The menu at Clau and Chui’s Cocina — which has locations in Wahiawā and Hawaiʻi Kai — goes beyond tacos, burritos and quesadillas. That choice was intentional to make the business stand apart from others, according to Claudia Lazcano Orias, who owns the business with her husband, Jesus Orias.
“My husband is from Mexico City and I’m from South Mexico,” she explains. “We opened here (in Hawaiʻi Kai) in 2024. We have really authentic food from Mexico City; we have dishes that other Mexican restaurants don’t have.
“‘Clau’ is short for Claudia,” she adds, regarding the business’s name. “My husband’s name is Jesus, but ‘Chui’ is short for Jesus in Mexico.”
The business offers street tacos, burritos, tortas, and enchiladas, but prides itself on featuring unique dishes.
Customers can soon get the business’s taco carousel ($45), which includes 10 assorted tacos with a variety of meats. Choose from proteins like carnitas, asada, chorizo, pollo or brisket; customers can mix and match when ordering the carousel.
Once the taco carousel is on the restaurant’s menu, it will be available daily, not only on Taco Tuesday, according to Lazcano Orias. Since tacos usually cost $4 to $5.50 a la carte, the taco carousel is a good option if you’re dining with friends.
The restaurant will also be adding a taco salad ($21) to its menu. This massive salad is served in a tortilla shell bowl.
“A lot of people in this area like to be fit,” notes Lazcano Orias, of the eatery’s Hawaiʻi Kai location, which is in the same center as a 24 Hour Fitness. “We are going to try to have taco salad in a bowl very soon (on the menu).”
Lazcano Orias encourages customers to try some of the eatery’s signature dishes, including its pambazo ($18) and torta de chilaquiles ($19).
“Our pambazo is a very popular thing here,” she says. “It’s like a torta. Our torta de chilaquiles is famous, too. It’s like bread with chilaquiles and breaded chicken breast on the inside.”
The pambazo features a filling comprising chorizo with potatoes and is layered with lettuce, sour cream, cheese and salsa. Of the dishes we try, the torta de chilaquiles a favorite. The thin-yet-flavorful chicken Milanesa (chicken Milanese) is sandwiched between a layer of chilaquiles verdes, sour cream and ranchero cheese.
Other popular dishes include birria tacos ($21) and fish tacos ($21). Be sure to check out the eatery’s featured specials; mole enchiladas ($22) were one of the featured dishes during our visit.
Birria tacos are served with cheese, onions and cilantro, and with a side of consommé for dipping.
Meanwhile, the fish tacos feature three pieces of fried fish with cabbage, pico de gallo and chipotle salsa.
End your meal with desserts like cheesecake ($8) or tres leches ($10). For the latter, choose from the classic flavor or a strawberry version.
CONTACT
Clau and Chui’s Cocina
Koko Marina Center
7192 Kalanianaʻole Hwy., Honolulu
808-888-0043
clauandchuiscocina.com
Instagram: @clau_chuis_cocina
Open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays, open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays, closed Mondays
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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
