OUR STORY

Huggo’s opened in 1969 as a relaxed gathering place by the sea, a spot where good steaks, fresh fish, and easy conversation came together naturally. With its oceanfront location in the heart of Kailua-Kona, it quickly became a favorite among local fishermen and the community, a place to swap stories as salty as the sea breeze itself. More than five decades later, Huggo’s remains one of Kona’s most beloved dining destinations, known for fresh island seafood, open-air oceanfront dining, and a sense of casual elegance that feels timeless.

Founded by Hugo and Shirley von Platen Luder and guided by their motto of “good food and good fun,” Huggo’s helped shape the way Kona dines. They introduced the now-iconic Teriyaki Steak and built direct relationships with local fishermen, coordinating daily catches so only the freshest fish reached the kitchen. That commitment continues today; many of the fish served at Huggo’s are caught just hours before arriving on the plate. With a long-standing farm-to-table philosophy, Huggo’s sources as much as possible from Hawaiʻi Island farmers, fishermen, and producers, allowing the menu to evolve with the seasons while staying rooted in local abundance.

Dining at Huggo’s has always been about more than the food. The open-air setting seems to hover above the Pacific, where sunset skies, gentle trade winds, and the rhythm of the ocean become part of the experience. Longtime favorites remain, but the menu continues to evolve, highlighting just-caught fish prepared in a Hawaiian Regional Cuisine style, alongside thoughtfully crafted meats, vibrant salads, and desserts that bring a satisfying finale to the evening.

Over the years, Huggo’s has earned recognition from both local and national publications for its dining atmosphere, seafood, and desserts, and has been celebrated as one of the country’s top neighborhood restaurants. The addition of hBAR expanded the experience even further, offering handcrafted cocktails, small plates, and a relaxed oceanfront lounge where Kona sunsets set the tone for the night.

Today, Huggo’s is proud to be employee-owned and operated, with the people who welcome guests, prepare the food, and keep the legacy alive having a direct stake in its future. That shared ownership deepens what Huggo’s has always stood for — genuine hospitality, pride in craft, and a commitment to creating memorable evenings by the sea. Whether you’re celebrating something special or simply enjoying dinner with the ocean at your feet, Huggo’s continues to be a place where people gather, linger, and return to — still guided by good food, good fun, and the spirit of aloha.

ABOUT OUR FOUNDER

Huggo’s founder and Hawaii native, Hugo von Platen Luder’s path to becoming Hawaii Island restaurateur extraordinaire was circuitous literally and figuratively speaking! When he was 14, Punahou School sponsored a summer travel program called “The Rover Boys”, that took 30 students, via buses, to tour 36 of the 48 States. Then at the age of 16, his parents allowed him a break from the prestigious Punahou School on Oahu for an adventure of a lifetime. They sent him off to circle the globe on a Merchant Steamer, out of Honolulu, under the close watch of the ship’s captain and doctor.

Upon his return Oahu, he set out again! This time leaving Punahou for the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico. He went on from there to study briefly at the University of Houston before enlisting in the United State Marine Corps for a three year tour. After serving his country, Hugo, using the G.I. Bill, continued his studies in Ranch Management at CalPoly Technical Institute in San Luis Obispo, California.

After spending several years away from the Islands, Hugo returned home upon his father’s death in December 1957. He had worked for Standard Oil Company on Oahu in the downtown office for several years when he turned down a promotion. What was the deal breaker?? The promotion came with a transfer to San Francisco tied to it — he was back in the Islands to stay!!

Moving from big oil to fashion, he took his growing management skills to Hawaii’s prominent clothing manufacturer, Kahala Sportswear, before making the move back to his beloved Hawaii Island. Back home, he put his impressive background and experience to work in sales, retail, and construction. From selling jeeps, assisting his mother at her popular Kailua-Kona dress shop, to being a “labor pusher” on the Mauna Kea Beach Resort Project in the early 60’s. Hugo was on his way to establishing a well-earned reputation for doing just about everything and doing it with great success.

No one was surprised, then, when he left the construction industry in the late 60’s to build and operate the now legendary Huggo’s Restaurant with his equally entrepreneurial wife, Shirley, on a prime waterfront property in the heart of Kailua-Kona. To ensure their chefs had the freshest of fish possible, Huggo and Shirley also owned and operated a sports fishing charter boat, the “Chiripa”. In 1982, ownership and leadership of Huggo’s transitioned to Hugo and Shirley’s son, Eric von Platen Luder, marking the next chapter in the restaurant’s evolution. In the years that followed, Hugo remained closely connected to the work he loved, continuing to support the restaurant and the people behind it while turning his energy toward other long-held interests.

With one eye always on the restaurant business, Huggo was ready for more adventures — one that included one of his most enduring passions – horses. As a young boy, he spent much time on and working at the Shipman ranches on the slopes of Mauna Kea - riding the open grasslands up mauka. At this time, he and Shirley began acquiring and breeding a band of running Quarter Horse broodmares on the Mainland. According to Huggo, “A few of the foals did quite well running in the AA and AAA classes worldwide.” One in particular, Ali’i Bar, became the Champion of Champions in Brazil. During this 1980’s timeframe, the couple also ventured into oil. During that decade’s infamous oil crisis, they established an oil drilling business at “Four Corners” on the Mainland with wells that produced more than 300 barrels a day going for $40 to $50 a barrel.

With ranching still alive and well in their veins, Hugo and Shirley later moved into the cattle business on the Big Island. Having been brought up on island ranches, Hugo was always looking at cows, and with Shirley’s Texas roots and ranching background, it was a natural venture for both. For 25 years, they marketed between 400 and 500 feeder cattle annually.

Throughout their lives, Hugo and Shirley remained connected to Huggo’s and the values it was built upon: hard work, stewardship, and a deep respect for land, sea, and community. That legacy continues today, evolving beyond one family and carried forward by the many people who care for the restaurant as their own, honoring the spirit in which Huggo’s was founded.