Beautiful sunrise Christmas Morning in Kaimuki . Merry Christmas everyone be safe and enjoy SYOY read more

Kaimuki Town - Local Flavor Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Located in Honolulu, Kaimuki Town has really changed and developed into a foodie city! There are municipal parking lots and metered street parking. I try to visit on a holiday or Sundays when metered parking is free. My mom and her family moved to Kaimuki (a very long time ago) from Downtown Honolulu because new buildings and urban improvement were happening. Kaimuki is a rather dry area of Oahu, compared with the valleys and the Windward side of the island. It's "north" of Waikiki, so tourists are more likely to explore here. There's a "Keep It Kaimuki" movement in which small businesses support each other. It's quite a nice town! read more

Kaimuki Town - 12.12.24 View of the backside of Diamond Head! - Local Flavor Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Update Dec 2024 Something old, something new.... Kaimuki, like so many other neighborhoods continues to go through change. The main Waialae ave area, kinda between First Hawaiian Bank and Happy Day Chinese restaurant, took a big hit when in May, Big City Diner decided to call it quits due primarily to shortage of workers. The vacuum created by this loss now finds Kaimuki without a family-sports restaurant where you can go for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can find places to feed your meal appetite, but not one place for all. As of this writing, the Big City Diner location is still available for lease. Through it all, the Kaimuki business community is tenacious and new businesses or owners have come in to offer something for the public. Kaimuki has a logo, "keep it Kaimuki" and they have brought back a Saturday event where the public browse and shop the area. Live entertainment at Kaimuki park, free trolley rides up snd down Waialae ave are just part of the festivities that were offered. Hopefully this will be an annual event for everyone to enjoy. . Kaimuki town, even with its changes is still a slice of the Kaimuki that existed in the 20th century. Like a time capsule from the past. Come by and see the evolving business community of Kaimuki. Keep It Kaimuki. read more

See all

I had lunch here with Auntie Nadine. The main street that runs through the heart of Kaimuki is Waialae Ave. They have a ton of eateries in this area. It's honestly the only reason that I come here. Some of my favorites are Noods Ramen Bar, Hale Vietnam and Via Gelato. The biggest hub here is the Waialae Plaza. Happy Days, Big City Diner, Magoos and Nana Ai Katsu are some of the tenants. They have a big lot that you can pay and park in. Street parking is difficult to find. read more

See all

What happens in Kaimuki will remain at Kaimuki. Sorry but I can't help myself not to share my juanderful (wonderful) experience in this humble town. Just a 15minute drive I will be immersed in this town and every time it gives me aches on where to dine, to shop and to park as well. LoL. Too many of everything and every now and then newly popped up restaurants are coming. It was overwhelming - in a good way. This town will never get old and if does, this will never get out of trend amongst locals and tourists alike. This town has always something to offer for every ages in life. There are also downside as well (like every town in every place): parking, trash, homeless people, annoying customer services and traffic. It's normal and either we like it or not, we all need to deal with it to get it over. Overall, t'was a pleasure doing business in here. Come visit and enjoy! Mahalo for reading and enjoy juandering fellow yeeps! read more

See all

The OG K-Town is so showing how things are done! Homegrown up in Kapahulu area and was pretty much kept in the general area there, then as I grew older and got experience outside towards Kaimuki not knowing how blessed I am to have all this basically in my backyard. Still many of the old has remained and new small business have founds its way each are so individually special in its own way you see crowds of people around different places outside waiting patiently for their turn. From upscale to small scale there is so much going on that sometimes I need the help from Yelp to find them. Keeping it Kaimuki will always have a special place in my heart...Thank you!! read more

See all

If you are looking for some innovative Hawaiian cuisine, this may be the place to go in Honolulu. We had a wonderful set of dishes to share. In aggregate, the different dishes were stunning without the restaurant being pretentious at all. read more

I am biased cuz this is my place but it has truly grown to become a major heavy hitter when it comes to food. This place is legit foodie heaven. You walk anywhere and within walking distance is amazing bakeries, gelato, restaurants, shopping, etc., you name it. read more

Making possible relocation plans to Honolulu in the coming year, I've been researching neighborhoods. I wanted to be near Waikiki, yet live in a more eclectic neighborhood. Pretty much decided that Kaimuki is for the win! The town is located "mauka" (on the mountain side) of Diamond Head. When I was a kid, my father's college BFF lived in up on the Maunalani Heights hillside. Our vacations were spent many an afternoon walking down the hill to the main thoroughfare of Waialae Avenue to hang out. Many of the local business are still there since I was a teenager. The Crack Seed Store with Li Hing Mui is pre-WWII. Okata Bento with a teri beef $3 sandwich, hasn't changed their prices much in 30 years. I started a Kaimuki bookmark. There's great coffee shops, a few local lounges, and a couple of farmers markets. Snap! A Goodwill Store! Kaimuki is dog friendly. Many shops welcome pups inside. I found on Yelp the Bark Park. Nice spot so my Maybelline can run off leash. She's will be ready with our Mainland vet to avoid the 120 day quarantine and qualify for immediate arrival. There is no rabies in the Hawaiian Islands. I'll need buy a twist'n go from Scooters Direct to swing nearby by Foodland, Ono Sea Food, Rainbow Drive-In, and Zippy's. Coming from the Bay Area, the cost of living isn't a sticker shock. Housing is actually less. A gallon of milk is double. I haven't bought milk in about ten years! I'm so ready! Aloha! read more

What a fun town with a mix of new and old. New and old as in buildings, homes, people, patrons, businesses and infrastructure. If you take the time to really look at the facades on some of these older buildings, there are urns, figurines and decorations that are older than I am! Hahaha Lots of shopping, from high vintage to Goodwill. Fancy dining establishments to a simple crack seed store specializing in Icee. Bars range from dive bars to classy specialized brews and drinks served in their appropriate glasses. There is a fire station close by. 2 large parking lots and surrounding street parking. Lots of little parks and lookouts dot this area. Its a hilly area, so its good to walk around and exercise. Big and small churches with tall and short steeples. read more

Kaimuki Town - Whispy clouds - Local Flavor Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I grew up here, & ran the streets of Kaimuki town as a little kid. I remember talkin' to my big Bruddah - Bruddah Ric C., as he is da "King of Kaimuki", and my big sistah - Lyla D. about reminiscing about the old time businesses from "dayz gone by" in Kaimuki town. Yes, many of the businesses I knew as a little kid have gone "bye-bye", only to be replaced by a newer more modern business. As far as the neighborhood goes, not much has changed, with the exception of different businesses changing hand. If you visited Kaimuki town back in the 70's, 80's, or 90's you may have remembered a few of the following businesses.............let's see..........if I can remember correctly - 1. Kaimuki theater (where 3660 on the Rise). 2. Queen theater (I use to come here to watch kung fu movies) 3. Dick's Pastry 4. Mr. Pangs (I use to go here to play space invaders, as they had a machine). 5. Kaimuki Cue (I got kicked out of this place several times for being a bad boy! Buwahahahaha). 6. Thrifty Drugs 7. Alii Coin & Stamps 8. Francis Camera Shop (No, not my business! Buwahahahahaha) 9. Aotani Soda Fountain 10. Tropics Bakery (I use to come here to buy ice cream, and custard danish all the time........now you know why I love custard!) 11. First Federal Savings & Loan 12. State Savings & Loan 13. Top of the Hill (restaurant & bar) 14. 9th Avenue Bakery (one of my friend's worked here) 15. Peerless Market 16. Zane's Market 17. Harry's Music Store (I use to come here to buy records, & of course band instruments) 18. Kwon On (My classmate's family owned this business, loved the layered rice cakes, chow fun noodles, & manapua!) 19. Pottery Steak House 20. Nautilus Gym (I use to lift weights here when I was a kid) 21. King's Garden (Chinese Restaurant) 22. Kwok's Chop Suey 23. Hong Kung Chinese Restaurant.......(I use to have my baseball banquets here). 24. Serra's Surf n' Shore (I bought my Vans checker board shoes from here!) 25. Victoria Inn Restaurant 26. Regina's (Mom use to go here to get her hair done) 27. Finance Factors (they are back in Kaimuki again on 8th Ave., but they use to be on Koko Head Ave., near Jose's) 28. Chiyo's Flower Shop (a flower shop that was inside Thrifty Drug Store, and one of my best friend's dad owned this flower shop) 29. Toy's n' Joy's 30. Kress Store (I use to come here for Icee da Bear drinks & popcorn) 31. First Inter-State Bank 32. Hank's Place (Where da Makaha Sons of Niihau got started. Yes, I saw Skippy & Braddah IZ playing music here). 33. Shiro's Saimin 34. Kalei Eggs 35. Kaimuki Bowl (I use to go bowling here, & play video games!) 36. Alice's Barber Shop (I use to get haircuts here) 37. Tanoue's Okazuya 38. Tam's Shoe Repair & Locks 39. Bea's Bakery (Known for their pies...........custard pie, custard/pumpkin pies. Also, did ya know their daughter Traci Toguchi was a Miss Hawaii back in da dayz?) 40. Cleanwell Cleaners (Dry cleaning shop) 41. Kaimuki Sundries (I use to buy gambling sheets & beer from this place when I was in high school & college..........no worries, drinking age was 15 back then..........err, I meant to say drinking age was 18 years old! Lol!) 42. Churches Fried Chicken 43. Gecko Books 44. Kaimuki AA Taxi Stand (just across da street where Duk Kee is) 45. Payless Shoe Store 46. Heavy Metal Barbell Co. (Weightlifting shop..........use to by my supplements, protein powders, & weightlifting gear from here) 47. Rattan Art Gallery 48. Rainbow Liquor Store 49. Chico's Pizza 50. P & P Supermarket Surprisingly, there are a few businesses (still here & in business) when I was a kid, and I could point them out to you, but my review would just get too long. I'm glad the character of Kaimuki town hasn't changed too much over the years, only difference now is that there are more foodie restaurants available in Kaimuki town now, then when I was a kid. I have BIG LOVE for Kaimuki Town!!! read more

I just moved to Kaimukī and I absolutely love this location. Its close to a lot of eateries, kāhala mall, gas stations, fitness studios, the beach etc. Where I live its quite, lots of parking, and my neighbors are super chill. There's some areas of kaimukī that have junk parking, but other then that, that's about the only downfall. There's lot of parks to take your kids and dogs. Crosswalks and sidewalks that make it walking friendly. Lots of elementary schools and private schools about, etc. Love it here! read more

Ahh, sleepy neighborhood town of Kaimuki has emerged from its chrysalis to a butterfly. Although it has been decades since I called this area as part of my playground, I've witnessed its evolution whenever I'd visit my family home. Gone are the National Dollar, Kress and Ben Franklin department stores, Kaimuki and Queen theaters, Aotani Okazu-ya and soda fountain, Thrifty Drugs and Peerless Market. The town seemed to go into suspended animation while the freeway was built. Businesses suffered downturns because most folks bypassed Kaimuki on the freeway...Kaimuki almost became a ghost town. After all, Waialae Avenue, the main artery through Kaimuki, was the connector between East Oahu and downtown. The town still has kept its original character but many stores have been reborn into new businesses. The new businesses have kept the low rise structures and renovated rather than building high rises. Kaimuki now has hip restaurants and boutiques. Residents can still count on the stability of this neighborhood with its long standing family feel. This community still hosts annual Christmas parades and tree lighting ceremonies with Santa Claus making his appearance. read more

I love this little town forever now. Frequent quite a bit, moved from Kapahulu to Kaimuki now. Everyone is friendly, low crime area. I love how the neighbors look out for each other. Always a smile to a passing jogger to walking past a home. The houses are quite close in proximity but all neighbors are very nice and courteous. I love all of the little shops and restaurants down on Waialae Avenue such as: Aloha Crepes, Big City Diner, 12th Ave Grill, Verde Kaimuki, To Thai For, 3660 on the Rise, Koa Pancake House, Coffee Talk and tons more! Then on the other side of town, let's not forget Kahala Mall which is filled with a ton of shops and Longs conveniently nestled there as well as the movie theaters, banks and doctor offices. I love Kaimuki/Kahala! read more

Kaimuki has its own Yelp page?! :O I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, because... it's KAIMUKI. I grew up in Wai'anae, but I've called Kaimuki home now for the last five years. I love it here, am thankful every day that I get to live here, and would find it very hard to leave this neighborhood. Everything I love is within walking distance from where I Iive, whether it's Kaimuki Public Library, Koko Head Cafe or The Public Pet. There are so many good places to shop and dine - and not like the mall. I'm talking about a vast array of local, small businesses that have found their respective niches, each offering something special to locals and visitors alike. With the threat of overdevelopment rearing its ugly head - read: monster homes - I hope Kaimuki never loses its charm, and keeps on being the place where old and new, traditional and modern, live in harmony. read more

Having being born in Honolulu and raised in Kaimuki all of my life, I figure I can be somewhat of an expert on the subject. Only thing is that I was supposed to go to Kaimuki High school, but ended up getting my high school education at Kalani high school. Who knew how that would have gone. Probably the same distance, just different geo political factors to consider. I think my parents liked Kalani better for some reason or another. Kaimuki town is a small suburban attachment to urban Honolulu in beautiful Oahu in the state of Hawaii, USA. It's zip code is 96816, its geographic boundaries stretch from Kahala Mall to basically McCully Shopping Center, Palolo, University, and Kapahulu. The area has basically whatever you need here. The small town flair and ambiance is great for whatever ails you, if you don't like the urban commotion of the downtown urban core, although majority of the area is basically residential and has a laid back atmosphere. The "downtown" of Kaimuki town lies along Waialae Avenue, which is the main thoroughfare in the heart of Kaimuki. It connects to the interstate H-1, through side streets, but it's nearby and convenient, if you need to jump on the H-1 for some easy breezy driving in Honolulu. I've lived here for more than 30 years. In this town, it's very quiet and calm. There's very little crime, if anything. It's like that on the east side of Oahu, where anything that does happen, it's far and few in-between. It's a tight knit community that just feels just right. Majority of the economic activity centers around Kahala Mall, McCully Shopping Center, and the small business that line along Waialae Avenue. There's an eclectic mix of restaurants and other businesses here in Kaimuki to meet your daily needs. When I see old photos of Kaimuki town on facebook, I felt like the town itself had not changed drastically in the last 50 years, dating back into the 1960's. Sure, a lot of stores came and gone, but the integrity of Kaimuki remained intact from the bygone area to the present day. Today, Kaimuki is one of the best kept secrets on Oahu, living, playing, and working. Every December, the Kaimuki Business Association hosts the annual Christmas parade, which starts at St. Louis /Chaminade complex and ends up at the former Liliuokalani Elementary School. I was fortunate to be apart of that when I was attending Liliuokalani Elementary School 25 years ago. How, Kaimuki had changed over the years, but it's still the same ol town that I have loved from the get-go until now. There are a lot of hole in the wall establishments here. Some of which, I still have yet to venture to, especially since I actually live and breathe Kaimuki every single day. The legacy of Kaimuki is enduring. Whether you are here for vacation or recently relocated here, you'll have fun discovering new places here in Kaimuki town. For the most part, you'll find a lot of what you need on a daily basis with Kahala Mall and McCully Shopping Center, if you don't want to drive too far. My favorite places here in Kaimuki to dine would be To Thai For, Via Gelato, and Hale Vietnam Vietnamese restaurant. I have had special occasions in Happy Day Chinese restaurant, which used to be Kaimuki Cue way back in the early 1990's. For the most part, Kaimuki town does grow with the times, but keeps that small town atmosphere in check. It's a challenge to business in Kaimuki, due to high turnover, but we make it manageable. The Christmas Tree lights up on hill above the kaimuki fire station year after year. One of the great things about living in Kaimuki town. Support local! A+ read more

With the plethora of eateries, Kaimuki Town is quick becoming a force to be reckoned with. Awesome, new restaurants have been popping up quite frequently. There are great food establishments that have been here for years too and many are so delicious. A few of my favorites are Koko Head Cafe, Via Gelato, and Akusa Nabe. One thing that is lacking is the parking. It can be a challenge during lunch and dinner hours to find parking. I have joked with friends that I parked in China when asked where I was able to find parking. I have to sometimes walk several blocks to get to a restaurant after parking. Besides this, Kaimuki Town is a must stop destination if you love food. There is something for everyone here with a large amount of yummy choices. Only if I could eat more and not get fat. read more

Kaimuki is my all-time favorite little town! It has all the nostalgia of old kaimuki with little bursts of new and exciting restaurants breathing life to this wonderful community-oriented suburb. First off, 96816 houses my favorite library (Kaimuki library) and two of my favorite shopping centers/malls: Kaimuki Shopping Center and Kahala Mall. (Yup - I count Kahala Mall - they're in 96816 - yo). Waialae Avenue is the backbone of Kaimuki (houses two Zippy's and two 7-11's!). And along this once-trolley-adorned road are a variety of yummy establishments, gas stations, schools, hair/nail salons, and knick-knacks like Kuni Dry Goods, Shop Toast, Bead It, and Party Pizzazz. I used to run from Waialae Ave, past Chaminade/St. Louis (hail Mariota!) around Palolo Valley, down to Kahala Mall, up Diamond Head, down 18th, wind Harding and Koko Head to get back to Waialae passing Crack Seed Store, Jewel or Juice, Happy Day, Kaimuki Park, St. Patricks/Sacred Hearts Academy. If I was really adventurous, I would take on Whilimena Rise (Mmm, 3660 on the Rise is another delicious establishment that sits on the corner of Waialae and Whilimena Rise). There is a lot of new to see and do: Brew'd, Seed, Leahi Health, and Ed Kenney contributions (Town, Superette, and Mud Hen Water) - I still gravitate to my regular haunts because I'm a creature of habit, and I really like Happy Day dim sum, Crack Seed Store (arare with li-hing mui sauce), Sconees, W&M Bugers!!! ... you're lucky I'm not branching out to Kapahulu Ave because I would have to include Ono Hawaiian Foods and Leonards... and Tucker and Bevvy, but I digress... I love this little community - Kaimuki is popping and has so much going on without losing what we love most about it! *also, like what other yelpers have mentioned is a must - the annual Kaimuki Christmas parade... I've spent many years either watching it or being apart of this event many hold so dear! read more