Looking for your next great Hawaiian meal in Houston? These new spots will satisfy all your cravings. Here are the newest places to check out the next time you're in the mood for island eats.
Kealoha Hawaiian Kitchen
8790 FM 1960 Bypass Road W., Suite 100A, Humble
Kealoha Hawaiian Kitchen has an extensive menu that features plates of pork, beef or seafood, lunch entrees, sandwiches, desserts and more.
Look for options like the Kalua Pork & Cabbage, pork that's wrapped in banana leaves and salt, slow roasted, then combined with cabbage and other island flavors; the Pulehu Steak, a ribeye steak pan-seared in olive oil; and the Chicken Katsu, fried chicken breast battered in panko flakes and served with katsu sauce.
Yelp users are excited about Kealoha Hawaiian Kitchen, which currently holds 4.5 stars out of 20 reviews on the site.
Yelper Jenni A., who reviewed Kealoha Hawaiian Kitchen on August 12, wrote, "For authentic loco Hawaiian grinds, this is THE place to go. All native Pacific Islanders behind the counter giving you the real taste of Hawaii. Everything on their menu is ono (delicious)."
Manni B. added, "True aloha spirit lives here! The service is speedy and the menu has a good mix of traditional favorites. Nice little patio and plenty of seating inside. Feels like I've been transported to the Big Island!"
Kealoha Hawaiian Kitchen is open from 11 a.m.–9 p.m. on Monday-Saturday. (It's closed on Sunday.)
Diced Poke
917 Winbern St., Suite A, Midtown
Diced Poke features a variety of poke bowls, poke burritos, mochi (Japanese rice cakes) and musubi (grilled Spam on a block of rice and wrapped with nori). You can expect to find signature bowl combinations, including truffle tuna, honey soy tuna and spicy salmon. Add-ons include bamboo rice, a variety of masago (fish roe) and plenty of sauce choices.
With a five-star rating out of 219 reviews on Yelp, Diced Poke has been getting rave reviews.
Yelper Simon Y., who reviewed Diced Poke on August 9, wrote, "Hands down my favorite poke restaurants in Houston! ... Diced Poke is the complete package with fresh fish, generous portions and an incredible selection of toppings that will boggle your mind. They even have an interesting selection of rice (bamboo and volcano) to complement your bowl. Sauces are simple and refined and pair perfectly with the fish/topping selection they have to offer."
Andrea T. noted, "One of my favorite places to have poke! Parking is a little of an adventure, but totally worth it. I had the truffle tuna and I couldn't stop eating my bowl. Also, got a musubi for the road and it reminds me of Hawaii so much."
Diced Poke is open from 11 a.m.–9 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and noon–9 p.m. on Sunday.
Papa Yu
1037 Blalock Road, Memorial
Papa Yu, recently debuted in the Blalock Market Shopping Center, specializes in customizable poke bowls, sushi burritos and Hong Kong-inspired desserts.
The menu offers the ability to create your own poke bowl or burrito, starting with a protein (ahi tuna, salmon, unagi eel, shrimp tempura and others), then mix-ins and sauces (carrots, cilantro, spicy mayo, honey wasabi) and finally toppings (such as cucumber, ginger, pineapple, crispy onion, wonton chips, sesame seeds and more).
With a 4.5-star Yelp rating out of 81 reviews on Yelp, Papa Yu has been getting positive attention.
Brianna S. wrote, "Food was amazing. Had such a nice atmosphere and the owner was amazing when talking to us. We had no idea what to order, so I ended up getting the Kani bowl and it was amazing. Also had the shrimp roll and smoothies. Food came out warm, and I can't stress how delicious the food was."
Quynh D. said, "I like how fresh my poke bowl came out. I got the shoyu as the base sauce for the salmon and sweet umami as the glaze. They were generous with the protein and toppings."
Papa Yu is open from 10:30 a.m.–9 p.m. on Sunday-Thursday, and 10:30 a.m.–10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
