Hawaiian Barbecue Restaurant Opens In Howard County

COLUMBIA, MD — A Hawaiian barbecue restaurant has continued its growth eastward by opening a new location in Columbia.

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, the largest Hawaii-based restaurant chain, opened its doors Feb. 21 in Howard County. The founders also opened a location in Towson.

Both Maryland restaurants are owned and operated by Mike Wu, who also opened locations in 2024 in Annandale, Virginia, and Rockville, Maryland. Wu’s journey with L&L began in 2015 when his parents met a multi-unit franchisee for the company during a retirement cruise and returned home with the brand’s name written on a slip of paper.

Years later, Wu found that note and felt the pull to join the brand.

“It’s exciting to bring the plate lunch to Towson and Columbia and introduce these communities to a meal that’s both satisfying and familiar,” Wu said. “I’ve always believed that franchising works best when it’s built to scale responsibly. L&L is grounded in consistency, reliability and affordability, values that guide how I lead and build business that last.”

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue started more than 70 years ago as a small shop in Honolulu and was transformed in 1976 when Eddie Flores, Jr., and Johnson Kam acquired the business and expanded it across the Islands. In 1999, they introduced the franchise to the continental U.S. and coined the term “Hawaiian Barbecue” to introduce new audiences to the plate lunch format.

Patrons can order that popular plate lunch, a signature Hawaii meal that includes two scoops of rice, L&L’s housemade macaroni salad and a choice of entrée, a format that has been a staple across the Islands for generations. The plate lunch combines grilled meats and gravies with island-style flavors reflecting Hawaii’s diverse culinary heritage.

Popular choices include:

• BBQ mix – A combination of barbecue beef, chicken and short ribs, featuring marinated meats seared in L&L’s signature sauce (a savory, soy-based island-style glaze)
• Chicken Katsu – Crispy breaded boneless chicken served with L&L’s famous house katsu sauce
• Kalua pork with cabbage – Hawaiian-style pulled pork that’s slow-roasted, shredded and served with steamed cabbage
• Loco Moco – Hawaii’s classic comfort dish with seasoned hamburger patties over rice and topped with brown gravy and eggs
• Garlic shrimp – Sauteed shrimp tossed in garlic butter sauce

Dine in, takeout and catering will be available from the 1,740-square-foot restaurant, which is located at 8765 Centre Park Drive, Suite 12A.