Luau Squid

12/31/2024

TLDR:

One of the most well known spots on the island serving up traditional Hawaiian dishes. Certain dishes were definitely more of an acquired taste so even though we didn't like everything, we're glad we tried it at least once. Ultimately, I probably wouldn't call this a must-try and wouldn't tell anyone to go out of their way to dine here, but if you're in the area and want traditional Hawaiian food, there's no better place to go!

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FOOD:

You can order popular sets of items to sample or order a la carte. I think the portion is the same regardless. We did a la carte since we didn't want everything offered in the sets. Everything we ordered could easily be shared among 3 people.

1. Fried Butter Fish (5/5): Fish was fried really well and had a satisfying crisp when you bit it. Great flavor and lots of meat. Apparently they don't always have this / they run out of it, so if they have it, I highly recommend you order it!

2. Pork Laulau (4/5): Similar to a Chinese zhong zi, only here the taro leaves that wrap the pork are edible, there's no glutinous rice here, and the pork here seems to be a lot leaner. I still prefer the flavor of a good zhong zi at the end of the day, but I suspect this is a lot healthier!

3. Short Ribs (3/5): We were so excited for these ribs because everyone seems to rave about them! Unfortunately we found the meat to be extremely tough and hard to bite off the bone. There also wasn't a great flavor to help make up for the toughness. I wouldn't order this again.

4. Luau Squid (2.5/5): Not for us. I think this is where the acquired taste comes in. Think of it like a stew of mostly blended greens with a squid chunk every few spoonfuls.

Every table also gets a plate of haupia for dessert and some raw onions with pink salt, which apparently tasted quite good from the brave souls at our table who tried it. The haupia was great.

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SERVICE:

* Really great service! This is a no frills kind of place but the employees were all very kind and walked us through the menu and what each item was.
* Scan a QR code to see the menu online and then order through your server. At the end, pay at the cash register.

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ENVIRONMENT:

* Small parking lot outside with limited spots.
* Inside there are several tables and food comes out quick so tables should move relatively fast
* No frills place
* If you're staying near Waikiki and do a day trip to Pearl Harbor, this will be on your way back

10/30/2024

When I think of true Hawaiian food, I think of Helena's. The food is straight up comfort food, homemade with love and the Aloha spirit. Keep this business thriving and always support the locals as this is their way of life! The service is super friendly, heartwarming, and they treat you like family with their older brothers and sisters, ensuring you're well fed before leaving.

We got the menu D option, and after eating away, I think you need at MINIMUM two scoops of rice per person because of the luau squid, Lomi lomi salmon, poi, and the short ribs- everything. You can't avoid not having rice here. It's a MUST! Let the food speak for itself, and like I said, all of it is made with the true Aloha spirit.

I'm glad they were able to expand their place so they can have more people and customers enjoy their food and sit down. I hope they'll be here for a long long time, thank you and I'll be coming back each time I visit Hawai'i.

10/4/2024

So by now we all know that Helena's Hawaiian Food is pretty much the top recommendation to go to for traditional, old school, authentic Hawaiian food. It's true, places that sorta look like your modest great aunt in the 90s cooked a family meal served in various bowls and plates from a Salvation Army are growing increasingly rare. Unfortunately, there are a few points that I think would prevent me from coming here again.

The parking is almost nonexistent. You should really bring a friend who can pick up a takeout order (if you drove on your own), and just do that. If for some reason you refuse to do that, then I hope you get excessively lucky. If you are thinking of taking a rideshare service to this place, I wouldn't do it because that's a really expensive meal, there's nothing in the area, and Helena's is not that cheap to begin with. Based on everything we ate (we had a variety from their set menu), I'd say nothing is really notable except the pipikaula shortribs, which definitely cost a pretty penny. And even then, I'd bet 9 out of 10 times you'd prefer eating galbi at a generic Korean place. Based on me marinating and cooking my own short ribs recently, I spent half as much as their listed price to make about 10 times the amount they gave me; I wish I was exaggerating, and yes my short ribs taste better.

Their set menu offers a combo of items, which was perfect for our first time here. We chose menu D, which has the most items and includes: kalua pig (cooked in underground oven, tastes like typical unsurprising pulled pork), lomi salmon (mostly pico de gallo tomato and onion pieces with flakes of cooked salmon here and there), pipikaula shortribs (like thick galbi but jerky-like and salty from the soy marinade), and luau squid (my second favorite item, as it's very interesting stewed taro leaves - basically like a well stewed creamy saag dish with bits of tender squid).

The set menus also come with a choice of poi (small or large portion) or rice. With all meals, they include haupia, raw onion slices, and salt if available. If you want chili pepper water for take-out (it seems they're already on the tables if you dine-in), you need to request it, which I did not do. The haupia tastes like delicious coconut jello, I did not eat the onions, and I did not need to use the salt on anything. If you don't know anything about poi, it basically tastes like gloopy glue, so order at your own risk. I couldn't eat more than a sample of ours, though I was given a tip to combine it with the lomi salmon. I had poi elsewhere and liked it there better; Helena's has a thicker consistency and super bland taste.

For the price, portions are small and you can rest well skipping this on your Hawaii trip. While I sound harsh in my criticism of Helena's, I don't regret trying it because it gave me perspective, and I did enjoy eating the pipikaula and luau squid. However, the value is just not there and I don't see myself wanting to return.

9/22/2024

We've been going to Helena's Hawaiian Food for years. Every trip to Hawaii we HAVE to eat here at least once. The food is always on point, the pipikaila ribs, luau squid, chicken long rice and fried butterfish collar are the staple orders (oh, and fruit punch .). Before I get into the food in more detail, please note, parking can be tight. The small lot in front can accommodate probably 8 cars. The business at the end of the building is no longer there so we parked on the side of the building (probably 3 spots available there to park.). There is a tablet on a pedestal outside the front door where you would enter your info to be on the waiting list. I really like this feature. We waited less than 10 minutes. Note, if you arrive when they open, they appear to be more crowded with that early morning rush. We got there probably after 1pm so it wasn't too crowded.
This is a very casual place. Don't get me wrong, as when I say "casual" it means very comfortable to me, like I'm in a relatives house. This means the atmosphere, and more importantly, the employees make me feel at home. They are very helpful in describing the menu if you're new to Helena's so they will walk you through the items they serve.  Depending on your background, they will attempt to find a comin dish you may be familiar with to help describe their local or Hawaiian food they offer (saying the "Luau squid" is like the Filipino "la'ing" as an example.)
Note if you're there early and first in the restaurant, you may notice that the meat is being air cured in the kitchen. This is part of the pipikaula preparation process so don't be alarmed. The pipikaula ribs are then pan fried to order AND THEY ARE DELICIOUS!!!  As with everything nowadays, the prices have gone up, so a large order of pipikaula ribs is $34 so we only ordered two large orders . If the price is a shock to you, let me say that the value is absolutely still there.  These are the BEST pipikaula ribs without a doubt and you need to try them!  The pipikaula ribs are served with slice onions and seat salt. I dip my ribs in the salt and chase the bite with the onions - delicious!!!  The luau squid is so deep in flavor, it's hard to describe how wholesome each bite is. The chicken long rice was slightly different with a larger noodle being used but still very good. The butterfish collar is so unctuous that we find it as a great addition to the table.  We order two scoops of rice but always need to order two more scoops .
As I said, you need to make a stop at Helena's Hawaiian Food for the food, the ambiance and the people.  When I visit Hawaii, what I look for as far as "Hawaiian" culture, I myself do not find in Waikiki (where I stay when visiting) but I find it in places like Helena's Hawaiian Food. Mahalo to the family that is continuing the restaurant as it's always a highlight of our visit!

9/2/2024

Took my friends and father in law here to try some good ol Hawaiian cuisine. The short ribs were as good as we remembered. A large really isn't that large of a portion, however. Nevertheless, that coupled with the other options filled us all. I originally thought the portions looked small but it was just enough. Except, they could provide more rice.

Stand outs were the short ribs and luau squid.Coconut deliciousness! The dish may not look particularly appetizing but man it was soooo good. The laulau and pork with cabbage were tasty, too.

And then the haupia side was sooo refreshing. All around, they loved the meal. We came early and they were still out of butterfish. Next time!

8/26/2024

Helena's is a must-visit spot in Honolulu, and seems to be a repeat favorite for a fair number of locals. My local friends who we were visiting brought us to Helena's and noted that this is the kind of food you usually won't get to eat unless you're at someone's house and Helena's does that "home food" best. As a consummate lover of "home food" I was deeply excited, and Helena's really delivers on all fronts.

Helena's is a popular spot, and while we did wait for a short while they at least have an organized system for it where you put your name down at a tablet just outside the restaurant and they text you when your table is ready. No messy queueing, no amorphous lines. Our group of five probably waited for ten minutes tops.
Once you get to your table you can peruse the menu either via QR code or physical menus. There's an a la carte portion of the menu and a "sets" portion of the menu, and they each have basically the same stuff. The sets do simplify things a bit if you're the indecisive type, since there are quite a few options to choose from.

I had rice with a small kalua pork and the luau squid. My friends had menu B with poi and another with rice, and of note each meal comes with onions (raw white onion slices), salt (pink Hawaiian salt), and a cube of haupia (the sweet coconut jelly dessert).
I have had kalua pork back in Seattle where I'm from, since there are a handful of Hawaiian restaurants there. When I say that none of them even come CLOSE to Helena's, I am not exaggerating. The kalua pork here is elite both in flavor and texture, and is enhanced even further with a few dashes of chili pepper water.
The luau squid is also delicious, and not something you can find easily outside of Hawaii. It's basically chunks of squid cooked in a paste made of pounded up taro leaves, and tastes deeply earthy and savory. My local friends say it's kind of an acquired taste for people but I loved it. It kind of reminds me of saag, actually, probably because of the "pounded up greens sauce" of it all.
The raw onions with salt are an excellent accompaniment, because while it will make your breath rank afterward, the spicy crunch really cuts through the fat of the kalua pork.

Everyone is super friendly, service is fast, and Helena's is a must visit when you're on Oahu.

7/1/2024

The outside is nondescript. The building that houses Helena's looks a bit old but don't let that deter you. Find parking, take a leap of faith and go through the door because what they offer you is a comprehensive experience of excellent, authentic Hawaiian food and hospitality.

They greet you enthusiastically as you enter and  seat you immediately. Because we were new to their setup, we abdicated all decision-making to them. They took one look at us and started naming dishes they intuited we would like. In minutes, they placed multiple dishes on our table. It all looked and smelled so yummy.

We got the poi, the beef short ribs pipikaula
style, the lomi salmon, the onions with salt, the fried fish, the macaroni salad, and the luau squid. Everything was so tasty and satisfying. You know everyone in your entire party loves the food when nobody is talking and everyone is busy reaching over and grabbing seconds and thirds. Let me tell you - we snarfed all that food down in minutes.

The squid was surprisingly good. It looked dark and mushy but I ladled it over my rice and I could not believe what my taste buds told me. I had to order more because I couldn't get enough of it. It was just incredible!

The star of the show was the short ribs. They aren't greasy but retained so much of the flavor. I think it's because the folks at Helena's hang them and allow the fat to drip off as it cooks. It's not chewy or tough at all. They've mastered the technique of finding a good balance between rendering a lot of the fat but retaining enough of it for flavor and tenderness.

This place was one of the biggest revelations about Honolulu and we plan on coming back to this restaurant to enjoy more meals here. Their hospitality and warmth are unmatched. And once you've had their food, you won't stop talking about it with each other. So unforgettable.

6/10/2024

This place was recommended by our driver and one of the employees at the ranch. Of course we had to check it out if it's recommended by the locals.
We do enjoy trying new things especially cuisines we can't get on the mainland. We told our server it was our first time and we wanted to try various things. She recommended option D from the menu. Lomi salmon, Kalua pig, short ribs, luau squid and rice. We also ordered the Mac salad. All very delicious. My husband enjoyed the ribs so much, he ordered another.
When they drop off your food, they ask if it's your first time. If it is, she explains what everything is and how to eat it. The meal also came with coconut jello and onions. The jello was dessert and it was so good.
Highly recommend this place. I can't wait to return to Honolulu and eat here again.

5/30/2024

The restaurant is small and modest , located in an area which doesn't look so nice.

There is few parking and the service is very good.

Besides the location and modest interior the food is very good so if you want to try real Hawaiian food this is the place to try it.

Portions are on the smaller side.

We tried the following and all were really good;
LauLau.- very good.
Lomi Salmon
Pipikaula Short Ribs.- I was amazed of how tender they were and the flavor was so good.
Fried Ahi
Macaroni Salad
Luau Squid.- really loved it.

Definitely you must try this place, check their schedule since it isn't open every day and they close early.

5/1/2024

Every time I visit Oahu, I gotta come here for some simple, good Hawaiian food. A little shop, a bit of a drive from Waikiki, but it's good. You gotta get here early or prepare for a wait since they are only open from Tues - Friday. Friendly service, but very tight parking.
Kalua pig - good
kalua pig w/ cabbage - good
comp onions w/ aloe salt to dip - good
comp haupia - great way to end the meal
fried butterfish collar - simply delicious. Do call ahead to make sure they have it, there have been quite a few occasions they don't have it available.
beef stew - ok
luau squid - not bad
short ribs - ok
macaroni salad - good

3/6/2024

The best! The ribs are my FAVORITE but luau squid up there too. The service is always phenomenal. We did takeout but have eaten inside before and it's casual and pleasant.

2/6/2024

I try to make this my first in when I get to Oahu. Homestyle island food to welcome you in! Luckily I've been able to get parking spots either right in the small lot or very close by. It's are a hot spot, so try going during off peak times.

The short ribs and luau squid were my #1 picks. I really liked the luau squid because of the slight coconut flavor. (It reminds me of the Filipino dish, laing). The lomi lomi salmon and kalua pork tied for second. I'd skip on the laulau.

The service was great. You really feel welcomed and receive the island hospitality here. For the people who hit the liquor store while waiting, finish them drinks before you head in.

12/26/2023

Having heard the hype and seeing the backstory on this place, I really wanted to love this place. Unfortunately, while the food is good generally, it just wasn't my cup of tea. I felt like I had to really fish for chunks of squid in the luau squid, the lomi salmon was 20% salmon, and I wish there was more meat on the short ribs. That being said, the short ribs were quite good and the kalua pig worked well with the poi. Surprisingly, one of my favorite things was the onion slices dipped in salt - so simple, yet it really clicked. Overall though, I wouldn't come again just for the food.

Service was quick with the meal lasting probably 30 min from being seated to finishing up the meal. It's not a fancy spot by any means - just honest food and a new experience for us mainlanders. Parking does become a struggle but people move in and out quickly enough that you could snag a spot with a short wait.

12/10/2023

My second time here.  We ordered the following:
1. Short Ribs-very good and meaty but not too salty
2. Rice (pp)-unfortunately very small portion
3. Luau squid-Delicious similar to Filipino dish Liang
4.  Beef stew-good n but would skip next time
5.  Fried Ah-good but I really wanted fried butter fish collar.  They said they ran out.
6. Beef with watercress-tasted- beefy soup and fresh watercress
7.  Laulau-somewhat dry I wouldn't order next time
Unfortunately the portions seem small.  To drive outside of Waikiki is not worth the trip.  If I happen to be in the area I would consider.

10/11/2023

Decided to try Helena's before leaving Oahu. As a first timer of Hawaiian food I ordered a bunch of dishes for the table to see what we might like/dislike. The pipikaula style ribs were FIYAH! That char was perfectly smoky. Definitely recommend. My mom put some soy sauce on the long rice chicken and then went to town on it, I did the same to the laulau. The table favorite was mixing some rice with the kaula and cabbage. My picky eating son requested his own bowl of it...high praise please believe me! Luau squid was ok. The one dish that just sat there, virtually untouched, was the poi. Maybe on another dish but for this meal, issa no.

Checkin system is easy. You simply check in at the kiosk outside the door and then wait in your car. Parking lot seems small and it was kinda tricky getting out. Staff was nice and friendly. Highly recommend.

9/5/2023

Delicious and authentic hawaiian food at reasonable prices. friendly wait staff willing to answer all your questions, even thou the probably had to answer the same questions all day long.
Kalua Pig is so moist and delicious , and not salty & dry like many other places we have been to.  Nice size Laulaus with lots of meat inside. Pipikaula was very tasty, not too fatty, oh so tender, we could have easily eaten 2 orders. Our out of town guest just fell in love with the luau squid & this was the first time eating it.  Only wish there was more parking.  Next time, want to come back to try some of their other dishes that looked good.

8/9/2023

Helena's is a place we MUST visit everytime we are in the Islands sometimes twice. We come here right when they open a little earlier as parking can be hard. The resraurant is also close on Saturday,Sunday and Monday so plan your trip and vacation accordingly (the only reason why they have 4 stars,because we want more of Helenas lol). But the food is always amazing. We get pipikaula (get a of couple orders because its a small serving specially if having it with family) we also like their fried butterfish and luau squid.

8/2/2023

Visiting Oahu for 2 weeks and already been twice here. This place is increíble and my favourite so far (Have tried both a few local  and tourist favourites including some places in the north shore ) .

The ribs are magical, the luau squid is rich , and the chicken long rice is fresh , flavourful and well garnished. The poi is also great but it did take me a little bit of time to get used to. Tried a few other things but these were my top choices.

Note the waiter provides you with some salt and onion as a flavour enhancer, I was surprised it really packs a kick in flavour almost msg like.  The atmosphere is nice and familiar friendly quite a big fan of the simple tapas styled plates for sharing / presentation.

Also the waiters were efficient and polite to add we got some extra free coconut dessert at the end when paying our bill I really don't understand the bad review , I feel it's a lot of people expecting bland food and not being able to handle the amazing rich flavours !

6/11/2023

The Khals pork, ribs, and luau squid (in blended taro leaves) all were delicious. Great value. Kind service. Unassuming and nondescript location, but wonderful vibes.

6/3/2023

Came here about 15 minutes before opening which was a good time because when they opened, we were one of the first people seated. I would arrive a bit earlier than opening if you want to get seated the first round or otherwise you may have to wait. Sign up for the waitlist on their tablet in front of the store.

One of my first authentic Hawaiian food experiences. Helena's made me feel welcomed and open to try menu items foreign to me. If you know how to order, you can get a lot of different dishes, be full, and not spend so much. Between four people, we split a set menu d, ahi poke, fried butterfish collar, beef stew, long rice chicken, laulau, and fried ahi. We opted for a small poi with the set. We also got haupia, onions and salt on the house. In total it was about $25pp after tax and tip.

It was a very good introduction to Hawaiian food as I got to try a variety of things. The luau squid was polarizing as I liked it but my sister didn't. The poi was their starch. Acted a lot like rice because it isn't too heavily flavored. The kalua pork was over-salted, so the poi paired with it well. Long rice chicken was basically chicken noodle soup. My favorite was the laulau. I loved the earthy flavor, and it was so tender. All the reviews rave about the short ribs, but I thought they were just okay. I have had more tender short ribs. Lomi salmon and ahi poke were super fresh. Beef stew was very similar to the beef stew you would have in Vietnamese cuisine, just a but thinner. Fried butterfish collar and ahi were perfect. Haupia was the perfect end to the meal.