You can't help but notice the line…read more Staying directly across the street from the bakery gave me a front-row seat to its daily ritual. Every morning, without fail, people gathered outside waiting patiently for pastries. No flashy signs. No gimmicks. Just quiet consistency. That alone intrigued me. By the second day, my mind was made up. I'm an early riser, so the plan was simple: go on my usual morning run and arrive before the rush. Japanese culture and craftsmanship have long fascinated me. Through close friends with family roots tracing back to Japan, I've developed a deep appreciation for the culture -- the discipline, the rituals, the precision, and the respect for process. There's a beauty in the intentional pace at which things are done. Nothing rushed. Nothing careless. This bakery embodied that philosophy perfectly. The space itself was small, modest, and aromatic. No overdesigned interiors. No influencer bait. Just the comforting smell of fresh bread and butter hanging in the air. Some bakeries hide behind elaborate architecture and presentation, but this place understood something more important: when the product is exceptional, the product becomes the attraction. The pastries ranged from playful and charming to elegant and refined. The Salt & Butter bread was an instant staple -- savory, warm, and impossibly light. The dough practically dissolved like air. Thankfully, nothing felt overly heavy, because I completely lost control of my ordering strategy. The Kobo Kuma -- a soft bear-shaped bun filled with homemade vanilla bean custard -- was perfection. Equal parts cute and comforting. The Cinnamon Roll was solid, but the Haupia pastry completely stole the show. For those unfamiliar, Haupia is a traditional Hawaiian coconut pudding found throughout Polynesia. The flavor here was subtle yet lingering, delicate without disappearing. The kind of flavor that quietly stays with you long after the last bite. Then came the Blueberry Danish -- beautiful, buttery, and perfectly sweet. I didn't even make it to the savory options this time, which honestly just gives me another reason to return. And I absolutely will -- whether back here in Hawaii or perhaps at one of their mainland locations in Los Angeles. Some places become popular because of hype. Others because of quality. This bakery earned its line.

10/10, SO GOOD! I'll be coming back (:…read more I just finished lunch in the area and was searching for a good matcha spot. I haven't been home for a while, so I don't know what's around. Came across this place when searching on yelp. Once I got there, there was a line and I knew that was a good sign. I saw a sign saying they use 100% hokkaido flour from Japan (?)... so, although I was just looking for a matcha drink, I decided to try a couple pastries. I tried their salt & butter bread + a pastry that was filled with vanilla bean custard. IT WAS SO GOOD AND SO SOFT! I also got their banana matcha-- BOMB! I like how the banana foam isn't too much banana. It was a good balance. Service was quick! You just tell them what you want and everything came out quickly despite the long line I walked up to. It was a cute tiny bakery. Nothing crazy. Will definitely be a returning customer (:

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.

Everything prepared with Love here You can tell that the bakers and cooks enjoy and take pride in…read moretheir work, deliciousness tastes like it Service is genuinely kind; consistently smiling whether from behind the dining counter or wonderful pastries and chantilly cakes or poi donuts Ohh how they are experts at making poi donuts : Liliha Bakery has the most moist tender flavorful POI DONUTS try the poi donut - do-nut eat just one! I dare you to try eat just one! Must have 2? (I confess, I've eaten 3!! Such a warm Ohana feeling when you dine in and enjoy the welcoming atmosphere whether Larger location Pearlcity or their original mostly take out location favorite counter/kitchen service It's like good therapy coming here!

There's something quietly electric about stepping into Liliha Bakery on Kuakini, It's not just a…read moremeal, it's a front-row seat to a Honolulu classic in motion. Their famous pancakes, fluffy, golden, and just the right kind of indulgent, paired with a hearty omelet that hits that comfort-food sweet spot. The coffee keeps things grounded, rich and reliable. And the service? Warm, attentive, and genuinely local. But the real magic lives in the back. Watching the bakers at work feels like peeking behind the curtain of a show, trays sliding, hands moving with purpose, decades of tradition humming along in real time. It's equal parts diner, bakery, and local legend. You come for the pancakes, but you stay for the rhythm of it all.

MENU UPDATE- 2026 Customer service is amazing. Very…read morewelcoming and informative with the menu & best items.

@fortunefoodfinds: "If you DO-NUT know, you can find banana fritters here! You read that right, I…read morecame across n' scored the last banana fritter that KAMEHAMEHA BAKERY in Kalihi had for the day n' also picked up our usual go-to poi malasada, strawberry malasada, orange malasada, n' da kiddies chose a glazed donut, donut twist, n' chocolate covered long John. When you get the last one, it's like the feeling that you won!" SERVICE: fully staffed INTERIOR: when you enter the line forms to the left n' moves across to the right, narrow space, no dine-in just pick up n' go, canned soft drinks n' bottled water are available for purchase that are located in the fridges to the far left. EXTERIOR: next door to Ubae in Kalihi WAIT TIME: right under 10 mins from entering to leaving PARKING: free lot OVERALL COMMENTS: it's been years since my last visit n' I usually come for the poi malasadas so when I saw that they had one banana fritter, I had to have it! I've only had a banana fritter in Cali so this was a nice surprise. Bc it was banana mixed with apple, it had a hint of banana flavor. Crunchy n' glazed exterior with a very soft n' cinnamon interior. The malasadas are always tasty. Out of the poi, strawberry, n' orange, the orange has the most flavor come through. Ofc my kids highly enjoyed their donuts. Prices are really good on all the items we got ranging between $1.55 - $2.12; we spent right under $12 for everything. Will be back again!

I had planned to go to Kona Coffee Purveyors for coffee and a sweet treat in the morning before a…read morefull day of activities. I was staying in Waikiki and Kona Coffee Purveyors was just a short walk away in the International Marketplace shopping center. As I came up to the shopping center shortly after 7am, I noticed a long line, and thought to myself, this couldn't possibly be for Kona Coffee Purveyors, right?? But unfortunately for me, it was. I didn't see how long the line extended, but I knew I didn't have time to wait, so I ended up getting coffee elsewhere. A few hours later, around 11:30am, I was back in the Waikiki area and happened to be walking past Kona Coffee Purveyors. I saw there were maybe a handful of people in line, so I decided to drop in. I ended up getting a latte, black sesame kouign amann, and pandan coconut tapioca pudding. My favorite was the pandan coconut tapioca pudding which was delightfully light and not too sweet dessert. Black sesame kouign amann: A twist on the classic kouign amann. A beautiful blend of crunchy and soft. The black sesame filling adds a nice flavor. Pandan coconut tapioca pudding: Pandan pudding, coconut tapioca, topped with coconut macaroon. This seems to be a seasonal/limited item. Their desserts are from b patisserie, and they all looked soo enticing and pretty! It was a nice place to sit and leisurely enjoy coffee and pastries. I would say this place is not worth it right when they open, only because the line is soo long and it's very hectic with people fighting for seating and getting their orders in. I would recommend going later in the morning or in the afternoon to avoid the morning craze.

Very long longs. Be prepared to wait in the morning hours. Pastries were good but as black coffee…read moredrinkers, the coffee was just lacking for us. I don't know if I'd wait in that long line again just for those pastries. Nitro: 2/5. It was super bitter and not a good nitro at all. Drip coffee: 4/5. Nothing special but not bad. Banana chocolate croissant: 5/5. Very good. Lilikoi pastry: 3/5. Tasted good. But was not wowed. Pistachio pastry: 5/5. Loved the pistachio cream and the pastry was tasty.

I was introduced to Epi-Ya when a coworker brought in their custard pie. I'm not ashamed to confess…read morethat I ate half of the pie over the course of two days. If it's in the shared fridge, it's fair game. Their custard pie is on the top of my list (followed by the custard pies from Napoleon and then Liliha). A basic staple that they also do a great job on is the bread. I really did not understand the hype of Japanese bread until I tried the bread at Epi-Ya. Their other pastries are just as good. They have a much larger variety than Brug and Okayama Kobo. The space is also larger and brighter than the other places.

Food: tries a few different items and they were all delicious…read more. Butter top bread .. toasted for breakfast with butter and jam was perfect Custard danish: a+ Custard filled pan: b+ : custard was delicious but it was a little too much bread for my taste Service: everyone working is helping Ambiance: amazing little bakery the smells are heavenly

This place has probably one of the best char siu manapuas on the island…read more Located in Chinatown, it's a must to place to take out some awesome dim sum. Street parking is limited and there could be a lineup outside the small but efficient shop. My favorites are the baked manapua, shrimp dumpling and pork hash. The manapua had a generous amount of filling and baked perfectly. Prices were affordable. I always stop by when I'm in the area. It wont disappoint. Service was fast and friendly. Thank you.

Absolutely THE best baked manapua in the state and that's coming from a very critical manapua'er…read more If I could eat these every day, I no doubt would but the jeans will not be very happy about that. While the steamed ones are great too, there are still other contenders for that. The baked ones truly have no rival though! There other pastries are great too like the custard buns and the custard tarts, although I recently tried their layered rice cake and while huge, they were a but underwhelming. I think that's because I remember the ones my dad used to bring home that had the super thin layers that you could peel off layer by layer and enjoy them for what seemed to be an eternity.