Hawaiian Restaurants near La Mesa, CA

“My 5th time in my life coming here, came back at May 7th 2026 with my partner, they sadly removed the pineapple orange chicken but the regular orange chicken still did not disappoint in fact its way better than panda or any other fast food in my opinion. We got the orange chicken regular, chicken katsu regular, 2 chicken lumpias and a hawaiin sun guava drink which totalled $27.63 dollars plus a $2.50 tax which was a total of $30.13 and for the price is really worth the buy, It's sad the foodcourt is empty but thats a good thing you can talk and enjoy your food but its sad the mall is dying out and saw their doing remodeling, maybe one day grossmont will get its fame back but other than that Maui Express deserved to stay up forever in case they remodel the foodcourt! I love their hawaiian food and even when I went to my trip to hawaii to see family I even had hawaiian food outside during my vacation to hawaii and even then I had some bad hawaiian food at a few certain spots and that I would refuse to go back to while on vacation, but Maui Express me and my partner ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!! I'm glad to see the elderly couple still works there cause the way they cooked the food is so fresh and good and pretty hot freshly out the pan so you have to be careful when eating the food the second you get it but other than that it was such an amazing experience, food was so tasty and the couple were really nice to us. I always recommended Maui Express to family, friends and to any of the viewers looking at my review. Family owned buisness so show some love to them yall they deserve it! ❤️“

“Located near the sdsu campus, this location is accessible to students and community members alike. The food was fresh and the katsu had a delectable crutch that left a good taste in my mouth. The cashier was a kind soul that made our L & L experience one that we’ll never forget.“

“Decided to stop by this spot while I was seeing a patient in the area. The inside is so warm and welcoming! I love the vibes here. The staff were all so sweet and welcoming. The poke was bombbb!Definitely worth a try if you’re in the area!

Food review:
Ohana special: (4/5) This was pretty good! Wasn’t a huge fan of the pork, but the chicken was delicious. I ordered a small side of spicy mayo poke which I ate in the car and immediately ran inside to buy a 1/2 pound of it haha.

Spicy mayo: (5/5) Delicious. Melt in your mouth. I devoured this.

Shoyu: (3/5) This wasn’t my favorite, the texture was too slimy and weird. Definitely like the spicy mayo the best.“

“Picked up some catered food (entrée: bbq chicken plus Kalua pork, sides: macaroni salad and rice. Also got the green salad w/mango dressing), for a gathering of about 40 people. Everyone raved about the food a lot. The Kalua pork was a hit.
Thanks to Terri, Juan, and their staff and the great food they make.“

“Monisa .. aka marissa dont you have kids to set an example for.. immature behavior. Supporting all small business is a better way to go.“

“The Food was Really good, the closest I've found to the food in Hawaii. I'm so glad we stopped to get food from here. A little pricey but it was worth it. I just wish it wasn't so far from where I live. Love the food and would definitely recommend it!“

“Love the Huli Huli and the spicy Poke Bowl oh so ono. The Haupia is a out of this world too. Just perfect and delish.“

“Best L & L bbq out there there's many but these guys put quality in there's they are not all the same they marinate the beef so good here and its so delicious I been coming here for years 😋. Dania is been there for 7 plus years and she always so kind and she will take care of you weather online order or in person. Miguel the cook in the back makes the best food hes amazing. Definitely recommend for you to come here its worth every penny.. yummm would take a puc but ate all my food. Thank you for amazing service always.“

“Love this place. I had the Big Brudda combination. It was delicious and I'm taking leftovers home. They have a great beer selection, Kona Big Wave is wonderful with this meal. The atmosphere takes me to Hawaii while we're here. Highly recommend!“

“ohana Hawaiian island BBQ is the best in town I've been coming here since my son was one and a half he's seven now and it has become his favorite food I bring him here as a reward when he's a good kid thank you ohana you have become part of my family 🙏❤️“

“friendly, fresh, great customer service.“

“Overall, this La Mesa location it’s not too bad. It’s pretty good. The barbecue beef again. This is a college area and yet this one in La Mesa beats the one located in La Jolla so something‘s going on over in the expensive area where they’re cheating the value or the quality where you have El Cajon and now here in La Mesa much better quality service is pretty good in the atmosphere. It’s it’s giving me that Hawaiian vibe a little bit so watch out expensive living areas you gotta pick up your game and stop being cheap.“

“I tried the Combination plate Mix BBQ. They are awesome. Plus the portion is very generous. It really filled meup that I could not finish it but they were so tasty.!!!🤙“

“Absolutely delicious. Best Hawiian food I’ve had since being on Hawaii, 10/10. My new go-to! Good job guys!! I got the Seafood combo platter delivered, the Kalbi (short ribs) was seasoned to perfection, shrimp was fried perfectly, and the fish katsu was also seasoned perfectly, and had a nice crunch to the crust. You can really tell they put love into the food. Mac salad was very good, just added a pinch of black pepper (personal preference). Mahalo!“

“Food was delicious and tasted fresh. Wish it came in a larger portion. I got two scoops (1 salmon and 1 tofu). Service was friendly and place was clean. I would come here again. Bathrooms could have been cleaner.

Plenty of seating available.“

“I'm hapa, live on the East Coast and I'm always looking for a solid Hawaiian food place when visiting family in Chula Vista. Obviously my dad and auntie make the best Hawaiian food but the flavors of the Mac salad, Teri chicken and kalbi reminded me of home. Will definitely be back.“

“The food is delicious! I love their chicken kelaquen and the pork ribs. Their food is always nicely presented! Highly recommend if you're craving Chamorro food!!“

“Usually love this place. $17+ for a hefty poke bowl that's usually made with good vibes. However! Be warned. Ken is not the one you want. Could barely hear him, could hear his sighs though. Went there on 3/22 and he made the saddest bowl ever. Barely any protein, sauce, or toppings. Was so disappointing. Will go again but avoid him, lol. Here is a picture of what their bowls NORMALLY look like.“

“I really enjoyed my visit here. The restaurant has a comfortable vibe, and the seating arrangement allows for a relaxed dining experience without feeling crowded.
The menu offered a nice range of options, and everything we tried was delicious. The timing could have been slightly better, but overall, it was a very satisfying meal.“

“Everyone in our house used to like poke. After we found Poke Chop, we LOVE poke! They have so many options of fish and sauces and toppings. I’ve never found as big of a selection. My daughter would eat here every day if I’d let her. There aren’t many places in Hillcrest where a family of 3 can get dinner for around $30, and be totally stuffed, and not feel blah afterwards. The fish is always really fresh. The only thing that could make it better is if they added mango, mmmmm. We try to eat there as much as possible because it will be a very sad day if they close. (It’s a reality in the Hillcrest restaurant business ☹️).“

“Service was a bit slow but I believe that to be all the mobile orders. Wife and I went into the store to order and it took every bit of 20 plus minutes for our food. People walked in and out with their food. It seems like calling or ordering ahead is the best way to do things now a days.“

“The food is a 10. Fresh, cooked to order and fast service ...“

“The food is soooo good, big portions and excellent service.“