Waikiki Hawaiian BBQ is located in the space that once belonged to Cafe Zula (OK but overpriced) and later to a taqueria which, at least according to my friend Boris, was pretty bad. Even though the space is close enough to city hall to ellicit a healthy lunch trade, the space seems to be doomed and I can’t imagine Waikiki Hawaiian will last long, it just isn’t very good. In a city that’s quickly filling up with Hawaiian restaurants, Hawaiian food fans have better places where to get their fix.
Waikiki Hawaiian offers a large number of Hawaiian plate lunches (starting at $4 for “mini plates” and going up to $6.75 for a combo plate) as well as sandwiches and burgers (starting at $1.65!). They have many things marinated in teriyaki sauce but also some more unusual offerings such as lemon chicken and beef curry. Mike and I decided to try a little of everything, I got the BBQ Mix Plate (teriyaki steak, short ribs & chicken) and he got the seaffod combo (mahi mahi, deep fried shrimp and choice of meat). None of the food was good. The chicken had the weird consistency of processed chicken, the ribs were mostly bone and fat and the little bit of meat was very chewy, the steak was chewy too and the sauce wasn’t very yummy. In all, we were quite disapointed and see no reason to go back.
Waikiki Hawaiian is part of a small chain with locations in El Cerrito and Concord.
Waikiki Hawaiian B-B-Q
635 E 14th St.
san Leandro, CA
510-0-882
Su-Th 10:30am – 9 pm
F-Sa 10:30am – 9:30 pm
Note:
You can read Meathenge’s take on the El Cerrito branch here. It may be that we just ordered the wrong thing.
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