Big Bros Hawaiian Grill — Restaurant in La Mirada

We were on the hunt for some good Hawaiian food in our area while we were out and about running errands on Memorial Day weekend and came across Big Bros Hawaiian Grill. We'd been to the bubble tea shop a few doors down, but never noticed this gem tucked away on the side.

The restaurant shares the parking lot with a bunch of other shops and restaurants, so there is plenty of parking, but be very wary of inattentive people driving through. The restaurant itself is very easy to overlook because of the layout of the building. The entrance is along the side of another cafe restaurant facing the street, so if you weren't looking for it, you probably won't even realize it's there.

Inside is very clean and simple. The decor just looks good...everything fits on that wall. The counter area is a little more messy, but not dirty. You really interact with it when you pick up your food, refill your water cup (jug water dispenser), or pour some of their damn good special house sauce, which is a very viscuous, sweet teriyaki flavor. Its very hot and dispenses from one of those industrial hot water/coffee dispensers.

Ordering and paying for your food is handled at the kiosk, just make sure you read the little note card to understand the sides. The pricing of the food isnt too bad, most dishes being $10-20. We opted for their Hawaiian BBQ Chicken and their Hawaiian Pork BBQ, as my wife was craving something teriyaki.

I mean geez, these plates are loaded...and they're the to-go plates. Normally other places skimp...but these were heavy. The chicken had good flavor, and complimented well with the sauce. My wife thought there was too much mayo, but i thought it was just right. The pork bbq though.....very, very juicy, not dry or oily like a lot of other places. Let ot soak up the special house sauce.....mouthgasm.

We definitely want to head back to try their island beef ribs and kalbi beef bbq first...then the rest of the food. Ono food, yeah? While we were there, I believe it was the owner who came out and had a little small talk with us. While I'm not sure what to always say when it comes to small talk, it says a lot when it's not just a business interaction with the...

A Disappointing Experience from Start to Finish

I recently ordered takeout from Big Bros Hawaiian in La Mirada, hoping to enjoy a nice family dinner, but what we received was beyond disappointing. From the quality of the food to the overall experience, it was a complete letdown.

Pork Katsu Plate – Where Was the Meat?

One of the items I ordered was the pork katsu plate, and I honestly wish I hadn’t. When I opened the container, I was shocked. The katsu looked burnt, dry, and incredibly tough, almost as if it had been fried multiple times or left sitting under a heat lamp for way too long. Cutting into it was a struggle, and eating it was even worse. The breading was so overcooked that it had a hard, unpleasant texture, and to make matters worse, there was barely any meat inside—just a thin, overcooked layer that made me wonder if I had just paid for burnt breading.

Loco Moco – Burnt and Bitter

I also ordered a loco moco, expecting a comforting, flavorful dish with a juicy hamburger patty, rich brown gravy, and a perfectly cooked egg over rice. Instead, what I got was a patty that tasted burnt and bitter. It seemed like it had been cooked on a dirty grill or left on the heat for too long, absorbing that unpleasant charred flavor. The gravy did little to mask the bitterness, and overall, the dish was a massive disappointment.

Ruined Family Dinner

This meal was supposed to be a nice dinner for our family, but instead, it left us frustrated and unsatisfied. When you order from a restaurant, you expect at least decent quality, especially from a place claiming to serve authentic Hawaiian food. What we got instead was overcooked, poorly prepared, and borderline inedible food that no one enjoyed.

Final Verdict – Never Again

I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience was bad enough to warrant one. Big Bros Hawaiian in La Mirada completely missed the mark, and based on this meal, I have no desire to ever return. If you’re looking for good Hawaiian food, look elsewhere, because this place clearly doesn’t care about quality or customer satisfaction. Save your money and go somewhere that actually serves fresh,...

By far the best Hawaiian food I’ve had (for quick service style restaurants) in a very long time! I ordered our favorite go-to, the Katsu Chicken plate, and took a risk on the BBQ Chicken plate just for fun. Both came we two sides and I chose the macaroni salad and white rice for both.

First, the Katsu chicken. I’ve had this dish 50 times at other places like Ono Hawaii and have always enjoyed it. THIS Katsu chicken was soooo much better than anything else I’ve had. It was so light and crispy on the outside, and so very tender and juicy on the inside - no overly fried and hard bits like I’m used to seeing at other places. It makes me wonder now if those other places are like Taco Bell and I’ve finally just now been treated to an authentic abuelita’s Mexican home cooking! It has definitely ruined all other Katsu chicken for me now, I’m afraid.

Now on to the BBQ Chicken plate… wow! Just wow. I usually hesitate to order anything BBQ-y because of all the sugary sauces, but my husband usually likes it so thought I’d give it a go. IT WAS AMAZING. So tender and just with the perfect amount of char-grilled Smokey flavor… and no sauce at all! They did have a thing of House Special Sauce (which I took 2 small to-go containers of) which was thin and super tasty, but the chicken hardly needed it so it was nice to just have it available on the side.

The macaroni salad was also an upgraded version of other places I’ve had (though I admit I do still like the other kind too) and the rice was moist and fluffy.

I’ve lived in the area for over 12 year and this location has changed several times, so I’m excited that there is finally a restaurant I hope stays here forever!! We will be back very...