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HoMA Cafe

4.2 (137 reviews)
Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Updated 1 month ago

HoMA Cafe Photos

HOMA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - HoMA Cafe

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Reviews With Photos

Grilled ahi nicoise salad
Rand E.

What a wonderful and beautiful setting for lunch. What can be better than enjoying inspiring art and relaxing between views for beautiful dining. The menu has been updated so there are more yummy choices. Had the absolutely favorite grilled ahi Niçoise salad and the grilled portobello sandwich and salad.

Desert
Richard D.

Enjoyed lunch in the HOMA Cafe before embarking on our afternoon guided tour of the Shangri-la Islamic Museum in Kahala. The cafe is open air, very chill and very relaxed. While the lunch menu is relatively limited, there's always a handful of healthy lunch options to choose from. Service is professional and friendly. Food is excellent, as is the overall experience of lunching here. Highly recommended. Parking is in the lot across the street. You scan the QR code on the sign to pay via the PARKLINQ App. It's zone 155. I paid in advance for our visit, costing $9 for the entire day for Kama'aina.

The French Toast plate
Damian M.

Most know that HoMA is a wonderful museum, but only recently did I experience how good their brunch is as well. A small menu consisting of classic breakfast options, I found their prices to be reasonable for the peaceful and contemporary setting. I ordered the French toast plate, which consisted of my favorite local sweet bread from Punalu'u Bake Shop on the big island. The French toast was delicious, the bacon was fried to perfection, and the cold brew coffee was tasty and well-blanaced. You can book a reservation online, and entry into the restaurant is free, though I would recommend visiting the museum while you are there.

Pan-seared ahi salad
Nick W.

The ambiance and environment is super nice. The food was very average. It was not amazing but it was not inedible either. It was expensive as well for it being "Costco salad mix." The server seemed annoyed we needed a little more time to decide on our order and when we had questions about the menu. The wrap could have used more meat because it was very cucumber and tomato heavy. The ahi was a little overcooked as well. Overall it was decent.

Portobello Mushroom Sandwich with no cheese
John T.

My portobello mushroom sandwich was delicious and not overly seasoned. Our waitress had great customer service. And the atmosphere was really nice.

Warm Goat Cheese Salad
Lizzy Z.

I ordered the warm goat cheese salad - it was so good! The honey vinaigrette, candied walnuts, cooked onions, and berries were perfect with the goat cheese. So many good textures and flavors. It's a nice light meal. I was wowed by the salad itself, but the rosemary bread that it came with was just okay. Staff were friendly and attentive, and the ambiance is nice - there's outdoor, covered seating with a view of the little fountain wall and courtyard area.

Lisa P.

Went to the Homa Cafe for the Thanksgiving menu featuring prime rib and other wonderful dishes. Service was courteous and attentive. The museum is an excellent location for a restaurant. Many restrooms are conveniently by the restaurant. Live music plays on special evenings. Wandered in the museum to see my favorite exhibits and the new Satoru Abe display on the second floor.

Linguine with salmon, asparagus, green beans, and Kalamata olives
Patricia S.

We had a mixed Birthday/Anniversary Luncheon with a party of seven. This is our favorite place not only because the food is always top notch but the atmosphere is perfect. Our server, June, really enjoyed accommodating our table (we tipped her well to show our appreciation) and offered to take the cake and keep it in the refrigerator until we were ready to present it with candles and song. To top off the event some of us wandered over to the lovely gift shop which carries the most perfect gifts, from unique cards to dresses, artwork and books and games for the little ones. Note to self: Make a reservation to see Shangri-La again. If you haven't been to see Doris Duke's Middle Eastern designed mansion at Black Point, I'd highly recommend it.

Table centerpiece
Dianna R.

The prices were okay. The soup was warm and done well, but I would have liked the option to have some freshly cracked pepper added. I did have to push my empty water glass to the side to let them know I wanted more water. The server never asked if my soup was agreeable. She also did not introduce herself. I think they were training someone while I was there because one of the people was shadowing her. I don't mind that, I just wish they did a stellar job to show a good example. The noise level was quite high because they were preparing for an event. I would not say it was relaxing, but it was tolerable. The music choice was odd, but it was from my youth, so I didn't mind. Overall, I would go again, but I wouldn't expect good service for the price and place. It is a solid 3 star due to those factors.

Mango upside down cake
Julie U.

Visited the museum with friends so planned our visit around having lunch. The restaurant is in a lovely setting. From where you sit you can see some massive pottery by the artist Jun Kaneko. It's shady and open to the trade winds. When we visited, it seemed to be quite a few tourists but some locals too. I had the daily special pasta which was a linguini, but it was not to my liking, the sauce was thick and the bacon (or some kind of small pieces of meat was very strong tasting.) Others had the smoke salmon crostini (they said it was good), small green salad (very tender and fresh.) For dessert we had mango upside down cake (the slice was huge) and an apple fruit cobbler ala mode. The cobbler looked good but really had no taste. Two of us had the cobbler and we left most of it. But the one who had the mango cake raved about it. Overall my food was not that great but my friends enjoyed the salad, salmon, and cake. And the atmosphere is so lovely I bumped it up to 4 stars.

Chicken breast burger
Seyoung Y.

Went to HoMA cafe to eat and spend some time to relax. It wasn't too crowded. I made the reservation for 12:15 but was able to get seated early. The server was friendly and attentive. I got their ginger lemonade, smoked salmon crostini, and chicken breast burger with soup (+$2, soup of the day was mushroom). To be 100% honest, I thought the quality of ingredients was good, but the taste of each dish could be better. The soup was pretty bland, and the burger also tasted pretty bland to me; that made me think they were a bit boring. (I didn't finish my burger because it just felt boring to my palette, I didn't want to eat it all). I think the food can definitely improve, but I loved the the peaceful atmosphere and the arts that go with the food. So It makes the dining experience worth regardless.

Ginger lemonade
Roya J.

Nice eatery inside the HoMa, which can visit without purchasing tickets for museum. Service was very interesting. Our waiter was very nice, but spoke very slowly, kept asking same questions and forgot things. By the end of the meal he was more alert like the pakalolo was wearing off . As for our food, our sandwiches were made to order with plenty of ingredients and a very bun. Not too soft and not too hard with great flavor. The ginger lemonade had a hint of ginger and not overly sweet. There's a parking lot across the street and also metered street parking.

Filet mignon sandwich (no bun), and salad
Violet H.

Pretty cafe in a courtyard of the museum. It's open-air when the weather is nice and the folding panel doors can be closed when it's not. It's a nice place for a celebration; indeed, I saw several people at different tables wearing lei. Reservations are needed. There's a pay parking lot across the street (kitty-corner across Beretania). The entrance fronting Beretania Street is not accessible. There are two steps with no handrails then a set of stairs with handrails. There is an accessible entrance off of Victoria Street. I believe there is another accessible entrance elsewhere, too. The menu is mainly variations on salads and sandwiches (no burgers), and desserts. Because of diet and allergy restrictions, there wasn't much for me, but there were a few things. I ordered the filet mignon sandwich without a bun. It came with plenty of greens that were topped with walnuts and their house red vinaigrette dressing. The food was good. The restaurant was full but no one was waiting at any point so my friend and I had plenty of time to talk. There are nice wood outdoor tables and matching chairs. There's no padding on the chairs, so after a bit the pressure on my hips and back started up osteoarthritis aches in my hips and lower back. A very nice place to have an enjoyable time.

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4 years ago

Love it so much. Don't wanna tell anyone about this place I wanted to keep it as my secret lunch place

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Ask the Community - HoMA Cafe

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Banh Mi Street Cafe

Banh Mi Street Cafe

4.3(51 reviews)
2.5 miWaikiki
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Sorry, but gotta keep it real-- this place was a foul ball. Mrs. Picante and I wanted our cake and…read moreeat it too: we wanted pho, but didn't want to walk too far from the hotel. This place was just two blocks away, so we braved the November misty rain and consistent wind through the buildings to make it over here. To be fair, this seemed more like a Vietnamese coffee joint and a Banh Mi place... so maybe coming here for pho wasn't our best idea. They had two kinds available that night-- beef and chicken. Since chicken pho is not something I'm willing to try, we both ordered up the dac biet. The broth was bland with a thin and unpleasant veil of grease along the top that congealed quickly on the rim of the bowl. It wasn't hot enough, or maybe the pre-cooked and chilled noodle block they poured it over cooled it off. Meat was chewy and low quality. The sprouts and basil were soggy and wilted. Honestly, it was a get up and leave kind of thing. The whole place was just dingy and didn't feel great. I've eaten at some very modest places in my native San Gabriel Valley in Southern California, so it's not a snobbery thing. It's a "someone get a Swiffer wet jet and some paper towels and give this whole place a once-over. Speaking of once, that's the sum total of times we'll ever eat here. Too bad... because it was really close to our hotel :)

Don't understand the high rating, that pork Ban Mi was atrocious!! The ladies be in there…read moremicrowaving up a storm; and you can tell by the way the food tastes.. The pork in it was mostly mushy in texture and off putting. Nothing was really fresh tasting and The price definitely didn't line up. Place was ambiance free- felt like I was eating in someone's messy kitchen! I tossed my sandwich but my daughter ate her half and her stomach paid the price later! Easily my least favorite food experience while vacationing in Hawaii!

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Banh Mi Street Cafe
Banh Mi Street Cafe
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Hawaiian Aroma Caffe - Daily breakfast special with coffee

Hawaiian Aroma Caffe

4.6(78 reviews)
2.8 miWaikiki
$$
Happy hour specials
Full bar

They have daily happy hour 12pm-7pm Got mai tais for $7 ea…read moreand a berry açaí bowl for about $14. The berry bowl was so delicious 12/10 would totally recommend. The cashiers and servers were great and friendly

My wife and I stopped by Hawaiian Aroma Caffè after Easter Sunday service at a nearby church,…read moreexcited to try it together. I had visited their sister location the night before in Waikīkī and had such a great experience that I told my wife, "If this place is anything like last night, we're in for something good." She agreed--and we decided to give it a shot. Right when we walked in, we were greeted by Colby, a tall, friendly guy with a great attitude. I mentioned my experience from the night before, and he immediately said he wanted to live up to that standard. That kind of response set a really positive tone. We ordered two Aroma Specials: Dolce & Banana (me) Nutella Latte (my wife) For food, we went with: P.B. Delight açaí bowl Turkey pesto panini Bacon & egg bagel Total came out to about $62, which we expected given the location near the beach. We grabbed a seat inside by the window (outside seating was full--no surprise on such a beautiful morning). Our drinks came out quickly--but unfortunately, this is where things started a little rough. We both noticed right away that something was off. My wife's Nutella latte didn't have that rich hazelnut flavor you'd expect, and my Dolce & Banana was missing the banana entirely. Honestly, they tasted almost identical. When I politely mentioned it to a staff member who brought out our food, the response felt dismissive and didn't really address the concern--which was disappointing and definitely not the experience we were hoping for. At that point, we decided to just enjoy the food and move forward--and I'm glad we did, because the food was fantastic. The turkey pesto panini was loaded with flavor, perfectly crispy on the outside, and packed with melty cheese. The bacon & egg bagel was hearty, well-balanced, and super satisfying. The P.B. Delight açaí bowl was the surprise standout--perfectly blended, fresh, and the peanut butter added an awesome richness that made it feel like a treat. Everything on the food side absolutely delivered. A few minutes later, Colby came by to check on us--and this is where the entire experience turned around. I let him know honestly: "The food is amazing, but the coffee missed the mark." Without hesitation, without attitude, and without making excuses, he said, "Hang on, let me fix that." I even told him not to worry about it--we were enjoying ourselves regardless--but he insisted. "Rick, I got you," he said. Within minutes, he came back with two freshly made drinks and a sincere apology. We took a sip and immediately--night and day difference. The Nutella latte had that rich, distinct hazelnut flavor. The Dolce & Banana finally had that smooth, balanced banana note Exactly what we were hoping for the first time. Colby is the MVP Colby completely turned this experience around. His attitude never changed--he was smiling, positive, kind, and genuinely cared about making things right. No defensiveness, no excuses--just great customer service and follow-through. That kind of service is rare, and it matters. It's evident that not all the workers have that same dedication to customer service but Colby does! What could have been a disappointing visit ended up being a great one because of him. Hawaiian Aroma Caffè--take care of this young man! He represents your business incredibly well. He needs to be leading your team on what customer service looks like and they need to follow his lead. From naming customers by their first name, to holding that perfect smile the entire time, to checking in with guests after receiving their meals and really caring about their experience. Colby naturally has it and should be showing every one how to do it as well! The Future Looks Bright for Colby and if you don't take of him, someone smart will! Final Thoughts Great food, great location, and a really cool atmosphere--but what stood out most was the service recovery. Mistakes happen anywhere. What matters is how they're handled--and Colby handled it perfectly. Because of him, we'll absolutely be back. Thank you again, Colby--keep doing your thing. You made our day. - Dr. Rick

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Hawaiian Aroma Caffe - Acai tropics bowl

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Hawaiian Aroma Caffe - Full bar

Full bar

Hawaiian Aroma Caffe - Traditional waffles with side of scrambled eggs and bacons.

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Traditional waffles with side of scrambled eggs and bacons.

Timmy T's Gourmet Grinders - #16 absolutely pathetic amount of meat. Paid $14 for this piece of garbage. They should be ashamed of themselves

Timmy T's Gourmet Grinders

3.9(83 reviews)
2.6 mi

Great local vibes here! Big Kahuna Grinder ROCKS da Mouth with a Man-which that satisfies!…read moreEspecially when you "Jack it up" with all the extras that complete da meat in between the soft chewy fresh baked bread that completes this super sandwich! The team behind da counter works in sync to create each Grinder to order! Great Five Star Grinds! Timmy T's The Terrific Taste!

Timmy T's is the WORST sandwich shop EVER. Honestly, they're getting one star only because I can't…read moregive them a zero. Ordered a turkey sandwich, which comes with sprouts, lettuce, tomato and mayo and asked for the sprouts and tomato on the side, and was told that they're not allowed to do that. First he gave me the excuse that they don't have portion cups so I asked for them to just wrap it in paper and he refused because that's one of their founding rules. He literally told me "you can either have it in the sandwich or not at all" even though I'm paying for the ingredients. He then added on that if I wanted to pay extra for the premium add-ons ($2 for a slice of cheese), I could get THOSE on the side. To make the sandwich worth even LESS than the $10 for turkey and lettuce, I watched as he cut the bread in half and DUG OUT the insides of the bread and threw it away before putting the turkey and lettuce into what was left of a very skinny baguette shell. So much for trying to support a new business to the area. Never again!

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Timmy T's Gourmet Grinders - Inside

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Timmy T's Gourmet Grinders - Club Kailua with Bacon

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HoMA Cafe - sandwiches - Updated May 2026

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