'Ai Pono Cafe

Insane 12/10. Jaw dropping good. We get one spicy plate and one roots plate and share it all, allows you to experience a ton. Guava chicken and spicy poke are my favorites

Great staff, very clean, and the food we ate here is definitely worth the drive. Im from Hawaii, born and raised, and their food taste better than some places in Hawaii.. Ono thats forsure. Ono means taste great.

We had the Kalbi plate and the chicken plate here. The chicken was SOOO delicious, definitely try the chicken. Unreal crispiness and flavor plus they were cooked to perfection. However, the Kalbi had some overcooked chewy pieces and the marinade was a bit salty! Not a huge issue, just gotta balance it with more white rice. I've had better Kalbi in Hawaii but for Hawaiian food here in California, it's hard to find anything better. I also really enjoyed the Ahi poke and macaroni salad as the sides. Definitely come and try out these plates!

Omg, I Love it! I ordered quite a bunch from 'Ai Pono And everything was just amazing. I love the guava chicken, gosh all those flavors make me drool some more. I dislike picking on chicken, but on this one, I get over it. It's crispy, a little spicy, crunchy, flavorful, tender, and juicy. Just like it should be. The short ribs are really delicious as well. I started ordering because I learned in Hawai'i what Katsu was and that it is so close to our german chicken schnitzel (at least as close as it gets) The potstickers are delicious as well. Mahalo nui loa!

Get the Stockton Slap, its amazing! Every time I’m here, there’s about a 10 minute wait, but it’s worth it. I’ve never had trouble finding parking, the lot is quite large. You order at the counter and then find an open seat. They then call your number and bring you food to your table. Finding an open table might be a little challenging at times, but I’ve always eventually found a seat.

Cheeeeehooo!! This food is incredible and Ono. Visiting family in the OC from St George, Utah. Great preview in anticipating the Vegas opening. Add this to your eating bucket list!!! Instant. Fan! Mahalo for the comfort of the islands with every bite!!

+5

This is our second visit to this restaurant and we just have to order the Da “Spicy” Plate again because it has the best combination. This plate comes with a combination of their Guava Chili Pepper Chicken, Spicy Ahi Poke, Crispy Korean Chicken, Rice & Mac Salad. Both chickens are worth trying, they’re so good. The spicy ahi poke sauce is sticky, and sweet, with a little hint of spiciness! If you want to try a little bit of everything this plate has the best combination as you can try 3 different things from their menu. Definitely coming back again!

Everything we got was great! I hope they offer the oxtail soup again. I didn’t know it was a temporary offer.

This place is awesome. The food is always terrific and the staff is wonderful. The menu has so many delicious 😋 items. We even brought some spam musubi back to Nicaragua as a memory flavor. Thanks for creating an amazing place for authentic Hawaiian food. If you haven't been, you should definitely go!

Way better than the typical Hawaiian take out plate. More options, higher quality ingredients, on the verge of boogie but good. Also have more traditional plates if that's your preference.

Delicious😍😍. We ordered take out for a picnic in the park on a Sunday afternoon. Our food was ready on time and the pickup was fast and easy 😋. Our food was delicious, the poke bowl was my favorite but the chicken was also delicious. Parking in the area is always tough 🙄

Nice place and food. I’m mainly making this review because of the worker who took my order the other day she was so kind and sweet we had a nice conversation and since I’ve never been here she recommended me what to order and it was DELICIOUS! I forgot her name I think it was grace but she had curly orange hair with glasses She was amazing I loved her energy I just had to leave a good review. Thank you!

Wow!! 2nd time here in California in a year and this spot is on point!!!! lollipop shrimp with sweet chiki sauce.. spam musubi, Korea chicken musubi, short Rib plate , all Krack krazy good Grinds, Super friendly Staff coupled with Aloha Vibes make this joint a must!!! Ineed this kinda Love on the East Coast Mahalo!!🌴😎👍

this place is superb!!! we’ve tried the ahi poke, OG beef, katsu, and the garlic butter mahi mahi. they were all soooo delicious. I love the sides of macaroni salad and slaw. highly recommend!

The restaurant has a nice vibe to it. Cheeky wall art & staff clothing. The menu is extensive and out of the ordinary Hawaiian. The Crackhead chicken with coconut rice and a good macaroni salad was my favorite meal.

Great find before I needed to head to SNA airport. Very friendly staff, great food and atmosphere. Next time I’m in town I will definitely visit again. Thank you!

Food: As a chef 9/10 As a non chef 10/10 Shrimp Special 8/10 Crispy Shrimp, Garlic Rice, Mac Salad, Cole Slaw - Great flavors, fresh shrimp, good acid, girlfriend loves it. Crackhead Chicken 10/10 Chicken, Rice, Cole Slaw, Mac Salad - Chicken was cherry. Crispy, good flavor, love the Mac Salad, solid flavors all around. Ube / Regular Rice Crispies 9/10 Can't complain... Service:10/10 Aloha all around. Engaging knowledgeable staff. Auntie made me feel like I was at home. Never felt uncomfortable, always attended to. Ambiance: 9/10 Love the local art, colors, design and decor. Cleanliness: 8/10 Restaurant was clean. Bathrooms were a little dirty. Price: 9/10 Summary: Should you go? Absolutely. I would drive back to OC just to eat some more ono kine grindz. Reminds me of being back on the big island. Big hype, but big flavors to back it up. Mahalo!

Food was super yummy, I liked all the combo plate options so that you can try a bunch of things as one meal. We ordered the chef special and daily special (one star I think is what it was called?) and the crack chicken and Mac salad were my favorites! The poke was also great and so were the spare ribs and fish. Hefty portions, we were all full and most of us did not finish our meal at the restaurant. Music inside was quite loud and made it difficult to hear each other talking.

Food was amazing and the staff was very friendly! It was my first time eating here and the staff helped guide me to make a decision! Would definitely be coming back and try more from the menu!

Finally had a chance to try this place out (saw it on TikTok a while ago) and it's amazing! Great food and great atmosphere. Great flavors and lots of food. Had the mento bento box (pictured) and left a happy happy man. Go if you're in the area, drive there if you're not. Worth it and now our new favorite for Hawaiian food in Costa Mesa.

My lawyer found this place online and suggested we try it. It was a pleasant surprise as I'd never had Hawaiian food. Despite the long line the food here was 10000% worth it. Everything was so flavorful and we felt welcome. Place seems to be full all the time, and with good reason. Don't pass up the spam musubi.

Great food, and even though this is in a strip mall, the place has great vibes. They also have a patio for outdoor seating.

Ra Chag (Crwadads Cuisine)

Wow!! 2nd time here in California in a year and this spot is on point!!!! lollipop shrimp with sweet chiki sauce.. spam musubi, Korea chicken musubi, short Rib plate , all Krack krazy good Grinds, Super friendly Staff coupled with Aloha Vibes make this joint a must!!! Ineed this kinda Love on the East Coast Mahalo!!🌴😎👍

Giulia

this place is superb!!! we’ve tried the ahi poke, OG beef, katsu, and the garlic butter mahi mahi. they were all soooo delicious. I love the sides of macaroni salad and slaw. highly recommend!

TheMisterMets

The restaurant has a nice vibe to it. Cheeky wall art & staff clothing. The menu is extensive and out of the ordinary Hawaiian. The Crackhead chicken with coconut rice and a good macaroni salad was my favorite meal.

Elliott Miller

Great find before I needed to head to SNA airport. Very friendly staff, great food and atmosphere. Next time I’m in town I will definitely visit again. Thank you!

Mardon Romulo Abesamis

Food was amazing and the staff was very friendly! It was my first time eating here and the staff helped guide me to make a decision! Would definitely be coming back and try more from the menu!

Chef Ogasawara

Food: As a chef 9/10 As a non chef 10/10 Shrimp Special 8/10 Crispy Shrimp, Garlic Rice, Mac Salad, Cole Slaw - Great flavors, fresh shrimp, good acid, girlfriend loves it. Crackhead Chicken 10/10 Chicken, Rice, Cole Slaw, Mac Salad - Chicken was cherry. Crispy, good flavor, love the Mac Salad, solid flavors all around. Ube / Regular Rice Crispies 9/10 Can't complain... Service:10/10 Aloha all around. Engaging knowledgeable staff. Auntie made me feel like I was at home. Never felt uncomfortable, always attended to. Ambiance: 9/10 Love the local art, colors, design and decor. Cleanliness: 8/10 Restaurant was clean. Bathrooms were a little dirty. Price: 9/10 Summary: Should you go? Absolutely. I would drive back to OC just to eat some more ono kine grindz. Reminds me of being back on the big island. Big hype, but big flavors to back it up. Mahalo!

Marie D. H.

Food was super yummy, I liked all the combo plate options so that you can try a bunch of things as one meal. We ordered the chef special and daily special (one star I think is what it was called?) and the crack chicken and Mac salad were my favorites! The poke was also great and so were the spare ribs and fish. Hefty portions, we were all full and most of us did not finish our meal at the restaurant. Music inside was quite loud and made it difficult to hear each other talking.

Paul Gibbons

Wow…the Crackhead Chicken w/ Red Beards Hot Sauce…that’s crazy. Ordered another to take home for later. Was told to drive outta the way for this, and glad I did. Amazing, never had anything like it.

Ian Clampitt

Finally had a chance to try this place out (saw it on TikTok a while ago) and it's amazing! Great food and great atmosphere. Great flavors and lots of food. Had the mento bento box (pictured) and left a happy happy man. Go if you're in the area, drive there if you're not. Worth it and now our new favorite for Hawaiian food in Costa Mesa.

Jun Villanueva

Everything we got was great! I hope they offer the oxtail soup again. I didn’t know it was a temporary offer.

Anthony Pineda

My lawyer found this place online and suggested we try it. It was a pleasant surprise as I'd never had Hawaiian food. Despite the long line the food here was 10000% worth it. Everything was so flavorful and we felt welcome. Place seems to be full all the time, and with good reason. Don't pass up the spam musubi.

Scott Hurtgen

Great food, and even though this is in a strip mall, the place has great vibes. They also have a patio for outdoor seating.

Ai Pono Cafe – Costa Mesa, CA This spot’s been long overdue. I’ve bounced in and out of OC for years—Costa Mesa, HB, all of it—and somehow Ai Pono still feels like the low-key gem. No hype, no fake aloha vibes, just real-deal Hawaiian grinds cooked with soul and serious umami. The menu? Creative and tight. Everything feels like it’s made by someone who actually cares. I’m obsessed with their mac salad—only complaint is I wish the portion was bigger. I get it, prices and hustle and all that, but damn I could eat a tub of that stuff. Seating’s limited—think school lunch tables, maybe a couple open spots if you’re lucky. But honestly, it’s worth the elbow bump. Met the owner briefly, kitchen’s always on point, condiments are self-serve, even got some cool stickers if that’s your thing. This place deserves more love, but yeah—I’ve been gatekeeping it hard. Now you know.

My son took us there for dinner as he found out and it's an amazing place for Hawaiian food. Very authentic. The chicken bowls to die for. It's fantastic large portions fulfilling. I recommend it

Ai Pono Cafe is a great spot in Costa Mesa if you’re craving legit Hawaiian food. Everything tastes fresh, flavorful, and made with care. The portions are solid and the quality is always consistent. You can really tell they take pride in what they’re serving. Friendly service and a great local vibe make this place an easy go-to whenever I’m in the area. Definitely worth checking out.

Richard Hernandez

My son took us there for dinner as he found out and it's an amazing place for Hawaiian food. Very authentic. The chicken bowls to die for. It's fantastic large portions fulfilling. I recommend it

Mellow Dee

Ai Pono Cafe – Costa Mesa, CA This spot’s been long overdue. I’ve bounced in and out of OC for years—Costa Mesa, HB, all of it—and somehow Ai Pono still feels like the low-key gem. No hype, no fake aloha vibes, just real-deal Hawaiian grinds cooked with soul and serious umami. The menu? Creative and tight. Everything feels like it’s made by someone who actually cares. I’m obsessed with their mac salad—only complaint is I wish the portion was bigger. I get it, prices and hustle and all that, but damn I could eat a tub of that stuff. Seating’s limited—think school lunch tables, maybe a couple open spots if you’re lucky. But honestly, it’s worth the elbow bump. Met the owner briefly, kitchen’s always on point, condiments are self-serve, even got some cool stickers if that’s your thing. This place deserves more love, but yeah—I’ve been gatekeeping it hard. Now you know.

12:30 on a Friday was VERY busy! After ordering at the counter, we just happened to get a table inside. There's limited seating outside. The restaurant is in a busy and popular strip mall. It's super clean inside with a surf vibe atmosphere and music. Food is simple and very fresh. I got chicken katsu. White meat flavorful & tender chicken with a light, thin breading served over sticky white rice, a side of coleslaw and macaroni salad.

Excellent food! First time having Hawaiian food, good experience. Although it’s little expensive in my opinion, it kinda makes up for it with the portion.

+6

Came in and place was very nice and I Got a side of the guava chili chicken and the dirty lickin Korean chicken in a plate and everything was Ono! Came with rice slaw and Mac salad and The slaw was top notch, Mac was really good and so was the rice but the chicken was really tender and had so much flavor, and I got a couple of sauces on the side and I forgot the names but the white one was the best! Also added a POG and a Rice Krispie treat as well, so much good stuff they got here, definitely worth it and I’ll be back to try more items on the menu

A friend had recommended this place and we'd been wanting to try it out for awhile now. We had a beach day today and since we were in the area decided to stop by for a quick bite. The food came out really quickly. Good flow of foot traffic. Super friendly service. The food was nicely seasoned. Is it odd to say the know how to cook the skin of the meat? Cuz they do. The Thai Shrimp is more sweet chili than garlic shrimp so if you're looking for Hawaiian garlic shrimp, it's not exactly that. Delicious though. We'll probably come back to try some other stuff next time:)

It was good. It didn’t have as much variety as I thought for things to pick up more like plates. I really was looking for poke. But there was only two options. A little disappointed in the cheesecake because they had a butter guava and a lilikoi. Also, my fault for not asking, but I thought the cheesecake would be that flavored. It was just a topping. Guava pepper chicken is all the rage, but that cracked chicken was pretty good. It wasn’t dry good flavor. Didn’t care for the Mac salad. Shoyu poke had too much fiber on some bites. The spicy was not spicy at all. Did not like the teriyaki tasting drizzle making it sweeter It is fairly good all around not my favorite. I’d rather go to da Hawaiian since it is closer to me in this place doesn’t really offer me anything worth making an extra drive for. If I am in this area, this would be the place to go for a plate.

Great place to chill with friends. But they dont have many drinks and mostly can beverages. They have mango lemonade which is (kind of) too sweet for me. The food is delicious! We do enjoy it and kids love it too. The place is kind of small for a group but if you wanna feel the great vibe, just coming.

Extensive/traditional menu to appease your palate! Excited to try everything on the menu eventually. Everyone was super nice and it only took 10 min for food to be ready. The only downside is the marinades sauces are a bit too sweet for my taste (don’t get me wrong, the flavor and presentation is there though)! Would def go back and try something else.

The chicken katsu plate offered tender and juicy chicken complemented by a flavorful sauce. However, the Mac salad lacked seasoning and needed a touch of salt, while the Asian slaw felt like an afterthought. It had zero flavor. The shrimp lollipops were pretty tasty , especially when paired with the savory dipping sauce. The lilikoi butter cheesecake was a perfect blend of sweet and tangy flavors.

Anthony Gomez

Came in and place was very nice and I Got a side of the guava chili chicken and the dirty lickin Korean chicken in a plate and everything was Ono! Came with rice slaw and Mac salad and The slaw was top notch, Mac was really good and so was the rice but the chicken was really tender and had so much flavor, and I got a couple of sauces on the side and I forgot the names but the white one was the best! Also added a POG and a Rice Krispie treat as well, so much good stuff they got here, definitely worth it and I’ll be back to try more items on the menu

Angie Nguyen

A friend had recommended this place and we'd been wanting to try it out for awhile now. We had a beach day today and since we were in the area decided to stop by for a quick bite. The food came out really quickly. Good flow of foot traffic. Super friendly service. The food was nicely seasoned. Is it odd to say the know how to cook the skin of the meat? Cuz they do. The Thai Shrimp is more sweet chili than garlic shrimp so if you're looking for Hawaiian garlic shrimp, it's not exactly that. Delicious though. We'll probably come back to try some other stuff next time:)

Juliann Tran

It was good. It didn’t have as much variety as I thought for things to pick up more like plates. I really was looking for poke. But there was only two options. A little disappointed in the cheesecake because they had a butter guava and a lilikoi. Also, my fault for not asking, but I thought the cheesecake would be that flavored. It was just a topping. Guava pepper chicken is all the rage, but that cracked chicken was pretty good. It wasn’t dry good flavor. Didn’t care for the Mac salad. Shoyu poke had too much fiber on some bites. The spicy was not spicy at all. Did not like the teriyaki tasting drizzle making it sweeter It is fairly good all around not my favorite. I’d rather go to da Hawaiian since it is closer to me in this place doesn’t really offer me anything worth making an extra drive for. If I am in this area, this would be the place to go for a plate.

Thanh Vu

Great place to chill with friends. But they dont have many drinks and mostly can beverages. They have mango lemonade which is (kind of) too sweet for me. The food is delicious! We do enjoy it and kids love it too. The place is kind of small for a group but if you wanna feel the great vibe, just coming.

Yes, so visually this place makes their food look a 10 out of 10 but every time I come there and it’s like a seven. This is my 3rd and final try. If I want Hawaiian food I will go to Da Hawaiian BBQ but everyone taste buds are different and there lumpia isn’t real lumpia is more like a Chinese egg roll

The location was nicely decorated and staff were nice. Really liked the food but it was very overpriced for what you get. We ordered Da Spicy Plate ($19) which came with guava chili pepper chicken, crispy Korean chicken, spicy ahi poke and some mac salad. The guava chicken was good but couldn't really taste any guava in it. Crispy Korean chicken lived up to its name and was very juicy as well. We ordered a side of shoyu ahi poke ($8) and mac salad ($5). They came in small containers which were maybe about two maybe three spoonfuls. Although good, there was definitely not enough to justify the cost. Finished off with the strawberry lilikoi cheesecake ($6) which was decadent. The puree they put over it wasn't too sweet or tart. Overall, food was enjoyable but just overpriced for the portions they give.

Pros: Clean, friendly service. Cons: overpriced, small portions, plain. I was so excited to try the food here, I had heard such good things..... but sadly I was pretty disappointed. I ordered the Guava Chili Pepper Fried Chicken ($16,) which came with mac salad, coleslaw and rice. I also ordered the Black Magic Bahn Mi ($12) The chicken, although the flavor was ok, was very greasey and the meat itself was very bland. The mac salad is nothing like what I grew up eating, it was very peppery, not a fan of the tiny scoop of flavorless slaw. As for the Bahn Mi, the meat had big pieces of hard fat, it was over cooked and had a strong burnt flavor. Im not sure if it was the time of day that I ordered (last hour before closing) or if it was just a bad day (it happens) They were all sold out of the li hing lemonade as well.. As a first impression the food was not at all worth the price. I may give it another try and order something different, but if the next time isn't fantastic, then I will chose another place to take my bussiness.

First time here and went based on reviews and line of patrons I saw earlier in the day. Ordered pork chops that come with slaw and cold macaroni salad. Thin cut chops with in-house mild spicy seasoning over white rice wasn’t great, but not bad…somewhere in the middle…it was comfort food. Slaw was flavorless, the macaroni, blandish. Loud music and sure if it got busier…could be challenging to have a convo with friend(s). Service was friendly. Paid over $17 for this portion size. Not sure I’d go back, but glad I gave it a try.

Went here to check the hype I had heard about the food. So I Just got into California from texas. Texas has a few spots claiming to be Hawaiian food yet are actually far from hitting the mark. So being from Hawaii and local food addict I had to stop and try Ai pono in high hopes. The staff was great the pictures of the food looked great. I ordered the zombie plate because it had some of my hawaii favorites all in one. Meat Jun, Kalbi short ribs & Chicken. Presentation was nice but the plate over all lacked what I expected as hawaiian plate lunch flair & flavors. The meat jun was as if it was a lightly breaded price of meat, slightly tough to chew no egg batter consistency really no flavor and no type of sauce for it, fyi meat jun needs a sauce. The short ribs and chicken was okay but not really hawaiian food, maybe more a fusion and seemed as if both had the same taste. The most shocking part was missing Mac salad, it did not come with my plate! No hawaii plate lunch would dare leave Mac salad as something you pay extra on the side for. I purchased a side of the salad found that the mac salad was okay, but again not the Hawaii flavor I went there expecting. I was taken back that just two plate lunches and two Hawaiian sun drinks cost over $60. I realize its California but think for what you get, its slightly over priced.. Over all experience, the food had a good flavor and was cooked well. It just didn't give me that back home Hawaii flavor or satisfaction I went looking for. Ive read the other reviews, it seems like those that left a review commenting that this was the perfect Hawaiian food, may need to actually taste some real Hawaiian food so n they can make an informed decision. This was not really Hawaii food lol. My mainland search for Hawaii plate lunch food continues. I have been all over the 49 states and have ate at many spots serving Hawaii favorites. I found its few & far between spots that actually take me home with the food they claim as being Hawaii inspired.. I probably won't return to this place. l had ate at a couple other Hawaii food places in LA, that I won't mention here that did alot better with doing Hawaii food justice. Honestly my ventures with hawaiian food here on the mainland US have been more disappointments then satisfaction. I will keep searching for that one, Ai pono just didn't hit the mark.

Billy Merck

Went here to check the hype I had heard about the food. So I Just got into California from texas. Texas has a few spots claiming to be Hawaiian food yet are actually far from hitting the mark. So being from Hawaii and local food addict I had to stop and try Ai pono in high hopes. The staff was great the pictures of the food looked great. I ordered the zombie plate because it had some of my hawaii favorites all in one. Meat Jun, Kalbi short ribs & Chicken. Presentation was nice but the plate over all lacked what I expected as hawaiian plate lunch flair & flavors. The meat jun was as if it was a lightly breaded price of meat, slightly tough to chew no egg batter consistency really no flavor and no type of sauce for it, fyi meat jun needs a sauce. The short ribs and chicken was okay but not really hawaiian food, maybe more a fusion and seemed as if both had the same taste. The most shocking part was missing Mac salad, it did not come with my plate! No hawaii plate lunch would dare leave Mac salad as something you pay extra on the side for. I purchased a side of the salad found that the mac salad was okay, but again not the Hawaii flavor I went there expecting. I was taken back that just two plate lunches and two Hawaiian sun drinks cost over $60. I realize its California but think for what you get, its slightly over priced.. Over all experience, the food had a good flavor and was cooked well. It just didn't give me that back home Hawaii flavor or satisfaction I went looking for. Ive read the other reviews, it seems like those that left a review commenting that this was the perfect Hawaiian food, may need to actually taste some real Hawaiian food so n they can make an informed decision. This was not really Hawaii food lol. My mainland search for Hawaii plate lunch food continues. I have been all over the 49 states and have ate at many spots serving Hawaii favorites. I found its few & far between spots that actually take me home with the food they claim as being Hawaii inspired.. I probably won't return to this place. l had ate at a couple other Hawaii food places in LA, that I won't mention here that did alot better with doing Hawaii food justice. Honestly my ventures with hawaiian food here on the mainland US have been more disappointments then satisfaction. I will keep searching for that one, Ai pono just didn't hit the mark.

DL East

First time here and went based on reviews and line of patrons I saw earlier in the day. Ordered pork chops that come with slaw and cold macaroni salad. Thin cut chops with in-house mild spicy seasoning over white rice wasn’t great, but not bad…somewhere in the middle…it was comfort food. Slaw was flavorless, the macaroni, blandish. Loud music and sure if it got busier…could be challenging to have a convo with friend(s). Service was friendly. Paid over $17 for this portion size. Not sure I’d go back, but glad I gave it a try.

I’ll stick to other Hawaiian places. I got the teriyaki plate and the Chicken was half skin and fat (pretty much a side of it) Macaroni was bland. Cole slaw was good.

The staff was great. Other than that, skip this place. First, it's super expensive for what you get. Food is salty. Nothing special. The galbi, was a jerky. Not even edible. The chicken I had, inside was still red. I should have taken a picture of it. Overall just not a good first experience.