Pono Plates

The pono chorizo beef burger was excellent! Well seasoned, fresh, and very high quality.

The food was really good. Loved the mac salad. Can’t go wrong with avocados. The staff was very friendly. Definitely will return soon.

We were supposed to go to ramen yah, but I saw this restaurant and I told my husband «let’s go and try it. The inside looks nice very inviting and there’s quite a few people inside… So we decided to order braised short ribs and spicy garlic chicken.
My husband was disappointed with his braised short ribs. It was cold in the middle. Although he like the salad with papaya seed dressing. My chicken was ok. Taste like Korean style fried chicken. But if you don’t like garlic, don’t buy this. They put too much garlic its a bit bitter… And too expensive.

I really like this place, and now wish I’d tried it sooner. They have a lot of healthy foods here: paleo friendly, gluten free, and vegan selections, which makes it so nice for those of us with special dietary needs, but the foods don’t taste like they’re for special dietary needs. The food taste absolutely delicious and filling. I had kombacha soup, and the curry, both of which were delicious. The staff here are super friendly and efficient, too. I will definitely return!

5 stars for delicious, healthy food!
Ive come here twice for the garlic chicken, always with brown rice and salad. The sweet potato fries are awesome too. Maybe if the chicken wasnt so good i would try somethin else!

This place has been a wanted place for me to go. I really enjoy the fact that they serve such healthy food. The moment you walk in, there is someone there welcoming you with aloha and such a wonderful smile. Kudos to the owner who knows how to run a business by hiring people who are people friendly.
The first time I went here, I remember getting some kind of purple burger? Was it a taro burger? I seriously cannot remember. All I know is that it was good. I’m a sucker for sweet potato fries so yesssss, sweet potato fries were definitely good! I’ve also tried various other dishes. The salmon and steak combo and then the garlic chicken and curry combo. Both are in favor, but I would choose the garlic chicken and curry combo any day.
This place does not contain food that are oily and found somewhere like Zippys. If anything, they promote health and low calorie foods. I think that it’s awesome! Some people may disagree on the taste of their food but I simply appreciate it. I love their food and I’d go back over and over again!

Been here twice now, first time we ordered poke bowls… DELICIOUSNESS…
Second time, we ordered the Spicy Garlic chicken, with brown rice and pono slaw, not too bad, very good and not too spicy, also ordered the fish taco salad, and it was perfect, everything is so Ono, great atmosphere, friendly staff, and the prices are reasonable, now days it’s a bit expensive to eat healthy, but it’s definitely worth the price, if I could afford too, I would probably eat here like 3 or 4 times a week… :)
If you happen to be in the pearl city area, Come check this poll ace out, support the small local businesses… it’s really good… who knows maybe they could open other locations around the island :)

One word: Yum.
I stumbled upon this place after trying the nearby nail salon for the first time. It advertised healthy options, so I figured, why not?
I was greeted with a smile and ordered suggestions on the most popular items. I went with their Caesar salad and added chicken and avocado.
The food was beautifully plated, delivered with a smile and delicious!
Oh– and they’re very much kid friendly. So much so that when I caused a big stir and knocked over a chair with my stroller, everyone was super nice and helpful.
I will be back!

If I could rate this 6 stars, I would.
This place is amazing and perfect for the health conscious eater. Also, the staff is so friendly! The menu has a great variety of items to satisfy any cravings. We had the Sautéed mahi with pineapple salsa, island jerk chicken, and Parmesan garlic sweet potato fries. Everything was cooked amazingly. Definitely coming back to try more menu items!

The question always is, «How do you stay healthy on vacation?» Although Hawaii is one of those places where you can go super health and super unhealthy, sometimes you want something inbetween with the ability to go either direction. Pono Plates is this place!
Whether you’re kama’aina or someone visiting, this place offers something unique that I hadn’t seen anywhere on the island. My BF and I where preparing to leave for the Mainland and since we were in the area, we decided to check them out.
When I walked in, I was amazed at all the offerings they had depending on what you were looking for. They have this cute little color coding system that they use with suggestions like «paleo friendly, treat friendly, gluten free,» ect… I appreciated this a lot because I like to go paleo a few months out of the year and although you can make your meal paleo by just omitting whatever isn’t paleo, it’s nice to have an option that does the thinking for you.
Since it was the last day of vacation, I was glad for something comforting, but not a crazy plate lunch. My BF and I ordered the combo options. I had the kalo beef stew with taro and the spicy garlic chicken and he had the Lilikoi Ribs and the Mahi Mahi. Both of us opted for brown rice. We also got the mixed greens and I got the Mac salad.
Kalo Beef Stew was so comforting. It tasted like a traditional beef stew with a slight tinge of sweet. The garlic chicken reminded me of popcorn chicken or Mochiko chicken with a mild taste of spice and garlic. I like spicy so it wasn’t as spicy as I was expecting. The Mac salad was made with wheat pasta, I’m not a huge fan, but the recipe was traditional and not to overwhelmingly mayo-​y. The ribs were moist and the sauce was smokey with a slight hint of spice, and a slight sweetness from the Lilikoi. The Mahi Mahi was fresh and had a tasty pineapple salsa on top. Brown rice was made well!
They also do breakfast and acai and poke bowls. I didn’t have enough stomachs to try everything out.
I hope when I return to Hawaii I can come back and tackle more of the menu. I think if you’re looking to start eating right, this is a good place to get some inspiration.

We stopped here for lunch since it was by the airport on the way to Costco. We’d just arrived in Oahu and wanted something quick, healthy, and Hawaiian. I found this place via Unilocal and it looked adorable, so we decided to try it out.
The menu is quite extensive, so we took awhile to order (as did some other customers). It’s Panera-​style, meaning you order at the register and they’ll bring you the food later.
We ended up getting (for the 4 of us) the kalo beef stew (subbed in taro instead of rice as a side), the kona coffee puhelu steak (medium rare, subbed in taro instead of rice as a side), the miso tofu wrap with sweet potato fries as a side, and an acai bowl with no honey, no granola, add coconut flakes. All substitutions were made to accommodate my paleo-​friendly diet, and the menu board is great in that it has a legend showing what meals are paleo-​friendly, vegan-​friendly, contains gluten, contains dairy, etc.
They also have free lime infused water, which is nice. The food came fairly quickly, and although it was on paper plates, looked good. I tried a bit of each; reviews for all below:
Miso tofu summer wrap with sweet potato fries: This was wrapped in a nori sheet (dried seaweed) and filled with miso tofu, cucumber, daikon, spinach and cilantro). It came with sriracha aioli. It was light and fresh, and I’m glad it came with the aioli because the wrap itself was a little lacking in taste. Not the biggest fan of the aioli, but my sister loved it. I, on the other hand, absolutely LOVED their sweet potato fries. I’m usually not a fan of them, but these were crispy without being oily. There was sea salt lightly sprinkled on them, which gave it just the right amount of flavor.
Kalo beef stew with taro: It was probably a mistake to ask for this with a side of taro because the stew already comes with taro. The flavor was pretty good, a little oversweet though. There was also more taro than beef and the portion was pretty small. The taro as a side was drier than I thought, though it was a large amount and thus very filling. If I weren’t paleo, I’d probably go with some brown rice as a side for this.
Kona coffee pulehu steak with taro: This steak was beautiful. Like, considering it was on a paper plate, it was a perfect medium rare and garnished with rosemary. I didn’t try this but my family liked it. Like the other dish, the taro was dry and very plentiful… the cauliflower mash would’ve probably been a better choice of side for this.
Acai bowl: This usually comes with berries, bananas, granola and honey; I asked for no granola or honey and added coconut flakes (they have a variety of other add-​ons as well). It was not too sweet, which was nice, and had a good consistency. They were generous with the coconut flakes so I didn’t miss the chewiness granola would’ve given it. Not the most amazing bowl I’ve had, but pretty good.
Overall, good food at a decent price (10% off your order with a student ID!). Loved that it was healthy and that there were a lot of options. It’s a good quick and cheap lunch in the area. The service is quick and nice as well, though very no frills.

Tried this out for the first time after my fiancé and I had some alterations done in the same shopping center.
She had the garlic chicken taste amazing hard to relive it’s healthy.
I originally got the island jerk chicken but the texture of the meat wasn’t what I was used to taste a little crunchy but wet.
They insisted on replacing my food for something else and still gave a refund even though I kept saying no.
Swapped over to the Kali beef stew which was very good.
Good save by the team converted me from frustrated to a fan.
Thanks!

Kinda disappointed that this place didn’t live up to the hype that I’ve read and I was excited to try this place out since it’s so close to home. I’ve been inside here a few times from previous restaurants so the place is very spacious and it can accommodate large groups.
We ordered 3 plates, chicken papaya soup, sweet potato pork adobo with mashed cauliflower and Thai chicken curry. The plates looked very delicious however they might have had a bad day because there was no taste to these dishes, maybe just a little bit more of seasoning and I’m sure they would have tasted a lot better. The portions were just right not too small or too heavy to finish. The prices are a little steep everything above $ 13 but given that they use local produce it is worth it.
I may have to come by again to check it out and order something else, everyone else seems to love this place. The location is prime though and they also had a little stage set up for live music.

I can see what the hype is all about with Pono Plates!!! This place hits the spot. The menu is interesting and makes you want to sample everything. I ordered the island jerk chicken and it was very tasty. It had a nice char on it, but was a little dry. However they drizzle a sriracha sauce on top which is super yummy and helps with the dryness. My plate came with brown rice and coleslaw. The coleslaw is the second best coleslaw I’ve had on island.
I also ordered the chicken papaya soup. It seems pricy for a soup and almost busts the bank at $ 10, but it’s so worth it. This is not your typical soup. It has green papaya in it which almost taste like a potato. The broth has so much flavor it’s unreal. This is the best soup that I’ve had in a long time. This is a must try especially if you feel a little under the weather.
The staff here is friendly and very helpful. Pono plates also offers free wifi and has live entertainment some nights. How awesome!!! I can’t wait to go back. Everyone should check this place out.

No, I’m not one of God’s favorite children that He blessed with a supercharged stellar metabolism. I work my ass off literally just so I can eat! 75% of the week I try my best to eat like a frigging rabbit and I hate it! So if you’re one of the unlucky ones like me trying to run the rat race, exercise, and eat «clean» bland healthy foods, then you’ll greatly appreciate Pono Plates efforts to offer healthy foods that taste good that you actually enjoy eating. Thank you Pono Plates for not saturating your meats with sugar laden Shoyu and not piling 3 different carb heavy sides on my plate!
I’ve tried almost everything that isn’t a salad. (I don’t want to ruin my love of this place just because I can’t stand eating salads. I’m sure they’re good, but I’ll stick to anything else!) My two favorite things on the menu are the garlic sweet potato fries and the fried green tomatoes; both so crispy and well seasoned. The tomato slices could be a bit thicker. The beef in the kalo stew is so tender and the broth has just a hint of sweet from the carrots. It has chunks of taro which is a great alternative to potato. The mashed cauliflower is excellent. It’s creamy and flavored enough that one could almost believe they were eating mashed potatoes. It’s a great alternative to your other starch options, but it will cost you extra if you switch. The cauliflower fried rice is also a low carb much much healthier option to regular rice. If you must have rice, brown rice is also offered as a healthier option to white rice which is also offered. I also love the avocado slaw. It’s crunchy, creamy, and sweet. I think the sweet comes from agave which is awesome alternative to regular sugar. Great big THANK YOU to PP for offering low carb friendly sides. (Zippy’s seems to think corn is a vegetable. My 5 year old will tell you that corn is clearly a grain and is loaded with carbs!)
Although it’s still tasty, the one entrée that doesn’t impress me as much is the chicken papaya soup. More vegetables please in the chicken papaya soup if you’re going to charge $ 9.95 for it. There was only one chunk of papaya both times I ordered it. Was that on purpose? I doubt there is a shortage of papayas in Hawaii so why the rationing to one ice cube sized chunk? I’d also prefer chunks of chicken rather than chicken on the bone. Call me weird, but I have an aversion to chicken on the bone in soups. I know the bone and marrow are supposed to add flavor, but I myself, don’t like it.
Please keep the stuffed chicken breast with spinach and prosciutto covered in a Bleu cheese mornay sauce on the regular menu. It is so delicious! Great combination of salty from the prosciutto and creamy from the mornay. I could go on and on about the foods, but this review is already too long. Just try for yourself. I haven’t been disappointed by anything I’ve tried, and I’ve tried almost everything, non salad of course.
Yes, the prices are a bit high, but unfortunately eating healthy costs more than eating junk. Everyone that works there is very nice and helpful. They walk around checking tables to make sure you have what you need. It’s clean and there’s a bathroom that does not require a gawdy dirty key. There is a sink outside the bathroom as well so for you OCD people that don’t want to touch the bathroom handle on the way out for fear of just ruining your already clean hands. You can clean them after you exit the bathroom. Oh, and the funny thing is, is the selection of reading materials on the way into the bathroom! There is ample parking in the shopping center where Long’s and David Bridal are located. I love this place. It’s too bad it’s in Pearl City where traffic on Kamehameha is a bitch. On the upside, since you ate so healthy here, you can venture next door to Cherry On Top and reward yourself with some yummy fro yo! Keep calm and eat on!

I had seen this place while shopping at Sally Beauty Supply and decided to finally try it. It looks great inside, nice looking menu. I went with the Pono Caesar salad to go with seared ahi. Over $ 16.00. *winces*. I put on my big lady pants and just hoped for the best. First of all it was in a STYROFOAM CONTAINER. Don’t put the word «pono» in front of this thang and then bring me that $**t. I opened it up and it was big and fancy, but once I started mixing it up I realized I had been given old brown lettuce and skanky kale. Once I tried the ahi, which was super fishy and tasted like fridge, I knew I couldn’t trust this place.
Have more respect for your island than to use styrofoam. For what you are charging for food I should’ve had my salad carried out in a golden chalice by nubile female slaves. Rip. Off.

First time here. We ordered take out. I ordered Chicken Papaya soup n my co-​worker ordered Kalo Beef stew…
I gotta say their food is AMAZE BALLS!!! u better believe we will be back. Thank u for being right across from my job…
At first ii was thinking it was a lito pricey, but it was completely WORTH it. The serving size was huge n ii was able to split my soup as well…
DEFINITELY A MUST TRY PLACE!!!

I love the theme they have going here. It’s a healthy, delicious place to eat. The first thing I noticed upon walking in was the nice HUGE chalkboard menu. It’s placed on one of the side walls, which makes it easier to see the menu and to decide while in line. My favorite thing to eat so far has been the Kona Coffee Crusted Pulehu Steak with chimichuri sauce. I get that usually with brown rice and the Pono Mac Salad (a healthy version). The Mac salad, so i’ve been told by an employee, is made with no mayo but just a little olive oil and avocado. That had me even more intrigued.
Their menu caters to those just looking for a great meal or those looking to eat healthier. The menu has different color dots to indicate what is vegetarian, gluten-​free, contains dairy, contains nuts, paleo friendly, etc.
The price for a meal here is unfortunately kind of pricey, but I guess you do pay for quality and good ingredients.

Super fresh ingredients! Plus side and downfall — I would have given this place 4-​stars, but found a little slug in my watercress tofu salad when I was only ¹⁄₃ way through it. Yeah some might say it’s extra protein, but I personally can’t dig it especially if I’m going out to eat at an establishment.
Husband thought his fish taco salad was alright, I thought it was good in freshness but slightly bland.
We totally murked the sweet potato garlic fries though, highly recommend that!
Staff is friendly, but service was slow considering we had salads (our fries came out first and noticed the customers after us were served their salads before we got ours).
Would only MAYBE go back if I am in the area and craving fries.

A place that has something for everyone. Healthy to the not so healthy, heavy to lite eaters. I love that they label each dish with the following
–contains nuts
–contains dairy
–heart friendly
–diabetic friendly
–gluten free
–vegetarian
–paleo friendly
–treat friendly
They have a healthy take on adobo a Filipino favorite that I will try next time. Today, I decided to have the kona coffee crusted pulehu steak with chimchuri sauce. Done medium rare and tasty a little tough. The hubby opted for the burger on taro bun and sweet potato fries. That burger didn’t make it past me without at least 3 bites taken out of it. Try the burger! Prices for the main dishes range from $ 10 to $ 16 with several small plate options under $ 10.