Helena's Hawaiian Food is a beloved, cozy spot serving up authentic Hawaiian classics like kalua pork and short ribs, all bursting with flavor and warmth.
"Helena’s, which opened in 1946 and won a James Beard America’s Classics award in 2000, continues to draw locals and visitors for its traditional Hawaiian food. Menu D offers the greatest variety, with kālua pig, lomi salmon, pipikaula (the version at Helena’s consists of short ribs dried and then fried), and squid lū‘au (a stew of octopus and taro leaves in coconut milk), along with poi or rice." - Martha Cheng
"Helena’s isn’t much of a secret anymore. The parking is horrible, the hours are limited, and it’s usually pretty busy. We’ll suffer through it all, because this is our favorite spot on the island for Hawaiian food. Part of the appeal is its legacy—Helena’s has been around since 1946—but we keep coming back for the still-excellent pipikaula short ribs, which get dried above the stove before they’re fried. Order one of the sets, so you get all the fixings with your meal: rice or poi, lomi salmon, a side of salt and raw onions, and haupia to finish." - Martha Cheng
"Domingo also has a long list of favorites — The Pig and The Lady, Fête, ʻIliʻIli Cash and Carry, Nami Kaze, and Helena’s Hawaiian Food, among them." - Travel + Leisure Editors
"Helena’s isn’t much of a secret anymore. The parking is horrible, the hours are limited, and it’s usually pretty busy, but we’ll suffer through it all since this is our favorite spot on the island for Hawaiian food. Part of the appeal is its legacy—Helena’s has been around since 1946—but we keep coming back for the still-excellent pipikaula short ribs, which get dried above the stove before they’re fried. Order one of the sets, so you get all the fixings with your meal: rice or poi, lomi salmon, a side of salt and raw onions, and haupia to finish." - martha cheng
"My favorite food city outside of New York has got to be Honolulu. Every time I go to visit I always make plans to go to Helena's..." - Marisel Salazar
