L&L Hawaiian Barbecue — Restaurant in Cerritos

I don't LOL at the portions from L & L

I'm not a frequent visitor of L & L Hawaiian Barbecue. Last time I ordered a plate there, probably a couple years ago. Unbeknownst to me, family thought to pick up dinner here and I was pleasantly surprised.

Chicken katsu- One of the, if the most, popular dish, the chicken katsu was just as I remembered. Thin cuts of chicken fried with a crispy, crunchy coating. I eat a similar plate from Yasai, and L & L has the edge on the quantity of chicken. Of course, Yasai's plate comes with spring salad, sumi salad, a veggie skewer & rice. However, L & L piles on the starches with 2 scoops of rice & a scoop of macaroni salad. I tried the katsu with guacamole at home, at it was a winner!

BBQ chicken- Did I mention these are eater's size portions? Me, Rodney, eat lots. Me, Rodney, hungry for more. Me, Rodney, asks "Are you gonna finish that?" Also with 2 scoops of rice & a scoop of mac salad, the chicken was tender, basted with a flavorful sauce. Hearty & filling, the BBQ chicken plate won't let you go hungry.

Although this occasion was take out, I have dined at this location before. I remember the inside having an unorthodox layout, with the registers in the middle of the building, as opposed to near the entrance. Service has been okay, with the wait time being bearable to "C'mon, already. Where's my order?" A few tables to dine inside and outside, I wouldn't come here with a large group.

Parking is in a private lot at the Cerritos Promenade. Spaces fill up fast during peak times, so you may have to park by Leelin & Island Pacific.

For some stick to your ribs, I need a nap food, L & L Hawaiian Barbecue does the trick. I don't have the urge to stop by all the time, which is probably good for my weight, but I do enjoy the food here. The taste's good, the location is local & the prices are comparable to other eateries. So, yeah, I'll be back. Just, maybe a long time from...

The food was decent. The worker girl taking orders at the front register was very nice. My only problem is the owner/manager of this location.

He was extremely rude during my last visit. After me and my wife finished our meal, I went over to the front desk (where he was) and politely asked for a To-Go Bag for our leftovers. He straight up ignored me and didn't even look at my direction, despite him being right in front of me and clearly hearing me say "excuse me, can I have a bag please."

I stood there for about 10 seconds, getting angrier and angrier as he just stood there ignoring me, so I just walked away and left the restaurant with my wife to calm myself from causing a public scene.

I know it's not a big deal, but that man's professionalism with customers was disgusting, especially with him being the manager/owner of the location, but nevertheless this experience made me never want to buy anything from this...

Nothing feels clean.

Now don't get me wrong, I love Hawaiian cuisine and I think the food here is alright; however I've been to this location on several occasions thus far and it feels sticky and dirty every time.

Floors are sticky; drink station looks unclean; flies typically around this weird teriyaki sauce dispenser; the dining area doubles as storage; the glass windows and doors are covered with ugly signage and fingerprints.

This place has a lot of potential to thrive but there seems to be no investment in the customer dining experience nor the appearance of cleanliness.

Overall impression: mediocre Cleanliness: lacking Food: optimal Customer service: status quo

Date of visit: 07/28/2022 Time of visit: 2:20pm PDT Order: Mini Chicken Katsu, fountain...