Noelani's Island Grill

We've been here many times! The food and service is very good! We've had the Hawaiian short ribs, Shaka chicken, Ahi shoyu poke bowl, Kalua pig & cabbage, taro chips, fries, malasadas, pancakes. The bar drinks are excellent as well.
We usually go on the weekends when Rick is performing with live Hawaiian and contemporary music too! He performs every other weekend. Rick is ohana to my wife and I.

❤❤❤ the atmosphere and decor. Yummy food. Expect a modern interpretation of Hawaiian flavors. Staff shows island hospitality, very very friendly.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at a Hawaiian restaurant in San Carlos that offered live music, good service, and delicious food. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with a warm and friendly atmosphere. The live music added a vibrant and joyful touch to the dining experience, creating a lively and enjoyable ambiance.

The service at this restaurant was top-notch. The staff was attentive, knowledgeable, and always ready to assist with any requests or questions. They made sure that my dining experience was seamless and enjoyable, providing excellent recommendations and ensuring that everything was to my satisfaction.

Now, let's talk about the food. The Hawaiian cuisine served at this restaurant was simply outstanding. Every dish was bursting with flavor and made with fresh, high-quality ingredients. From traditional Hawaiian dishes like poke bowls and kalua pork to delicious seafood options, every bite was a delight. The menu offered a wide variety of choices, catering to different tastes and dietary preferences.

Overall, my experience at this Hawaiian restaurant in San Carlos was fantastic. The combination of live music, good service, and exceptional food made it a memorable dining experience. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a taste of Hawaii with a side of entertainment.

My wife and I decided to go here after reading the reviews. Glad we did. We were seated rather fast. The whole vibe of the place is nothing you'd expect to be in. Didn't feel like we were in San Francisco, yet felt like we were in somewhere tropical. Food was awesome as well. I had the Poké, and my wife had the chicken katsu. Both dishes were amazing. Our waitress was this sweet older woman who was able to accommodate our needs.

What a fantastic meal. From the ambiance of live hawaiin music to great food and strong drinks.. it all was great. Our server and staff were awesome. Had lots of appetizers and a few entrees to share plus multiple desserts to try. Everything was good. Highly recommend trying this restaurant!

This place has a very good overall vibe with live music and relaxing atmosphere - like in Hawaii. The food is tasty. We missed the giant volcano fries that another table got (we ended up with a smaller one with less exciting topping but it is not bad). I like chicken katsu. The best dish in my opinion though is the pineapple upside down cake with coffee ice cream! Slightly pricey place so you can keep it for special occasions or just when you miss Hawaiian vibe.

Excellent Food with Relaxed Island Ambiance. Loved the Tacos and Coconut Shrimp. Very Kid Friendly.

We went here Friday for dinner, and they had a performer singing lovely music. The food and the cocktails were great. Our server was attentive to our needs.

Aloha,

My Ohana raved about the food @ Noelani's for many years but yesterday was our first chance of eating here. It was ONOLICIOUS!

We tried the Shaka chicken, pork belly/ pine apple pupus and the chicken katsu. Everyone really enjoyed their choices, it was cooked perfectly.

The table service was great, our waitress was awesome. She always checked up on us.

Reservations are only allowed for a party of 7 or more so being a popular place be prepared to wait . We arrived around 5 pm and it was busy. Luckily we were able to be seated within 5 mins outside underneath the heaters.

A hui hou!

In a Hawaiian haven, my taste buds soared,
Where Loco Moco reigned, a dish adored.
The restaurant boasted fried chicken divine,
And potent cocktails, a sip of sunshine.

The loco moco, a mouthwatering delight,
A symphony of flavors, a tempting sight.
The beef patty, cooked just right, tender and lean,
With rice, eggs, and gravy, a heavenly scene.

But alas, a flaw, as I must confess,
The wait was long, a test of my distress.
Impatient patrons lined up outside,
Yearning for their meals, time ticking aside.

Yet, the cocktails arrived, strong and bold,
A burst of flavors, stories untold.
Mai Tais and Piña Coladas, oh so sweet,
Each sip, a voyage to tropical retreat.

The ambiance exuded island charm,
Tiki huts and palm trees, a tropical farm.
But patience, my friends, is what you must bear,
For this restaurant's delights are worth the fare.

So if you seek loco moco's savory blend,
And fried chicken that transcends the trend,
With cocktails to whisk you far away,
Prepare for a wait, and embrace the delay.

My first time coming here and the atmosphere of the place was fantastic! The vibes are very soothing 😌. Drinks are great! Food are good but a little too pricey..

Great plate lunches with a Bay Area twist. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, the back patio is a great place to catch a sporting event. This a great place to bring the family. There is live music inside and the food is great. The family favorites are the Shaka chicken, skirt steak and the short ribs.

It’s always a good day when you’re having Hawaiian food.

「 O R D E R E D + V E R D I C T 」
1. P.O.G. | $4 | 4/5 :
Drink - Passionfruit, orange, and guava. First sip in and you can immediately taste the guava purée then you kinda taste the orange juice after. Passionfruit flavor was subtle. But overall, it's a refreshing drink.

2. Virgin Pina Colada | $6 | 5/5 :
Drink - I never really liked pina colada flavored things, but to my surprise, this was probably the highlight of the whole meal. This drink comes in slushee form. Not too sweet. The pineapple and coconut flavors works in harmony. Whenever I think of pina colada, i find it very artificial, but not with this drink! I can't stop talking about it because it's so goooooood!

3. Poke Sampler | $21 | 4.5/5 :
Appetizer - You get to sample 4 Hawaiian Poke which were Ahi Shoyu (strong ginger taste), Ahi Spicy (not really spicy), Lomi Salmon (my fav out of all, melts in your mouth), and kimchi tofu style (not really poke but still good). Served with a bed of cabbage underneath. Does not come with Taro Chips.

4. Taro Chips | $5 | 5/5 :
Side - ordered this separately to pair with the poke sampler. Crispy. Nice and big slices.

5. Hurricane Fries | $9 | 5/5 :
Side - these are savory and salty shoestring fries. Thinly coated with sriracha, wasabi aioli, unagi sauce and some furikake seasoning. Sweet but crispy. Once you eat a piece, you can't stop eating it.

6. Shaka Chicken Plate | $18 | 4/5 :
Fried boneless chicken (mix of dark and breast meat). Comes with rice and macaroni salad. Substituted spam fried rice for extra $2. The chicken was perfectly battered and flavorful. Drizzled with some Sriracha wasabi aioli and unagi sauce. The mac salad was pretty good. The spam fried rice looked soggy and bland but to my surprise, it was so good!

Although I've never been to Hawaii, It truly feels like I'm there. Overall, such a great experience. Staff were nice. Continually checked up and cleared the table for us. Definitely coming back!

My husband and I love Hawaiian food. So we decided to come here for the first time. I have to say it meant our expectation. The service was excellent! They were very accommodating and friendly. My husband ordered the Shaka Chicken with a mai tai. I ordered the Teriyaki chicken with a virgin piña colada. Both entrees and drinks were delicious! We will for sure be coming back soon.

This spot made me feel like I was in a Hawaiian oasis. Gabino was very attentive and made sure the experience was perfect. I highly recommend the kahlua pork

Amazing Hawaiian restaurant with live music on the weekends. I love getting the pulled pork and cabbage bowl. It’s succulent, juicy, and packed with the right amount of smoky bbq flavor and doesn’t need to be drenched in a lot of sauce. The pork belly and piña bites are also a fav and have the right amount of crispiness. Did i mention the chicharon? From first glance I thought it was gonna be hard and tough to eat, but this was fresh and soft! Not greasy and full of flavor.

Also the staff is super nice and very accommodating.

Aloha!. This place was only missing the sand and waves. The spirit of aloha permeated everything from the service to the atmosphere to the food. Tons of variety for everyone in your party to fins something. We tried the poke nachos, kalua pork quesadilla, and hurricane fries. All were absolutely the bomb. Mahalo to Neolani and the staff for such a wonderful experience. We will be back

What a treat. We live in the Peninsula and I couldn't believe we hadn't discovered Noelanis. The interior and atmosphere somewhat teleports you to Hawaii. The food is absolutely unique, and really feels "home cooked". You can imagine yourself to be in a shack in Hawaii with your loving aunt cooking her dishes with love and not recipes.

We absolutely loved the food and experience here. We can't wait to try out more dishes. Highly recommend the katsu as they are absolutely crispy, tender and sublime.

Hawaiian comfort food at its best. Absolutely will return.

Definitely deserve the high rating. The place is bustling and has a patio seating outside next to the street. Spam being an island favorite, we decided to try that first along with the rolls appetizer. Both of them exhibited flavor and freshness. Crunchy rolls with fresh basil was tasty. The dish with shrimp curry with the rice and coleslaw was awesome too with great taste. Great service too. Love the place.

Drinks were delicious - The "Royal Hawaiian" and Upsidedown Cake! The food also bomb.com - katsu, kalua pork, loco Moco with 3 kinda of rice - white, brown, and fried rice. Our server even treated me with a birthday firecracker and beignet! What a treat - thank you!!