Waikiki Grass Shack Bistro, Honolulu, HI USA

Ordered and enjoyed at a beachside shack in Waikiki, Hawaii.

My 3rd business trip to Hawaii, I took the nonstop flight from Boston (again). Depart at 8am, and you’re on the beach by 2pm, super easy. This would be my 6th time in Waikiki specifically – a destination I always enjoy, and one that is perhaps the best “urban beach” in the world.

I want to take a moment and reflect on the myriad of people who complained that “Hawaii is too far!” when I told them I was going there from Boston. The amount of people who said they preferred the Caribbean over Hawaii… this surveying taught me so much about Hawaii’s perception among New Englanders, but I came up with a great metaphor while on my most recent trip to the archipelago:

For a Bostonian to prefer the Caribbean over Hawaii is like saying “Why go skiing out west, we have great mountains in New England!”

I get there’s a major convenience factor flying from the North East to the West Indies, but, Hawaii is something else, far beyond what you can experience a few hours from Boston…

But I digress, this review is about club sandwiches, and not comparing global destinations!

I had one lunch during my trip to Hawaii that wasn’t work related, so I looked for club sandwiches near my hotel that I hadn’t had before… I’ve enjoyed my fair share of club fare in Waikiki, so I perused the beachside dining establishments for an offering I had not come across before.

The Waikiki Beach Shack came highly recommended according to Google.  Fresh made food with live Hawaiian music overlooking an active beach and ocean full of locals and tourists, someone pinch me. I ordered my meal and was in no rush for it to be delivered; life on pause, taking in the moment!

I sat out in the sun, the music behind me and the waves in front of me, and made the retainer wall my picnic spot for this quick meal, eager to enjoy the Kai Club Sandwich.

Lots of lettuce, a tender ripe tomato, a few thin layers of turkey, and a strip of smokey bacon, all sandwiched together with under-toasted ciabatta… it was a great club sandwich using solid ingredients, but nothing special or exciting. It didn’t really reflect the moment, even though I enjoyed the flavors of each bite down. The special ingredient being the sriracha aioli – I couldn’t really taste it, perhaps not enough sriracha in it, but I did like the effort.

A lovely meal in a lovely location, I would 100% go back to the Waikiki Beach Shack, although I’d probably opt to eat something else next time…

Location