Ankeny, Iowa, might be the last place you’d expect to find a deeply authentic Hawaiian plate lunch experience, but that’s precisely what makes Alohana Hawaiian Grill such a delightful, soul-warming discovery. 🌺
Tucked inside a strip mall at 802 SE Oralabor Road, this locally-owned Hawaiian restaurant in Iowa has been quietly serving up the flavors of the islands to a fiercely loyal community of Midwestern regulars who now refuse to get their Hawaiian food fix anywhere else.
How Alohana Hawaiian Grill Won Ankeny’s Hearts
Behind every great restaurant is a story, and Alohana Hawaiian Grill’s story begins with a woman from Oahu who refused to let the Midwest go without real Hawaiian food.
Owner Nay Baccam, who grew up in Hawaii, first brought her passion for authentic Hawaiian cuisine to Iowa several years ago when she launched an Alohana location in Clive. ❤️
When the right opportunity came along in Ankeny, Nay made her move — relocating the restaurant to its current home on SE Oralabor Road, where she knew greater foot traffic and a warmly supportive community would give the restaurant the platform it truly deserved.
The authenticity of the food itself has become the restaurant’s most powerful form of marketing.
Iowans who have never set foot in Hawaii have described taking their first bite of Alohana’s Kalua Pork and feeling like they were “at a luau” — a testament to the care and cultural respect that goes into every dish. 🏝️
Hawaiian transplants living in the Midwest have been even more effusive, with one diner saying simply: “Everything really tasted like I was back in Hawaii.”
That ability to transport people across thousands of miles through flavor alone is the quiet superpower of this unassuming Ankeny gem, and the most compelling reason why locals keep coming back week after week.
Real food, real aloha spirit, real community.
That is the whole beautiful story of how a hidden gem Hawaiian restaurant in the heart of Iowa became the kind of place that locals fiercely defend, enthusiastically recommend, and never, ever take for granted.
Food Highlights
Here are the must-try dishes straight from Alohana Hawaiian Grill’s menu — authentic, generous, and packed with island flavor:
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Hawaiian BBQ Mix: A generous combination of special marinated teriyaki beef, teriyaki beef rib, and teriyaki chicken, all grilled to perfection, and served with two scoops of steamed rice and a scoop of mac salad. 🍖
- Kalua Pork with Cabbage: Smoke-flavored, succulent pork slowly roasted to perfection and served with tender cabbage.
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Hawaiian BBQ Short Ribs: Marinated beef ribs grilled to perfection — one of the most indulgent and crowd-pleasing items on the entire menu. 🥩
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Chicken Katsu: Tender chicken deep-fried to a beautiful golden brown and complemented by Alohana’s world-famous katsu sauce, and served with steamed rice and a mac salad. 🍗
- Pineapple Chicken: Deep-fried skinless chicken topped with chunky pineapple, onion, and mixed vegetables in a sweet pineapple sauce. 🍍
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Loco Moco: A true Hawaiian comfort food icon — marinated beef patties topped with Alohana’s special brown gravy and a fried egg, with the option to swap in Spam for a true local-style experience. 🍳
- Saimin Noodle Soup: A beloved Hawaiian noodle soup and a true island staple — one of the most authentically Hawaiian items on the entire menu. 🍜
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Volcano Chicken: Tender chicken drenched in a secretly prepared spicy sauce and served with two scoops of steamed rice and mac salad. 🌋
Atmosphere
Alohana Hawaiian Grill delivers an atmosphere that is warm, lively, and unmistakably island-inspired — walk in and the décor, the aromas, and the energy immediately signal that you’ve arrived somewhere genuinely different from the usual Midwestern lunch spot. 🌺
One visitor noted that “the restaurant had nice décor — it made you feel like you were on the islands,” which is precisely the transportive experience that owner Nay Baccam has worked hard to create and protect across every detail of the space.
The vibe is relaxed, casual, and welcoming in the truest sense — a reflection of Nay herself, who greets guests personally, talks story, and makes every visitor feel like a valued part of the Alohana ohana. 🤙
It’s the kind of modest, community-driven dining room where the food does the talking and the genuine warmth of the people serving it does everything else.
Bottom Line
Alohana Hawaiian Grill is Iowa’s most authentic, locally-owned Hawaiian dining experience — run by a real Oahu native with genuine aloha spirit, generous island-style plates, a best-selling katsu that rivals anything on the islands, and a community that loves it fiercely. 🌺
Address:
802 SE Oralabor Road, Suite 128, Ankeny, IA 50021
📞 (515) 964-2800
🕔 Mon–Fri 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Sat 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Sun 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM