I feel like I walked into another era....the 20's. Dark wood, music and art. What a great vibe. The barista is welcoming and informative on their menu. I couldn't wait to try the avocado toast $7, layers of avocado with sliced beets and topped with a poached egg($1 extra) all on their thick slice toast. If you're an avo fan like me try this. My daughter chose the chicken toast, oh yummy shredded chicken and mushrooms drizzled with ponzu aioli, we chose no cucumbers $10. We have been back twice now for this. Both dishes came with a salad topped a lite vinegarette The slow drip Kona coffee had a great aroma and not bitter. Nice and smooth. $5. The barista was so kind to make a hot chocolate. Over all a great experience, can't wait to try the lunch menu. read more

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Very cool looking and trendy cafe. My wife wanted to come here because of the decor and to try their coffee. We tried the green tea latte and it was delicious. Only inconvenience was that it was hard to find parking. read more

This cafe is right down the street from where I live so I just walk down and get some coffee there when I feel like getting some caffeine in me. Nice little cafe with great atmosphere. Can spend some time doing some work on the laptop or phone while I'm there. Very quiet setting so you can work without it being too noisy. read more

Maybe the nicest coffee shop in town? At least if you want bougie coffee and bougie food (all very good by the way) while looking at some art. And I'm into all those things! I did think the cajun ahi sandwich was a bit too salty though. They don't have their own wifi, but if you're a cable subscriber, you can logon to the "CableWifi" network there and sign in with your account. read more

Great neighborhood coffee shop located on Monsarrat Ave! I've read such great reviews about their food and drinks, so I am so glad I finally got to try here. We ordered the avocado toast and the green bowl to share. The avocado toast is delicious. The toast is on a thick slice of bread, with chunks of avocado, pieces of beets, and crumbled cheese, served with an arugula salad. I am not too sure what they use to make the green bowl, but it's like an açaí bowl, with a green base. It's so refreshing and filling. I like that they topped it with homemade granola, pumpkin seeds, and coconut! It's a great place to have a relaxing breakfast or sip on coffee! The staff is friendly and they get your order out pretty quickly. read more

ARS Cafe - Avocado toast - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Excellent coffee. Great cafe vibe to hang out and chat. No wifi though. Service is good.

Awesome place, great service and good people. The blueberry scone to die for. Place has nice music. read more

ARS Cafe - Books and coffee maker. - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I have been in Honolulu 3 days and I have tried 3 different restaurants in the main tourist area and this is the best breakfast I had in Honolulu ! The avocado toast is amazing, staff is super nice and friendly and I will walk the 2 miles from my hotel every day just to eat their breakfast options ! Totally worth the visit and is on the way to the diamond head hike. I recommend stopping by after the hike to enjoy the AC and the great food ! read more

ARS Cafe - Restaurant area - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Went in cause I wanted a break from cb&tl. Atmosphere was more quiet and chill than your typical coffee shop, but it was a much needed reprieve from the norm. Asked the barista with glasses about the house blend and recommendations and he was very forthcoming and informative. Not sure how this cafe compares to others, but overall I would say my experience was pleasant and I'm glad I gave it a chance. read more

ARS Cafe - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Not a fan of this wanna be trendy coffee shop. It feels very LA with the attitudes to go with it. This place is unfriendly, unwelcoming and the lattes and coffee suck. Espresso tastes sour and no flavor. Tried this place on a whim because it had decent yelp reviews.... But not sure how? Not worth it! read more

Staff is nice and the place has a cool vibe, but you really don't need to make a pour over out of over roasted beans. If you just like something with milk and sugar, this place is great. read more

Absolutely tasty mushroom toast. Love the blue cheese makes it sooo tasty ! Also ordered the avocado toast its so fresh and flavorful. Coffee is brewed fresh for you at time of order:) read more

ARS Cafe - Mushroom toast with salad and vinaigrette - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I checked out ARS Cafe for the first time today while meeting a friend for coffee. I'm not supposed to drink a lot of caffeine, so I opted for the Houji Cha, which contains about fifty percent less caffeine than coffee. I had no idea what "ARS"meant, and the folks behind the counter told me "ars" is "art" in Latin. You'd think I would know that. I suppose that's what happens when you take German in high school and college instead of Latin! Staff were friendly and the cha was good. My friend had an espresso which looked good, as well as a muffin. The exterior of the cafe is black and looks fairly nondescript, but it's really very "homey" inside, with beautiful wood making up the interior walls. There is a table and two chairs in the front (where we sat) facing Monsarrat Ave., a counter with about eight to ten chairs perpendicular to front wall, and a room toward the back with several tables and chairs. In that main room, there's an installation of charming paintings. I don't know if it's a permanent installation or if it changes periodically. Guess I'll find out if I become a regular! There's no parking onsite, but I easily found parking (on a Saturday morning) in the neighborhood towards Diamond Head, where Unity Church is located (opposite side of Monsarrat). My friend said he found parking a couple blocks away around the corner from the cafe on a side street. There was a real nice vibe to this place, and I will definitely return, and next time I'll order one of the food items that other Yelpers have raved about. read more

ARS Cafe - View toward Monsarrat - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Love this coffee shop! Me and my husband goes here regularly since it's the closest coffee shop from the house. Coffee is good, art they have are so pretty and keep changing so it is nice. I tried almost everything from the menu but my go to is earl gray milk tea or latte with sausage bread. Their bakery is really good and after 3pm all $1! Music is also nice too. Only wIsh is WiFi!!! I wIsh there's WiFi in this coffee shop. I've been come here since they opened, love this little coffee shop. read more

ARS Cafe - Earl gray milk tea large Size - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Not sure why I was not impressed with this place, could it be because of covid? The place was not inviting, no arts, it was just sad! my daughter highly recommended the earl grey tea latte, I was so disappointed, I did not taste the tea at all. I thought I was drink warm milk! I ordered the salmon plate, honestly I would prefer it with bagels! They had the right condiments, capers, red onions and cream cheese. I had to ask for a lemon wedge, lemon is a must for me when I served this at home. At 11:30 am on a Thursday, hardly any parking on the street! read more

ARS Cafe - Lox and toast - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Busy cafe with one barista hustling hard to serve all the customers. Great music playing, love the vibe here. Only wish they had WiFi... read more

ARS Cafe - Earl grey Royal Milk Tea - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Checked out ARS Cafe today and discovered a stylish coffee shop on Monserrat that's perfect for grabbing a light breakfast or writing the next great American novel. I unfortunately had the bar set very low today and opted for a light breakfast and Yelp expense reports. I'll tackle that great American novel next week. ARS Cafe is known for their avocado toast but I don't care for avocado so I opted for their salmon toast platter. I was pleasantly surprised when it arrived at the counter because it was a gorgeous platter filled with fresh sprouts, spinach, onions, capers, chive cream cheese, lox and four pieces of toast. I've really been cleaning up my diet the past few weeks and the salmon toast platter was a healthy treat. I'm currently not allowed to drink coffee because of a bad case of acid reflux and instead got a hot cup of hojicha tea. I mourn the temporary loss of my morning coffee ritual but I do love the dark flavor of hojicha and I know it's a better option for my stomach. The decor at ARS Cafe might be described as Al Capone meets barbershop meets hipster art gallery. Dark wood, brass embellishments and a white walled gallery slash dining area make this a cool spot to catch up with friends or write that next great Yelp review. That's much easier than writing the next great American novel... read more

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4.5 stars This is one our favorite coffee shops to visit. 10 times out of 10, I'll be at Starbucks but after a long period of time of only going to Starbucks, we decided to try local coffee shops for coffee dates. Good thing we did because we've discovered ARS Cafe from that decision. Now I'm only at Starbucks 9 times out of 10 lol. We both love the decor of this place and that they handcraft each drink. It does take time to get your order but it's worth the wait. There are many tables inside, a clean restroom and bar table seating. Parking is street parking and if you're lucky, you can park right in front on Monsarrat. If not, there is parking in the residential area around the coffee shop. Not only is the coffee great, they offer good food. Everything is so fresh and delicious! Our go to is their Croissant Sandwich when we come. As a courtesy to others and to help out the staff, people usually bus their own tables. There is an area you can leave your dirty dishes/cups. Solid coffee shop and a must check out spot! read more

The BEST COFFEE in town!!!!!!! Loyal customer from now on!!!!! The iced latte was rich and deep in flavour. Perfect amount of ice to boot. This establishment also hosts art openings. You can purchase the works of local artists. They also serve GELATO. If you are an Affogato fan, this is the place to have this delightful concoction. It's cozy, sophisticated, quiet, and free from the loud bantering of tourists. read more

ARS Cafe - Beautiful decor as always - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I love the d. head area and all its cute little shops & restaurants and this place is no exception. Food: only tried the avo toast w/ poached egg, but it's delicious and beautiful! It seems heartier than other avo toasts I've had around town, and I love that it's literally loaded w goodies. The beets pack a nice extra punch in color and texture. Drinks: hot, steamy, yummy! I've tried the regular latte and green tea latte and both are amazing. Yes to coffee shops that actually serve good coffee! Service: always had great service here Ambience/space: one of my fave things about here! Bright and roomy! Love that they display local artwork & change the artist every month. It's literally a little art museum...check out their events. Last but not least: amazingly clean bathroom! Makes me wanna stay in there longer. Lol and it's conveniently located inside...no need to grab a key and walk outside to some random area. Woohoo! Only thing that could improve would be free wifi. So yes, 5 all around! Always looking forward to my visits here. Woohoo! read more

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I felt like I walked into Europe or museum! I came here early in the morning and I was the 2nd in the line. But when I walked by later, it was much busier. I ordered my usual: iced latte. For for first time, I had iced latte that the coffee flavor is still distinct despite the ice and milk! Wow! Their pastries looked so delicious in the display, too. read more

Coffee and tea were good. The barista was extremely helpful to me and my friend since we were indecisive as to what we wanted. Wish I got to try the avocado toast but I will come back to try when I return to Hawaii. Cute gallery. There is seating with tables and along the wall. Nice music and place to cool off/take a break on the way back from Queen's beach to our airbnb. read more

Two words: AVOCADO TOAST. It is delicious and nutritious. (Put an egg on it- you will be glad you did!) And so is the coffee. Strong, vibrant and flavorful. I tried the soy latte and the almond milk latte. Both were good! Food and drinks are a little pricey. The environment is welcoming and unique for Honolulu. the wooden paneled walls are beautiful and match the artwork, which changes monthly (I think!). There is live music sometimes, however I am not sure of the times per week! The background music is soft yet bright and sets a wonderful atmosphere that pairs well with the rest of the place. At first I was a little put off by the fact that there was no internet and then I got it: there are enough places in Honolulu to "do work" online. This is a special spot meant for conversations, networking and forming relationships. I'm looking forward to using ARS for these reasons soon! read more

ARS Cafe - Avocado toast with an egg! - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Get out. See the area. Get some real coffee at this place. Seriously. I walked 5 miles round trip for their deliciousness. At the very least hit it up on your way to Diamond Head. read more

This is a cute coffee and Art gallery in the Diamond Head Monserrat area. They feature different artists here from time to time. They also have neat decor and vintage decor. Love their coffee makers they have and they even have the slow drip coffee brew makers too! Their banana bread with walnuts is yummy! Goes well with coffee! Not to mention they also matcha lattes too! Friendly baristas as well! Definite spot to check out if you're in the area! read more

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Nice cafe. Good service. Good coffee. Good lemon bar & pastry. Would definitely come again when I am in the neighborhood. read more

ARS Cafe - Nice art hanging inside cafe. - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Super great coffee! Very nice inside with cool reclaimed wood. Lots of coffee varieties from various islands. I will be back.

This place is beyond hip. Came here to study for a few hours, and I was so pleased with my experience. I would recommend coming earlier in the morning to enjoy their pastries. I rolled in at about 2 PM, so there were only a few matcha cookies left. Lucky for me though, they are half off after 2! My matcha latte was the perfect compliment for my yummy cookie, and I was impressed at all of their toast and salad options. There is an art gallery in the rear of the cafe, where there are ample outlets for laptops and group study sessions which is where I did my work. ARS gets four stars instead of five due to their lack of wifi. Practically everywhere offers wifi for customers, so I was surprised when the barista said they didn't offer complimentary access. Good thing my work was all offline! read more

ARS Cafe - Check out the cold brew in the background - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I first heard about this place on Terrace House (I love that show lol. It is located on Monsarrat Ave, where there are lots of breakfast places. Parking isn't an issue as there is ample street parking. When I first entered, the girl behind the counter didn't bother to greet me. She didn't seem friendly and looked like she didn't even want to be there. So that was a bad first impression. I ordered the Hawaiian eggs benedict which was good. But they served it on this type of wax paper which would rip as I cut into my eggs benedict. Maybe that's normal, I don't know. Overall the food was good, but the service was a little lacking. I would probably still give this place another try though. read more

ARS Cafe - Hawaiian eggs benedict - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

What an amazing cup of coffee!! Super friendly baristas and delicious pastries. Great indoor and outdoor ambiance. LOVE this place - can't wait to go back to order some of the tasty food off the menu! read more

Love this place great atmosphere Unlike Hawaii you feel like in Seattle or something yet local surfer is walking outside the window. Great sir at the bottom of diamond head. We are so lucky to be in Hawaii read more

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Think: upscale coffee shop with NO WIFI (seriously). ARS cafe popped up on Monsarrat ave. If you take your child to Waikiki School or Unity, you can stop here for coffee and breakfast after. I've tried their eggs Benedict, which truthfully was OK (not great, not terrible- nothing special) but I can safely say their aesthetics are on point! I am not a big coffee drinker but my friends live and die by their coffee. Inside there is the option for gelato, which was magnificent by the way. If you're big on Social media pictures for hipster trendy coffee shops, come here and snap away. Everything is perfect. Parking: brutal. Seriously, it's a coffee shop that's on the side of a busy street. You're lucky if you can find a stall. Now, If you are walking- easy peasy! If you are looking for a business type meet up, this would be a great spot as an alternative to Starbucks or Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. It is quiet, clean and easy to hear in. (Important, as we don't think of that until we're asking "what??") Overall, I stop here to meet friends that want to go here. No regrets visiting but not somewhere I would die to goto, as personally I am not a huge coffee drinker. read more

With this coffee shop our search for a good espresso/macchiato in Honolulu is over! This the third well-rated and 'well-priced'coffee shop where we paid $8 for two cups of sour macchiato and where again the barista did not know the difference between robusta and 100%Arabica coffee. We took one sip and returned the oversized/half filled cups ( she did not use appropriate macchiato cups) We were not offered a remake or refund. Would NOT recommend it! read more

ARS Cafe - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great little place. Coffee is the best and the avocado bread is a must. The environment is nice and friendly. I would highly recommend a visit read more

Nice cafe with local made coffee and cool tasting breakfast. It's a nice place to chill or study with a few table inside. It's more quiet than other coffee shops. They made the coffee well and also have great tasting matcha tea latte. I got the avocado toast which was very delicious! Service was very good and polite. Nice stop after a run around diamond head! read more

ARS Cafe - Breakfast menu looks delicious! - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Had an amazing avocado toast subbing the spicy mayo for the pesto and with s poached egg. Yum! And the kona coffee was smooth and delicious. Definitely recommend. read more

ARS Cafe - Avocado toast - Art Galleries Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I wanted to get a jolt of speed burst before a hike at Diamond Head. I ordered the "Cold Brew Columbian Coffee" large $4.50. At first, I was looking for milk at wet bar but there wasn't any and the guy who works there disappeared from me to ask for one. So all I added into it was a few packs of brown sugar. I couldn't believe I took this iced coffee straight without any milk. It had that medium roast flavor and sweetness to it. I'm an iced latte drinker but this coffee won me over. Having sips here and there already got me hooked and it wasn't too strong it had balance. I finished this to the last drip in the jar. The wife ordered a regular Maui coffee (drip) $5. This was also a good choice. It was smooth, nutty and bold rich with flavor. My son wanted a pastry so I ordered him a "Turkey Pesto Roll". Its a bread roll topped with chunks of turkey, pesto, the cheese is probably feta. They ask if you would like this warm and it's better that way otherwise it would be a dry roll with no taste. I don't like turkey but this one wasn't too bad, I did like the cheese and pesto. I had to buy a second one due to my son's request after finishing the first one quick like Speedy Gonzales. Inside ARS is nice and clean. I did like the mini art gallery in the seating area. They sell homemade gelato ice cream, toast, sandwiches and salads. Also, the guy who took our order seemed pretty cool he suggested what's best and he didn't disappoint. By the way thanks to the awesome coffee, the shot of energy helped and I was able to accomplish the hike all the way to the top of Diamond Head with my family, Aloha! read more

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We wanted this place to be good, but unfortunately our latte's were the worst we've ever had. So bitter and disgusting, just horrible and hard to drink. read more

Sadly, didn't love the place. Maybe I came in right before they closed and they were rushing. I ordered milk tea with sweetener but don't think it came with it. I asked for iced but they poured hot tea right over ice so it was lukewarm...and also pretty watered down. I did love their regular tea though although it was also lukewarm. It did have nice ambience though! Maybe I chose the wrong drink at the wrong time. read more

Service was horrible each time we went in. Couldn't believe how many different workers were just flat out rude. Their estimates wait times were so off-- we called in an order and was told 20 min wait, but actual wait time was 45 min. We wouldn't have minded the wait if it was accurate because then we would know and not have left so early to pick up our order. Then to encounter the attitude of the staff, we will not be coming back again. read more