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Local Food
Categories: Restaurants Filipino Restaurants Hawaiian Filipino, Hawaiian [Edit]
222 Papalaua StSte 202
Lahaina, HI 96761
(808) 667-2882
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10 am - 6 pm
Sun 11 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Dive-y, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- Yes
53 reviews for Local Food
Review Highlights
"the kalua pork was delicious."
(in 16 reviews)
"The loco moco was awesome as well."
(in 8 reviews)
"We were split between the kalua pork and the shoyu chicken."
(in 9 reviews)
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53 reviews in English
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Review from Maddie C.
Irvine, CA
12/30/2011
The wait was a little long since the mom who cooks the food literally, like, cooks the food when you order it.
But that damn Kalua Pig. Best. I've. Ever. Had. Not too salty, not too dry, and just moist plump friggin Kalua Pig. Even the cabbage was good. Go here. Eat it. You will love it! -
Review from Jessica D.
Valparaiso, IN
1/3/2012 2 photos
This was one of my favorite meals on my trip to Maui. I found this place on Yelp when I was looking to have something quick and easy before we headed off to the airport.
The restaurant is literally in a parking lot and it is a walk up window with an awning. After checking out the short menu I decided on the Saimin Chow Fun. I haden't had anything with Spam yet and since I was about to head out of town, I decided to bite the bullet and go for it. Pan fried noodles, green onions, bean sprouts and Spam. It was yum! I enjoyed it thoroughly!
Oh and did I mention that it only cost $3? WHAT?! HELLO?!
However, my boyfriend had the Hawaiian Shave ice...get it somewhere else...instead of that soft fine ice that you can get other places, they have the tiny pellets, that I don't prefer.
Don't miss this place, you won't be sorry! -
Review from Hui C.
San Francisco, CA
12/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is basically a small food stand so it is a bit difficult to find. It's in a parking lot so plenty of parking spots =).
They serve very good bento boxes Hawaiian style and very inexpensive. The Kalua pork is probably our favorite. The spam musubi was also very delicious.
This is a great place to come and get some good and quick take-out for lunch. Eat it on the beach and enjoy! -
Review from Val C.
Friday Harbor, WA
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Excellent Kalua Pork. Great meal value. We will definitely stop by again on this visit.
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Review from Susie M.
Culver City, CA
12/26/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This place is really nothing fancy. Accommodations include picnic benches outside a small window in which the place is run out of. But the food is absolutely amazing.
Their kalua pork is easily the best I've had on the island so far; perfectly tender and salty, but not too much so. Their macaroni salad is also not too mayo-ey, which some other places tend to be. Their spam masubi is also amazing, which my husband and I went back for several times. Their food is freshly made to order, and the spam masubi we got on our last day in Maui was still steaming hot. Amazing!
Portions are good sized, and the girls and lady that works there are all super sweet. There is parking included in the lot (2 hours) and you can't miss the restaurant window if you're making a right onto Papalaua St. Water is $1 which is reasonable for restaurants. Overall, perfect experience, would definitely go back! -
Review from Arthur W.
Beverly Hills, CA
1/27/2012
My favorite Loco Moco. Sometimes it seems like ya gotta wait but, it's worth it. Most of the time I'm in and out and get a great plate lunch. If you come here and are in Lahaina its a must. And the Kalua Pork is said to be ono, but I love having my Loco Moco. Shaka bruddahs
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Review from Amy L.
11/15/2011 2 Check-ins Here
So we tried to go to the Window but they were closed for construction. I consulted my yelp app and it told me about "Local Food". We end up wandering around a parking lot and walk up to a shaved ice shack and ask if she has ever heard of a place called "Local Food"? It turns out it was her! The sign is hard to see unless you're coming in from a car.
I got the adobo pork and my husband got the kalua pork. The kalua pork was no lie the best I've ever had. Granted I've only had it at a few places in Hawaii and a few Hawaiian restaurants in Seattle on top of my sister in law's version but man was this tasty. The pork was smoky and tender with lots of delicious crispy bits. There was plenty of cabbage that wasn't cooked to death. The adobo was tender and juicy and more than I could eat in 3 sittings. On our second visit I got the BBQ pork sandwich which was just so-so but it was pretty much what my mom would make me at home which is the lure of this place. Go there for the kalua pork and if you're disappointed you're crazy.
Oh yeah!! Don't skip on the peanut butter jar of chili pepper water, douse your rice with it!Listed in: Honeymoon!
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Review from Lola C.
Portland, OR
11/18/2011
The best meal that we ate in Maui was in a parking lot on a picnic table. No joke. We ate loco moco, kalua pork, and spam musubi and I cannot stop thinking about it. If I lived on Maui we would be eating there way, way too much.
Auntie cooking the food is super sweet and has some serious food. Huge portions and everything is perfect. -
Review from Andrew C.
10/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
This review is ONLY for the spam musubi...which was just pure deliciousness in your mouth. Large pieces that are FRESHLY prepared aka made to order instead of having already been sitting there for a while, so they come out piping hot. There are two pieces of spam PER musubi, which was surprising given that almost all the other musubi places just give one! The best part of it all....$1.50 per piece!
The lady is also very friendly but if there are a lot of people there, you may find yourself waiting a while since there's only one cook (at least while we were there!)
It's a hole in the wall spot in the parking lot across the street from the Hilo Hattie store! As far as seating goes, there are two plastic benches that people can sit on. Come here for the quality, freshness, and prices on some great local food! -
Review from Kathryn W.
Phoenix, AZ
12/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
MmmmHmmmm.....plenty for 2, very tasty, quiet, hidden right out in the open dining spot!
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Review from Amy T.
Austin, MN
12/29/2011
I have only eaten the spam musubi, but that was within two days of my six day visit on Maui. I live in the town where spam is made, and let me tell you, this is the only way I will eat it! The service was great and the other food looked fantastic as well. Prices can't be beat either, but the view is pretty non-inviting. My best advice: grab this as a picnic lunch and enjoy at your favorite beach!
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Review from Anne B.
Seattle, WA
9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was our first meal after landing in Maui. This was our best meal while in Maui. When we first pulled into the parking lot, we saw this tiny shed-type extension in an older strip mall with two picnic tables out front. The menu was small, with just a handful of options. While debating to stay or go, we saw a few people get their food. Needless to say, we stayed. Our order for the four of usconsisted of:
1 loco moco
1 bbq pork sandwich
2 spam musubi
2 kalua pork
4 drinks
Total price, less than 40 bucks! Really good pricing for delicious food that hasn't gotten overrun by tourists. -
Review from Brendan M.
Los Angeles, CA
12/20/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This is the best Kalua Pork that I have eaten in Maui. The prices are very reasonable - it was about $15 for two pork plate lunches which come with rice and macaroni salad.
The only reason to come here is good food at good prices - the place itself is literally a shack in a parking lot with a picnic table in front of it. That being said the food makes it definitely worth stopping by.
It is cash only. -
Review from Ivy S.
San Francisco, CA
12/24/2011 3 photos
Great food! Great price!
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Review from Edwin E.
Los Angeles, CA
9/15/2011
YUMMY! Ate was so nice and the food was scrumptious!!!
A hidden gem amidst a plethora of Haole owned tourist traps in Lahaina
:) -
Review from Shy A.
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
I always have a craving for Spam and Eggs....Blame it on my childhood. Luckily, the BFF always has a craving for Hawaiian food so it was an easy pick for Local Food. Having read the previous reviews (we meticulously researched, lol) we arrived at 10am, right when she was opening up. No line! Pow! It's not swanky ambiance, so don't expect waiter service...Expect to be warmly greeted like family, to order your food then plop a seat at the picnic table up front. The BFF got the Shoyu Chicken and the owner/cook was sweet enough to make me my Span and Eggs even though it wasn't on the menu! That's not only awesome service, but it gave me the warm fuzzies-I wanted to hug her! After ordering, she told us to sit down as I was trying to pay her and she insisted we sat down and ate our meal first. Wow! I wanted to kiss her at this point. The food was good, the service was excellent. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in Maui.
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Review from Jessica L.
Irving, TX
1/18/2012
The musubi was delicious. I expected it to be salty, but it was the PERFECT combination of spam and rice. Also, the kalua pork was AMAZING..the moist, shredded pork just melts in your mouth. It is super cheap too!
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Review from Cyprien L.
12/5/2011
This was the perfect spot for two families. We were split between the kalua pork and the shoyu chicken. Both were good! Loved the casual atmosphere, good food and great location. The rice & accompanying salad were also very good. All in all a good lunch snack. I would repeat. At the end ordered the Spam Musubi. Great Nori, rice, and BIG. Best I've had so far!
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Review from Jeremy N.
Redmond, WA
11/7/2011
Absolutely the best Kalua pork we've had. We went back twice in one week and even packed some to go.
If nothing else, order the Kalua pork. Lau lau and loco moco was good too. My friends tried the soy chicken but they didn't quite like it. So - kalua pork - if nothing else!
The kalua pork was done just right - tender, juicy, lightly smoky and a hint of saltiness that was just perfect.
We can't wait to go back to Maui - this will definitely be our first stop!
We shared our pictures of the food here if you're interested: http://www.idelish.com... -
Review from Tricia L.
San Jose, CA
11/23/2011
We liked it! What should one expect for a shed in a strip mall with 2 picnic tables? Not much, I hope. It wasn't fine dining but it definitely evokes laid back Hawaii. There was only one person ringing and cooking your food, so right away you're are forced to take it easy...the food will come when it's ready...no hurry. We needed something to tide (or is it tied?) us over before dinner. So, we only ordered kalua pig to share. It came with steam rice, salad with what seems like sweet and sour dressing. We liked the kalua because it was pan fried with cabbage. As a result some of the pieces were crunchy. Didn't really care for the salad because of the dressing. I would have liked mayo laden mac salad instead. Now that's totally Hawaiian. I wish we ordered other things...next time.
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Review from Norm D.
San Jose, CA
8/28/2011
Local Foods is owned by a Filipino couple who are very friendly. Their food is pretty good and tasty. We had their Adobo and Kalua Pork w/cabbage. Their pork adobo is just okay, it was greasy. Their kalua pork, however, is pretty good.
It's cheap and easy, and I would definitely go back for their kalua pork.
Adobo - 2.5 stars
Kalua Pork - 4 stars -
Review from vic f.
Oakland, CA
8/15/2011 3 Check-ins Here
The pinay princess that don't do pork demolished the lau lau...the kalua pork rocked my world too and Filipino peppers in vinegar to add FIRE. It don't get any bet*ta, youz no wha I mean?
Came here total of 4 times in 10 days does that say enough? Give my love to Melba, she really took care of us. -
Review from Grace C.
Los Angeles, CA
5/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Best kalua pork I've ever had, and I've eaten a LOT of it in my life! Also really enjoyed the spam musubi a lot. They add a little bit of a tasty sauce between the spam and rice, which was great. No soy sauce needed!
I will be dreaming of this kalua pork back on the mainland. -
Review from Steve M.
Visalia, CA
7/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Found this little hole in the wall on yelp. Yes, great Spam Masubi, Shoyu Chicken, and Kahlua pork and cabbage. Its outside tables with limited seating.
Prices are very reasonable.
Great flavors, friendly local service, and was relatively easy parking in a free lot.
My wife and I came here 3 or 4 times in a week, and were really bummed out when they were closed on our last day in Maui.
Steve out. -
Review from Matt W.
Portland, OR
11/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
On our drive from the airport we were searching yelp for somewhere yummy to get lunch and this place had rave reviews. Walking up to it you could smell the food and it smelled so good. And the food did not let us down. Very good for what it is, a inexpensive, local, quick food, but it was certainly made with love!
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Review from Audra R.
Orange County, CA
6/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
The kalua pork and the moco loco were very good! Not really my type of food, so I dont have a lot to compare to.
The ambiance is what you go for. Immerse yourself in real hawaii the way the locals do. Charming service and picnic table dining! Two entrees with bottle water and shave ice $18, a steal for Maui! -
Review from Anthony R.
Berkeley, CA
4/1/2011
Absolutely the shining (food) gem of our recent trip to Maui!
Unpretentious is a great adjective to describe this place. The server/chef/hostess inside the food stand was very helpful and down-to-earth and we dined at the picnic tables set in front of the stand. You pay /after/ you eat, from a disposable container.
I got the Shoyu Chicken, he got the Kalua Pork, and we both got SPAM Musubi. All three were delicious!
If I lived in Maui this place would be dangerous - I would eat there all the time. -
Review from Dave T.
West Lafayette, IN
11/15/2011
Cheap great food with a very nice lady making it for you.
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Review from K J.
Berkeley, CA
3/28/2011
Best meal during our stay in Maui.
Local food is a small, down-home type place with a friendly staff and even better food. My fiancé ordered the shoyu chicken and I got the kalua pork + cabbage. Both dishes were outstanding - juicy, flavorful, and best of all cheap. We also got two orders of spam musubi, and thought they were delicious.
Our only regret is that we did not find this place until the last day of our trip (to think that we wasted a meal on Cool Cat Cafe at more than twice the price!). -
Review from Mark N.
Orange, CA
12/25/2011
A really good hole-in-the-wall place for a very reasonably priced plate lunch. I have to say that their Kahlua pork was actually one of the very best I've had on the island. Too often, the pulled-pork is a little too bland--the mom at Local Food had just a very well-seasoned, flavorful pork. Local Food is almost more of a food stand with a couple of picnic tables. Limited menu, but like I said, if you want a good kahlua pork, or maybe a good adobo or loco moco and you don't want to pay the $$ you'd have to pay elsewhere, take a trip there.
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Review from Jennifer G.
Pinal, AZ
9/18/2011
I don't know if we just went on an off day but the food didn't seem that great. The hubby ordered the loco moco (he was obsessed with this in Hawaii) and was surprised when it came with fried rice and no mac salad. After having it several times during our trip, he had become accustomed to it being served with white rice and mac salad. I also noticed that in the picture for the loco moco on Yelp, it was served traditional, not with fried rice. Weird. Anyways, he said it was not very good and the rice had too many peas in it.
As for myself, I ordered the shoyu chicken (I believe that is what it was called). It smelled and looked delicious and although it was decent, I just wasn't that excited about it. The green salad that came with it was drenched in dressing and the spam musubi that I ordered was atrocious. Maybe its supposed to be like poi where it grows on you. The problem was that I just was not that willing to keep eating it to find out.
The woman who works at Local food was pretty friendly, however, she didn't seem to have set hours. Right after she cooked our food, she decided to close down for a bit so she could go attend some event at her son's school. As other possible patrons approached to order food, she told them she was closed and they seemed pretty surprised. The hours were listed on the window and clearly showed that they were supposed to be open during that time.
We were led to this place by all of the positive reviews on Yelp. However, nothing really jived. I gave one extra star because the food was cheap. This place seems too inconsistent. It felt like the owner/ woman at the counter just opened and closed as she pleased and cooked whatever she felt like cooking that day hence the difference in side dishes. My husband and I both agreed that we would not return. -
Review from Tina U.
San Francisco, CA
10/17/2011
Best spam musubis in hawaii - uh ma zing. Made fresh each time and the owner uses her own secret sauce. Really nice owner. We came here every day for our spam musubis and even got a few for our plane ride home. The owner was so sweet and was going to give us our musubis for free! I said no way! We didn't try anything else on the menu, but we heard their other dishes are great too. I can't wait to go back to Maui and visit Local Food again!
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Review from Charles L.
San Francisco, CA
8/26/2011
At $7 a mixed plate, this has to be one of the better bargains in the area. Located in a shopping strip mall with plenty of parking Local Food offers just that - simple but great local food. Pork adobo tasted like it just came from your favorite Aunties kitchen and the Shoyu chicken was perfectly seasoned unlike some of the other places that over marinate their version of this popular dish. Servings are extremely generous which had us leaving with leftovers even after a long day at the beach which had us arriving at Local Food famished. Everything is fresh including the spam musubi which was made while we waited.
Looking for a long wait to eat at lunch time then hit one of the bigger restaurants on Front Street. Want a view with you mixed plate then go to Aloha Mixed Plate. If you're looking for great food, good hospitable owners for cheap while not minding the fact that your eating under a tarp in a parking lot then this is your place.
Definitely the place to go after a long day at the beach where you don't feel bad that sand is still seeping out of your swim wear as you sit down. -
Review from Reachhane L.
Gilbert, AZ
9/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
First place we stopped by when we arrived in Maui after getting our rental car. I had the loco moco and it was delicious very huge amount of food. 2 eggs on top of a couple of meat pattys on a bed of fried rice. It was pretty good. It is a small little shack like building owned by Filipinos who are very friendly. Pricese was pretty good.
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Review from Ted H.
Rowland Heights, CA
9/13/2010
BLOT: Wow... auntie can make the grind!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Always looking for local food, so how can you pass up a place called "Local Food"?! Grandpa was out in front grilling some pork ribs that were smelling sooooo good, but they weren't on the menu. it was the owner's daughter's bday and they were cooking for family.
So we ordered up the Shoyu Chicken, Lau Lau, & Kahlua Pork, 3 spam musubi. Auntie also threw in 6 banana eggrolls for NO CHARGE just because we asked about them. The chicken came with 3 thighs, and was deeply penetrated with ginger marinade (excellent!). Lau Laua is not for everyone, but the pork was tender and the fish tasty. Kahlua pork was some of the best I've eaten, and I grew up in a heavily Japanese-Hawaiian neighborhood. It wasn't salty and full of flavor. Salads dressing was really tasty, kind of like a light sweet and sour with just a little bit of that thai chili sauce. Rice was cooked perfect, which is important if you are asian (or an egg).
As we were leaving we pretty much figured out the that the banana eggrolls were not on the menu and may been for the family party. NOW THAT'S ALOHA!! We felt guilty and privileged, because they were so tasty (they didn't last 2 seconds in the car). We will definitely eat here again, and we recommend it to everyone. Remember they only have one picnic table bench, so you gotta share the space with everyone - or take it to go if you are anti-social. -
Review from brian t.
Los Angeles, CA
9/3/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Another great yelp find that I never would have found myself. Small menu but everything we tried was delicious! I'd recommend the kahlua pork as it's juicy and crispy in parts. the first bite is unforgettable. The loco moco was awesome as well. Its normally served on white rice, but this was served on fried rice which was surprisingly delicious and the gravy was flavorful. Another plus was that they had large coke cans for only $1
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Review from Shay S.
San Jose, CA
Wonderfully delicious unpretentious food.
I read the other reviews about this place before I left for Maui and had to try the food here. I ordered the Spam Musubi and a pulled pork sandwich. I have no idea if the food was authentic or not -- not being a local, but it was delicious. The pulled pork was moist and tender, and the musubi was tasty and has a wonderful sweet sauce between the spam and rice. Delicious and cheap. -
Review from M K.
Campbell, CA
5/7/2011
I found out about this place on my most recent trip to Maui, from a tip from the bus driver. I ate here two times for lunch. Parking is easy in a shopping center, and the food is fresh and ono. It looks like a food truck, but built into the side of a building. It is where the locals go, as construction workers and other locals were lining up for lunch. You order at the outside counter, and you can either sit down on the two picnic tables outside, or take it to go. Food is cheap, like $6 for my shoyu chicken plate (with rice and salad). The 2 whole chicken thighs were tender, well-marinated, and not fatty. They also give you the option of green salad here, instead of macaroni salad, which was refreshing with a sweet chili dressing. I also had their spam musubi here. I will definitely try their other plates the next time I am in town.
Listed in: Maui No Ka Oi
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Review from Jackie L.
Mountain View, CA
11/26/2011
Yum yum. Cheap and DELICIOUS. My kalua pork plate lunch was succulent and flavorful, not super salty - just right. P loved his lau lau, fatty pork chunks wrapped in some leaves and steamed. A dive, but some of the best food we've had in Maui so far. We'll be back!
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Review from Derek P.
San Francisco, CA
8/30/2010
They say the third time is a charm, and Local Food was the third place I destroyed some Kalua Pig while in Hawaii. It was the best: simple, juicy, and very flavorful.
Its a ton of food. Its cheap. Its a small shack. Its a homecooked fresh meal from a Filipino woman. And its very good.
