Hopper's BBQ & Smoke House — Restaurant in Hawaii

Hopper's BBQ & Smokehouse is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! I have never had anything from Hopper's that has been less than superb and I've have most of their menu offerings. I think that their ribs and brisket are my favorites and are perfect comfort foods! They are ALWAYS juicy and perfectly flavorful. The combo plate is unreal and a fantastic deal as it's so big that it is multiple meals for me. The meats reheat well too - I don't add any fat and just reheat in the oven in parchment paper. Even with reheating, the meat was amazingly juicy. I can't understand the review that said otherwise. I've had consistent quality of meals from Hopper's and never once had anything that didn't meet my high standards. And baby back ribs are pork. If someone doesn't know or realize this, they can find out in any number of ways, such as asking or doing a web search.

Their side dishes are amazing too. The lilikoi dressing for the salad is so good and a perfect balance of sweet and savory. I actually like a little bit of it on rice too and it's almost like a not-too-sweet dessert. And I think I'll need to buy extra next time corn casserole is on the menu. The regular cornbread is always a winner too.

Hopper's is always easy to find - just follow the smoke! And there is usually a line, which the Hopper's team manages well while consistently delivering their high quality plates. The team is great too - friendly and always smiling. It's easy to place an order in advance, which is always a good idea since, in keeping with fresh foods, they can run out of food by the end of the day. Hopper's also offers fish and chicken (both of which are delicious) if you are in the mood for something that's not beef or pork. The fish offering also gives pescatarian's a fantastic food option. Hopper's also offers vegan and vegetarian options as specials sometimes. And if you ever see a tamales...

Eh. First time I went, it was for the brisket. Dry, disappointing, and not much flavor for brisket. Decided to try again (maybe it was an off day, or they'd been sitting on their inventory for a while, and had to sell it). Got the "Baby Back" Ribs this time. Bland. Obviously pre-cooked, cooled, and thrown back on a grill. Baby-back also refers, generally, to beef, not pork. This ain't beef. It's pork. The bones were cold, showing re-heating. Since a lot of flavor and texture throughout the meat shine in heating the bones correctly through slow-cooking, it was obvious that this batch was rushed, and disappointing as far as real BBQ goes. What flavors I did get were okay, but lacking; however, the star of the show (the "baby-back" ribs themselves), were kind of KTA quality and not worthy of true BBQ status. It's not even beef. It was par-cooked, cooled, and thrown on a fire for show. For putting food out fast, I get why it is what it is. But, two out of 3 losses doesn't warrant a third time I'll pay and tip 'em again. If you say BBQ, you better own...

Best food truck on island.

Their smoked ribs are so good that I've brought a whole rack of their ribs back from Hawaii in my suitcase multiple times over the years.

Recently, I tried their smoked ahi for the first time, and it was AMAZING. They are culinary geniuses who coax subtle, complex flavors from their dishes, and the smoked ahi was a perfect example of this. It was unlike any ahi/tuna preparation I've seen elsewhere. This is now my favorite menu item, and also my way to eat ahi -- even better than poke, which is saying a lot!

Sometimes at different events, they will have specials, like tamales. Their specials are all top-notch, too. I haven't tried anything from them that wasn't excellent.

I always like to support local small family businesses, and this one is a real gem. They are generous people who give back a lot to their local community, too....