Big City Diner in Kailua - New Comfort Dining
Recently, Dan's Hawaii featured an article about all the old school Honolulu restaurants that have closed in recent years. Comfortable mom and pop joints where you were a regular and could enjoy good food, friendly service and a nice cold one all at reasonable prices are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Big City Diner may not satisfy the mom and pop criteria, but it is a contender to become a new 'old school' joint with four (soon to be five) Oahu locations, Honolulu, Kaimuki, Kailua, Waipio and coming soon, Pearlridge.
Stroll into the bustling Kailua restaurant and you are quickly greeted by one of the friendly staff members, many of them long timers. I always notice a lot of familiar faces in both the staff and clientele, so this is definitely a place where you can be a regular. Since most days in Hawaii are nice and sunny, it is quite a treat to be seated in the pleasant outdoor patio. If you prefer indoor seating (or the wait is too long for the patio), the tables and booths insider are comfortable and roomy enough for your friends and family. Big City Diner is one of those very versatile places that can make just about everyone happy, teens, college kids, families, boozers, locals, tourists, whoever, whatever.
Just like at many of the old school favorites, you can quench your thirst with a cold beer or something from the full bar while your kids enjoy a soft drink. The Bloody Mary's are a fantastic way to start breakfast.
(Read more Big City Diner in Kailua below...)
details
What:
Big City Diner
Where:
108 Hekili Street, Kailua, HI 96734
[map]Landmark:
In Foodland Marketplace
When:
7 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday.
Parking:
parking lot, street parking
Seating/Wait:
Crowded on weekends, counter seating available
Reservations:
None
Cuisine:
Sophisticated Comfort Food BLD
Cost:
$$
Booze:
Full bar
Contact:
Breakfast is served till 11 (3:30 on the weekends) or so, and the menu has all of the local favorites and other standard breakfast fare. With a nod to today's slightly more health conscious diners, brown rice is available as well as lighter fare like oatmeal, fruit, tofu-veggie omelettes and grilled oatmeal cakes. Everything is freshly prepared and tasty, nicely presented on big heavy plates. I always enjoy the Portuguese sausage, eggs and rice, and the loco moco is delicious with big thick hamburger patties with a slight charbroiled flavor under ladles of yummy gravy and carmelized onions.
The lunch and dinner menu are comprised of 'sophisticated' comfort foods (excuse the oxymoron) based upon local and American favorites with a level of quality and creativity not found in greasy spoons or local plate lunch joints. Dotting the menu are marsala and mushroom sauce, ancho-chile dressing, roasted garlic mayo, beds of sautéed spinach, soy-wasabi butter sauce and other accompaniments not typical of diners, but don't think for a second that this is uppity dining. Everyone can find something to enjoy here, vegetarians, meat eaters, scared of anything funny eaters, I'll try anything eaters, healthy types, locals, visitors, whoever.
The pupus are excellent, with the soybeans and garlic fries being particularly popular. On the lighter side of the menu, the salads (including the very popular paniolo chicken salad), vegetarian sandwiches, veggie burgers, several deftly prepared seafood and veggie dishes please the palate while the huge burgers, meatloaf and pulehu steak entrees stick to the ribs. Don't miss out on the kim chee fried rice. Don't miss out on anything!
Breakfast reappears, as well as a good selection of pupus, for the late night menu after 10:30 on Friday and Saturday nights.
Everything is served up with a smile by the pleasant, efficient and attentive wait staff. If you don't already, you will develop a rotation of favorite dishes. Did I mention the full bar and wide selection of beers and wine? Prices are reasonable. Sounds like an old school favorite to me.
Dan's Hawaii Tip
If you are eating solo or with another person or two, sit at the counter to avoid the wait.
The parking lot is typical for Hawaii (too small with teeny spaces and rows that are too close together) so I suggest approaching the restaurant on Hamakua from the Kailua Road side and park on the street right across from the restaurant.
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