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    Ilima Cafe

    3.7 (46 reviews)
    ModerateNew American
    Closed 6:00 am - 10:30 AM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Ilima Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    ILIMA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Ilima Cafe

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    James S.

    Better than I expected! No frills hotel restaurant, got a classic breakfast combo that had tasty link sausage and scrambled eggs. Minus a star since hash browns were just like warm. For $20, about the average in the area. Staff was polite and friendly, and even though place was on busier side, food came out super fast. Place is a bit dated and basic, but it's super close to beach. Recommended for a quick bite and head to the water.

    Adriana G.

    Looked for breakfast spots near the Waikiki Banyan (our Air Bnb location) and found this one located inside of a hotel. Upon arrival, we were able to be seated right away but it took some time for our server to finally get our orders even though there were barely any patrons inside. The papaya bowl looked delicious online so i ordered that and was able to get hot chocolate instead of the coffee. It was an ok spot, nothing to rave about really but i did enjoy my meal and the richness of the fruits

    Evelyn E.

    Delicious breakfast and great service 10 out of 10 would recommend this place if you're staying in Waikiki the beach is just a few feet away

    Entrance inside of the hotel.
    Victoria M.

    An amazing spot for breakfast! Ilima Café is inside the Waikiki Resort Hotel. You enter the hotel in order to get to the restaurant. Inside the restaurant is light, bright, and airy. The staff were attentive. You receive a discount if you are staying at the hotel. If you need a restroom you need to ask the hotel front desk for a key and use the hotel lobby's restrooms. Menu wise is small but mighty with lots of comfort breakfast foods. I got a side of bacon with French toast and hashbrowns. My husband ordered the omelet which came with hashbrowns and rice. Everything was amazing! Came out hot and filled us up. They are only open a few hours in the morning, so be sure to wake up in time and order some delicious breakfast!

    Michelle R.

    Our second breakfast since were disappointed with the hotels complimentary breakfast. We opted to try this place out. Breakfast here is only offered from 6:30am - 9:30am and they have limited breakfast meals. We opted for the following: Hawaii Loco Moco - 1/2 lb hamburger patty topped with a bed of rice covered in brown gravy and topped with 2 fried eggs. My boyfriend chose this. He said the loco moco tasted way better. Portuguese Sausage & Eggs - 2 eggs any style with either toast, rice or hash brown. This was my pick. I chose to get this dish with rice and have it with scrambled eggs. Ube Pandesal Toast - the bread was soft and fluffy and tasted really yummy! Overall, food was delicious and service was great!

    Tsunami bagel
    Nelly L.

    I do not recommend. Delusional service. Tricky coffee price. Day #1 :Breakfast was nice. Toast was not great though but everything else was nice. Sausage, eggs and coffee. Service was good and waiter came to refill and propose coffee. Ambiance ok. Would recommend adding some chill music and the place would be better Day#2 : I guess either I was too hungry on the first day and was under a delusion- got happy with the service. I went back and am very disappointed by the service See pic. Bagel was served cold and not really toasted- It look like it went through a tsunami on it and it got torn . The waiter did not find it inappropriate to serve this. As well, be careful as there is a trick of inserting coffee with an additional price $5 on menu on the back side. It showed a smaller price but coffee is not included. I asked to switch the fresh fruits for another side and waiter did not agree on some choices. I do not recommend

    Ilima Cafe Breakfast: 3 banana pancakes (or French Toast), 3 eggs, Portuguese Sausage (or Bacon)
    K L.

    Only reason why I'm giving only 4 stars is because of the limited menu and limited service hours...however, FIVE stars to the service here! So friendly and welcoming. Their aloha definitely shines through! The menu is typical breakfast menu items but the star of this place I would have to say would be their pancakes!! Ughhhh soooo fluffy and soft and hits the right spot!! Menu items as mention is limited to mostly eggs, breakfast meat, French toast, and/or pancakes. They have a couple healthier options too like fruit and yogurt but that's it. Also, right now they only operate from 6:30am-9:30am, so just an FYI. Overall though, 4 warm and happy stars to this cafe in the heart of Waikiki.

    Ilima breakfast. One with French toast, one with pancakes.
    Vina E.

    We came here on our last day and had Erna as our server. She was the sweetest and a pleasure. Limited menu but covered the basics. I tried the lilikoi syrup. We had pancakes French toast, bacon , eggs, Portuguese sausages. Everything was good. Nice little place!

    Overall wonderful experience, great breakfast and service! The atmosphere is vibrant and comfortable. Couldn't have asked for a better way to start my day with this place.

    Terry S.

    It is very rare that I post a negative review. But, this was one of the worst meals I have had in a long time. The service was also lacking. When I came into the restaurant I was immediately seated. But, after a glass of water was given, I was forgotten for about 15-20 minutes. (Note, I was the only guest there.) Finally a worker sitting at a table close to me called over my waiter. He took my order and I ordered the blackened Mahi Mahi. The fish was dry and had no flavor. The sweet chili sauce was mixed with mayonnaise! The waiter never asked me if I wanted something to drink. Even the rice need soy sauce to have any flavor. I left most of my meal. Don't waste your time or money.

    Pancakes
    Hans K.

    Great tasting breakfast with great service. Erna and park were awesome servers and made our mornings bright. Pancakes were very good as were the eggs and bacon !

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    Photo of CJ A.
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    9 years ago

    Hidden gem across from the Alohilani Resort. Convenient, quick, and delicious breakfast in Waikiki. Great way to start the day!

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    14 years ago

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    12 years ago

    We enjoyed the club sandwich and teriyaki chicken sandwich for lunch. We'd come back again :)

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    13 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Ilima Cafe

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    Basalt

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    Great menu with a lot of unique touches! The service is as outstanding and the food was amazing!…read moreLoved the swordfish and the watermelon salad. Highly recommend!!

    Hadn't been to Basalt in many years. Had ocassion to revisit when a friend of mine, who read my…read moreprevious review, wanted to experience. So we came. And boy were we both blown away (so much so that I believe she returned the next day with others!). The menu had been completely revamped and seemed to take on a more local influence while still being very upscale. Since we both enjoy "sampling" we shared two appetizer and a main. Everything was bursting with flavor! This is what we had: Starter salad from the seasonal menu of watermelon, strawberries, blueberries and greens served on a bed of yuzu infused goat cheese and drizzled with a shiso chimmichuri sauce. Yes, bursting with flavor! I would return for just this dish! Next shared was a tempura battered cauliflower served with a robust curry and yogurt reduction. Deeeelicious. I wouldn't say we licked the plate... but I won't deny it. Hahah. Finally shared the seafood in curry soup (think a lighter version of laksa) served with white rice on the side. Holy moly. No words to describe. Portions were generous enough to share still next time, I won't. That memorable you won't want to share. No longer serving volcano black rolls, tho absolutely serving amazingly wonderful dishes. Volcano black pancakes still available at breakfast. We kept on oooing and ahhhing and asking about the chef. Our servers Gale and Lily, who provided the most awesome service told us "Chef Lance" (as he is affectionately called) moved over from the Mariposa (Restaurant in Neiman Marcus) over a year ago. Further research revealed Chef Lance Kosaka has brought experience from noteworthy restaurants: Top of Waikiki, Merriman's, 53 By the Sea, and most recently Mariposa. I am hoping he will bring in a notable creme brulee that I loved at both the Top as well as Mariposa! Not wanting the deliciousness of Chef Steve's cooking to end, I also ordered a warabi salad to go for the next day. It was...just as wonderful as the other dishes we enjoyed. Thank you to Servers Gale and Lily, Chef Steve, actually...the entire staff who elevated a casual evening of dining to be a most memorable experience! Thank you to sister friend Karen who insisted we dine here, for the most wonderful company and meal. Validated parking in the building accessed on Seaside. Validated for either 2 or 3 hours depending on the promotion. Kamaaina discount of 10 percent given. Will we be back? Absolutely. And I won't wait so long this time to return!

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    Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar

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    We had such an amazing experience thanks to Simi! He was incredibly friendly, attentive, and gave…read moreus fantastic recommendations--and every single one was a 10/10. We came for happy hour, and the taco was amazing. The slider cheeseburger was so good, and honestly, I didn't even mind that it only came with one patty because the flavor was incredible. The real standout, though, was the Stuffed Crusted Chicken with mashed potatoes I travel often and have lived in Southern California , so I've had my fair share of great restaurants, and this chicken was absolutely unreal. I've eaten at plenty of places over the years, but nothing has consistently impressed me like Tommy Bahama. The food is outstanding, the live music creates such a fun atmosphere, and the rooftop is the perfect place to relax. This place truly feels like a hidden gem. If you're visiting Waikiki, this is a must-stop. We'll definitely be back, and we'll definitely be asking for Simi again!

    I had dinner here a couple of weeks ago with my family and another family (6 of us total)…read more The setting is very nice (nice beach vibes). The service was very good. The restaurant is located on the upper floors of their retail clothing store, right in the heart of the main Waikiki shopping street. We walked over from our hotel, so didn't have to worry about parking. Given the central location, I can imagine parking may be a bit challenging. I had the roast beef dip, which I thought was good (4/5). Others generally thought the food was good (not great). Overall, a good meal and I don't think the food is the selling point of this location.

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    Maze

    Maze

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    (215 reviews)
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    I had such a wonderful time at Maze. Made reservations a few weeks ahead. There seems to be…read moreconflicting reports about parking, but there is a limited designated parking spots on the side of the building that is shared with dry bar. The interior feels very nature inspired and felt like the menu followed the theme with Korean cuisine influences. The pairing menu was so good and highlighted each dish. Each dish was so impressive and well thought out. My favorite was the beef with banchan, low key felt like eating Korean bbq but in the most elevated way. It's been a few weeks since my visit but I'm still dreaming of the corn and black sesame shaved ice dish! Thanks for such an incredible time team members at Maze!

    Have had Māze on the to try list for quite some time as a few people I follow on IG post pics when…read morethey head to HNL. An old friend knew we were heading back and sent me an IG post where Māze x Bar Leather Apron were doing a collab on Mon and Tues. Sjnce we didn't have dinner plans, we showed up at around 4:40 only to see 1 other person waiting in line as we were searching for parking. To our surprise, there were 7 people in front of us by the time we lined up! Sadly we were seated at a high top table off in the corner as a lady took the last open seat. For this collab, they didn't have a ton of food items so ordering was fairly straight forward, ordered 1 of everything. First cocktail I had was the pepper-tonic which was quite tasty! Otsumami - consisted of 3 snacks (seasoned cashews, pickled cabbage and warm olives). Thought the pickled cabbage was quite tasty and the cashews were just so so. Skipped the olives since I'm not a fan but the wifey enjoyed them. Salmon - it was mentioned that this was the chef's signature dish but sadly was mediocre for me. The salmon had a very distinct flavor which I wasn't a fan of. Wagyu - tartare on potato paves which was sadly just ordinary for me. thought the tartare lacked flavor. Cheese - unique twist of what i was expecting. the flavor of the dish was good but wished there was more of a crunch to it. this wasn't hot when it was brought out so perhaps it was sitting a bit before it was served to us. Fries - likely my favorite dish for the night but sadly our order seemed like 1/2 everyone else's portion as our bowl was half filled while other customers were filled to the top. ended up ordering another order just to snack on while I enjoyed the imperial cocktail. Enjoyed the casual ambience of this collab but sadly not sure we'd come back for a regular set meal in the future. This week's menu seems to be more thought out and wished they had their "baked potato" last week. Will definitely head back to Bar Leather Apron as their drinks were fantastic!

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    Solera

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    4.4
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    Solera is located right across the lobby on the 7th floor of the The Ritz-Carlton Residences…read moreWaikiki Beach. My husband and I stayed here for our honeymoon and decided to try Solera since we had a breakfast credit each morning. WOW is all I have to say. The food was absolutely incredible. We each got a drink--I ordered a matcha and he got a latte, and both were so good. For food, we shared the Hawaiian omelette, and they did not hold back on the meat. The service was top-notch. Our servers were attentive without being overbearing and checked in just the right amount, which always makes a difference. I would highly recommend Solera for both drinks and food--definitely worth a visit.

    The world food tour reconvened at Solera, in the Ritz-Carlton. The last time we dined here it was…read moreLa Vie. There were wine specials and I took advantage of this offering, choosing a 2023 Beaune Boucherottes from Louis Jadot. Our server (Malama) brought a 2021, which was great from my perspective. This wine sells for $180 and was listed at $177; what a deal! We chose Bone Marrow ($32), Beets and Strawberry Salad ($28) as our starters. Entrees were the Butchers Cut, which offered Filet, Ribeye or NY Strip ($70). I chose the NY strip and ordered Foie Gras ($32) to accompany it. Our other entrée was the Huli Hainan Chicken Plate ($42). Malama told us the Foie Gras was a mousse, so I asked her to bring it out with the other two appetizers. The Bone Marrow plate came with two halves of bone and four pieces of toasted ciabatta. The Foie Gras dish was interesting ... Three piped dollops of foie gras mousse, with three quenelles of a pineapple mostarda and a plate of Madeleines. The Beets & Strawberry Salad was a visual and taste treat ... It was my favorite of the three starters. The foie gras atop the Madeleine was too sweet for our palates; it was much more successful on the toasted ciabatta that accompanied the bone marrow. The NY Strip came sliced, with another bone marrow and mashed potatoes. The Hainan Chicken came with ginger scallion rice, lomi tomato chile, dark soy (which was very watery), slices of cucumber and cilantro. The chicken was the least successful dish we've had here. I give the executive chef kudos to add variety to the menu. The steak came with a container of miso bordelaise ... I thought it was okay, my tablemate didn't like it. I tried the foie gras mousse on pieces of steak ... It was okay. We had the steak and chicken dishes boxed and perused the dessert menu. I don't usually eat dessert so the decision on what to order is left to my fellow foodie. She chose the Flourless Chocolate Cake ($16); I asked for a cup of coffee ($11). The cake was rich and dense, almost like fudge. We boxed that up ... My fellow foodie has enough food for next week. What did we think? The décor is pretty much the same as when it operated as La Vie, except for the addition of black tablecloths. There was a pianist playing near the bar ... That added a nice touch to the ambience of the place. Service was fine but not what we were looking for. We gave Solera a rating of 4 (perhaps a touch under). We expect a bit more when the bill is $427.22 (plus tip).

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    Ilima Cafe - newamerican - Updated August 2026

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