For Juicy, Fall-Off-the-Bone Texas Barbecue, Head to Hawai‘i Kai

(Sponsored) The owners of Teddy’s Bigger Burgers have expanded their hands-on food fare with Tex 808 BBQ + Brews.

Photos: Courtesy of Tex 808 BBQ + Brews

While O‘ahu’s restaurant scene has really blossomed in the last decade, Asian cuisines still, as the mysterious faceless announcer of Iron Chef might say, reign supreme. Sure, I love sushi, pho and kalbi as much as the next local. But on those days I’m craving posole, moussaka, crawfish étouffée or slow-cooked Southern ribs, my options are few and far between.

$Tex 808 BBQ + Brews$

Opened in June 2019, Tex 808 BBQ + Brews (brought to you by the same folks behind the delicious, delightfully messy Teddy’s Bigger Burgers) in the Hawai‘i Kai Towne Center adds some Southern comfort in the form of Texas-style barbecue. The East Side spot offers smoked meat served by the pound, in sandwich form or in a set plate that includes your choice of sides (think the usual suspects: barbecue beans, coleslaw, corn on the cob, mac and cheese, you know the drill). Cuts of meat are carefully selected, slow-cooked the Lone Star way and leveled up with the restaurant’s signature locally made barbecue sauces.

Fair (and, hopefully, obvious) warning: This is not the place to go if you’re on a diet. Or vegetarian. Only one salad is listed on the menu; aside from that, the only other items that appear to be meat-free are the frickles (just a more fun way to say fried pickles) and coleslaw. Not that I’m complaining, and neither should you. After all, Southern cooking is about cozy, stick-to-your-ribs comfort food.