Hawaiian BBQ Restaurant Opening New Location in Phoenix

A new Hawaiian restaurant is coming soon.Photo byAlice PasqualonUnsplash

Hawaiian restaurants around greater Phoenix are tricky to figure out. Despite offering a unique menu that differs from just about any other cuisine in the Valley, many of these restaurants come and go, lasting a few years before disappearing. And yet, one particular chain has done rather well, as it currently has thirty locations around the metro area. That number will only grow, as a new location is currently in the works as it brings more classic Hawaiian BBQ flavors to Phoenix. 

Ono Hawaiian BBQ announced on its website that it would open its latest Phoenix location (the fourth in the city) at 1003 East Indian School Road. The address itself is currently razed and in the early stages of construction, so an opening date is not yet available. At best, the all-new Ono Hawaiian BBQ might begin serving customers by the end of the year, but that will depend on construction times (which are slowed due to the current extreme heat wave).

Regardless, for fans of Hawaiian BBQ and who live around East Indian School Road, this is good news. It’s also right around the corner from the Steele Indian School Park, so anyone craving the mellow flavors of Ono won’t have to travel far. 

The restaurant brand first opened on Santa Monica Boulevard in California back in 2002. Brothers Josh and Joe Liang opened the restaurant to pay homage to Hawaiian cuisine. In a June 2018 interview with QSR Magazine, the brothers admitted after opening their first location in Los Angeles, they struggled to open subsequent shops in Southern California, and so Phoenix became a home away from home. Much of the brand's growth has been focused in metro Phoenix, and that growth continues with the latest restaurant announcement.

If you have yet to visit one of the Ono Hawaiian BBQ restaurants around the Valley, it functions very much like other Hawaiian restaurants, where you are served a plate meal with protein and side dishes (typically white rice and macaroni salad). Protein options include Hawaiian BBQ chicken, chicken katsu, teriyaki chicken, island fire chicken, and grilled chicken. Pork and beef options include kalbi short ribs, Hawaiian BBQ beef, and Kalua pork. 

Hungry for seafood? The restaurant features island spice grilled fish, island white fish, crispy shrimp, plus several island spice fish and chicken combos. Appetizers and sides include Spam musubi, BBQ beef musubi, steamed rice, and crab rangoon.