Buzz's Hawaiian Grill | Hawaiian Food & Culture

I'd love to give everyone a private tour of the islands taking you to all the places I have to visit when I'm home visiting family. Obviously this isn't possible, but I will try to document where I go. I must advise you some of the places are holes in the wall that only locals would know about. These are exactly the type spots tourist miss out on. That's the point of this piece, is to provide suggestions of places you should visit to get a better feel for local grindz. I often hear how others visit Hawai'i and don't experience the food scene I serve or speak of. Which is okay if you're okay with that experience, but for those wanting to experience Hawai'i in the eyes of an adventure consider some of the places I'll discuss below. Check each location hours before heading there. You've warned! Hawaiian Time is no joke. Island of Oahu Oahu is where I lived soo I know this island better than the others. Town When you live in the country we refer...

In January 2022 Buzz's Hawaiian Grill took possession of 3457 Magnolia Ave. for the future Buzz's brick-n-mortar. For several years prior the space was a well loved hot dog joint that had decided to move to a new location. Buzz's had been looking for a space that shared our chill vibe and this space checked all the boxes. The challenge was, how to convert the space from ketchup red to an island style cafe with a plantation era look. A place people from Hawai'i could relate to.  The other challenge was to upgrade the kitchen from dysfunctional and partially operational, to a fully operational kitchen capable of handling the complex menu we envisioned offering. It was going to require time and money, but we had a vision we felt was achievable.     The Front End One of the main goals was to remove the barn style false ceiling in order to open the space up visually allowing more light in. After all, Hawaiian restaurants are often...

We named our truck Koholā (Humpback whale) because of the significance these majestic creatures have in Hawaiian culture. In ancient times the Koholā's ivory was thought to bring mana (spiritual power) to those who carved its ivory, the jewelry itself and to the person who wore it. Usually the ivory of the Koholā was reserved for an Ali`i (Chiefs) of high rank. In modern day tourist enjoy a good whale watching tour, however behind the scenes the locals are most excited to see their first whale of the season. I always felt the islands were more alive when the Koholā were in town. A touch of sadness in May when I hadn't seen one for a while and realized the whales had departed on their annual 6000 mile journey to Alaska. The Hawaiian islands provide a critical breeding ground for this endangered mammal. Approximately 15,000 humpback whales are found in the island waters from November through April where they breed, and give birth to their calves. While I was...