old kine da kine

[kimo55]

new eats?
or nu eatz?!

How bout ol kine kaukau...
remember Hot Dog Annie?

and a bald dude who went by the name Cosmo, I think...
he was on Kuhio, edge of a parking lot, had some kinda lunchwagon... catered, of course, to the hungry nitetime wandering hordes.
When hana at da Red Lion Pizza parlor, mid days, had one lunchwagon steh DH side of da Outrigger West, pull right up halfway on top da sidewalk, aole pilikia! shoots, was so ono, brok da mout.

ah, the various lunchwagons of old...

say goodby to the longgone tradition. hello to the long grumpy line at the Cheesecake Fuktory and soul-less Mcdonuchs experience!

[Da Rolling Eye]

Didn't have lunch wagons out this side.

After picking pineapple second shift, we'd pile in our cars and drive down to Scotties in Pearl City. Gonnahs.

A popular hangout after school in Wahiawa was Toppers Drive In. Gonnahs.

In the old days, Bigway Burger used to sell hamburgers 5 for a dollar. Gonnahs.

A dinner treat was to go down to Waialua and eat at Yamada's. Homestyle Japanese food. They had a soda fountain and old fashioned bar with a brass rail. All gonnahs. :(

[1stwahine]

Bet ya rememeber dis one Kimo, Red Seat Cafe on Hotel Steet!

Da Beef Stew and Cream Tuna ova toast! Yummy! No can beat! :D

Aloha Grill on Bethel Street

Seven Seas on Hotel Street

Paradise Cafe on Hotel Street

Rainbow Fountain, a-1 bakery, Three Sisters all in Aala Park

ooh, I could go on and on!!!!

Da good ole days!!! :(

Auntie Lynn

[kimo55]

I unnastan still get planny cream tuna Hotel st. side, eh?!

[Moto]

Veal Cutlet at Tenney Center Tavern in Ewa (long gone) and having drinks after completing my classes at UH at the Kuhio Grille. Sometimes had to stand in line till one table opened up.

[pzarquon]

Oddly enough, I just got this query via e-mail. Any ideas?What was the name of the opened diner (this was a real '50s restaurant) on the corner of Bishop Street and North King Street downtown Honolulu. Individual sitting on round swivel stools. It was across Long's Drugs, Alexander Young Hotel and Russell's Men Shop.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Ai, Kimo, you bad. ;)

Aunty, used to have one place on the oceanfront on Nimitz near Maunakea, a block or two. Had da bes rib steaks. I forget da name.

Kapiolani Cafe (?). When they were on Kapiolani Blvd. A biker friend took me there and ordered the oxtail soup and fried rice....for himself. Being it was my first time there, I dittoed it. He had to roll me out. :D They moved to a bowling alley in Kalihi and the food got junk. :(

Don't forget the old family favorites. Flamingo Kapiolani and Flamingo Chuckwagon. I miss the fried chicken. Pearl City Tavern.

More recently, Wisteria. I used to like their prime rib.

Yeah, Kuhio Grille had the best pupus.

Shakeys on University and Dole when one could get Primo dark on draught.

Mama Mia's on University used to have the best hot subs. The guys over there now never heard of it.

[Da Rolling Eye]

What was the name of the opened diner (this was a real '50s restaurant) on the corner of Bishop Street and North King Street downtown Honolulu. Individual sitting on round swivel stools. It was across Long's Drugs, Alexander Young Hotel and Russell's Men Shop.

Wasn't there a Woolsworth somewhere around there? They used to have a sit down restaurant as well as counter seating. Or maybe I'm a block away. :confused:

For some reason I vaguely remember a restaurant like that where the front was all open to King St. Had a long counter and round stools. This is going to bother me. :D

[1stwahine]

Oddly enough, I just got this query via e-mail. Any ideas?

PZ, I'm trying to figure out N.King and Longs, Russells, Hotel, Alexander Young. Nothing comes to mind. The only thing closest would be the Diner that was next to the old King Theater where the Beef Curry was excellent.

They moved when the Building was torn down across the street for a couple of years.

Auntie Lynn

Da Rolling Eye, I remember dem steaks too! It was downtown's lilttle secret! ;)

Update: I recieved a call from a very dear friend. The resturant was called "Swanky's" Located diagonally from Longs and across from Russells. Her Dear Husband sold newspapers directly in front of it. hee hee Talk about good source of information!!! :p
(Mahalo S and DH) ;)

[adrian]

Man, we need to get together and just go out and grind sometime.

I just ate dinner, and after reading this, I'm hungry!

[1stwahine]

Man, we need to get together and just go out and grind sometime.

I just ate dinner, and after reading this, I'm hungry!

No worry Adrian! Our Annual Picnic should be coming up SOON!!

Yeah, Ryan? :D

Auntie Lynn

[Da Rolling Eye]

Swanky's? Hmmm. Well that was small kid time and I never noticed the signs, come to think of it. We used to come to town for Christmas shopping and special occasions. Liberty House, McKinerny(sp?), Woolsworth, Longs Drugs and others already mentioned.

Da Rolling Eye, I remember dem steaks too! It was downtown's lilttle secret!

Yeh, but what was da name? Something like Liberty Grille. They been gone a long time now, yeah? I remember it being kinda filthy, being on a main road and all. Didn't smell all that great either, but the steak would hang over the edge of the plate and was cooked just the way you order it.

Speaking of steaks. Used to have a good place in Hilo and later moved out Mountain View side somewhere's, just off the hwy. I think they're gone now and can't quite remember the name. They seat you and the waitress asks, "...and how would you like your steaks?" And we'd go, "Hah?". And she explains that New York steaks for the women and Porterhouse for the men, they just need to know how we want them cooked. Then she'd go away and come back with one big bowl of salad and a bottle of dressing. Her next trip would bring a big bowl of rice. Last would be the steaks, hot off the grill and hanging over the sides of the plate. Huge. :) Maybe that new guy from Hilo can chime in on this one. ;) ...and is Frank's Foods still in business? :D

[kimo55]

open air... hmmm. all I can think of is the wide open woolworths diner 1045 or so, fort st...

and there was the King Smith Diner...

there was a State Cafe at 209 King, but dass ewa of nuuanu river.

[kimo55]

Mama Mia's on University used to have the best hot subs. The guys over there now never heard of it.
ya mean da peeps at magoo's?

Remember when there was a magoo's on kalakaua just DH of Tony's ribs? where that moped place is now? And Tony's was a mexican restaurant.
And the South seas Village was just down from there, next to another Mexican restaurant.

But before all dat, one o my first jobs was age 15 at da Original Pancake House Waiakamilo S.C. It is still there...

[1stwahine]

From my reliable sources again! The name of the Steak place was Tasty Grill located on Maunakea and Nimitz. :)

The old Liberty Grill was on Ft. Street which then became Ft. Street Mall. Now it's on Union Mall. Same great food. Remember when they had the old style old Juke Box where you put the money in and the operator (DJ) would play the song and you could dedicate to whomever you wanted to? Every resturant had the machine.

then they had the little ones installed on counters a few years after that when rock and roll started to be the fad.

ahhh... the good ole days! ;)

...das Looong time ago!

the telephone no ring, no ring, no ring, no ring! :D

ooops! Can not forget The old Alakea Grill! The food there was great! One thing about the old time Resturants - can not beat the prices das foa sure. The food was homestyle cooking!

[kimo55]

We usta go La Paloma at 1216 Kapiolani. da bestest Mexican food.

[1stwahine]

We usta go La Paloma at 1216 Kapiolani. da bestest Mexican food.

I usta go to MAMA'S on N. School Street foa Chile Verde! BYOB wuz great! :p


before I hit the sack, I remember The Black Angus!
...many a dates, no man ever ate my steaks on a first date there! :p
hahahahaha
Auntie Lynn :D

[kimo55]

then they had the little ones installed on counters a few years after that when rock and roll started to be the fad.

about 1970 or so, lived about 7 blocks up Liliha from Vineyard, Dh side... often went into da cafe what looked like it hadn't changed since the late 50's and even now, it is still there. looking the same. usta feed those lil jukeboxes on da tables. listen to "hey paula". it really felt like a decade or so earlier.
THAT is when i usta work at Mama's Mexican Kitchen... Aunty, I made yer chile rellanos!
Also worked at da Ena rd one, too. Pink Cadillac fills that space now.
Now, Mahalo Antiques mall is there. Popped in there a few weeks ago talked story with george who owns it, said I... usta cook right here... Served tables that were right over here... was just looking at my super 8 footage of that place in those days the other day.

[1stwahine]

about 1970 or so, lived about 7 blocks up Liliha from Vineyard, Dh side... often went onto da cafe what looked like it hadn't changed since the late 50's and even now, it is still there. looking the same. usta feed those lil jukeboxes on da tables. listen to "hey paula". it really felt like a decade or so earlier.

That would be Janes Fountain! The lil jukeboxes are gone but they have a regular size one in the back. :) Same decor. Same original clock since it opened.

Great Local Foods

Auntie Lynn

:eek: You worked at MAMA'S? nO WAY! I loved their FOOD! I refuse to believe you worked there - you are just trying to make me upset. Nah, it's cool! I sure miss their style of cooking! Plan on having any parties soon? ;)

[kimo55]

before I hit the sack, I remember The Black Angus!
speakin of steak houses, I also worked at the Bum Steer. Nashville Waikiki is there now. This was mid seventies.
Carl Racey owned it.
This was when da streaking craze was helpin air out alotta musky regions. I aired too.

[1stwahine]

speakin of steak houses, I also worked at the Bum Steer. Nashville Waikiki is there now. This was mid seventies.
Carl Racey owned it.
This was when da streaking craze was helpin air out alotta musky regions. I aired too.

I thought dat wuz you Kimo! Wow! Steak and BUTT never change! :eek: ROFLMAO :p

Auntie Lynn ;)

[pzarquon]

Thanks for the research on the query about Swanky's. I've passed it along, and invited the inquirer to join the reminiscing here.

Liberty Grill? There is a Liberty Grill, still, on Union Mall, though most likely not the Liberty Grill y'all are remembering. Some of my coworkers go there. It definitely feels like a restaurant stuck back in time (complete with chipped glassware and sticky floors), with a homestyle menu and an interesting cast of characters...

And speaking of restaurants named Black Angus... we just ate at Stuart Anderson's Cattle Company over the weekend and noticed its franchise name is Black Angus Steakhouse (http://www.blackangus.com/). Yeah, we don't get out much.

[1stwahine]

PZ, The Liberty Grill, as I stated earlier is also on Union Mall. It is the one that was originally on Fort Street Mall. The original owners sold the resturant to the current owner. The menu however, remains the same.

The soups are all homestyle! :D

As for the characters? :p hahahahaha

Auntie Lynn

[Da Rolling Eye]

Tasty Grill! Mahalo Aunty. :)

Chile Verde is my all time fave Mex food.....and Kimo knows how to cook it? Da recipe, Bruddah! :D

Did you know that Liberty House used to have a cafeteria on the top floor back in the 50's? Mom used to take us up there for lunch as my Grandmother was a cook. I don't know if it was only for employees, but it closed down probably before 1960. ;)

And on King St. around the block from Fort St. used to have a big Japanese dept. store. I remember going in there to look at the kites.

Wow da memories. We used to come to town by way of Nimitz and used to pass the train yards at the cannery and oil refinery. You could lie down in the back of that big'ol green Ford stationwagon and know exactly where you were by the smell and tire sounds over the tracks. Yeah, it was stink. :D

[kimo55]

And on King St. around the block from Fort St. used to have a big Japanese dept. store. I remember going in there to look at the kites.

yea. got some ooollld footage of that somewhere just watched a while back. big facade with verticle lines and huge letters. Gotta watch it again, remind myself what it was...

[1stwahine]

Hold on to your seats. I'm gonna take you on a little time travel...by Aala Park way. Across the Iwilei Train Depot, was a resturant that belonged to a well known Dentist during that era. Dr. Chang. He owned several businesses. Infact, he also built the Jade Building (the round building) which is still standing in Kaimuki. The resturant had everything. From ice cream, hotcakes to complete dinners. A grocery and Drug Store was also located inside. After the fall of Aala Park, Dr. Chang moved his bussinesses across the street until that too became another project of the city to be torn down for progress. Another great resturant that is gone is Railroad Inn where they served humongous Muffins and the Best Beef Stew I ever tasted. My taste for foods and my ability to cook is a combination of everything I have acquired during my lifetime. I have the gift of taste and know how to make from scratch. I don't hold my secrets of cooking. I share so that it will always be carried on.

I love this thread. I will definitely share more...in time. ;)

Auntie Lynn

[Creative-1]

From my reliable sources again! The name of the Steak place was Tasty Grill located on Maunakea and Nimitz. :)


I was wondering if anyone would mention my old fave: It was Tasty Broiler (not Grill) on Maunakea and Nimitz. When I went UH back in the 70s, a bunch of us would go there for lunch.

Soup, salad, entree, drink and desert for $3-4, and the entrees were steaks, chops an li' dat. Sooooo good.

You know, they've moved to the Leeward Bowl, but it's not the same.

Another favorite was the old King Tsin (King near Kalakaua).
Whatever chef they had back in the mid-70s sure could cook!

I'd love to have the naan bread again from the Third Floor. Was soooo ono.

Someone mentioned Swanky's. The first Spencecliff restaurant in Hawaii was Swanky Franky's - a hot dog place across Ena Street from Wailana Coffee House - in 1939. They later had one downtown.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Crouching Lion Inn. Still there. The restaurant menues have the story of how the place came to be. Wood was brought in from the Pacific Northwest, carted over the Koolaus and hand built.

Sometimes I suggest this place for dining and people look at me funny kine. Dey get restront? Yeah. Whenever I go, we always start dinner with their honey shrimp, then go right into their Slavonic Steak, a nice hunk of sirloin seared then thinly sliced and quickly sauteed in garlic and herb butter at your table. Rich! End dinner with malasada icecream for dessert. Malasadas filled with vanilla icecream. They wrap a ball of ice cream with the malasada dough then deep fry it. Hootah!

After my divorce, I had many a date there. Good memories. Goooooood memories. :D A moonlit walk along the shoreline at Kualoa Park always helped to relieve some of that heavy feeling after eating all that meat. ;)

[D'Alani]

yea. got some ooollld footage of that somewhere just watched a while back. big facade with verticle lines and huge letters. Gotta watch it again, remind myself what it was...

Wasn't the name Musashiya, and then moved to Ala Moana Center near Sears where Old Navy is now.