It started as a farmers-market stall before it ever had a roof. Andrew Le and his family opened The Pig and the Lady as a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Honolulu's Chinatown in 2013, ran it for twelve years, then moved it home to Kaimukī in 2025, now at 3650 Waialae Avenue. The cooking is modern Vietnamese filtered through Le's Hawaii upbringing, and the pho French dip, a baguette stuffed with brisket and served with a cup of pho broth to dip, is the dish that made the name. Most plates land between $18 and $35.
The Kitchen
Andrew Le debuted The Pig and the Lady as a farmers-market pop-up in 2011 and opened the Chinatown restaurant in 2013 with his family; his mother, Loan, is the Lady of the name. After twelve years downtown the family moved the restaurant to Kaimukī in 2025, settling at 3650 Waialae Avenue in Civil Beat Plaza. Le has been a James Beard Award nominee several times over, and the restaurant turned a quiet block into one of Honolulu's most-booked tables.
The signature is the pho French dip, a crusty baguette packed with brisket, herbs and pickles, served with a cup of rich pho broth for dipping, a dish that fuses the family's Vietnamese cooking with Hawaii's plate-lunch instincts. Around it Le builds a modern Vietnamese menu that changes often: bun, clay-pot dishes, market-driven specials and the home-style plates that started at the farmers market. Most dishes run between $18 and $35, which keeps ambitious cooking within easy reach. The kitchen is confident and personal rather than traditional, and after more than a decade it remains one of the most distinctive tables in the islands.
The Room
The Kaimukī room is brighter and more spacious than the old Chinatown space, an airy corner of Civil Beat Plaza with warm wood, big windows and an open kitchen. Sound runs to a friendly buzz when it fills, the lighting is bright by day and softer at dinner, and tables are spaced for comfort with a counter that suits a solo diner. Dress is no-rules; this is Honolulu, so aloha shirts outnumber jackets. Validated parking sits in the building. The counter and the window tables are the seats to ask for, whether you are eating alone or on a date.
Best for First Date
Book The Pig and the Lady for a first date because it is lively without being loud, and the food carries the conversation. Three reasons it works: the menu is built for sharing, so you order a spread and pass it across the table; the prices stay relaxed, which keeps the night low-pressure; and the cooking gives you plenty to talk about, starting with the pho French dip. Sit at a window table, order broadly, and let the kitchen's specials lead. Picture a bright Kaimukī evening, a table of small plates, and the dip arriving with its cup of broth. See our first date dining guide for more.
Not for a formal, hushed dinner or a guaranteed walk-in. The room buzzes when full and the most-wanted tables book ahead; turn up late expecting quiet and you will be disappointed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Pig and the Lady worth it?
Yes, it is one of Honolulu's most distinctive tables. Chef Andrew Le, a repeat James Beard Award nominee, cooks modern Vietnamese rooted in his family's recipes and Hawaii's flavours, and the pho French dip alone is worth the trip. The restaurant moved from Chinatown to Kaimukī in 2025 and kept its standards. With most plates between $18 and $35, the cooking punches well above its price.
How hard is it to book The Pig and the Lady?
Booking is moderate and worth doing for dinner. The Kaimukī room takes reservations online and directly, and prime weekend evenings fill first, so a few days' notice helps. Lunch and weeknights are easier, and the counter is a good option for a solo diner or a walk-in. Validated parking sits in the Civil Beat Plaza building, which makes the visit simpler than the old Chinatown location.
What should I order at The Pig and the Lady?
Order the pho French dip, the brisket baguette served with a cup of pho broth that made the restaurant's name. From there, ask about the day's specials and add a clay-pot dish or a bowl of bun, since the modern Vietnamese menu changes often. Plates are built to share, so order broadly. Most run between $18 and $35. See our Honolulu dining guide for more.
Is The Pig and the Lady good for a first date?
Yes, it is a strong first-date room. It is lively rather than loud, the shareable menu gives you a spread to pass across the table, and the relaxed prices keep the night easy. Sit at a window table or the counter and let the specials lead. For more rooms suited to the occasion, see our first date guide.