I remember when this place was a Zippy's, and then Dean's. I think I went to the Zippy's once since my parents lived down the street. But when my niece was out here, she stopped by and said the food was really good. They also had live music. So when I found myself heading home from my parents, I stopped here to eat cause I was starving! I entered and it was a little busy so it took a while for the friendly server to come give me a seat, and she apologized. The menu is pretty extensive with a lot to choose from. I decided on the Hapa Loco Moco, a corned beef patty and a hamburger patty. I also asked to sub the kim chee fried rice, which is extra. I also ordered a side of mac salad, which was good, but different. But the Hapa is really good! Rich gravy over it all. I do wish there was more corned beef than potatoes in the patty, but it was good. I do recommend getting the kim chee fried rice because it's AMAAAAAAAAAAZINGLY delicious! So full of flavor! The service was great! Lots of locals coming in as I was getting to leave. Great place to come to! Mahalo Cafe Kalawe!!! read more

Café Kalawe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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Update on Cafe Kalawe this is my first time here ever since they moved . This was Deans drive in before and before that Zippy's. Day after Christmas took my sister and brother in law here for breakfast because originally we wanted to check another place but they were crowded. I ordered their Kim Chee fried rice omelette it was good came with toast or English muffin. I also ordered a side order of original pancake it was nice a buttery not bad . Nice amount of parking right in front of restaurant and they also have brunch items to choose from along with their homemade desserts . Unfortunately I was full from my breakfast didn't have room for dessert. Support local when in the area read more

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We were looking in the area for somewhere for breakfast before heading to a botanical garden. This place had great reviews on Yelp so we stopped in and had an omelette and mini Loco moco. Both were delicious. The mini loco moco is the perfect size and very filling read more

Café Kalawe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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A very nice hole in the wall restaurant where Zippys used to be. We walked in and got seated right away. Unfortunately a lot of their menu options were no longer available for the day, but we decided to get our second favorite choices. The kalbi short ribs were nice seasoned and the misoyakk butterfish was also cooked really well. The chicken katsu felt a bit too fried or really crunchy for my personal taste but overall a great food and good price for the amount of food you get. read more

Café Kalawe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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Everything is done with love! *Please check their website for updated days & times*. The owners & their staff are so friendly! Parking is no problem at all. Their live music is wonderful with award winning musicians. I love love that they serve breakfast all day. I love love their food. Yum Yum! The portions are very generous. Cafe Kalawe is one of my Fav Restaurants!! Mahalo to Raymond & Nani Kalawe - Owners of this Beautiful Restaurant !! read more

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It was such a wonderful environment to be in! The food, environment and friendly staff made it the very best experience! The regular garlic shrimp had 8 shrimp, two scoop rice and Mac salad; while the French toast had the right amount of butter and flavor! Definitely need to come back! Don't forget.. LIVE music on weekends, so don't miss it! read more

Café Kalawe - French toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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Best loco moco in town and it's so well reasonably priced! Hapa Moco is the best of both worlds with the meatloaf-style party and corned beef hash patty. The proteins are super flavorful with a slight char taste to it which adds another dimension of flavor. On weekends, they also have live music by the owner which is a total vibe! read more

Café Kalawe - Hapa Moco - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Update on Dec 26,2025. Came here to eat because the original place we wanted to go was 50 people deep in line. I ordered their fried rice with egg, my brother ordered Kim chee fried rice with a single pancake. My husband ordered spinach mushroom ham omelet. My fried rice was good and so much I took the half home. My brother's Kim chee fried omelet was ok the pancake was good. My husband omelet was ok too but the ham was in chunks instead of slices. He's side order bacon was good my brother made a comment and said next time we go order lunch. read more

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I can't believe I never wrote a review on Cafe Kalawe. For well over a decade, Raymond and his wife have been putting out simply good food. Known for their variety of Loco Moco bowls, and Chantilly pancakes. I have known Raymond for over 45 years. He puts his sweat and soul into everything they produce. They also have live music during brunch on Sundays as well as other days you can check there website for actual times. There is plenty of parking pro tip would be to go as soon as they open or in between breakfast and lunch they did expand their interior to accommodate a lot of people, but this place is so popular. It gets quite busy at times. read more

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After searching on Yelp for a breakfast spot nearby the first thing that popped up at Café Kalawe so we went to dine in. Greeted by such friendly employees. We sat down for our menu and browsed. Lots of seating, i'm sure this place gets super busy at peak times but when we arrived at opening, there were only 3 other tables in use. I knew I wanted to eat something with rice and I haven't had loco moco in a few months so I ordered a mini loco moco and full order of french toast. Everything came out pretty quick. Loco moco looked and tasted good. My over easy egg was cooked perfectly. Only con was the patty was a little bit over cooked. The french was tasty and had a good amount of cinnamon flavor. Would come back again. read more

Café Kalawe - French toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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Service was amazing, out waitress was very sweet and always made sure we were satisfied. Food was very good, first time having a loco moco. Ambiance was cute it felt like a good local spot which can be hard to find. 100% recommend read more

I'm going to have to give this place a solid 4 stars. Their pancakes were delicious but my breakfast wasn't good. The corn beef potato hash was kinda dry and the potatoes were tough to chew. Cups were on the small side. Service was good by our waitress. Very nice and checked up on us a couple times.. Place is family owned. I would give this place another try. The inside was cute and bright with white walls. Lots of staff on hand. read more

Café Kalawe - My orange juice and water with condiments - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Great food and service BUT when they have live music on certain days honestly it's SO LOUD! Our friends and I were shouting to converse. Very annoying and it wasn't a relaxing get together as I'd hope it would've been. Very talented musicians but it's just way too loud to enjoy anything. We couldn't even hear our waitress. read more

One of the best places for brunch on the Windward side. Cafe Kalawe is where we enjoyed a hapa loco moco (hamburger patty and a corned beef hash patty) and a fried rice omelet. #bigboyproblems read more

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First time trying a moco loco at any extend and this was absolutely amazing. I really enjoyed this dish and it's was A LOT. Definitely shareable as I saw a lot of customers with to go plates. The spot is big with lots of seating and service was amazing. Super friendly people and very attentive. There's tons of parking but also seems to get pretty busy in this shopping center. I will definitely be back. read more

Café Kalawe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Service amazing, but the food is what makes this place great. Can't say everything on the menu is great, but I will tell you what I thought stood out. First and foremost, the greatest Oreo pancake I've ever had paired with their amazing Chantilly. Loco moco was very flavorful from the patty to the gravy. The fried rice was also pretty damn good. Not a fan of the pork chops as they were dry, but that's not what they are famous for so I'll brush it off. If I ever come back to Hawaii I'm definitely putting this on my list to come back to. read more

Delicious, onolicious food for a reasonable price Served with a smile in a warm, friendly atmosphere filled with much Aloha read more

We LOVED having breakfast here. The service was so welcoming and they really treat you like family. The food was delicious. My husband got a loco moco and I got an omelette fried rice. Still thinking about it and wishing we lived in the area to grab some! We will be back. read more

Café Kalawe - Interior - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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I thought I would give the Kahuwai fried rice another try today and I'm glad I did! It was much more flavorful than a couple of months ago when I was here for a weekend lunch. Very wonderful notable about their poached egg-this is the first restaurant I've ever been served one that wasn't swimming in water on the bottom of the poached egg dish. I loved it! I didn't mind paying an extra $1 for the egg on this entree. The temporary price up charge on the eggs are clearly marked at the entry, on the table and menu. In these days of increasing prices, this establishment has done a great job to keep it inexpensive while providing ample portions and is well-staffed. I am pleasantly greeted upon entering by the host, the server, and the staff as I walk by. I feel so appreciated, valued, and cared for during my visits. I want to be sure to come back when there is live Hawaiian music performed as I have heard in past visits. I faced the stage area while eating because it is so nicely decorated. This cafe lives up to its motto, "Spoonful of blessings." read more

Café Kalawe - Cafe Kalawe music stage. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

The spam moco and the chicken katsu moco were delicious. The service was excellent and the food was reasonably priced for phenomenal flavors. read more

Café Kalawe - We had the chicken katsu moco and the spam moco.The food was phenomenal, prices were reasonable and the service was excellent. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Support local! We are seeing it far too often these days, local businesses, some that have been around for decades, making the tough decision to close their doors. Whether you live windward or make the journey from the other side, why not stop by? Go in for a visit, call to make an order or do what we did and use their easy and quick online service! You don't even need to leave your vehicle to pick up your order since they have a super convenient drive-thru! We came from town twice last week for breakfast sandwiches. We sat in parking lot, enjoying our home-cooked comfort food and reveled in the mood that is Kāneʻohe. This place is gem with their homestyle comfort food and feeling of 'ohana. Let's do what we can to kākoʻo! read more

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This was our favorite breakfast we had in oahu. We loved it so much we came here twice during our trip. Classic breakfast done right. The French toast was delicious and I was greatful that they had turkey bacon here as an option as I don't eat red meat. Would definitely recommend to anyone visiting oahu and will come back next time we are in oahu. read more

Great mom and pop spot to have breakfast. Lots of parking but we went during the week so could be different had we gone on a weekend. Upon entering, we were greeted by a gentleman and were seated right away. I ordered a mini loco moco and my husband got the fresh corned beef and eggs. Food didn't take long at all. I had to add a little salt to my food but not a big deal as I'd rather have it unsalted rather than overly salted. They have a base with a bunch of desserts but we didn't get any. Next time!! I hear I need to try the fried rice so I can't wait to go back. Definitely a local spot as the place was filled with families and friends gathering. read more

Café Kalawe - Loco moco- mini - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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This is my second time here and omg... it's so delicious. I got the ko'olaupoko with Portuguese sausage. And my friend got the pork chop. It was seasoned perfectly, maybe a little to the salty side if we're being picky. The service was so quick, and I love the live music on the weekend. 10/10 experience both times. read more

Café Kalawe - Ko'olaupoko and pork chop - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Nice local restaurant with good food and pleasant, prompt service. Can be crowded and somewhat noisy but still comfortable.

Update: A second visit here after about 3 weeks, since our last visit, a good friend came from Kona & my wife suggested he would like Cafe Kalawe. Went on Wednesday morning about 9:40 am busy & steady , not full. Chantelle was one of our server's last time, so she knew my wife loved their delicious Chantilly syrup. Ordered & was wanting Papa to be playing & singing his variety of great guitar & vocals, he 's there only on the weekends! He really adds to the vibe, but all the staff are so friendly & professional. Food came in a timely manner, French toast for mom Wifey had the grilled chicken salad, Kona friend had the lup cheong egg fried rice omelette, me the Chantilly waffle. While everyone enjoyed their dishes, I felt the waffle needed to be crispy on the exterior ,it was taken off the iron to soon! Inside it was cooked.Of course the Chantilly sauce was Ono! We didn't have to ask, wifey got a take home container of Chantilly sauce for $5.00. Pancakes tomorrow! Mahalo Chantelle! read more

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We have gone twice so far and gotten the loco moco. Best Loco Moco we have had in island. The burger patties are grilled perfectly and thick. The portions are huge. Lots of local dishes on the menu and great service. Servers kept checking on us and refilling our drinks. Owners I believe are long-time locals and very kind people. Ambiance is very peaceful, clean and welcoming! We found our new favorite place for comfort foods! read more

I was smitten with their Miso Butterfish lunch. Now I need to return to enjoy other dishes on their vast menu. Excellent service. Family friendly. Wow...and a Gift Shop ! read more

Micro Review Breakfast of champs! This spot is so cute and the service is friendly. Try ordering a side of gravy to dip your toast or hash browns. Phenomenal. A fun local spot! They do fresh desserts too! read more

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Café Kalawe has some of the most unique foods you could ever imagine! The flavors of the islands are combined with traditional breakfasts. For instance, you can get chocolate chip pancakes with papaya. Or a breakfast sandwich that has spam instead of sausage. If you don't want breakfast, they serve lunch type foods like fried rice or loco moco's (rice topped with hamburger and an over easy egg). The service at cafe Kalawe is amazing and the people are very friendly. The restaurant itself makes you feel at home. This restaurant also has a little gift shop inside which is super cute. read more

Such great food and service. Eveyone was so welcoming and kind. Slow relaxing morning vibe. French toast was absolutely delicious! Can't go wrong! read more

We decided to come here due to the great reviews. There were positives AND negatives. First of all, the young man who served us did an excellent job! We think he was very new here, but was very efficient & sweet. In fact, all of the employees we met were super friendly! Negatives: Hubby prefers his coffee on the weak side but said it was REALLY weak. I just added enough vanilla creamer to call it a weak Latte. The smaller than usual cups (5 or 6 oz) were only refilled once with a promise for a second refill that didn't happen & was overpriced for the size & service. The food was just typical, diner quality. Perhaps we should have ordered from the "Locals" options because they looked good as they were delivered to other tables. Better than our traditional mainland style choice of a Pancake & Omelette. Fortunately, we have found some very good breakfast places while here. read more

First time at Cafe Kalawe and wasn't disappointed. This review isn't about the food. The pictures and countless reviews can speak to that. We had their loco moco, Aloha Aina loco moco (veggie patty) and to round it off I also had a short stack pancakes covered with the chantilly sauce. I had told our server Fia that I was hoping my eyes weren't bigger than my stomach and she laughed. She knew what I meant and was sure that I could finish it off. Sure enough, the food was pounded. I had hoped to have the pancakes and my loco moco come out at the same time but as luck would have it, the pancakes came out last. And....that worked out fine. The chantilly sauce was sweet and seemed more like a dessert than a main meal and it was so ono. This review is about service. You will always see return visitors to your business if they are treated well. Greeted when they come in. Thanked when they leave. Services with a smile and a genuine feeling of appreciating that you are there. We experienced all this when we serviced by Fia. Her personality was bubbly, with a huge smile on her face and we really felt welcome. Thanks for the great service today Fia. See u on our next visit. read more

Café Kalawe - Mini loco moco with a splash of Tabasco - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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So good, this place makes you feel at home and the loco moco is delicious! We did the small order and it was more than enough! The lite breakfast gets you right where you need to be Service was great We will be back! read more

Best place to support local! The wait was worth it, but they do offer online ordering and a drive-thru. Everything is homemade and although you can get any of these dishes elsewhere, it just tasted different. Kinda like comfort. It's like if grandma made it... You know what I mean? Basically made with a loving touch. The inside is just cozy and nostalgic if you're born and raised here. We got lucky and also got to listen to live music too. Service is quick and the food was 'ono. Can't complain! read more

Café Kalawe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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Came here after church. The restaurant was packed and there was a sign in, however, we only waited about 10 minutes to get our table. The menu has quite a variety. I had the regular pork chops, 2 scoops of brown rice, and a salad. Everything tasted great. I ended up packing up half of it because I was full. Everyone in my party liked their food. It took forever for the omelette order to come out though. We think someone either forgot to put the order in or forgot to cook it. They have ample parking in the lot surrounding the building. They even had entertainment! The restaurant has many tables and is probably good if you have a large party.It's a nice place to have brunch and I plan to come back again. read more

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So glad we came here to eat, felt Akua (God) right in this place. The kaukau (food) was ono (delicious)- The gravy is to live for! Brought my other half here because he was nuha , but now he's so grateful! Mahalo nui to all of the staff and oversee kiss the chef(s) for us. From Albuquerque and Kaua'i, stay blessed read more

Café Kalawe - H3 6/7/25 Morning ride to Café Kalawe .... - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

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Basic food But basic price Ambience is good Iced coffee is just hot coffee on ice Reminds me of my childhood McDonald's hashbrowns But hey for 7$ I'm all over it read more

Café Kalawe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kaneohe, Hawaii

One of the best hole in wall brunch spot in Kaneohe side of Oahu, Hawaii. The service and the waiting system is super organized even on the weekend brunch time. The food is very traditional or super local Hawaiian vibe brunch. Everything is cooked to exactly how it should be cooked and delivers the perfect balance of each flavor and execution of ingredients. The savory Loco Moco style dish absolutely on point with its well balanced unami impactful gravy. The Kalbi is simply super well marinated teriyaki style Hawaiian taste meat. The papaya bowl is well decorated but it taste great as it looks. Simply one of the best family place to go for brunch in Hawaii. Its a weekend repeater for sure once you understand how awesome local Hawaiian style brunch really is. I would recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for good family time whether visiting the Island or a Local like myself. read more

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I am my sister in law really enjoyed Cafe Kalawe. Our waitress so cute and all the staff were so kind and inviting. Their menu was an eye opener. I wanted to try everything but we came a bit late. However we ordered three dishes and I must say it was tasty and a must to try more. The Hapa Moco was spot on with smooth gravy over easy eggs corn beef hash and homemade huge hamburger done right. Added mushrooms and onions on a bed of white rice was comforting and filling. The other was NY Steak medium and eggs scrambled over amazing fried rice i truly love the texture. Not oily or salty at all loved it. Portions awesome. That's why I needed to take home and enjoyed it the second time around. Thank you! Not to for get their lemonade with strawberries was perfect too not too sweet or sour and using good lemons and fresh strawberries. A 32oz cup that you could also bring back to refill for a discount great . Thank you again I will return for more. read more

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