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    Kukui Cafe

    4.2 (61 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Kukui Cafe Photos

    KUKUI CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Kukui Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    Facing Kukui St. right next to the Nuuanu River
    Gerald P.

    Hole in the wall, Cafe next to the Nuuanu River on Kukui St, behind the Chinese Cultural Center. Went to visit , based on their good reviews, on their Hong Kong style noodles & dishes.Had to wait for a table, as the dining room is very small. Maybe 6 tables seating 12 -15 people. They serve breakfast from 8am from the pics on the wall. American fare. Have a good variety of Hong Kong style noodles, soups & drinks. Friendly female server, male behind the counter& well trained Chinese chefs in the Kitchen.The won ton noodle soap was very tasty with a lot of homemade won tons, Bok choy & noodles. Their salt & pepper chicken wing had a unique taste, well seasoned ,3 scoops of rice & shredded cabbage to make a bed for the wings. All food served in disposable bowls & containers & plastic containers. Ice water served in paper cups. Condiments stored on a self service station. No frills, delicious food! Total came to : Cash only $ 35.00 We'll go back again when in the Chinatown area.

    Singapore Rice Noodle (co-worker's lunch)
    Donna O.

    Kukui Cafe is one of my Coworker's go to spot when she doesn't have any home lunch. She goes there often and can speak Cantonese so she able to help me with my order when I request for no bean sprouts, eggs or add ons. She said their food reminded her of back home in Hong Kong. This little place is busy with local Chinese regulars. There may be a wait to get a table. One time with Yelp friends, we did get a table right away as a family left. It was the first time having the shredded pork with Szechuan pickled noodles in soup (no bean sprouts) and it was so delicious and it always better having it right there at the restaurant! The noodles came out piping hot and the pork was so tender! Really tender that some places don't compare. Another favorite of mines was the shredded pork over crispy noodles. There's a lot of pork and shiitake mushrooms! I love crispy noodles and it's kept separate when doing a take out! I used to love Singapore noodles until I couldn't have shrimps but recently I was craving for it and my coworker was able to request no shrimp but sub for chicken and no egg . It had ham inside too and it was delicious with onions! Theirs was a bit spicier than others places, but it was spicy good although I couldn't bring home to share with mom since she can't have spicy foods. I ordered the Hong Kong style French toast for a friend and that looked good. Crispy chicken with salt and pepper is not bad and tasty. The pork sandwich was good and you can get a combo with a drink. I love their hot or iced Honey lemon tea. The cup was filled with lemon slices! Refreshing and I love lemons in my drink! So this restaurant is on River St in the back of the Chinatown Cultural Plaza. If you know where Royal kitchen is, it's two doors away and next to Kevin's drive inn! I wouldn't have tried this place if it wasn't for my coworker! Whenever she offered to pick up, I always jumped in to order from here especially now I have some favorites!

    Rebecca T.

    Very popular spot among the local Chinese here! It serves some decent Hong Kong café style (Cantonese) food in this small shop. Got to try the preserved veggie shredded pork rice noodle soup. It's got some good flavors and aroma albeit its small size. As this is a popular spot and small space, there's a little wait even on a weekday morning! Lots of noodles dishes to choose from in the menu. Great spot to come to if you like Hong Kong café style food (a lot of noodle dishes with a mixed of Asianized western items).

    Menu
    Nadine C.

    Lunch in Honolulu, Hawaii... Because metered street parking is free on Sundays, my friends and I went to Kukui Cafe in Chinatown this past Sunday. Located at the end of Cultural Plaza, on the corner of Kukui Street and the Waolani Stream (also known as "the canal"), I've passed by Kukui Cafe so many times, but have never gone inside. Donna said her friend really likes the Hong Kong Style cuisine at this cozy hole-in-the-wall. Angel said her parents dine here a lot. Must be good, right? When we got there, every table was taken. We waited for a family to leave and took their spot. Service was quick and Angel helped by speaking Cantonese to our server. She asked for the Red Vinegar condiment for all of us. I ordered #40: Sze Chuan Pickle with pork Rice Noodles in soup. It was perfect for an overcast, drizzly day. The pork was tender and the pickles added a nice flavored texture. Red vinegar was a plus on the noodles! I kept looking at Angel's wonton min. That's one of my favorite dishes. So - I went back a few days later to get it! Yum! There was a shrimp in each dumpling! The noodles were nice and chewy! The broth was still steaming when I finished my meal! Bonus: I was able to ask for the Red vinegar in English. I failed when they told me my check amount in Cantonese. I should have known that number! Anyway, I sure would return for more Hong Kong cuisine!

    cafe sign
    Angel H.

    My parents used to frequent this place before the pandemic. My dad loves the milk tea. I personally have never been here until this past week. Auntie Nadine suggested we come here after stopping by Lemon Supply. Irene and Donna also came along. Thanks Auntie for taking us here. It's a hole in the wall take out place. They do have a few tables, but it's small. Mostly everyone that came in spoke Cantonese. If you're looking for authentic Chinese food this place is it. They're known for their drinks, especially the milk tea. Since we just came from Lemon Supply, we didn't get any. I ended up getting the wonton mein. The wontons were really good. They were big and filled with pork and a piece of shrimp. I was a little disappointed that they didn't use the HK type of skinny noodles. It was the regular Sun noodles that everyone serves. I ate it with red vinegar and it was perfect. They serve it with bok choy, but I prefer choy sum. They only accept cash, so bring money!

    Outside
    Irene M.

    Brunch with my besties is always a fun adventure! Here we go to Kukui Cafe...!? It's at the farthest corner end of Chinatown Cultural Plaza as it doesn't even seem it's part of that building which I've probably passed before but haven't noticed it as the signage is quite small and faded but those who know knows it's the place to go. I believe it was Donna who had suggested here so along with Angel and Nadine I happily tagged along for the adventure as I've never been here before but was so excited to see what they have to offer. This is quite small because as we got there we were lucky enough that some folks were leaving but had to wait outside in order for them to have room to leave, and this cozy place has about five tables that aren't socially distanced for those that may hope for but we all sat and didn't mind that at all. Let me tell you it's definitely different in an interesting way...first of all they do offer the traditional local breakfast of rice, eggs and meat..."Sandwiches" like Butter Toast, BLT, Deep Fried French Toast along with traditional dishes using Rice Noodles, Funn, Macaroni, Mein or Spaghetti. Hong Kong style dishes is very new to me and was just fascinated with the familiar items with a slight twist is fun. Ladies ordered the Sze churn Pickle with Pork Rice Noodles in Soup which look like a stir fry noodle soup, loaded with veggies this hearty dish looked so yummy! Also Won Ton Mein in Soup was in my radar but thanks to Angel my translator savior asked an sadly has shrimp in them so here I go to plan B. I really wanted to try something different but kept it familiar so I got the Beef with Vegetable Chow Funn which usually comes with Choi Sum which they were out of and offered Bok Choy instead...not a problem as it was still perfectly yummy! The gravy was not salty just the right amount of flavor though food coma was approaching me fast! This adorable little nook keeps this corner of Chinatown Cultural Plaza quite busy but I'm so impressed with the friendliest staff food came out hot and fast and we enjoyed our Sunday among besties is the something I look forward to as we do have "Brunches" of fun! Thank you!

    Spam & Egg Sandwich
    Scott H.

    Best HK style cafe in the US! This place has some of the most authentic food you can find outside of Hong Kong for casual fare. The go to dish for me is the Szechuan Pickle with Pork Rice Noodles in Soup. Add some chili sauce and some white pepper and it's perfect; this dish transports me back to being a kid visiting HK. If you're dining in, there is table service. It's friendly, quick, and efficient!

    Szechuan Pickle with Pork Rice Noodles in Soup ($9.25): authentic and delightful!
    Jack W.

    === 1. VERDICT/VALUE A mini Hong Kong-style cafe located on the edge of Chinatown: it's not quite a full-fledged HK-style cafe (the breadth of the menu is smaller and there are no combos with soup and buns accompanying the dishes), but it's got some of the right bones dish-wise. The authentic tastes are worth checking out! === 2. FOOD Szechuan Pickle with Pork Rice Noodles in Soup ($9.25): those looking for authenticity (e.g. if you grew up in Hong Kong or another Asian locale) will enjoy this dish: the flavors are spot on and the ingredients right for pork, bean sprouts, mushrooms, and pickles on noodles. Pork Chop with Tomato Sauce on Rice ($9.50): normally served with spaghetti, like many Chinese places, it's readily subituted with anything else, in my case: rice. The thin pork chop was served tender covered in a non-salty tomato sauce with chopped peppers, onions, and the occaisional pineapple chunk. Lemon Tea with Grape ($4): I think it's Ribena acting as the drink; regardless, it's a refreshing drink overall unless you're a lemon tea purist! Milk Tea with Grass Jelly ($5): Not quite the sock tea some would recall from the alleys of Hong Kong, but pretty good! === 3. SERVICE & ATMOSPHERE Close your eyes, pretend you're at a small HK-style cafe in Hong Kong and when you reopen your eyes, you'll be right at home, ordering in Cantonese (though English works too), seeing the single cook quickly prep your dish, and having your dish served relatively quickly with minimal interaction. Like many other places during this pandemic, there is no dine-in option; however, it looks like there is typically a number of tables that would accommodate small groups. Wheelchairs and strollers may struggle initially given the stairs nearby and close quarters, but they could get in here. A number of folks stop illeagally on the street, but you're best served parking is one of the Chinese Cultural Center lots.

    Crispy noodles and lemon tea
    Heidi W.

    I grown up in Hong Kong and this is my favorite Hong Kong style cafe in Hawaii. Best Hong Kong style milk tea, beef brisket noodles, won ton...basically everything is good.

    A view from across the street at Kukui & River St. The café is right around that corner.

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    9 years ago

    Always great to return for breakfast with my man. Great Hong Kong dishes for cafe style. Thank you for the service

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    6 years ago

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    6 years ago

    The best Hong Kong style food in town! I like their Singapore fires noodle and corn chicken rice. Yummy

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    16 years ago

    Their salt and pepper chicken wings are to die for! Nuff said!

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    7 years ago

    Got food poisoning from their "Teri pork chops" not saying it'll happen to you But if you do you just make sure to stay near a toilet.

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    Sandy's Cafe - Half roast duck

    Sandy's Cafe

    4.4(183 reviews)
    0.1 miChinatown
    $$

    If you are looking for authentic Hong Kong food, this is a place you can put it the "to go" list…read more It's conveniently located in the Chinatown Cultural Plaza, so you don't have to worry about parking. This place is very clean, which is a very big plus. Food review: -wonton soup: 5/5 Very homey taste; in fact, this is what an authentic Hong Kong wonton taste like! The favor of the wonton is not salty and they are very generous in the meat portion. The wonton is pretty big compared to other places. This is my always go to dish to get. -beef chow fun: 5/5 I have to say this is one of the best beef chow fun in island. Each of the chow fun is coated evenly with the sauce. I usually don't like to order beef chow fun because it can taste very oily and heavy, but this one not at all. The chow fun is very tasty! Highly recommended! -beef spaghetti w/ tomato sauce: 3.5/5 This is not the usual spaghetti where you get at an Italian restaurant. It's an Asian/hong Kong style spaghetti that have a different flavor compared to the traditional Italian pasta. The portion it's actually pretty big. It's pretty average, nothing special. If you want to try a non-Italian version spaghetti, can give it a try.

    Came here again. Fast service like always. I got the roast duck and char sui over rice. They were…read moreboth very flavorful. My only gripe is there weren't any burnt and fatty pieces of char sui which was what I was craving for. Look at my last review for more details!

    Photos
    Sandy's Cafe - Interior

    Interior

    Sandy's Cafe - Yeung Chow Fried Rice

    Yeung Chow Fried Rice

    Sandy's Cafe - Front entrance coming for Nuuanu Stream

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    Front entrance coming for Nuuanu Stream

    Yi Xin Cafe - Teddy bear iced milk tea

    Yi Xin Cafe

    4.4(440 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$
    Takes reservations
    Catering service

    I saw local UTuber Sean Kaleponi (The Hawaiian Traveler) eat at YXC, and I said I gotta hit this…read moreplace. Its located in the Foodland Mall in Kaimukī. We had to order one of their sig crab dishes, and we rounded out the meal w/ beef and long beans, sweet & sour pork belly, eggplant and fried rice. The crab was amazing! The curry sauce was so deep & complex. In addition, the crab was fresh bc they have tanks in the restaurant. Of course I called dibs on the head, and it was packed with goodies. I added rice to the head (in Ilocano this is called "labay", adding rice to soup or broth to extend the meal). I was in heaven. The other dishes were all big portions and very good. The meat was tender, and the veggies were fresh and crunchy. I believe all the other dishes were ~ $20/each. The staff was super nice. We didn't have a res, but luckily we were seated in 20 min on a busy Sun night. Regarding the dining area, its tight but comfy. You have to wash your hands after, and the bathrooms are clean. I will def return the next time I come home. I want to try another crab dish (about 8 versions), and build a meal around the crab.

    Visited at 3pm to avoid the crowd. Ambiance was nice and less noisy at this time. Friendly server…read moretook our order and the food arrived promptly. Bitter melon and egg was soft and tender. Pork chop was salty and crispy. Honey walnut shrimp was big, juicy and the candied walnuts was plentiful. Malaysian fried rice tasty, and the Singapore rice noodle flavorful. The meal was scrumptious and delicious like a well prepared home cooked meal! Will definitely be back to try new items on the menu.

    Photos
    Yi Xin Cafe - 3/19/23 inside

    3/19/23 inside

    Yi Xin Cafe - Szechun spicy JJ chicken pot

    Szechun spicy JJ chicken pot

    Yi Xin Cafe - Impressive presentation that served with sizzling sound, but the beef was too well done & on the tough side.

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    Impressive presentation that served with sizzling sound, but the beef was too well done & on the tough side.

    Mini Garden Orient Cuisine - Beef Chow Funn

    Mini Garden Orient Cuisine

    3.3(326 reviews)
    2.5 miMo'ili'ili
    $$

    I ate here before when there wasn't Yelp. I moved out of the neighborhood and found the Mini Garden…read moreExpress at the old 99 Ranch. Then they moved out and now near the airport on Nimiz highway. Thought I would try something different. Ordered the stewed beef with tendon over noodles. I should have ordered my usual. Can't put my finger on it but it was lacking something, but it was cooked perfectly. . Nice presentation, great service and the place is clean, including the restroom. Pros: Nice portions, clean, great service food was cooked perfectly. Cons: It's missing something in the flavor. It wasn't too sweet. It wasn't too salty. Can't figure it out. Would I go back? You know me. I believe in second chances. Hope to get you and update review soon.

    Mini Garden Orient Cuisine ( a mouthful to say ) is a Cantonese / Mandarin style restaurant and…read morelong staple of the McCully neighborhood. But I can't say that I've dined here or had takeout. Ordered via dining site, Grindz to Go...given an estimate of 1130 for later that day...and it was ready. Takeaway of Peking ( is this an antiquated term ) Duck. The half-duck portion comes with buns - bao - and is a good portion. Good and for the price of $30, worth another visit. One the menu this is listed as one of their popular dishes. Extensive menu with a decent vegetarian section. Almost every Chinese restaurant has an extensive menu and that always makes a bit skittish. Service was very cordial. Parking adjacent to the building it shares with Tane Vegan Izakaya and Ho'ili'ili Market, the old ili'ili cash & carry. Signs delineate where one can park.

    Photos
    Mini Garden Orient Cuisine - Inside

    Inside

    Mini Garden Orient Cuisine - Crispy Shrimp Balls

    Crispy Shrimp Balls

    Mini Garden Orient Cuisine - The view of inside

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    The view of inside

    Star Noodle - Garlic Noodles

    Star Noodle

    4.1(8.5k reviews)
    81.3 mi
    $$

    I liked the other location better this one is too bright and cafeteria like table next to us had…read moretwo screaming kids making a mess jumping all over the bench I was sitting on parents just sitting there ignoring them. Staff said nothing couldn't wait to get out of there. Food was ok probably won't go back.

    I was concerned about coming here, the fact when you call, you re deferred to go to their website,…read morewhich just takes you to OpenTable (which I love), or the fact you can't get a human on the phone... flags if we were in Los Angeles, but we're in Maui... so I am enjoying Maui Life, and went with the flow. Made the reservation, plunked down some plastic (required, as if you flake on them, they charge$20 per person for your flaked reservation, a standard practice in LA) and showed up early. They have their own parking lot, be it small on the right side. Upon entering, for our 8:45pm reservation,they were packed, and only had to wait 10 minutes, which was more than reasonable. Let me tell you, they have a precision set of movements that would impress anyone.. they TRULY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING! Great Service, Ambiance reminds you of a fusion between Modern and Ancient Dojo. THE FOOD WAS EXCEPTIONAL! I've eaten my weight in short rib... but nothing as tender and flavorful! The Plum Sauce at the bottom was so good, you totally need a side of rice to plop it in the bowl afterwards to enjoy what'a left. Nice selection of Saki, including my Unfiltered (personal fav). My wife, got a Vegan Pad Thai, and it was the cleanest she's ever had! You need to eat here, maybe even twice!

    Photos
    Star Noodle - Bar seating view - VN

    Bar seating view - VN

    Star Noodle - Tempura Shrimp - Faux'nagi Sauce, Garlic Aioli

    Tempura Shrimp - Faux'nagi Sauce, Garlic Aioli

    Star Noodle - Our view from our table.

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    Our view from our table.

    Kukui Cafe - chinese - Updated May 2026

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