***4.5 STARS***…read more Earlier this year I went to have my blood drawn for my annual physical examination where the phlebotomist and I engaged in a food conversation. The topic was matcha drinks where she said her favorite place was in Kaka'ako, specifically Imperial Plaza. After doing a search, Cooke Street Market (CSM) popped up and bookmarked. Located on the ground floor near Mari's Urban Garden, CSM opened their doors for business since April 2016 offering plate lunches, poke bowls and matcha/hojicha latte drinks. After my last hair appointment at Salon Capello, I went next door to CSM to see what the matcha latte drinks are all about. I checked out their Yelp reviews where a handful of my friends wrote above average reviews. It was just before lunchtime and beat the crowd just in time as I witnessed over 8 people behind me as I placed my order. My taste buds wanted hojicha as I enjoy the roasted, nuttiness flavor but ended up getting the strawberry matcha latte for the gram. I asked the staff if the sweetness could be customized and asked for 50% sweet. Drinks were being made one by one and soon after my drink was ready. I took it to the side to snap several photos and it was time to take that first eager sip. My drink was good but nothing home to write about. CST boasts using authentic Uji matcha which didn't stand out in my books. I wasn't impressed as my tastebuds are familiar with the matcha lattes I get in Japan. The strawberries were just okay for me as well. I was looking for semi tart strawberries with the boost of some sweetness. But overall, one of the better matcha lattes Oahu has to offer. Service was above average. Counter staff was courteous, listened to my concerns and addressed my questions with adjusting to fit my preferences. Interior was homey and welcoming with displays and decor tastefully displayed. Overall, an okay first experience and wouldn't mind coming back to sample more of the offerings at CSM. On my next visit I'll be sure to get the hojicha and perhaps order some food.

For those that work in the area, this is a great lunch spot with solid drink options as well. The…read moremenu features Japanese flavors such as Aburi salmon and udon. They also have poke, but my personal favorite is the Garlic Ginger chicken. You can tell that they use Japanese rice, which I love. I haven't tried too many of the drinks, but I can say the strawberry matcha latte is delish. You can park in the Imperial Plaza building and they will validate for 2 hours or find street parking out front if you're lucky.

Did my research to find Kona coffee for my upcoming visit to Vancouver, so I walked from home and…read moretook shelter in Local Joe's to cool off and order some 100% Kona Mauna Kea Estate coffee and have it ground. Liv was so delightful and clearly the right person for the job so I knew I was in the right place. In the meantime I ordered an iced coffee (which was delicious!!!!) and sat down and watched folks come and go. This is clearly a popular local coffee and snack shop so I will keep this place in mind since it's locally owned and operated and their decaf is processed via osmosis, not chemicals. That's a big plus.

A small little coffee shop located in downtown. There are a few tables outside to enjoy your…read morecoffee. I've stopped by twice so far and each time, I've been greeted with friendly service. The tables are usually taken so I just take my drink to go. I ordered a strawberry matcha drink on my first visit and a French Toast latte on my second visit. The second time I went, they didn't know how to make my drink so the girl had to read the ingredients that were listed on their own menu posted on the counter for customers. Maybe hardly anyone orders it or she was new and learning? It did take a while for me to get my coffee. The waiting area is quite small so there wasn't much room for me to go anywhere. Overall, the drinks have been good with a variety of seasonal drinks and specials as well. I'll probably return for my coffee fix as it seems to be one of the few coffee shops in the area open on Sundays. Happy Drinking!

Cool cafe with PNW vibes! It's in the 808 Center so we parked at Walmart across the street…read more Food - 5/5 We got the Mt. Hood coffee and iced matcha latte. I loved that you can get the matcha unsweetened and add your own sweetener. Matcha quality was nice. Coffee was solid. Service - 5/5 Staff seemed very friendly! Ambiance - 5/5 Cute and cozy cafe!

Third Space Coffee is a local-owned PNW inspired cafe on the third floor of the Sheridan Center…read more Limited parking available at the building lot. Metered street parking nearby. The service is very friendly. The environment is welcoming. Limited seating inside and outside of the cafe. They serve coffee drinks and pasties. My boyfriend tried their Mount Hood aka Marion berry cold brew. The cold brew is bright and refreshing. The Marion berry cold foam is sweet. I enjoyed my hot St John's. The brown sugar cardamom syrup was delicately spiced and not-too-sweet. I'd recommend this drink hot! We shared a gochujang cheddar spam scone, warmed. The scone was cheesy with a little kick. The bits of spam almost tasted like bacon, fatty and delicious. Overall, this cafe is worth a visit! Support local! The couple who run and operate Third Space seem like the kindest people. It is evident they care about their craft.

So matcha to see you…read more.. Cafe Lapin has relocated to Kaka'ako with 25 Luana and Lucia Lash and Brow all sharing one unity beautifully as if it was always there and what a lovely space it is...the downside is the parking as it's right in the midst of Kaka'ako it's street metered parking only unfortunately. Love that Cafe Lapin has a much bigger and more of a personal space to call his own along with seating inside and outside it's quite the cozy spot to chill and relax or get a bit of work done as well. Here you can find various matcha, hojicha, cold brew and espresso coffees but also some pretty cool mocktails as well but with summer so blazing hot it had to be the Matcha Yuzu Lemonade...YUM! The perfect refresher done just right with the bite from the yuzu and lemonade that's not too tart and perfect amount of matcha not only is it stunning but very refreshing as well. If you're like me and came hungry you're in luck as he has some pretty yummy toast as well and got the Tuna and Cheese which was just amazing. The service is very nice and friendly though on this day there was no one with service appointment so the salon was completely empty but they do close quite early at 3pm and are closed on Mondays but to find a unique spot that give uniquely crafted drinks and bites Cafe Lapin sure will provide you that and maybe some services their neighbor does as well. Thank you!

Refreshing beverage in Honolulu, Hawaii…read more.. I had been to Cafe Lapin when it shared a space with Cake M at the Sheridan 808 building. Now, Cafe Lapin (Lapin is "rabbit" in French), is on the second floor of a building and inside of a salon. I parked elsewhere and found out that there are two free spaces right in front, but customers may only park for 15 minutes. The two stalls are on either side of a green dumpster. The same polite, efficient owner is still at the helm. He's quite competent! I got the delicious Hojicha Latte, took a few photos, then ran off to move my car and enjoy my drink on the go. If the parking situation was better, I think that more customers would be able to hang out and enjoy the spacious, clean, bright environment!

Really good latte!! I enjoyed the vibes a lot! Recommend to try it out, they are really nice…read morepeople. Plus there are some cute things to buy :)

Blanc Nook Cafe is yet another excellent artisanal coffee / matcha shop that has opened in…read moreHonolulu, recently. It also shares the space with a boutique....two-for-one business. Requested the Momo ( peach ) Matcha with whole milk for takeout. Fantastic....the peach purée is obviously housemade. One woman show , so the drinks take awhile...but I have patience and no pressing errands. Parking can be validated via QR code; the first hour is free when patronizing an establishment. There is Tonkatsu Atmark And Tanto Gyoza and Ramen Bar...two restaurants from whom I've also gotten takeaway. A few chairs outdoors and a couple of tables indoors. Closed on Wednesday and Sunday; open from 1000a till 300p on the other days.

Matcha lattes at the Kaka'ako Farmer's Market in Honolulu, Hawaii…read more.. Devos is a very popular vendor here... every Saturday between 8am and noon! During our first visit, they had sold out of everything! Lesson: go early! We waited in line for about 30 minutes on our second visit and they had run out of hojicha. Lesson: go when they open at 8am My friend ordered the Strawberry Matcha Latte and I got the Haupia Matcha Latte. Both were delicious and creamy, and not too sweet! Service was super attentive, patient, cheerful, and helpful... even though it was a humid, sunny September day... and the seats were full at the community dining area... LOL! I want to get the Ube Matcha Latte next... this flavor rotates with the haupia one. I'll have to try the Cinnamon Toast and the Strawberry ones, too! Everything made at "Devotionals" is created with aloha! It's quality, beauty, kindness, and all things good!

Food: 4/5* Only matcha and hojicha drinks and they were okay…read more Service: 2/5* Friendly BUT it was SLOW. The wait to finally order was 1.5 hours another 5 minutes just to finish making our order. The were maybe about only 30 other people ahead of us, it doesn't have to take THAT LONG to get our drinks. They need to reassess their workflow to make it more efficient. Ambiance: 2/5* It was a special event outdoor popup in East Kapolei so it was blazing hot even though most of it was under shade. There was absolutely no trade wind breeze. Overall: 3/5* After this experience I would never go to their popup at the Kakaako Market if their workflow is no different there. Expect to wait forever unless you're the very first 10 or less customers in line when they first open.

Cute cafe. Lots of tables to sit at and the staff was nice. Parking is difficult and when I asked…read morefor a cup of coffee they said they didn't have any? Kind of weird for a coffee shop to not have any drip coffee. Overall nice place.

Super cool venue in a very hard to find location in Kaka'ako. As you walk in, the venue is several…read moredifferently styled chairs and table from a retro area. In fact, a lot of stuff on the walls they sell, and there is a small "thrift shop" type room where they sell super cool vintage stuff and clothes. Definitely a place to look around and explore. Service was good given that there was only one person working the entire shop. Coffee was good and strong. Also ordered some pastries, which sadly were the only so-so part of the visit. I'll pass on those next time and just get a good coffee the next time.

One of the best boba spots on island! Limited parking spots in a garage connected to the cafe…read more Restroom and WiFi available. I see tons of people doing work here. Friendly service! Helpful staff. Patient and hardworking. Drinks made quickly but with care! The cafe is always well-kept. Cute interior. Lots of seating for the small space. Boba is always the perfect texture. I'd recommend 25% sweetness, especially for flavored drinks. I love their milk and fruit teas! My boyfriend likes their smoothies too.

Staff were nice. Drinks are good. I don't think that the…read moreeffort to find parking matches the want of the drink in my opinion. Place feels like a cafe you'd find in New York which is a cool vibe. Got the Uji Matcha Latte with mango. Wanted strawberry but they were out.