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I was iffy on the Grass Skirt Grill - the place was empty, hadn't heard of it before (except passing tourists who mentioned it was on Rachel Ray's food network show), and am generally skeptical of any place that seems to cater to tourists. Glad I was wrong!
They have a pretty standard local menu: salads, sandwiches, fish, and shrimp. The prices are a bit on the high side for O'ahu, but not uncommon being in the "Country". The presentation of the food is great and the staff very friendly.
The shredded pork was delicious, succulent, the right texture, and not dripping with oil or sauce. It gives my favorite places a run for their money. The salads were excellent, and while not organic or local (which I'd expect in this price range) I'd order again. The only miss were the Teriyaki Cheese Fries - was a dubious choice to start but I felt compelled to try something new.
There's plenty of parking and if their small lot is full, you can park across the street for free. Despite having walked through Haleiwa Town several times, I've somehow missed the place. If you're having trouble too, find the old blue surf bus next door - can't be missed.
Normally, this would be a place that would fall somewhere in that mix of "a future meal if I'm in front of the place". For most locals, it's probably inconvenient to head through Haleiwa unless you have business there.
Sure, this next part is subjective but it's important to the way of life here. Time to talk-story a bit...
A tourist had left a jacket there when we arrived. I watched as our server proceeded to walk everywhere - into the businesses around and down the street to find her. While the person couldn't be found, it reminded me of what Hawai'i is built upon and what communities are increasingly lacking...aloha in the community, for all. The place on its own was good but this incident pushed the experience over the top - is now among my favorite to recommend : )
I guess I had a different idea when i ate here, thought it was MORE of a sit down restaurant.
Not that it wasn't fun eating here, but it was just more of a burger/fries kind of place.
I ordered the Ahi burger with sesame mayo, which was good and shared the garlic fries, also good.
I just left feeling too full and the food was greasy. Guess i tend to lean towards a fresher kind of restaurant that doesn't drown food in fat to make it taste good.
For burgers, fries, etc. it's a good place.
This is the place to eat when you're in Haleiwa...if it's good enough for the HPD, it's good enough for me!
Ordered the shrimp scampi and the coconut shrimp...much preferred the shrimp scampi. Shrimp scampi so onolicious, broke da mout!
Very small, very casual, aesthetics tacky even for Hawaii, but the food was REALLY good
The one place I had my heart set on going to during my visit to Oahu! Recommended by both Rachel Ray and my cousin, I was very excited to finally eat here!
Grass Skirt Grill is a small place but we were able to find seating right away. It wasn't too crowded - we placed our orders right away and our food arrived quickly. Ben F. had the burger w/all the fixins [bacon, avocado and cheese charged extra] and said "This is the best burger I've ever had." I had a bite and had to agree! I had the signature Ahi Burger and that was yummmmmmy! Can't wait to make my own sesame mayo one day - such a great idea! The fish was fresh too.
The owner is super friendly and I loved all the artwork on the walls. I'm sad to be back on the mainland due to its lack of a Grass Skirt Grill.
Jumpin' local Haleiwa eatery. When we arrived they had run out of ahi and ran out of the fish of the day right after we ordered. Two hebi sandwiches were our order- one with avocado. The hebi was twice the size of the kaiser roll. I broke it in half and ate one part with a fork. The roll did overwhelm the fish sandwich so I took the top part of the bun off. The grilled white fish was fresh and tasty. The side dressing was sesame and ended up adding a great flavor. The sandwiches came with the regular burger toppings. The prices are on the high side for the lunch plates that are on the menu and non-sandwich based items.
Fyi's~
* Cash only
* They offer one non menu fresh caught fish a day until it is gone
* They sell lunch plates- the grilled mushroom and vegetable covered in cheese lunch plate looked so good!
We ate an early dinner here after spending a couple of hours at the beach. Both me and my husband got the BBQ Pork plate with brown rice and salad. It was exceptional! We both loved it! I am still dreaming about the flavors!
The place is a no-frills, casual eat-in/take-out type of joint and the people were very friendly. Great value for your money. I can't wait to go back!
FYI, as some people already mentioned, be sure to bring cash!
What is the big deal with this place? I was just there yesterday and the food was fine--nothing to crow about. At first, I thought $13.49 for an ahi plate lunch was on the high side, but I don't usually eat fish. Maybe now it's normal, but sheesh, fish gets the biggest markup in restaurants. It's so cheap at the fish auction I feel ripped off paying restaurant prices.
The menu is nothing remarkable. They have local-style teriyaki chicken, pulled pork, ahi, hebi, etc. and you can get your choice of protein as either a lunch plate or a sandwich. The ahi was a thin filet grilled and served with rice and mixed green salad with a lemon basil beurre blanc, which was really just some beurre blanc with two slices of basil on it. It was not a big portion, as other reviewers wrote.
Why is everyone raving about the fish? Anyone can grill a piece of fish with some salt and pepper and dump some beurre blanc on it. And yes, the ahi is fresh, but as another Yelper wrote, it was not "swimming around earlier that morning". Have you ever had ahi that was just caught? It does not taste good that fresh.
All these 5 star reviews are confusing. I give Grass Skirt Grill 3 stars for having decent, but not mind-blowingly amazing above-and-beyond the norm food as the other reviewers attest to. Also, the owner has no personality at all. He actually said, "What can I get for you?" to my friend, then immediately turned his back on my friend and started talking to his staff behind him. Thanks, buddy. That makes us feel great.
The reason I dont like Yelp is because ppl tend to overexaggerate like "best shrimp I ever had" and that every places they yelp is their "Ratatouille moment." Reviews of Grass Skirt Grill and other establishments, I rest my case.
Try the Coconut shrimp which comes with two sauces, brown rice and salad which was interesting, and delicious. Secret is in the sauce for great flavor but no Ratatouille moment here.
It is not the best shrimp I ever had or the best meal on this planet. Everything on the menu looks good and delicious. But I am sure there are a couple of restaurants down the street or 10 minutes away that is good as this place.
And bring cash if you want try "the best shrimps I ever had!"
Looking for the place that fits your tropical stereotype of a cafe on The North Shore?
You just found it.
I got the fish sandwich and it was AMAZING. Whoa. The owner was behind the counter taking orders and just chewing the fat with all of us.
The interior is super cool, classy and coastal. They have some outdoor spots on the front porch.
Don't half step. You must stop here if you are in the area.
Possibly the healthiest plate lunch you can get on Oahu. They give you a garden salad instead of a scoop of macaroni salad. My girlfriend had the ahi and I had the shrimp.
Food? Delicious. Not the best meal I've ever had, but one of the best you can find on Hawaii. Prices are Waikiki high, though.
Ambiance was relaxed and the service was nice. Would definitely go back again if given the chance.
Stumbled on to this little spot and was really impressed. I totally wanted to get a traditional Hawaiian plate meal on my trip and this satisfied it.
I got the coconut shrimp, brown rice & salad plate. They had all my favorite fixings, Sriracha & soy sauce :)
Loved their small town feel and would recommend it to anyone taking a drive to the North Shore.
Awesome lunch spot. Great fresh salads, grilled fish, generous portions, nice people. I love the shrimp scampi salad. Best spot on the North Shore to come and eat after a morning in the water.
Can I move to the North Shore yet?
Wow!! Another day of watching big waves, when the hunger pangs hit us real bad. Saw Grass Skirt on yelp and decided to check it out. Not much from the outside, and a limited menu. Better half looked like she was ready for me to say, "let's see what else is in the area". We are SO glad we didn't.
"This is the best scampi I have EVER had!!" And my grilled mahi platter with brown rice was exceptional. We also split the garlic fries.
Two hours later and I'm still day-dreaming about the garlic, lemon, and wine flavors dancing in my mouth.
Do yourself a huge favor and check this out! Oh, and bring cash.
Definitely a good yelp recommendation. Grill ahi was fresh and the best tasting ahi I had every had. At $12.95 plate for fresh ahi -- the best bargain ever. Forget places like Roy's, at half the price and better quality, it is definitely worth a drive up to North Shore. I'll be back next year.
Grass Skirt Grill Haiku Review
Fresh shrimp, crisp veggies:
It's what the Hawaiians call
Truly ono food!
Needed a break from eating meat, so I ordered the excellent Grilled Hebi Salad because it featured locally grown vegetables and fresh, perfectly grilled fish. (Hebi is a short-billed spearfish native to Hawaii)
My wife and sister-in-law split a teri chicken sandwich that they both liked. We also got an order of onion rings and fries but they were unremarkable.
Stick with the grilled fish and fresh veggies, especially if you've OD'ed on meat.
This place is really great for what it offers; the fish sandwiches are awesome, the teriyaki chicken and rice is great, the shrimp is wonderful. The prices are definitely good (esp. in Hawaii) and the quaint, friendly atmosphere is very laid back. Talk to the owner and enjoy your food. We stopped in one evening to eat and we keep returning. The menu is small but the food is really good. I'll eat here again and again.
This was my favorite place that we ate at on our trip. Very casual and low key. The best shrimp I've ever had!! We got the Scampi, and the Coconut shrimp. The salad that came with it was home grown and VERY fresh, with a tasty wonderful dressing. This place was much tastier than all of the $100 meals we had while on the island. I would love to come back here and try everything!! You gotta try this place! A must if you are staying on the North Shore, or just up there visiting for the day.
Very, very good ono and opah. I swing by anytime I am remotely near Haliewa. Boyfriend had a Portobello burger and said it rocked.
Went here a few days ago on our trip to Oahu. Came here through a recommendation of other Yelpers. This place was really really good.
There are only like 3-4 tables inside and then outside are about 3-4 other tables, better for smaller parties. One thing I learned about being in Oahu is there are a lot of places with little or no seating!
Anyway, we ordered the pulled pork plate lunch. That was delicious! The pulled pork was awesome; the flavor was just right on point. I loved the salad! It was very generous portion too. The dressing on it was amazing! With cucumber & two good pieces of tomato. And it was good lettuce (spring mix), not iceberg lettuce that a lot of places give you. Presentation was very good. We also ordered the calamari appetizers. Those were good too, maybe needed a little salt.
The guy at the counter was very friendly and very helpful.
I was very pleased with this place and would go again.
I'm salivating just thinking of the garlic ahi plate lunch we had when we cruised through the North Shore. The plate lunch is huge, good enough for 2 people to share. Everything was cooked to perfection - from the salad to the grilled ahi. The garlic sauce was delish! Devour the fish with some brown rice and I promise you'll keep going back for more.
I want to go back for more!
cool lunch spot to hit on the way to whereevers...i really liked the hamburger steak...salad was good, just too much of it. i ordered a hamburger steak with a side salad, not a salad with a side of hamburger steak...
only reason for the 4 stars is the lack of seating when it's busy....
This place is good to go, I had the Ahi lunch plate with brown rice and a salad, the only thing that wasn't top notch was the salad, it wasn't bad, just wasn't anything special. The food was a bit pricey for lunch, but nothing shocking for Hawaii. The only draw back was that we decided to eat outside and the flies were terrible, they kept swarming our food, if they could put something out to deter them I would probably of given them 5 stars, or close to that.
Every time we go to the North Shore we contemplate where to go to lunch, and although there are quite a few choices we almost always end up at the Grass Skirt Grill because the food is amazingly good. It's just right after a day of scuba diving or surfing!
I guess if I had to come up with a label I'd call it healthy style plate lunch. I always get the teriyaki chicken plate (which is great, made with quality chicken boneless chicken) with white rice because I'm not a fish eater, but everyone else usually gets the fish, which is always fresh, as in it was swimming around earlier that morning. The Ono is really delicious, but usually sold out very early on in the day. The Ahi is good as well, and lately they have had something called Kajiki which I guess is kind of like Mahi Mahi. I also recommend the crab cakes if they are available, they are super ono.
Everything comes plate lunch style with choice of white or brown rice and a mixed greens salad with Maui onions and some sort of extra tasty dressing. (Beware the dressing they sell in the restaurant is NOT what is on the salad, I made that mistake and now I have a bottle of dressing in my fridge that I never use).
Recently they added burgers to the menu, but to be honest the burger wasn't that good. I wouldn't order it again... but why would I with all the other choices? They do offer an Ahi sandwich and grilled chicken teriyaki sandwich for those who do not want a plate lunch. They also have fries which are very good.
This place is cash only, but there are some ATM's with in walking distance in town. Parking is not a problem either, we always find a spot within 50 yards of the place.
My only complaint is the owner seems like kind of a condescending jerk... he's never really outright mean, but it's like you can tell he's constantly annoyed by answering questions from tourists about what fish is what, or why they don't have Ono that day, etc. Anyway everyone else that works there is really nice, and his attitude has never stopped us from coming back.
The ahi plate is amazing. Get the ahi lightly seared with a side of rice and salad. Fresh & fantastic and you can't beat it for under $10.
This place has better ahi sandwiches than the better known Kua 'Aina down the street. The fish tastes fresher, it's a generous size, and I like the sesame aioli (that's served on the side) better than the tartar sauce and mayo that's slathered on at the other place. At about $8 it's a really good deal. Don't bother with the onion rings...they're basically overpriced Burger King onion rings. I've also tried the shrimp scampi and the ahi plate...both are good (but not great) and I would order both again. The salads look really good, but I haven't tried them yet.
Fish is the thing to get here and it's all Fresh. Which I love because fresh fish is becoming a rare commodity even here in Hawaii. Since they carry fresh fish the varieties on hand each day will vary. The Mahi Mahi sells out quick and isn't available very often. The Ono is always ono and they know how to cook Ahi correctly too. It's cooked, but still soft and moist. Any fish you get goes great in a sandwich or salad. I've heard other things are good here too, but I can't pull myself away from the fish yet!
As Dudu and I were ascending up to Waimea falls we come across a local Hawaiian who tells about this wonderful little place. All I gotta say is YUMMMMMMM! The salad was delectable, it just melted in my mouth. All the greens were super fresh!!! The chicken that topped it off was sweet and flavorful. And the side pineapple- sooo sweet. My cousins ordered otha thanngs of the wonderful menu. I pretty much believe all the food here is good and fresh. I just wish I could go back anytime!
After reading the other reviews, I definitely need to try the fish next time, especially the Hebi. On my two visits, I had the teri chicken plate lunch, which was extremely tender. There were two huge pieces, so a couple could easily share one plate. If you love garlic then I also recommend the fries, which were totally drenched in minced garlic and sauce.
Generous portions of well flavored and perfectly cooked fresh fish prepared by a chef at take out prices. If you like the salad dressing you can buy a bottle from them to take with you. I always send people who are going to the North Shore to Grass Skirt and they have all enjoyed their meals. I have heard good things about their pulled pork and coconut shrimp. I like their ono when they have it.
i ordered the hot dog and garlicy fries. it was grease heaven! even though i was not feeling too healthy later on in the day, the food was good and the service ok.
too bad they just ran out of avocados for my hungry bf who wanted it on his burger.
grilled mahi , ono, and ahi burgers are all awesome. burgers here mean fresh fish NOT beef.
cow meat burgers are not even on the menu!
this place is located in the North Shore town of Haleiwa.
so fresh and so delicately tasting.
aloha spirit shared here too.
go check it out!
This is a basic quick grill spot, sort of high-ish quality fast-food if I had to label it something. We showed up and found that they were unapologetically out of every fish except one that kind of seemed made up and mysteriously described as "similar to mahi mahi but not exactly." Not promising. But hey, somehow it worked out just fine and I'd go back for more!
Get away from the tourist BS in Honolulu. This joint is inexpensive, friendly service and no-nonsense fish. Or you can get the same thing in Honolulu for three times as much. Sit on the small porch with your 3 year old and watch the cars go buy. You can't get anything better than this North Shore standard.
Haleiwa, HI
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Haleiwa, HI
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Haleiwa, HI
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Haleiwa, HI
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