This Hole-In-The-Wall Restaurant In Hawaii Sells Some Of The Best Lobster Rolls In The Country, According To Reviews

You might think the best lobster rolls in the U.S. are limited to New England states, like Maine and Massachusetts, and coastal havens, like Baltimore or the Carolinas, but don't count Hawaii out. The island of Oahu is home to one of the tastiest variations of the succulent handheld. That's where you'll find Fat Cheeks Hawaii, a humble eatery famous for its buttered lobster roll.

The Honolulu establishment is one of America's best hole-in-the-wall restaurants, where the mouthwatering sandwich on a toasted roll costs just under $24. The lobster meat is plentiful and dressed in warm, herby garlic butter. It's akin to a Connecticut-style lobster roll, which is also served buttery and hot. This style is arguably more comforting and indulgent than the standard New England lobster roll, for which the lobster is chopped, tossed in mayonnaise-based dressing, and served cold. The lobster roll is one of a handful of lobster dishes at Fat Cheeks, which range from lobster-topped cheeseburgers to lobster BLTs.

There are countless rave reviews from diners who've had the pleasure of eating the cult-favorite menu item. One Google review called it "Absolute next level. Overflowing with sweet, buttery lobster and served on a perfectly toasted roll. It was rich, fresh, and tasted like it was made with aloha and a little culinary magic." A TripAdvisor reviewer agreed, saying, "It was one of the best lobster rolls I've ever had, including the East Coast." 

Fat Cheeks was opened by Chef Jared Brown and his wife, Levina Moy, in 2018. Brown was working as a Manhattan-based sous chef at a Michelin-starred Thai restaurant when the couple decided to move to Hawaii. At first, Fat Cheeks sold Thai and Latin fare from Ohana Hale Marketplace. By 2021, the focus turned to seafood, including the signature lobster roll. Soon after, Fat Cheeks moved to a new Honolulu home in Ward Centre, just a short drive away from its first location.

The menu currently features two lobster roll options: the standard buttered lobster roll and a jumbo, $38.49 version with 6 ounces of meat. Its East Coast-inspired simplicity is what keeps customers coming back. The lobster roll's unparalleled flavor is largely thanks to good bread, which is baked in-house, and quality shellfish, not to mention the generous portion. One Honolulu resident and Yelp user went as far as saying Fat Cheeks has the most superior lobster roll, smashburger, and fries in all of Hawaii.

"With the lobster roll in particular, we're trying to do something that's really, really familiar to people, but do it in a way that's slightly different," Brown told Anne Lee of Where Hawaii Eats. "You have a really well-buttered bun that still retains its crispness ... You have the layers of texture and layers of flavor ... It's more than just a vehicle for the lobster."