Matcha latte with raspberry syrup. Matcha was a deep green and raspberry was a good flavor. Not too overpowering but an extra flavor. Cafe has adequate tables though. It is quiet here with soft music. Note that 20% tip is automatically selected when paying by card. I wasn't paying attention and just advanced forward. So pay attention if you want to adjust tip amount. Paid parking in the lot behind and easy entry through the back door. read more

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The Lotus Cafe is located in the heart of Kaimuki and well represents the small-town vibe in which it sits. The space is clean and comfortable with couches, tables, small chairs, and counter space for a variety of patrons. I went on a weekday, and it was comfortable and quiet, and there was plenty of space to find a seat. The bathroom was accessible and incredibly clean for a town bathroom. Whether you're studying, hanging out with friends, doing work, or just listening to music as I was; the space is proper, and the coffee is even better. I had chosen a hot chai latte with almond milk for this rainy day and sat near the window to just enjoy the vibes. It was delicious and perfect for the weather. Not too spicy and a great foam on top. Pricing is reasonable, and they even offer food items that you can munch on with your coffee. Perhaps I'll have to try the food during a future visit. The staff was friendly and quick with my order and even brought it to my table after ordering. I never felt rushed at all, and it was nice to have found a comfortable space to enjoy a nice cup during the rainy weather. I'll most certainly be coming back again next time I'm in the area. read more

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I am currently visiting family for a few days and I came here on a Sunday morning with my boyfriend's parents for a little breakfast. It was quiet when we came in around 8:15am. A few tables were taken up with people studying with their laptops or groups just chatting. We were able to snag a table for 3 easily. If I went here by myself for the first time, I wouldn't have been able to find the entrance. We entered through the back, where there is a sign, but still a little difficult if you didn't know where it was. Parking is paid parking in the back lot. If you were to drive by the main road, you would not be able to find it.. There is no signage up at the top, so it's a little hard to find the store front. In all honesty, the food and coffee we got was good. At first we order the mushroom empanadas, but they were out so we got the breakfast empanadas. I ordered the ham & cheese breakfast croissant. We also ordered the breakfast bagel. As for drinks, I ordered the house cold brew as I know the use Green World Coffee. My issue with this place was the service. When we entered no one was to be found for at least 5 minutes. We were standing around looking at the food menu (located on the wall) and at one point I stood facing the register looking at the coffee menu, hoping for someone to come out to take our order. One of the workers came in for I'm assuming was her shift, smiled at us and walked into the back. I was hoping someone would walk out and take our order, but it took about another minute for 3 people to walk out. It was a little frustrating because you could hear the workers in the kitchen chitchatting. Not to mention another couple came in after us waiting to be helped as well. After our order was taken, our food came out at all different times. The open tables we were looking at were clearly not wiped down when they were empty. So we had to snag some napkins and wet them in the bathroom to wipe the table down ourselves. And to top it off, the bathroom was absolutely disgusting. I would come back for the coffee, as I do love Green World Coffee (I order Green World Coffee from North Shore and get it shipped to us in San Diego). But I honestly do hope they do something about their service here. Because the two times I've come here on vacation the service has been the same. read more

Lotus Cafe - Breakfast empanadas with sweet chili sauce - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

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After I had lunch with friend in Kaimuki, we looked for coffee place. Before we came lunch this area, it was hard to find the coffee place. But we found here this time! This place face to Waialae Ave. and another back side door face to the Kaimuki Municipal parking. It's cozy and quite inside, so I don't think good for group, but no need to talk in a whisper. When ewe got here only one customer was there and she was working on her computer. During we were there another two friends customer came in. There are coffee(espresso and brew both), tea, and food in their menu. The staff were quiet but felt friendly when we ordered. I ordered decaf hot coffee and they brew each coffee after they got an order. Even decaf, my coffee was good aroma and flavor. We enjoyed having our coffee time here! read more

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I got a matcha and it was delicious and creamy! Not too sweet but still lots of flavor. (I am usually picky lol) Great service also!

Super cute place! The bruschetta was so delicious and I had a hot macadamia nut coffee, also so yummy. Cute seating and quick service, the lattes are pretty huge so when I asked for a to go cup the nice lady at the counter offered to pour it for me. Would absolutely come back again read more

Lotus Cafe - Bruschetta, macadamia nut latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

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Friendly staff they answered my questions. Drink was nice and cold on a hot day. Seats are inviting. Some pasterie on display. Crossaint, lemon bars. read more

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Unfortunately I love their coffee so so much, but it's not very often they make it correctly. I always get their iced earl grey latte, but I saw on the screen it said "hot" so I told the staff and they said they knew it would be cold but they can't find the button for cold. However, they didn't communicate with their barista, so they made me a hot latte. I told the barista and they rolled their eyes and sighed at the mistake (directed at their coworker who messed up- not me) and they did remake it. Then I went in with my mom and she asked if she could please have a corner piece of the pastry we got. Barista said "of course," but didn't communicate to their coworker and they gave us a middle piece. Annoying but whatever, but on the same trip I ordered the same iced earl grey latte I always get and I saw they put in "earl grey tea" on the POS machine and I told her about the error and it was supposed to be the latte not the tea. She said there wasn't a button for it and they would make the latte. However, after waiting a few minutes, they left the store and the coworker took over and they told me they were working on my order, but they were in the back for some reason (espresso machine is in the front- but maybe they had one in the back too?) but they came out with a hot for here drink and I told them it was supposed to be Togo and iced. They came back and then I realized the reason it took 10 minutes waiting is because they made me fresh hot tea. After waiting about 15 min three in total I decided to accept the defeat and not say anything. Weeks before this, I got a bagel with cream cheese and I should've checked before I left but they didn't give me cream cheese. So I paid $4 for toasted bread. Every time I come in, whoever I'm with and I are so baffled by the service and what we get. It seems like the staff never communicate with each other and even when you do communicate with the staff, it doesn't pay off. I've had a couple times where I go to order or ask the staff something but they are on FaceTime chatting and it feels like I'm interrupting. To be fair, it's my fault for going so many times but I like to support local, didn't want to write them off for a little mistake (but its just consistent now), and I love their lattes when they do make it correctly, but I guess I'm just going to learn how to make an Earl Grey latte at home from now and I hope I can make it close to how much I loved theirs. read more

[Location] New cafe alert! Lotus Cafe is located on Waialae Ave, Kaimuki. Parking is available, though not free (with the exception of possibly metered parking on Sundays). Restrooms available. I believe WiFi is available too! [Drinks] I ordered a cortado and hot matcha latte with honey. The matcha comes unsweetened unless otherwise indicated. You can sweeten your matcha latte with honey, lavender, etc. for an additional cost. The cortado was super hot, a little too hot than I would've liked. The espresso was a bit too bright and weak for my preference. From the coloring of the matcha latte, I suspected it wouldn't be the best. And I was unfortunately correct. I docked one star because of the quality of the drinks. Not terrible but not necessarily good, in my humble opinion. Affordable though! [Service] The employees were super sweet and upbeat. I felt welcomed and taken care of. [Ambiance] Love the serene aesthetic! Super clean, pleasing to the eye. Quiet too. Perfect spot for a productive study/work sesh. I want to give this place another try in terms of drinks. Eager to try food too as I noticed plenty of reviewers enjoyed the soups and sandwiches! read more

Lotus Cafe - Drink Menu (as of Jan 2025) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

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I have yet to eat here. However I ordered take out Empanadas to take to an account and they loved the flaky dough. They wished it was larger and they said the breakfast empanada was a perfect balance. Those that had the Chicken Tikka loved it too. They enjoyed all the sauces. Now I have to return and try them out as well. I walked in to pick up my order and inside is really cute and clean. Love the couch and coffee table in the middle of the room. It's. Very cozy feeling and inviting. Just like having a cup of hot chocolate with fresh whipped cream on a cold day would feel. Can't wait to return and try the empanadas myself. read more

I love Kaimuki. I dislike that businesses on Waialae change ownership so often, but I guess it is what it is. Lotus Cafe must be fairly new, but I hadn't stopped in until my friend recommended it as a place for us to do work one Saturday afternoon. I loved that it was so chill. It's a perfectly quiet coffee shop because there wasn't a lot of noisy people and the coffee was good. They also played great 2000s music, which made my millenial heart happy. I decided to try to find street parking since the shared paid lot in the back is usually quite full and I was going to be there for a few hours. I parked a few streets down and walked along waialae to the entrance. Like the other businesses in this area, there is also a backside entrance that opens up to the parking lot. If I were staying an hour or less, I'd park back there since the hourly rate isn't too bad. There was only one person working the register when I got there. I think she also went in the back to make the drinks, but within an hour another employee came to keep her company. Unfortunately, their oven was broken so they couldn't make some of the food items. Some customers were turned away, but a lot stayed to get coffee and sit at one of the tables. There were quite a lot of tables, I was surprised and some couches in the middle which was nice. I like the subtle differences in seating options. I also liked that there were so many outlets along the bench seating. It was perfect because ofc my laptop needed charging. I ordered the Ice Ice Baby latte, which was a blueberry latte. It was perfect, just how I like it. It was made with real blueberries and oatmilk and was not very sweet or milky. It was perfect. I only wish I would have grabbed a straw (or maybe they don't offer straws) because it kind of separated a bit and it would have been nice to mix it a little. I'm excited to come back to do work here. I was super productive and I felt that the employees were genuinely nice. It was a comfortable place to do work and the coffee was great! read more

This is such a classy cafe. Free wifi and comfortable seating adorned with plants and artwork. Literally my type of vibe. I got their matcha since I heard it was really good. Really smooth taste! And the cashier rec'd it with oat milk and vanilla. Perfect mix between the sweetener and the earthy taste of their matcha. Definitely would come back to try more of their stuff. Also 5 stars because their playlist literally was playing all the older classic songs I listened to with my parents as a kid. Chillin' fr read more

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Lunch in Kaimuki, Honolulu, Hawaii... I read Irene's review and decided to get exactly what she got: matcha Latte with Oat Milk and a yogurt bowl... because the strawberries looked so fresh... and the matcha is so healthy! Located on Waialae Avenue, I found a metered street parking stall on Koko Head Avenue. The meter was broken, so I scored free parking! Yippee! There are two ways to enter the cafe. I happened to enter from the municipal parking lot entrance. I walked along a long hallway with a convenient restroom before I arrived at the cashier's station. She greeted me right away, so I told her I wanted the matcha Latte with Oat Milk and the yogurt bowl. I was asked if I wanted some sweetener - okay - a splash of honey. I didn't taste any, so I added a packet of brown sugar, which was at the self-service area. The yogurt bowl had granola, blueberries, and strawberries... it was just right... not too heavy, but simple and refreshing on a hot August day! The environment was relaxing and spacious with modern, natural decor. I liked the live plants! I'll be back when I get free parking again! read more

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First time here and it was great! It's nice and cool in here. Temp is just right, not overly cold. I had a brown sugar cold brew and it was delicious. I will be back to try the food and another flavor coffee beverage. :) read more

A new cafe has blossomed in Kaimuki... Lotus Cafe fresh from its soft opening on July 17th and what a lovely spot to take in all the simplicity. I absolutely love Lotus and what it represents and finding a lovely spot to chill and catch up on while supporting local makes it a great spot. Located right on Waialae near Happy Days which offers lots of parking options from the municipal lots in the back to some street parking which I lucked out on today (Sunday) because it's free and starting early did give me the advantage. Walking in this cozy cafe you'll immediately notice the Lotus lighting which is absolutely stunning along with various types of seating from a comfy sofa, lounge table and some bar top seatings. I chose one of the table near the window and took the opportunity to sip my Matcha Latte with Oatmilk which was a very yummy sip looking at the deep green color it has that bite that i love about matcha along with some Yogurt with fruit bowl and granola making it a light and refreshing morning. Yet to discovered by many i enjoyed the quite time here and the simplicity of the decor along with the staff which are quite lovely and nice. Lotus symbolize positivity and cheers to a refreshing spot. Thank you! read more

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searching for new businesses on yelp and came across this business that's nearby! I think they took over the old Kaimuki Cafe spot. It quickly caught my attention as it featured "Dog friendly" yay!! There's a entrance off Waialae and also from the back parking lot. I came around noon and it wasn't too busy, but they had a steady flow of guests while we were there which is pretty good considering they've only been open for about a week and theres a million other coffee shops in Kaimuki. I also saw that they use Greenworld farms coffee beans. They also have a small food menu on the counter and their drinks menu is on the wall. I tried the kalua pig pizza ($10) which was pretty good. my friend ordered the breakfast empanadas. It was my first time trying that - it was baked but i thought they're usually fried? so its a good healthy alternative. It also came with a siracha mayo dipping sauce. There is a parking lot in the back of the restaurant. the first 20 mins is free if you're doing a quick grab and go this route is perfect. Otherwise, there is another metered lot next to it or street parking. The service was awesome! There was 3 girls working the front and my son absolutely loved all of them. read more

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Cute little cafe type eatery. A lot of coffee Drinks and other drinks and an interesting variety yet small menu. We had the 3 different empanadas kinda small yet tasty also had the sweet crawfish chowder which was creamy and not fishy. Friendly staff. read more

Very cute cafe located on Waialae Ave near Happy Days. The inside decorations felt minimalistic but cute and the service was very quick. We were greeted immediately upon entry. I ordered a matcha latte and the empanadas. They were out of the ingredients they use for the majority of their items (i.e. tomatoes, cheese, cream cheese) so I was not able to order some of the other items I wanted such as their bagels and breakfast sandwich. We sat ourselves and were able to find a table although there was limited seating inside. The food came out quickly and the empanadas were like breakfast empanadas with egg and ham inside. It came with a choice of sauce and I chose the spicy mayo. The empanadas were about $14 for three and they were smaller than expected. However, they were tasty. The matcha was also pretty good. It would be nice to come back and try some of their coffee! read more

Lotus Cafe - empanadas and matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

Parking: parking lot on Waialae (same parking lot as happy days) Service: I've had much friendly service at other places, but I think the girl was just tired that day. I don't knock anything off for that, we're all just doing life. Drinks: Iced matcha latte with oat milk, pretty standard. Not that high quality of a matcha powder. Food: Caprese salad- very refreshing Breakfast Empanada- I really enjoyed this with the sriracha mayo! It came out HOT! Salmon bagel- this could've been much better if the bagel was toasted (this is where I took off a star) Overall: I would say this place is okay. I might pop by if I'm in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come back. read more

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Looked forward to a new cafe as sadly, Kaimuki Cafe closed down and my friends & I were regulars there as they had great menu items including their desserts and coffee! The ambience is nice and cozy to chill or meet friends, but no outlets to charge your laptop. Disappointed with the chai drink as it's was 99% milk, barely any taste. They had a pumpkin loaf and not a lot of other pastries. Their menu looks interesting. For a new cafe, I think it's import for the staff to be more aware of their customers. I've noticed "younger" workers sometimes lack that extra service which doesn't take much to just check in with your customers especially since it's a small place. read more

Great place to get work done! Their iced coffee and refreshers are amazing as well as their breakfast sandwich! No complaints at all

I studied here with a friend. The staff was friendly and it was a good ambience for studying and hanging out. I ordered an iced latte which was good. There is free wifi and a clean bathroom which makes it a great spot to stop by! read more

Lotus Cafe - Seating - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

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I ordered lunch for my office (5 people) trying this place out for the first time. When I called to place the order, they told me they wouldn't take orders over the phone, so I placed it online. When I picked up the order, they apparently were out of the breakfast empanada (at 11AM) and just wrote "No Breakfast" on the box instead of calling to ask if we'd like a different option than what we ordered. Wondering why they even have a phone if they don't take orders and won't call to let you know that part of your order will be missing. The employees also made no mention of it to me while I was picking up. Additionally, one of my coworkers ordered the Street Waffle, which they literally just tossed in a brown paper bag, no napkins, no foil, nothing. There was maybe one other person in the store (could've been an employee sitting out front, not sure), so I don't understand the carelessness that took place. We did not have a complicated order (one lemonade, two soups, one sandwich, one toast, one waffle, and a few empanadas). The food was good, but the customer service did not leave a good taste in my mouth. Not likely not return. read more

Lotus Cafe - Street waffle (taken literally) just thrown in the bag - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

This is a nice quiet cafe study at. I came here with friends and we went there early afternoon so most of the seats were taken already except for the sofa seating area. Everyone there was studying. I wouldn't say this is a cafe where you could comfortably catch up with friends because of how quiet it is. Service was ok and we got our food and drinks pretty quickly since it wasn't busy. They did forgot about my coffee order, but I let them know and they were able to quickly make it for me. I personally enjoyed my order (breakfast bagel and cinnamon situationship). My friends didn't enjoy their food as much, but they did enjoy their drinks. They don't toast their bagels, but I personally don't mind whereas my friend does. read more

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Coffee was decent, but the service was bad. It started off with no smile, no greeting, just the gen Z stare at the register. Got our orders wrong and over charged us. I'm not confrontational, so we brushed it off. A few uncalled for rude remarks and dirty looks later, we decided to just grab our drinks and leave. We were planning on chilling there to kill some time, but didn't feel welcome. The vibe of the interior was nice and the coffee was good, but the service was a real deal breaker. Sadly, won't be returning or recommending. read more

The latte was surprisingly unremarkable. I wanted to like the place as it is a convenient spot for me to take a break

Great place to meet your girls for lunch. Very relaxing, you don't feel rushed and the Portuguese Bean soup is amazing! I can see why it is a best seller. Packed with goodness and love! Take your time to visit, catch up on the tea and enjoy a nice lunch! read more

Just popped back in recently and was surprised that there was only 1 person taking orders, preparing food items & cleaning which was the challenge. Very slow service, altho trying very hard to be fast, it's unacceptable to have only 1 person to handle all of it. The restroom was questionable as well. The boutique atmosphere was lost. Not sure if I could recommend this place at its current stage. Wish it would go back to great food, great service & clean environment soon. read more

10/10 would recommend this place if in kaimuki, the staff is very friendly and & ava is my favorite barista ^-^

Absolutely loved the ambience this little shop in Kaimuki provides. Great music and even better food and drinks! I had the strawberry Meiji latte and The roasted chicken sandwich which were both to die for! I was surprised to hear that almost everything was made in house including their pastries, rosemary and oregano focaccia and all their coffee syrups. The barista Ava told me the coffee beans were grown locally as well! Definitely a must try when you're in the area! read more

I love lotus! The two workers, Ava and Gio are very knowledgeable about coffee and always make me such a good latte. The workers are always decorating the cafe in cute ways which adds to the fun vibe. read more

This was my first time eating here. So they were out of foccacia bread- no sandwiches for lunch that day unless you wanted it on a bagel. A cubano sandwich does not work with a bagel. Understandable it happens sometimes but this was lunch hour and it seemed they are unprepared as a big part of their menu is sandwiches. Also no tikka Empanadas as they had no tikka masala which is pretty easy to source. So we both got soup and mushroom Empanadas. The soup was OK - small portion for a $7 soup. The Empanadas dough was still raw on some sides - pretty lame. Food came out at different times and had to ask for silverware and plates. The staff was on their phones or computers most of the time - service was sub par. Table was dirty on one side. Lots of students on computers and working in there. Not a place to go for a quiet conversation IMHO. I was not impressed with the staff or food and will most likely not go back. read more

So cute this Cafe! I saw on Yelp, recommended and decided to try! Got an iced matcha, and it was really good. Tastes like high-quality matcha powder. Not too busy, but I recommended trying it! read more

Lotus Cafe - So cute the interior of Lotus Cafe! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

This is my favorite shop in Kaimuki. Definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a good latte or matcha. My favorite barista is Ava, she is always serving read more

ambience of the Café is excellent. It is clean, quiet and comfortable. is good good. This is my first time to the so I was a little confused as to what the menu is and how to order and the food was not like anything I had before so it was a little bit adventurous. read more

The Portuguese bean soup was surprisingly good! It wasn't thick but it had all the right flavors, which is the most important part. I actually quite liked the thinness for a change. The grilled cheese sandwich was a bit salty and the iced matcha latte was not stirred well as there were some globs, but that was easily fixed by stirring. Nice ambiance! read more

Lotus Cafe - Portuguese bean soup, grilled cheese sandwich, iced matcha latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

Lotus Cafe is a winner! Perfect ambiance for a get-together for conversation and relaxed lunch with a friend. Tomato bisque, crawfish chowder and empanadas were excellent, and service was friendly and helpful. Comfortable areas for laptop work as well. Very clean with great artwork and subtle background music. A great find! read more

For just the aesthetic and environment of the cafe, I would give it a 5/5 stars. It's not too loud, seating is very comfortable, not too cold, and there's a bathroom. Perfect place to do some work or just get together with friends. However, my friend and I were quite disappointed with the matcha latte. Based on other reviews, we were excited to try since people were saying it was good. However, (hard to tell from the picture) the matcha was incredibly clumpy and every sip we took had chunks of matcha powder in it. Maybe it was just the way the worker made it that day or they didn't sift it, but it was difficult to drink and bitter because of the chunks even though they added honey to sweeten it. The yogurt bowl was nothing special but good for a light snack. Prices were honestly pretty decent compared to other places. Overall, would come again to try different drinks and to study. read more

Lotus Cafe - Yogurt and fruit bowl Matcha latte with oat milk and honey - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

We came here after shopping on a Saturday and was excited to try their barista fave lattes. The service was quite awful. The girl with the dark brown hair was not very welcoming and it felt like she didn't want us there. The drinks were so good, but because of the experience, I wouldn't come back here again. read more

the decor and the interior is so beautiful and cute the light fixtures are my favorite. i ordered the matcha latte and with oatmilk and it was definitely not my favorite but it was okay! the oat milk was overpowering. i also ordered the grilled cheese and the bread was so tasty but the cheese wasnt fully melted so i took it off. overall the people are kind and its a cute spot to do work or homework! read more

Lotus Cafe - interior - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Urban Honolulu, Hawaii