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Big Island Hawaiian Barbeque - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Hawaiian Event Planning & Services Caterers Restaurants Barbeque Hawaiian, Caterers, Barbeque [Edit]
612 Great Mall DrMilpitas, CA 95035
(408) 263-4200
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
70 reviews for Big Island Hawaiian Barbeque
Review Highlights
"The chicken katsu was perfectly crispy and juicy."
(in 26 reviews)
"Oh, and did I tell you how yummy the mac salad is."
(in 21 reviews)
"Their Hawaiian BBQ short ribs is DELICIOUS."
(in 6 reviews)
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70 reviews in English
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Review from Danreb V.
San Jose, CA
12/31/2009
I cannot believe they closed this place down.
This was mall food at its very finest form. Big portions. Good, Hawaiian-style ingredients... all cooked right in front of you.
And now it's gone. What did they replace it with? Thai Kitchen, when the Food Court already had a Thai place to begin with.
This place was a supreme stop for Yelpers in the Milpitas area. And now it's gone. Another reason why this is the "Not So Great Mall."
5 stars to this place out of plain pity. -
Review from Aileen A.
5/14/2009
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!
I recommend the chicken katsu with gravy. Oh my god, I wanted to steal my boyfriends food and regretted my Sorabol chap chae with chicken craving. So the next day I came back with one mission: to get my own chicken katsu with gravy and REPLACE the macaroni with extra gravy ;)
It's batter is nice and crispy the meat is tender and moist. The gravy goes really well with it. They've succeeded in that department quite well! I think I get weird looks from them when I request that they replace the macaroni with more gravy...hehe I know I'm being repetitive at this point, but OMG. Try it for yourself.
They're really fast and nice btw, and I tried making a phone order from my house to do to-go...and they were hesitant because they wanted to ensure a fresh experience. -
Review from Bryan K.
San Mateo, CA
4/14/2008
Almost to 200 reviews... hang in there BK, almost there.
=======================
Update: Okay I was just resting... been trying to reach that 200 review pinnacle but ran out of creative juices. Steph P. suggested I just write a purely useful review. That reminded me of why I joined Yelp -- to be useful.
So thank you Steph, let me write hopefully an useful review. And most fittingly its about a Hawaiian plate lunch place. Which reminds me of a conversation I had with her about the topsy turvy world that is Hawaii where minorities are the majority and the majority is the minority. Let me finish this review:
Once a week, I've been working a stone's throw from the Great Mall for about a year now and never knew it was there. I actually found it due to my search for food places in Milpitas, courtesy of Yelp. Seeing all the great reviews of this place I had to try it. Since I've moved to the mainland I've had to learn to accept substandard plate lunches as the norm. Places like L&L, which are like McDonalds in Hawaii, were now considered treats on the mainland.
BBQ mixed plate. Standard good stuff. In my mind this is really hard to screw up. Even L&L's makes a decent bbq plate. Teriyaki sauce is so easy to make and everyone in Hawaii knows how to make it from scratch. Please, don't buy Kikkoman or Yoshida's bottled sauces... ick.
Loco Moco. Call me old fashioned but I like my loco moco stacked. Rice on the bottom, hamburger, then eggs and covered in gravy. Then everything melds together and the gravy soaks into the rice. Here you got 2 scoops rice and mac salad, and the hamburger/eggs are on the side. A small complaint. I'm anal, I stacked the buggahs. The hamburger patties were thin and a bit dry, but overall decent.
Sidebar: I'm a lazy bastard so I make a variation of loco moco at home using cream of mushroom soup and ground beef/onion (aka chip beef). Then put on top of rice and add a fried egg or two. Instant lazy loco moco. I like it this way mo' beta than the standard loco moco now.
So far I'd say this place is nominally better than L&L's. Side note: The haole girl that works there is pretty nice. She greets you with an "aloha" although maybe she can say it with more gusto. But she's helpful and remembered me even after the first visit.
Next items to try: Chicken katsu and laulau/kalua pig. Yes, its kalua pig, not kalua pork, not kailua pig.
==========================
Update 5/26/2008
The laulau/kalua pig plate is okay only... actually it was kalua pig and cabbage... too much smoke flavoring, too strong. Oh yeah there's a frequent flyer discount... buy 9 plate lunches and get 1 free. Don't know if I'll ever make it to 9. -
Review from Sam L.
Milpitas, CA
Updated - 10/1/2008
Well I'm addicted to the spam masubi now! Lol, my roommate is addicted also! Sooo I been able to try a few more dishes.
My favorite is the Hawaiian BBQ chicken its perfectly marinated and very tasty. Their short ribs are almost perfect, mine are still better, lol :D They're never overcooked but sometimes you get a fatty piece, sucks if you only ordered a mini. The chicken katsu is good, not overly fired. My only disappointment so far would be the spam loco moco, way too salty maybe it was gravy. The food is a bit oily but its BBQ! Lol and the mac salad is too mayonnaise-y for me, its ok through I rather get the french fries, yum!
Oooh, and I tried the shaved ice. Ice texture is perfect nice and fluffy a bit sweet but I think too much syrup was added.Listed in: Stinky City aka Milpitas!, Cream of the Crop
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/30/2008
I love their spam masubi Much better than Maholo's and L&L's! I want one now!!! DROOL...boyfriend… Read more »
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Review from Gary L.
San Francisco, CA
12/22/2007
L&Ls have been popping up everywhere. When I'm in the mood for quality over quantity, that's the place for me. But I can only eat so much of it, and I find myself going only when I'm desperate.
Big Island, on the other hand, is a welcome jewel, especially among all chains. I'm not a fan of chains, especially when they're all congregated under one giant mall. The first time I saw Big Island, I wasn't sure if it was a chain or not. Fortunately, the owners Chanelle and Martin assured me that they're not. The fact that the owners themselves work behind the counter made it feel like a mom-and-pop kind of place (if you can ignore all the mall noises and gazillion people around you).
I gave it a try, and boy, WAS THE FOOD GOOD! I saw them deep fry the chicken katsu only after I ordered it. The batter was light, crispy, and surprisingly not oily at all. The chicken was pounded thin, so it didn't need to swim in the oil for a long time. We all know that chicken katsu isn't chicken katsu without the sauce. To my second surprise, Big Island makes their own katsu sauce from scratch! They wouldn't disclose their recipe, which is fine with me, because I wouldn't want any other establishment (ahem) to imitate it.
Their macaroni salad tastes fresh and very homemade. I love the flavor of L&L's, but it tastes rather... commercial, because it tastes exactly the same every time (coincidence? I think not).. I've had Big Island's macaroni's salad several times, and every time was a hit. You know it's made with love because it tastes slightly different (but still good!) every visit.
Finally, my favorite: The kalbi (BBQ beef ribs). L&L has been going very down hill on this. They don't even BBQ it; it's broiled or pan fried. They usually come out dry, chewy, and burnt. At Big Island, they use their own marinade (also from scratch!), and Martin told me they let their ribs sit in it for at least 2 days. The meat -- which seems to be of high quality to begin with -- come out tender, sweet, and rips right off. I find myself abandoning my fork and knife and licking my fingertips.
I hate malls, and I find yourself fighting for parking and dealing with the crowds at the Great Mall just to visit Big Island. That says a lot about them! -
Review from Mercy B.
Milpitas, CA
2/27/2008
Thanks, Yelpers, for helping me find my Hawaiian food fix. L&L or Ohana hasn't done it for me like Big Island Hawaiian BBQ.
Two big scoops of rice, a scoop of macaroni salad, crispy fried shrimp and mahi-mahi, and one BBQ kalbi rib all for $8.50. S had the Kalua pulled pork sandwich served on a Hawaiian sweet roll bun. OMG - talk about pleasing the local in me! The food was hot and fresh.
Service was very friendly. The cashier (guess she was the owner's sister) was patient with us and explained the menu to us. S's sandwich came out quickly, but it was another 5 minutes or so before my meal came out - but at least I knew it was fresh rather than sitting under some heat lamp!
When I get another craving for more home cooking (aside from my own) - I'll make that little jaunt down to the Great Mall. -
Review from Carlo F.
San Jose, CA
12/24/2008
This place sucks in comparison to the better Hawaiian places...the customer service really bites as well.
Too salty Katsu and the Musubi was soggy...sitting in the fridge for more than a couple of hours.
BLAH -
Review from Daniel M.
Dublin, CA
12/5/2008
I noticed that at the Food Court at the Great Mall on a Friday night, the only food places that had people in line was Mickey D's, the Chinese spot way in the back, and Big Island Hawaiian BBQ. Anhie T. and I decided to try this place since there was no L&L in site. No fear, this place is definitely on par.
I had the BBQ Chicken (Reg.) and she had the Chicken Katsu (Mini, with gravy on the side). Gravy on the side is key to controlling sogginess of the Katsu. The BBQ Chicken was thin, but there were three pieces, marinated and grilled. It was a bit salty, but their Mac Salad was just as good as L&L! The Chicken Katsu was fried to perfection - crispy on the outside, and moist on the inside!
For us to dine on Hawaiian BBQ goodness, with quick and friendly service, was a shade under $15.
If you're working up a hunger doing your X'mas shopping at the Great Mall, stop by and feast on the Hawaiian BBQ offered here at Big Island!
There slogan should be, "A taste of the islands...without the sand in your shorts."
....and I'm done. -
Review from Anthony B.
San Jose, CA
9/23/2008
I was at the great mall doing the indecisive dance around the food court for probably half an hour wondering from booth to to booth, trying to get something other than the Thai or Cajun grill food I usually end up getting, and regretting ( the Cajun grill and its after effects), and I finally ended up at Big Island BBQ.
I have had troubles finding a Hawaiian BBQ place that I like, but this place really surprised me.
I ordered the Loco Moco with beef and it was pretty cool;. The only other time I have had Loco Moco was at my friends Leannes house in Portland and her brother, both of them from Hawaii and he being a professional sue chef, served it with a boca patty instead of meat. That was incredible. What I had at Big Island BBQ was good, but not incredible.
I had a decent conversation about the dish with the guy working the counter and he informed me that they make their own gravy and the beef they use it Salisbury steak. He seemed really cool, so I took a chance and ordered the Loco Moco mini plate which includes a scoop of rice and a scoop of macaroni salad. I think it ran about $7 with the drink.
Comparison:
Now the home cooked dish I had in Portland was this (stacked from the bottom up); white rice, a boca patty (in substitution of meat), a fried egg and grilled julienned onions all slathered in a veggie brown gravy.
The dish I received from Big Island was; A piece of Salisbury steak topped with a fried egg and smothered with gravy. A scoop of white rice was served on the side and a scoop of macaroni salad was also there, all in a small Styrofoam to go container. I opened the container flat and put the salad in the top half of the tray and had to put the steak and egg on top of the rice to make it look similar to my previous experience of this dish. The one thing I missed about it was that they did not include the onions, but maybe that was my chef friend taking creative license with the dish.
The dish from Big Island was enough to fill me up well and and was quite tasty. I was surprised with the macaroni salad, because I have tried it from other Hawaiian BBQ stores, both chains and stand alone restaurants alike and never liked it. This batch from Big Island was terrific.
Big island is now on my list of places to eat in the food court at the great mall. -
Review from Khanh D.
San Jose, CA
4/24/2009
I'm not sure how this became "Hawaiian" food (Japanese meets Korean meets spiced ham) but I love how it all came out.
Big Island Hawaiian BBQ is great, and even better for being in a mall. The portions are huge, my wife and I usually share the BBQ mix plate (chicken, korean bbq ribs, beef, rice and macaroni). I usually order a spam masubi too, which someone stated was premade, but tastes fine to me.
Given the other choices in the Great mall food court, this one is definetly at the top of the list and a favorite for me. -
Review from Steven B.
Hayward, CA
3/29/2009
I really wanted to like this place but the food just simply wasn't good.
I went with a friend and got some katsu and spam masubi. Quite frankly the katsu looked good but was cold and stale and seemed to be made a while ago. And the spam masubi was pre-made and wrapped and put in a heating box! I could not believe my eyes. I've never been to a Hawaiian place where the masubi was already made! Unbelievable. And I thought that there's no way to make masubi horrible, well this place did it. It was flavorless and my friends agreed.
Maybe I came on a bad day for them but surely I'm now going to avoid this place, obviously, if they can't make spam masubi fresh to order and would rather make them, wrap them, and put them in a heating box, no thanks, I'll get some McDonalds a bit down, at least it has some flavor in it. -
Review from Kevin P.
San Mateo, CA
5/29/2008
5 stars for the best Hawaiian BBQ hands down. L&L in the Bay Area, L&L in NYC, J&J, and Hukilau just aren't as delicious as Big Island.
Great price for the food. The menu is what you would expect from a Hawaiian BBQ, but I would say its the tender loving care the chef puts into his food that makes this place special.
I definitely recommend this place if you:
A.) Want a great plate lunch/dinner.
B.) Have an itching for great curry katsu or kal-bi.
C.) (Tied into B) Want to eat Hawaiian BBQ with flavor, unlike the places I mentioned above which tend to be a big sloppy mess of msg.
D.) Want to have kim-chi with your hawaiian BBQ, which adds to the deliciousness a thousand fold.
If I wasn't so cheap to buy a subscription to Zagat, I would definitely write an elaborate, ethereal review for Big Island Hawaiian BBQ. -
Review from Edison J.
San Francisco, CA
5/28/2008
Screw L&L!
This place definitely has some of the best bbq chicken in town and for those who are lookin' get a little bit of BBQ guilty pleasure without feelin' guilty, this place offers a good selection of healthier foods too! So this place is it! The portions are ginormous, so bring ur bff, gf, bf, grandma, whoever so they can help u out.
Not to mention, I saw a lot of Hawaiian girls there! -
Review from Phung N.
Milpitas, CA
5/6/2009
This is rating there Curry Katsu only!
For a fast food/food court joint, I would say it was pretty good. The service was good, the price is pretty high for a food court place. The curry was really good from a place like this. It seems like they made it fresh, that's why there was a 15 minute wait.
Price for Food Court: 3 stars
Taste for Food Court: 4 stars
Service for Food Court: Medium -
Review from Jim C.
8/17/2007
Whenever we have a crowd of people going out to lunch, we can never decide where to go, so many a times we ended up at the Great Mall. You have your choices of Indian, Cajun, Mediterranean, there's something for everyone.
I've been waiting patiently ever since I saw their "Coming Soon" sign, I was happy to see Big Island finally open for business.
Without hesitation, I ordered Pork Lau Lau and Kalua Pork to measure their authenticity, same as you would with a Chili Renello for Mexican food. Or maybe it's just me. :-)
It was messy opening the taro leaves with a plastic fork, but nothing was going to stop me from getting to the delicious pork fat that melt in my mouth. If it weren't for all the noisy people in the mall, and the smell of Micky D's fries in the back ground, it almost brought me back to the islands. I definitely will try other dishes from their menu.
Pork Lau Lau gave me stinky poo poo the next day...you've been warned.
Aloha! -
Review from Rachelle T.
Foster City, CA
6/11/2008
I normally order the same Hawaiian BBQ items at restaurants to gauge the quality. The chicken katsu here is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. I am not a big rice fan, so I really liked how the spam musubi wasn't overloaded with rice and I was actually able to taste the spam. The macaroni salad was good and I would have preferred to have only that instead of the macaroni salad and rice combo.
This is definitely better than any of the other choices at the mall (which can generic and found anywhere). The only complaint I have is that it's kind of far from where I live. They need to open one up the peninsula! -
Review from shen b.
San Jose, CA
5/16/2008
Oh man! I went to this place when they first opened up! I was excited! The manager at the time was helpful, and I asked her about all the other different Hawaiian foods. Reading all the reviews definitely has me wanting to go back, since I haven't been for a while... Did they finally get the chicken long rice on the menu???
Stay tuned! I'll let you know...
The food is great! Not greasy and gross, and they have friendly service. Definitely a place to check out when you have to eat at the food court. -
Review from William W.
Normal, IL
8/24/2008
So I'm in Milpitas/San Jose on business for a few days. I decided to let Yelp pick where I'm going to eat, and this came out on top.
Today, I went and got some Big Island Hawaiian Barbecue.
I have no idea what the hell I just ate, but it was *outstanding*.
No, really - I had some kind of ribs, which were perfect, and something I want to call Lau Lau, which was kind of intimidating-looking but flavorful and delicious. With a drink, it was around $11, and I consider that a very fair deal.
Why only 4 stars? Sadly, it's in the Great Mall Food Court. It's a different level from anything I've ever had in any food court, but as a result the restaurant (as it were) is crowded, busy, dirty, and has plasticware. It's a little tough to get to if you're not planning on going to the mall anyways.
Food alone, I'd give this 5 stars, easy. -
Review from Ryan D.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 2/7/2009
I really need to update my review...
These guys are awesome!!! They are always so friendly to my girlfriend and me (we go here all the time!) and the food is delicious. The short ribs are my favorite, but everything else that I have had here has been really good too! Even if you're not hungry, you should buy Musubi there!
I'm glad I live close by, but I would still drive past other Hawaiian BBQ places to come to this one! You should too!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/12/2009
There are a lot of Hawaiian BBQ places in the area... and I've tried them all! This is definitely… Read more »
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Review from Ian L.
San Mateo, CA
5/30/2008
Move over L&L or J&J! Big Island is on the scene now.
Let's see, what did I eat during my visit? Chicken Katsu Curry with awesome curry sauce, side orders of amazing gravy, and Kalbi were parts of the long list. Three of us went and somehow managed to devour 40 dollars worth of food. We obviously waddled our way back to the car and sat for a bit before leaving the mall. The owners are very down to Earth and FUN! Who knew the mall was capable of hiding a gem like this?
B-A-U-M-B! -
Review from Roy J.
Union City, CA
4/2/2008
Best plate lunch in the Bay Area! This place even tops out my favorite L&L in Union City. I still can't believe this is in the Great Mall.
The food is great. Everything's done on a smaller scale than L&L, so the quality is higher. I got the Kalua & Cabbage, and damn was it tasty. I also got the side order of kimchee, and I got like half a mini plate's worth. Talk about portions!
The Spam musubi was pretty good. Could've used a little more rice, but hey, the way they cooked the Spam more than made up for it.
So I will be going here more, well at least when I go to the Great Mall. Looking forward to my next plate lunch! -
Review from Leza B.
Campbell, CA
Updated - 8/5/2008
This past weekend my brother and I had a party to celebrate our birthdays and we decided to have Big Island Hawaiian bbq cater it. It turned out GREAT! I spoke with Martin (the owner) over the phone and he helped me make a few selections without trying to over sell me which was refreshing. It was nice to talk to someone that was generally helpful and honest. The portions were perfect, HUGE we had plenty of left overs. We had about 20-25 guests. We went with one full tray of BBQ short ribs, one full tray of BBQ chicken and one tray of rice. The chicken is AWESOME and is still really good left over.
The only thing that would have made this better was if they delivered. However I understand they are a smaller business and because the quality of the food was so good and the staff was so nice it was worth picking the food up. The prices were very reasonable and I recommend them for any party. =) YUMMY.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/29/2008
I am trying to find a place to cater my birthday party and I think I found it!! My friend and I went… Read more »
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Review from David M.
Foster City, CA
2/14/2008
I have been a fan of Hawaiian Drive In, L&L and even J&J in Cupertino (which came first? the other is clearly a rip off haha), but as they say- "variety is the spice of life." I was excited to see a fresh new restaurant idea coming to the Great Mall Food Court. I was pesimistic because other asian eateries at mall food courts have left a lot to be desired.
Big Island however, does not disappoint. The food is hot, fresh, and great tasting. Service with a smile always is appreciated by this grumpy consumer ;)
I urge you to try the BBQ Chicken. The Loco Moco is delicious as well. The musubi looked a bit different than what I see at other Hawaiian places, but I realized that the 'sandwiching' of the meat between segments of rice keeps the whole thing together nicely, with even flavor in every bite.
A great meal any time of the day, Big Island has landed another satisfied customer! -
Review from Hyung L.
Sunnyvale, CA
5/22/2008
I have had many experiences with "Hawaiian BBQ" and they are usually worth the price. Relatively cheap costs for a lot of meat, rice, and mac salad.
However, this place was the first Hawaiian BBQ place that I've had that impressed me with quality rather than quantity (not saying that they serve a little; their portions are standard). By far, the best chicken katsu and bbq chicken I've ever had in any Hawaiian BBQ joints and even most Japanese restaurants!!
I haven't had a chance to try their other meats, but you really can't go wrong with either of the chicken ones.
I've also tried both of the musubis, but they weren't as memorable. I actually don't remember much about them but it's probably a good sign as I'd surely remember if it tasted horrible. :)
All in all, it really is the best Hawaiian BBQ place in the entire bay area (as far as I know!). My only gripe is that it's so far away in Milpitas, but if you guys are around and can make a short trip for lunch, you guys are definitely in luck. -
Review from thien h.
2/10/2009
Just like L&L and J&J.
i had the chicken katsu... i always go with the chicken katsu.... fried chicken with japanese breading on the the outside very crispy with rice and a side of mac and some kind of sauce.
The dipping sauce was nothing special, But the service was great. While i was waiting i was just talking to the girl in front of the register. But all i gotta say is she is JAIL BAIT... so i didn't really want to pull a mistkle or however you spell his name. -
Review from John H.
Milpitas, CA
6/10/2009
My roommate ordered the Loco Moco and the Calamari Plate for me to go last week and I'd have to admit it was pretty damn good.
I asked him to get me the loco moco cause it sounds ridiculously delicious. I also asked him to get me the calamari because I thought it was like an appetizer but I misunderstood the website and it came out to be an entire rice plate. (-_-) Oh well, it was pretty good too.
The loco moco had 2 lean all beef patties along with 2 eggs with gravy all over it and the rice along with some macaroni salad on the side, YUM.
Although I got more then I bargained for I was able to finish off the calamari plate too. The calamari dish basically came with white rice, small dipping sauce, and onion-ring-style calamari fried in a not too crispy batter.
My abs were hurting with joy after killing off these two plates while watching the Lakers win game 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals.
I'll definitely be back to try out more of their plates. I'd give this place 4 stars instead of 5 simply because I haven't eaten at enough Hawaiian restaurants to compare it to yet.
Want some good ass hawaiian style food? Yelp, here it is. =D -
Review from vimal p.
6/18/2008
awesome food in the great mall, good value for money, about the same or better as L&L.
The fellas behind the counter were really cool, i told him i read the yelp review, solid food, best food in the food court, check it out. -
Review from Lalita D.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 9/7/2009
So, I went back to Hawaiian BBQ recently, having moved out of the area. The saddest thing has happened. They no longer offer curry. They recognized me and were so sweet and apologetic, but told me that it simply wasn't selling well enough to justify making it each day, and they ended up throwing out a lot of it. I told them if they'd but called me, I would have shown up and gladly taken it off their hands. Hindsight.
So without my beloved favorite dish available anymore, I was forced to stray outside my comfort zone and try something new and different. I got the mixed barbecue platter, hoping that my salty tears would not overseason it too much.
I was more than pleasantly surprised, I was delighted. It turned out that their skill with the katsu curry translated beautifully into other items of their repertoire. So while my original recommendation no longer stands (where were all you other Yelpers when I needed you to keep the curry dream alive?!), I still recommend this as the best Hawaiian BBQ in the Santa Clara area.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/15/2008 ROTD 9/23/2008
Let me preface this review by saying that I am a Hawaiian BBQ junkie. As soon as I had my first… Read more »
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Review from ryan p.
Sunnyvale, CA
12/1/2008
Now I am not known for giving 4 or 5 stars but this little restaurant tucked in the Great Mall is making some truely good food.
The Burger is Great... and I love anything SPAM...except e-mail spam.
A mini is usually enough for me unless I want leftovers...so usually I order a full.
The last time I went to Martins, I order something special and he made me the BEST PLATE EVER
It has no name...Maybe it should be named
"Martin's Special Carb Plate"......MMMMMMMMMMMMM it's good
A scoop of rice with gravy ,
gravy fries,
two pcs of crispy SPAM.
topped with two runny fried eggs........
Man can I tell you it was everything you need .
This is a good place and is destined to be a classic..
Whenever I'm at the Great Mall I have to stop by...even if it's just for some Gravy Fries............ -
Review from Katherine L.
Santa Clara, CA
10/22/2008
Honey Human Rating: 2 It was so-so, wouldn't go back.
Honey (my dog's name) Canine Rating: 4 My puppy, Honey liked it, probably due to the sweet sauce.
Result: Three stars
Bbq combo, chicken, beef and ribs, with a side of spam musubi.
Combo was peculiar, chicken was tender and flavorful, beef was tender, but unflavorful, very very very (yes I had to add the third "bland") bland, ribs were tough, overcooked and ehh weird tasting?
The lady that worked there first said the chicken would take 5 mins, then a guy from behind said it wouldn't. I think they cook their meats at different times and don't cook it to order. HUH?
Spam musubi could do without the huge layers of rice. It's one inch of rice, small thin slice of spam and one inch of rice. They have it already made wrapped in plastic wrap, which made me think how fresh it is. Remedy: Take off the top layer of rice, and you get the purrrfect combo of rice and spam. -
Review from Jenny L.
4/27/2009
Not gonna lie, I've been craving a lunch plate ever since we got back from the Hawaiian islands. A big light bulb went bright when I saw this place at the food court.
I rushed over and ordered the Hawaiian bbq short ribs mini plate. With an extra mac salad, cuz it's just that good.
The cashier was the sweetest girl ever. I forgive her for forgetting my extra mac salad, which resulted in me stopping mid-bite and walking back to ask for it.
Good addition to the Great Mall food court! -
Review from Bill F.
Fremont, CA
5/21/2009
I have tried many Hawaiian BBQ places in the Bay Area and I found that the perfect place for chicken katsu is at Big Island BBQ. The chicken is cooked just right and the sauce which goes with it is perfect. Usually, I'll skip the macaroni salad and substitute it with a green salad - too much starch.
I am from Hawaii; therefore, when I want to experience my favorite island meal (chicken katsu), I'll plan a trip to the Great Mall of Milpitas' food court for a plate lunch (mini plate). Luckily, I can walk to entire mall to burn-off the great meal.
Prices are reasonable and the portions are large. -
Review from Victoria G.
San Jose, CA
6/12/2009
Hmm I'm not a fan of the food court but I decided to give this place a try.
I wasn't that hungry so I got a spam musubi and a side of macaroni salad. The macaroni salad was a bit too mayo soaked and after awhile I started feeling queasy. I also thought it was a bit outrageous to charge a dollar esp since it was the same size as those ketchup plastic countainers. :/ The spam musubi had seaweed flakes in the rice which didn't do anything but make it look funky. It was okay but I wouldn't go back. -
Review from JC G.
San Jose, CA
4/2/2008
I love Hawaiian BBQ so my goal is to try out as many Hawaiian BBQ restaurants I can find hehe. I found about this place at Yelp so I figured I would give this restaurant a try. I ordered the Regular Kalua Pork and a drink. It included 2 scoops of rice, a scoop of macaroni salad, and lots and lots of kalua pork with shredded cabbage.
All I've got to say is, nottttt bad! The kalua pork was good with the right amount of seasoning and the macaroni salad was very tasty. They give a pretty good amount of food that will hit the spot. I guess I will try the BBQ Chicken the next time I go. Only thing that stops me from giving it 5 stars is the service.. they were lookin real bored and tired (maybe cuz I went there late in the day) ... a smile won't hurt lol -
Review from Lily N.
San Jose, CA
4/30/2008
I don't eat much of hawaiian bbq but I enjoy the food here. I actually know the owner here, Martin. Hes normally wearing the trucker cap with a tattoo sleeve. Tell him Lily said hello :)
I love their spam masubi. Martin seriously got me hooked. I also enjoyed the katsu, burgers, mac salad and some other things martin graciously let me taste. Knowing him and everything behind the scenes makes me appreciate it more. He has created all the methods and sauces to his standards. So its his baby and he takes care of it well.
The shaved ice is great. None of that cheap stuff. This is the fine shaved ice that melts deliciously in your mouth. I wanna try the all stops one with the ice cream and beans. Next time.
People there are nice and will recognize you if you come again. For native hawaiians, ask for a discount, you'll get it. -
Review from Beverly F.
Fremont, CA
Updated - 7/3/2008
I went back with my coworkers and we all got the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich on Hawaiian sweet bread buns. The meat was tasty and juicy. We also asked for BBQ sauce on the side to dip the sandwich in. Very yummy.
BTW- I noticed that they serve Hawaiian Shave Ice with vanilla ice cream and azuki beans. Just like Matsumoto's in Hawaii. I hope it's just as good because I keep craving this since my last trip to Hawaii. I'm so excited and can't wait to try it.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/27/2008
I like this spot better than L&L and Ohana. I had their Chicken Katsu salad and spam musubi. The… Read more »
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Review from Melinda C.
San Francisco, CA
10/16/2008
I love Hawaiian barbecue and am excited by the rise of so many h-bbq places in the Bay Area over the last few years. I have always been partial to L&L b/c that's where I got my first morsel of chicken katsu paired with rice and mac salad, of all things.
However, the chicken katsu at Big Island totally exceeded my expectations in its yummy goodness - so crispy on the outside but not overly fried and overly dry as a result. The chicken is moist and has substance, unlike some of the paper-thin wafers that some restaurants pass as chicken katsu. The spam musubi was just right, too - not too spam-y but with the right blend of marinade. Yum. -
Review from pj n.
Mountain View, CA
7/14/2008
This is NOT japanese katsu! I was so disappointed as I'd expected a lot more based on the reviews here. I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1 cos I MIGHT try something else if I'm ever stuck in Great Mall again and I need something to eat.
Yes the chicken was juicy but it was pounded too flat. Anyway, katsu to me should always be pork. The breading was also too thin and nothing like what it should be. There wasn't enough curry for me so I can't comment too much on that. I wish they'd served it with some veggie sides tho. It was too much meat + carb (rice) + carb (mac) + carb (potatoes). Maybe this is Hawaiian style. I don't know but it's definitely not japanese style.
Update: Oops. So someone posted me a note to tell me that chicken katsu IS Hawaiian style. Ok... I'll stick to Japanese Katsu in the future. Or try the teriyaki next time. -
Review from Tessa S.
Campbell, CA
10/28/2008
Pork Lau Lau = A
BBQ Short Ribs = B
Curry Chicken Katsu = A-
BBQ Beef = A
One word = YUM!!!! -
Review from Dan M.
San Jose, CA
5/31/2009
Ever since the closure of my beloved Da' Kitchen in Mountain View a few years back, I've been on the hunt for a new favorite Hawaiian food joint. I think I've tried them all - Hawaiian Drive Inn, L&L, Hukilau, and even the so-called "Hawaiian" places that are really just a sub-par Japanese/Korean restaurant in disguise that doesn't even offer Kalua pork! How can you call yourself Hawaiian and not offer the pig?!
Anyway...Big Island Hawaiian BBQ is, to date, my new fav. I can't comment about anything except the BBQ Chicken and Kalua Pork, as they're my "go to" dishes. In comparison to the other Hawaiian joints in the South Bay, this place is 5-stars. I've rated it 4-stars, though, as I freaking hate the hassle of having to go to the Great Mall. Walking through there is like taking your life into your own hands. Between those walking aimlessly and getting in your way, and those with their battering rams...errrr, I mean strollers...ready to run anybody over that gets in their way, you should consider yourself a champ just for making it to the food court alive. Seriously, the Great Mall needs to be imploded (preferably with all of the crappy kiosk vendors inside). Who buys that junk? But, I digress...
The BBQ Chicken at Big Island, although tenderized a too bit thin, has a great teriyaki flavor and isn't the fatty type of chicken that you normally find at a mall food court restaurant (I'm talking to you Kelly's Cajun Grill!) The Kalua Pork is very moist and flavorful. There are some Yelpers complaining about the saltiness...but being that Kalua Pork typically only has two ingredients - pork and salt, it does have a tendency to be a bit salty. As for the sides, the rice is good and sticky, and the mac salad is not too mayonnaisey. Overall, Big Island rules.
Note to the owner: Please open one up somewhere outside of the Great Mall. If, by chance, the Great Mall does implode, I don't want to be forced to go back to L&L. Thank you!
