Side Street Inn
1225 Hopaka St
Honolulu, HI 96814
Yelp

Triple F really wanted to check out Side Street Inn.  I did my research and the food did not look all that interesting.  Large quantities of greasy fried stuff is not really my thing.  Smooth Obturator gave this place a strong endorsement so I put my prejudices aside and we made our way her for an early dinner.  We didn’t have a reservation and the place can get packed.

Ahi Poke
The place is known as a sports bar with “comfort food.”  It’s not really known for its fresh seafood, but wherever The Annoyer sees raw seafood he has to have it.  This was pretty average.  You might find better poke at Costco. 

Ocean Clams Sashimi
I’m not sure exactly what kind of clam this was, or if it was even fresh.  I had a high suspicion this was previously frozen.  It wasn’t fishy or off, it just had an odd texture and flavor.  I did not like this at all, but like I said, The Annoyer wants what he wants.  I can’t say he was a fan either.

“Award Winning” Side Style Fried Rice char siu, portuguese sausage & bacon, peas, carrots, green onions
Aside from the previous 2 disappointing dishes, we tried to stick with the recommended favorites.  The fried rice was not anything special.  I’m pretty sure Triple F, who isn’t much of a chef, could throw this together with the same results.

Sizzling Boneless Kalbi
I really loved the kalbi.  It was well seasoned, not too sweet or salty.  The meat was tender, but The Annoyer felt it was overcooked.  Keep in mind, The Annoyer prefers his beef rare, which is too raw for me.

Pan Fried Island Pork Chop
It’s hard to believe diners rave and rage over these pork chops.  If you didn’t get a piece that was fat adjacent, it was drier than I would have preferred.  The batter was light, so it wasn’t a total grease bomb.  The hype was just too much for totally average pork chops. 

In all honestly, Side Street Inn was a total “meh.”  The kalbi wasn’t enough to save this place.  My first impression based on just the pictures from Yelp was spot on.  The food is plentiful, heavy, and average quality.  It definitely fits the bill for a sports bar to provide comforting eats in large quantities with wall to wall flat screen TVs everywhere streaming all the latest games.  I remember Anthony Bourdain came here during an episode of “No Reservations” and really grubbed down.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the same enjoyment.

10 – You NEED to eat here
9 – Awesome
8 – Very good
7 – Good
6 – OK
5 – Average
4 – Not bad
3 – Not good
2 – Terrible
1 – Do NOT eat here