Keoki's Hawaiian Barbeque — Restaurant in Marina

This was our first stop for our stay in Monterey. They are only open Monday to Friday, and I was afraid it was going to be crazy busy. Rocko was super nice and patient with me. They have a lot of items that aren't listed on the website, so it took me a few minutes. I also wanted to order everything but had to place myself. Inside the place is really small. Only a handful of tables. People were literally placing take-out orders and waiting for them. Looking at various decor around definitely keeps you occupied for a few minutes. They have a lot of items for sale aside from food. They have stickers, lihing candy, statues, coconut head for your car, and so much more. Did you know this place has been around since 2012? Orders took a little long. Rocko quoted 20 minutes, but realistically, everyone waited at least 35 to 40 minutes. As impatient as people were, Rocko had a positive attitude. He told me some tips and tricks with the food. Musubi should be eaten right away. It is best to eat within the first 15 minutes. These are a few of the items we tried:

Loco moco - I loved the crunch of the meat. The gravy and over medium egg was delicious. Rice was perfectly cooked. I think the Loco moco went perfectly well with the potato salad

Potato salad - perfect amount of tart

Macaroni salad - First bite tasted sweet. After a while, it grows on you. My husband liked it but I prefer potato salad.

Teri beef musubi - This has a lot of rice. Not a lot of meat, and it looks like they didn't put teri sauce. It would have tasted better if there was more meat. The Rice to meat ratio was off.

Kalua pork musubi- This was well seasoned and flavorful.

Macadamia cream pie - Delicious, pie was creamy with crunchy macadamias. Surprisingly, this was my favorite out of the two.

Rocky road cream pie - Smooth and not too sweet.

I can't wait to come back soon. My recommendation is probably to order over the phone so you don't have to...

This is one of the few legit Hawaiian plate lunches I've found on the mainland. I used to live in Hawaii and ate plate lunches after surfing. When I moved back here, I would see places claiming to have Hawaiian food. Usually, it wasn't that great.

They would either mess up the mac salad, or have stuff that didn't taste authentic. Then I tried Keoki's. 100% legit. They have their own spin on stuff, but it tasted like a real Hawaiian plate lunch. Delicious. Generous. Satisfying.

My goto meal here is the Mix plate with kalua pork, chicken katsu and teri chicken. Throw in a POG for good measure and you're set. The mini loco moco substitution is also good.

You get a lot of food, so if you are a light eater, you might even be able to share it with someone. Maybe throw in a musubi to make sure you have enough for both of you.

Negatives about the spot are that it's small. At the time I'm writing this, there's no indoor seating anymore. And the wait times can be LONG. So, if you are trying to get this for lunch, call it in ahead of time, or you're going to be waiting for a while.

That said, this is definitely the best plate lunch in the area and if you're craving Hawaiian, well worth going out of your way for. Just remember, the portions are large, so bring...

If you’re in Monterey and want to find some bonafide local Hawaiian bbq. Keoki’s is THE place to get it in my opinion. Certified BROKE DA MOUTH 🤙

Being born and raised from Hawaii (Oahu specifically) it’s always nice to see local food places out on the mainland but more importantly having local food places that really embody and represent local food well. Keoki’s does that great! The atmosphere (is a bit small but in some ways that adds to the charm), the employee attitudes and interactions, and of course the taste and quality of their food! I had the combo plate with three choices and got the Teri beef, Kalua pig, and Hamburger steak. All the meats tasted phenomenal, and accompanied by the scoop of rice and Mac salad the whole experience was very nostalgic for me. Most local food places I go to never get the Mac salad right, and to me that’s the thing that really makes or breaks the authenticity of whether you’re truly representing Hawaiian bbq places. Keoki’s passes with flying colors and in some cases with their Teri beef I actually prefer the way they make it than how it’s made on the islands. All in all, anytime I visit Monterey, Keoki’s is the only place I’m going to for...