Ono Hawaiian BBQ, a California-based fast-casual restaurant chain, is preparing to enter the Texas market with plans for 10 locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The first restaurant will open in Plano on July 24, 2026, which is approximately 13 miles south of McKinney.
The menu at Ono features Hawaiian-inspired plate lunches that include grilled meats, rice, and sides like macaroni salad. Signature dishes include marinated grilled Hawaiian barbecue chicken, chicken katsu, and the Hawaiian barbecue mix, which combines short ribs, chicken, and barbecue beef. The restaurant is also known for its Spam musubi, a popular snack made with grilled Spam, rice, and seaweed.
Founded in 2002 by brothers Joshua and Joe Liang, Ono currently operates around 130 restaurants. The initial Dallas location will be at the former Great American Hero site, a sandwich shop that closed after nearly 50 years. Additional locations are planned for suburbs northeast of Dallas and three near Fort Worth.
Ono aims to open new restaurants in the D-FW area every month or two, with all 10 locations expected to be operational by 2028. Christine Jan, the company's director of marketing, highlighted the appeal of barbecue and food as key factors in their expansion into Texas.
