Ai Pono Cafe

Ai Pono Cafe Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Ai Pono Cafe, 283 suite A, 17th St., Costa Mesa, CA.

06/18/2026

‘Ai Pono Café Costa Mesa presents: The Art of Poke.
Fresh, never frozen, and built the way poke is supposed to be.
This is just a preview of what’s coming across the street at Exit 8, a Hawaii-inspired bodega bringing real Hawaii street food to the community.
Make sure you’re in, or you’re going to be in the way.

06/15/2026

Ai Pono Café Costa Mesa is built on failure, not fear of it.
🅲🆄🅻🅸🅽🅰🆁🆈 🅶🅰🅽🅶🆂🆃🅴🆁 foundation has always been authenticity, staying true to who he is in every setting, on camera and off.
The reason Chef is where he is today is because he never blamed anyone else. He looked in the mirror, owned the lessons, and built from there.
That mindset became the foundation. That foundation became the empire.
So while Chef breaks some knowledge, enjoy the lobster balls with a caviar bump for that bad and boujee Ai Pono vibe.
Real food. Real lessons. Real Ai Pono.

06/14/2026

Today’s special at Ai Pono Café Costa Mesa: Da A-Town.
This plate pays respect to an OG in the Hawaii street food game, Heights Drive Inn. IYKYK.
An iconic spot that served the Aiea community for 39 years and left behind flavor memories that still hit today.
Da A-Town brings that nostalgia back with Manapua Style Noodles and OG Teriyaki Beef.
Costa Mesa, pull up and get your plate today.

06/10/2026

Today’s special at ‘Ai Pono Café Costa Mesa: The NO NAME.
Butter Garlic Blackened Ahi and Butter Garlic Shrimp, built with no shortcuts and no soft edges.
This plate doesn’t need a fancy name to prove anything. It just shows up, hits hard, and lets the flavor talk.
That’s the Culinary Gangster way.
Pull up hungry or stay watching.

06/09/2026

Today’s special at Ai Pono Café: crispy golden brown Pork Katsu smothered in house-made brown gravy.
One bite and you’re right back at the drive inn back home. Crispy, saucy, nostalgic, and full of that local comfort.
Pull up hungry.

05/24/2026

Ai Pono Café presents: The Plate Lunch Story
Directed by Ku Vizualz
This episode is a heavy hitter, starring The Korean Zombie and Cook Steven.
Co Starring Korean short ribs, Korean chicken, and Meat Jun. Big flavors, local comfort, and a plate lunch lineup that speaks for itself.
Come hungry. This one hits different.

05/24/2026

Day 1 plate and it’s STILL going crazy.
Da Roots Plate at Ai Pono Costa Mesa is straight pressure — Korean Short Rib, Ahi Katsu, Shoyu Poke, Rice, and Mac Salad all going off.
This combo been breaking mouths since day one. No misses, just straight consistency.

COSTA MESA, WE’RE NOT PLAYIN’ TODAY 🔥SMOKED GUAVA OXTAIL with cilantro rice is on deck for Aloha Friday.Sweet. Smoky. St...
05/22/2026

COSTA MESA, WE’RE NOT PLAYIN’ TODAY 🔥
SMOKED GUAVA OXTAIL with cilantro rice is on deck for Aloha Friday.
Sweet. Smoky. Sticky. Fall-off-the-bone kind of serious.
Chef’s got you covered, but don’t wait around. This one’s moving.
HawaiianFood OCFoodies ChefSpecial

05/21/2026

Tupac Thursday.
Stack the plate. Don’t hold back.
If it don’t feel like too much… it’s not enough.
Extra scoop. Heavy hand. Real flavor.
That’s how we eat over here.
You came to diet or you came to eat?
Costa Mesa—run it up.

Today we hit pause—not because we have to, but because we believe in doing things the right way.Ai Pono is closed today ...
05/19/2026

Today we hit pause—not because we have to, but because we believe in doing things the right way.
Ai Pono is closed today for our quarterly deep clean. This is where we reset, refocus, and put the same care into our kitchen that we put into every plate we serve.
To our community—thank you. Your support, your patience, and your trust in us means everything. We don’t take that lightly, and this is part of how we give that respect back.
A clean kitchen isn’t just about standards—it’s about pride, discipline, and making sure that when you walk through our doors, you’re getting our best. Every single time.
We’ll be back this weekend, dialed in and ready to go.
Mahalo for riding with us always 🤝
— Ai Pono

Address

283 Suite A, 17th St.
Costa Mesa, CA
92627

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