L&L Hawaiian Barbecue is preparing to make its Nashville debut, with franchise partners Alixander Soto and Erwin Corpuz targeting a mid-July opening at 5763 Nolensville Pike, Soto told WhatNow Nashville.
The upcoming restaurant will introduce local diners to the Hawaii-born brand, which is known for menu items such as Chicken Katsu, BBQ Mix Plates, Kalua Pork, Spam Musubi, and other island-inspired favorites.
According to Soto, a personal connection to Music City played a major role in bringing the concept to Middle Tennessee. “My wife was born and raised in Nashville,” Soto told WhatNow. “We thought, what better place to have it? And there’s nothing like it out here yet, so I think it’ll do really well.”
For Corpuz, the new restaurant is an opportunity to share a taste of Hawaii with a community that may be unfamiliar with the cuisine and culture. “I think we bring an islander vibe, so it saves you a trip going to Hawaii,” Corpuz said. “If you come to our restaurant, you’re coming to Hawaii already. I was born and raised in Hawaii, and we’d like to share that local food culture with the people in Nashville.”
Corpuz added that guests can expect scratch-made offerings prepared in-house. “Our food brings a lot of value,” he said. “It’s all scratch-made food, so it’s all made in-house.”
The Nashville location also brings together two longtime L&L Hawaiian Barbecue franchise operators. Corpuz said he has been involved with the brand since before it officially became a franchise in 2001 and has opened roughly 15 to 20 locations over the years. Soto’s history with the company dates back even further than his franchise ownership experience. “I started working with Erwin when I was 16,” Soto said. “When I turned 20, we got our first location together.”
While the Nolensville Pike restaurant will mark the partners’ first Tennessee location, they already have ambitious plans for the market. “We’re hoping to open at least five locations there,” Soto said. ”
Should the Nashville community embrace the concept, the partners say they would welcome opportunities for further expansion throughout the region.
