Our grandmother was from a generation when 100% native Hawaiians were still somewhat easily found. With a home near the top of Aliamanu Heights we enjoyed the wonderful view from Diamond Head to the Waianae Mountain range. We and her other mo'opuna would spend the summer school break at her home for days at a time. On occasion she would take us to her Hawaiian food restaurant of choice, Helana's. With fond memories it is always a heartwarming experience to dine there. Untainted by Oahu's gentrification the moments, laughter and Ono food we shared makes every visit to Helena's a magical place, with Aloha from those "Days Gone By".....

Wow! Super fast service and I can see why this place is a must visit while in Oahu! The short ribs are very different from anywhere else.

Helena's was recommended to me and I was told is a must go for traditional Hawaiian food. Parking is a pain here. We circled around the side streets and ended up parking a few streets over. Luckily there wasn't a wait when we came. We were seated immediately and the girl was so friendly and explained everything to us when we said it was our first time visiting. We ended up ordering the menu D to split between 2 people and added a side of macaroni salad. Food came out almost immediately after ordering which was very impressive. Food wise, I was most impressed by the short ribs. It was so flavorful and had the perfect amount of fat. I was not a fan of the lomi salmon, squid, or poi. We actually didn't finish these 3 dishes. I feel their food is more on the saltier side. They give a plate of salt to dip the meat into but it was totally unnecessary because everything was already so flavorful. The price was pretty steep for the small portions. We were still hungry when we left which gave me a good excuse to get some dessert. Overall a pretty good experience to try some traditional Hawaiian food but I probably would not come back again.

The outside is nondescript. The building that houses Helena's looks a bit old but don't let that deter you. Find parking, take a leap of faith and go through the door because what they offer you is a comprehensive experience of excellent, authentic Hawaiian food and hospitality. They greet you enthusiastically as you enter and seat you immediately. Because we were new to their setup, we abdicated all decision-making to them. They took one look at us and started naming dishes they intuited we would like. In minutes, they placed multiple dishes on our table. It all looked and smelled so yummy. We got the poi, the beef short ribs pipikaula style, the lomi salmon, the onions with salt, the fried fish, the macaroni salad, and the luau squid. Everything was so tasty and satisfying. You know everyone in your entire party loves the food when nobody is talking and everyone is busy reaching over and grabbing seconds and thirds. Let me tell you - we snarfed all that food down in minutes. The squid was surprisingly good. It looked dark and mushy but I ladled it over my rice and I could not believe what my taste buds told me. I had to order more because I couldn't get enough of it. It was just incredible! The star of the show was the short ribs. They aren't greasy but retained so much of the flavor. I think it's because the folks at Helena's hang them and allow the fat to drip off as it cooks. It's not chewy or tough at all. They've mastered the technique of finding a good balance between rendering a lot of the fat but retaining enough of it for flavor and tenderness. This place was one of the biggest revelations about Honolulu and we plan on coming back to this restaurant to enjoy more meals here. Their hospitality and warmth are unmatched. And once you've had their food, you won't stop talking about it with each other. So unforgettable.

The restaurant is small and modest , located in an area which doesn't look so nice. There is few parking and the service is very good. Besides the location and modest interior the food is very good so if you want to try real Hawaiian food this is the place to try it. Portions are on the smaller side. We tried the following and all were really good; LauLau.- very good. Lomi Salmon Pipikaula Short Ribs.- I was amazed of how tender they were and the flavor was so good. Fried Ahi Macaroni Salad Luau Squid.- really loved it. Definitely you must try this place, check their schedule since it isn't open every day and they close early.

If you want some authentic Hawaiian food, Helena's is one of the best places you can go! [Location] Helena's has limited parking out front that is shared with other businesses. There seems to be some free street parking close by. I don't recall seeing a restroom inside. Modest exterior and interior--that's how you know the food speaks for itself. [Service] Every single person who works here radiates aloha without trying. You truly feel at home here, like you're at your aunty's home. If it's your first time visiting, don't be afraid to tell the server. I did and the waitress provided a little rundown of the menu. [Food] The pipikaula was my personal favorite. Delicious and generous portions. I loved the lau lau, kalua pork, mac salad and chili water. The lomi salmon was good with the heftier dishes. I'm not a big fan of coconut but the haupia was nice and refreshing. The onion slices dipped in Hawaiian salt was good too! You can order from one of the Menus (recommend for one person) or order Ala Carte.

Came here again because we wanted hawaiian food. I'm glad to be pipikaula is still the same flavor however everything else wasn't that great. Husband ordered a kalua pig and chicken long rice combo with poi and it came with lomi, raw onion and haupia. Tried a bite of the kalua pig and it lacked seasoning. Lomi salmon had scales in it, it started to become annoying pulling it off my tongue. Chicken long rice was a tad watered down. Which ended up making it less like chicken long rice. I passed on the haupia just by the look of it. And I was sad the poi was really sour. The best thing on this table was pipikaula and fried ahi. Service was great though! Friendly and welcoming. I know what's my go to now day when ordering here.