Mokis Hawaiian Grill — Restaurant in Mesa

The atmosphere was great with real tapa cloth and some kitschy Hawaiian wooden decor typical of touristy Waikiki (very nicely done though). They had the right music with some J Boog playing on the speakers overhead. Even the presentation of the food was amazing. Unfortunately, if you've ever made Hawaiian Macaroni salad, you'd know that they didn't wait long enough for the noodles to cool before adding the mayo causing the oils to separate and you also can't create the perfectly scooped dome of noodles like this. Great addition of the black sesame seeds for decor but they also added a dash of salt on the rice?!?! Never once while living in Hawaii did anyone ever add salt or seasoning to scoop of "sticky" rice - that's up to the consumer. Also, the rice was more dry than the right blend of sticky so it fell apart easily with chopsticks. The Teriyaki chicken was lacking a good Teriyaki sauce and sadly not only had an aftertaste I couldn't place (not sure what brand they used but definitely not one I'd recommend), but you could taste the heavy char of the meat. The kalua pork wasn't too bad - a lot less salty than any of places locally but there was a heavier smoke flavor which is hard to tell if it was just because it was easier to taste without the salty punch. The guava cake should've been listed as a bread pudding because it was super soggy with too heavy cream. Honestly, I've never left left overs at a Hawaiian restaurant, especially when paying extra for macaroni salad or dessert, but this was not my favorite meal. I was really hopeful with their high rating but Aloha Kitchen (dang, even Ono's) is still way better and more authentic to the islands.

Honestly, as an American who has never lived or visited Hawaii for a long time, I could totally see how this could be good. Unfortunately, if you know your ono grinds, I definitely suggest comparing all of the Hawaiian restaurants in the valley before saying this is the best. Again, love the atmosphere and merchandise, just wished the food matched...

Wow! I guess that I'm spoiled by L & L Hawaiian BBQ or maybe there was just no pride taken in my meal that I paid over $10.00 for. But I have never been so dissapointed ordering Hawaiian food ever. I ordered the 2 meat combo with 1 teryaki beef and 1 chicken katsu. As well as 1 spam musubi. Let's start off with the spam musubi. $3.00 for 1! The menu didn't say how many was to be included but coming from working and patronizing L & L Hawaiian BBQ I automatically assumed that it would be 2...especially for $3.00. But getting past the price the spam wasn't fried (which it usually is to bring out the flavor and slightly carmelize the meat) it was simply sliced and wrapped in what seemed to be regular white rice instead of jasmine or sticky rice. Anytime Ive ever had spam musubi in the past the rice has always had a very distinct smell inducative of sticky/jasmine rice. When I picked the musubi up and took a bite all of the rice started to fall out. #Dissapointed. Moving on to the macaroni salad it was flavorless and the portion was extremely small. It was also watery, and not thick. Again something that I'm used to having when ordering macaroni salad from a Hawaiian cuisine establishment. The chicken katsu on it's own was good but its sauce was very "Americanized" in that it was yellow instead of brown. It tasted like it just had ketchup, mayo, mustard and pepper. It wasn't very good. And finally the beef was extremely dry. It tasted like warm beef jerky with teryaki sauce poured over it. The meat was very tough and not tender which it should've been. Being as though it was so dry it seems like the food preparer either missed the marinating part or didn't bother to marinate it for longer than 10 minutes or so. If you're going to serve Hawaiian food then more pride should be taken in it's preparation., and...

My friend ordered an Ohana, they said they did not have any mahi mahi which is one of the three items included aside from the teriyaki chicken and fried shrimp. He asked to substitute the mahi for another fish choice (included an additional fee) which seemed to be a problem due to the obvious frustration on the face of the cook, and confusion of the cashier. He then asked if he could substitute the salad for fries, being prepared for an additional fee. After being charged the fee, they even managed to mess up his order and give him fries and salad instead of the rice and fries as he asked for. At the conclusion of the order, the cashier remained confused as though she was not prepared to take on her position during this day, and the cook had trouble containing his unreasoned frustration. What makes it worse is I walked into the establishment prepared to also order the Ohana, and was not expecting these complications to occur. Due to me being behind my friend in line, I approached the counter, began to order the same meal, and the continuous confusion and frustration of the employees (and the tremendous amount of 'excess fee's' to compensate for their lack of supply) caused me to not order anything, and more than likely will not return. The food is good, but not worth the price at all! Do yourself a favor, spend an additional $5 if necessary and visit a more professional establishment where the staff is more prepared, the service is quicker, and the quality and portions of food are actually worth the price you pay. Guarentee if a true Hawaiian came to this resuraunt they would leave hungry and upset with the...