Lūʻau
Scroll to Continue
Lūʻau of Hawaiʻi
One of the most festive experiences to be had on a visit to the Hawaiian Islands is a lūʻau – a Hawaiian feast featuring lively music and vibrant cultural performances from Hawaiʻi and greater Polynesia.
History of the Lūʻau
The first feast in Hawaiʻi resembling a modern-day lūʻau was probably held in 1819. Before then, the kapu system of restrictions, religion and resource management separated men and women at mealtimes, even in times of celebration. Other names for these feasts are ʻahaʻaina or pāʻina, but over the course of time, the nickname lūʻau – a reference to the taro leaves at the core of many popular dishes – stuck.
Two centuries later, lūʻau are still being celebrated. But it is important to note that despite the name and its Hawaiian roots, not all food or entertainment at a lūʻau today is Hawaiian. A contemporary lūʻau in Hawaiʻi reflects our multi-cultural society. Food at a family lūʻau is as diverse as the various branches of the family tree. Entertainment at a visitor lūʻau often includes dances and music from other Polynesian cultures.
Popular Lūʻau Dishes
- Poi: Pounded taro plant root; a starch meant to be eaten with everything.
- Kālua Pig: Pork prepared in an imu (underground oven) and shredded.
- Laulau: Meat wrapped in lūʻau (taro) leaves and steamed, traditionally prepared in an imu.
- Haupia: Coconut pudding.
- Poke: A term that literally means to cut into pieces, this newly global delicacy is traditionally prepared with raw fish, shoyu (soy sauce), green onions, kukui nut (candlenut), and limu (seaweed).
Find a Lūʻau to Attend
Where to Experience a Lūʻau
This signature, award-winning restaurant overlooking Kamakahonu Bay is open daily for breakfast and [...]
High above the Kapalua coastline in Hawaii, on the island of Maui, sits The Plantation House Restaurant, [...]
Experience Oahu's most authentic Hawaiian luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center’s Ali‘i Luau. Set [...]
Named Maui’s ‘Restaurant of the Year’, Fairmont Kea Lani’s highly acclaimed signature restaurant [...]
HāLani - meaning “breath of heaven” - is an alfresco eatery that opens onto the Great Lawn, where [...]
Elite Maui Chef stands out as the premier private chef experience on the beautiful island of Maui. With [...]
Experience one of the best restaurants on the island and enjoy farm-to-table oceanfront dining from the [...]
Dinner at Manta is an occasion every night, with a dynamic exhibition kitchen to showcase the artistry [...]
Dine Hawaiian-style. Feel the romance in thatched-roof bungalows that seemingly float above a koi filled [...]
Tiki's Grill & Bar is a locally owned, hip, casual, retro South Pacific-style restaurant featuring [...]
Mauna Lani's signature oceanfront restaurant, CanoeHouse, blends Japanese cuisine with paniolo-style [...]
Nick's Fishmarket Maui offers an innovative, classic cuisine focusing on premier seafood. Specialties [...]