Coquito's — Restaurant in Oʻahu

I came here Thursday January 16, 2025 with my other half and we absolutely loved every thing about this restaurant, the server was so kind and very patient, she answered every question with detail and gave amazing suggestions.

We started off with the Caribbean Jerk Wings - 1000/10 These wings were the best wings I’ve ever eaten, my mouth is just watering thinking about it. The chicken was nice and crispy, and tender and juicy on the inside covered in their homemade jerk sauce. The jerk sauce was the perfect amount of spice, and they definitely do not hold back on the sauce because every piece of chicken was smothered. Spicy, sweet and, flavorful.

I got the Pernil plate 9.8/10 Kinda like Kalua pig, except I believe they throw it in a pan and pan fry it a little, which makes pieces of the pork nice and crispy. I absolutely loved the crunchy texture that it added. Yet the pork still had nice soft and juicy pieces like regular Kalua pig. It didn’t have that smoky flavor of a Kalua pig but the taste was very clean, a dash of salt and dipping it in their red sauce a beautiful flavor combination. Sides : gandule rice 9/10 Very flavorful but adding the jerk chicken sauce to it took it to another level. Plantain chips: 10/10 the perfect seasoning of salt and the crunch was unreal!

My other half got the chuleton frito 10/10 Served with a side of their homemade Chimichurri sauce, the steak was cooked to perfection and definitely seasoned to perfection, I don’t know what they marinate the meat in but it’s by far one of the best meats I’ve tasted. Sides : Gandule rice 9/10 Potato salad 12/10 Not like most potato salads where there’s chucks of potatoes, but nice and creamy defensively melts in your mouth and hits all the taste buds, the seasoning on point and everything blended so good together, my boyfriend had the idea to dip it in the jerk sauce from the chicken and it took it to a out of this world flavor.

Deserts: tres leche 10/10 the real deal tres leche, with every bite it took me back to my trip to Puerto Rico, perfect amount of cinnamon and the strawberry they serve with it not sour but sweet ! And so fresh. Every bite was delicious.

Atmosphere: 10/10 great music and vibes. Soon as bad bunny came on my boyfriend started dancing. And he’s never one to step out his comfort zone. And the Puerto Rican flags and the decorations everything screamed authentic Puerto Rican. Definitely took you from one island...

Overall: 8/10

Solid food, decent options, but limited parking and seating. Overall, a solid dining choice on the Westside of Oahu!

Location: 3/10

Located in a small section between an inaccessible farming plot and a business center with closed off parking, Coquitos has space for about 8 vehicles max, and that's packing people in. Additionally, it's right off Farrington, so turning in, realizing there's no parking, then pulling out can be a chore.

Ambiance: 6/10

The seating inside is semi-limited and disjointed. The outdoor eating area feels a bit cramped. It's not horrible, but fairly restrictive.

Drinks: ?/10

I'm not sure how to rate the drinks here. They offer Pepsi products and maybe 2-3 other drinks, but no alcohol. They do encourage you to bring your own drinks, however, which is very unique.

Appetizers: 8/10

Our appetizers were Camarones al Ajillo and Empanadas. The Camarones al Ajillo had tasty and fresh shrimp, and the plantain was surprisingly good for being a plantain. The presentation was very pretty as well. The Empanadas were tasty and had a slight heat. The filling was juicy and well-seasoned.

Mains: 8.5/10

I got the Pollo a la Plancha and my wife got the Pernil. My sandwich had very juicy and flavorful chicken with a great balance of flavors. The bread was solid and the fries were basic, but very good! My wife equally enjoyed her sandwich, as it was just a pork version of what I had ordered. For the price, the portion size was great!

Dessert: 8.5/10

For dessert we got the Tres Leches cake. It tasted fresh, had really good flavor and was...

I'll just say this...when you take your Boricua friend to this place, and it makes him feel like he's back home in Puerto Rico, you're doing something right! In short, the food at Coquito's was amazing! When I first heard about this place, I kind of chuckled honestly. Mofongo, Gandules, Pernil...in Hawaii? YES! And this isn't some "interpretation" of Puerto Rican food...this is the real deal, in O'ahu! When our server mentioned Alcapurrias, I thought my friend would pass out, he was so excited. Our appetizers were the Camarones Al Ajillo and the Alcapurrias! Right off the bat, they knocked it out of the park. Well seasoned, crispy, crunchy, creamy...I mean, every flavor and texture was on point! I had the Mofongo with Pernil, Gandules con Arroz and Sweet Plantains. From the first bite, you could taste the Sofrito in the Arroz, and the color was simply beautiful! Yes, this place is well off the beaten path from Honolulu, but so worth the drive to Waianae! We were able to enjoy a beautiful sunset on our way up the coast, and finished the day with an amazing meal! Thank you Coquito's...we'll...