Pongo's Kitchen

Casual vibes, good service, reasonable prices, tasty great comfort local plate lunches. What's not to love? OK, maybe the lack of parking may work against this local institution but since it's strictly a takeout place, all the double parked cars are constantly coming and going so you are sure to get an illegal space quickly. Hahah.Pongo's, located in the heart of Kalihi has "broke da mout" food which on many days sells out by 11/11:30am... at least the more popular dishes. And the most popular and most delicious choices IMHO are the mochiko (fried) chicken, sesame (fried) chicken, guava (fried) chicken, and the baked ahi casserole THO whenever I visit Pongo's I see other "regulars" ordering all kinds of dishes I never thought of ordering so... will have to return to try their beef stew or curry one day!Always be sure to save room for their onolicious butter mochi!

I went here to grab lunch today and got ahi katsu for a co-worker and baked ahi with garlic cream sauce for me. Prices are reasonable here. Parking can be a bit tricky to find but I always seem to find something right in front! Food here is yummy! Love everything here!

Had to kill some time in the area, so I drove around looking for a place to eat. I saw this hole in the wall with several people standing outside in a line, which usually means it's a good thing, so I decided to give it a try. I got very lucky and got a curbside parking spot right in front of them, otherwise you'll need to drive around to look for street parking. When I try new places, I usually tend to try their loco moco, as I may have mentioned in my reviews of other places. Because, as simple as that dish is to make, if the place can't get that right, I am not going to bother ordering anything else off your menu. So, here I am at Pongo's, and I ordered their loco moco. It came in a decent sized bowl, just the right amount to hit the spot without filling you up too much. It comes with one egg (I order over easy) and one patty, with gravy and rice. The patty was probably one of the best patties I've tasted in a LM: it was large and tender, very tasty and not gamey. The gravy was what you would want from a gravy: dark brown and thick, not overpowering or salty. It was the perfect size meal and hit the spot. I failed to buy a side of their mac salad, which always goes great with LM, but I won't make that mistake next time. And yes, there will be a next time. Very friendly staff, food took minutes to come out. Support local!!

Food is awesome as always. Got my go to order ... baked ahi and chicken comboThey also have military discount Will definitely be back

2/13/25 The Roasted Chicken Thighs w mixed greens(healthier spinach lettuces mix...) Ask for the vinegar onion sauce to dip the chicken in I add a Hawaiian chili pepper to spice it up

Phenomenal food, great customer service! In a respectful area where people just want to come and eat!

Great portion sizes and tasty food! The have only street parking which can be tricky. Quality hasn't changed since my first visit about 8 years ago.

Opened in 1991 by sisters Tracy and Cindy Sakuma, Pongo's Kitchen was a hot pink lunch wagon on Moowaa Street in the Kalihi industrial area and aptly named as "Pongo," as it was the nickname of Tracy's and Cindy's dad. I remember working in downtown way back then, and we would occasionally cater certain dishes, including the still popular baked ahi, for office parties, knowing how delicious their offerings were. In 1996, Candace and another sister joined the team, with Mom Barbara a year after that. They were able to launch a 2nd lunch wagon, silver in color, near the Young Brothers shipping company location on Nimitz Hwy.In 2001, the Sakuma family sold the two lunch wagons and opened a brick and mortar building on Mokauea St., where it is now. In 2006, significant menu changes were made to include healthier options and to offer different kinds of drizzles, sauces, and butters to complement the main dishes. Cindy and Tracy subsequently left to pursue other ventures, and Mom passed away in 2008, with Candace overseeing the business and coming up with a new team.Pongo's Kitchen is literally a hole-in-a-wall restaurant that offers take-out lunches. They include:* Plate lunches: ahi (katsu, baked, grilled); grilled salmon; beef stew; hamburger curry/steak; roast turkey; chicken (fried, sesame, spicy guava, roasted). All plates come with white or brown rice and mac salad, tossed salad or corn; and either regular or mini plates.* Combos. Variations of the above.* Bowls: grilled ahi, hamburger curry and egg, loco moco.* Drizzles: creamy garlic, lemon caper, ranch, sriracha, wasabi.* Sauces: spicy shoyu vinegar & onion, garlic shoyu sauce.* Butters: garlic butter, spicy house.* Desserts: cookies, energy bars, mochi.* Specials: Varies, which may include Korean fried chicken bowl, chicken & natto, tuna roll w/ cucumber, spam musubi, grilled short ribs, rib eye steak, spam & eggs, sushi bake, pickled onions.* Drinks: canned soda, bottled water.Popular dishes are their ahi bake and guava chicken, although many enjoy their various kinds of fried chicken, fish, and other menu offerings, complemented with various house made drizzles, sauces and butters. You can also purchase chicken by the piece. They also provide catering orders, which must be placed five days in advance. Catered dishes include the regular offerings, plus grilled pork, kalua pig, grilled salmon.I've always enjoyed the baked ahi, as I go back a long time with it, when our office used to include this as one of the catered dishes for office parties. This delicious ahi itself is so moist, as it is topped with a mixture of imitation crab, round onions, and mayo mixture while baking, and served on a bed of fresh spinach leaves. The baked ahi is always a favorite! I also chose the tossed salad, which is a fresh spring mix with homemade ranch dressing. The guava chicken is also good with it tasting like sriracha, sweet chili sauce, and guava sauce on a fried chicken; however, it's a little too sweet for me.Hours of operation are Mon to Fri 10a to 2p, Sat & Sun closed. Due to the short opening hours and its popularity with construction workers, items are limited, so it's best to go early, as Pongo's does sell out of their popular items.Prior to Covid, you could go inside the store to order; however, during Covid, you would have had to order at the front door and pick up your order there. This has not changed as of today. Friendly and efficient staff will accommodate your orders and questions. In addition, two outdoor tables with benches were permanently removed, so it is strictly take-out. Credit cards are accepted.Finding a parking space is an issue, as Pongo's is in the heart of Kalihi's industrial area, next to Puuhale Elementary School and across the street from Ross Appliance & Mattress. It only has a couple of parking spaces fronting the restaurant, but there is a bus stop at that same spot. You can also park next door at Ted's Automotive Machine Shop based on prior agreement with Pongo's. Both the bus and Ted's are forgiving, as they know that you'll be in and out within a few minutes. Best to come with a driver so that one of you can quickly pick up the order while the other waits in the car.I just love these old-school local places and hope that Pongo's continues their legacy for future generations. With reasonable prices and delicious food, Pongo's Kitchen will always remain a favorite for take-out local food!

Takeout lunch in Kalihi, Honolulu, Hawaii...My friends (Bruddah Fran, Dear Daniel, Gary, Kelli, Jozlyn, Lori, Mei-Lan, and Travis) wrote glowing reviews for this plate lunch establishment. Darrell even got ROTD (Review of the Day) for Pongo's Kitchen in 2017!What took me so long to visit?PARKINGLuckily, on the day of my visit, I was "early" (around 10:30am) and easily found free street parking right in front of the shop.There was a nice lady at the window. She was so efficient and organized: taking orders, giving change, and calling out names when orders were ready!I decided to get the Hamburger Steak Plate and Baked Ahi Plate. I was starving! As soon as I got my package, I started eating the hamburger steak in the car. It was so delicious that I almost finished it all! I stopped and thought: someone else probably needs this parking space... So, I moved my car and finished that plate at home! I think the savory gravy really enhanced the patties. I left part of the brown rice "for Mr. Manners", but devoured the corn. I had a taste of the Baked Ahi - yummy - and finished off the green salad that came with it. Gosh - that was a surprisingly good lunch! I think I will return soon! The presentation was beautiful... The entrees were on beds of spinach! So healthy and colorful!

The food is excellent. I love the chicken the guava my favorite. The bake fish is top shelf. The service is fast for a takeout restaurant. The ambiance is taking it home or your favorite spot on the beach