If you’re craving authentic Hawaiian comfort food in Gilbert, Arizona, Vince & Ji may have just found your next favorite lunch spot. This week, we stopped by the brand-new Mo’ Bettahs Hawaiian Style Food location near the Target shopping area on Ray Road—and honestly, we were impressed.
From the moment we pulled up, we noticed this wasn’t one of those tiny “grab-and-go” Hawaiian spots. The restaurant is a freestanding building with plenty of room inside, clean modern décor, Hawaiian surfboards, island-inspired artwork, and a welcoming atmosphere that instantly gives off laid-back island vibes.
And judging by the crowd? Gilbert was already loving it.
First Impressions: Clean, Friendly & Busy
Mo’ Bettahs has only been open for about two weeks, but the restaurant was already packed during lunch. Almost every table was full while we were there, which is usually a good sign.
The setup is super easy:
- Choose your rice (white or brown)
- Pick one, two, or three proteins
- Choose your sides
Simple, fast, and perfect for lunch or dinner.
The staff was friendly, the restaurant was spotless, and the food came out quickly even though they were busy.
The Food: Surprisingly Close to Hawaii
We’ve eaten a lot of Hawaiian food over the years, including spots in Hawaii itself, so we were curious how Mo’ Bettahs would compare.
Honestly? Pretty impressive.
The flavors were very close to what you’d expect from island-style plate lunches in Hawaii.
Favorites We Tried:
🌺 Kahlua Pig — our favorite overall
🌺 Pulehu Chicken — flavorful and juicy
🌺 Tempura Shrimp — crispy and surprisingly good
🌺 Teriyaki Chicken — classic and solid
🌺 Teriyaki Steak — tender and flavorful
Everything we tried was enjoyable, and the portions were massive.
Let’s Talk About the Portions 👀
We ordered the three-choice plates because we wanted to sample as much as possible.
Big mistake… because the portions are HUGE 😂
Each plate came with:
- 3 scoops of rice
- 2 scoops of macaroni salad
- Generous protein portions
Neither of us finished even half our meal. We ended up taking enough home for a full second dinner later that night.
For the value alone, Mo’ Bettahs is worth trying.
Unless you’re incredibly hungry, Vince & Ji honestly think a three-choice plate could easily feed two people.
Spam Musubi & Sides
Of course, we had to try the Spam Musubi.
The flavor was really good and authentic, though the size was a little smaller than some traditional Hawaiian spots. Still definitely worth ordering if you love island snacks.
Ji also tried the egg rolls and gave them a thumbs up.
How Does It Compare to Other Hawaiian Spots?
There aren’t a ton of great Hawaiian restaurants in Gilbert, and honestly, some of the franchise locations around town can be hit or miss.
One of our longtime favorites is Aloha Kitchen, which has been around forever and still serves incredible food—but it’s about a 30-minute drive from our house, so we only make the trip occasionally.
Mo’ Bettahs, on the other hand, is only about 12 minutes away.
That convenience alone makes it likely to become part of our regular restaurant rotation.
Final Review: Worth the Visit?
Absolutely.
If you’re looking for:
✔ Authentic Hawaiian-style flavors
✔ Huge portions
✔ Great value
✔ Friendly service
✔ Clean atmosphere
✔ Quick lunch or casual dinner spot
…then Mo’ Bettahs in Gilbert is definitely worth checking out.
For Vince & Ji, it’s one of the better Hawaiian food experiences we’ve had locally in a long time.
We’ll definitely be back.
