Pioneer Saloon

I had the miso butterfish and absolutely devoured it. It was so goooood! My bestie got the Mochiko Chicken, she said it was okay.

First time here and it was delicious! We got the mapo tofu and garlic ahi steak, both with shisowakame rice and tossed salad. The staff was very friendly and patient with us while we ordered. They are located on the Auahi St side of SALT (close to Dis and Bark) and there's plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. We will definitely be back to try their other menu options!

I’ve only ever had takeout from Pioneer Saloon for work in the past, but I stopped by last week after noticing they were one of the few places open on Christmas Eve. ​The restaurant is clean and spacious, offering both indoor and outdoor seating (the outdoor tables are great for larger groups). The service was patient and friendly; the staff took the time to explain the different rice options and let me browse the menu without feeling rushed. ​While I usually stick to the Nanban or Katsu plates, I decided on the Mochiko Chicken with brown rice and a side of fries. The fries are similar to thick-cut steak fries—large, semi-crispy, and lightly salted. They were delicious. (Note they have options for different dipping sauces, just need to pay for it.) The chicken was perfectly cooked: moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. Each chicken was sized decently, not too big of pieces. ​For a standard plate, prices are reasonable, ranging from $14 to $24. I’ve always enjoyed their food and will definitely be back to try other entrees.

Both fried chicken and deep-fried salmon collars were excellent. Feels like a modern mom & pop eatery with a friendly vibe. First hour parking is free in the garage.

solid choice for katsu style bento items. very crispy crunch to all their fried goods. they give you free water so i’m gonna say its a good value, especially for this area since prices are inflated everywhere.

Brought my aunty and uncle to Salt At Our Kakaako for first time. We then decided to eat there and chose Pioneer Saloon, which turned out to be fantastic. We ordered Ginger Pork for $15 and Braised Beef Short Rib w Demi / BBQ for $23 and Salmon Katsu w/katsu/Ponzu/Tartar for $17. All food turned out great with lots of complements.

6/2024: Returned to try the katsudon rice bowl. Upping my rating from 4 to 5 stars solely for that dish. One of the tastiest katsudons I’ve had on island, and it comes with a very generous amount of food for the price. I was able to make two meals out of it. Wait time was pretty decent but the cashiers were friendly and provided excellent customer service. 4/2024: Pretty good local food. I got the Mochiko Chicken plate. The chicken tasted ok, but was a little tough. The spicy sauce that came with the plate improved the flavor a lot. My friend got the Shoyu Pork plate and similarly, it tasted alright but the pork was kinda tough. Overall, the price per plate was decent for the portion size. I would return to try other dishes.

A definite hole in the wall that you would generally pass by you didn’t know where to look. The cashier lady was very nice and recommended the food. Great portions and the food was definitely fresh. The only thing I have to say is I wish they had AC for the hot summer days

They've consistently presented the food with care and detail. Service was pleasant as well. We tried natto for the first time, and it tasted great with the included sauces you have to put in yourself. Natto alone leaves a lot of room for all the taste buds to really know what fermentation tastes like. We all enjoyed the shrimp burger a lot. The patty had a mix of various flavors. We would order this again The garlic ahi was a bit on the saltier side. I have noticed ahi (tuna) is naturally salty. There may have been added salt, too. It was a hit for 1/3 of us. If you like garlic and salt, this may be for you. The miso salmon was good it was favored over the garlic ahi for 2/3 of us. It did come a bit burnt on the edges, which I personally like the taste of, with moderation. It had a decent balance of sweet and salty. Would probably order the shrimp burger again over this dish. The fries are amazing. They come with their own seasoning. There is no need for ketchup. They were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It's hard to find such a thick cut of fries. It was a nice added touch to have a water station for guests to fill for themselves should they want to hydrate. As for price it is worth it, but I do see how not all levels of income can afford/be deterred by the price points of some of their quality meals. A la carte items can be a bit pricey as a side of fries is $10. Given how delicious they are they're well worth it. Perhaps giving half portions would allow more inclusivity amongst in debt populations, which is seemingly the majority of us with either college debt, a mortgage of some sort and/or serendipitous bills.

Great but small location with wonderful service and food!! The Cajun shrimp is by far my favorite. So much flavor packed into that dish. My second is the teriyaki chicken as it’s just really good. Not dry or anything like that. Just good. My daughter loves the yakisoba noodles. She orders that every time. Limited indoor seating but outdoor seating is available.