Kealoha's BBQ

I ordered the Lilikoi bbq chicken and requested spicy. The bbq is so good, but the star of the meal are the “greens,” which is a salad with a special sauce. This was the best salad I’ve ever had, so when I went again (because I had to go back) I ordered double lol. This is a small business, so the wait time is a bit long, but it is completely worth it and the owners are super nice. You’ll end up spending the same amount of time at a chain restaurant, so why not have fresh, authentic food and support a local business! The second time I went, I brought a group of friends. Not one complaint about the food. One person ordered the ribs and they were very tender. This place is a must try if you are in town.

I had the combination plate with loco moco and spicy bbq ribs, also spam musubi - they were all so good 😋💯 It was my first time trying Hawaiian food, and it’ll be hard to beat! The wait line is long, as they were a little shops with loads of orders. But it is absolute worth the wait!!!

My friend and I were taking our daughters and their friends to Denver for the weekend. Her and I snuck out for some lunch, took a leisurely stroll down 16th Street Mall and happened across a beer garden with some street food vendors. Stopped to try to Hawaiian bbq people keep talking about. Kealoha’s lil storefront is adorable and welcoming. The owner and her maybe brother or son, were so kind and friendly with great welcoming smiles. We tried the teriyaki chicken spicy with rice and Mac salad. Everything was cooked to order and it was amazing. Not too spicy, not too sweet. Just right with the sides and portions were very large! We loved the passion fruit (lilikoi) flavor, perfectly flavored. I reccomend trying anything on the menu, they even have spam musubi!!

I sas in town for a conference and happened to stumble upon this gem. Although the wait for food was long, every single second was absolutely worth it. I ordered the Lilikoi BBQ Chicken, and it was phenomenal - hands down the best BBQ I ever had (I come from the south so that means something). The chicken was incredibly tender, grilled to perfection, and bursting with bold, spicy, and tangy flavors. This is the first time I was trying this kind of BBQ flavor and I don't think any other flavor comes close enough. The portion size was generous — plenty of juicy chicken for the price. The mac&cheese was just a cherry on the top. The place was there was quite busy when I was there, but the lady who was taking the order was extremely kind and respectful to everyone. I really really wish I live here or they start a place close to home.

This was our first visit after flying in from LAX, and we’re so glad our friend Ele recommended this place. The food was absolutely incredible—by far the best we’ve had compared to anywhere else we’ve tried. The customer service was also top-notch. We’d highly recommend it to anyone in the area!

Top three bbq ribs ive ever eaten including in Hawaii and TX. I was a bit annoyed by the wait at first but they're so friendly. Great portions. The people that own seem to genuinely care about the food they're serving and not just in it for the money. Get the lillikoi bbq ribs with Mac salad and it's impossible to be disappointed. You can taste the love and pride in this food. Meat fell literally right off the bone when I tapped it with my fork. So good I may go back.tomorrow. one opportunity for improvement white rice was overcooked.

Was in town for work and looking for something close to the hotel. Did the standard Google map search & filters, but what I found at Kealoha’s was anything but standard! I wish I would have slowed down to capture a photo earlier, but I was too busy digging in! I ordered the combo plate with ribs and teriyaki chicken, with mac salad and rice as sides. The chicken was incredibly moist and flavorful, and the ribs were the perfect combination of sticky, sweet, and fall off the bone tender. Such a great place, staff were incredibly welcoming and provided recommendations. The seating area shared with other vendors is a great place to enjoy the food, you’ll want to do so immediately just like I did! Can’t recommend enough. EDIT/UPDATE: loved it so much, went back a second day in a row. Ordered the Loco Moco and spam musubi. Wish I could rate ten stars due to the second visit.

I got the teriyaki chicken with the original sauce and a side of Mac salad and rice. The chicken had an amazing charr on it, which definitely added to the flavor. The service from the sweet lady running the place was amazing, would come back multiple times a week if I lived nearby.

I grew up eating local food so I was curious about this spot in Denver. Lots of greens, a yummy dressing and a good amount of protein. Both plates are a great deal with the amount of food you get. I will return here again! Mac salad has a nice little twist on it, I'm a fan. Side note: they do run this out of small stand so be patient if there's lot of people. it's so worth the wait and they are very kind.

I just happened to stumble upon this hidden gem near the 16th street mall. OMG I'm in love! I got the homemade lilikoi and it tasted way better than the Hawaiian can drink I normally get. Then I got a musabi and that was fresh and homemade. Was absolutely delicious. I got there too late for the real food because they sold out by 1. That's how good this place is. I'll go back soon to get the whole shabang and then I'll give you a better review. But if the drink and musabi was the bomb I could ONLY imagine what their kahlua pork and mad taste like.

Try the food you won't regret it! It's been 4 years since I've first had the food here. I still dream about it. This place is THE BEST HAWAIIAN FOOD in all of Colorado! Must visit every time I'm within 100miles of it. If you don't like it send me an invoice! If you do like it, leave a review.

My coworker let me try a little piece of his rib off his fork one day and I've ate it the for 2 months straight lol. I'm from southern parts of Georgia and I can confirm this place is sooo good! I don't recommend waiting in line especially during the summer even tho the lemonade is a nice refreshing reward after waiting, but if they're busy you'll be waiting for a while I've done it once for my lunch break I was so mad but the lemonade really lighten my mood I swear. I recommend ordering it for delivery on ChowNow. some times there is a miss communication with the store times but if you call the voicemail will tell you if their open or not. No other BBQ places can compare to this I find myself not knowing what to eat if they're not open. let's get into the food the meat is soo tender the ribs, pork, chicken,etc I've tried them all and essentially loved them all everything is so well seasoned and grilled to perfection compliments to the chef because he dose it every time! Not to mention the portion are for like a 300lb man so I always have leftovers lol. anyway I'm moving at the end of this month and this will be the ONLY thing I miss about Denver I might have to grab a bottle of the sauce before I leave !

Walked around the whole mall and never found them, if you guys aren't working then update your hours and location plz. Not the best experience

This joints line was poppin! Despite the consistent foot traffic, they served an incredibly generous amount of chicken. By first glance, a native islander might think my dish was just teriyaki chicken but the sauce defo got some twang to it-- that good type of twang :P The greens were fresh and the rice was good, not mushy one bit which is typical when there is a sudden lunch rush. Unfortunately there was little to no seating as this joint has 3 other food carts neighboring with only 3-4 tables for seating.

First of all, 10/10 service- everyone was so sweet and inviting. There was also 0 wait when I went for lunch however I wasn't super impressed with their pork plate. The portion sizes are great but I found the pork to be super salty and I requested spicy and it was not spicy at all. The Mac salad could've used more seasoning and texture too. The lemonade was refreshing but didn't taste like lychee. I've definitely had better Hawaiian food especially coming from Chicago.

Well worth the wait! We were in town for a tournament and found Kealoha's ahead of time. We knew this was a place we had to try. While at the tournament we ordered online. It was a short distance from our hotel so we picked it up on our way "Home". The area where this food truck was located is nested on a patch of grass with about 3 other places to eat. The owners were super friendly, we got to chat with them for a little. If you're from the islands you know that it's the true aloha spirit that these two have. "Aunty" and "Unko" even sent us off with lilikoi lemonade (it was the bomb) and butter mochi that we'll eat later. Anyway, getting back to our order. We ordered a little of everything but I really wanted to try the teriyaki burger. My husband ordered the chicken and ribs, one daughter got the loco moco, I ordered the chicken and the other child got the spam musubi. I will say that the ribs are a must!!! The sauce on the chicken is to die for and that loco moco is one of the best we've ate. My youngest had the spam musubi and I was afraid she wouldn't eat it because she's picky and the sauce was on it. Anyway, I didn't get to try it but she gobbled that thing down in bites. Safe to say, she loved it. Love the whole vibe of this cute little area. Whenever in the area, we'll be back!! Aloha!

You need to know before you go that this place operates on island time, meaning that you will wait in line (I waited about 30 minutes) and then wait to get your food (I waited just over 20 minutes). However, if you're not in a hurry and can afford to wait, then it is absolutely worth it. Hey, this is an excellent opportunity to practice patience. The food is cooked fresh to order, and the owners are working hard to ensure that they take care of everyone as quickly as possible. I felt valued, which doesn't happen everywhere you go. I was greeted warmly with a pleasant smile and a "thank you for waiting". The aroma of the place kept luring me in while I was in line, as I kept changing my mind on what I wanted to try. I opted with the combo (Lilikoi BBQ Ribs, Teriyaki Chicken, Pasta Mac Salad, and White Rice). The ribs were falling off the bone as I devoured every bite. The chicken was tender and fresh. Every bite was packed full of flavor. I didn't want to stop, but this meal was big enough for two, so I decided to save some chicken for later. The Lilikoi Hawaiian Lemonade was also fresh and delicious. I love that they use an infinitely recyclable cup for the lemonade. Huge plus in my book. I think it would be really great if they used compostable ECO products instead of styrofoam for their to-go containers, but that's just a personal request and doesn't take away from what's on the inside of the container. There's not a ton of seating and you'll likely be sharing a table with other patrons, or pulling up a spot on the turf, but this didn't bother me. Perhaps bring a portable table and chair if knocking elbows with a stranger is not your idea of a good time. This is definitely a must-try because I guarantee you will enjoy it to the very last bite.

I had trouble finding the truck bc I was being dumb, but it's located on the turf on 16 St Mall and Welton. It's across from Kilwins and Radio Shack if you need a more physical address. The server lady was extremely friendly and offered a free bottle of water in the ice box outside the truck while waiting for my order. I got the combo to try the two of the main meats. I got the ribs and the teriyaki chicken. They were both good, but it was nothing mind-blowing, especially the chicken. It was like the common taste that you can experience in express Asian restaurants similar to Panda Express. But overall, I had a very filling meal.

Kealoha's bbq was delicious! It's a cute little food truck run by a sweet, friendly couple. I liked the combo plate option since I'm prone to indecisiveness and want to try everything. However, if you come here you must try the lilikoi ribs. My boyfriend got them flavored in spicy teriyaki with rice and mac salad. They really are fall off the bone! I also didn't know how many were gonna come with the spam musubi but we deduced that each order comes with 3 since we got 2 orders. For the combo plate I got the lilikoi bbq chicken and kalua pork with rice and tossed greens with creamy lilikoi dressing. I liked the tossed salad with dressing, very light and nice flavor. Definitely would get again with any entree. I would probably skip on the kalua pork next time based on preference. The spam musubi was also good but maybe just a tiny bit too much rice. Again being super nitpicky. I did feel the Hawaiian vibes with their music and the food. Guess I won't have to travel to hawaii! My top item would be the fall off the bone ribs. Next time we come back we'll have to try more of the menu. I would wanna try the sweet & spicy bbq smash burgers and lemonades. I also saw a couple desserts on other reviews but didn't see it on the menu. Until next time, Denver.

Pros: - The musubi was messy, but delicious. It's drizzled with a spicy mayo and teriyaki-esque sauce and is cut into a few pieces. Would recommend. Cons: - The wait is no joke. Don't come here if you're in a hurry. I waited about 10 minutes to order and another 30 to get my food. - I ordered the BBQ lilikoi ribs, which I thought were very mediocre. With it, I had some of my least favorite mac salad that I've ever tried. Hawaiian BBQ is one of my favorite foods, so I was very disappointed.

Have patience, if you're short on time this isn't the place to go to . Only two people working and it took me 35-40 min to get my food . I enjoyed the lemonade and spam musubi. The lychee lemonade is amazing and the loco moco was okay . Didn't like the mac at all but the gravy is phew , so good

Stopped by for the BBQ ribs a few minutes after the posted opening time. While the ribs were excellent, fall off the bone, the food truck was not open by around 11:15, and even then was not fully set up with all the options available. The local area, 16th St. Mall, also has no public bathrooms, which can be a problem if you're eating at a food truck. That said, if you're in the area, I would recommend the lychee lemonade and Hawaiian BBQ ribs.

Food was amazing. Freshly made burger with a sauce that drizzled all over. Ill be back soon

This may be my most favorite food in Denver! Dining partner and I had the ribs, a chicken dish and a serving of SPAM musubi. This little food pop up can turn out some flavor and some value. The rib meat literally fell off the bone, and the sweet Hawaiian BBQ sauce was a perfect complement. The chicken dish was perfectly tender thigh meat with a pineapple (I think?) sweet sauce. I chose a macaroni salad and a green salad for my sides. The Mac had bits of crab meat in it. To top it off, this was a perfect weather day, so visiting this location under their big awnings was a perfect day! The owners were great at customer service and it just made for a picture perfect day.

Best local food in Denver. They really take care here. Fresh ingredients from Hawaii and genuine aloha. Would definitely recommend. Their food brought me back home. Thank you both.

This was our first stop after landing in Denver and it did not disappoint! We must have looked cold, because we were handed coconut hot chocolate as we waited, it was so good!! Food was amazing, loved the teriyaki chicken and kalua pork. We will be back!

Regarding "Island Time" - I always go here right at opening, and have never had a problem with walking right up and ordering. The food is fantastic, the heat level is just right, and the folks there are friendly and gracious. It's pretty hard to stop myself from going here every day.

I was staying at an hotel downtown and decided to swing for some quick food to go. Yelp reviews were correct! This place is awesome! Pretty damn good teriyaki chicken and pork ribs! The macaroni salad wasn't as good but the meats were great. It's very savory and sweet, just how I like my Hawaiian bbq. The hospitality was amazing. The owner gave us free water while we waited for our food. I will definitely be stopping by next time I'm in town for some good Hawaiian food to go!

Was staying in Denver from the Bay Area and wanted something familiar while we were here for a weeklong work trip. It's a cute, small food "truck" that's situated in the middle of the mall area. You could literally smell the delicious foods they're cooking a block away! Got the combo platter and one of their lemonades for under $22 with tax and tip. Verdict - SO WORTH IT!! They give you enough food for lunch and dinner (or snack?) and everything tasted on point!! I've tried various Hawaiian food spots in but the Bay and Oahu and this made me feel like I'm back on the islands. It's great knowing you're supporting a small business as well. We tried to get this the last day before we left Denver but they were closed :( so double check and call them to make sure they're open before going. Happy munching!

MY FAVORITE place in ALL of denver . Their food is fresh, home made and delicious. The owners are so amazing, always giving the best smiles, best food and best overall experience. I go here all the time and always recommend to anyone

Okay!! If you haven't had Kealoha's BBQ you need to go now! It doesn't get better than this! The lilikoi ribs are a must! The desserts are a must, basically anything you order off this menu will take you straight back to Hawaii! It's so good!!! And the aloha is felt with amazing customer service :) If you are throwing a party you definitely should use Kealoha's everyone at my 40th bday couldn't stop eating :)

Overall, I enjoyed Kealoha's. The flavors are good and they have good portion sizes. I ordered the combo plate with ribs, chicken thighs, rice, and salad. I also ordered the lychee lemonade. The chicken and lemonade were amazing, I would highly recommend, the ribs were good too but they weren't "fall off the bone". Additionally, if you are press for time, this isn't the best place to go to. It's really popular and they only have two staff working. In total, I waited an hour for my food, just fyi.

Excellent food and excellent service! Want to support local? This is your spot! Very friendly owner and excellent customer service! Good is nothing short of delicious! Prices are fair and food is fresh! If your really hungry I recommend the plates (chicken or ribs) and for a tasty not so heavy meal get a burger combo. The macaroni salad and the green salad were both unique and tasty! I highly recommend this place with no hesitation.

This place was exactly what I was looking for when I recently had a serious craving for Hawaiian food. The owner and her husband were wonderful and so kind. Even after they had been through a recent disappointment with having their truck stolen. Seriously, who does that to an awesome family? I got the Kalua Pork Plate. It came with rice a slaw and an amazing potato salad. The pork was so tender and smoky. I don't know how it was made, but it was like eating back on the island. My only downer was that I didn't have poi to eat it with. I much prefer poi over rice. BUT, that's the only negative. Which isn't really one. If you're in Downtown Denver, you must give Aloha and try this little truck.

Great food packed into a little kiosk. I was in Denver for a conference a couple weeks ago. Having fallen in love with Lau lau in Oahu a couple months, I thought I would give this place a try. I thought it would either be very disappointing or be great! The kiosk is so small. It isn't even food truck size but it is cleverly shaped like a truck. The couple who own it are so nice. They really want to share Hawai'i with all their customers. So, back to the food. This is the real deal. Served with genuine aloha spirit! And served with macaroni salad. True Hawaiian. I did get the Lau Lau Pork. This is one of those dishes that you have to taste to understand. The pork is simply seasoned and slow cooked inside taro leaves. The end product is a wonderful edible package. It was so "fill your mouth with flavor" good that I went back the next day. On the second day, I also got the oxtails. (Yes, I got two meals for lunch.) It too was delicious. I wanted to go back for a third day but I couldn't get away from the conference. Alas, if I ever make it back to Denver, I know the first place I'll eat. Note: If you get the oxtails, you may think that it isn't enough meat. Unfortunately, mainstream chefs have discovered this former throwaway meat and the price has sky rocketed. The portion that they serve is reasonable.

This place is SOUL good! Thank you for the great service and food. Keep it up!

Fall of the bone tender ribs with a great sauce. Some of the best ribs around town. Hard to find good ribs in Denver. Enjoyed the mac salad. Just plain and simple and tasted fresh. BBQ chicken was good as well as the teriyaki chicken. Prefer the teriyaki sauce over the BBQ sauce. Great teriyaki sauce. Not too much ginger/spices. No desserts at the time. Friendly service but fairly slow. Did not get all my order quite right but well worth the wait.

As authentic as can be. We enjoyed everything we had. The Aloha Spirit thrives here! Stop by for ono grinds!

So I came back today to get the ribs meal again. I liked the rice better this time and the owner was there today. She's so so lovely and gave me a free refreshing drink!!! Oh and the best part of today was getting to try the lilikoi cream cheese pie omg the shortbread crust at the bottom is out of this world! And the cream on top is sweet and savory. Just absolutely delicious. Hope they decide to have another branch in Texas or I'll have to keep coming to Denver just for this

Visited from Seattle, always looking for ONO grinds. I saw Kealoha's bbq on Instagram and searched on yelp. If you want delicious, authentic hawaiian style food with a special touch, this is a MUST try! Service was amazing! We ordered a few different items to try, didn't disappoint! Don't forget dessert because that lilikoi pie is spectacular. I recommend this place whenever you are in Denver area. Take our suggestion from people who grew up in Hawaii and always on the look out to support locals and small businesses.

I'm usually a little skeptical about kiosks like this one, but I'm so glad I gave it a try. I was debating between the ribs and was recommended I try the teriyaki ribs. These ribs did not disappoint! They are much larger than I expected and the meat was extremely tender. The teriyaki itself isn't too sweet which is how I prefer it and it's such a great balance against the char on the meat. The plate itself comes with a large scoop of white rice and island mac salad. I think next time I'd replace the mac with a small side salad if possible, just out of preference. All in all for about $13 this is a great value and I'm looking forward to going back!

This is suchhhh an awesome authentic Hawaiian food truck. The owners source all their ingredients from the Big Island, and were born and raised there as well. The loco moco gravy has a lot of flavor and the Lilikoi BBQ is . Lilikoi lemonade was refreshing. The prices are super reasonable, especially for Hawaiian food trucks which can come up to be hella pricy. And the female owner is an absolute gem. Will be coming here often!

Kealoha's BBQ is a great new street stall right in front of the Denver Pavilions. They have some amazingly tender ribs with a great sweet and savory BBQ sauce. The mac salad is solid and the salad dressing has a unique sweet and zesty flavor. The Oxtail soup is probably their best dish that has an amazingly soothing and flavorful broth packed with veggies and meat. The oxtail is just the right amount of fat and melts in your mouth. Hot Tip: add the rice to your oxtail soup as you go as the rice soaks up the broth and really enhances your rice. The portions are huge, the price is great, and Kristy is a joy to be around and really spreads the aloha spirit! I cannot recommend this place enough! They are also planning to add Loco Moco and other soup options!

Omg ...... the bbq ribs and pulled pork was to die for.. the ribs literally fell of the bone ... I can't wait to eat here again but get there early because they sell out quickly

Ahh Hawaii ... there is simply nothing better than waking up to waves gently crashing and the smell of fresh brewed Kona coffee hitting your nostrils. I have never actually been to Hawaii, but if I had, I'd imagine I would wake up to those Mahalo vibes. I would also imagine having Kealohas BBQ for lunch. Recently I have had the pleasure of enjoying both the BBQ chicken and the pork ribs, and neither disappointed. The chicken was perfectly cooked, the rib meat was tender and falling off the bone, and the BBQ sauce had the perfect balance of sweetness and tang. I was utterly surprised by the serving sizes and would say you definitely get a bang for your buck. Also, do not sleep on the Mac salad here. I'm not sure what type of sorcery is going on in that little truck, but that Mac salad is truly magical. I have heard great things about the Oxtail soup and am eager to give it a try. Excited to see the menu expand as well.

So good! Got the BBQ pulled pork sandwich.

Yummy Hawai'ian favorites. The nicest ALOHA spirit when greeted. Excellent customer service. Delicious Hawaii local favorites

This little food truck has great food at a great price! Authentic Hawaiian food, can not go wrong with anything on the menu.

Food here is NOT good, it's EXCELLENT. Don't judge a book by its cover. This little mom, and pop start up is superb. All sauces are home made, yes you heard right! Bacon, corn chowder soup is outstanding. Plain bowl with half regular chicken and half spicy chicken will play on your senses. Both meals are above par, and filling. There is a sample "homemade Hawaiian pie" that is mind blowing. This may be one of my most favorite discoveries in downtown Denver. Thank you Thank you Thank you Obseisances to you both. Troy Romuald Gamez

I had the Lilikoi BBQ ribs today! IT WAS SO SO GOOD!!

Because where I live and the sos I eat I've been taking the bus to 16th street mall 4-5 times a week. I've seen this truck and just ignored it. I decided to try it today and everything from the service and the food is awesome.i like the fact that their ribs are so tender and fall off the bone. The oxtail soup is definitely what I needed since I'm recovering from a cold and their cheese pie was was what made my all day Hawaiian meal as great as it was. This is definitely the best food I've had on 16th street mall and definitely plan on coming back soon.

I went over there because their food looks delicious on instagram so I decided to go see how their food was. I drove an hour and half to Denver, just to wait 40 minutes for my food. While I was waiting to pick up my order for around 20 minutes, I saw a plate full of chicken sitting on top of the microwave uncovered. When it was my turn to tell the female worker that I was there to pick up my order, I noticed she put the plate in the microwave and I was praying to God that wasn't my food. She then gave me my food. For the next few days I had the worst stomach ache I've ever had. If I could give this dirty and unsanitary location 0 stars I would in a heart beat. No food should be left out and heated up hours later, that is extremely disgusting. I hope the department of public health shuts this place down. If you want stale food and diarrhea please come to this place.

Arrived as they were closing so I was extremely disappointed...this quickly turned to immense joy when the owner gave me a teriyaki chicken bowl and bottle of water and refused to let me pay for it. Chicken was juicy and so flavorful and served on sticky white rice like mom used to make. This has become a destination to visit anytime I come to Denver. 10/10

Really fantastic new food truck on 16th street. I love ribs and these are fantastic and very reasonably priced for downtown. Strongly recommend.

Not a place to dismiss, delicious and the price is right , owners were very friendly and offered samples . I enjoyed the loco moco and my friend had the spareribs that were covered in a delicious sauce. Definitely worth the stop

Picked up their Lilikoi BBQ Chicken Plate this afternoon and it totally hit the spot. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the lilikoi bbq sauce is sweet and tangy, exactly how it should be! The woman at the window was super warm and friendly and the food is delicious - cant ask for more from a kiosk on the 16th St Mall! I will definitely be back.

Broke da mouth! Just like home. Kealohas has amazing desserts too. They got a winnahs lilikoi sauce that dresses up everything nicely. Good quality meats and awesome friendly service

Delicious food, large portions, low prices. This is a great example of what a food truck should be!