Guadalajara Grill has more genuine Mexican food than other place on the island, according to BYU-Hawaii students. The Mexican restaurant, located in Hukilau Marketplace at the Polynesian Cultural Center, is popular among both tourists and local residents. Some menu favorites they provide are grilled burritos of extra size, fish tacos, and fried ice cream.
La experiencia auténtica (the authentic experience)
Hans Nieto, a junior from Ecuador majoring in business management, said the food in the restaurant is similar with authentic Mexican food. “I haven't found a place in Oahu where the food is authentically Mexican. Guadalajara Grill is closer to authentic Mexican food. It’s the closest thing to heavenly food that I have here.”
Despite the expensive price of the food, Nieto said, he still likes to eat there. “The food is not 100 percent Mexican in my opinion, maybe it's because they don't have the same [type of] seasoning than in Mexico, but it’s still really good and it’s the closest thing to Latin America I have, I'm willing to pay for it.”
Steven Chen, a senior from Taiwan majoring in business management, said the restaurant had changed his feeling toward Mexican food. “When I tried Mexican for the first time, it didn’t impress me. It wasn’t the kind of flavor I like, but when I ate at Guadalajara Grill, I realized that this is the true taste of Mexican food. Whether it’s true Mexican food really matters.
“The meat is a bit crispy but tender at the same time, and no matter what you order, they add beans, peppers, guacamole, or sour cream. You have different ways of eating the same dish and the portion is always big. I personally love eating much and I’m satisfied when I eat here.”
Nikita Ramos, a staff working for the restaurant and a junior from Alaska studying anthropology and intercultural peacebuilding, said she always has confidence in asking customers how they like the food because based on past experience, she had always received positive feedback from tourists from different parts of the world.
She recalled, “We’ve had customers from Mexico, Texas, and California. They said ‘I know what Mexican food is like.’ So I asked them how they thought and whether what we needed to change anything, and they just said, “Oh, that was really good.’”
Nieto said the restaurant also gives him a little sense of being at home. “The most special thing of Guadalajara Grill is the Latino environment they provide in their tiny surroundings. I order food in my own language and the music that they provide is Latino too.”
La comida de la cultura (the food of the culture)
One of the best selling dishes is Red Raider Burrito, Ramos shared. “Everyone comes and gets it, especially the locals. It’s a massive burrito and it’s called ‘Red Raider,’ who is the mascot of Kahuku High School.
“It has a ton more food in it, it comes with salad, steak, grilled chicken, cheese, and red sauce. It’s a massive burrito. It’s big enough to split if you’re not too hungry,” Ramos continued.
Another famous dish is grilled fish taco even it’s not the most authentic Mexican food, Ramos explained. “It’s popular on the island because everyone wants to try the local or Polynesian-like food, so we have the grilled fish taco, it comes with homemade guacamole on top.”
Fried ice cream, an ice cream wrapped by a dough and deep-fried, is a special dessert available at the restaurant. Ramos explained the fried ice cream is only put in the oil for short time so while the dough is crispy, the ice cream inside is still not yet melted. The restaurant also provides a vegetable burrito, Mexican salad, and Mexican drinks.
When the owners were running the business on Kamehameha Highway, they were given an offer by PCC to move their restaurant to the Hukilau Marketplace. The owners accepted the offer because it’d be good for business, explained Ramos.
Check out Guadalajara Grill on their Facebook and Instagram.