Rutt's Hawaiian Cafe & Catering West LA
Hawaiian restaurant · Mar Vista ·
Hawaiian comfort food, Royales, Spam Musubi, mac salad
Hawaiian comfort food, Royales, Spam Musubi, mac salad
"Missing an authentic taste of the islands? Rutt's Cafe has got you covered on all your spam, macaroni salad, sweet tea and shave ice cravings. Serving up traditional aloha dishes diner-style, our go-to is the Royale lunch special. Wheel chair ride home not included." - Italic Studio
"They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, which is great news because Rutt’s serves it all day long. This casual Mar Vista diner is decked out in enough tiki decor and surfboards to make you crave a mai tai (they don’t serve alcohol, but they do have plenty of Hawaiian Sun in the fridge) and features a huge menu of mostly solid Hawaiian breakfast plates—some with eggs and kalua pork, others with french toast, loco moco, or sandwiches on sweet rolls. Prioritize the Royales first, which are essentially oversized fried rice platters scrambled up with toppings like portuguese sausage, kimchi, or chicken teriyaki. Food Rundown Hawaiian Royale This mountain of fried rice tossed with egg, Portuguese sausage, char siu, bean sprouts, and green onions is a filling way to start your day—especially if your day involves competitve paddleboarding or bare-hand climbing a volcano. It’s tasty but one-note, so you'll want to punch it up after a few bites, which is where a generous drizzle of teriyaki or hot sauce comes in handy. photo credit: Cathy Park Katsu Chicken & Coconut Shrimp Combo The coconut-packed fried shrimp and creamy-cool mac salad are the best bites on this lunch plate. The chicken is thinner, drier, and doesn’t deliver the same crunch, even if a dip in tangy katsu sauce makes it a bit better. photo credit: Cathy Park Spam Musubi The Spam-to-rice ratio on these is spot-on. If you ask your server to wrap them up, they're also the perfect little snack to keep in your pocket for later. photo credit: Cathy Park" - Cathy Park
"The menu at Rutt’s is huge, so it’s important to have a game plan when heading into this popular lunch spot in Mar Vista. Right off the bat, you can skip the saimin and kalua pig plate, and if you were planning on saving room for dessert, don’t reserve that highly coveted stomach space for their overly gelatinous cup of haupia. All of the above tend to be just a little bland, and you can get better versions of them at almost any other Hawaiian place on this list. Instead, head straight to their “Famous Royale” section. With onions, bean sprouts, and a side of teriyaki sauce, it’s described as an “open-scrambled omelette,” but it’s actually more like the fried-rice version of your best friend’s older brother after he came home from football camp - large, beefy, and with Spam in all the right places (OK, so the analogy doesn’t track exactly)." - kat hong
"With locations in Culver City and Gardena, Rutt’s is a convenient option if you’re looking for a reasonably priced Thanksgiving takeout package with a little Hawaiian flair. The restaurant is offering individually packaged plates for $12 each, as well as group packages that can feed up to 13-15 people for $190. Dishes include roast turkey, sweet yams or mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, mac salad, sweet rolls, and pineapple bread pudding for dessert. Orders can be placed online for November 24th pickup." - kat hong, nikko duren, garrett snyder
"Rutt’s Hawaiian Cafe, Mar Vista. Missing an authentic taste of the islands? Rutt's Cafe has got you covered on all your spam, macaroni salad, sweet tea and shave ice cravings. Serving up traditional aloha dishes diner-style, our go-to is the Royale lunch special. Wheel chair ride home not included."
