Chubbies Burgers coming to Kaimuki
A food stand serving quality burger-fare in the Kakaako/Ward area, Chubbies Burgers, will be relocating to Kaimuki in the coming months. Chubbies will be moving into the restaurant space at 1145 12th Ave. (The restaurant’s former occupant, Koko Head Cafe, just relocated across the street to a larger venue.)
“This location will be a great fit for the Chubbies Burgers brand. We love the neighborhood of Kaimuki and feel that Chubbies will be a great addition to the collection of small businesses in the area,” saidJeffrey Nedry, Owner of Chubbies Burgers. “We are so glad to finally graduate from our food trailer into a brick & mortar location.”
Melisa Preus at CBRE represented Chubbies Burgers, with Jo McGarry representing the former tenant.
Chubbies has been in business for nearly 6 years, serving burgers, fries, and milkshakes – using local and housemade ingredients. Weekly, the hardworking staff at Chubbies makes, by hand, thousands of Certified Angus Beef burgers and fresh-baked buns, hundreds of housemade veggie burgers, and countless batches of their fries and six delicious specialty sauces.
In 2021, Chubbies was recognized by reader votes as “Best Burger” in Honolulu Magazine’s “Best of Honolulu.” Also nationally recognized, Insider Food recently included Chubbies Burgers in their publication of “The Best Burger in Every State.”
The opening date of the Kaimuki location is scheduled for early May.
The existing location at Ward has been scheduled for redevelopment for some time. Chubbies ownership is currently in discussions to secure a location in the Kakaako area, to open next year – in 2023.
“I want to thank Ward Village for our 5-year partnership. Giving our food truck a chance to operate with daily business hours and seating has allowed us the opportunity to grow,” said Nedry. “I also want to thank the Kakaako and Ward community, not to mention the people that make a trip into town to grab Chubbies, for your support and patronage. A hui hou!”
Chubbies plans to add a few new menu items, including a couple of beers and cocktails, while still maintaining a slim concept.
“The key is keeping the menu concise and consistent, so our guests can always expect the same great quality,” said Jasmyne Wood, Culinary Director at Chubbies Burgers. “We also plan to add more vegetarian options.”
“Meat alternatives are a growing category,” added Nedry, “I question how burger restaurants are going to be operating in the next 20 years. As our business grows, I want to ensure Chubbies is environmentally-conscious and thinking about the future.”
Chubbies expansion also includes plans to add key hires.
“We offer excellent benefits and promote from within the company,” said Todd Yokoyama, Manager at Chubbies. “At Chubbies, we’re trying to be a progressive food and beverage employer. Restaurant industry compensation has a complicated history. We’re doing our best to be part of the positive change that is happening to restaurant culture.”
The final date of service at the Ward food trailer will be at the end of April — exact date to be announced.The food trailer, which Chubbies Burgers currently operates from, will be for sale. Custom designed and built with high volume in mind, it’s only been in operation for 2 years. Interested buyers should contact Jeffrey Nedry (info@chubbiesburgers.com).
Chubbies guests and fans are invited to follow Chubbies Burgers on social media to get updates on their location change and opening dates at @chubbieshawaii.
ABOUT CHUBBIES BURGERS
Chubbies Burgers is the burger joint Hawaii had been waiting for – high-quality and locally-sourced ingredients, always made to order, served hot & fresh every time. Chubbies strives to set themselves apart by making burger buns in-house, using premium Angus Beef, and providing unique but consistent menu offerings that can be prepared with efficient systems.
The company opened in mid-2016 and is the vision of owner Jeffrey Nedry. In their first year of operation, after driving around to various locations such as Sandy Beach Park, Chubbies then partnered with Ward Village to have a permanent location and consistent business hours.
In order to support the growing demand, Chubbies has had to operate a vigorous prep kitchen operation to keep the trailer “storefront” supported. The prep operations have grown from a shared prep kitchen space to larger and larger spaces. Three different dedicated prep locations within 18 months were required to support the growing demand.
As the company expands and volume grows, Chubbies seeks to find creative solutions that can ensure the quality standards remain high. This is a burger brand that takes their operation seriously – and aims to keep their reputation of the best in town.
