iLava Hawaiian Barbecue

I Love-a iLava! I can't think of a better combination of deliciousness, freshness, and value in the East Bay (and value is a top priority in my ratings). My go-to and recommendation for a first-timer is the Garlic Shrimp & BBQ Beef combination, or anything with the Garlic Shrimp really. You get around 10 plump, juicy, super garlicky shrimp - I personally like that the shrimp is peeled unlike traditional Hawaiian garlic shrimp. The BBQ Beef is well-marinated and tender. The plate costs around $18, but you will likely have leftovers, and again, you get a ton of shrimp.Pro-tip: If you're undecided on which proteins you want, you can get most options as a side / a la carte (even on DoorDash). I typically get a side of Chicken Katsu - it's $5 and you get a mountain of lightly-breaded, meaty katsu (see picture). A plate and a side order can definitely feed two. Do also get the Spam Musubis.The food is made to order and comes fresh, crispy, and piping hot. Given that, orders can take 10+ minutes though, so consider ordering ahead!

I've frequented iLava a few times & they haven't failed me. Garlic Shrimp 3outta5 The shrimp were cooked nicely and IYKYK, I loved the extra garlic! However, the cold rice left a lot to be desired. I'm trusting that it was fresh but that was a big turnoff. Spring rolls 4.5outta5 I'm going through a diet change, eating less 4-legged flesh & more of everything else. I have to admit, I was going on 20+ hrs of not having had a decent meal. My stomach was on my back! I don't think it was the hunger tho...That first bite was celestial. It was absolutely delicious! The veggie medley danced harmoniously on my palate. Wild berry smoothie 5outta5 Great flavor blend & very refreshing Service is always great, greeted w/a smile & very efficient. Atmosphere, is what it is. They're one the of many small gems in an impoverished community. I'll be back...

I ordered to go and my food was decent. I ordered a loco moco plate and a chicken katsu plate. Loco moco gravy tasted a bit off and the katsu was slightly dry. Service was quick and friendly. Ambiance is ok. A little sticky inside and the restaurant is located in a strip mall on high street.

I've ordered takeout from ILava a couple times on Doordash. Their orders have been tasty, with pretty good portion size relative to the price (these days). I've had their Chicken Combo Plate (Chicken Katsu and Chicken Teriyaki), Walnut Prawns and the Curry Chicken (BBQ Chicken with Curry Sauce instead of the teriyaki sauce). Their normal plates come with two scoops of rice and one scoop of macaroni salad.Compared to some of the other Hawaiian places in the area, this is probably one of my new favorites.

One of the best Hawaii bbq spots. The chicken katsu and bbq options are always a hit. I love the mac salad of course and this place is always clean!!!!

I was hit with a sudden craving for loco moco Thursday afternoon, and luckily I had plans to eat out with a friend. After googling the Hawaiian spots nearby, iLava looked the most promising, so we headed here for an early dinner around 5:30.There are 4-5 tables for 4 people each, so seating is a bit limited, but it seems like it's mostly a takeout joint. We were the only ones dining in for most of the time we were here, and there was a constant stream of folks coming in to pick up their order.The menu covers all of the standard Hawaiian rice plates, such as BBQ chicken, chicken katsu, loco moco, kalbi, garlic shrimp, etc. For the indecisive, they have combo plates as well if you wanted to mix and match some of the meats. They also offer some apps such as musubi and potstickers as well as tropical smoothies.Prices are very reasonable, especially given the huge portions. I ordered the loco moco for $11.99 as well as the BBQ chicken musubi for $5.99. Each musubi was ginormous, and eating one already filled me up quite a bit. The loco moco was just okay; I found the beef patty a bit dry, and the gravy they provided was only enough to eat with one of the patties. I asked for extra gravy which they kindly provided, otherwise I would've had to eat my leftovers at home completely dry. I did appreciate that they offered to give me more veggies when I asked for no macaroni salad for the loco moco.My friend got the chicken combo ($11.99), which comes with chicken katsu and teriyaki chicken over rice. She was very satisfied with her food. I tried a bite of the chicken katsu and it was crispy and tender, so the food here is pretty solid in general.I will be back next time I'm craving some Hawaiian food!

I decided to try this place since it is close to where I work. Ordered the BBQ chicken and Spam musubi, because if you are any islander or pinoy heritage you must. The one things I love about Hawaiian food is that the portions are always big and enough to last a couple meals. This was no exception.I believe the chicken piece were thigh meat and deboned and cooked just right. Sometime the sauce can be overwhelming and this was basted just right. Even though the menu says two pieces of Spam musubi, I thought they were probably small. Nope. I only was able to eat one.This is a close enough place that I would order again.

They delivered for my graduation lunch at Cal. It was a stressful day for me. I wanted to please my guests--I had a bunch of guests because I was giving the commencement speech (yasss humble brag). I mean about 20 guests so I had a pretty big order. But the food from iLava Hawaiian Barbecue was pretty yummy, came nice and warm and really good handoff with the delivery person - thanks for calling several times to look for where the heck we were in the campus. You're awesome.

Great service I got mine delivered, the chicken katsu was okay some pieces were delicious tho, rice was a little dry but that is probably because of it being delivered. The spam musibi was delicious! Huge portion sizes for there price!

Still good! Perfect dinner pick up to go. Big portions, delicious, reasonable prices, and super quick service. When I'm ever in a bind and can't decide what to eat, iLava comes through in a pinch!