Yeah...I'm a toursity. Â Make something of it. Â So I had to ask what a Loco Moco was. Â I've seen it mentioned in several places but so far there's been no description. Â Well hold on to your hats, because this doesn't sound very Hawaiian. Â It sounds Deep South. Â Top white sticky rice with two hamburger patties, a fried egg, brown gravy and grilled onions. Â Sweet merciful crap, it's delicious! Â
My daughter had the Hukilau Burger and it was amazing also. Â There was some steaky bits on it that had a sweet flavor. Â And it's giant. Â All the food was giant. Â I can eat a lot for a gal and even I couldn't finish my lunch.
Service was fast and kind. Â Yes, it's cash only. Â Plenty of locals, tourists and b-list celebs dining when we were there. Â Priced right.
My friends and I wanted to try the mac pancakes since we were in the area. Unfortunately, we missed breakfast, so I ordered the shrimp burger. My friends ordered the chicken katsu and Hukilau burger. All of the food came out quick and was very tasty.
I wish I was hungry enough to order the Loco Moco as well. Will definitely come back here. Overall: good food, quick service, relaxed atmosphere.
Thank God this place was as close as it was to PCC. We were able to get a great meal (zero complaints from anyone) @ a bargain price. Even better considering the food @ the PCC Alii Luau  was absolutely horrendous. Thank you Hukilau for filling our tummies before entering those gates... (don't get me wrong w/ PCC as the overall experience, less the Alii Luau was FANTASTIC). Not sure if we'll ever have a reason to go this far up North Shore again though if so, this place is an absolute no-brainer...
Review Source:I would like to give this place 3.5 stars... This was on our list as one of the places we had to eat at and made our way to North Shore to come here. Â
It's tucked away in a neighborhood so you may have difficulty finding it. Â When we arrived, there weren't many people here at all. Â
Be informed, this is a cash only place. Â
My bf ordered the roasted pork and I ordered the loco moco. Â It was only like $7-$8 for each plate. Â Shortly after we ordered, a flood of people came in. Â Tons of tourists (like us) taking photos and waiting outside. Â The restaurant isn't very big. Â We got our food and it was good. Can't say that it was amazing or anything. Maybe our expectations were just too high? But the loco moco was meh... And his pork was okay. Â
I guess if you're a fan of 50 First Dates, come by. They have posters of it inside, too.
Don't come here for the service. Was tough to find parking. No CO2 so no soda. Â Drank 6 glasses of water it was hot and humid. Â I think people only come here since it was on TV. Â The set up was nothing like was shown. Â The cook and waitstaff were a tad grumpy. Â It took awhile to get our food. Â It was just OK.
Review Source:$7 something for a loco moco? I think so! You get more than expected...trust me. I had to share it with my sister. I'm a fan of gravy and it was smothered all over the meat so just a heads up for all you non-gravy peeps. I also substituted the rice with fried rice and it was good, but I prefer regular rice. Bonus: You can say you went to the original cafe inspired by  the movie "50 first dates".
Review Source:Being that I was raised in Hawaii. Not a big fan of loco moco but my friend from San Fran was visiting and he's never been to Hawaii or had loco moco!
I remembered this was on man vs food and 50 first date so I took him here to try authentic loco moco and not our plain L&L kind.
The place is hard to find!! I had to use my phone GPS to locate it! The outside looks like a normal place blended well with houses. Inside is tiny and like family kind seating. People are nice! It's CASH only though!
They serve loco moco with mushroom and onions! awesome burgers! personally I don't have any lol I just took the long 1 hr drive from home just for my friend to try :) Finally can say I've been here!
4 stars cause Im so used to my city life in town that in the summer it's so hot and muggy on this Side and them accepting only cash. Â
I would recommend tourist to come here if they're already on this side but if you live here it's not worth the long drive! There's also no parking since its a "hole in a wall" kinda place.
My bf and I went here for breakfast around 10am on a Saturday and there were many locals as well as tourists. We ordered the Fried Rice & Eggs and the Hungry Hawaiian. It was de-li-cious and we were both was SUPER full afterward. This cafe had a rustic, local feel to it which we enjoyed very much!
-Cash Only
-Street Parking
-Minutes away from the beach
Came here for breakfast since we planned to spend a whole day in North Shore and plus, we heard about it from 50 First Dates. The pancakes are delightfully fluffly, bacon is crispy, and eggs were tender. It was a satisfying homecooked breakfast. The waitress was very nice and accommodating.
Review Source:We spent a week on the North shore, and this place kept popping up in searches. Â So we went and had a late breakfast one morning before we left. Â The food was good and plenty. Â I had corned beef hash and eggs and loved it, but next time I'd choose the rice over potatoes. Â Lot's of locals, but us tourists were treated well also. Â I love local anywhere and this place is no exception, if I find myself in Laie again, I'll swing by the Hukilau.
Review Source:Located directly across the street from Hukilau Beach, Hukilau Cafe is as much a historical site as it is a restaurant-cafe. It offers a nice variety of plates to satisfy one's belly from breakfast to lunch. Not to mention, the plates are inexpensive and the portions are large. What else could you ask for?
Personal favorites: Loco Moco plate, Hukilau Burger with fries, Kalua Pork plate, and Pulled Pork plate.
If you're in the area it's a good place to go for breakfast - good portions good price
Cash only and just simple good breakfast place
BUT I think it's HIGHLY unnecessary to drive all the way up to north shore just to come to this place.
It's breakfast - bacon, sausage, egg, rice, gravy, pancakes, french toast, orange juice
Don't drive for an hour to get that when you can just drive out to dennys
We heard about this place because my future sister and law and her fiance saw this place on Man VS Food. We came here for lunch and there was a slight wait because it was the lunchtime rush hour. The parking is pretty horrendous because we had to loop around 5 different times to find a place to park. We didn't mind because we were pumped to order the loco moco! Â We ordered 3 loco mocos and a hukilau burger. The portions for the loco moco were HUGEEE. I probably could have shared one with someone, but I didn't realize it was going to be so big.
Everyone thought the food was good! I enjoyed my loco moco, but one person didn't have the loco moco sit well in their tummy. Â
The actual establishment is pretty plain and it would be a plus if Hukilau Cafe made an investment with the appearance of the restaurant. Â The food comes on styrofoam plates and plastic silverware which is good for easy cleanup, but it's not very "green."
One star off for the parking situation and another star off for one person in our party getting sick.
Huge servings, great price. Can't go wrong with this place!
Featured prominently on 50 First Dates and Man vs. Food, it's worth the drive to Laie. Â I was taken here by my client when we had to go for a site inspection at BYU. Â We went for breakfast - I got the corned beef hash and fried rice. Can't beat the price - $6-7 for a huge heaping plate of food that I couldn't finish. Â Â The place closes at 2, so if you want to go for lunch, don't dilly dally!!!
I'm thinking about waking up early and making the drive up there this weekend again, just to eat there. . . yes, its just that good!
Don't expect to see the place called Hukilau Cafe in the movie Fifty First Dates. That was built as a set at nearby Kualoa Ranch. This place is tiny, out of the way, and nonetheless worth any effort you have to go through to find it.
We heard about it through a TV food show, but didn't have the famous Hukilau burger, or the loco moco-we went off script and had the pork and chicken combo. It was a mistake to order 2 meals. We could have gotten full sharing one. The portions are insanely huge. It's a great local spot and I wish I could have come back to sample breakfast. I will try my best next time I'm on Oahu! P.S. even though it's counter intuitive for a mainlander to have mac salad and rice on the same plate, give in and eat like the local kine-you can always double up on leafy greens when you get home.
This is the first establishment I was taken to by friends after my great move to Hawaii. The Hukilau Cafe is located in an awkward spot. The building was quaint and cozy. I believe this is a wonderful place to bring the family out on a weekend breakfast. Not only is it inexpensive and affordable but the portion are REALLY great as well. Uniquely Hawaii for sure with local grinds and hospitality.
I had the banana pancakes (local friends made fun of my pronunciation of banana) .. the meal was simple yet very delicious. It had some sort of nostalgic homemade feeling that makes me want to come back every Sunday. I would love to try the lunch meals as I have been noticing the rave reviews for Loco Mocos and burgers. Yum!
Hope to be back up north soon for lunch at the Hukilau. I would definitely recommend Hukilau Cafe to anyone!
Walked into the place because I am a fan of 50 First Dates and found out that there was an actual Hukilau Cafe because it was featured on the Food Network.
At first, there wasn't that many parking areas around the restaurant. After finding a spot, I had to take a pic in front of the restaurant with the family.
When I entered, I knew I wanted to try the loco moco and the Hukilau burgers. The loco moco is one of the best around. As for the hukilau burgers, it has a fried egg, tomato, lettuce, onions, cheese, a hamburger patty, a slice of teribeef, and a sesame seed bun. Ordered with fries. All the food was hot from the grill. Everthing added up to less than $20.00. Great food at a great price. Can't beat that.
I saw other things on the menu that I wanted to try, so I guess I will be going there again soon.
I actually used my GPS to find the place, but there is a small sign on the roadside that indicates where the restaurant is since it is in a residential area. It's like finding a treasure.
I recommend this place to all locals and all tourists who want some local grinds.
I have only eaten at the Hukilau Cafe once and have been dying to go back! Last summer we found this little restaurant by recommendation of a friend. My husband and I ordered cheeseburgers and fries and they were delicious! Also, the price is amazing! For two cheeseburgers and two fries, it was under $12!
The only bad thing about the Hukilau Cafe is that it is so far away from where we live and the hours are short. But if you are ever up in Laie, this is a must stop! Check the hours and plan accordingly.
Once you have eaten here once, you will be dying to go back!
I was visiting Turtle Bay and didn't feel like paying $25 for a subpar breakfast buffet. Instead, I took a 10 minutes to drive here and enjoyed some authentic Hawaiian breakfast food.
I had their Loco Moco with spam and rice, and it was absolutely fantastic. It felt weird having rice for breakfast, but with the gravy, it works so well. The eggs were cooked perfectly as well, and the spam was tasty. I think I am a spam believer now!
The place gets crazy busy, so try to avoid the rush hour. The parking situation is a little strange too, but don't be afraid to park in strange ditches. It's totally worth it.
Do I remember this place?
Unlike Drew Barrymore, yes I do. This place is located in the middle of a neighborhood so it is kind of difficult to locate but once you see the sign, it's on.
First and foremost this is a real cozy place meaning that this is a rather small cafe. Probably like around 12 tables at most.
But whoa that's where the small category stops in this cafe. We ordered the shrimp burger and the loco moco.
The shrimp burger was really good as it didn't have a cheap taste to it and it was a BIG burger that fills you right up! It has the clean shrimp taste which doesn't taste fishy.
The loco moco  (I think that's the right name) is just a behemoth of a plate. It includes steak, eggs, rice topped with a mouth watering mushroom sauce! Eating it was like eating a NFL lineman's meal. You just feel like you can run around the whole island of Oahu with that kind of meal!
Thinking back of the food is probably why Drew had short term memory because she just tasted some mind numbingly good food!
But do yourself a favor and come with a empty stomach to confront the loco moco if that is your choice of food, you can thank me later.
I seriously don't understand the rave about this place.
I agree with most people, atmosphere is very "local" but the food was NOT that great, Ordered hamburger, cheeseburger, and a shrimpburger.
Maybe it wasn't for my taste, but the burger meat (which is what people rave about?) tasted like meatloaf. I wanted a burger, not meatloaf. Shrimp burger was pretty good, but nothing for an incredible review.
Hubby found this place thanks to Man vs Food. We love our foodie shows! Anyways! It was well worth the drive for us from Kapolei to Laie. If nothing else given how cheap our meal was made the extra gas we spent for a burger and fries worth it! We are in search of the best burger on the island - this right now may very well be the winner! According to both me AND the hubby! And they are cheap! We got 2 hukilau burgers and fries and I think it was like 12 dollars. Nice! Keep in mind they are cash only though - so make sure you have that with you.
The food was AMAZING. Incredibly fresh, it came out very warm! And sooo good. That hukilau burger and I could have quite the friendship. Its really sad its quite so far from where I live otherwise I'd be here everyday. Seriously.
Service was okay. Yes, you do go get your own water from the jug in the corner. Who cares though? Our server was kind and friendly and that is much more important to me. She was also decently quick given she was the only server and the place was full. If you are expecting someone to wait on your every need - don't go here, it is not that kind of place. And you DON'T need that kind of place to have a damn good meal!
Parking is just along the street which can be a bit of a pain. And I'll agree its a bit disappointing for those who come to the restaurant to see it as it was in 50 first dates because it really looks nothing like it. But I didn't come for this reason - so no hard feelings here.
All in all - go here! I will come back often and definitely plan to bring out of state visitors here!
"Is your Dad an astronaut?..........because someone took the stars from the sky and put them in your eyes"
"I hope you know CPR, because you take my breath away"
"If you stood in front of a mirror and held up 11 roses, you would see 12 of the most beautiful things in the world"
I would have to say that each of these ridiculously cheesy pick up lines can be used to describe how I feel about the Hukilau burger. Â Great men have started wars for less. Â A burger so good it makes you wanna slap yo momma and send her to a retirement home in Iraq........well, perhaps that's just how I feel about it.
Good food is worth travelling for..........My girlfriend and I drive from the heart of Waikiki to chow down on this delectable gift from the gods. Â It's probably a good thing we don't live closer. Â I can just imagine getting a paper cut and bleeding out egg yoke or brown loco moco gravy.........which, by the way, is also the best I've had on the island.
From it's unassuming neighborhood location, to it's friendly wait staff which always greets us with a smile and warm welcome.......the north shores Hukilau Cafe will certainly remain a favorite of ours for years to come.
I learned about the Hukilau Cafe from the Man vs Food challenge on the Food Network.
The Loco Moco is very good and the flavor of the burger patty and gravy live up to all that it's hyped to be.
The pancakes however were pale and undercooked. I would have sent them back but the service was so chilly except to returning locals that it was better to just put up and shut up.
I went to this place hoping that it would look something like the Hukilau Cafe does in the movie 50 First Dates - instead it looked like a run down old diner - complete with flies buzzing around and no air conditioning. Â My first impression was not to impressing. Â
A server behind the counter asked me and my Mom if we wanted an order to go or if we wanted to sit down. Â We said sit down and were given menus and told to sit anyplace and someone would come to take our order. Â We looked thru the menu decided what we wanted - and then had to wait and wait for someone to take our order - My Mom grew impatient and wanted me to go up to the counter - I assured her that someone would be with us soon - I said "there probably just on Hawaiian time" - shortly after our orders were taken. Â My Mom ordered a plate and a soft drink - and I ordered a plate (teri beef, fried mahi, fried shrimp, rice and mac) and tap water. Â I was told that I can go get my own water from a jug over in the corner. Â A little while later our food was brought out on Styrofoam plates with plastic utensils - my Mom got her drink in a paper cup. Â
The food was heavy, rich and fattening - sure it tasted good - but it seemed so unhealthy. Â Everything on the menu seemed unhealthy. Â While we were eating our server never stopped by to see how our food was. Â After we finished eating our server never brought the check - again my Mom grew impatient and had me go up to the counter to pay. Â When I paid the bill I did give the server a tip - even though it seemed as if all she did was take our order and drop the food off at the table (fast food restaurants offer that much service). Â
After I finished eating a had a sick sort of feeling - the food was just too greasy and heavy for me. Â I may come back one more time to try the famous Hukilau Burger - but I don't know about that.
Yes, we watched Man vs. Food and wanted to try Hukilau Cafe, but for the Hukilau burger, NOT the Loco Moco. Â I haven't tried the Loco Moco, but it just looked gross, and Loco means crazy, and it also looked like it's mission was to clog my arteries right up with egg yolky-ricey-beef balls. Â And honestly, I wanted the Steak Sandwich, but they were out of steak. Â Pssshh! Â It was only 12:30 or so.
So I had the burger with fries, macaroni salad, and Passion-Orange Juice. Â The burger is a classic cheese-burger with a slice of teriyaki beef and a fried egg topped with lettuce and a tomato. The beef and egg add a chewy texture to the burger, kind of like bacon, but saltier and without the crunch. Â Extra points for the cheese being melted over the egg and beef, not just slapped on there! Â And passion-orange juice is delicious. Â Such a tasty combo of fruit juices!
My parents got the Hikilau platter with teriyaki beef, rice, macaroni salad and shrimp. Â The said it was delicious, and from across the table, it looked delicious and smelled delicious.
The cafe is in a weird spot; off the highway in a neighborhood, and little folding sign directs you to it, but it is easy to miss. Â Inside, it is decorated with a bunch of sports memorabilia, including a framed Steelers 'Terrible Towel' and passes to Super Bowl XLIII - apparently some local high schoolers were on the Steelers and Cardinals that day.
And the prices are spot on - like $6 for the burger and fries. Â If I went back to that side of the island, I would definitely stop by again for the Steak Sandwich!
Stepped in and instantly loved the place. Â The relaxed decor, the smiling wait help and great smells. Â
Picked up the menus and was impressed by having a choice of lunch or breakfast and the prices seemed like it was dated about 10-15 Â years ago. Â 5.25 for a gourmet burger and 7.25 for a full sized gravy covered 2 egg loco moco. Â
The loco moco's crown is the gravy and guess what, it was good, straight up good. Â
We got 2 hukilau burgers, 1 loco moco, 2 side orders of fries for 22 bucks. Â 22 bucks?? Â YES, I said 22 bucks. Â
What ask you is in a hukilau burger? Well, a fried egg, tomato/lettuce/ onions, cheese, teri beef slice and all on a soft bun. SO good and the perfect mix of sweet teri sauce and salty cheese. Â ONO!
You might pass this place if you blink so look for the sign and follow it around the roundabout and you will see it. Â Find it and you will be happy you did. Â SERIOUSLY, you will.
I can WAIT to try the other food there. Â Updates will be in order. Â BOOM!
065/365 burgernessgoodness yelp challenge!
Wow. This place was disgusting in so many ways.
I'd like to start off by saying that I'm from Seattle, so I don't desire the kind of food Hawaiians tend to enjoy. (Though I did love Helena's Hawaiian food, that was amazing.) That being said, I think that my opinion on this will be good for people like me from the West Coast of the mainland.
The service was probably the worst I've ever had. We were half an hour or so late for breakfast, so I asked if we could have some if we paid extra. The server gave me a look that could kill and said no. From that point on, she gave us dirty looks, replied with sharp answers like, "that it." (not a question, but a statement) and would rush off before we could answer. Even the other server who seemed to be asked to take the original girl's place was in a huff and annoyed.
The food was made to induce strokes, which, I'm assuming is pretty much the basis for Hawaiian food: heavy, processed and enriched. So disgusting. The "raspberry tea" was the most artificial flavor one could find made from some sort of powder mix with a ton of sweetener. - oh my god was it sweet. Gross.
Everything was disposable. The paper it was served on, the plastic forks, the wax paper cup, etc. And, just in case you don't know, Hawaii is broke and they're spending around 6.7 billion dollars per year on shipping their waste to landfills on the mainland. Seriously, they need to work on reducing their waste.
I didn't mind the fact that all the windows were open, and that it was quite warm. It's Hawaii, and at least they're not using extra energy to have an AC in such a mild climate.
End of the line: if you value your money, health and the environment, do not support this place.
4.5 stars for being the inspiration for 50 first dates. It's not the actual restaurant used, but they modeled it after it. When you walk in, there are posters and memorabilia signed by Adam Sandler & Drew Barrymore. Very cool touch to it...
I heard the loco moco was the thing to get, but I was drawn to the hukilau burger. Burger, teri beef, egg, lettuce, tomato & cheese on a bun. If that isn't getting you excited, you better check your pulse. It was one of the better burgers I've had.
Fries...not so much. They were cold and not very flavorful.
This place closes at 2 PM and isn't open on Monday. It's tucked away between the Polynesian Cultural Center and Giovanni's in a neighborhood, but it was busy. What a nice find in a pretty desolate area.
If you're visiting Hawaii you need to make time to experience the Hukilau Cafe. Â This is the place featured on Man vs. Food. Â Local food and it's in my opinion the best Loco Moco on the island.
Make sure to bring cash and realize they don't have parking lot. (Street ony). Â They're open for breakfast and lunch and close around 2 p.m.
This is home of the legendary Hukilau Burger, as seen on Man vs Food. I used to say that if a cardiac arrest had a taste its the Jack in the Box's Chili Ultimate Cheeseburger (believe me thats a good thing, because only healthy food taste like crap) well that burger is long gone, with no sight of Jack bringing it back.
Have no fear my half starved fat friend, Hukilau Cafe is just a stones throw away, and this burger is worth the drive. The price is more than reasonable for the amount of food you get. For those of you not familiar with this burger, allow me to detail.... Its a 1/4lb ground beef patty sitting under a 1/4lb of teri beef, under a fried egg, with melted cheese over that, under a tomato and lettuce, with your choice of mayo on the bun (if your a fat bastard like me, then mayo is a definite YES)
my only tip is bring handy wipes, because its gonna get messy and paper napkins just dont get that greasy burger smell off your fat fingers as well as handy wipes and a bottle of purell will
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