We got a chocolate waffle with vanilla ice cream, mini marshmallows and hello panda. Such a cute…read moredessert, it was $13, since we didn't add anything extra to it. It was so yummy, I love the fresh warm bubble waffle. I could eat it plain for how good it was. And the service was quick, from the time we ordered I would say it took 10-15 minutes for us to get our order, and in between that time a family was getting theirs too. So if it was empty I think it would've been faster

I was crazing something sweet so stopped for some bubble waffle. They also have bubble tea. We…read moreordered the chocolate bubble waffle with ice cream, almond slices, Reese's and condensed milk. Toppings were included in the price. There were plenty of other toppings to choose for free and others with a fee. The waffle came out soft and warm and was tasty. It only came with a small piece of Reese's and we didn't taste the condensed milk until we got to the bottom. The portion is big and very sweet so it's perfect for sharing. The place is small but has some seats inside. There was only a couple in front of us and service was quick. I'll have to try the bubble tea next time.

If you're more into lighter Malasada and other sweets, you have to give this place a try. I got to…read moretry their cinnamon Malasada with some pimples on them. It must be from their fryer or something. Nevertheless it was light, fluffy, fresh, warm to my tummy. We also got the hazelnut cake. Cake texture with coconut like flavor (I maybe wrong) with chocolate like hazelnut flavor coating. Also light and good. I saw ice cream too. Gotta try that next time. You can street park or Kaimuki municipal parking across the street.

Everyone knows to go to Leonard's for freshly made malasadas, and the constant crowds there attest…read moreto their quality and variety (review: https://yelp.to/jaduiZfQRq). However, there are many alternative malasada purveyors throughout Honolulu, so I depended on local vloggers to find the best ones. This one popped up often on YouTube, and as luck would have it, we were dining at The Pig & The Lady on the next block. How calorifically convenient. We took the opportunity to stop by for a pre-dinner snack since they closed at 6PM. It's a cute shop with multiple sweets including quite a selection of housemade ice cream and delectable mouthfuls called Cake Bombs (Photo 10). We decided we would be good and ordered one unfilled Malasada each. Dusted with various sugar flavors, they were just $2.65 a piece. I went for the Coffee, while Jamie chose the daily special, Cinnamon (Photo 6). They were soft and tasty, quite comparable to Leonard's albeit a tad smaller. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing since we had dinner ahead of us. However, we let temptation get the best of us and shared a $5.50 slice of the Ube Haupia Mac Nut Bar, a yummy combination of sweet potato and ube topped with haupia (coconut milk pudding) on a macadamia nut crust (Photo 9). Truth be told, it stole the show from the malasadas. FOOD - 4 stars... the malasadas were good, but that ube dessert was next level AMBIANCE - 4 stars...really a takeout operation with a lot of temptations SERVICE - 4 stars...very calm and orderly TOTAL - 4 stars...yet another spot for sweet Hawaiian decadence RELATED - Exploring Hawaii? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/U7YPblfoMP

AT LAST! Look no further. The search is complete. Here it is…read more I've been searching for a coffee shop on this side of the island that is serious enough about coffee to buy the hardware that matters. The La Marzocco. No longer do I have to explain to the barista that a macchiato does not in fact contain copious amount of sugar and caramel syrup. I want my croissants sweet, not my espresso.

Cute little coffee shop in Kailua There's parking in the…read moreback They have some things you can buy and they also have some cute pastries that looks so delicious but I didn't get any so I can't really say anything about that. But I did get the coffee and I did enjoy my coffee. It was a vanilla lavender one. It was a bit pricey but also really good. The coffee flavor was nice. Next time I'm in the area I'll get a pastry and I definitely want to try their homemade chai

If you think you've had malasadas before, this one in Kailua will make you rethink your…read moreassumptions--and maybe your topology. Instead of the usual solid sphere situation, this malasada is a torus, complete with a legitimate central hole. It's not just aesthetic; it's deliciously functional. More surface area means more outer crunch, and the math checks out. Fresh out of the fryer, the increased perimeter-to-volume ratio delivers maximum Maillard reaction per bite. The exterior achieves a near-perfect golden-brown crisp, while the interior remains chewy and toothsome--soft, elastic, and deeply satisfying. It's a beautiful example of form following function, where geometry directly improves flavor. Eat it hot. Like, immediately hot. Any delay introduces unnecessary variables into an otherwise elegant equation. This is malasada topology at its finest: crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and proof that sometimes the hole really does make the donut better.

Arrived just before they sold out. It was ~10:40am on a Monday…read more Malassada was freshly made & piping hot. Enjoyed the crispy exterior bits that surrounded the fluffy center. Generally my 1st stop whenever I'm in Kailua.

Malasadas are popular in Hawaii due to their 19th-century introduction by Portuguese plantation…read morelaborers, becoming a staple treat. These fried, sugar-coated dough balls, often filled with custard or haupia, are beloved for their fluffy texture and association with tradition, especially "Malasada Day" (Fat Tuesday). And Leonard's Bakery malasadas are popular in Hawaii because they are served fresh, hot, and fluffy, establishing the Portuguese doughnut as a staple island treat since 1952. Founder Leonard Rego pioneered commercializing them, creating a cult following for the crisp-on-the-outside, doughy-on-the-inside treats. There's nothing like a nice, hot, and fresh malasada. At $2.20 each, there's just no point resisting. Twinsie "Auntie" Nadine C. dragged me here, told me where to take the Instagram shot, and the correct stance to tear into these pillowy fried dough balls. Yum.

Coming as we're intrigued looking at how many people we randomly bumped into, carrying their iconic…read morepink boxes. The line in front of the store was always super long but surprisingly moving super swift. The store didn't have sit-down space but a lot of people enjoyed their orders right in front of the store as it's indeed highly recommended to enjoy while warm. Their iconic items were surely the Malasadas, basically fried sugar-coated doughnut, which came in the option of unfilled (default) and filled. We got the ones filled with Chocolate and Macadamia Nut custard. They're lusciously fluffy with just right sweetness for the filling. Worth trying for the experience.

Best coffee on the island and I won't argue about it. We randomly stumbled upon this place, and I…read moream SO happy we did. We had breakfast here and everything was delicious, especially the breakfast croissant. Simple, but incredibly tasty. And then the drinks... oh my god. The macadamia nut latte was THE BEST COFFEE I HAVE EVER HAD. I literally dream about it. It was unbelievably good. Their premade drinks were also amazing, especially the CBD hibiscus lemonade. We tried a few different things and honestly everything was great. The owner and her father were also incredibly warm and kind. We walked in right when they opened, and by the time we left maybe 30 minutes later, the place was packed. Honestly, it makes complete sense because everything there is absolutely delicious.

We stopped here while we were sightseeing and were NOT disappointed!! We walked in, placed an order…read moreand took a seat. The food came out pretty quickly and was so good! There aren't many tables so it will fill up pretty quickly. There are a few tables outside but we didn't want to compete with the birds for our food. There is ample parking as the restaurant is located in a small shopping center.

Amazing and yummy. Best cookies ever and new flavors every week makes it something to look forward…read moreto

Had another wonderful experience at Crumbl. The staff is super friendly. Parking is no problem…read more Such a variety. They change the cookies every week so you can never get bored. There's something for everyone. I will be definitely be going back again and again. I took my son today for his birthday. I wanted him to pick a cookie for his birthday. He ended up picking three cookies. One of the favorites I had there was their Dubai chocolate cookie. The texture and taste was nice and light. It wasn't heavy or dense at all. This is something I would go back to again and again. Thank you again, Crumbl.

TL;DR Cute brunch…read moreand Japanese restaurant on the east side. Beef Sukiyaki Combo = ONO ----- My aunty recommended Heavenly a while ago but whenever we decided to try it there was always no reservations available. Well, we were finally able to lock in a res for brunch on a Saturday before a Costco run. I would definitely recommend making a reservation. The restaurant was pretty busy when we visited and there was a wait at the door. Heavenly is located in the Koko Marina shopping center. There's lots of parking available. The ambiance is great and there is a fantastic view of the surrounding water. The seating is super comfy and casual with sofa-style chairs to sit in. Heavenly has a very eclectic menu. A large portion of the menu is dedicated to breakfast offerings, but there is also a very sizable selection of Japanese dishes. I wasn't craving anything for breakfast, so I opted for the Beef Sukiyaki Combo, which came with a hefty portion of beef sukiyaki, rice, a soft-poached egg, and miso soup. This really hit the spot. Everything was delicious. If you like gyudons, you should definitely consider the beef sukiyaki here. My wife ordered the loco moco and subbed in a falafel patty. I was expecting the patty to be hard and/or dry, but it was utterly perfect! It was crispy on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside. And it paired so well with the gravy, egg, and rice. I would highly recommend this dish as well. We ordered an acai bowl for my young daughter, which was also great. This is our new brunch spot on the east side!

We love places that are dog friendly!…read more We ate here after a hike, and it was a great place to refuel for the day. The decor is very cute and the service was amazing. The greens were good, but the stand out for me has to be the blueberry lemonade and the truffle wedges. They have a ton of parking cause it's the shopping center lot, but also can fill up depending on the time of day. Give these guys a try if you're ever in Hawaii Kai.

Konos is and always will be the place I go to for my breakfast burrito fix. Use to drive all the…read moreway up to the north shore from town almost 10 years ago just to have their burritos so having the Kailua location nearby is even better! Parking: street side Seating: 5 smaller tables that hold 3-4 people each. There is bench seating outside. Service: ordering was quick & easy. Actually receiving our food took a little over 30 mins but it was a weekend and they were slammed! I'd happily wait every time because the burritos really are that good. Food: nothing tastes better than a konos burrito in a to go bag on the beach. I'm a huge fan of the chorizo burrito add avocado & my husband devours the pork one! Can't beat 2 fat burritos for under $40.

Well, you can only boycott a good bagel for so long. The chewy, creamcheesy goodness was more than…read moreI could resist today, so I gave Kono's another try. I'm a business owner and to me customer service matters more than anything, even when the experience isn't perfect. Kono's stepped up. Everything went well from order through delivery, and the Tube Bagel was fresh and delicious. They were out of something, but called to offer a choice of substitutions. I would share a photo but it's currently passing through my digestive system and not feeling very photogenic at the moment. Ignore that silly disgusting mess attached to my original review, but I will leave the photos up because I think they are instructive for management. Mission Accomplished Kono's Kailua! Not a criticism but I couldn't communicate with the Uber Eats driver through the website app. Whoever it was found me.

I stopped by here yesterday morning for my morning coffee. While traveling we try to hit up a new…read morelocal coffee shop every day and on this morning it happened to be Bits and Bites Cafe. This shop is located in a strip mall right off Keahole Street. The inside of the shop was clean and brightly decorated but a bit smaller than I was expecting. Even so, they had a display case filled with a variety of scones and a coffee bar in the back. After looking over the menu I chose an iced Hawaiian honey latte along with a lilikoi scone while my dad went with a salted caramel scone. Our order was ready within about five minutes and we were quickly on our way. I first tried the lilikoi scone and really enjoyed it. It had a nice sharpness that was balanced with just enough sweetness to keep it from being overpowering. My coffee was good as well. The coffee itself was deep and rich and while I picked up a bit of sweetness at the start, the Hawaiian honey really came through on the finish. My dad also really enjoyed his salted caramel scone. The bottom line for me is that I would head back here again in the future. We both enjoyed our scones and I thought my coffee was solid as well.

Bits & Bites is a tiny, takeout only cafe in the Hawaii Kai Shopping Center. They specialize in…read morescones and flavored Basque and Japanese cheese cakes. These scones are dense and cakey with a firm crust. The actual scone is barely sweet, with most of the flavor coming from a punchy glaze. We tried a Strawberry and a Guava Cream Cheese scone with an Iced Latte. One of the nicest parts of the shopping center is getting to sit by the water so that's where we headed. I enjoyed the Guava Cream Cheese more because of the chucks of cream cheese, but my partner thought the Guava was too tart. The Iced Latte was a dark roast, with a little less milk and more coffee; a good pick me up on a hot day. Overall, worth stopping by if you're in the neighborhood, but come early if you want the full selection, by 10 am they were already out of some flavors.