Made an unexpected stop at the Dole Cannery today and happened upon Olena while passing through. Rose is such a joy to exchange with, she welcomed us in and immediately became like an old friend. We talked about the menu items and decided to try her world's best homemade chai - it truly did not disappoint!! It's very evident that they pour a lot of love into the food being served here with every customer being treated like a guest. Thanks Rose for adding some extra sunshine to our day! read more

This was actually my first time visiting 'Ōlena and I was very surprised with the quality of service the establishment had. The restaurant has a clean and welcoming atmosphere that just makes you want to enter. It could have just been the timing, but when I walked in I was immediately told I'd be taken care of right away and was greeted by the friendly staff. They didn't try to upsell or push for me to order anything in particular, but I still went for the Loco Moco. It was a beautiful ​dish with a nice mound of potato mac salad on a small bed of greens, a healthy scoop of rice, a decadent nicely sized hamburger patty, two perfectly cooked eggs, some caramelized onions for garnish, and a wonderful red wine sauce instead of the classic brown gravy. It was so good, I couldn't help but eat everything and I can't wait to try their other dishes! read more

OlenaHi - Potato mac salad, rice, a meaty hamburger patty with two runny eggs, and a tasty red wine sauce - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Not only the food and drinks are great, the vibes are the best! Always here for their Thai Coffee for that afternoon pick up and yap time

Got the thanksgiving plate, although at $46, it's rather expensive, there was a lot of Turkey and all the sides were super delicious. Might be the best Turkey I've ever had; not that crusty dry stuff grandma used to make every year read more

OlenaHi - Thanksgiving plate - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Thank you Chef Ron for sending us these treats all the way to Seattle! They taste so fresh, it feels like we're in Hawaii read more

OlenaHi - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The three eyed, yellow, smiley. Evolution! (Hey, who doesn't like a sexy government scientist studying aliens?). And evolved Olena has, fine tuning preparations to make them takeout friendly, developing new grab and go options, and adding restaurant caliber dishes and desserts. Standbys like the spicy ahi roll made with fresh ahi, coated in tempura batter and deep fried crisp and the outstanding blackened ahi sandwich both as good as ever. Equally good, the prime rib with rich, buttery mash and savory sage au jus and the solid, juicy on the inside, crisp on the outside, perfectly fried ribeye katsu. Grab and go options like Okinawan sweet potato poke an absolute treat. Puffs (pastry filled with this or that), are outstanding. "Sauced", properly cooked salmon or filet paired with a few supporting ingredients baked in a hand-holdable "pie". Specials impress. The new, perfect medium, lemon-thyme fresh salmon with roasted Brussels sprouts on an organic quinoa salad paired with a zesty turmeric dressing impressive. IG worthy with flavors to match. Finally, the chocolate bomb. Creamy, not too sweet, crème brulee filling surrounded by the smoothest, silkiest mousse, robbed in chocolate. Sex on a plate. Tip: Follow on IG for specials and use online ordering to lock up yours. Tip: Spill lot across the street next to the Hawaiian Chip Company. Super friendly service. Don't be alarmed by the wife's photographic memory. Time is running out to give them a try. They are closing at the end of the year but are looking for a new spot. Eating the way through their evolution has been fun. Cheers to the next chapter. read more

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I have been wanted to try this place for a long time but i finally had the opportunity to eat here, I heard a lot of good things about the food and it did not disappoint. I ordered the brisket with rice and the portions are pretty filling, I also got the fudge brownies which taste just like when you have the munchies and that first bite you take is fucking amazing. The lady who took my order was very nice and seemed to know all her customers by name, she knew it was my first time eating there and was helpful and accommodating. There is seating within Dole Cannery with AC so you don't have to deal with the hot sun. They will hand deliver your food to you when your order is ready. Such nice people with great food, I can't wait to try something different next time read more

OlenaHi - Beef Brisket - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Just landed from our Southwest flight from the mainland and starving. A simple search for "great food" brought up this lovely restaurant. Stashed away in the Dole Cannery food court is Olena's. Before I get to the food I have to share this experience. The very nice lady behind the register might have ruined the rest of this trip for me because of how nice & attentive she is. She was pairing our drinks to our meals for us and when people came in to ask for sauce. She paired a sauce to their meal on the spot. This is not an experience I've ever had in a food court location ever. On to the food Mahi Mahi fish and chips. 5 stars Wife wanted something light and somehow ended up choosing the fish and chips because Mahi Mahi versions sound great. The fish and the chips came out very crunchy but the fish was not heavy at all. Would try again Short rib bowl - 5 stars. Super tender and the olena rice was very filling to balance out the great bbq sauce. The slaw is a star. I loved how the texture & temp paired well with the rice and brisket. Drinks - Filipino lemonade was great. I love the bits Pineapple mango tea - super refreshing, but if you're looking for something sweet this won't hit the spot. Thanks for having us! Thanks for having us. read more

Just spectacular. In Hono for a work trip, I refused to eat anywhere else for lunch. The food is fresh, the team making it all happen fantastic. Thanks to all! read more

Rose is a 5 star Hospitality superstar!! She makes everyone feel so welcome! She greets everyone as if they are longtime friends and includes you in the entire experience.... The lunches are delicious but I'm hooked on the brownie/mousse/ whipped cream dessert and the Filipino lemonade! I need to try the other offerings but know I will need to end snd top off with the dessert snd beverage. read more

OlenaHi - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Update: After trying many dishes, I've come to the conclusion that it's more than the quality of the food or the creatively tasty dishes Chef Ron puts together, but it's more about the EXPERIENCE. When you consume quality meals with fresh ingredients, your body feels differently. No kanak-attack and no post meal thirst (from high salt). You feel good! Serving size is perfect and doesn't leave you sluggish. Leftovers, if any, are eaten at the next meal. Adding to the experience is Rose. She's someone you want to chat with all day long. Rose connects with people, which is a beautiful quality. Such a friendly, fun-loving, and nice person with a heart of gold. Rose cares about the customers and knows how to recommend food based on your preferences, or if you're like me, based on appetite level. The environment is full of color. The building is bright orange, there are live plants at the storefront, and there are handmade crafty signs. It lifts spirits and prepares you for a wonderful experience. There are "frequent flyers" like myself who I chat with in line or while waiting for my order. Everyone is so nice and kind there, from staff to customers. Olena by Chef Ron is the perfect place to go when you want quality food at descent prices, or when you need to connect with good souls. read more

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Let me start with Rose who greets you at the counter and knows her customers by name. This woman will blow you away with her enthusiasm and love for superb food! Then there's the food. Olena is located in the Dole Cannery food court so you wouldn't expect a place with such high quality food there, but if it saves them on overhead costs, it works for me! The food is insanely delicious. My absolute favorite was their blackened ahi sandwich. WOWWWWW. The fusion of flavors is perfect! The blackened ahi is seared to perfection. The fresh greens and sweet vine-ripened tomato add the fresh element, while the homemade crispy fried onions give it crunch and so much satisfaction. The sweet chili aioli binds it all together into a serious masterpiece. Their hours are short but I'm going to find a way to keep coming back. Again, WOWWWWW!!! read more

Food was eatable; the burger tasted like fish rice was good and service was friendly.

One of Kalihi's finest! Let me tell you, the food here is GOOD! Picked up food for the office from an online order, so we had a lot of different items. My order was the adobo pork belly bowl... this is the best pork belly I have ever eaten! Very tender and just a little crispy on the outside. It wasn't greasy or oily at all and even the fatty part of the meat was perfectly cooked through. Made with delicious sauce and very mild pickled onions, this bowl is an excellent lunch. I got it with the cole slaw which was very light and fresh (not saucy like the one from KFC) I also had a Filipino lemonade. This is a mild drink with fruit cubes on the bottom. I believe the fruit is calamansi, and it can be sucked up with the "boba" straw that is provided. A fellow coworker who got the red wine beef stew. He said it was tasty with the meat being very tender and juicy. A few other coworkers got seared ahi, which looked expertly prepared and masterfully sliced. There were also a couple of people who got the lemongrass chicken bahn mi, which also looked good. I plan on coming back to try other items. Based on the outstandingly good pork belly I had and the Yelp ratings, I'm sure everything will be delicious! read more

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Every time the order is ready on time!! Delicious, healthy, freshest ingredients ever!! And Chef Rons 'specials' are out of this world delicious!! The staff is super friendly, Rose and Wendy, plus Chef Ron and everyone else that's in the kitchen!! Sometimes you'll spot their kids working!! You owe it to yourself to try Olena located in Dole Cannery hear Costco and the Dole Cannery theater. read more

Food: there are few words that will describe the food at Olena's ... AMAZING, DELICIOUS and OUTSTANDING just a few Olena rice flavored with coconut, lemongrass and turmeric was flavorful... could eat it everyday Banh mi: loved it ... juicy pork belly meat topped with crispy picked vegetables and crispy caramelized onions And the beef stew out of this world... yummmm Service: everyone working there nice and hospitable Ambiance: it is situated in the old Dole Pineapple cannery...(in the food court) grab and find a place to sit or take away ... clean atmosphere Plenty of parking across the street in the multi level parking read more

Olena is a wonderful experience! Rose is so kind, generous and enthusiastic about you having the best food experience. Every choice has been so delicious, we have enjoyed every single one!! Located in Dole Cannery with validated parking across the street at the Regal Theater garage. Plenty of seats in the food court and they even bring your order out to you! Truly a hidden gem! read more

Rose and Wendy are the aunties that always take good care of you whenever they see you. They are absolute dolls and this restaurant's is a total hidden gem. Food is tasty, portions are big enough where I always have leftovers even though i'd like to eat more and the shop has grab-n-go options for customers who are in a hurry. Olena rice and their pork belly bowl are two of my favorites, other than Rose and Wendy. read more

OlenaHi - pork belly with olena rice and salad - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Wow, the service here was so good that it restored my faith in humanity. The tofu was delicious too. read more

Can't say anything that's not already been said. One of the best hole in the wall places. Had the banh mi lemon grass chicken sandwich and a braised red wine stew. Both were so good!! read more

I thoroughly enjoyed the chicken pot pie yesterday. The crust was perfection and the large chuncks were delicious! Today I tried the adobo pot belly bowl. Truly "broke da mouth" good!!! If you haven't tried Olena yet, you're missing out. read more

First time coming back to Olena by Chef Ron Simon since they moved to the Duke Cannery location. I can see why they decided to move, this space is super nice and lots of tables to eat at in cool Air conditioning. The ambience is very tranquil and inviting! I ordered online and parked in the front at the red zone for a quick pickup. I had the lemon chicken banh mi sandwich. The bun was very fresh, the bread soft and the bun had a crunch to it, yum. The generous portion of lemon grass chicken was well seasoned, moist and delicious. Complimented by the pickled daikon and carrot slivers, fresh cucumber and freshly deep fried onions that wasnʻt oily. The sauce in the banh mi was light and blended well with all the tasty ingredients. Iʻve eaten this same type of banh mi at other eateries, but this one is my absolute favorite. Chef Ron uses only fresh ingredients and this sets his bar way above others! read more

Good food and the lady always take care her customers I highly recommend to anyone aloha!

So ono! The roast pork pancit was the best I've ever had. Highly recommend checking this place out, it's a must-visit for everyone!

their beef stew as 18 bucks, but I guess now days it's about value. to be fair the stew was great.. the portion was decent, but for 18 bucks.. well its a well made stew with lots of meat and veges.. so kudos to the chef. read more

Coworker wanted to come here as he saw a pic online so off we went! Ordered the beef stew...it was bland! I had really high hopes for this place but the food wasn't seasoned... The service is fantastic! The lady at the register is awesome and extremely friendly. If the food matched her personality, it would be off the charts...have also tried a few other things and have been underwhelmed. read more

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I really wanted to love this place. I had been following them on IG for awhile and couldn't wait to try their food during my Oahu visit. Overall I'd give them 3.5 stars if I could. They are a take-out only place, with available parking in the front or street parking. I ordered from them twice while visiting Oahu. Let me start with the good. Her name is Rose or Rosie. She's the one who answered the phone when I called to place my order, and she's also the one who greeted me when I arrived to pick up my food. SO FRIENDLY and personable. Even called me "Stace" as if we'd been friends for years. Not sure if she's the wife of the Chef (that would be my guess), but she really makes a great first impression! Now on to the food. For my first take-out, I ordered the prime rib for $22.95. It happens to be their Thursday special. It was a decent size and seemed to be quality meat, but there was not much seasoning or flavor to it, even with the large scoop of au jus on top. It came with salad and mashed potatoes, which I only had a small bite of so I can't comment much on that. The popover that came with the prime rib was huge and incredible! I dipped it in the au jus and devoured it. Might've been the best part of the meal. For my 2nd take-out, I ordered the angus loco moco with pork belly fried rice for $15.95. It's their Friday special. It also happens to be my favorite local dish of all time, so the bar is set high. Unfortunately this loco moco didn't meet that bar. The patty was overcooked and the gravy had a sweetness to it that I didn't care for. I had high hopes for the pork belly fried rice, but unfortunately that fell short, too. There wasn't much flavor to it. The mac salad was decent, but didn't stand out. What I really enjoyed the most was their banana poi bread! Omg, it was so moist and tasty! I'm dreaming of it now while writing about it. You must not leave without trying this! Their plate lunches are a bit pricey (at least the ones I ordered were), but probably appropriate based on the high quality meat and ingredients that they use. I just wish there was more flavor. 5 stars for their outstanding customer service! read more

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Superior customer service and great tasting food !!! Rose and Neal are awesome ! Highly recommended!

They had just closed and Wendy opened up for me! I ordered the special (fresh ahi!) sandwich with truffle fries. I had a Filipino Lemonade. Everything was DELICIOUS!!!! Fresh! Tasty! Glad I stumbled upon this gem!!! read more

I love Olena, not just for its food, but for the wonderful lady who works in the front, who is always happy, energetic, and knows her customers. That in and of itself will keep me coming back. The delicious grinds is just a bonus. Also a bonus is the fact that they are located across the street from Hawaiian Chip Company, my favorite spot for made-to-order taro chips. But back to Olena - I usually come here for their banana poi bread. My sons absolute love it. They're eat almost a whole loaf (the small size) in one sitting. Can't taste the poi at all (because if you could, my sons would not eat it). The ganache marshmallow cookie is also a favorite of mine - if you like soft chewy cookies, you'll love it too! Online ordering is available and recommended. There are a handful of parking spaces right out front. read more

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I ordered the special Corned Beef Plate for St. Patty's Day and it was DELICIOUS! The quality of food is fantastic and I highly recommend checking out Olena's. No matter what you order, you will not be disappointed! read more

OlenaHi - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place is a hidden gem! The food is sooooo good! Reasonably priced, amazing quick service. Please visit this place to get take out or enjoy a gourmet meal at an amazing price. I got the pork belly bowl, pork was juicy, perfectly cooked, and lots of pieces! I got the olena rice, so flavorful, and the slaw is a little sweet to balance. Got a pure butterfly tea, so light and beautiful, and had the flowers in it. I will definitely go out of my way to go here again! read more

OlenaHi - Butterfly tea - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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So glad that i found this little restaurant. We spent 8 days in Oahu, and this was definitely in the top two lunches/meals we had had. It's located inside the food count of the dDole Cannery, which is otherwise pretty dead despite the fun sounding name. It shares a parking lot with Costo. Menu is pretty limited- but that's generally fine with me when a place does a few things really good. Owner was super friendly- you can tell a lot of locals come here for lunch since she seemed to know most people. Most of the locals also seem to order ahead for pick up- so I recommend doing that since we waited a while. Lemongrass Tofu rice bowl was perfection- soft well flavored tofu. You can either make it into a Bahn Mi or a rice bowl- we did the latter and had the Olena Rice upgrade which I also recommend. It's a jasmine rice infused with tumeric, lemongrass, cloves, cinnamon- you really can smell all the flavors. We also had the Special of the Day which was Grilled Ahi Sandwhich- OMG AMAZING. It was a juicy cut of ahi perfectly seared, the whole sandwich was flavorful, juicy and came in a soft fresh bun. We loved it Other thing on the menu: lemongrass, chicken, adobo pork belly, prime beef brisket, red wine beef stew, They also have iced drinks- we had the butterfly pea tea, which was pretty blue but didn't have much flavor. I liked the plantation tea. Definitely recommend stopping by to/from the airport! read more

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Honestly some of the best comfort food on island. I literally have tried almost everything on the menu and frequent the location as often as possible. The beef stew is like noone ever experienced. The beef is tender, the potatoes and carrots melt in your mouth and the portion lasts for at least two meals for me. My husband is a fish and chips conisuer and raves about their version as well. This is a must stop. Catering is another option. They never disappoint. So grateful Chef Ron and Rose. You enhanced our lives by taking such great care in presenting your dishes and caring about every person who enters your doors. True Ohana spirit. read more

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Great customer service. Beef brisket Banh Mi with Plantation Tea. My son is a picky eater and he gave his lunch beef brisket bowl two thumbs up. Josh said the "fat" attached to the end of the brisket even has flavor. Lol. We all loved the fuggy brownies. read more

Filipino lemonade is so refreshing, sweet & tart. Truffle fries are amazing. Nice gem in an indoor shopping mall. read more

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So i just recently started working in this building and my co-worker recommended trying these guys. First time i had the mahi fish and chips and let me just say it was da bomb.com!! EVERY single thing i have tried here so far has been so delicious, quality, & always fresh. I highly recommend anything there and they even have vegetarian options too! They are always so fully of aloha and very friendly whenever i go. So totally worth it especially supporting local. You can tell from the ingredients to the cooking to the plate that everything is made fresh with care and quality ingredients. Mahalo for great service and food!! read more

OlenaHi - Fuikake Crusted Ahi - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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While we were waiting for our taro chips to be cut and fried at Hawaiian Chip Company, I caught sight of this takeout joint, Ōlena by Chef Ron Simon. I remembered their operation and great tastes from the dining room at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) when my husband and I would meet for lunch since his former workplace was nearby. Chef Simon's "new digs" are painted bright orange which is the color of ōlena or turmeric. Did you know that turmeric is known to be one of the hardest-working spices in the World? Well, just as turmeric is known for its multiple health benefits, Chef Simon is a multi-talented chef with an impressive culinary background. There is a small parking lot fronting this takeout and catering business but it's often packed with cars and people waiting for their orders. Yes, they're THAT popular and even more so during COVID-19 because our local restaurants are only allowed to provide takeout service or at least until the rules change again. But, if the lot is full, you may still luck out and get street parking or you may park temporarily at the Hawaiian Chip Company while picking up your order. Walking up to the storefront, we saw the cashier who had on her PPE standing behind a Plexiglas barrier. She greeted us with a comfortable familiarity as we perused their menu board, the cashier told us about their Thursday Prime Rib Special which is shareable for only $22.95, and their fresh-made Filipino lemonade (100% calamansi juice & purée + caramelized pineapple). She expanded her menu descriptions to include their vacuum-sealed meals which save you time from food preparation and cooking since you will just need to heat and eat. A couple of items that she showed to us were the local staple chicken long rice and kiawe smoked ribs. Meanwhile, my eyes were distracted to the ube bread pudding with salted caramel. Oooh, everything looked delicious and the cashier's menu descriptions made us hunger more just as our indecisiveness started to peak. I nudged my husband to hurry on making a decision for his lunch plate as a line of people started to form behind us. He decided upon the Fish & Chips and I ordered the Fresh Ahi Roll. After placing our orders, we stood to the side while waiting for our food which was prepared to order. My husband returned to pick up our taro chip order from Hawaiian Chip Company and packed our purchases in our car. Meanwhile, the cashier brought out our food order that had just come out from 'Ōlena's kitchen. Knowing that it would take us at least 15 minutes to return home, I opened the lunchbox containers to vent the food so our fries wouldn't get soggy from the steam. -Fish & Chips: inside the box were 4 fingers of crisp beer-battered local fish, a copious amount of crisp shoestring fries with a lemon wedge, a small container of malt vinegar, and ketchup. The fish was moist and flavorful which contrasted with its crispy crust. My husband devoured his fish and chips while I was barely halfway into my meal. $15.99 -Fresh Ahi Roll: it's a good thing that there's an appetizing photo of this ahi roll as one would expect to get sushi bar-style ahi roll. Well, basically, this dish is a fresh ahi tuna makizushi BUT it's battered and deep-fried. Its fresh tuna filling is mixed with spicy aïoli and sushi rice are served at room temperature while the fried battered nori exterior is hot and crisp. The roll is cut into 8 pieces which makes it very shareable and is served with mixed greens, creamy dressing, and gari (Japanese pickled sushi ginger). $15.99 We rushed home to dig into our lunches and look forward to returning to try other entrées or vacuum-packed family meals from here. Chef Simon's upscale local-inspired dishes will excite your palate with its local comfort flavors with good value. read more

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Update after a second visit... I have more and more respect. The lemongrass chicken banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) was the best ever for me. Very slightly different than traditional versions I've had, theirs is more substantial, overstuffed, saucy, and more depth of flavor. The staff was very personable and enthusiastic about their menu, making recommendations. If you want it fresh and hot you can order ahead of time, and they honor special requests. The grab and go soba salads are top quality, I got the salmon version, which was delicious. The specials are not on any rotation, just whatever the chef dreams up that day based on ingredients. Most of the customers seem to be regulars picking up a meal for home or office, and everybody knows everyone by name. read more

The experience here at Olena was amazing and memorable. The food was very clean and fresh, I left with a smile on my face, knowing I was fueled off of clean, delicious food!! Thank you Olena!! Make sure to try the adobo pork belly, cooked to perfection topped with savory sauces and a delicious coleslaw!! ​ read more

OlenaHi - Pork belly adobo - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii