Pono Hawaiian Kitchen Tap - Santa Cruz

1. **Pono Pupu Platter**: This included kalua pork sliders, coconut shrimp, and spam musubi. The kalua pork paired with island slaw and pineapple BBQ sauce was a fantastic combination. I'm usually not a fan of coconut shrimp, but I loved this one. And the spam musubi had a generous slice of spam; they definitely don't skimp on it! 2. **Pork Lau Lau Plate**: This was incredibly juicy and mouthwatering. Even though we were full, we just couldn't stop eating it. 3. **Pono BBQ Combo**: I swapped the kalua pork for chicken teriyaki. I couldn't finish it all, but I enjoyed the leftovers for lunch the next day, and it tasted just as good! 4. **Keiki Chicken Strips (Katsu) with Fries**: I had to try the katsu, but it was just okay for me, and the katsu sauce wasn't to my liking. They also offer a variety of homemade treats like macadamia brownies, ginger snap cookies, and chocolate peanut butter cookies, all of which were delicious. I couldn’t leave without picking up some mango jam and hot sauces!

Having lived on Maui for over a decade, I can confidently say this restaurant is quite authentic. They're really doing an outstanding job here!

What a great discovery! We were in search of a spot to grab lunch before heading to Capitola, and this place turned out to be ideal for a beach picnic. Although we had planned to dine on the beach, we opted for their outdoor seating instead. The food was excellent! The kalua pork was juicy, and the macaroni salad was delightful. The coconut shrimp had a nice crunch, and while the chicken teriyaki was a bit charred for my taste, overall, everything was very enjoyable.

What a hidden gem. Delicious food and plenty of open seating in the back next to the parking lot. It took a bit to get our food but it was definitely worth the wait. The poke salad is amazing as it has all my favorites seaweed salad, edamame, ahi poke, avocado, mixed greens and miso dressing.

Food is decent but a little pricy for what you get. Fries were pretty bland and the jalapeños were canned and did not have much flavor. Decent place overall. Restrooms are nice and clean and so is the restaurant