Helen Chock opened this Hawaiian food restaurant in 1946, and in 2000 the James Beard Foundation gave it a Regional Classic award. Her grandson Craig Katsuyoshi runs it now in Kalihi.
Why we love it
It’s Hawaiian food the way local families eat it, and the pipikaula short ribs alone justify the drive.
What to expect
Helena’s is a no-frills dining room in Kalihi, about 15 minutes from Waikīkī. Most first-timers order one of the set menus, which bring a spread of small dishes: kālua pig, lomi salmon, squid lūʻau, poi or rice, and haupia. Add a side of pipikaula, bone-in short ribs dried over the stove and fried to order. Plates come fast. It opens only four days a week and closes for long holiday breaks, so check before you go. Expect a short wait at peak lunch.
Know before you go
- Days
- Open Tuesday through Friday only, 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Payment
- Long known as cash only. Bring cash in case.
- Order
- Start with a set menu and add pipikaula short ribs.
- Holidays
- The restaurant takes extended breaks around Thanksgiving and the year-end holidays. Check the website for dates.
- Phone
- (808) 845-8044.
Photo: LittleT889 via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
