Welcome to Pahoa

[rbakker]

Last night we ate out in Pahoa. As usual, we parked in the lot next to Luquin's Mexican restaurant and when we found Paolo's (our favorite) was closed (forgot it was a Monday!) we continued on to Kaleo's and had a perfectly satisfactory meal there. The restaurants in Pahoa are surprisingly good for such a small town.

At about 9pm we walked back to our car only to find the gate was locked and there was no way in from the main street. Is this new? Luquin's was closing up so we tapped on the window and asked if they would let us through. The woman who answered asked if we had dined at Luquin's, and when we said no she informed us that it was Luquin's parking lot (if there's a sign, we didn't see it) and could barely contain her glee as she told us we would have to walk all the way around to the exit to get to our car.

We've eaten at Luquin's many times before, but we won't be going there ever again.

[Jay Bondesen]

I probably don't have the whole story, and may be even wrong, but I understand the Luquins owner does own the Akibono and the parking lot. At some point in the past the other few owners in town were asked if they would kick in for asphalt and nobody stepped up. Of course as we see most of the village is not up to code so the building owners aren't spending much to maintain or upgrade. Last year Luquins installed the front gate, on their own property, and are now closing it overnight. Thankfully they don't lock the back gate or have the cars towed because there is no place else to park.

Jay

[csgray]

Before you get all mad over this try to look at it from the business perspective: Salvador Luquin pays out a hefty sum monthly to have that parking lot available to his customers, there is also a sign at the entrance to the parking lot and on the fence saying it is for Luquin's customers. In most places in this country you would be towed or booted for parking in a business's private lot while patronizing another business, and you are complaining because you had to walk half way around the block to get your car? Why should Luquin's be obligated to provide parking for every restaurant in downtown Pahoa? Businesses that are in fact their COMPETITION!

Pahoa has a serious parking problem and the only restaurants that have addressed it are Luquin's and Kaleos (who often pay to have a guy standing in their lot to chase patrons of other places away) but it costs these businesses good money out of their profits to do so. If you want to dine somewhere other than Luquin's, park on the side street across from the old fire station, not in Luquin's parking lot, but if you use their private lot to park your car while patronizing their competition until after they are closed, expect to find that gate locked. They lock it when they close for the night, are they supposed to wait around for you to get back from Kaleo's, just so you aren't inconvenienced? Or is the person who is trying to finish up and get home after a long shift supposed to drop everything to unlock the gate for you, just so you don't have to walk half a block?

Carol

[rbakker]

I agree that Luquin's has a right to do this (though it defeats the purpose if the sign - if there is one - isn't more obvious).

I agree that it's not unreasonable to expect people to walk around the block if they have parked illegally (though in the past there was a way for pedestrians to get through when the gate was locked).

The only thing I don't agree with was the attitude of the woman at Luquin's. Really, the mask had come off. The contempt she displayed for past and possibly future customers was palpable.

I'm not mad. I'm just not going back.

[csgray]

Was the woman Salvador's wife? Because if it was anyone else you would be boycotting an entire business because one tired waitress with sore feet wanted to get home after working a closing shift, instead of showing you adequate aloha.

This situation reminds me of when I used to sell hand crafted T-shirts for a living, a long time customer came by and wanted to return a shirt that had been bought for them from one of my imitative competitors (it wasn't even a brand of shirt I used). When I refused to refund money I hadn't ever been paid for the shirt, or to allow them to exchange it, they got really mad, told me how they had spent "1000s of dollars" at my booth (not true), and that I would never see another penny of their money again. They also complained to the market manager that I had been "unprofessional" and "inconsiderate" for not accepting a $25 loss on a return of a product I hadn't made. When I told them where the booth of the shirt's actual maker was, they said they didn't want to return it there because "your shirts are so much nicer". They probably also felt the "mask had come off" while I felt they were being completely unreasonable.

Maybe you should try calling Luquin's and let them know how you felt about what happened, talk to someone who actually makes the schedule and knows who was working that night. The Luquin family may have no idea you were rudely treated at their restaurant, and so have had no chance to fix it with you.

Carol

[rbakker]

I'm flattered by the comparison to a pair of rude, lying and cheating customers you once had!
We were perfectly polite and thanked her for the information.

I don't care who it was and what kind of day they had. If Luquin's wants to employ people like that, it's up to them. I'm not going back.

[Rob Tucker]

rbakker,

You certainly don't have to go back, it's your choice.... but you might consider avoiding Luqiun's parking lot when you go to Pahoa. Sal Luquin has been shouldering a heavy financial burden on that property without help from other stores. I would be grateful you were not locked in his yard and were able to get home with minimal hassel. Sal has done a lot for Pahoa.

[Kelena]

I hope this brings some comfort to you....the food at Luquin's is genuinely and tremendously awful. There I said it. It is a myth that the place is a good restaurant. It is, in fact, awful. The fact that anyone eats there at all can only be attributable to the following: 1) It's patrons have never had Mexican food before, or perhaps any restaurant food, 2) It's patrons like disinterested and unusually skinny waitresses who appear to require under-the-counter pharmaceutical enhancements to enjoy the torture of being in Hawaii and 3) It's patrons have been unable to find greasier, more bacteria-ridden tables elsewhere.

The margaritas are good, but don't have one right before you buy real estate.

[Chuysmom]

BAD Bunny![]

Carrie

http://www.sapphiresoap.etsy.com

"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future..." Galadriel LOTR

[JerryCarr]

I have to agree with Kalena on the food and service. The food is mediocre, at best, and my last three visits (there won't be any more) were characterized by truly awful service. When we flagged down a waitress after sitting there for 20 minutes without being recognized, she acted like I had committed a crime by not silently waiting my turn. I mentioned this to the lady at the cash register, and she shrugged. Luquin's may have done a lot for Pahoa, but I think they sometimes take themselves too seriously as a "local institution." Maybe somebody will open a real Tex-Mex place nearby and cause a change in attitude.

Edited to add: The parking lot is private property, and they can do with it as they wish, but a friendlier expression of their property rights might have gone over better. It's that attitude thing.