Finally, this popular restaurant chain in Kansas City has its first Wichita site

Carrie Rengers
·2 min read

Last summer, Dining With Denise first reported that the Hawaiian Bros Island Grill chain of Hawaiian plate lunches would be coming to Wichita, likely by the end of 2024.

Now, the Wichita-based Ohana Restaurant Group confirms the city’s first Hawaiian Bros will open in the Plazzio development at 13th and Greenwich this fall. The restaurant will be near Chicken N Pickle.

This is one of two restaurants the group plans here.

If you spend much time in Kansas City, you’ve probably driven past a Hawaiian Bros restaurant and noticed its ubiquitous ocean-blue building and signature sign accented with a pineapple.

The chain is a fast-casual concept that specializes in what it calls a simple menu with plate lunches, which are a staple in Hawaii and most often are found on roadside stands or hole-in-the-wall restaurants. They typically come with different types of protein, a serving of mayonnaise-based macaroni salad and two scoops of white rice.

Hawaiian Bros’ plates have a variety of chicken with spicy, sweet and savory sauces along with slow-roasted pork and macaroni salad.

Last year, the fast-growing chain announced it had signed its fourth franchise agreement with Ohana Restaurant Group. Zach Fugate, who runs the Pizza Hut division of his family’s Fugate Enterprises, is the principal in charge of operations and real estate for Ohana. He owns the restaurant group with his cousins, brothers Nick and Nathan Blasi, who own Marine World in Wichita.

The group already has a franchise Hawaiian Bros site in Springdale, Ark., and plans to develop seven more sites in four markets.

The Hawaiian Bros Island Grill fast-casual restaurant chain’s first Wichita site will be at the Plazzio development at 13th and Greenwich.
The Hawaiian Bros Island Grill fast-casual restaurant chain’s first Wichita site will be at the Plazzio development at 13th and Greenwich.

In an interview last year, Fugate said his favorite menu item is the Honolulu Chicken, which features “savory chicken infused with fresh garlic, green onions and sesame.”

In a statement, Laham Development spokeswoman Amy Liebau said the Plazzio developer has been waiting for the right concept to be a fit with everything already at the 350,000-square-foot retail and entertainment destination and believes this is it.

She said there are two sites left on the corner just north of where Hawaiian Bros will open and another east of Chicken N Pickle.

“The intersection of 13th and Greenwich has experienced tremendous growth over the last few years,” Liebau said. “We are still looking for the right concepts for the remaining parcels and hope to have announcements soon.”