The Pono Hukilau

I have traveled all over the world and I had the best meal of my life here. The food is delicious, drinks are interesting, the atmosphere is unique and you’re treated like a local. You have to try the house clam chowder, better than the what was voted the best clam chowder in Boston, I’m taking some back home. The Chef/owner is very friendly as is his daughter who served me. I have found my new favorite restaurant. Too bad I live in Miami. Do yourself a favor and come here if you’re in the area.

This place is unbelievably good! My friends took me here to show me how special it is, and boy I was surely impressed. The food is off the charts delicious 😋. The atmosphere and decor is about as kooky as you would expect for a coastal beach like restaurant. However, this place took over what used to be the harvest cafe. If you are traveling through Florence, Oregon, do yourself a favor and stop in for an unforgettable foodie experience. Keep in mind, they're closed Sunday, Monday, Tuesday

Pono Hukilau is a hidden gem! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, with a perfect island vibe that transports you straight to Hawaii. The food? Absolutely incredible! I had the Loco Moco, and it was hands-down the best I’ve ever tasted—savory, perfectly cooked, and bursting with flavor. My wife ordered the macadamia nut pancakes, and they were a masterpiece—light, fluffy, and topped with just the right amount of sweetness. The service was fantastic, too. Friendly staff, great attention to detail, and a genuine aloha spirit throughout the experience. If you’re looking for authentic Hawaiian food and a relaxed, inviting atmosphere, Pono Hukilau is the place to go. We can’t wait to come back and try more of their amazing dishes!

Let’s start with the Sushi. It was really good. The other dishes were amazing. We sampled our way through some of the menu and sat at the bar and watched them prepare the sushi dishes. The drinks were a little sweet and the place was super packed. Be prepared for a wait but it is well worth it.

Absolutely delish! Another must stop along Hwy 101 in Florence. Super cool vibe. Really great food that is reasonably priced. We'll be back 👍 Get after that "Pain Killer" to start 👍

Really chill and friendly vibe. Service was friendly and professional at a no rush pace. The Spicy Tuna and The Big Money roll were excellent. Portion sizes and quality exceeded our expectations. We will be back!

What a wonderful restaurant! I gave it 3 stars for the atmosphere because we had to sit outside due to our dog(not a negative), but it started to rain, and there was no cover. It would be nice if they covered at least half of the deck for pet lovers to have the same experience as their inside diners... but... Wow, what a wonderful place! Food was A-M-A-Z-ing. We got the Beef ribs, Heidi likes it on the beach, spam sushi, and the (grilled pineapple burger). I can't explain with words the flavors. You MUST try it once!

Top 2 restaurant all down the coast. Fantastic sushi some of the best we have had. Great meat. My recommendation would be go for lunch because they often sell out of various items. We ended up eating here two days in a row on our trip.

The Hukilau is my "Happy Place" restaurant. The atmosphere is so fun and festive. I love the Hawaiian shirts and surfboards on the ceiling. It's fun to see big screen TVs showing surfing, fishing and boating around the islands. The menu is varied, and the food is very good, especially the sushi. If you're going there for dinner, make sure you get there a little early. It can be busy and they close at 6:30.

So this used to be my 2-4 times a month treat restaurant. Until a server was publicly, loudly disrespectful to my octogenarian guest. Then boasted about it to his fellow workers. Bad move "Mikey". I now encourage folks to avoid this business. I encourage this loudly and repeatedly. So I check their web page, they have extended their hours, and of course raised their prices. A once trusted favorite spot, now a spot to avoid.

We celebrated my wife's birthday yesterday by driving to Florence from Eugene. Eugene doesn't have a place like Hukulai. We arrived just after they opened (11:15) and were welcomed with "aloha!" Starving, we threw down an order for an appetizer right away, which we found on the daily menu for Thursday, November 15. it was this amazing shrimp-filled, lightly crusted, deep fried miracle of goodness. Our waiter, Mike, said he had been the guinea pig the night before and that it was a great choice. And it was. Large serving, too! We kept stringing appetizers together because the lunch crowd was slow arriving. We had a barbecued baby back rib appetizer, which was splendid and substantial. The meat came on top of a mound of lovely coleslaw. there was a seaweed salad with shrimp in it, which I loved (my wife is suspicious of the ingredients in seaweed salad). maui IPAs... Perfect. we had ordered an unagi sushi roll ("69 at the Hukilau" - hey, that's what it's called) a little too late in the game, as the crowd had filled the place and thrown in orders as well. fortunately, this young couple who sat next to us, had taken our recommendation to order the same roll, So we determined to let them have it. We were ready to roll out when this fanfare played over the stereo and the staff all started singing happy birthday to Jean. They brought out this little bowl of ice cream with delicious chocolate and a candle! A perfect lunch on a perfect day.

My friends and I had lunch at the Hukilau and enjoyed it. The portions were gigantic and filling, and my order came with ribs and prawns. It was a little bit on the expensive side, but so was everything else in that region. The interior of the restaurant made you feel like you were in Hawaii - it had surfing decor and a surf town vibe to it. The service was good - the food came fast!

Music and food. Don't drive past, if you do, turn around. You have nothing else to do that is more important. Staff is great and love this place they represent. We come here every time we are on the coast. Loco moco is perfect. Drinks from the bar are beach perfect.

Menu is fairly extensive and prices are what you would expect for the area. Burger was about $20, pulled pork plate also $20. We got the surf and turf sliders special for $9, musubi $5.50. Prices are very decent I think for the portions you get. They have different specials everyday too. Food was mostly good, the burger was not that serious though I think. It was extremely greasy & made the bun fall apart + soggy, couldn't eat the bottom of it, fries were bland. The sliders were great, my boyfriends pork plate was pretty good. I regret not ordering sushi, I will definitely try that next time! Service was very ehh, barely got checked on and only got 1 drink refill the entire time, pretty much only saw the waiter again at the end for the bill. They turn tables quick here, so I guess that wasn't super shocking. Casual vibes.

Really kind service and decent vegetarian food, especially the veggie musubi. A nice surprise on the road!

The staff is amazingly friendly! From the moment I opened the door I was greeted by every single staff member I saw. The ambience is hella cute too. A warm little Hawaiian oasis that almost made me forget it was 40 degrees outside. And to top it off, I loved the food. I got the teriyaki chicken plate and loved it. And for those that want big serving sizes, this is the place for you. I couldn't even come close to finishing it all. Thank you all for a lovely experience. Mahalo!

The food was delicious. It was nice to get Hawaiian food in the middle of Central Oregon (Florence, Oregon) about an hour and some change from Eugene and Bandon. We stopped in for an early dinner after our flight into Eugene on our way to Bandon for some golf. When we first walked in, was super busy. Once seated, it wasn't too bad. Our waitress was nice and very accommodating. The food was also pretty good. Not much to think about for Hawaiian food that far into Oregon. My Loco Moco was good but a bit salty, I would order it again minus the saltiness of the gravy. I also got the Mac Nut Pancakes which was super tasty. Loved the vibes, a lot of locals and chill spot. The food was a bit slow as well, considering the crowds had left. 5 stars if the food wasn't a bit salty and the food came out a bit quicker. Next time I go to Bandon, I'll drop on in again.

This place has such a friendly vibe. It seems to be very busy all around the clock. We waited for 40-45 minutes to be sitters and another 40 to get the food served, which is not bad compared to how busy they were. Very friendly and the food is 3.5 to 4. If you're very hungry the portion size is large. Service is 5 because they were able to be kind and friendly even when it was very busy.

The food is amazing! I got the Thai mango chicken, and the chicken is fries to perfection. Portions are large, and I ate most of it by myself. My onlie gripe is that the toilet takes forever to flush, and there's only one restroom.

Obsessed with this little hidden gem! The food was amazing. Sushi and teriyaki chicken was amazing. Will visit this spot every time I'm back in the area!

I've never had a bad meal at the Hukilau or the Taste of Hawaii ( there food truck). They always serve up fresh ingredients, tons of flavor in everything they make. Today was Fish and rice, their special. The Riblets, also a special. Cheeeeeeehooooo the best flavors! Oh my goodness! Service, top notch, always checking on us. We sat outside and it was perfect weather. Whenever we are in Florence we always make time to visit and enjoy Chef Christian's food. Mahalo for filling our bellies with your deliciousness.

This little place is so unexpectedly good I want to make sure that my five star review is a glowing one! Tonight we had a yummy, fresh, perfectly balanced California Roll; next some seaweed salad with balanced flavors of sesame and sweetness. Our main courses were the tacos-- fish, pork and chicken, all brimming with flavor, perfectly cooked filling, fresh salsa, and avocado. We also had the legit Hawaiian Mac salad and slaw. Yummy! Service was friendly. Atmosphere is casual, cozy, pleasant and on-topic for the Pacific Fusion vibe. Just a lovely dinner! Can't wait to go back.

Love this place! My husband and I live in Astoria, but when we visit Florence this Hawaiian food and vibe is a must. Family owned and operated! They can cook! The drinks, sushi, and Hawaii grindz are top notch authentic. A lot of the family works there which I love because they are all so happy and kind. The portions are huge & you must get some masubi!

Love this place! Always on the list when heading to the coast. Awesome island vibe, sweet people and fresh menu and cocktails! The menu is huge and since our last visit added some smoked BBQ option. We had wild boar starter & mojitos. Large portions easy to share or family style. Sushi is great too.

Plating was great, everything looked amazing. Coleslaw was the best I've ever had. Teriyaki pineapple chicken was good. The "brisket" was awful. We have had brisket many times from many different establishments, and this was not brisket. Which would have been fine if it was good, but it did not taste good and was incredibly tough and hard to eat. It seemed more like skirt steak that was way way overcooked. We tried to eat as much as we could, but ultimately we took most of it home to the dog.

We had the sushi, 2 rolls which were very large and good, except when they're that large diameter it's hard to eat without it falling apart. We were there on a Saturday and arrived at 12:50 and sat outside. It took 1 hour for us to get our appetizer of jerky. Another 20 minutes later our sushi rolls arrived. Took 15 minutes to get water. A couple that arrived about 1:45 and sat next to us got their appetizer in 15 minutes and main course 5 minutes later. The waiter was nice, but everything he promised to get for us never came: 1. Water refill, I was empty for 15 minutes after he said he would bring more water and I got up and got it myself from the pitcher he left 15 feet away. 2. Napkins - never got them with our appetizer, did get them after asking twice to use eating our rolls. 3. Plates for our sushi eating. Never got them even though he told us he would bring some. He did show up with plates, but took them to the table next to us who already had some and said "oh well, here's some extra plates for you." We were very patient and just decided to accept our invisibility with patience, but will not go back again. We were told by a local they had the best sushi ever. It's was definitely good. We've had better.

This place saved me from 2 days straight of fish and chips My biggest complaint was that the lau lau wasn't served with the taro leaf it's steamed in. But it had a different name so maybe it's a bother version of lau lau The misses got a fish covered with sauce and a side of Kalua pork. Now that is what I would get next time

A touch of the islands in Florence. The food is new to me being from the East Coast and is beautiful as well as delicious.

First of all, the ambience is like walking in to a wonderful little establishment in the islands, you instantly feel like you're not in Florence Oregon, but that you are in the islands.,The owner Christian, his daughter, Hannah lead server, and Mikey, and the honorable Blaze behind the bar Blaze has the gift and talent to mix any drink you have ever enjoyed, I'm sure glad I'm not an alcoholic otherwise I know where I would be hanging out. As well and awesome teem at the sushi counter, as well the incredible chefs in back, Christian makes a new menu up every day that they're open, which is four days a week Wednesday through Saturdays. I'd be hard-pressed to say not many restaurants have the quality of food, visions and ideas of incredible plates. Christian and his team are the epitome of the best in Hawaiian cuisine if you're rolling through Florence and miss the opportunity of stopping at the Hukilau. I would re-vamp my trip so to be able to be blessed with their wonderful and warm Hawaiian family atmosphere a great experience for all. Thank you Christian, And all your staff and team members.

Like so many places nowadays, just too darn expensive. But worth the splurge for giving yourself a special treat, once in a great while. The food and quality of everything is outstanding. A fun atmosphere that makes me wish I could afford to stay there all day, and be a regular.

Everything here is fresh, beautifully presented, and delicious! Portions are Hawaiian-sized (big). Sushi, Hawaiian tacos, Pacific Rim fusion food, & tropical drinks! Fun decor and vibe makes you think you are in Maui!

The staff, the locals, the owner, the ambiance... All the vibes are welcoming and authentic. It's obvious the moment you walk thru the doors why this place is busy. Such a gem! Worth the wait! Highly recommend the Mai Tai. Nothing on the menu will disappoint. I'm sad that I don't live here. We will definitely be back! Labor of love does not say enough....

This is a local hot spot. Despite there being many patrons, we didn't have to wait for our table and the servers were so kind. This is a family friendly restaurant that has a wide variety of dishes and sushi on their menu. Food came out fresh and hot! The sauce on the chicken was a good spice level with various flavor profiles. I have a bit of aversion to savory food that comes out too sweet but they had a great balance between the two. Note that although the prices are high- the food is great quality and your portions are large; I ate off of my meal for two days. If you're in Florence and want a different seafood experience, stop on by!

We ordered the Hawaiian pulled pork and the Bahn mi. $30. This place was full of cute, fun, colorful and funny Hawaiian decorations. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. We were prepared to wait a little as we had been told that the wait could be substantial prior to visiting. But, the wait wasn't that long even though they were pretty busy. Since we have had A LOT of Hawaiian food over the years our expectations were high. But, the food we ordered didn't match up. We could tell they were trying but had added some of their own flair that didn't match with our tastes. We would like to give a higher rating but it wouldn't be fair to the other places in the area that we liked much better. We will come back and try some other dishes if we have time.

Had really high expectations for this restaurant, but it was expensive and not that good at all. The sweet sticky ribs were teriyaki and looked like gross... the painkiller drink tasted like kahlua. The fish taco was extremely dry... not sure what the fish even was for $9. The sushi was standard and okay. Most of the rolls were very expensive. The only interesting thing is they said they used real crab... I didn't try those rolls because it's upwards of $30. The table next to me also didn't finish the taco or combo plate. That should have sent me a signal that the food wasn't very good. Meh, wouldn't go back.

We visited the Hukilau for the first time today. I have nothing but good things to say....! 1) The welcoming aloha spirit is very much alive and well here. You immediately feel at home. 2) The decor transports you to the Pacific Islands without the expense or hassle of flights, hotels, and rental cars. 3) The Hawaiian music playing...ummm...think I feel the tension in my shoulders loosening up. 4) Mai Tai Saturday? Yes, please! If it's a Saturday, this tropical elixir is $1.00 off! 5) The food? Fresh, perfectly seasoned, artistically composed, and worth every calorie 6) The family behind the counter is exceptional. Kind, thoughtful, approachable, and the pride in their establishment comes through in everything we experienced on this first of many, many visits! 7) Veteran-owned. Thank you for your service! Thank you, Hukilau, for a perfect lunch.

The food was absolutely delicious! Fresh ingredients. Beautiful plate presentation. Enormous food portions. The wait was a little long, as there was only one waitress, but it was worth the wait. Don't believe the pricing here on Yelp. Plates average between $20-30 but like I said....enormous portions! We all had leftovers and the food was so delicious!

Whatever you do, make the stop here; you will not regret it. It will probably be busy, just wait and enjoy.

Absolutely amazing food, atmosphere, and service. Yes, it gets busy and crowded, but the reason for that is their excellence. If you're anywhere near Florence, do not miss the chance eat here.

I'm Polynesian myself. Been to Hawaii many of times and tried a lot of Hawaiian style food. I was visiting Florence from California with a friend. Saw this place as we were driving by and instantly had to tell my friend to pull over and try them out. I loved the decor and atmosphere in there. The workers were lively and very welcoming. The food was so good and tasty definitely a must try

The first time my boyfriend and I came here it was extremely crowded and we received terrible service. Everything we tried to order the waiter would come back after 15 minutes and tell us that it wasn't available anymore. This happened 3 times. We were hungry and frustrated by the 3rd time so we ended up just leaving. My boyfriend and I were reluctant to go back so it took several months, but the second time we came here we were able to order food but the service was still slacking from the waiters. The bartender was great though and made amazing drinks. We were sitting at the bar so the bartender would get our drinks but for others at tables I would see drinks just sitting at the bar for 15 minutes before getting served. The food was great but not great enough for me to endure crappy service again. So not looking likely that I'll go back. Maybe if their space was expanded and they had more employees I would consider trying it again. But it was also very expensive. When people ask me about Hukilau, I say "it's Hawaii prices without Hawaii"

Love this place! Great food and service! Wish we were closer to this restaurant to visit more often!

Incredible food, drinks and atmosphere. The owner and everyone that works there are very friendly people. Aloha!

I have tried to come here so many times but they aren't open every day. When I did get a chance, it was packed. The food took a while but it was worth it. I suggest going with the special dishes. Not the simple meat and rice. My favorites were the asain pancake and the snails with butter and garlic. It was like eating in Japan then flying to Italy. I might try some of their sushi rolls next time. We are two pieces of salmon which was top grade.

I had made reservations for the Hukilau about a week prior to the dinner date. Upon arrival, they couldn't find our reservation. We did get a table, at least. We ordered drinks and ordered dinner. After an hour and a half, I noticed that three other tables, that had come in after us, were eating. I figured they forgot our order, so I saw Christian and asked him about it. He told me to talk to someone standing next to him. When I asked him about our dinner, I was expecting a response, such as "I will check on it". What I got from him was "well sometimes that's just the way the cookie crumbles", which led me to believe that he must be the owners son. He added that our food was being served now, and that I should go eat, which I did. I had just sat down when our server came back, furious, and said that she had told me that the food would be out shortly. I figured the young man must have told our server that I'd asked about dinner, and had done it in a way that obviously set her off. I didn't hear her if she had said that dinner would be out shortly, and it could be because the restaurant was so noisy that I had a hard time the group at our table, and we all had to repeat ourselves often. She chewed us out and said that the other table was having appetizers, and she said it with a loud voice, a snarl, and with attitude. I was too taken aback and shaken up by her attitude to even answer, but I didn't think all three tables were having appetizers. The young man made some comment to me about "you should know that since you use to be a server". I barely responded because I was shocked at how the two servers had become so nasty over a simple, reasonable question. The young man asked what he could do for us, and my friend said he could cover our drinks. The young man replied "but you ordered them", and my friends said "yes, but you asked what you could do". It went downhill from there, and our friend finally asked them to leave so we could just eat our dinner. The female server, who said she was the owner's daughter, said that she would NOT leave, and told my friend that she could leave, to which my friend threw out an expletive, and we were asked to leave, and the server added "and no to-go containers for you" in a nasty, almost hissing tone. My friends said they were upset because of the way the two servers had treated me, so that was the impetus for their response. The friends added that they had not been back in years, because the last time it took 2 hours to get their food. Me and my husband had not been back since April of this year. At that time, we brought some out-of-town friends with us for lunch and my friend got food poisoning from a burger she ate there. We had all eaten the same things, other than the burger, in the prior 24 hours, at least. I use to love this place, the owners, and the food, and we have been customers since the time that they had the food truck. After this experience, combined with the last one, we will never go back.

Just ok. Server was nice but it took a long time in general to order, get food, etc. Food just ok. Hawaiian with a western flare. Dont often see pineapple on top of kahlua pork. Mac salad flavor a little odd, like maybe thete was pickle juice or relish in it. $116 for 4 entrees, the simple salmon roll, dad's clam chowder and 1 juice.

Food truck to restaurant success, and it is even better! Wonderful fusion dishes, home familyvreceipers, and fabulous sushi!

Great service and fantastic food. We sat on the patio since we had our dog. We started with dessert which I recommend because you will be too full. We offered the chocolate cake with chocolate filling and chocolate ganache with toasted macadamia nuts and coconut. The spam musubi is awesome. We got two orders to follow our dessert and then our food for last. A lot of detail go into playing a wonderful meal for you. All of the food was great. We came midweek midday so we didn't have to wait but when it got closer to dinner, they became busier. Highly recommend this place. I believe they had a sign that it was one of the top recommended places on the 101/Oregon Coast. Our server was on top of our table and was excellent. Inside was nice but we had to eat outside. The bar looked cool.

We were in town for 4 days. We went here twice. Incredible food and service. Owner was super cool and said hello. I highly suggest what I ordered. Get the pickled veggie option to start. Also had the Pele volcano chicken, fan-f!@&$-tastic! Mai-tai. Solid and unique while still a classic.

I hade once considered the Hukilau my favorite Sushi place in Lane County, but after our most recent visit I can no longer make that Claim. Instead of 5 stars it has become 3 stars. I am not sure if ownership changed or what happened but the price and quality have definitely changed. The cost seemed to almost double and yet the quality went down. The sashimi was no longer nice thick cute pieces, rather thin smaller pieces spread-out to look like more, when in fact it is less fish than before. The Spicy tuna rolls just didn't stack up to the taste and flavor they once did - though they were coated in more rice to also look larger. The flavor just wasn't there. I am sure there other food is still good - but as for sushi - we won't be returning.

Visiting Florence for a wedding and decided to drop into this little gem. Very nice staff and chill atmosphere. They have an interesting menu from burgers to sushi! my husband got the "Really Good Burger" and I chose a sushi roll. As advertised, the burger was really good and the fries were seasoned and crispy. I watched my roll being made by hand, and it was also very tasty. Don't let the sticker price give you too much of a shock. (These are the times.) It's all very much worth it, and I would come back if I lived near here. If you get a chance, try the lemonade it's extremely good.

A definite score at The Hukilau! We had a party of 5 and decided to embark on this Polynesian restaurant. The service, drinks and food was very good! The atmosphere and design is vintage Hawaii. My cousins (Originally from Hawaii) have been in Oregon for 4 years now and have been in search for authentic Hawaiian cuisine. My hubby and I had tropical drinks to start off. I had the Pina colada and my hubby had The Lava Flow. Very tasty! For lunch we had pulled pork, teriyaki chicken, Korean rib bites, shrimp, rice and my favorite macaroni salad. The flavors and spices were to die for! If you like Hawaiian/Asian food, this is your place! Also the restaurant was packed! Always a good sign. Do not miss an opportunity to visit this place! We left there full, satisfied and happy.

They said stop at The Hukilau on your honeymoon. So we did. After we had the food we knew we had to come back before we left Florence. The service was so friendly and personal, the atmosphere was so Hawaii and the experience was just perfect! We tried the Hawaiian Catch Plate, Pele's Volcano Chicken, Spicy Crab Roll, Pickled Veggies, Katsu Chicken Fingers, some daily specials, and of course Mai Tai. The food was super fresh and the portions were huge! My favorite is the combination of unique flavors especially in the Hawaiian Catch and pickled veggies. They took me back to Maui! We enjoyed the restaurant so much that we purchased a shirt for me and a baseball cap for my husband. Next time we visit Florence, this place is a definite stop.

Peels volcano is excellent. We had the Panko shrimp Appetizer With the green curry aioli and capers was the bomb! Painkiller cocktail was a good!

After visiting Florence a million times I finally tried The Hukilau. We were seated quickly and had water within minutes. Took about ten to fifteen minutes to get our food, no worries as the kids lace as hopoin. I got the Loco Moco, loved it. Would order again. Family got the pulled pork and Korean ribs. Everyone loved the pork and my son really loved the ribs. Great portions. We got one sushi roll, the Maui wowie. Excellent!!! Service was great and the atmosphere was fun. Will eat here again, no doubt.

When we arrived, no one greeted us, told us where to sit, or really acknowledge us at all, save for a few side eyed looks from bar and sushi staff. We were eventually told by a server (who ended up being our server) to "Find a spot." That's it. No "welcome in" "hello" or even "hey idiots". We were hungry so we sat at a table with two seats so we didn't take up space for any larger parties. We were given menus after some time that felt like several minutes. While we were browsing the menus, I looked around and noticed I was the only patron of color in the restaurant. Odd but not impossible. After about five minutes a group of three people (all Caucasian) was lead to a four top next to our table by a server, they received menus and water immediately. We still hadn't received water or been asked if we wanted anything to drink. A group of two (both Caucasian) were lead to a four top on the other side of us by the same server who told us to "Find a spot." They were also given water and menus immediately. We still have yet to receive water or be asked if we wanted something to drink. After a few minutes, the servers took the orders of both groups that arrived after us. To recap: at this point, the people who arrived and were seated after us at seats next to ours, already had waters, were being brought drinks from the bar, and ordered food before we were served waters. We were finally brought waters, we considered finding a different spot for food but we were hungry and in a city we did not know, so we opted to stay and order food. The three top started to receive their order, which came at different times. And THEN our food came out, we both ordered the mac and cheese which was really tasty! The flavor profile was really good, and I felt like it was staying true to Hawaiian flavors. All in all, I don't know if it was just an off day or not. I hope it was just a coincidence, and not a race thing, but as a person of color, I did not feel welcome and I did not feel safe at the restaurant. If we were to stop there in the future, I think we'll just order our food to go and eat it elsewhere.

This is the best and most fun place in Florence. They don't take reservations so wait in a (hopefully) short line and enjoy a fantastic take on Hawaiian cuisine and sushi. Don't sleep on the special fried rice which has lots of delicious elements including shrimp and spam. Portions are large here so you may be taking some leftovers home. Also, great cocktails!