Pioneer Saloon

A guy I met at Costco recommended this place to me and I figured I’d try it out as I’ve eaten at most all of the social media famous spots on Oahu by now All I can say is wow. The garlic ahi steak may be the most tender and juicy steak I’ve ever had in my lifetime. Genuinely no chewiness but also not so fatty that it’s formless. Flavors were on point; the pasta salad and rice sides complemented the dish well. Highly highly recommend No dedicated parking lot I could see, limited street and residential parking. No wait but I got there at 7:45 and they were takeout only since they were about to close.

Stumbled upon Pioneer Saloon in Maps and from article reviews and was insistent on giving it a try. They have an extensive menu that is absolutely hard to beat at the price point. We shared 2 plates, Yakiniku Beef and the Furikake Ahi Katsu. So delicious. There is a lot to try around Waikiki but this is a definite high recommend for casual delicious. Note that this is an order at window and sit in the venue. They have plenty of seating and the service is excellent. Don't change anything at all... You are perfect!

Cute little restaurant. Not expensive compared to other restaurants. Usually other restaurants are expensive here in Honolulu. Food is good and yum. TBH, I love how beautiful Hawaii is, so I was a bit surprised that this restaurant still uses plastic containers for takeout and even dine in. It would be great to see them switch to more sustainable packaging. That’s the only thing I was a little disappointed about.

The first time I came to Pioneer Saloon was in 2016 and just visited a second time in 2025. A local tour guide recommended Pioneer and the food here is amazing! I got the ribeye steak bowl with multigrain rice. The steak was tender on the inside, juicy, and charred and tasty on the outside. I also ordered the ahi tuna steak cooked rare and it was fresh and delicious. I would eat here everyday on vacation if I could. The restaurant is a short 20 minute walk from Waikiki right next to Diamondhead. This is a hidden gem located in a quaint little town away from the glitz and glam of the strip. The ambience inside is also very cool with postcards and various trinkets and knick knacks for sale.

Don't let the name throw you, it's not a dark dank Saloon! Which is a good thing, because their food is AMAZING. I got the rib eye bowl, which comes with a FAT cut of seasoned rib eye steak on top of rice (I got brown), macaroni pasta salad, and green salad with sesame dressing. All for like $18. Unheard of in Waikiki, this dish would be easily $60 at any restaurant on the beach, if not more. Worth every penny and the atmosphere is laid back and local. Super nice people working, I will be back!

We ordered Ribeye Steak and Korean Yakiniku Beef. Steak was amazing but Yakiniku beef was just ok…I would order something else next time.

Absolutely one of my favorite places to get lunch or dinner around Diamondhead. Any dish is great. My favorites are the salmon, dishes, and the steak dishes. Love love love.

Super locals vibe. Japanese plate lunches focus on one meat- or fish-based entree, served with one scoop choice of white, brown, mixed grain or shiso wakame rice as well as pesto pasta salad. Miso Butterfish is pan-roasted and delicately seasoned with not just miso, but also butter and mirin. Texture and flavor reminiscent of black cod. Order at the window before entry. Portion sizes are manageable for one, and unlikely to result in food coma — a plus, if an action-packed day ahead. Japanese can be overheard from cooks bustling in the kitchen behind saloon doors. Quirky interior of wood surfaces, vintage surf boards and framed collage art. A neighborhood general store vibe, with souvenirs and Aloha shirts available for purchase.

We stopped by Pioneer Saloon for our last night in Oahu and wow, we were so glad this was our goodbye dinner! We heard about Pioneer from a friend's recommendation and it did not disappoint. We got their ribeye steak, miso butterfish, and sweet potato tempura. Everything was delicious! The steak was well-seasoned and a perfect medium-rare. The tempura sweet potatoes were light, but still flaky and crispy. I honestly prefer them this way instead of normal sweet potato fries. The butterfish was our standout favorite - soft and buttery, each bite melts in your mouth. Their side macaroni salad was also so good and unique compared to the traditional mac salad served at Hawaiian barbecue places. I will make it a point to come back when I visit the islands again!

The menu is extensive ranging from many land meats to seafood. There's not a lot of vegetarian options though. Our group got a variety of meals and they were delicious! The rice was also cooked perfectly and it was flavorful. Our favorites were the baby octopus and mochiko chicken. You get a good portion as well and coming from NYC, we found the food to be a great value! When you get there, you order at the window and then go inside to eat. They usually do accept cards but the day we went the machine was down so we had to pay with cash. Decor is really cool inside. Plenty of seating as well. It was clean and there is a bathroom for customers.

Enjoy my mochiko chicken every time here. It comes out just fried so it's temperature hot. The way I like it. We also got the seared Aki and it was yummy yum yum. The garlic rib eye steak is yummy made medium rare but more medium to me. Still very yummy. The wasabi aki was also delicious and recommended by me. Cooked perfect. The miso butterfish was soft but when I make it I don't cook it as long as they did. Still yummy! See my photos

Pioneer Saloon 2024 update The name evokes thoughts of "Gunsmoke" or "Rawhide" . Their name reminds me of memories of Miss Kitty's saloon in Dodge City in the old west but nothing could be farther from the truth. It is, in fact, a great place for plate lunches with a Japanese accent. Their meat, poultry and seafood plates are prepared different ways- our go to plate is the garlic salmon with rice and toss. Always prepared just right, usually never overcooked. There is no parking for Pioneer Saloon but it's usually not hard to find street parking in the area. There are a couple of tables to sit down to eat inside after getting your plate. Of course, if the weather is nice, Kapiolani Park is just down the street to polish off a delicious plate lunch.

The ribeye steak was very disappointing. For $22 I would not recommend this. I got 8 pieces , when compared to others pictures they look like they got double.

Came here as it was highly recommended by people we know, and it's next to my favorite shaved ice place on the island. Pioneer saloon offers a variety of Hawaiian plates. You order at the window, then you go inside and wait for your number to be called. There is not a dedicated parking lot, but there is ample street parking. We ordered the loco moco, ribeye steak (medium rare) and the honey sweet potato fries. Every dish and every bite was memorable! I would highly recommend trying this place! Inside there is plenty of seating, but it fills up fast with locals!

It's great having lunch with a friend from 60 years ago. Lunch was good! Parking spaces in the driveway or on the street. Easy ordering at the Sind for sit down or take out. I enjoyed my oysters... nice and crispy, not oily. I'll be back

Finally made the adventure... This is the OG location from it's relative in Kaka'ako and I've never quite understood the concept of the name considering it's a Japanese flair to many of the dishes that they adopted to put their own twist to like demi versus gravy to burger patty dishes though don't get me wrong there are many local faves that many come here to enjoy. Pioneer Saloon is located on busy Monsarrat Ave where parking is always the real challenge though on this day the stars just there for us as we found a spot right in front of the restaurant. As we arrived the cluelessness sets in as we enter to see a cool rustic decor like you're at an antique shop with a wall filled with various vintage items for sale is quite the conversation piece as we browsed and visit memory lane. Getting back to why we were here is to eat I noticed that there was no menu in sight whatsoever and folks was just there to pick up their food as it was casually being called...we order outside! All menu information is prominently posted right beside the window ha ha ha....aaahhhhhh! Menu items are categorized by proteins it was a matter of decision and it was "Chili Tomato Fried Chicken" because it reminded me of "Ebi Chili" a classic Japanese favorite that I'm unable to have is fascinating to use it for chicken. Chicken was fried perfectly crispy and coated in that spicy sauce was a very hearty meal which came with a scoop of rice (brown for me) and pasta salad. I really enjoyed this generous portion along with the vibe of the restaurant, the staff there are friendly and I chatted with them as I ordered, they do have a tiny bathroom outside in the back of the restaurant which you do need a key is greatly appreciated but what a lovely place for some hearty food. Thank you!

Dinner in Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawaii... Demi or Ponzu sauce? That's the question of the day... What kind of Hamburger Steak do I want at Pioneer Saloon? I've been to Pioneer Saloon a long time ago with the OG Yelpers. At the time, I wondered what kind of place it was because of the name. It has a cowboy or western connotation. It's a rather odd name because the menu is Asian-Fusion and Japanese. The interior had a country vibe - like old school because of the vintage merchandise. There were antique bottles and dishes for sale... as well as clothing and jewelry. I haven't been here in a while - maybe because of the parking situation. We were REALLY lucky to find a space on the street, right in front of the restaurant! Service was cheerful and efficient! After using the restroom inside (ask for the key - it's at the end of a broomstick!), we went outside and ordered at the window. Our meals were brought to our table, even though we had a number, and were ready to pick up at the counter when called. I got the Hamburger Steak with demi-glace sauce. The patty was thick and a bit peppery. It complimented the brown rice well. The pasta salad was an interesting side! Note: the air-conditioning was a bit weak, in my opinion

Ambiance: neighborhood local plate lunch Service: Friendly Food: Variety of local favorites to choose from. Street parking

You wouldn't expect plate lunches by the name of the restaurant but they are excellent!!! We had the teriyaki chicken and shoyu pork and the meats were so tender and tasty! I felt like it was a great value ($13/each) and came with rice and pasta salad. The staff is very friendly and working non stop. Highly recommend this if over by Diamond Head.

Finally Got Here. I put it on my radar after reading a review from Craig T. That was four years ago. The order was called in by my wife while I was driving. The person on the phone was cordial. I could her a very pleasant voice. The order was placed and was ready when we got there. My wife and shared the Ahi Katsu. The plate lunch came with rice and pasta salad. Pasta salad had a good tasting vinaigrette. The ahi on the other hand was over cooked. I like it with a rare middle. The breading was crisp. So overall it was enjoyable. Enjoy

This is just an update based on their loco moco. The meat is very tender, but it's more like a meatloaf as opposed to a beef patty. Also the dark gravy is not your typical loco moco gravy. It has a different taste that's hard to explain. I'm used to the more traditional loco mocos, so this didn't rank high for me.

A very nice Japanese owned restaurant with Japanese mocha fried chicken plate. The portions are so very generous and they fry to order. The fried chicken was tasty and lasted me 2+ meals, however it was a bit salty and heavy for my liking. I liked the shiso rice that was slightly sour. pasta salad was also a nice touch. I wish it came with more veggies in the plate, a choice of salad or cooked veg perhaps, instead of 2 carb sides. Definitely a very heavy plate maybe more meant for a construction worker who needs to eat a lot. The family is so friendly and down to earth. I enjoyed my visit after my hike to Diamond Head. :)

Grilled Garlic Ahi with Brown Rice and Tonkatsu Egg over White Rice from Pioneer Saloon on Monsarrat Always a 5***** was ready in ten minutes Workers there are always courteous and very helpful good things ordered ahead long line of tourists coming back from Dimondhead hike And SoooOo Yummy Yum

My family gets Pioneer Saloon multiple times in a week-long trip every time we come back to Honolulu. I wish we had something like it near us on the mainland! We often get takeout rather than dine in, but the Monserrat location has plenty of seating. And staff is always friendly. The fish is so good, and my dad likes getting their chicken dishes. Our favorites are the mochiko chicken, miso salmon, furikake salmon, miso butterfish and garlic ahi. So good for family meals!

Pioneer Saloon is a solid spot for a plate lunch with great options and quality flavors. We ordered a variety to try: the miso butterfish, garlic butterfish, ribeye plate lunch, salmon plate lunch, and ahi steak plate lunch. Each dish had its own unique appeal, but we unanimously agreed that the miso butterfish was the standout. The sauce was balanced perfectly, and the fish was cooked just right. It was so good, we ended up coming back another day just to have it again.

My favorite place for plate lunch!! Amazing Japanese/local fusion plate lunches- so many options but some of my favorites are the garlic ahi, menchi katsu and deep fried baby tako. Love all the rice options (white, brown, mixed grain, or shiso wakame rice) and the little side pasta salad that comes with each plate.

Our friends have talked about how good this place is for years, but we never get excited about having a bento - it's more just survival food. However, after our friend got us a gift card, we finally went. Wow! The steak and shrimp were both excellent, the pasta salad awesome, and the mixed grain rice was great. We've been back three times since in just the last few weeks. The service could be a bit faster, but the workers have all been very nice, just maybe too polite to tell the tourists standing at the counter to please step to the side while deciding what you want. While I'm at it, just a reminder - please come up to the window AFTER you figure out what you want. The other day a few Japanese tourists must have spent 3 minutes deciding while blocking the only register . . .

I came here years ago. So long ago it used to have the longest lines with Japanese tourists that would flock to eat here. Then covid hit and I stopped going. Today we decided to go again and it was after lunchtime, so perfect. No line! We ordered outside and went inside to grab a table. When we got to there, all tables except one big one were taken. We ordered mochiko chicken, a side of fried baby tako, as well as their special negi shio chicken. We then sat down and waited for the food. We must have waited no longer than 10 minutes and we got our plates in take our boxes. Great for you don't need to finish all your food and then ask for a take out box. It's already in it! The portions aren't your local style heavy plates, however the portions are enough for you to share with another person with a small appetite. The mochiko chicken was juicy, however it didn't have much flavor to it. I don't know if I could have ordered a garlic mochiko chicken but it was rather bland. The frying of it was also a bit on the burnt side. However, I have to say it was super juicy so we just added sriracha= all good. The Negi shio chicken was too salty for me. I ate three little pieces and had to eat all my pasta salad to take away the salt. I know shio=salt but this was too salty even with rice. I wish I could have tasted the chicken more. It's ok, that was a choice on a whim for it was a special but I cannot eat so much salt on my food. A little disappointing for me. Then the fried baby tako seemed to be tasty. The price for side order was $14!! That was a bit high but I guess everything is expensive now!! The rice was great and the pasta salad was good too. The girl at the cashier was very friendly as everyone else. Nobody kicked us out as we sat and talked and also ordered delicious shaved ice from next door for dessert!! Was good going back, however the food wasn't what I remember it being years ago. It's ok. Support local businesses. The ambiance is chill as long as there aren't a billion people inside.

I've lost count of my trips to Oahu (probably 15+ at this point), but each time, my local friends give us fresh spots to try. Pioneer Saloon was one of those recommendations. My wife? She's made three trips there this week alone--and we're only in Waikiki for a week! I've eaten there twice myself; the food is fantastic, portions are solid, and the prices are reasonable. But let's talk about the staff. Look, you live in one of the most stunning places on earth--most of the island has that easygoing aloha vibe. Not here, though. It's like getting a smile takes as much effort as cracking coconuts. I get that it's busy, but hey, there are endless dining options on this island. A little gratitude for our business wouldn't hurt!

Good food! I love their menu. I tried their grilled garlic ahi and it's really good! I'd love to try more dishes from here next time. Btw, they serve all their food in a to go plastic containers either you're ordering for dine in or to go. I just wish they use eco friendly containers instead of plastics.

Pioneer Saloon is not your average plate lunch spot. With a huge menu I wasn't sure how well each dish would be executed, but my group and I all enjoyed everything we ordered. I got the Grilled Garlic Ahi with garlic chips on top. The ahi was perfectly cooked and the sauce it came with made the whole dish so tasty. The fried chicken was perfectly crispy and moist chicken and the spicy mayo tasted better than any spicy mayo I've had before. The curry was also so flavorful and had beef and mushrooms inside. The restaurant was fairly busy with large groups ahead of us but the food came out quick and our entire order was correct. The inside of the restaurant is not what I expected and is rustic, but clean with collectibles all around and many for sale! Will definitely be back!

This has always been my favorite place to eat when in HNL. It's like eating at Roy's or Merriman's with the high-end prices. I love their Miso Butterfish, Garlic Ahi, Furikake Salmon, and surprisingly the Fish Katsu is also really good. This is one of the few places we eat multiple times on our trips to the island. Don't let the ordering outside at the window worry you, One thing that's not always guaranteed when eating at counter ordering places is finding a place to sit. That has never been a problem here either. Plenty of seating inside and you get to peruse their eclectic assortment of things on sale.

Food: My favorite Plate Lunch spot when I go home. The fish offerings they have I think is what sets them apart as well as the wakame rice you can sub for. The Menu can be a bit overwhelming at first but everytime I gotten anything ive enjoyed it. My go to though has to be the salmon katsu or the garlic ribeye. Price: Reasonable considering its fish. I never got a dry plate once and I go every time I come home. Ambiance: Feels very family owned. Lunch spot perfect place to grab a bite after or before you head to Cromwell's. Service: You order at the counter for either takeout or dine in. Never had a issue with service here or pretty much anywhere back home in Hawaii.

I ate here 4 times in 2.5 days so far, and I'm going to come here again until I'm here for another 3 days. I highly recommend the garlic salmon, it is my absolute favorite. I look forward to getting hungry to eat here Shoutout the staff, they are very friendly :)

Hands down, one of our top favorite spots to grab a meal on the island. The food is good quality and so fresh every single time! Definitely has saloon vibes like the restaurant's name. We waited about 10-15 mins for our food each time, not too bad. What we ordered: -mochiko chicken: 5/5 wow, this was cooked to perfection. Very crispy and not greasy at all. -miso butterfish: 4.5/5 -negi shio yuzu chicken: 4.8/5, so jam packed with flavor!!! The yuzu paste really takes each bite to the next level, wish it came with even more yuzu paste! -garlic ahi steak: 4/5 my husband loved this one, but it personally wasn't my favorite. I prefer the miso butterfish over this one! Parking: limited street parking, but we somehow never had a hard time finding a spot each time Seating: plenty of indoor seating available :) *they even have items for sale on the shelves!

I really like this place! One of the best places to get plate lunches. I've been to both locations depending where I was at the time. I had the grilled ahi plate here and it was good. You order outside and then can eat inside. The people are nice and the place is a good size and clean. Can't wait to come back!

This place has amazing food. Everything my group got tasted so good. We ordered the (In order of favorite to least favorite: 1: Miso Butterfish 2: Ribeye Steak 3: Korean Yakiniku Beef 4: Garlic Ahi Steak 5: Mochiko Chicken Each entree comes with one scoop of rice and pasta salad. I wish I could have eaten here one more time before leaving Hawaii. It was probably my favorite meal from my entire trip. The food gets 5 stars but I had to remove 1 star because the inside was a little nasty. Most of the tables were dirty and the back of the restaurant smelled like pee. If you can, order take out. There's a park near by that you can eat at.

Order from window outside/front of restaurant, and proceed inside. Food is served in takeout containers brought to your table . Bottled water is available for purchase. Food is oishi. Wait is about 10-15 minutes for food. We ordered pork katsu (A tad dry) (4 stars) I had the negi/shio chicken (5 stars) Mom ordered the Cajun shrimp. (5 stars)Tasty, right amount of spice and good size. Brother had Mochiko chicken. (A tad dry) but with the side sauce it was better. **Street parking is limited, but on the side of the restaurant is parking. **We will return, since there is plenty of other choices. All dishes came with a pasta salad and a choice of rice. **Shucks no pics, we were so hungry! However Yelp has many pics. **Oh...and inside the restaurant has a cool vibe, with vintage items for sale, and cool memorabilia.

We had the excellent ahi and steak plates with brown rice. The spicy sauce with the steak was awesome. Fast and friendly service. Great value/

I found this little jewel with the help of a Yelp search. I just finished the hike up to Diamond Head and was traveling back to Waikiki. I thought it would be nice to stop for dinner at a local "mom&pop" place instead of an over hyped (and priced) place back on the Waikiki strip. Food was great, service perfect!

Quality grindz at affordable prices in a cute local spot that feels....well...local. This a true neighborhood spot. Clealry this is a spot popular with the surfers too. Counter service could not be friendlier. We ordered chicken katsu plates ($13) On our most recent visit and they were great especially considering the price! Kudos to Pioneer for making the plate lunch options so customizable with plenty of sides options. We loved the tri-color pasta salad and fresh greens with sesame ginger dressing! Pro-tip: order online for easy pick up at the window.

Hmmmm... he got the butterfish and I got my favorite creamy chicken. Fish was two small pieces and a bit overdone. Today's creamy chicken came all in one container this time and only couple slices mushrooms and less than one stalk of asparagus. Little disappointing compared to prior visits.

the garlic shrimp was fantastic! (and im not much of a shrimp lover these days, sadly.) the ribeye was great too, a perfect medium rare. the shiso wakame rice is also worth the splurge (i think +$1.50). order outside at the window and find a table inside! it took a little longer than expected for the food to be prepped, but given how happy our stomachs were, we didn't care. portions are generous. this is definitely on my list for a repeat visit. strictly street parking from what we saw, so it can be a little tricky.

A friend recommended this place, but we were really disappointed with both the food and the service. The older lady working there was rude and treated us poorly. The ahi was overcooked and didn't have any garlic flavor at all. To make things worse, one of our family members politely asked to use the bathroom, and she completely ignored them and was incredibly rude.

Ask anyone and they will tell you I am the biggest butterfish fan out there. When I discovered there was a place offering plates I had to send it here. I was in heaven especially after doing a sculpt class, the butterfish here literally saved me. Sweet, melt-in-your-mouth goodness coupled with a casual, quick service was what I needed and what should be expected. Parking can be stiff but allow enough time to find some or to order to-go.

Wifey always wants to come here when we are visiting home. Menu is a little overwhelming-so many different choices of local favorites. Today we ordered the keiki plate, furikake ahi katsu plate, yakisoba, and honey sweet potato tempura. Ahi was fantastic as usual but maybe a little heavy on the mayo. Yakisoba was good but wifey said a little heavy on the bonito. Keiki plate was a fun mix of different items including chicken karaage, a few fries, rice with furikake, pasta salad, and a Capri Sun. The honey sweet potato tempura was different and fun--easily the highlight this visit. The team here is always so nice and welcoming. Love that they added air conditioning. The restaurant always has fun vintage items and crafts to peruse and buy.

Cannot get enough of the fried tako! They're fried, tender baby octopus bombs - better than calamari, imho. The plates are hefty, so when I came for lunch recently with just a small appetite and saw a special of tako and mochiko chicken for just $10, the decision was made for me. Seating is a little tight inside and out, so I've always gotten my lunches to go. They do a brisk takeout business so be prepared to wait a bit if you're coming around lunchtime; if it's not crowded inside, take some time to peruse the art on Len's from the Green Room, or the brand merch or vintage stuff on the shelves.

Always love this place.Delicious food and reasonably priced. Their Garlic Ahi Steak is the best I've ever had. Curry loco moco is also great. Warning: finding parking is horrible around there.

Our go to plate lunch spot. We always get the garlic ahi. First time trying the fried baby tako and its so good.

Always wanted to come here & today I finally made it ! I ordered the garlic butterfish ( $20 ) & it sure is delectable ! Moist & garlicky with dried shaved garlic flakes and tons of green onions which I removed. It's expensive but if it's prepared well, it's worth it. There are 4 different rice choices. Love the side of rotini pasta salad. The menu is very extensive. There's an excellent selection of beef, pork, fish, shellfish & carbs. Eventually I'd like to try more of their menu but that's for another day.

Really enjoy this place. Worst part is the paper takeout container because the rice sticks to it and the sauces/gravy will leak. Favorite is the pork hamburger katsu (menchi katsu) - I love it with the demi sauce and shiso rice. Tender inside, nice and crispy katsu on the outside. Enjoy the curry too, plain but japanese flavor so it's enjoyable. I don't care for the pasta salad but I don't know if they still have any other options other than going with all rice. Rib eye on the weekends is tasty too, but be careful to get sauces on the side. Oh the Ahi - sauce on the side. That one gets smelly when it leaks in your car because the sauce goes straight through the paper. So now I remember to order all sauces in small container.

Service was good, except I put my own orders in the reusable bag. And I would said the male worker has better attitude than the female worker. Ordered Eel plate ($18) with Mixed Grain Rice ($1 extra), I really like mixed grain rice because it has many textures (mixed beans with rice). Plate also comes with a side salad, macaroni salad and few slices of avocado. Sauce not too salty and is perfect eat together with rice. The plate is filling that makes you full (is like 2 meals for me). Only con is there hardly any street parking, if you want parking I would recommend visit Kakaako location and they have more choices too.

Very excellent food! Chicken egg bowl was phenomenal! Very fast service. Music was very nice. WILL RETURN

Quick notes: food was delicious and made fresh. The prices are a little higher than some of the other business near them, but they provide indoor seating with clean tables and chairs. The inside of the store has a little boutique setup on one side and a salon vibe on the other. Order outside at the window BEFORE you go in to sit. They will bring your food to you, but you do have to grab your own drink & condiments. I am big on service (did the job myself for years) and there wasn't much service. I walked up to get some more water and two workers turned their back

Very good food and well balanced meals! Reasonable and fun to visit! Love it.... Recommend it.....

Got take out here. The butterfish was sold out so I got one of the chicken dishes. Absolutely delicious even though I had a hankering for butterfish. The service is faster when u order by phone bc they make everything fresh. The restaurant is clean and inviting.

Outstanding taste of the island! Definitely recommend those visiting to stop by after hiking Diamond head