Wow where to begin!? Cafe Julia has been a highlight of our wedding day and Elijah was a pleasure to work with! I first heard about Cafe Julia from wedding websites and Facebook bride + Hawaii groups..the venue kept appearing repeatedly so decided to reach out to get an estimate and some more information. Looking back, I liked how the website itself and emails from Elijah were very detailed, thorough, and transparent. I appreciated his organization, professionalism, honesty, and approachable communication. We were able to setup a tour and food tasting when we visited O'ahu during Labor Day weekend. The YWCA building designed by Julia Morgan is a jewel to the eyes..the pool area contains lush vegetation and the vibrant blue of the water makes for beautiful photos, the romantic courtyard and breezeways provide a special ambiance. When it came to the food tasting, the flavors of the appetizers, entrees, and dessert were on point. The restaurant is charming, airy, and the staff attentive. Right then and there, we knew Cafe Julia would be our dream venue for our wedding reception. The days leading up to our wedding, Elijah would check-in on us and verified information to ensure we were on the same page. He was patient with our multitude of questions and most hospitable to ensure our happiness for our special day. We appreciated the staff making us a plate of all the food items and made sure our drinks were full. Coordinating a destination wedding is not an easy task, but working with Elijah has been a wonderful experience. We will always hold a special place in our hearts for O'ahu, especially Cafe Julia and the memories made. Mahalo nui loa for having us and making our wedding day so beautiful! read more

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Ambiance 9 Service 9 Lilikoi Cooler drink: 6 kinda sour Lobster Roll: 5 It was tasty, but I wouldn't call it a lobster roll. No big chunks of lobster. It's a shredded lobster salad. read more

Cafe Julia - Lobster Roll - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Had a great business meeting with a vendor here and really enjoyed the selection and the location. It was so easy to get to and we had a fabulous time read more

If you're looking for a place that's not touristy and has lots of old Hawaii charm, Cafe Julia's is a great option. They only serve lunch, but also cater events. My daughter and I stopped at the Cafe after a visit to the art museum. We had reservations, and were seated promptly. The dining room is beautiful with open air iron grids and lots of tropical plants. The tables are covered with cloth table linens. Our server, came out immediately to offer drinks. He was not particularly friendly, but did check on us and was efficient. My daughter had the lobster roll, which was very good, with a generous portion of lobster salad. She also ordered the Garlic Furikake Fries which were very good. I had the Seafood Risotto which came with scallops, shrimp, tuna and mussels. The plate was beautifully presented. The risotto and sauce were delicious. The shrimp and scallops were perfectly cooked. My only minor complaint was that the mussels had a lot of grit and pieces of broken shell and they were a bit tough. Parking is a challenge. We found metered parking a block away. The restaurant is inside the YWCA. The building is interesting. I will definitely return. read more

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Service was fantastic and greater by staff. This was Honolulu Executive Holiday Gala. The ambiance was relaxing and fun. We had heavy appetizers... Lobster mini rolls Roast Beef on roll w/ all the fixings Spring rolls (slightly sour?) Shrimp tempura Fried shrimp rolled up on a stick Shumai two major boats of mixed sushi Vegetable patties Little dessert cups Tomatoes and mozzarella on stick w pesto... Food was great and went fast. People have to be on time to try the many dishes"...accommod-ations were fantastic. Merry Christmas... read more

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I went here for a birthday lunch and chose Cafe Julia because it's such a nice setting. Ambiance is 10/10. I made reservations 2 days prior for Thursday at noon but would have easily been able to walk in. However I always appreciate places that offer reservations. The food is a bit hit and miss for me. Drink: I got the lilikoi spritzer and my partner got the mango mojito, both were a bit watered down and needed more of a kick. I got the daily special soup, cream of garlic, it was a bit bland, would not try it again. Furikake arancini was excellent, would reorder this every time Furikake fries, the portion was large so even if sharing a small is probably more than enough. Very good, but would love some additional dipping sauce options. Greek salad, fresh and good but would probably not choose it again. The best part besides the arancini was the bread pudding dessert . It was a nice and to a lovely lunch. Overall the ambiance is what makes Cafe Julia special, it's such a nice oasis in downtown and I'll return again for a special occasion lunch. read more

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An update!! My honey and I had our wedding at cafe julia two weekends ago and had the most magical night with our friends and family. Elijah and his team were so great from set up to breakdown, providing some of the best wedding food I've ever had, and making sure my husband and I had a stress free and seamless day. We got so many compliments from friends and family on how the venue didn't feel like it was in urban Honolulu, and how despite the lack of green cliffs and picturesque mountains, it was so Hawai'i. Thank you Cafe Julia for making our day so magical and unforgettable! read more

Cafe Julia - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My lunch order was returned to the kitchen because the chicken katsu (made from thigh meat) was burnt and dry. I didn't want to return it a second time since my lunch mate was already finished with his lunch. The server took it off the bill and apologized. It happened the last time I had lunch here. read more

Came here for a work lunch on a Thursday. I made reservations in advance, which is done through email. The restaurant is beautiful and perfectly encapsulates the historic buildings of downtown Honolulu. There's always a cool breeze passing through the restaurant. To start, we ordered the poke tacos and cheese bread to share. The tacos were pretty hearty and more than enough for an appetizer. The fish was pretty fresh, and I loved the various toppings. For my main, I got a grilled ahi with vegetables and rice. The piece of fish was pretty good, but nothing super special about it. It was a decent sized piece of fish. Cafe Julia is a nice place to come for a classier business lunch. I would come here more for the ambiance rather than the food though. The food is just alright for the prices you are paying. read more

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Cafe Julia is one of the remaining places to have a dine in business meal. The restaurant is inside the YWCA. The decor is pretty nice. It's almost like inside outside type of feel, which makes sense since it is kind of open air. Service is usually pretty prompt, which is necessary for a downtown restaurant. My waitresses have always been very friendly. For food, everything is pretty tasty. My go to is the lobster roll. It is delicious and comes with a good amount of fries. How can you go wrong with fries? I would highly recommend if you're in the area. It's a little pricey, but usually worth it. read more

Cafe Julia - Lobster roll - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We couldn't have asked for a better venue to have our destination wedding! Café Julia was perfect for our ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. The courtyard was gorgeous, shaded and spacious. Elijah was an absolute gem to deal with. The food was fantastic; we opted for the three entree buffet with cocktail hour appetizers and desserts. Our guests raved about the grilled meat, Korean short ribs and furikake fish. For the bar, we chose the $15.00 USD/guest corkage option. They allowed us to bring a shaved ice vendor and cake in. Staff were great, saving us appetizers, serving dinner and packing leftover boxes. They gave us a gift (engraved wooden clock) to commemorate our special day; incredibly thoughtful and sweet. Highly recommend Elijah and his team! read more

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Great food & such a cool place! Had the Ahi sandwich... nummy!! Nmnmnmnm m hmmm mmm mmm read more

Cafe Julia - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

What a gorgeous wedding venue! The space is absolutely beautiful and allows such a seamless transition between the outdoor and indoor space. The service is so friendly and the team is so nice. The location is also perfect. I didn't get to try the cafe side but the catering side for the venue was good. Definitely a must if you're looking at venues in the area. read more

Cafe Julia - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This delightful little cafe is part of the downtown YWCA building & has its own courtyard for weddings and other events. We got there just after opening (11:00am) so we had the whole place to ourselves for awhile. While we ordered, our server, Sami, inhaled and throughly enjoyed the essential oils my friend had brought out to show me. Our food was delicious‼ We both ordered the Quiche (spinach, mushroom & cheese), soup (tomato basil) & side salad combo and enjoyed every last bite. For desert we shared an ube ice cream & fresh mango sorbet which were both so ono‼ Haven't been to this place since the YWCA closed its exercise classes - including use of the pool, but I have to remember to support this great little establishment. It's a perfect location for folks working downtown, so keep that in mind. read more

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[Wedding review] I cannot recommend Cafe Julia more highly. Mahalo nui to Elijah and team for helping to make my wedding one of the best, happiest days of my life. The venue, communication, food, and kindness -- Cafe Julia was everything we wanted, and at fair prices. We still get rave reviews from our guests on both the venue and the food. Highly, highly recommend! read more

Cafe Julia - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Made a reservation online. It says to call for same day/next reservations. I made it two days out, so it should be fine. It's not. The next day I get 2 voicemail msg from someone: first one was hey "my first name" then nothing and hang up. Next call, Hey First name, this is Cafe Julia calling about your reservation. Then hang up. Nothing else, no information. I call back several times and leave a voicemail. No call back. I happen to be in the area and stop in to ask about the reservation for tomorrow. A guy tells me my name not in the reservation book and they can't take a group of 6 people. They have several large groups already. I tell him it would have nice if the person calling would have informed me that they weren't taking my reservation. If I didn't stop by in-person today to inquire, we would have shown up the next day and get told that we can't be seated. He tells me that the person calling was probably going to tell me that. Probably...but actually didn't. read more

The setting is always beautiful and elegant and the service is almost always excellent. Twice I have ordered the meatball sandwich and twice I have been disappointed by the lack of meat in the meatball. There is too much breading and not enough flavor. For the price, it is definitely not worth it. read more

Everything was just perfect. We had a large party and everyone was served at the same time.

The building and surrounding area are absolutely beautiful, truly a picture-perfect venue for a wedding. Unfortunately, the service did not match the setting. From the waitstaff to the bartender, and especially the event coordinator, Elijah, the professionalism and overall attitude were very disappointing. I attended a wedding there, and many guests commented on the poor service throughout the evening. While the food itself tasted great, interactions with the staff often felt cold and dismissive. Simple requests to waiters or the bartender were met with short, irritated responses, as though guests were inconveniencing them. As the event coordinator, Elijah should have been available to assist with questions or concerns, yet he was nowhere to be found the whole night. When guests turned to other staff members for help, they were often met with attitude instead of hospitality. It was especially disappointing to experience this level of service at a YWCA venue, where professionalism and community values would be expected. I would recommend this venue for its stunning architecture and location, but I sincerely hope future couples receive an event coordinator who is attentive, helpful, and genuinely invested in making their special day memorable. read more

Located in the historic YWCA building designed ny Julia Morgan, architect of the Hearst Castle, this semi open air cafe surrounded by greenery is a lovely place for a leisurely lunch in downtown Honolulu. It's a bit warm even though they have high ceilings and fans. Park at the meters on the Richard St side of Iolani Palace or in Ali'i Tower municipal lot. The menu offers a nice selection of lunch options including salads. I was a little disappointed with my $27 Lobster Roll which was premixed with mayo, onions, celery... it was improved when I squeezed a lemon on it. With a choice of fries or salad I chose to be healthy and was happy with the fresh greens and balsamic dressing on the side. My bro's Wagyu Kobe Beef burger was delicious though I would have preferred it less cooked. The accompanying fries were also good and plentiful. Mom loved her huge plate of Chinese Chicken Salad which came chucked full of goodies including soba noodles, zoodles (zucchini) and mandarin oranges. Definitely enough for 2-3 people. Service is friendly but sometimes hard to flag down. read more

Cafe Julia - Chinese Chicken Salad - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is a very very late review!!! To be honest, I'm behind on a lot of reviews - work and life have made it slightly difficult to keep up!!! BUT!!! This year I have made it a point to start up again :) Okay, back to my review. I honestly cannot say anything but praise to Elijah and his team. I set out to plan my entire wedding all by myself and in looking for a wedding venue in early March of 2022 (did I mention that we were getting married ON Halloween of 2023), I came about this place from a friend who had mentioned the lunch he had there. Kept raving about it. So I looked them up and couldn't believe they were in the YMCA this whole time!!! And I had been there when I was younger but never paid any mind to the BEAUTIFUL architecture there!!! It has that slight gothic feel ... I fell in LOVE with the place!! My husband and I made an appointment with the event coordinator Elijah and also decided to have lunch to try the food while we were there. The food was awesome!! I had the pork chop, it's the one dish my friend wouldn't stop talking about. My husband had the fish I believe ... We enjoyed our food very much and as soon as we were done Elijah met with us. He was super helpful and gave us a tour of the place and what everything entailed with the different packages. He told us that our day (which is Halloween) is available!! We ended up deciding on using the courtyard for the ceremony and reception and because we wanted something small and intimate with about 35-40 people there - it seemed like the perfect place to do it. We had the option of using the ballroom in the event that it rained. We put our deposit down signed the agreement. For the food we decided to go buffet style ... you know your girl lives for a good buffet!! And although I wish I could tell you how awesome the food was that night .... I barely touched it (sadness). Anyway ... weeks before our big day Elijah kept in constant touch with us to make sure any last details were correct or taken care of. We really didn't have anything difficult requests ... with the exception of having Gee Yung there with their lions :D They were really our only big request. Elijah let us do a couple walk throughs so we could see where we wanted things. Easy right? It sure seemed that way when I first started planning lol The day of ... let me tell you. I was a big bag of anxiety!!! I was having panic attacks!!! BUT when my girls and I got there ... I let out a sigh ... kinda. We had a dark gothic theme, black and red colors ... gave everyone the choice of dressing up in costume. And we had it decorated Halloween style ... lots of cobwebs, tombstones ... skulls ... you get it. And on one of the walls in lights were both of our names in a heart ... The staff there were incredible!!!! They were behind the scenes but you knew they were there taking care of everything - from the rose petals that my 'flower bears' threw on the ground to packing left over cake!! FOREVER grateful to them! Would I do it all over again? Bet your sweet ass I would ... now that I know how to plan it lol We even received a gift from Cafe Julia ... a beautiful clock with the date we got married and our names engraved into it. Beautiful keepsake. If you are looking for a venue please keep them in mind. Elijah is very professional and will accommodate if they can. read more

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Stopped at cafe julia for the first time. Amazing ambiance for an afternoon lunch! Loved my vegetable sandwich! read more

Cafe Julia - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Went for lunch with reservations the other day. Restaurant was not overly crowded but waited over 15 minutes before I got up N searched for a server to tend to us. There were several servers tending to tables all around us so it's not as if they were short-handed. When he came over he did not apologize for the wait. Took our order and it took another 20 minutes for our food. During the meal no server came over to check how everything was going nor offered to refill water or tea. These folks need to understand that at the noon lunch hour, people may be in somewhat of a time constraint. Would not recommend this place if you don't have at least an hour and a half for lunch on a work day. read more

Where do I begin? The food, the service, the ambiance, are top notch. The best food we ate was the Galbi. Seriously, there is no other place that can beat it. Months later, I am still craving it. I wanna go back read more

We couldn't have asked for a more perfect wedding day, and so much of that is thanks to this absolutely stunning venue. From the moment we arrived for our first tour, we were blown away by the natural beauty and unique charm of the location. Every corner felt like it was made for magical memories with its grand architecture, lush greenery, and elegant lighting, it created the most enchanting backdrop for our ceremony and photos. Elijah was an absolute gem. From day one, he was organized, responsive, and genuinely excited to help bring our vision to life. Whether it was answering last-minute questions or guiding us through timelines, we always felt in good hands. And the food--wow. Our guests are still raving about it. Every dish was thoughtfully prepared and full of flavor. From the appetizers to desserts, everything was delicious and beautifully presented. We even loved having the option of bringing our own liquor and desserts. We're so grateful we found this place and to everyone at Cafe Julia--they truly made our special day unforgettable. read more

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A great surprise- recommendation from the tour guide at the Palace. Plus entrance fee to Palace tour gets you 15 percent off! Wonderful environment and delicious food. read more

Cafe Julia - Strawberry salad and fresh fish! Lumpia appetizer. All so good! - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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If you are looking for a place to get married at, Cafe Julia is the place to be! Great location, beautiful property, delicious food, and most of all awesome staff! Special thanks to Elijah and Kelii & the whole staff. Words cant express how grateful we are! Again thank you so much, and God bless read more

Cafe Julia - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great customer service! Food was perfecto! Lobster bisque and salad. My veggie Thai curry was delicious with my non alcoholic mango mojito. Next time I gotta have some dessert. Ambiance is relaxing and romantic. Like a garden indoors beautiful setting for lunch or dinner with friends or family or a great place for lunch break from work. Prices are very reasonable for such a great place. read more

Great service, good food! Had a pear salad and their salmon ochazuke. I had never had a ochazuke at a restaurant - only the instant powder packets - so I wanted to try it. It was delicious! I was watching carbs so it was a bit salty without all the rice, but I'd definitely come back for it. read more

Cafe Julia - Salmon ochazuke - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We love taking our out of town guest to brunch here. Service is always great. Food is consistent. We love the menu options. My faves are salmon ochazuke, oriental chicken salad, ahi poke tacos and chocolate torte. This time, our guests selected the summer strawberry salad, pork lumping, and ahi sandwich to share. Salad was refreshing and everything else was tasty. Nearest public parking is in the Alii building next door. Rates were reasonable. read more

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Lovely food and serene ambience. As others have said, the service is a little slow, but very pleasant so as not to impact the rating. Our server was super friendly and very affable. She seemed to really enjoy her job. Her makeup was also super cute and fun. We ordered the ahi sandwich and lobster roll. Despite getting eaten immediately, the ahi sandwich roll just got too soggy and fell apart very quickly. But everything else about it was yum. Just messy! The lobster roll was very generous and tasty. For my palate, I didn't enjoy all the celery in it, but that's a me thing. Ambience wise, as I said above it was very pleasant, but towards the end, they started setting up for a wedding (congrats to the couple), but it meant the leaf blower came out and was very busy. Can't wait to go back next time hubby has a weekday off work. read more

Cafe Julia - Ahi sandwich - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Cafe Julia was the best wedding venue we could have asked for. We had a smaller destination wedding with about 35 people and everyone had the best time. Elijah and his team were incredible, and Elijah was amazing through the entire planning process. The venue is gorgeous, with beautiful twinkly lights above the outdoor cafe area where the reception and ceremony are held. The food was incredible and the bar service was top notch, with options for everyone. We cannot recommend this venue enough! read more

Beautiful space. So stunning. Cannot deny that this is a gem in downtown. One of the only nice looking spots in the area. I see why people have their weddings here. They have some really great things on the menu. I loved the miso salmon I had, and the arancini as well! Oh and their chocolate mousse--probably my favorite I've had in a long time. However something still feels lacking? Just a tad subpar? Unsure what. Maybe it's the other things I've had on the menu that I'm blanking on that just didn't really impress me. Also it's a lovely place but can still be a bit hot, and I'm no fan of the heat. Cafe Julia def has pros AND cons, but I won't deny I'll continue to go here as it can be quite convenient. read more

Cafe Julia - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The Poke Tacos are so Onolicious! Service & ambiance of the place is so neat! Great work lunches read more

Cafe Julia - Poke Tacos - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I am impressed with the venue, the staff & the food! First off, Mahalo to Keli'i & the staff @ Cafe Julia! They were all so accommodating, friendly & professional. They helped make this an extra special night. The food was exceptional! What a wonderful assortment of pupus. I was actually a little worried when my daughter submitted her menu that there wouldn't be enough food, but there was more than enough and everything was beautifully displayed & delicious! read more

To start, let's talk about the ambiance. It's insanely peaceful and breezy and clean! You forget you're downtown Honolulu which is a nice escape. I had the salmon Furikake with veggies and rice-absolutely delicious! It melts in your mouth and is so creamy and butter but the veggies compliment it perfectly with hints or sweet and sours. The staff were very helpful with my 2 year old and made her grilled cheese and French fries! Thanks for going the extra mile to accommodate a picky eater! Most definitely will be frequenting this cafe! read more

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Wow ! Went here for a work event ! The ambiance is great, the service was remarkable , and best of all the food was fantastic! I got the chicken katsu with Thai curry and it was absolutely delicious! For dessert I got the bread pudding and oh my it was warm and just so so good ! My coworker let me try her martini glass cheesecake and that was amazing too. I devoured my bread pudding dessert ! I'm looking forward to going back ! pS. The chicken katsu was prolly one of the best ones I've had in Hawaii read more

Cafe Julia - Best bread pudding in Hawaii - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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It's been 3 weeks since I had my destination wedding at Cafe Julia and lemme just say that from our first conversation to our last, Elijah has been an amazing person to work with. He's awesome at communication and was patient and understanding when I had a ton of questions or changes. I also met his chef who was very friendly and everyone loved the food he and his team put out. Our servers and bartenders were also great and attentive. I would highly highly recommend having your event here. The space is beautiful with its own charm and at a very reasonable price compared to other venues near Waikiki. read more

Cafe Julia - Courtyard - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Delicious food, really nice environment, can't wait to come back. I had the seafood risotto and it was delicious! The service was a little bit slow but they were very busy during lunch time. read more

Cafe Julia - Seafood risotto - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Andrew and Jose were very knowledgeable about the food and made good suggestions. It's priced reasonably and has very good portions. Everything tasted so delicious! I had a hard time choosing what to eat because everything looked appetizing. I'm glad I tried Cafe Julia and will be back soon. read more

Cafe Julia - Corn Chowder - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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