Our first taste of Hawaiian Chicken was disappointment. YFILA decided to try it out on a Thursday, which we found out is their one day off during the work week (they’re also closed on Sundays).

We’re glad that we ended up making our way back, though - the food was great. The menu is notably small, but what did you expect from a place called ‘Hawaiian Chicken’?

They’re supposedly famous for their ‘Huli Huli Chicken’, so we ordered a whole chicken of it. The chicken itself is delicious on its own with its thin, crispy skin and moist, flavorful meat. What really makes the dish is their spicy dipping sauce. Be sure to ask for extra sauce when ordering, in fact.

We also tried the shoyu chicken and kalbi combo. The shoyu chicken was definitely the better of the two. It’s little more than grilled marinated chicken, but actually tastes like it just came off the grill at a Hawaiian cookout. The kalbi wasn’t bad, but there is better kalbi to be had in LA.

All of the main dishes are served ‘plate lunch’ style, with rice and salad (either macaroni or green). Macaroni salad has a tendency to be bland, but Hawaiian Chicken’s ended up being surprisingly tasty. One nice touch is the plate of oranges you get at the end of the meal.

Hawaiian Chicken offers an interesting twist on lunch, and is recommended if you’re interested in trying something a little bit different. To sweeten the deal, check out their website before going to get a 10% off coupon.