Pinky’s Pupu Bar and Grill

Ok place to grab some drinks. The Moku Manus are the way to go.
Has a good happy hour for drinks, but the food has fallen short. The hours of operation are frustrating and unfortunately the energy is silent to none. Has great potential, but needs to be revamped as a whole.

The food was horrible. Fake cheese nachos, uncooked dynamite shrimp, rubbery calamari, and slightly palatable artichoke dip. I can’t even say that the beer was good, because my first glass tasted salty. My boyfriend and I left hungry.

Bleh. My boyfriend and I were driving back from North Shore to Honolulu. We stopped here because we were trying to find a place that was adult-​friendly, had drinks, and wasn’t too sports-​bar-​ish. Welp, we ended up at a type of sports bar, with families, and with a bartender that couldn’t care less to make a good drink, or know or care how to (it seemed).
I ordered the Cesar salad with dressing on the side, because that’s my go-​to when nothing else seems worth it, and my boyfriend got the chef salad. When we got our food, we looked around the place. Ugly décor, dry colors, and a super sterile bar that looked unfriendly in the way that it looks like a place that has a bar and doesn’t know what to do with it. Towards the end of my salad I dipped my fork into the salad dressing cup and what came out of the bottom? The lid for the salad dressing bottle. I placed the plastic circle on the side of my plate and shoved it to the end of the bar. Normally, I’d complain but it was all so crappy I didn’t even want to make things worse. I just wanted to pay and get out of there. It wasn’t hair… but it was gross. The bartender/​server grabbed my plate, paused with the plate in hand looking at the plastic piece for a second, then continued on his non-​caring way to put it into the dish bin below. Whatever. We both looked at each other and asked for our bill and left. Never to return.
Go here if you want terribly average (or below average) food/​drink, atmosphere, and service.

I love the new picky the owner is very sweet and welcoming with a big smile. The food and drinks are amazing. All the workers are really nice. It’s not like the old pinky where you are getting sick because it is unsanitary. These new owners did a lot the great atmosphere great food great to be around. I love what they did it’s a brand new people and new picky.

Horrible service, marginal food. Not much else to say about it, but need more words to post…

Had a safety check at chevron across the street and haven’t decided to come back since the new owners bought the place. Lacks the style it used to have. This spot is now a ghost town. Nobody here. My favorite drink the Moku Manu lacked of liquor (the usual cherry and pineapple topping) as well as flavor. Seems like the owner is now serving food and drinks at the bar with only 2 staff working. Absolutely loved the old Pinkys style and staff, but the new one I can say I will not come back.

First time I have been here since my last review, ONLY because my near and dear friend got me a ticket for Paint Night! Truth be told I was EXTREMELY hesitant to the food and service. I will say right now — they are fighting to get their reputation back up. I walked in, went to my friend. Waitress was immediately accommodating with extra chair, even set up a bigger table for us. That’s a huge plus! I didn’t want to delay my friends food as they were all having their pious — so I excused myself and went to the bar. Bar tender VERY accommodating! I asked if they had any specials left. She was able to work a deal with me, which made my night complete! I paid up and sat with the gals until our Paint Night party started. What a treat!
The diner feel is completely gone! All tables and chairs (albeit pink laminate looking table tops — not exactly my first color of choice, but I’m game for new). Also new brighter lighting! What a difference, all new paint — and it is bright and cheery.
New TV screens added to the bar area, so you don’t have to be tuned in to one event only; and the volume was a courtesy level so you could talk and hear, not shout!
My friends had ordered some food — fried calamari; fried coconut shrimp, and a salad. Salad I posted a pic of, and everyone raves on the dressing. I had one of the shrimp. Hot, moist, fresh!
The waitress working around our event, was spot on! She did not make one mistake, and was all over whatever we needed be it water, more ice, some extra snacks — she had it!
Suffice to say maybe Pinky’s is coming around with all the new stuff. Yes I think I will try again.

Pinky’s is such a great location for those on the Marine Corps Base and Kalaheo Hillside! I was just there Friday and had yummy Kalua pig nachos, and wonderful mushrooms fried in IPA beer. They were both delicious. Also had a great Mai Tai. There will always be a few hiccups when changing management & menus. Show some aloha and give Pinky’s another chance! There is a sports bar and a family style restaurant. The owner and staff are all very pleasant and eager to please!

Crappy Service will never go back… Tried it 4 times had high hopes for this place. It has a perfect location and when you drive by your like wow I want to go there. Service is the worst though and hasn’t gotten better even when I kept coming back. Appetizers took an hour to even get to us and shock top was flat. The bartender needs to learn how to pour she wasted a lot of beer. Means money down the drain.
If the service was better this place might have a chance.

The new owner is running this place (which I’ve always loved into the ground. Gone are the tiki torches and relaxing atmosphere. Replaced by abrasive bright lights like a car lot. It used to be tucked a way and now it’s lit up with spot lights. So atmosphere is gone but so is the great food. There used to be local dishes at reasonable prices but it’s now average run of the mill food with high prices.
This was the restaurant my husband and I had date night at for years and where we had family reunions. I hope they figure out what made it special and return to it.

The service at this place couldn’t be worse if they tried. I worked in the service industry for many years, so I generally have a lot of patience, but this was inexcusable.
Pinkys is right down the street from me and I walked there last Saturday around 8. My boyfriend got a drink at the bar while I was in the bathroom. When I got back, I was told I couldn’t sit at the bar because I didn’t have my ID even though I was only ordering a diet coke. I’m 30.
A girl took us to a table and got us some drinks, telling us that another girl would be right with. We waited a long time for the other girl to come over. It was dead, by the way. A boy (I think he was the busser) brought our food out. We asked for appetizer plates and some Bleu cheese for the wings. Waited another decade for him to bring these items out. We saw the girl who took our order wandering aimlessly around the other side of the restaurant but she never checked on us. We never got a chance to order more drinks. The busser eventually brought us our check after another long wait.
I’m still confused how exactly this place could suck so badly. They had at least five employees on the floor, and probably only about four tables in the restaurant. They all must have been just hanging out in the back.
It’s a shame because we’ve gone to Pinky’s before and had great service at the bar from a guy from Louisiana. We’ll never go back unless we spot him working.

The ribs were fantastic! Large meaty & tender, great sauce.
My friend had the pulled pork sandwich, they brought out four sauces to choose from, so I tried some too, wish I could’ve had both entrees.
You just don’t find good southern style bbq anywhere, and they nailed it!
The Longboard’s were cold, and Tammy & they others kept our waters full too. I thought the service was very attentive, especially for a Sunday night, so I’ll be back!

We were visiting friends in Kaneohe and they suggested that we go here. My friends wife wasn’t too excited about it, which should have given us a clue about the food.
Food wise, it could have been better. It’s about the level of an Applebees or Denny’s, so nothing to write home to Mom about.
Service, that’s where they set the standard very low.
The food comes out sporadically, not even close to serving the table at one time.
My friend had to ask for the soup he ordered 3 times.
After we ordered and after the food arrived must have been times when the server went on a break because she never came to visit us.
Next time we’re in town I’ll make sure we go somewhere else.
If you’re going to eat in Kaneohe, make sure you go somewhere else.

We stopped here on the drive back to Honolulu. The food was good. People friendly. Lots of tvs for watching sports. Nothing exciting, but it was solid and good.
We had pork sliders and steak appetizer. It was good. The sliders were very tasty.

This restaurant is plagued with terrible service. Given the location, I’d settle for poor to mediocre — but this is truly abysmal; the waitstaff actually ignore you. No wonder it’s empty.
I downloaded this app and established an account — JUST to post this review.

A large group of us went to Pinky’s on a Friday night and it was a disappointing night out. The server tried her best to keep up, but the drinks were slow to arrive and the beers weren’t cold. The food, happy hour pupus, were an even larger disappointment. Pinky’s raised their prices and shrank the portions. Not to mention… everything was slow in arriving at our table.
While the renovations looks nice, the slow delivery of food and drinks were a huge disappointment from the past.
The live music was good… but it doesn’t make up for the horrible experience we all had. Thank goodness the company was great!
I will not be back. I heard that Pinky’s had gone down hill, and now I confirmed it! Good luck!

Outstanding! Pinky’s has finally turned the corner. The new management’s improvements have definitely made a difference. I started coming here 10 years ago, and this is the best I have ever seen it.
We ordered the bacon/​asparagus pupu, pasta putaesca (chicken added), fish tacos with pineapple salsa, and a cheeseburger. Portions were generous, and everything tasted fantastic.
Service was prompt, professional, and friendly.
Pinky’s in now one of our best family dining options in Kailua.

Went here last night & it was great! Our waitress was so nice & checked up on us frequently! For appetizers, I ordered the calamari. I wish it was more crunchy but the sauce and seasoning were delicious! I also ordered the Kalua Pig Nachos & wow they were AMAZING!!! I absolutely loved it! If you come here, you must get that. I ordered a Shirley Temple & it was very watery so I wouldn’t recommend getting that. My mom ordered their burger & she liked it! It was just how she wanted & she ate it in no time! Overall, great place to dine!

I can not stress this enough… If things don’t always go as they should, it’s the SERVICE RECOVERY that can make all the difference.
Let me start with I have gone to Pinkys for years, hell I even worked there at one point under the original owners. After the old school managers and chefs left (Ian, Mary, Keola) the place was going down hill. I completely understand that with new ownership comes a fresh new look and a fresh new team.
Anyway… We walked in and to our surprise they had live music (nice touch). Although it was a little loud for a dinning setting the artist was simply amazing. We did ask them if there was a way to turn it down, and they let the artist know and also offered to move us. But we felt any other seat would have been the same so we stayed put.
The menu slimmed down ALOT. So my parents ordered pupus while my son and I stuck to burgers. We also ordered wine and I had the mojito. Not the best mojito as I could barely taste the mint (and all leaves looked intact)
Then the food started coming out… My mom asked for Kalua pig on the side of her nachos and unfortunately they came with. While we waited for her order to arrive our food sat on the table. Sorry we are that family that waits for everyone to have their food in order to eat.
Our server (Milton I think) came around and noticed it was taking extremely long and that the rest of our food was now sitting. Without even asking he apologized profusely and took the nachos off the check! Then brought my parents 2 complimentary glass’ of wine. Wow! Nice recovery but it gets better. The manager (Shelly) then came to our table and sat with us to find out where they missed the mark. She graciously took our feedback from the music, to the menu, to the order mix up and even answering my suggestion about turning it into a bar after 10pm lol (damn neighbors this would be a sick bar for Kailua). Any way she spent time to hear us out and left us in smiles.
Then Shelly brought over a yummy ice cream brownie dessert which sent us over the edge! WOW PINKYS WAY TO GO THE EXTRA MILE! I started off thinking… Yep I gave it another shot and you failed me… To now thinking that was an amazing turn of events. If that is their management style then I will for sure be back. It may not always be about how the night starts, but really how it ends. My totally judgmental mother left the restaurant hugging Milton and Shelly (the comp wine was a very smart move lol)
My dad and I are both in the hotel industry and we were very impressed with the Service Recovery, attention and thoughtfulness of the two wonderful people we met tonight. Thank you guys and we look forward to coming back again. :)
I’m compelled to update my review with this disclaimer… If you (customer) are disappointed or need something, speak up. Let your server know how they can help turn the situation around. BUT If you (customer) are a jerk don’t expect much help. As I mentioned I am in the service industry and no one likes a jerk. A kind customer is more inclined to receive positive attention and swift action while a crappy customer will receive nothing but the bill. No matter how much you threaten a company with Unilocal reviews! Cheers!

Used to come to the bar lots with my late Aunt and actually enjoyed the scooners of flat beer… it seriously goes down smoother. I came in last week with a friend and they said the beer on tap wasn’t flat but a touch on the warm side.
The TV placements are a bit high but I don’t think that can be helped. We ordered Kalua pig nachos and it was delish. The atmosphere was fun and joyous for a Wednesday and the location can’t be beat. I definitely noticed an improvement and look forward to adding a star in subsequent reviews.