TV Restaurants

Is Hapa J's Still Open? Food Paradise Update (San Clemente, CA)

Food Paradise, Season 16 San Clemente, California

Current status

Open

As of October 2026, Hapa J's is open — confirmed via Yelp, July 2026.

What the source shows: Yelp's listing for Hapa J's, updated in July 2026, shows current hours and roughly 1,400 reviews for the San Clemente restaurant. How we decide a status →

What happened after Food Paradise?

On Food Paradise (Travel Channel)'s "Nacho Nation" episode, Hapa J's was featured for its Hawaiian-style nachos, part of a menu that blends Hawaiian and Asian-fusion dishes such as Makaha street tacos and Korean-style short ribs. Hapa J's is a Hawaiian restaurant, bar, and lounge on El Camino Real in San Clemente, California, whose menu also includes potstickers, coconut shrimp, garlic steak, and shoyu chicken alongside a happy hour and a bar serving crafted cocktails, beer, and wine. Since the episode, Yelp's listing for the restaurant was updated in July 2026 and shows current operating hours along with roughly 1,400 reviews. OpenTable's reservation page for Hapa J's was also updated in 2026. Google Places lists the business as operational, checked 2026-09-08, with no indication of a closure.

The episode Food Paradise, Season 16

Episode 2
Air date not confirmed
Title: Nacho Nation · What was featured: its Hawaiian-style nachos and Asian-fusion menu items
How Food Paradise restaurants have fared: 27% closed →

Also in Season 16 Food Paradise

Season 16: 44 of 72 still open · 7 renamed, moved or under new owners

All 9 Season 16 episodes →

Nearest restaurants By distance from 2016 S El Camino Real

All 892 TV restaurants in California →

Before you go: Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources we checked 3 references

  1. Yelp https://www.yelp.com/biz/hapa-js-san-clemente
  2. OpenTable https://www.opentable.com/restaurant/profile/199234
  3. hapajs.com http://www.hapajs.com/
See something wrong?

We work hard to keep every status accurate and dated, but restaurants change fast and our sources aren't perfect. If something here is wrong — a status, a name, an address, anything — tell us what you're seeing and where you saw it, and we'll check it.

Tell us →

Share

Record fp-1287 · checked by Cal Marchetti.