About Us

From the team that opened Lake & Irving in Uptown Minneapolis in 2013 comes Pau Hana, a restaurant that aims to transport you to the islands of Hawaii. Chris Ikeda and his culinary team bring their extensive chef experience, including Chris’ decade of cooking in Hawaii alongside Alan Wong and other prominent Hawaiian chefs, to a menu and atmosphere that aims to introduce Minnesotans to Hawaiian Regional Cuisine. Known as “HRC” for short, Hawaiian Regional Cuisine reflects the unique and vast culinary scene in Hawaii, one influenced by more than a century of immigration to the Hawaiian Islands by people all over the world. Flavors and culinary techniques found in Hawaii trace their roots to immigrants from Japan, Korea, China, the Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, and the Pacific Islands. That varied cultural and culinary background, combined with the foods available on the Hawaiian Islands (tropical fruit, fresh seafood, livestock), combine to create HRC, a contemporary cuisine unique to the islands.

Pau Hana features many of these flavors and ingredients on its menu, which include shareable small plates and salads, elevated entrees, as well as wood-fired pizza, the perfect vehicle to showcase this unique cuisine. Our full bar will feature an extensive rum and tequila menu, as well as a cocktail menu that draws its inspiration from beach cultures all around the world. In addition, we will be opening a takeout/quick-serve concept known as “Pau Hana Express” that will allow you to take a slice of the islands home with you.

The name “Pau Hana” speaks more to the atmosphere and attitude of life on the islands than the actual cuisine. Translating roughly to “done with work,” Pau Hana is used on the islands to describe after-work drinks with your friends. Whether you’re relaxing on a Friday after a long week or escaping the Monday blues, we hope we can help you pretend, for a moment, that you’re on a beach without a care in the world. It's Pau Hana time!