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Breakfast plates at Rutt’s Hawaiian Cafe in Culver City
Breakfast plates at Rutt’s Hawaiian Cafe in Culver City.
Matthew Kang

15 Fantastic Hawaiian Restaurants to Try in LA

Plate lunches, Spam musubi, fresh poke, and more

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Breakfast plates at Rutt’s Hawaiian Cafe in Culver City.
|Matthew Kang

Now is not the time to catch a flight to Honolulu with Hawaii’s governorasking tourists to curtail travelwhile the state controls the spread of COVID-19. Fortunately, Los Angeles boasts plenty of Hawaiian fare to keep those seeking island flavors satisfied until it’s safe again for a tropical getaway. Here now are 15 essential Hawaiian restaurants to try in LA.

Removed: Broken Mouth (temporarily closed), Aunty Maile’s Hawaiian Food, Brian’s Shave Ice & Boba, Poke & More

Added: Malama Pono, Canoe House, Joy Hawaiian BBQ & Cajun Seafood, Cafe Lanikai, Chin’s Hawaiian Teriyaki BBQ Chicken

Health experts consider dining out to be ahigh-riskactivity for the unvaccinated; the latest data about the delta variant indicates that it may pose alow-to-moderate risk for the vaccinated, especially inareas with substantial transmission. The latest CDC guidance ishere; find a COVID-19 vaccination sitehere.

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Joy Hawaiian BBQ & Cajun Seafood

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Valley denizens have come to depend on Joy for Hawaiian plate lunches that never fail to satisfy. The surf and turf combination plates that come with two scoops of rice and a scoop of macaroni salad are especially popular.

Malama Pono Restaurant

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Some the most upscale and innovative Hawaiian cooking in LA is happening in Sherman Oaks at chef Mario Lopez’s Malama Pono. The kalua pork is served as lettuce wraps, while the signature loco moco comes topped with a porcini gravy.

Rutts Hawaiian Cafe

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With locations in Gardena and Mar Vista, Rutts Hawaiian Cafe has been around since 1976. The simple, colorful Washington Boulevard restaurant serves everything from shave ice to kalua pork plate lunches, but regulars know that breakfast is what it’s all about.

Ali'i Fish Company

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What sets the poke from Ali’i Fish Company apart from others in the city is its commitment to sourcing from theHonolulu fish auction. In addition to half a dozen varieties of poke, the menu includes pupus and grilled fish too.

King's Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant

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而國王夏威夷烤烹飪是固體ry and Restaurant, it’s okay to skip straight to dessert. The ever-popular Paradise Delight is a triple threat of guava-, passion fruit-, and lime-flavored chiffon cake with whipped cream in between each layer.

Chin's Teriyaki BBQ Chicken

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Visit this Harvard Heights gem for generously portioned and thoroughly unfussy plates of Hawaiian-style teriyaki chicken, fried rice, chow mein, and more. Reasonable prices and friendly service keeps the regular crowd coming back.

Cafe Lanikai

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Find Cafe Lanikai hidden inside the parking garage of the Equitable Life building in Koreatown. This day-time spot serves up pancakes and loco moco for breakfast and burgers of all stripes for lunch. The pineapple teriyaki burger is the one to get.

Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop

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Tucked into the lobby of Gardena Bowl is a casual coffee shop serving wonderfully homey Hawaiian fare. Regulars can’t get enough of the Hawaiian royal, a mash-up of Portuguese sausage, chashu, green onions, and eggs over white rice with teriyaki sauce.

Hang Loose Hawaiian Shave Ice

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Visit Hang Loose’s Glendale storefront for a frozen and sweet Hawaiian treat. Every shave ice comes with an ice cream base, along with dozens of flavored syrup options like li hing mui and passion fruit.

Back Home In Lahaina

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For the full island experience, order Back Home in Lahaina’s signature fried chicken as part of a combination platter that includes rice, macaroni salad, fried wontons, and a cabbage slaw topped with crushed ramen noodles.

Fish King

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Opened since 1948, grocery store Fish King offers plenty of prepared foods including some of the city’s best poke. Varieties of hamachi, tuna, and salmon poke are sold by weight, just like in Hawaii.

Aloha Cafe

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Opened since 2004, Aloha Cafe brings the aloha spirit to Little Tokyo. The saimin is made with fresh buckwheat noodles, while the kalua pork is served with two scoops of white rice and a scoop of mac salad.

Aloha Food Factory

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Nearly everyone orders the macadamia nut pancakes at Aloha Food Factory. Add on a side of Portuguese sausage for a solid start to the day. Come in soon beforethe restaurant is replaced by a car wash.

Canoe House

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Come into Canoe House for cooking that captures the aloha spirit served in a family friendly dining room. Sip a mai tai and dig into kalua pork nachos, herb-crusted mahi mahi, and grilled Spam musubi.

Top Restaurant

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From Spam musubi to barbecued galbi and loco moco, find everyone’s favorite grindz at Pasadena’s Top Restaurant. In addition to carefully made Hawaiian fare, the restaurant’s Indonesian offerings are superb, especially the fried chicken and fried rice.

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Joy Hawaiian BBQ & Cajun Seafood

Valley denizens have come to depend on Joy for Hawaiian plate lunches that never fail to satisfy. The surf and turf combination plates that come with two scoops of rice and a scoop of macaroni salad are especially popular.

Malama Pono Restaurant

Some the most upscale and innovative Hawaiian cooking in LA is happening in Sherman Oaks at chef Mario Lopez’s Malama Pono. The kalua pork is served as lettuce wraps, while the signature loco moco comes topped with a porcini gravy.

Rutts Hawaiian Cafe

With locations in Gardena and Mar Vista, Rutts Hawaiian Cafe has been around since 1976. The simple, colorful Washington Boulevard restaurant serves everything from shave ice to kalua pork plate lunches, but regulars know that breakfast is what it’s all about.

Ali'i Fish Company

What sets the poke from Ali’i Fish Company apart from others in the city is its commitment to sourcing from theHonolulu fish auction. In addition to half a dozen varieties of poke, the menu includes pupus and grilled fish too.

King's Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant

而國王夏威夷烤烹飪是固體ry and Restaurant, it’s okay to skip straight to dessert. The ever-popular Paradise Delight is a triple threat of guava-, passion fruit-, and lime-flavored chiffon cake with whipped cream in between each layer.

Chin's Teriyaki BBQ Chicken

Visit this Harvard Heights gem for generously portioned and thoroughly unfussy plates of Hawaiian-style teriyaki chicken, fried rice, chow mein, and more. Reasonable prices and friendly service keeps the regular crowd coming back.

Cafe Lanikai

Find Cafe Lanikai hidden inside the parking garage of the Equitable Life building in Koreatown. This day-time spot serves up pancakes and loco moco for breakfast and burgers of all stripes for lunch. The pineapple teriyaki burger is the one to get.

Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop

Tucked into the lobby of Gardena Bowl is a casual coffee shop serving wonderfully homey Hawaiian fare. Regulars can’t get enough of the Hawaiian royal, a mash-up of Portuguese sausage, chashu, green onions, and eggs over white rice with teriyaki sauce.

Hang Loose Hawaiian Shave Ice

Visit Hang Loose’s Glendale storefront for a frozen and sweet Hawaiian treat. Every shave ice comes with an ice cream base, along with dozens of flavored syrup options like li hing mui and passion fruit.

Back Home In Lahaina

For the full island experience, order Back Home in Lahaina’s signature fried chicken as part of a combination platter that includes rice, macaroni salad, fried wontons, and a cabbage slaw topped with crushed ramen noodles.

Fish King

Opened since 1948, grocery store Fish King offers plenty of prepared foods including some of the city’s best poke. Varieties of hamachi, tuna, and salmon poke are sold by weight, just like in Hawaii.

Aloha Cafe

Opened since 2004, Aloha Cafe brings the aloha spirit to Little Tokyo. The saimin is made with fresh buckwheat noodles, while the kalua pork is served with two scoops of white rice and a scoop of mac salad.

Aloha Food Factory

Nearly everyone orders the macadamia nut pancakes at Aloha Food Factory. Add on a side of Portuguese sausage for a solid start to the day. Come in soon beforethe restaurant is replaced by a car wash.

Canoe House

Come into Canoe House for cooking that captures the aloha spirit served in a family friendly dining room. Sip a mai tai and dig into kalua pork nachos, herb-crusted mahi mahi, and grilled Spam musubi.

Top Restaurant

From Spam musubi to barbecued galbi and loco moco, find everyone’s favorite grindz at Pasadena’s Top Restaurant. In addition to carefully made Hawaiian fare, the restaurant’s Indonesian offerings are superb, especially the fried chicken and fried rice.

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