I stayed in Honolulu for just one week, and I decided to visit Haleiwa on either Saturday or Sunday because the famous huli-huli chicken shop, Ray’s Kiawe Broiled Chicken, is open only on Saturdays and Sundays. Only on Saturdays and Sundays! Remember that!
They operate in the parking lot of the Mahala Market, open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Though they often close earlier once they run out of chicken).
Huli-huli chicken is, as you can see, broiled chicken on a spit. “Huli” means “turn” in Hawaiian. The chicken rotates on the spit to ensure it cooks evenly. The smell of the broiling chicken is incredible, which is why there’s always a long line of people waiting.
There isn’t any seating available on-site, but many people enjoy their meal sitting on the bus stop benches in front of the shop. I did the same. The right line is for ordering and paying, while the left line is for picking up your chicken.
Here’s the menu. They mainly serve Huli-huli chicken:
Whole Chicken (Chopped or Uncut): $11
Half Chicken: $6.50
Plate Lunch (half chicken, rice, pineapple coleslaw, and sauce): $6.50
They also have drinks and rice.
I wanted to try garlic shrimp after this, so I ordered half a chicken. Even though there was a line, my chicken was ready in just a few minutes. The portion was a bit smaller than I expected, with quite a bit of bone. It was about the same amount as two pieces of fried chicken in Japan. Since the chicken was roughly chopped, I got to enjoy various parts.
The skin was crispy, and the meat was juicy. I had heard that huli-huli chicken is usually seasoned with a sweet barbecue-like sauce, but this wasn’t overly sweet or strongly flavored. It was delicious and easy to eat, even after the garlic shrimp.
They provided chopsticks and napkins, but I recommend bringing wet wipes because my hands got greasy!
If you prefer stronger flavors, you can order Grandma’s Special Sauce for an extra 50 cents. Note: The plate lunch already includes the sauce at no extra charge.
About
Name Ray’s Kiawe Broiled Chicken
Open Morning through daytime
Reservation Unavailable
Credit card Unavailable
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