I had never heard of Hannara Restaurant until recently. Specifically, until actor Jason Momoa mentioned it in an exclusive interview about his role in “Chief of War” with Aloha State Daily.
“I go to Hannara’s and get the Hawaiian plate,” he said during the interview with Aloha State Daily. “I mean, it’s pretty massive. I do a lot of damage there. But, yeah, Hannara’s is home. The west side is home.”
In this case, the west side means Waiʻanae. Hannara Restaurant has an old-school diner vibe, and, according to server Marivic Alimoot, the restaurant has been there for more than 30 years.
Alimoot has been working at the restaurant for 17 years.
“It’s family owned,” she says. “We do a lot of local food; we cater to the west side community. I’ve been serving kids from when they are young, and now, they’re teenagers.”
The restaurant offers local-style favorites, a full Korean plate lunch menu — more on that later — and even serves breakfast all day. Breakfast options range from steak and eggs ($20.95) and corn beef hash with two eggs ($10.95) to the famous Hannara fried rice omelet ($13.95), which includes fried rice, tomato, cheese and mushrooms. The eatery’s chocolate chip hot cakes are a newer dish; be sure to check out the specials board to see what’s featured.
“It’s [the menu] pretty much stayed the same [over the years],” Alimoot says. “We added a rib-eye, chocolate chip pancakes, spaghetti adobo and chili, but it’s pretty much the same menu from the first owners.”
Plate lunches include two scoops of white rice and mac salad. Choose from grilled pork chops topped with grilled onions ($17.95); hamburger steak with rice, salad and gravy ($13.95 regular plate); fried chicken plate ($15.95); and loco moco ($16.95), which includes two patties.
Even though we’re told the hamburger steak and loco moco are among the top sellers, we’re here for the eatery’s Hawaiian plate ($23.95 with rice, $27.95 with poi).
Momoa wasn’t kidding when he said this plate was pretty massive. All plates include lau lau, lomi salmon, kalua pig, beef stew and two pieces of pipikaula.
“Everything is freshly made here,” Alimoot says. “The only thing that’s not made here is the lau lau, which is from Keoki’s. We make everything else in the restaurant — kalua pig, homemade kimchi, everything.”
Out of curiosity, we ask what Momoa’s order is. Alimoot knows it by heart.
“He gets the Hawaiian plate with rice, no beef stew, extra kalua pig and double macaroni salad,” she says.
After trying some of that kalua pig, it’s no surprise why. It’s fork-tender, ultra flavorful, and easily our favorite part of the dish. Keoki’s lau lau also never disappoints.
If you prefer Korean plate lunch, the restaurant has you covered — there’s an entire section of the menu dedicated to Korean entrees. Options range from kalbi and meat jun ($24.95) and spicy barbecue pork ($18.95) to fish jun ($19.95) and bulgogi ($18.95).
The Hannara Special ($27.95) is highly recommended because it’s like a sampler. Like the Hawaiian plate, it’s enormous in size, and features a generous serving of kalbi, chicken, beef, meat jun, fried shrimp, fried mahi mahi and fried mandoo, in addition to side dishes like seaweed.
The kalbi is tender and flavorful, and the restaurant doesn’t skimp on the thickness when it comes to meat jun.
While some may cringe at the price, rest assured that this plate is easily at least two — if not three — meals.
“There’s a friendly staff, homecooked meals and service is fast,” Alimoot says. “It’s like a tight-knit community down here, so you can feel the love.”
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CONTACT
Hannara Restaurant
86-078 Farrington Hwy., Wai‘anae
808-696-6137
Open 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
