Reviews

"Hey Bruddah, been looking for da kine? I just found it. I can't believe with all the back and forth that Marinites have with the Islands that there's never been a Hawaiian joint in Marin. Well, here it is, just opened, and I think it's a winner. No poi, no luau just good plate lunches with the right sides: scoops of rice and macaroni salad. I opted for the chicken combo, which was equal parts teriyaki, bbq and katsu. Really moist and juicy. The staff was all really friendly and I wish these guys luck. The location is in a kind of dead stretch of 3rd St., but I hope this breathes new life into the 'hood."

"A world's worth of cultures have contributed their two cents to the Polynesian cuisine of the Hawaiian Islands; Portuguese, Japanese and Filipino among many others. At San Rafael's Mauna Loa Hawaiian BBQ, sibling owners Anna Chin and Bing Chiu honor the mixing and melding of ingredients and flavors that make island food unique, with a focus on the island tradition of the plate lunch. The siblings' family is mostly Chinese and their father ran Chinese restaurants in Gilroy, but over the years, Chin developed an affinity for the food and culture of Hawaii. "I love the plate food," says Chin, who travels regularly to the islands for inspiration. Regular customers, many of them from the Hawaiian Islands, contribute to the menu, too. Zippy's chicken curry ($9.75) was requested so often, Chin traveled to Oahu to learn how to replicate the ohana, or home-style, flavor in Marin."
--Marin IJ, 2013 Read the full review here.