there. It is so good I never think to try anything else. If you are looking for ambiance, keep on driving, but if you want a good Kalua Pig sandwich this is your place.

    (4)

  • Matt S.

    The best plate lunch I had while in Hawaii (and I tried a lot of different ones). The Kalua pork was amazing and their sauce is perfect. I also tried the teriyaki beef (which was very tender) & chicken. Another thing I love about this place is that the portions are huge. Understand this; It's not healthy and its big nasty servings, but if you are looking for good authentic Hawaii plate lunches, this is the place. This spot in Waimanalo is kind of dingy and the scriptures all over the wall is weird, but hey ... its paradise right? The service is good and the people are friendly. Tip - they also serve Dave's Ice Cream at this spot, which if you know anything about Waimanalo and Dave's Ice Cream ... this will make you happy .. one stop shopping baby! GO TRY THIS PLACE and then thank me later.

    (5)

  • Alysha K.

    This rating is solely for the shave ice. Line was long and wait was even longer. I understand they serve food too, but waiting 15-20 minutes just for shave ice is pretty ridiculous. They need to have two separate lines. When I finally got my shave ice, I was disappointed. It was chunky and super sweet. There were a lot of things on the food menu that sounded good. So I would probably go back, if it was convenient, to try some food since it does have better ratings.

    (2)

  • Ryan T.

    Tastes like Keneke's has lost it's groove... the Kahlua Pig today was so bland... what a disappointment! Guess we'll stick to Ono's.

    (2)

  • Sophie S.

    I ordered the chicken katsu plate with rice and mac salad. the Mac salad was good but they gave me so much rice for the amount of chicken katsu I got. not to mention every katsu piece had a bone in it and was super rubbery. I got so little katsu compared to l&l and there was a fly in my plate lunch when I opened it up. won't ever be coming back here no matter how big of a landmark it is.

    (1)

  • Jess C.

    Better than Rainbows, huge portions, great prices! What I can't get over was the lackluster kalua pork. I came to Hawaii for two things: beaches and kalua pork. This didn't quite do it, but the adobo was excellent!

    (3)

  • EN K.

    Great shave ice and good size plate lunches

    (5)

  • Lauren T.

    3.5 Stars Came here on a whim and ordered the pork adobo. HEAVEN! Just like mama make it! haha. No, but seriously their pork adobo is legit.

    (3)

  • Raquel D.

    This is local eating at it's finest, folks! Lucky for me, my personal tour guide (aka BFF who lives there) took us here after our NEED for local goodies. The price is ridiculously affordable and one meal feeds two. Seriously. The Kahlua Pig is off the heazy goodness - made-to-order, fresh, tender, tasty and just plain perfect pork. Rice and mac salad accompanies your main entree, which puts the portions over the top. And I think we got a small to share. Insane. But hey, no complaints here. I would have just kept on going if there was more in front of me...no matter how stuffed I was! Yes, it's that good. If you ever make it out to Oahu, this is a must! Who says Honolulu has to be pricey??

    (4)

  • Natalie K.

    BIG lunch plates that taste pretty good. We had kalua pork and lau lau plates- kalua pork was good, a bit salty, but very tender and generously portioned. The lau lau was light on the meat, heavy on the taro leaves. Mac salad was good, but mayo heavy. If you are into heavy handed dishes (lots of salt, mayo, big portions) you will appreciate Keneke's. Overall, not a bad plate lunch.

    (3)

  • Jenna T.

    Why just 3.5 stars overall? I love this place! It's much less touristy and quiet which I enjoy. The only thing I took one star off for was the eating area. It's very sticky and dirty and maybe they could hose it down once in a while. I like the random Bible quotes on the walls; I think it gives it character. I had the combo with kahlua pork, shoyu chicken, and short ribs. All were super delicious and juicy. I would definitely come back here the next time we make a drive out to Waimanalo.

    (4)

  • Ane P.

    Oh I love Keneke's...and I will drive all the way over to Waimanalo to have some shave ice and plate lunch, although I have no other reason to be over there. Actually, add some red bean and ice cream under that shave ice.

    (5)

  • Lee A.

    Let's talk about the good. The prices are very good, especially for the portions they give you. I had the mixed plate so I could sample several items - Lau Lau, Mahi Mahi, and I think Kalua pig. Having just been to a Lua the previous night I was hoping for more long slow cooked swine! Well the Lau Lau didn't disappoint, it was pretty good. But.. The rest was terrible. My fish was full of bones, and as soon as you hit one you never want to go back for fear of another one killing you. The eating area is sheltered with several picnic tables to eat on. It was a very hot day and the shade was appreciated. What was not was the flies. The trash cans were not being emptied and the previous customers didn't seem to be the best job cleaning up after themselves so it attracted bugs. I hate bugs. After our meals I did get a shave ice. I love shave ice. But what's not to love, it's hot as hell and you're giving me flavored syrup covered ice. Everyone claims to have the best shave ice on the island and I had it probably 10 different places in the week I was there and they were all pretty much the same. The same being excellent in this case. Honestly I wanted to give this place a one star, but it's not their fault (hopefully) that I was vomiting this up later on the boat. I'll blame my weak stomach and seasickness, but it did make me never want to come here again. Fortunately for them, there isn't much competition close by on that side of the island.

    (2)

  • Jay M.

    I wish I knew about this place during my first trip. I love how you can choose 3 different items for under $10! My favorites are the lau lau and the mochiko chicken. It's great to pick up a plate to bring to the beach =) I wish they had an indoor restaurant. It gets so hot, I think I got a sunburn just from standing in line.

    (4)

  • Vianca C.

    One of my favorite places to grab lunch on the Windward side!! Their plate lunches are a bit pricey but you get what you pay for. The portions are big, the food is amazing and you have to try everything on the menu at least once!! I had the plate lunch with 2 choices of Kailua pork and mochicko chicken. The pork was tender and juicy while the chicken had delicious breading. Plus the sides of "hapa rice" (brown and white rice) and Mac salad were good too. Not to mention the outside seating are is to die for. It's in an open area with the view of the mountains. Definitely give it a try if you haven't already!!

    (4)

  • Halee H.

    This was a local recommendation for us. Overly salty food, cuts of meat were fatty and there pieces of cartilage in them. Wasn't the cleanest of places with birds all over the eating area pooping on adjacent tables but especially do not frequent the bathroom. Don't go in there under any circumstance. Nice portions for the price though and the walls were entertaining, but also terrifying. May the lord bless you and keep you.

    (2)

  • Charles D.

    I stopped over this place and had the adobo chicken lunch special. For under 8$ I was full and it came with a drink that wasn't flat. The 3 piece chicken adobo was so.. good that it fell off the bone. Openair dining, nothing fancy about it. Kinda ghetto in the seating area, could use a paint job or better handwriting on the walls.

    (4)

  • Paul C.

    While heading to the beach we were debating where to grab a quick bite. Whole Foods in Kailua was brought up and were most likely to go there until we stumbled upon here. There was a line forming which intrigued us so we pulled up to check out their menu, which is posted on their wall. Travelling with out-of-town friends we thought this would be a cool place to eat and the menu appealed to all. The majority you will find a long list of plate lunch entrée. Local favorites such as BBQ chicken, beef curry, fried chicken, hamburger steak caught my eye but I wasn't really hungry so I opted for the teriyaki hamburger deluxe with side order of french fries. Despite the line our orders were taken quickly and in less than 15mins our names were called. The french fries came right out of the fryer and piping HOT. After eating one it was obvious they forgot to add salt. Not sure if they don't add any salt as part of their procedure but found a salt shaker at the cashier front with other condiments. My teriyaki hamburger was very tasty. The raw onion slice was thicker than to my liking but I still ate it. In a matter of few minutes I wolfed down my lunch. I was able to sample what my friends ordered. The grilled Mahi Mahi plate was also very good and served with mac salad and french fries. It also came with a lemon wedge and tartar sauce, the fish was cooked perfectly and not fishy at all. On their menu, they advertise using locally made Dave's Ice Cream and my friend ordered the coconut milkshake. OMG, one sip and I had a foodgaism at the table! If you enjoy coconut this is a MUST order peeps!!! The inside dining room here reeks the 70's. It brings such character to this joint. With the great food, quick service and affordable prices I can truly see why this place is enjoyed by both locals and tourists. Just like dining at any open-spaced dining areas, we were annoyed by the constant bombarding of the flies. Whether you are looking for food before or after the beach, Keneke's is a great place. NOTES: 1) Credit cards accepted here. 2) Private parking lot in front of this place. 3) Several tables available of outside seating. 4) Garbage bins located behind the restaurant. 5) Coca Cola products are offered here.

    (4)

  • Jake H.

    The only reason why I gave this place 4 stars is because it can be a little dirty for some. If you're looking for some good plate lunches on the east side, this is definitely a solid option. There's always a line outside so expect to wait a little bit. Coming here brings back so many memories from when I was in high school. My friends and I would spend all day at Makapu'u then come here for a late lunch or early dinner. We would always be super hungry after the beach and this place would always fill us up. I love the Loco Moco here because they give three patties and three eggs, while most places only give two patties and two eggs for the same price. The taste is good too! They mostly serve local plate lunches here. They even have some killer breakfast specials. I also love all of the Bible verses written on the inside of the dining area.

    (4)

  • Toni B.

    Food is very good and portions are sizable. It would have been enough for my husband and I to share. Although I felt the environment wasn't the cleanest in the eating area, overall out experience went well and the food was delicious.

    (4)

  • Dave S.

    Almost everything I love about Hawaiian food is here. The food is good, they have shaved ice, there right of the road, the food is hot when you get it and the service is sweet. Half way through a moped ride we stopped in for lunch and got a belly full of love. Just the right amount of everything. Garlic shrimp was really good as was the garlic fish and spam and eggs. Last word... thankful.

    (4)

  • Ryan H.

    I got the mixed lunch plate. Macaroni salad was good, the Mahi was grilled and slightly dry, the rice was good, and the teriyaki chicken was delicious. The pork was also very good. Didn't wait very long, the girl at the window was nice. Solid place to get some Hawaiian chow. The venue just seemed run-down and old, could use some fixing up.

    (3)

  • Scott R.

    I wish I could give this place 5 stars and but they are lucky to get 3 stars. I used to frequent this place about 2-3 times a week because the food is delicious and the food portions are huge, could maybe feed 2 people! Usually ended up having left overs from here. My favorite is the pork adobo, mochiko chicken, and chicken Katsu. Now the cons, which I think are easily fixable but I'm not sure if they'll change it. I can recall 5 times where the meat portions were not prepped properly. Enjoying the mochiko chicken and all of a sudden I bite into a large piece of cartilage. Same with the Katsu a day later. Pork adobo would have large pieces of fat. The other huge turn off for me was one day I was enjoying the kalua pig when I got near the bottom of it, I found a nice crispy fly floating on the bottom in the grease. If you been here you know they have a bad fly problem. Which again I think could be fixed with proper trash cans. All in all a good place to fill up on food.

    (3)

  • Q K.

    I have watched this place deteriorate over the past 20 years, and it seems to have picked up speed in deterioration in the last 3-5 years. First of all, let me say that the younger crew (especially girl with the tattoo on her arm and cook that always wears a backwards hat) are probably the best thing about this place. They take orders quickly and get them out quickly. That being said, the quality of food is substandard and inconsistent, the service is terrible when other crews are working (take forever to take and get orders out) and the place is just so dirty. What do I mean by dirty? Smells that are unimaginable at times (rotting garbage), gross pigeons occupying the rooftops and food benches (they look like pigeons that were caught in some type of oil spill, only the oil being grease and dirty) and for several weeks there was an unpleasant smell coming from the kitchen. I'm not sure if the state food safety department has done it's inspection yet, but I have heard over the years that this place has had lots of fails in the past. With regards to the food, this place gives you a lot of food for the amount of money you spend, but 10-# of junk for the same price as 1# of quality product is not better. I would actually prefer to spend more money to get better quality food that was cooked properly and cooked with consistency from order to order. This used to be one of my favorite spots because everyone likes a cheap meal. But with the decrease in quality of their product and the rising prices of that sub-standard product, I don't think I will be coming here anymore unless I'm literally starving.

    (1)

  • Chibi C.

    Great place to stop for shaved ice and snack good after swimming in the ocean. There are variety of food and shaved ice flavors.

    (5)

  • Joanne C.

    We had our destination wedding in the North Shore of Oahu, Loulu Palm Estate. We wanted to find catering with good local Hawaiian food at a reasonable price. After doing some research online, we found Keneke's. When we emailed our inquiries, Keith answered all our questions quickly and was very helpful . We choose Wedding Special #1, $39/person. He was flexible and let us change a few things from the wedding special menu. This package includes delivery, staff for onsite cooking, to hand pass appetizers, and help serve at the buffet. This package helped us save a lot of money w/ our party rentals since our package also included china, flatware, water goblets, stainless steel warmers (otherwise we would have to pay per item). My coordinator mentioned they only charged 50% for kids & for vendors we fed. On the wedding day, Keith and the entire staff were very helpful and provided great service. I loved how the servers made sure I had appetizers before and after running off to take pictures. They even set some aside & put on our table. More importantly, the food was delicious. For appetizers we had shoyu ahi poke, maki sushi, teriyaki beef, mochiko chicken, and grilled pineapple skewers. For dinner we had nalo green salad, mixed veggie medley, garlic prawns, garlic mash potatoes, hapa rice, hibachi chicken, kalua pig, and the prime rib carving station. Nothing but compliments from our guests, everybody loved the food. We didn't get enough time to sit and eat for long. They were kind enough to wrap our food to go and labled it "Mr. & Mrs". They also packed all of our leftovers for us. If you're looking for catering with attentive service and delicious island-style food for a reasonable price, we definitely recommend Keneke's. Thanks again to Keith and his staff!! You guys are awesome!! We will stop by next time were on the island for sure. Joanne & Patrick #JoandPatsHalloWedding...

    (5)

  • Ranada R.

    We made a stop here before hitting bellows. I got the mixed plate with the Teri beef, kalbi, and hamburger steak. My husband ordered the muced plate with the mochiko chicken, kalua pig, and pork guisantes. Then we added shaved ice to our order. I got li hing mui, guava, and lychee flavored with ice cream and snow cap. They were out of azuki beans so I couldn't add it. My husband ordered the guava, mango, and strawberry flavor Lso with the ice cream and snow cap as well. Everything was delish!!

    (5)

  • Brittney K.

    M boyfriend took me here because he said he often frequented this establishment with his father. When we got there, it was extremely crowded which is understandable since it was during the lunch rush hour; however, when we got our food, it was TERRIBLE. My boyfriend ordered mochiko chicken which was more like fried chicken if you could even call it that... It was bland and was burnt to a crisp. I ordered hamburger steak which wasn't horrible but wasn't great either. To be honest, I wouldn't taken Zippy's over this place any day. To make matters worse, the rice in both of our plates was HARD. I actually heard a few chunks crunch as I bit into it. I'm not sure if we came on a bad day or something but I know we definitely will not be returning again anytime soon.

    (1)

  • Jessica C.

    Nothing special, but convenient if you're in the area. I had an egg and cheese sandwich, basically a toasted burger bun brushed with butter, filled with American cheese and egg. Like something I would make at home. Shaved ice was pretty good, nice flavors but needed a little more syrup and ice texture wasn't as soft as I would like. The eating and waiting area really needs to be cleaned and painted, it is pretty gross. Lots of locals were here though, maybe the plate lunch is better.

    (3)

  • Jon R.

    Worst plate lunch on the island, hands down!! Had the Combination Plate with Teri Beef, Kalua Pork, and Mochiko Chicken. Ate literally three small bites and threw the rest out, that's how bad it was. AND I was starving too. Teri Beef was thick and chewy, the sauce was just meh, the Kalua Pork tasted like rotten death, and the Mochiko Chicken was crispy chicken jerky. Mac salad made with Kewpie mayo not Best Foods so it's more sour. They use way too much mayo also. Even the rice was a bit mushy/overcooked. STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE AT ALL COSTS!!

    (1)

  • Ryan G.

    Might be good for Nalo but not good enough for me! We ordered a katsu / hamburger plate and got frozen patties and dry Katsu that looks like it was double fried!!! The only reason I gave them 2 * was for the customer service, on that end it was great.

    (2)

  • S E.

    this is my 5th trip to Hawaii and we always stop here for a quick lunch. their pork guisantes is good.

    (5)

  • Sweetz M.

    Fast and awesome customer service!!! Staff is really nice and real down to earth kine!! From my experience I would most definitely would go back and bring the entire family!! The prices is perfect and there food is well worth that long drive!!!

    (4)

  • Stephanie A.

    Fast, tasty, cooked food, and cheap prices in Oahu where everything seemed to be about milking the tourists...I would give them even fifth star if the place wasn't that ugly looking. The fist time here we were hungry and decided to give it a chance. We came back once more, and everything we ordered was good. I liked the Shoyu Chicken best. Every time we took our boxed lunch, and ate it at a picnic table in the near by beach. One objection - the ice cream had an old taste.

    (4)

  • Jane H.

    Came for the shaved ice, drooled over the plate lunches! I enjoyed my ice, but it was a bit choppy compared to other places. The syrups were amazing though. It is so hard when a place has great syrups but only better than OK ice texture. (There are places with great ice texture but syrups that aren't that great) I also didn't like how they put the red beans at the bottom of the cup. How am I supposed to get at them and eat them with the ice?! So why did I give them 3 stars when they deserve at best 2.5 for their ice? For their plate lunch... they look sooo good. I will definitely come back for the plate lunch.

    (3)

  • Jason C.

    I always wanted to try this place if not for any reason except that it's an inviting country roadside stop, and it shares the name of Danny Zuko's nemesis (sorry I digress). It was a hot Sunday and perfect for a shave ice break. While waiting in line we baked under the hot afternoon sun, and I had to laugh because I wondered if it's a requirement that waiting in the direct sun is part of the "price" you pay in getting shave ice just like at other places. The Good: The shave ice is nice and fluffy and offers a fair number of familiar flavors that aren't too sweet. There was just the right amount of syrup; some places give you a skosh too much while others are just ripping you off with plain white ice down the middle. I enjoyed my strawberry and lilikoi shave ice with a nice sized scoop of ice cream. There is only one size, but it's amazing how large it is considering they use a styrofoam coffee cup rather than a paper cone. The Weak: The covered seating area felt a little too enclosed and dirty. It was also noisy due to the sound bouncing off the low ceiling and hallow tile walls, the pukas helped with the breeze but not the noise. The Nasty: I spied a low wall in the back parking lot that was in the shade so we decided to try and eat out there. The wall was downwind from a dumpster that was full, and not all the garbage was bagged which attracted flies. But if that wasn't bad enough there was also the smell from the used cooking oil which was nauseating. The ground outside the back kitchen door was coated with a black film from the countless cooking oil spills that weren't cleaned up and it just reeked. The Regret: My rule of thumb is that if a restaurant's dumpster area shows a lack of cleanliness, you can assume that it's also reflected in the kitchen. Too bad, because I liked the shave ice, and no matter how good the plate lunches look, I will pass on coming back anytime soon.

    (2)

  • Blake M.

    Moneyball: good plate lunch waimanalo side. More about convenience than the food in my opinion. Makes: I went at 4pm so parking wasn't a problem but I could see how it could be during peak hours especially since its right off kalanianaole. If it is just turn down the side road right next to kenekes. Seemed to have ample seating. Service was fast, food was done in less than 5 mins. Misses: food isn't totally awesome but there's just nothing much else to compare to keneke's in waimanalo, hence the 3 stars, otherwise 2 stars if it were in downtown. Prices are actually ok, $8.50 for a plate lunch, $9.50 for a mixed plate, whew Hawaii is expensive! Food tried: BBQ chicken - sauce based and sweet, hamburger steak: very good but very thin, mochiko chicken: fatty, tasted too deep fried, not enough flavor, not recommended. Just too oily and mass produced and typical...nothing different, nothing setting it apart from any other plate lunch place. You don't really have any other choice in waimanalo...definitely try serges next door though.

    (3)

  • Brian W.

    Had the lau lau there... pretty good but then I pull a chunk of fat out of it as my first bite. Not a good first impression, and the pork inside all the taro leaves is only okay. Granted I haven't had much lau lau in my life, but the kalua pork we had was much better-- although still more salty than anything else. Service was a bit slow too, although maybe lau lau takes time to cook? Or my other friend (who's a Honolulu native) said maybe it was from Costco (thanks for the bucket of cold water! This place looked better than that...). The shaved ice was pretty tasty though, also light and fluffy, although not quite as good as the best we'd had here. Definitely off by a bit, but at the same time, still nom...

    (3)

  • Jody S.

    I have been a fan of Keneke's always making a pit stop to this location after spending a day at the beach all day on weekends. The place brings back childhood and young adult memories, cruising there after a long day at the beach and waiting in line with the locals and visitors alike for shave ice and our plate lunches. I also always ordered me one of my faves: The french fries, which are fat, crinkly and are SUPER ono! They are just oily enough and come out piping hot--you add a little bit of ketchup and...broke da mouth! :) Today I was reintroduced to Keneke's as our company-wide retreat and the food was just as good. It was a nice flashback to the old days.

    (4)

  • Sarah P.

    Not a plate lunch kind of girl but definitely a shave ice kine so this review does not reflect the food... only the shave ice. Brother came for a visit and drove all over Oahu sampling the different shave ices... Matsumoto's, Island Snow, those on the beach in Waikiki, some sketchy places in Honolulu, and even hopped over the Big Island to try Scandanavian Shave Ice... this one takes the cake according to him. Best flavors and generous with the syrup. We returned here a few times due to his love of the place. Especially after an afternoon of boogie boarding, hit this place up to soothe the sun burn and hydrate the bod with some concentrated sugar deliciousness. One critique - I think the ice crystals are just a touch too large for me... I like my shave ice nice and smooth. He's more of the flavor lover so that was more important to him.

    (5)

  • Rachel P.

    Not going to lie, a little disappointed about our trip here. Boyfriend and I both got a three-entree lunch box, which both had their high's and low's. Overall, we got Mahi-Mahi, Kalua Pig, Shoyu Chicken, Chicken Katsu and Teri Chicken. Mahi-Mahi - Juicy, great filet. Tasted wonderful. Kalua Pig - Good overall, but a little on the salty side and overwhelming fatty juice that flooded my white rice. Shoyu Chicken - Good flavor, but on the bone.. -_- Chicken Katsu - Again, good flavor, but poor quality chicken that was quite rubbery. Teri Chicken - Not the best cut of chicken, but teriyaki sauce was good. Mac Salad - Way too much mayo for our taste.. Boom. Roasted!

    (3)

  • Eileen S.

    Awww man so dissapointing. :( All of our food was (as Tanny said) DISGUSTING! What happen??? First they got part of the order wrong. Stood there while the cook tried to blame the girl who took the order (who took the order correct it was just done wrong). Dry as sand mochiko chicken like it was yesterday's leftovers. Ahi ahi that was drowned in lemon juice. Teri beef that you can barely recognize. Even a cheeseburger was barely edible. So sad to have my memories killed. Grade = FAIL-

    (1)

  • Kuulei J.

    THANK YOU FOR OPENING IN PUNALUU!!!!!!!!!!! Awsome food right around the corner from home, massive plate lunch!!!

    (4)

  • Amanda Z.

    The food at Keneke's is solid local food - tastes good and the price is decent for the amount of food given. We got 2 laulau plates, 1 side order mochiko chicken, 1 side order pork adobo and 1 side order kalua pig. The pork adobo was juicy and flavorful, really ono! The lau lau and mac salad were delicious. I probably wouldn't order the kalua pig (super dry) or the mochiko chicken (small portion, tasted just okay). I'd definitely return to eat more of the yummy pork adobo!

    (4)

  • Reimi D.

    After reading most of the reviews for Keneke's, I really think you gotta be from Hawaii to truly appreciate the food here. I'm not gonna lie. It's not for the health conscious--no one should eat this kind of food (plate lunches) on a daily basis if you want to live past 40--so if you are one of those kind of people that don't like the occasional Hawaiian plate lunch, don't come here. It's as simple as that. BUT if you are one of those people that like to indulge in some freaking good Hawaiian food every once in a while, you gotta have Keneke's. I'm not going to bother explaining what comes with a plate lunch because if you don't know then you're just not ready. Today I had the lau lau plate. SO good. I've had better mac salad (Zippy's is my favorite) but other than that it was awesome. My sister had the shoyu chicken plate and grinded it up, and hubby had the hamburger steak plate--i had a bite and it was juicy and delicious. The shoyu chicken, and the hamburger steak plate were each $6 which also included a large drink. I forgot how much my lau lau plate was but it was a little more (around $8, I think.) Hint: For those of you that don't want to commit to a plate lunch because of the amount of food they give you, get a mini plate. It's smaller, just as delicious, and it hits the right spot. Don't go nuts and order a bunch of different kinds of food your first try (something tourists and newbies tend to do) because it's too much food. Now, to address the fly problem: yes, they have a fly problem. DUH. But that's why you don't eat there. Get your food to go and eat it at the beach (which is like, 5 minutes away) or find another spot to eat at. Eat in your car if you have to. Even if they DIDN'T have a fly problem, it's still better to take your food and eat it at the beach...their seating area is a bit dingy and, well..just go to the beach and eat. Keneke's is not for the uppity...it's bare bones Hawai'ian as is 'nalos and you gotta appreciate that to appreciate the food.

    (5)

  • Fabiola C.

    Boyfriend and I had the shaved ice (with ice cream) 2 for a total of $7. I loved it! I didn't get to try the food, but it smelled really good. I will definitely come back!

    (4)

  • Cynthia V.

    Used to go there all the time, kept getting the runs. Don't anymore, and watch out for the roaches.

    (2)

  • sybril s.

    It's kinda scary looking but man... the food is goood, portion's huge and a very reasonable price. Since the place was kinda scary, we got our orders togo and ate at the park next to the beautiful beach just minutes away. Got the lau lau I was craving for (but we couldn't find a place that sells it), BBQ chicken, Kalua pig and pork adobo. The lau lau (pork) was nice and fatty - yum! lol BBQ chicken and everything else were all very flavorful and tender. Compare to what we get from the usual "Hawaiian BBQ" places in the mainland... this is heaven! Be sure to share it with someone else if you haven't starved yourself for a day before you eat here... portions are just ginormous.

    (4)

  • Jeremy H.

    My favorite on the whole island! I love the bible verses written on the walls!

    (5)

  • Brenda A.

    I love shave ice! I live in Kapolei but when I go on the windward side, I always stop at Kaneke's and get a cherry shave ice its the best on a hot day and the location is on the way to Sandys gotta love that.

    (5)

  • Scott B.

    There loco moco is ammmmmaaaaaazzzziiiinnnnngggggg!!! So good!! Friendly staff!! I also suggest any of there meat mix plates. Yum!!

    (5)

  • Hanna N.

    Still has the best Kalua pig plate lunch :) The portions are generous and it's the perfect stop to eat on your way to get some beach sun and waves!

    (5)

  • Jon M.

    Used these guys for my father in laws funeral, they showed up a little late but the food was good and the two brutha's that set up were very efficient, helpful and friendly, never been to the restaurant but give them two thumbs up on the catering side.

    (4)

  • Kai T.

    Service was a bit slow. To make matters worse, two of the three plate lunch orders we placed were screwed up. Decided to sit in...and oh boy, pigeons and bird poop galore. Mac salad had an unusual yellow tinge, and tasted slightly sour too. Biting through the kalbi was similar to chewing on a pacifier. Shoyu chicken was pretty good, but then again, i had initially ordered teri chicken before the order mix-up. my experience wasn't so pleasant with the service and food i received. I'd hate to give one star to a locally owned biz, so ill give them the benefit of the doubt...2 stars...just because

    (2)

  • Evan F.

    Been going to Keneke's since I was younger. I'll say that I like some thing but definitely not all things. I'm sure others will agree with me that you definitely have to know the ins and outs of the place to truly enjoy it. Otherwise, you could easily haul off and order something that will deter you from ever coming back. That much said, three stars from me.

    (3)

  • Tim W.

    This place really grossed me out. For some reason the outside patio smelled like warm garbage. We tired to eat our shave ice there while enjoying all the bible verses written all over the walls.... but just couldn't do it. A bite of shave ice and a whiff of nasty garbage just doesn't cut it. We got the hell outta there a-sap! We only had shave ice and it was average but the place is just too dirty and smelly. PASS!

    (1)

  • Jerry F.

    The loco moco and kalua plate lunch is winners here!

    (4)

  • Jae L.

    I've been here twice in the last week. This place looks pretty ghetto but the service and food is pretty good. Shaved ice is awesome. You have the option of putting ice cream, azuki bean, and/or top with condensed milk. Only reason they get three stars is because the shaved ice drips everywhere and attracts flies (maybe if they had a hose to wash down the sidewalk it would help) also, my brother said the bathroom was gross. My pork adobo was tasty, not salty, and was juicy and fatty :D The Mac salad isn't good, it's sweet which caught me off guard.

    (3)

  • kristin g.

    Keneke's is a MUST EAT every time I get to go home. I can't EVER go home without making a trip to the Windward side for some adobo, gisantes, pig and fruit punch! If you're looking for great food at an even better price - Keneke's is THE place! Come hungry - the portions are for the hungry only! Prepare yourself for a food coma...You won't regret it!

    (5)

  • Steve Y.

    There's only one dish that I love here, and it's the Pork Adobo plate. Haven't tried the others because I'm not one to venture out. But for the last 10 years of my life that I've been going here, it's the only thing I've ordered. Personally, I make the best pork abodo on the island. Pork Adobo is a filipino food dish that consist of pork boiled shoyu, vinegar, and spices. Just a warning, it's an oily dish. So if you don't like greasy food, this dish is not for you... But if you're a fan of flavor like me, you'll fall in love with it.

    (5)

  • Jason N.

    Great food and service. Not the cleanest place in Hawaii, but no worse than any other plate lunch place. Pork adobo was better than most.

    (5)

  • Hanna C.

    My boyfriend and I were driving around the island playing tourist. We were hungry so we happened to see Keneke's on the way. Parking was right in front. Walked in, loved the atmosphere. Staff was friendly, lots of fresh breeze passing through, and the interior made it feel like I was in a whole different era. Lots of Bible versus on the walls so it gave me something to read while I was waiting for my food. I had the garlic fish with brown rice and my boyfriend had the teri chicken with fries. eh~ the fish was a little too oily for my liking but it was ok. The teri chicken was a little too sweet and too much sauce. The food wasn't the greatest but everything else about the place made up for it. It was a nice stop by place.

    (3)

  • Roll N.

    Yum! The portions are huge so share if you're not that hungry. We ordered one of the kalua pork and that was more than enough for 2 for lunch! The seating area isn't nice, think of middle school lunch benches. But you're there for the food! The line wasn't long at 3pm on a weekday; however it took awhile and we weren't sure why. The crowd was a nice mix of locals and tourist. Yummy. That is all.

    (4)

  • theresa s.

    i love, love keneke's fried chicken! it is super crispy due to the not-so-thick batter; i think it is double-fried and cooked to order. soooo yummy. great place to go for plate lunch while spending the day at the beach. i took my brother's family here on our way to the beach, and they came back the next day just for the chicken! they are from the south, so who can blame them?! i don't see a pic posted of the fried chicken, so i gotta do my yelp civic duty and go out there this weekend to take a pic! stay tuned...

    (5)

  • Brian T.

    Cheap place to eat along the road and the servings are hefty. Lunch special was $6 and included teriyaki chicken (or shoyu chicken), rice, a side, and a large drink. Not bad at all. Food was decent and more than enough if you were really hungry. Seating is all outdoors on concrete benches. Might have to try some of their other food next time around. Those combination plate pictures other people have posted look tasty.

    (3)

  • Jon C.

    In Alabama, we have these roadside BBQ stands. Small, whitewashed cinder block buildings with open air seating. These by far are the best places for BBQ. Apparently, this rule also applies to Hawaii. Keneke's has all the charm of a country bbq stand, with a side of rice and soy sauce packets. My family had variations on barbecue pork and chicken, served with rice and a surprisingly tasty macaroni salad. My sister had the teriyaki chicken, which was salty, savory with good smoke flavor from the BBQ. I had the shoyun chicken, sticky sweet with hints of ginger. Very tasty. This is Hawaiian soul food. Japanese flavors meets island cooking meets country BBQ stand. Oh, and the dining area was covered in bible verses, for extra flavor. -jc

    (5)

  • Tina S.

    Keneke's catered our wedding on April 4 and they did a great job. This was a destination wedding and I went off of reviews and recommendations and I'm glad I did. Keith was awesome. Our wedding started at 3 and they were there around 1:30 and when the ceremony was over the waitresses brought appetizers to all the guests. Dinner started at 5 and it was a buffet style. The food was so delicious, all the guests loved it. They stayed until 10pm when the reception was over and cleaned up everything. I highly recommend Keneke's!

    (5)

  • Bridget P.

    It would be so easy for this place to get a rave review. All they need to do is cover their garbage and clean their picnic tables. I don't need a really clean place to eat. I'm not overly picky. But Keneke's is seriously in need of a cleaning! There were 25 or so flies hanging around 3 open garbage cans, two of which were ready to overflow. Then, when we went into the little covered dining area, I was really surprised that it was that dirty! You could see layers of grubby dirt, and the picnic table was so sticky that I couldn't pick my napkin up. There's lots of scripture written on the walls, about how Jesus saves them. Hey, I'm all for people expressing themselves, but somebody needs to understand that maybe Jesus saved them, but he sure doesn't clean the tables. The food was okay. I had the Lau-lau pork. It was half fat, but tasty. I orderd the adobo, they gave me the Kalua. My sweetheart had the adobo, which was pretty good. But I couldn't really enjoy it, wondering if the kitchen was as dirty as the rest of the place.

    (1)

  • Katherine O.

    So one plate will feed 3 people. I felt bad that I had to throw so much food away, but I'm pretty sure that my leftovers wouldn't last very long in my moped. I had a chicken dish that was delicious and my husband had the pork adobo. He loved it and claimed he could have possibly eaten the whole plate, but I'm pretty sure he would have exploded a few minutes after. I think this is more of a drive your car and take your food to go place because it wasn't that comfortable sitting outside on a bench, but we didn't have that option.

    (4)

  • Sara T.

    Anytime I drive through Waimanalo to go beach, I always stop at Keneke's for one of two things: 1) shave ice ($2.75 for three flavors, and it's giant!) 2) kalua pig plate (about $6) Giant portions and SO ONO. The hamburger steak plate is also very good, but I recommend sharing it with a friend, because it comes with THREE patties and is smothered in gravy. You can also get a mixed plate (two meats and choice of rice, fries, mac salad or toss salad) for $7. Only problems: the little eating area is a little creepy with all the scripture paintings, the tables are always sticky, and it's hard to pull out of the parking lot back onto the main road. NOTE: they also have a catering business - yelp.com/biz/kenekes-wai…

    (4)

  • B. S.

    Dear Kenekes Pork Adobo, I LOVE YOUUUUU. Mountain Biked 20+ miles to kenekes, swam for a bit, then ate some pork adobo. I'm so addicted to this stuff and this is probably my 7th time here so far. I order nothing but Pork Adobo, but some day I'll venture into shaved ice. Maybe. I'll be back Mr. Pork Adobo.

    (5)

  • Troy M.

    Massive Massive plate lunches here. i would give them one notch above L&L. Place is super busy on the weekends and food comes out quick. Shave Ice takes forever though. I would recommending talking the food to a near by beach vs. eating at their location. The seating area is kinda ghetto.

    (3)

  • Kaiulani K.

    Keneke's (n.) [Cuh-neck-ays] A plate lunchery located in Waimanalo right next to 7-11. Disputed pronunciation: [Cuh-nick-eez], rare. This place has great food, okay prices, and mediocre shave ice. If you're out adventuring at Hanauma Bay or Koko Head and feel like grinding on a big plate of adobo, kalua pig and kal-bi with side rice and mac salad -- this is your place. Some of the food is really good, and other things I could live without. Some of the things I don't like are the amount of fat on the adobo and kal-bi, how dry the kalua pig is, and the large grated ice for the shave ice.However, that's all a matter of personal preference so I suggest you try it because I swear I heard couple of malahini kines talking about how good the shave ice was. WORD OF WARNING: if you walk into the seating area, the inside walls are covered in scripture (and some other, random scribbles). I've been coming here for years, so I was used to it, until I brought some friends from the mainland and noticed their surprise.

    (4)

  • Gidget T.

    Last summer, some of my friends were learning to skimboard and spent weeks on end at Waimanalo Beach Park. After going to the beach all day, we would stop here and grab lunch. I understand they are in support of cleaning up the drug problem on the island, getting kids jobs and promoting the church. All of those things are wonderful, and I support that. But, I cannot get into their food, service or atmosphere. The food was less than mediocre. The service was just a notch above rude. The atmosphere was uncomfortable, dimly lite and dirty. And the prices don't compensate for any of it. For all the hope and positivity that this establishment brings, I wish I could get behind it more than I am. I was looking to like it, but I just can't. Stop by and grab a shave ice or a drink, but get your lunch elsewhere. I subtract three stars for the poor food, service, atmosphere, seating and overall condition. I give it two stars for good intentions and decent shave ice.

    (2)

  • Liz T.

    At one time you were my #1 for plate lunch. WHAT HAPPENED? Cleaner place--that's good. New paint--that's nice. Price increase--I can cope. But the food! Your Kalbi, which I considered the best in Hawaii once, was so small and subtle-tasting this time. Your Kalua Pig wasn't as moist or sweet. Your BBQ Chicken was burnt to a carcinogenic black. The only thing that improved was the Pineapple Smoothie, but I can't justify driving out to 'Nalo when I have fresh pineapple and an Oster at home. Please get better or get buried by Koi ( yelp.com/biz/koi-caterin… ).

    (3)

  • Lisa K.

    The kalua pig sandwich was delicious, well-proportioned, and decently priced (at $5 - the menu they have posted online seems out of date). The adobo pork was also very tasty. In both cases the pork was cooked perfectly. It may be blasphemous but the kalua pig was improved further with the provided bbq sauce. So I would stick to those items in the future, because the grilled mahi mahi was oddly greasy and the mac salad was quite flavorless. The steak fries were great though, and I've decided I'm just not into lau lau, although again, the pork there was great. We took our food to go (to a nearby beach) so we didn't have to deal with any bible verses or flies!

    (4)

  • Megan S.

    A friend told me to stop at Keneke's if I got the chance on my trip to Oahu. On our drive out east one day we ran across this location and happened to be dying of hunger! Perfect. We had to wait in line for a bit in the intense heat because some folks were getting shave ice. It looked damn good, but I was all about the lunch, skip the sweets. However, once we ordered, our plate lunch was up in a matter of seconds. My boyfriend and I split the shoyu chicken plate lunch and that was plenty for us. We even had a bit leftover even though, like I said, we were starving! We ducked into the side seating area that was shady and cool. The concrete walls were covered in Jesus graffiti. No joke. It was crazy scarfing down this delicious chicken that falls off the bone while being surrounded with bible quotes. There's something so primal about it. Ha ha! After we had our fill, it was on to da beach! Good price as a giant soft drink was included. Mmmm...meat.

    (5)

  • Lou D.

    Keneke's is truly a hidden gem on Oahu. If you want to experience local Hawaiian food this is the place to go. The Kalua Pig is incredible, the Loco Moco is the best I've ever had and the Mac Salad is the perfect complement to any dish there. Seating can be a little hard to get at times, but there is a state park nearby with a great beach that you can take your to. Most food in Hawaii is pretty expensive, but Keneke's prices are very reasonable. We can't wait for our trip in May so we can make a couple trips there for lunch!

    (5)

  • Winnie L.

    $7.95 for a mixed plate - choose 3 items; includes 2 scoops of rice and a scoop of mac salad - is a pretty good deal. i got mochiko chicken, kalua pig, and bbq chicken. they were delicious. the chicken katsu is also tasty. the shave ice is a bit syrupy and $2.50, it's a little on the tourist-price side check out the menu... for fries, they have the big size and the wimpy size. way to make you order the large. if you are a jeebus-lover, be sure to put graffiti in their eating area. see pics!

    (4)

  • Douglas L.

    While leisurely driving along the eastern coast of Oahu, we stumbled into Keneke's looking for a late lunch. WOW! FABULOUS and incredibly low priced food! My wife had the LocoMoco lunch plate - which was enough food for several people and delicious. She especially enjoyed the pulled pork. I had the teriyaki beef plate and it too was extremely generous and delightfully tender. I love the Bible scriptures that are handprinted along all of the open wallspace. It's nice to see people of faith doing so well in their business! Be sure to walk to the separate building containing the restrooms. The scenic view out the back door is spectacular. If only I lived in Hawaii - because I'd be a frequent customer at Keneke's.

    (5)

  • Mendie L.

    The kalua pork and pork adobo are excellent if you're craving something a little salty. My favorite though, is the chicken katsu. Wonderfully crispy and the dipping sauce is a tangy delight. I didn't really like the macaroni so I just replace that with another scoop of rice. Their shaved ice is huge and you can pick three flavors. One of the best places around here to get some good ol hawaiin plate lunches.

    (4)

  • Danielle P.

    Excellent value for the portion size and quality. It's a dive type place with picnic table seating, outside only. I got the mixed plate with the BBQ Chicken, Chicken Shoyu and Teriyaki Beef. It came with 2 huge scoops of sticky rice and a tossed salad. (I skipped the macaroni salad). The beef was tender and slathered in a delicious teriyaki sauce. It was by far my favorite of the three. The Chicken Shoyu was literally falling off the bone and had an amazing ginger flavor. It was a little fatty, but that's what makes chicken so juicy, so I didn't mind picking it apart. The BBQ Chicken could have had more of a sauce on it, but was very good. Spend a day at Waimanalo Beach and make this your lunch spot!

    (4)

  • Ariana L.

    Following a suggestion from a friend I decided to try this place out. Unfortunately I wasn't very impressed with what I had. I ordered the Breakfast Plate that came with a lot of rice, a lot of egg but not very many Little Smokies. There were four. Now normally I can get past small portions but the ratio of rice and egg to Little Smokies was so disparate I was actually confused when I opened up my container and thought they had forgot to put the rest of the sausages on. Had they got their portions right, it would've been great. That amount of food for only $5 would've made me a very happy camper but I had to pawn all of my extra rice to a friend. Reading all of the other reviews makes me want to go back and try everything but the Breakfast Plate. Or at least order another meat instead of the Little Smokies. Sorry Keneke's. I'll learn to love you another time.

    (2)

  • Wayne S.

    Not ONLY Waimanalo.....the North Shore is GREAT also!!!! The daily specials including a 22oz drink for $7.50......and the portions are HUGE!!! I had to take it home to finish!!!! One thing REAL COOL about these folks, they use an enviromentally safe recyclable lunch plate....compared to the foam ones....its roomy and confortable for dining inside also!

    (5)

  • Nat C.

    I'm queen of phone order...phone order because there is always a line. Must eats: steak fries-- big boy style!

    (4)

  • Omid M.

    Being from the mainland everything seems like it takes longer in Hawaii. The food was okay so it wasn't really worth the wait. However the ice cream and shaved ice makes the trip to this place worth it on a hot day. They have some of best flavors that doesn't taste like factory made ice cream. That is why I gave it 4 stars. Some people said it looks dirty. I won't disagree with that but at the same time what do you expect with a roadside shack serving food. Consider it a traditional Hawaiian experience which is why it makes it unique. Its kind of out of the area, most tourists don't see this side of Oahu.

    (4)

  • Jenn C.

    Must eat here at least once during every visit. This is one of our fave local spots. Even when we're hungry from pasalubong shopping at aloha stadium, we'll make the drive out to Waimanalo just to fulfill the craving. Shoyu chicken, teriyaki chicken, pork adobo, fried shrimp. Pretty much anything comes in generous portions and is cheap and tasty.. Grab a plate lunch and eat it on the beach. Waimanalo Beach Park is right next door.

    (5)

  • Nadia Fern C.

    So on a partial whim, the longtime bf and I decided to get married in Hawaii this past weekend. After a long flight, immediate appointments and lots of super slow speed limits, we were told by our wedding coordinator to stop here for a 'mixed plate'. Being completely starved to death, we obliged! Our hunger was actually bigger than our bellies, or they just gave us a ton of food, I dont know which is the actual truth. I had some kind of pork, mahi mahi and fried shrimp. It also came with a shit ton of rice and a little salad. The little salad was basically lettuce and shredded carrots and DELICIOUS ranch dressing. The mahi was good but a little dry. The shrimp was BOMB. They were huge butterflied shrimps that were perfectly fried. The pork was great also. Really tender and juicy but after a eating a few forkfuls of it I felt extremely sick and couldnt eat anymore. I think it was a combination of eating too fast, being in the heat and it being a tad bit greasy. The bf (now husband, whoa!) got little ribs that werent really ribs at all but were good, teriyaki beef and chicken. All were far more delicious than my items. Being from the South I really loved and appreciated that inside the little outside eating area were scriptures that various people had written inside. It was just a peaceful feeling in there. Overall, the food was good, the price was good, the Jesus was good but I much prefer to sit inside when I eat and not be surrounded by flies!

    (3)

  • Ruben A.

    Good solid plate lunches. I had the Kalbi rib platter with mac salad and white rice and that was good. The b-fast platter is great deal, only $5 for large helping of white rice, mac salad, two eggs prepared your way, and your choice of meat, e.g. spam, portagee ssausage, bacon, ham, etc. A good consistent place to eat when hungry. Customer service is great too!

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :7:00 am - 7:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Street, Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Divey
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : No
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : No
    Caters : Yes

Keneke’s Plate Lunch & BBQ

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