-REVIEW-
The latest addition to the Gretna food scene has arrived. The new Hawaiian Bros Island Grill, located near the Gretna Walmart, off Highway 370, officially opens today.

To give locals a preview, Hawaiian Bros gave out their selection of “plate” meals for free on March 15 and 16. This caused huge lines, stretching from the restaurant to the highway. However, this did not deter customers from coming to try the restaurant for the first time. While the service exceeded expectations, everything else fell short.

Hawaiian Bros has a selection of seven different plate meals, which includes one entree with an additional “mixed plate” for those who want two entrees. These meals come in small, classic and large sizes. Depending on the size selected, these plates also come with the choice of a side of white rice, macaroni salad, pineapple or seasoned vegetables.

The Huli Huli Chicken meal and the Honolulu Chicken meal immediately stood out as they didn’t feel like fast food. While it was ready quickly, it resembled something that would’ve taken much longer to make, and it came out very fresh. However, the Huli Huli Chicken and the Honolulu Chicken didn’t have many differences, posing the question of why they were two different meals in the first place. That being said, nothing about the meals made me want to dine here again.

Another issue was the pricing. While Hawaiian Bros provided free meals on March 15 and 16, seeing the normal pricing on the menu further caused disinterest in dining there again. A classic plate lunch was priced at $11.95, which seemed like a lot considering it only fed one person. Additionally, these meals did not come with a drink, meaning customers would have to pay even more if they wanted one.

While the food was lackluster, the service was the opposite. Even with the employees having to direct the huge lines, they still greeted every customer with a smile on their faces and were patient with anyone who had questions about the menu. They also gave every customer a free Dole Soft Serve sample, which was an added bonus.

Overall, there is a lot that missed the bar with the new Hawaiian Bros. While I didn’t personally enjoy it very much, the restaurant already holds a five-star rating on Yelp from those who had the chance to visit it. With the location officially opening today, anyone wanting to try something new should check it out and see how they like it.