Culture
The Hawaiian Luau: History, Food, and What to Expect
What a Hawaiian luau is, its history, the food you will eat, what to expect at one today, and how to choose a luau that respects the culture.
A luau is a Hawaiian feast that brings people together with food, music, and hula. Traditionally it marked big moments like a child's first birthday, a wedding, or a successful harvest. Today, many luaus are hosted evening shows for visitors, but the heart of it, gathering to share food and culture, goes back generations.
What a luau is
The word luau actually comes from the young taro leaves used in a dish served at these feasts. Over time the name came to mean the feast itself. At its core, a luau is about ʻohana and community, the same values that run through Hawaiian culture.
A short history
In old Hawaii, men and women ate separately and certain foods were restricted under the kapu system. In 1819, King Kamehameha II ended those eating restrictions, and shared feasts became more common. The gatherings we now call luaus grew from there, blending Hawaiian food traditions with celebration.
What you eat at a luau
The centerpiece is usually kālua pig, cooked for 6-8 hours in an imu, an underground oven lined with hot lava rocks and banana leaves. The result is smoky, tender, falling-apart pork. Alongside it you will find poi (pounded taro, slightly sour and purple-gray), laulau (pork or fish wrapped in taro and ti leaves and steamed), lomi lomi salmon (diced raw salmon mixed with tomatoes and onions, salted), chicken long rice (a Filipino-influenced clear noodle soup), and haupia, a firm coconut milk-based dessert cut into squares. Commercial luaus often add dishes like teriyaki beef, poke, rice, green salad, and tropical fruit. Our food guide explains each traditional dish in depth.
What to expect today
A typical commercial luau includes a buffet or plated dinner, an open-air setting near the beach, live Hawaiian music, and a hula and Polynesian dance performance, sometimes with fire knife dancing from Samoan tradition. Some include a cultural village or an imu ceremony where the pig is unearthed. Quality and authenticity vary widely.
Choosing and booking a luau
Look for a luau that presents the culture with respect and features local performers, and read recent reviews. Luaus sell out in peak season, so book ahead. See our roundup of luau shows and plan the rest of your trip with the island guides.
Book a luau or cultural experience
Compare luaus and cultural tours across the islands, many with free cancellation.
See luaus and toursPlanning a Hawaii trip?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a luau?
What food is served at a luau?
Are commercial luaus worth it?
We research each guide against primary sources: the Hawaii Tourism Authority and Mālama Hawaii, the National Park Service, the State of Hawaii and its Division of State Parks, the National Weather Service, and the U.S. Census. For culture, language, and history we lean on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Bishop Museum, and the scholarship of Mary Kawena Pukui. We send readers to those sources rather than speaking over them. When rules, prices, or conditions change, we update the page.