“Oh my my!! We got the custard, macadamia nut, and guava malasadas (Portuguese donuts). They were fantastic! They are made to order so when you get them they're fresh and warm .The consistency is similar to a cream puff on the inside encased in a crunchy fried dough on the outside. So yummy! A MUST try!“
“My wife and I went to brunch on a Sunday morning. Live piano, excellent service, a huge selection, and some amazing desserts . My wife made the reservation so I'm not sure what options were available for people with allergies (I'm allergic to shellfish). I had a mimosa, some romaine lettuce with Parmesan cheese and croutons, and a slice of beef brisket. There was a lot of shellfish but I thought I was careful to avoid them. I'm not sure how but I was wrong. I soon began experiencing the early symptoms of angioedema (swelling of lips and tongue). My wife informed the person who came to refill our water asking if they had any diphenhydramine (benadryl). That person sent our server over who (after being asked the same) went and got the manager who came over and said that they had called for security who had a first aid kit. We were starting to draw attention from nearby tables and I was starting to panic as my symptoms were beginning to worsen so I got up and left for our hotel where my meds were (1 block away).Ultimately, the fault is my own as I could have brought my meds with me and I would highly recommend to anyone with shell fish allergies who want to try the Orchids famous brunch buffet that they do. I wish I could have enjoyed more of what the Orchid had to offer. The piece of brisket I had was easily the best I'd ever tasted. I've worked in kitchens before and I know how easily cross contamination can occur. I assume that something I ate touch a surface that touched shellfish as the over all histamine response was relatively mild compared to past episode where I consumed shellfish. I'm not angry, just didn't feel like I got my monies worth hence the 4 out of 5 stars. Would still recommend if you don't have allergies though.“
Coffee Shops • $
“I’d recommend visiting this place, but it wasn’t my favorite on the island. The staff seemed very overwhelmed which led to somewhat rude interactions. There isn’t much seating and unclear pricing. The pastries we tried were pretty good and the espresso was thick and nice but a bit bitter.“
“Guava Smoked has such an interesting story behind it. The owners would hike around on the island and harvest the invasive strawberry guava wood that's on the island and use it to smoke their meats.The result is flavorful, sweet smelling meat and it is seasoned to perfection. We ordered the kalbi, spicy pork, and butterfish collar as well as a side of pipikaula (family recipe). All of them were lip smacking good and has a nice chew. I would recommend the spicy pork and butterfish collar for everyone to try.We ordered the plate and was able to swap out the rice for homemade kimchee, salad and a mac salad.Smoked meats all the way!Parking: Parking is a recessed lot from the street, it's around in the back“
“Stopped in here when we were on the north east side of the island. The Kalua Pig Hash is excellent. It's a huge portion. Some of the potatoes were crunchy while others were soft. The flavors were wonderful. The cilantro added an extra layer of flavor. All four of us ordered it at the waitress' recommendation. Everyone enjoyed it.We also ordered the orange Custard French Toast. It was also excellent. It has a nice crunch to the exterior and a hint of orange flavor. The whipped cream on the plate also has a hint of orange. The fresh maple syrup with the whipped cream on a bite of the French Toast is the way to go.The coffee seemed a bit on the bitter side. We didn't try any of the alcoholic beverages. Everyone agreed this was one of the best meals we've had on the island.“
“Love this place, I'm not even gluten free or vegetarian but their baked goods are delicious regardless. From experience, it's rare that I come across a tasty gluten free treat or even bread but they have mastered it somehow. I would recommend the cinnamon roll with the icing(also vegetarian). Also, they're strictly gluten free so no worries with cross contamination or whatever. Expensive though. But hey it's Hawaii, but still no excuse.“
Vegan • $
“Blondie's is the best vegan restaurant on island in my opinion. It's the most similar to vegan comfort food that can be found in places like Portland and is really unlike any other food available on O'ahu. The atmosphere is lovely and the service is always top notch (Cybil is the absolute sweetest!). The restaurant is run by a mother-daughter duo and my heart is warmed every time I think of this. Even my non-vegan friends and family enjoy the food! Blondie's also happens to make my favorite smoothie of all time—the pipeline paradise. I have something of a smoothie obsession and I literally dream of this smoothie constantly. Highly recommend giving Blondie's a try!“
“This was on our must stop stop, and it did not disappoint! Amazing selection and everything we purchased was excellent!! You just have to make the time to go to this bakery if you're on Oahu! Sweet ladies at the front put up with our drooling ? and indecisiveness. There were just too many things to decide...lol. Get the pineapple upside down cake!!“
“Restaurants in KailuaWhen I go to Oahu, I go there for breakfast.The ``Lilikoi pancake'' is especially recommended. Although there is volumeThe sauce is refreshing and easy to enjoy.In addition to pancakes, there are morning sets,Enjoy crispy bacon, lilikoi pancakes, and egg dishes.You'll have to wait a little while to get in, so it's better to go early.“
“9Bar is my favorite local coffee shop and place to hang out. I cannot say enough good things about everyone who works here. The best coffee on the island, made by the best baristas on the island. Excellent music.Thank you to Tracey, Kayden, Krystn, Tina and everyone else for always making me feel welcomed and at home.“
“I had shaved ice once in my life before going to Uncle Clay’s and hated it. Then I saw so many people enjoying this one and it looked great so I decided to give it another go. Oh wow, this one was absolutely amazing!! The addition of fruit and vanilla ice cream make it a perfect refreshing dessert. Highly recommended?“
“Great tea and coffee shop up in the Manoa Valley. So peaceful and tranquil. Scones were amazing as well as the coffee. The only area that they need help is on the floor staff. They were not clearing and clean tables. So another eating and drinking next to someone’s old dishes. Other than that the place is amazing and I would definitely return“
“I have been craving for the scones here for a while...finally made it here. There're quite some parking options around. Can also park just by the library across the street. I bought different flavors today: strawberry, mango, chocolate, blueberry and coffee. All were super tasty. Definitely coffee was my fav!“
“Was here last year and found it disappointing.BUT. TRIED AGAIN TODAY AND WOW!!;food was amazing from ribs to parmesan bread to shrimp ravioli yummmmIf I had to pick anything souflee took to long even though I ordered at the startm but it is worth the wait ..l“
“We had the most wonderful experience meeting and designing the wedding desserts with CakeWorks! They were flexible and creative and worked with us for 2 years to make sure everything was perfect! The cake, cookies and cupcakes were delicious and beautiful!“
“Ice cream and waffle cone were both good. I ordered and the girl questioned my order (a double dip in a cone…so I just said leave it a single dip). Definitely not enough space for all the people that come in…but for a very touristy location what can you expect? ?“
“I highly recommend this cafe! The service was outstanding, featuring a unique menu that surpassed expectations. The lattes were exceptionally tasty, and the homemade granola and açaí bowl were truly delightful. It's no surprise they earned the title of the best cafe in 2023 – an experience worth savoring!“
“Omg they have the best bread on the island. We bought their gruyere savory croissant-like bread and it was absolutely mouth watering. We also tried their nonna focaccia. The nice guy behind the counter let me pick a free mini load to try. I would recommend ordering in advance as some of the options were sold out by the time we walked in in the afternoon. Highly recommend! They have seating outside their store“
“After hiking up Diamond Head and proposing to my now wife, we stopped here for lunch based on a recommendation from a local. I had the Mixed Plate and my wife had the Miso Ginger Salmon Sandwich. All the meats were well seasoned, juicy, and delicious. I like salmon once in awhile but that salmon sandwich nailed it, I could eat it all the time. Great place to eat and I look forward to coming back in the future!“
“We have been here many times. The food is French Asian fusion and excellent. The pre fixe dinners are the most economical choice that gets you choice of appetizers, entrepreneurs and one of their amazing desserts. There are probably 20 different patisserie options. All displayed beautifully in the shop. The chocolate pyramid is their signature dessert.“
“We stopped here around lunch time as we were in the area. We ordered an acai bowl, a smoothie, and a crepe.Everything was excellent and a step above other places we've been. The acai bowl was fancy in a good way with high quality honey, a nice display, and fresh ingredients. The crepe we got was delicious with the crepe texture having a very nice chewy texture that matched well with the cheese inside. Our daughter loved her smoothie too!The place seems very clean and the staff was friendly.“
“Lunch in Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii... I saw Amy Y.'s review & photos, and thought: I haven't been there... It's Thursday, my day in Kailua for mahjong... I should try it! There were many good things about this adventure: Parking is free on the street and behind the building. There's outside seating, indoor dining, and more seats upstairs! Service was friendly, helpful, and efficient! I was able to use the remainder of my Visa Gift Card (thank you, Donna O.), and paid the balance with credit card. The cashier brought my order to me, checked up on me, took my used dishes away, and helped me swipe my Gift Card in the machine... LOL... I'm not techie! Note: I also did bus my glass at the self-service area. The interior was colorful, spacious, and bright! I liked the wall mural, beach scene on the bench seating, and little wave on the corner of the table! The menu was not just crepes, but also smoothies, sandwiches, and more! Wow! I finally decided on a Baby Crepe with Bacon and garlic... it was DELICIOUS! The edges of the Crepe had a light crispness! MMM! I devoured it! I also got an Aloha Lemonade. It had mango and pineapple flavors that made the Lemonade very different and special! Thanks for a fun experience! I look forward to returning and trying everything on the menu!“
“Super crowded in the morning, the line wraps around the building. When we arrived it was past the bathrooms.Overall, the pastries selection is pretty good. We got the Apple Mac bread puddling, there were half Mac nuts inside which added a nice crunch. In terms of drinks we got stuff on their seasons / special menu. I got the ginger latte and my hubby got their take on the Vietnamese coffee with coconut condensed milk! Coffees were good and I loved the strong ginger flavor in my latte!They for a good set up and few tables under cover and out in the sun with umbrellas. If you don't want to wait in the line you can order online (until a certain time I believe). Dog friendly outside, saw some cute pups here!Overall a good coffee stop, but we waited over 30 mins to get to the front so be prepared to wait for your coffee!“
“One of my favorite poke places in Oahu! Their poke is absolutely delicious, and I always love to take it to Kailua beach for lunch. I really enjoy their salmon poke, and my boyfriend likes their spicy ahi. Everyone is also friendly and their service is great!“
“I've been here many times, my girls and I really like the atmosphere, we usually only drink coffee here. The last time I tried bruschetta, the presentation was different from the classic presentation, it tasted good, but something was missing. What upset me is that on my recommendation my friends went there for breakfast and were very disappointed, they ordered eggs Benedict but instead of a poached egg they got a regular fried egg, this is very strange. I hope this was some kind of mistake. Next time I'll order eggs Benedict and see what they bring me.“
“Been using good clean food for almost a year now and I’m totally in love with it! I love that you can choose which meals you want each week, and that the menu is always changing. It’s the perfect amount of food and taste so freaking good! It’s like having delicious restaurant leftovers in your fridge 24/7! I’m a big sauce girl too so I love that they include delicious sauces with some of the meals! Mahalo for keeping me fed, GCF!“
“I love this place! I'm visiting family and they suggested that I visit this cafe and both times I've got the Poke bowl (it's my favorite) the rest of my family let me try some of the other dishes that they got and they are all good! The employees here are very nice too. Next time I come here I need to try there breakfast.“
“I used it for breakfast.The inside of the store is spacious and there are plenty of seats, so I was able to sit down without having to wait.It seems that there are many cafe menus and food menus available. There was also a wide variety of drinks.I was given a seat on the outside with a great view, so I was able to enjoy the tropical atmosphere outside.The waffles were very delicious and the staff were very nice.“
“Stephanie was an amazing server. We arrived early although we already had a reservation, they were happy to seat us. Ended up tucked in a corner which was nice given the occasion. We ordered the house gyoza (delicious, very flavor ful), caprese salad (always my fav) and the spring rolls (a little bland) to start. I chose the Pad Thai med spicy with chicken. I loved it, great portion size. He chose the Japanese curry with Karagae chicken. Couldn't end the night without dessert, our server recommended a seasonal special chocolate banana brulee cake. Couldn't get enough even with everything we had. Already made plans to return for more! Mahalo Panya for making our first a many for the books!“
“Stopped by for happy hour on a Thursday. Was not busy at all. Got seated outdoors and served drinks and appetizers pretty quickly. Everything was great. Food came out at a great time giving us plenty of time to chat before eating. Plenty of menu items, would definitely go back.Parking: Parking garage is one block away and very limited street parking on site“
“Walked into the bar after the host said it was open seating. Saw a few empty drinks and asked the first bartender if the seats were open only to receive an unfriendly response, directing me to ask another bartender. It was disappointing to encounter such poor customer service. Anyway, the night redeemed itself with a good ceasar salad with shrimp and a beautiful view. All other bartenders were great.“
“I will sing praises to the beautiful people at the Hokulani Bake Shop. We ordered our wedding cake from them last year and this year for our anniversary we got the cupcake version of our wedding cake to celebrate. Needless to say this will be a tradition for as long as we can keep it up. Their minimalistic buttercream was the best for us and our guests. We ordered the guava and passion fruit cake with the cream cheese filling. In our opinion they are their best flavors. Their seasonal flavors are also amazing. For the best service call and order ahead.“
“Really a nice, friendly little cafe. The food is excellent. A pure delight. The staff is exceptional, and very helpful. Value for money is very good. The ideal place to relax, work and drink a succulent macha and eat a pain au chocolat yumm????“
Coffee Shops • $$
“This was one of my favorite spots! We are talking about some strong coffee babyyyy! Grabbed this while out shopping and when I tell you it helped power me through the rest of my shopping experience lol. They have plenty of seating for a mall shop, and they moved swiftly even with the demanding crowd. Had to get me some of those beans to take home! So good“
“The wintermelon tea was good and the bubble tea is not overly sweet! The creme brulee was horrible and not like other places with like a crisp cheese foam. It tasted like they just threw in a chunk of actual creme brulee and blended it, making it chunky and hard to drink. Would recommend anything else though.“
“Great service, good music we always come and eat the food. But I’ve missed the guava vitamin soda!!!!! There’s many other flavors.Dietary restrictions: Very healthy food. What I love the most is all coffee and drinks are not filled with sugar!!Kid-friendliness: I brought my 2 month and it’s a good environment for baby.Wheelchair accessibility: There’s a walkway for wheel-chair, leads you straight to the door. Also for stroller etc.“
“I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to Indian food, so I did the basic thing and ordered what I saw everyone else on the internet get: Buttered Chicken and garlic Naan. Honestly, it was delicious. I ordered it with a level 3 spice, should have gone hotter, but I'm not a complete rookie and know there's a difference between Asian hot and American hot. It came with like some source of herb-sauce... not sure what I was supposed to do with it, but it was great. There's no seating, so that can be a bit of a challenge (we went across the street to Down to Earth). The service was great, the guy there was very sweet. It looks like they're still trying to get on their feet, but overall, I'd go back & try other menu items!“
Thai • $
“Delicious and nutritious!! This is Thai-authentic cuisine as it can get. All the level of spiciness you like or non. You must try the energizing lemon juice. Jamieson and Pauline took my order and prepared our meal just in time. You must try this Thai Shack!! Parking available. This restaurant location is near Pear Harbor Hickam Base, near the Arizona Memorial, close to H201, H-1, and H-3 Hwy.“
“I had a great experience here! The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. It is located in an office building complex but has a courtyard for seating and small number of tables inside. Parking was difficult to navigate but found a public lot. The almond croissant is really good!! It has an almond spread in the middle that is superb. The smoothies are good, breakfast sandwich was good, and coffee was good!“
“Affordable $9.99 pepperoni and drink special. Perfect size pizza with good portion of pepperoni's. Came with a fountain soda drink. But I bought a beer separately from the purchase. The young man taking my order was very personable, courteous and accommodating adjusting my order to add the beer. Pizza was quick and I was eating with 15 minutes. Excellent indoor and outdoor dining. I'd return for sure.“