L&L Hawaiian Barbecue — Restaurant in Riverbank

We've been regulars here for 10+ years. We've seen the restaurant before they remodeled it & when the AC wasn't working. So you know we've been going here forever. We've seen different employees working here. There was a period where some of the employees knew we were regulars so they'd give us discounts. The food is always great! Definitely way better than Ono. The new female employee that is currently working left a sour taste in our mouths today. She is not only rude, but is also unprofessional. Upon ordering, we could already tell she was giving us an attitude. Then when our order was done, she swiftly put our bag on our table & quickly walked away. As she turned to leave, we asked her if we could get extra katsu sauce. Her response was, "oh we charge extra for that". Again, we've been customers for 10+ years & never have we been charged extra for sauce. Even if the owner did change the rules per say, there could have been a nicer way for her to tell or ask us. (e.g. Oh we charge an extra $.30. Is that ok?). But nope. They always have a tray of sauce on the front counter & we saw a to-go customer just grab a bunch. Sooo... why do we, as dine-in customers, have to pay extra??! We should have just gotten up & grabbed the sauce ourselves, but we didn't want to bother with a negative employee. 🙄

Update We came back the other day. They finally put up a sign regarding the charge for extra katsu sauce. It's not a big deal. The employee(s) should just ask the customer if they're will to pay for it. Don't just say, oh we charge extra & walk away. You just...

L&L has been in Riverbank for several years and recently 'remodeled.' As far as I can tell, this involves painting the walls white; maybe putting down new vinyl and replacing the old menu boards with flat panel TVs.

What hasn't changed is that the food is still pretty good and the orders aren't small. The prices have gone up (the Chicken Katsu lunch plate as of May 2022 is $11.50). One thing people need to remember is that most of the orders are being made at the time of ordering, so this isn't a place where you can expect to run in and grab and order in 5 minutes. Expect to wait at least 10-15 minutes for your order to be ready depending on what you've ordered.

I take a star away because they are pretty terrible about answering their phone- I watched them for 20 minutes completely ignore their ringing phone when no one was placing an order and 2 staff members were standing around doing nothing. I also noticed that there was a rather significant ant population streaming in under their front door and they apparently didn't notice and mind they've only reopened...

Review of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue - Riverbank

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue in Riverbank offers some truly delicious food that hits the spot! The flavors and quality of the dishes reflect the charm of Hawaiian cuisine, making each meal enjoyable. I particularly appreciated the variety on the menu, which caters to different tastes and preferences.

However, I did encounter a small issue during my visit. The young guy at the cashier spoke very softly, and I found it difficult to understand what he was saying. It would greatly improve the experience if he could speak a bit louder, as clear communication is key when placing an order.

Despite this minor setback, the overall experience was positive, and I would definitely recommend L&L Hawaiian Barbecue for its great food. If they can address the communication issue, it would make the dining experience...