Aloha Island Grill

Stopped here while pasting through Santa Cruz, California. Food is Hawaiian style. I had Teriyaki Shrimp and rice it was excellent. A little pricey and worth every bit. The service is friendly and it has indoor and outdoor dining. Looks like a little hut almost, but nice.

It was great I had a chicken and so did my girlfriend :) very very good. And yummy. Good chow would chow twice or maybe thrice, more. Overall I think the place was super good. However, I accidently grabbed too much soy sauce and someone should have stopped me. But it was still a good experience. Overall it was fantastic.

Everything here is good! Love the ribs and the coconut shrimp is delicious! Everyone is so nice and helpful when you come in!

Our experience was awesome. We love Hawaiian BBQ, just discovered Aloha and this place was AMAZING!! My loco moco was fantastic so flavorful and perfect portion. The cashier was friendly and food came out fast. This is not a "locals only" catered to place, we have never been and the experience was A+

Outdoor dining! Dog friendly! Loco Moco! Hawaiian Sun. Mahalo.

Love love this place, delicious food and friendly service. I would recommend sitting outside if the weather permits it. It's a pretty casual laid-back restaurant meant for quick bites. I always get an order of spam masubi and the seaweed salad. So so tasty! Great spot to grab a quick delicious lunch with a buddy.

Very upsetting, they removed the great roof that had enclosed the patio area which made this place so iconic. Now it lost its charm, its architecture and its vibe.

Really loved the tofu teriyaki and the mac salad was delicious! Service was quick and the girl working was super friendly :)

We ordered just about everything in the menu! And the young woman that works front of house is amazing: warm welcome, chill vibe, support friendly and great recommendations! Their pasta salad was great too! But the chicken katsu stole the show. Seems like EVERYTHING there is good, so you can't go wrong.

The establishment is a surprise, it doesn't look like much but the food is a mind-blowing experience! Very tasty!

Incredible Hawaiian BBQ! So happy that the locals told is about this place. They do the staples incredibly well. Service and food were awesome! We had the Shortribs and the Katsu. Also the Spam Musubi and the fresh Poki. So tasty. Parking sucks! Lol! But it's worth the walk down the street.

Katsu chicken was very fresh. Macaroni salad has the right amount of seasoning. Rice cooked perfectly. Definitely bring me back to middle school in Honolulu. Good job. Will come back again. Waitress was very pleasant.

Solid grill food with a variety of options on the menu. The waitress/cashier was super friendly with explaining the terms. Definitely a warm friendly vibe!

Excellent Pulled Pork (Pig) and great beers on tap along with local favorites. Nice staff too the girl working was extremely helpful and even checked in on us, definitely coming back

Manu Gujrati

We ordered just about everything in the menu! And the young woman that works front of house is amazing: warm welcome, chill vibe, support friendly and great recommendations! Their pasta salad was great too! But the chicken katsu stole the show. Seems like EVERYTHING there is good, so you can't go wrong.

Oleksandr Iurchyk

The establishment is a surprise, it doesn't look like much but the food is a mind-blowing experience! Very tasty!

Jesse Coggin

Incredible Hawaiian BBQ! So happy that the locals told is about this place. They do the staples incredibly well. Service and food were awesome! We had the Shortribs and the Katsu. Also the Spam Musubi and the fresh Poki. So tasty. Parking sucks! Lol! But it's worth the walk down the street.

Layla L M

Katsu chicken was very fresh. Macaroni salad has the right amount of seasoning. Rice cooked perfectly. Definitely bring me back to middle school in Honolulu. Good job. Will come back again. Waitress was very pleasant.

Jackson Wong

Solid grill food with a variety of options on the menu. The waitress/cashier was super friendly with explaining the terms. Definitely a warm friendly vibe!

Brian Schwab

Excellent Pulled Pork (Pig) and great beers on tap along with local favorites. Nice staff too the girl working was extremely helpful and even checked in on us, definitely coming back

I have been eating at Aloha for years! It is hands down my favorite food in town. It's a small store, near the beach, great staff, great menu!

Local, friendly, old school, no frills SC vibe. Highly recommend the fresh catch. Excellent chef, food and service.

I could tell you about the food being solid all the time, I could tell you about the cool little spot and the vibe, but what I’m going to tell you about is Naya (sorry if I misspelled it). Naya is the young woman who has worked the register on a few occasions that I’ve been here. She is awesome. Her energy, her service, and her enthusiasm may be the best I’ve ever seen at a restaurant. She is polite, present, and positive. Whatever she’s getting paid, it probably isn’t enough, (owners: I mean that). The tone she sets and the atmosphere she creates…as a one woman show…is really impressive. I hope she’s there everytime I go in the future.

I've lived in Hawaii for 10 years and was told about this place. Curious as I am and how much I love food, this place takes me back to Hawaii ! This is truly amazing 😍

Highly recommend this restaurant, food was delicious and the staff, specifically Numa was awesome. He helped us out of a tough situation when my son and I came upon his restaurant after losing my phone, debit card and van key (it was swept into the ocean). He let us use his phone to call my husband, gave us a meal, and provided comfort to my son. He remind us that everything we lost was replaceable. We were very grateful to have come upon Aloha Island Grille that night. Thank you Numa!

I just stumbled upon this place, and the kalua pork plate was very authentic! I lived in Hawai'i for 14 years, and it definitely took me back to the islands! Simple decor with authentic island grindz, mahalo Aloha Island Grille 🙏!

The cashier was so sweet and friendly. It was a delicious and homey meal. (Chicken Katsu and Teriyaki Chicken) Reminds me of when my Mom would buy us this while we played at The Cove. So happy they’re still around.

They had good beer and great Hawaiian food, especially the macaroni salad. We had my niece and nephew who are both under 3 y/o and the outdoor seating was accommodating. Everything was fresh and they had a wide selection of Hawaiian juices that everyone loved. I'll be returning for sure! FYI the dining area is under construction but should be done soon. (5/7/2025)

Classic little spot. This food is so delicious never disappoints, and the portions are wonderful! If you haven’t been to, you must try it. It’s delicious.

Dolf P

I just stumbled upon this place, and the kalua pork plate was very authentic! I lived in Hawai'i for 14 years, and it definitely took me back to the islands! Simple decor with authentic island grindz, mahalo Aloha Island Grille 🙏!

Erhan Ethem

I have been eating at Aloha for years! It is hands down my favorite food in town. It's a small store, near the beach, great staff, great menu!

Ella RB

Local, friendly, old school, no frills SC vibe. Highly recommend the fresh catch. Excellent chef, food and service.

Tasmia Shariff

Highly recommend this restaurant, food was delicious and the staff, specifically Numa was awesome. He helped us out of a tough situation when my son and I came upon his restaurant after losing my phone, debit card and van key (it was swept into the ocean). He let us use his phone to call my husband, gave us a meal, and provided comfort to my son. He remind us that everything we lost was replaceable. We were very grateful to have come upon Aloha Island Grille that night. Thank you Numa!

Vince Apple-Chiarella

I could tell you about the food being solid all the time, I could tell you about the cool little spot and the vibe, but what I’m going to tell you about is Naya (sorry if I misspelled it). Naya is the young woman who has worked the register on a few occasions that I’ve been here. She is awesome. Her energy, her service, and her enthusiasm may be the best I’ve ever seen at a restaurant. She is polite, present, and positive. Whatever she’s getting paid, it probably isn’t enough, (owners: I mean that). The tone she sets and the atmosphere she creates…as a one woman show…is really impressive. I hope she’s there everytime I go in the future.

C

The cashier was so sweet and friendly. It was a delicious and homey meal. (Chicken Katsu and Teriyaki Chicken) Reminds me of when my Mom would buy us this while we played at The Cove. So happy they’re still around.

Shean Paul Paille

They had good beer and great Hawaiian food, especially the macaroni salad. We had my niece and nephew who are both under 3 y/o and the outdoor seating was accommodating. Everything was fresh and they had a wide selection of Hawaiian juices that everyone loved. I'll be returning for sure! FYI the dining area is under construction but should be done soon. (5/7/2025)

Our family was searching for a quality Hawaiian restaurant and were not disappointed. The portions were generous, enough to share between two people. We ordered the teriyaki chicken plate, shrimp, and katsu, all of which were delicious. The only area for improvement would be the cleanliness of the patio. There were cobwebs above the tables that could be removed with a pressure washer.

3 1/2 stars. Overall. That being said I only can rate the dish we had partaken. Kayla and fries. According to my reviewer of foods, the shredded pork was seasoned correctly, but not knowing what was additional seasoning were added . This is Way better than L&L imo. Plenty of rice and large pieces of hamburger patties and the decent Although we have a running test we think the patties originated from the Costco burgers patties? Anyway prove me wrong. As always, post wherever the wind takes you.

To start off the service was nice and friendly and very welcoming. Even the vibe was pretty chill. This might just be preference, but had the loco moco and although the burger patties had a nice charbroiled taste to it, it felt like it was lacking in some seasoning. Also a very important part of the loco moco which is the egg; wasn't runny and fully cooked. The gravy itself was okay, nothing really different from other places commonly known to have loco moco.

Eddie B

3 1/2 stars. Overall. That being said I only can rate the dish we had partaken. Kayla and fries. According to my reviewer of foods, the shredded pork was seasoned correctly, but not knowing what was additional seasoning were added . This is Way better than L&L imo. Plenty of rice and large pieces of hamburger patties and the decent Although we have a running test we think the patties originated from the Costco burgers patties? Anyway prove me wrong. As always, post wherever the wind takes you.

Gilberto “Gilbert” Santiago Hernandez

To start off the service was nice and friendly and very welcoming. Even the vibe was pretty chill. This might just be preference, but had the loco moco and although the burger patties had a nice charbroiled taste to it, it felt like it was lacking in some seasoning. Also a very important part of the loco moco which is the egg; wasn't runny and fully cooked. The gravy itself was okay, nothing really different from other places commonly known to have loco moco.

Been going here for a long time and it’s been going down hill. Tonight, we got there at 8:30pm, and the bathroom was out of service (couldn’t even wash our hands), our food was packaged to go and the food was ‘eh. Shrimp was burned, moco loco patty was not fresh. Probably the last time we eat there. It’s also always cold. Sad because we like supporting local businesses.

Atmosphere great! Staff too! But my Katsu, rice, fries and were very bland. The Salmon VERY fishy. The poke was good but small.

I’ve heard mixed reviews about Aloha Island Grill so I came to see for myself. Staff were very friendly and the place was clean. I got the Chicken Katsu. The chicken itself was really good however, the Mac salad had zero flavor and smelled like it was going bad. The sauce that came with the chicken Katsu was not bad just not what I was used to. Overall, not a bad experience but I don’t think I’ll come again.

Not sure what happened to the macaroni salad but it tasted different today and smelled borderline rotten. Not sure if they changed the recipe or if it was old. The coconut prawns were also not as good as they normally are. Looks they like renovated the inside a bit and hoping they didnt make management/chef changes that will affect food from hereon out

A dog friendly place! I ordered the grilled catch of the day. It wasn't very good. It wasn't seasoned or anything extra. Just a piece of grilled fish. My daughter ordered the tuna sandwich which was very good. My husband ordered the tofu stir fry which was also very good. The spam musubi appetizer was good.

It is very casual. You can't get more casual. Five of us ate there. The 2 people that got the teriyaki chicken plate liked their food. The rest of us did not like our dinners. (Teriyaki tofu stir fry, grilled shrimp and the 3rd was some sort of fish. I'm not sure what fish though.) I have never had tofu I did not like before. This was a shock to me. It was dry and didn't have flavor, not even tofu flavor 😆. The veggies in the stir fry were not cooked enough. It just really lacked flavor. My SIL said she was warned they do not season the fish. She ate her fish, but wished she had picked the teriyaki chicken too. My niece ate 1 of the shrimp before resorting to just eating the white rice.

Laura Albrecht

It is very casual. You can't get more casual. Five of us ate there. The 2 people that got the teriyaki chicken plate liked their food. The rest of us did not like our dinners. (Teriyaki tofu stir fry, grilled shrimp and the 3rd was some sort of fish. I'm not sure what fish though.) I have never had tofu I did not like before. This was a shock to me. It was dry and didn't have flavor, not even tofu flavor 😆. The veggies in the stir fry were not cooked enough. It just really lacked flavor. My SIL said she was warned they do not season the fish. She ate her fish, but wished she had picked the teriyaki chicken too. My niece ate 1 of the shrimp before resorting to just eating the white rice.

Alexis Allison

I’ve heard mixed reviews about Aloha Island Grill so I came to see for myself. Staff were very friendly and the place was clean. I got the Chicken Katsu. The chicken itself was really good however, the Mac salad had zero flavor and smelled like it was going bad. The sauce that came with the chicken Katsu was not bad just not what I was used to. Overall, not a bad experience but I don’t think I’ll come again.

john Flannery

Not sure what happened to the macaroni salad but it tasted different today and smelled borderline rotten. Not sure if they changed the recipe or if it was old. The coconut prawns were also not as good as they normally are. Looks they like renovated the inside a bit and hoping they didnt make management/chef changes that will affect food from hereon out

Again gave me wrong order. Food was either burnt or no flavor. Used frozen foods. There was so much left over food from others, it would have been homeless dream! Will not go again sorry.

The 1st thing we saw when we walked into the place was the cashier eating where the food is ready to serve for customers. It was a big turn-off. We didn't have the energy to find another spot to eat at since we had just spent our entire day at the boardwalk. I don't even think the lady washed her hands after stuffing her face and serving us our food. Very unsanitary. The Real Islanders know this is nothing compared to island food. Sorry, but the food was bland. The chicken katsu was very thin and overcooked. The Loco moco beef patty was overcooked as well. The lady didn't even ask how we wanted our eggs cooked. Especially it was for a my child who is a picky eater. My friend had ordered the poke' and it was very salty. Took bad it wasn't filled up either. At the end of it all, we cleaned up our dishes in an already full bus bin. I asked the cashier where we would put our dishes. And she pointed to another full bus bin where another family was dining in. We did what we could to clean up after ourselves. Overall, I don't think I would recommend this spot to anyone. I didn't feel any "aloha spirit!"

both loco moco and kalua pig are quite bland. Portion is big though. Won’t come here again

The pictures online looked so much better then it taste...

I usually liked this place as it’s location is adorable. The staff was nice but I came in with 3 friends and bought 4 meals with drinks , no charge was less than $21 and we always tip well The meals were undercooked literally chewy in the middle. The steak the tuna and the shrimp were INEDIBLE :( and my friends wine tasted like vinegar And. We needed to use the restroom and were told they were out of order I know these things happen but my friends all just flew across the country to be with me and sadly this is their first experience !! I hate to say this but I’m really disappointed.

There was some obnoxious people inside and after we got our overpriced food we did not get any utensils.

I’m updating my review after ordering takeout, and it was a complete disappointment. For $18 a plate, we were given the cheapest, flimsiest plastic containers imaginable, and by the time we got home the food was ice-cold. My son’s $16 teriyaki beef (if you want to call it that) was so dry and tough it could be a called “pile of boot straps.” The service was also completely lackluster, inattentive, and not at all welcoming. This is absolutely unacceptable for food at this price point. We only ordered here because Pono Hawaiian Kitchen was closed, and the comparison isn’t even close—this place doesn’t come close to matching their quality. After this experience, we will never be back.

Beach Town Traveler

I’m updating my review after ordering takeout, and it was a complete disappointment. For $18 a plate, we were given the cheapest, flimsiest plastic containers imaginable, and by the time we got home the food was ice-cold. My son’s $16 teriyaki beef (if you want to call it that) was so dry and tough it could be a called “pile of boot straps.” The service was also completely lackluster, inattentive, and not at all welcoming. This is absolutely unacceptable for food at this price point. We only ordered here because Pono Hawaiian Kitchen was closed, and the comparison isn’t even close—this place doesn’t come close to matching their quality. After this experience, we will never be back.

The food simply wasn't good and the management isn't much better. The staff themselves are friendly, and the location has a Santa Cruz vibe to it, but it doesn't make up for the food quality or price. The first time I went I was unimpressed, and spent quite a lot for what I got. I thought it was a fluke, so I went again. The second time I went the meal was worse than the first time, with undercooked chicken. When I contacted them about the issue I was told the chicken was thigh meat, which is why it was pink, but the meat itself was certainly undercooked. About 10% of what I purchased was edible, either due to flavor or the quality of the cooking itself.

Robert Wilson

The food simply wasn't good and the management isn't much better. The staff themselves are friendly, and the location has a Santa Cruz vibe to it, but it doesn't make up for the food quality or price. The first time I went I was unimpressed, and spent quite a lot for what I got. I thought it was a fluke, so I went again. The second time I went the meal was worse than the first time, with undercooked chicken. When I contacted them about the issue I was told the chicken was thigh meat, which is why it was pink, but the meat itself was certainly undercooked. About 10% of what I purchased was edible, either due to flavor or the quality of the cooking itself.