L&L Hawaiian Barbecue has opened a new location in Carlsbad. The opening marks the brand’s 100th location in California. The expansion reflects continued demand for Hawaiian and cross-cultural dining concepts in California. The brand’s plate lunch offerings also encourage repeat visits from customers.
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Hits Century with Carlsbad Opening
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue is the largest Hawaii-based restaurant chain, which has scaled significantly in California. The new Carlsbad restaurant opened on April 30, at 7610 Via Campanile, Ste. 142, within La Costa Town Square. The brand has hit a milestone with this opening.
Franchisee Chloe Tran owns the new Carlsbad location, as well as recent openings in Colton and Jurupa Valley. The restaurant will serve diners from Sunday through Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm and on Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 10 pm.
“California continues to be one of the strongest growth markets for L&L because the demand for Hawaii’s local-style cuisine is already deeply established,” said Josie Akana, vice president of franchising at L&L Hawaiian Barbecue.
L&L’s Carlsbad restaurant featured dine-in, takeout, mobile-app ordering, third-party delivery, and catering services. Guests can enjoy popular Hawaiian Plate Lunch featuring two scoops of rice, macaroni salad, and a choice of protein. Other menu items preferred by diners include BBQ Mix, Chicken Katsu, Kalua Pork with Cabbage, Loco Moco, and Garlic Shrimp.
Elisia Flores, chief executive officer of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, stated that reaching 100 locations is a proud moment for the brand.
Flores added, “California was the first location we chose to bring the Hawaiian Barbecue we love beyond Hawai‘i. That first expansion made Hawaii’s Plate Lunch more accessible to people who enjoy the flavors of the Islands, as well as those discovering them for the first time, without having to travel to Hawai‘i. What connects them is the comfort of local-style food and the feeling of aloha. For me, this milestone is also personal. My father came to Hawai‘i as an immigrant and, together with our co-founder Johnson Kam, helped build L&L from a local restaurant into a brand that now shares Hawaii’s Plate Lunch with communities around the world.”
Bringing Hawaiian Plate Lunch Culture to the Mainland
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue was established over 70 years ago as a small restaurant in Honolulu. Eddie Flores Jr. and Johnson Kam acquired the business in 1976. Under them, it gradually became a world-renowned restaurant chain.
The company introduced the signature Plate Lunch concept to the continental U.S. in 1999. This helped to popularize the term “Hawaiian Barbecue” among U.S. diners. The chain now has over 235 restaurants globally, and is expanding in several major markets, including California.
It offers island comfort food, which reflects the Japanese, Filipino, Chinese, Korean, and Hawaiian-inspired aspects of the local culture.
With emphasis on delicious servings, simple tastes, and the aloha spirit, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue has become one of the most popular brands in the emerging Hawaiian barbecue market.
