BY THE POUND! WE WILL HAVE A VARIETY OF FRESH POKE… DONE THE RIGHT WAY. 🐟🔥 House-made everything. 100% tallow-fried wonton chips & taro chips… yeah, we’re not cutting corners over here. This is just a taste of what Chef’s been cooking up behind the scenes 👀 And trust us… this ain’t just another spot—this is your NEW GO-TO. When we open… pull up hungry. We GUARANTEE you’ll be back. 🤙🏽 #Exit8Bodega #AiPono #HawaiiEats #PokeGameStrong #CostaMesaFood OCFoodScene FoodieFinds GrandOpeningSoon

Some things you can teach. This ain’t one of them. To keep creating, keep building, and keep running three locations off love, passion, and straight hunger… you either got it or you don’t. That kind of drive don’t come from trends. It don’t come from talk. And it definitely can’t be handed to you. It has to live in you. That fire. That obsession. That need to keep going no matter what. That’s what fuels @thechefaipono That’s what built Ai Pono. And that’s why this brand keeps moving. #AiPonoCafé #HawaiiStreetFood #CulinaryGangster #BuiltDifferent

A year ago this was just a thought… just like the cafes. Now it’s REAL. EXIT 8 — a Hawaii inspired bodega. Yeah, we’re 30 days behind… yeah, we’re over budget… but we wouldn’t want it any other way. Because every roadblock? That’s part of the journey. That’s God testing the patience, the drive, the passion, the dedication… to see if you’re really built for what’s waiting on the other side. And one thing we know for sure— His timing is always right. Always. This bodega is about to unlock a whole different level of creativity from Chef… paying respect to the Hawaii staples that raised us, while putting that signature Ai Pono twist on EVERYTHING. This one is for the supporters. Without you, there is no drive, no push, no purpose. We’re not just opening a spot— we’re showing the US mainland what it really means to be born and raised in HAWAI‘I. Big mahalo to the boys— @timhendricks & @alexvarasteh for always going all in and helping shape the brand. We love you both. And to the Ai Pono Tribe… we don’t get here without ALL of you. Trust us… this bodega about to shake things up. #Exit8 #AiPono #HawaiiToTheMainland #CostaMesa #OrangeCountyEats BodegaVibes RealHawaii AlohaSpirit FoodCulture ComingSoon

When @timhendricks and @alexvarasteh aka Scoot link up… you already know something HEAVY is coming!! We can’t wait to open the bodega and add yet another layer of Hawai‘i to Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, and the entire Orange County community. This one’s different. Stay locked in. 🤙🏽 #AiPono #Exit8 #CostaMesaEats #OCFoodScene #HawaiiVibes ComingSoon

The OG @timhendricks adding another pin-up to the ‘Ai Pono brand!! No shortcuts. All hand done. That real old-school feel. This is what AUTHENTIC looks like. We love you Tim—grateful to have you part of the @aiponocafe @aiponocafelasvegas @exit8bodega ohana always 🤙🏽 #AiPono #Ohana #Authentic #HandDrawn #RespectTheCraft

Orange County… something really f*cking crazy is about to land in Costa Mesa 👀🔥 From the creators of ‘Ai Pono… you already know how we move. This ain’t just another spot… this is a whole new wave 🌊 Stay locked in… it’s about to get real different out here. #CostaMesa #OrangeCountyEats #AiPono #Exit8 #HawaiiStreetFood ComingSoon FoodScene NextLevel

A lot of people got opinions. Very few built anything worth talking about. Ai Pono been the target. Still here. Still growing. Still packed. Still putting Hawaiʻi on our back with no handouts and no watered-down version for nobody. Some people use platforms to tear others down because they got no sauce, no vision, and no lane of their own. We use ours to feed people, rep the culture, and stand on business. Love us or hate us — we not here to fold. We here to represent aloha, Hawaiʻi, and everything they said we couldn’t. And we ain’t asking permission

🚨 GIVE BACK TIME 🚨 Aloha to our Costa Mesa Ohana, Orange County Ohana, and everyone rocking with us around the world 🤙🏽 As many of you know, the recent floods on the North Shore of O‘ahu—especially Waialua and Haleiwa, where Chef grew up—have been devastating. Families have lost homes… and even the basic necessities to live. So it’s time for us to step up. Starting TODAY at 12PM PST. we’re dropping special edition tees and 100% of the proceeds will go directly to families affected by the floods. This is bigger than food. This is community. This is ALOHA. We’re on the mainland, but it’s our responsibility to do our part—just like the people back home are doing for each other every single day. 👉🏽 AIPONOCAFE.COM Tap in. Grab a tee. Help a family. Just like we showed up for Lahaina… we’re showing up again. To everyone on the North Shore holding it down—we see you, we respect you, and we’re riding with you. This may not be much compared to what you’re facing, but know this… Ai Pono is doing our part. Always. #Aloha #NorthShoreStrong #Waialua #Haleiwa #AiPono GiveBack HawaiiStrong CommunityFirst SupportLocal Ohana

8 YEARS. STILL LEADING THE CHARGE. From day one, Ai Pono been representing Hawai‘i Street Food on the mainland — no shortcuts, no gimmicks. When the world shut down in 2020, Chef and Dana didn’t have backup plans. Just faith. Hustle. And Ai Pono. When tensions were high and everybody watching sideways… we still fed the police. We still fed first responders. We fed the community — period. The wins are ours. The losses are ours. We don’t chase trends. We don’t move for likes. And Chef says what others too scared to say. This is how we represent Hawai‘i Street Food. No apologies. Ever. 📍 Ai Pono Café Built different since day one. #HawaiiStreetFood #AiPonoCafe #NoApologies #CostsMesa

COMING THIS SPRING…….. From the creators of Hawaii street food and the ‘Ai Pono Cafe brand comes the next evolution. Introducing Exit 8 — a Hawai‘i-inspired bodega. Not just another concept. Not just another opening. A calculated expansion of a brand that continues to lead, innovate, and execute at the highest level. While others discuss ideas, we build them. While others wait for opportunity, we create it. Exit 8 adds a new dimension to what we’ve already proven in Costa Mesa — culture, quality, and authenticity done the right way. Thoughtfully designed. Intentionally curated. Built to elevate the entire Orange County food scene. This isn’t hype. It’s momentum. And once it opens, it won’t just complement the brand — it will redefine expectations. Costa Mesa, we’re raising the bar. Again. 🌴

We don’t chase trends. We don’t hop lanes. We don’t pivot for attention. Ai Pono does food. Everything @thechefaipono touches? Food. Not gimmicks. Not clout. Not algorithms. 100% Mashima beef tallow. @tastelescousines Olive oil sourced from Lebanon. Intentional ingredients. Intentional execution. Like it or not — Ai Pono is the tip of the spear. Third local restaurant to land inside a Las Vegas casino. Respect to the fourth — @604loha — keep pushing. And Exit 8 — Hawai‘i Inspired Bodega — paying homage to the OGs in the game. If you know Waipahu’s own @taniokas … you know. But this next chapter? Head down. Work louder than words. We’re not here to be liked. We’re here to set the bar. And we’re just getting started. #HawaiiStreetFood #TipOfTheSpear #AiPonoCafe

🚨 @exit8bodega Takeover 🚨 @thechefaipono bringing that Hawaii street vibez with NYC snapback attitude to @complexcon . Ain’t no barcode needed — this drip certified out the trunk. Cop the merch. Meet the plug. Welcome to Exit 8 – A Hawaii Inspried Bodega. 📍 ComplexCon Las Vegas 🛒 Exit 8 Bodega Booth 📦 Limited drop. No restocks. #Exit8Bodega #HawaiiStreetFood #ComplexCon2025 #BodegaVibes