L&L Hawaiian Barbecue - Honolulu (Kamakee St Ward Village)

I've dined at many L&L restaurants in Hawaii but this was my first visit to the location across from Whole Foods. There are lots of tables for diners, many are hidden around the corner from the drink dispensing station. I ordered something I get at a number of L&Ls ... BBQ Cheeseburger combo (a deluxe BBQ cheeseburger, a LARGE bag of fries, and a drink); all for $12.50. The burger contained lettuce, a thick slice of white onion, and a slice of tomato. Yum! The fries were crispy ... None were soggy ... Yay! What can I say? I was impressed!

The food was delicious but the amount of rice seemed a bit excessive. We chose to sit outside since the weather was nice but also because someone was playing really loud on their phone inside.

We stop here on a regular for family dinners. They have solid food with a lot of options such as the extra Chinese food flare dishes. My son loves the burger and the teriyaki beef or chicken bowl. Two of my favorites are the mochiko chicken and the pork chops. Surprisingly, the ward area does not have a lot of late night spots, but this is one of the few. Well technically it’s only open until 9p., still later than most spots. The typical server/host is always so friendly and helpful.

I had high expectations going in, but the experience fell short. The macaroni salad was bland and lacked depth, while the chicken had an off flavor reminiscent of oil that hadn’t been refreshed, which ultimately compromised the dish. The Google reviews set expectations much higher than what was delivered. Overall, I’d rate it a 4 out of 10.

local fav with huge portions! if you get a regular size plate, theres really enuff protein for two adults. maybe get one plus extra side and you got yourself +1 a hearty meal. so kudos for being a bargain meal in the middle of ward center. This branch has a large dining area thats pretty clean. also the cooks at this branch make really solid chinese diner style stuff like sweet and sour chicken or pork. aloha homies.

6/11/2023 Update (5 stars): Lau Lau and Pork Kailua (macaroni salad, 2 scoops of rice) for $15.50 is a great deal! Portion is large enough for 2-3 meals. Seasoned well, served hot, and fast service: upgrading to five stars. Original Post (4 stars): I ordered the 2 item combo this time. Portions were ginormous. The mochiko chicken was a bit overfried and dry, but flavorful. The egg on the loco moco was perfect, but the gravy lacked flavor, somewhat. For an L&L, this location has the best quality and fastest service I’ve found so far. I’ll certainly be back to try many other items on the menu.

Ordered med-well new york steak + garlic shrimp combo plate. Partner ordered bbq chicken saimin + additional egg. Steak was seasoned exceptionally well. Food tasted incredible and at very good prices. Don’t underestimate this location despite being a fast food chain. This is the best L&L Hawaiian I have been to during my time here. Place is also air-conditioned so it is very comfortable.

We walked over to this restaurant for breakfast just after it opened at 0830 on Memorial day 2023 (Printed menu says breakfast served starting at 8 am but the hours posted on front door are 8:30 - 9 pm). We walked in and ordered one breakfast combo plate and one omelet with bacon. The breakfast combo ($8.45) included Spam, Portuguese sausage and crispy bacon, 2 eggs served your way and lots of white sticky rice. The omelette plate ($8.75)was made with bacon, sweet onions and zucchini and served over lots of white sticky rice. It took about 10 minutes to receive our take out order. There were only about 7 customers in the restaurant so it wasn't very busy. It's located across the street from Whole Foods.