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Makanai

4.3 (66 reviews)
ModerateCoffee & Tea
Closed • 6:30 am - 3:30 pm, 6:30 PM - 11:00 PM

Makanai Photos

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MAKANAI ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Makanai

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Yummy! Gingersnap Cookie.
Jackie K.

A new coffee shop in Makiki! Friend and All Star Elite Gail U. met up with me to try this new place. Yelp Reviews were positive and we wanted to check it out. It's located in the Makiki Shopping Village. Its entrance is facing Wilder Avenue. There is a small free parking lot in the Makiki Shopping Village. Otherwise, you will need to find street parking. As you enter, the place is well lit, carries merchandise for sale, has a counter type seating that encircles the coffee making area, a few small tables are also available indoors and home baked goodies may also be purchased for consumption. We asked a number of questions and our barista was a delight. He answered all questions and even suggested a few coffee drinks for me. I ordered a honey latte at the suggestion of the barista. A good suggestion! Very smooth and coffee flavor is nice. Not too sweet. I wish it were served at a higher temperature as it becomes lukewarm fast. I spied a ginger snap cookie and I couldn't resist ordering one. It was delicious with a strong ginger taste and chewy texture. There is a bathroom available indoors. I will definitely be back to try other drinks and food items.

Gail U.

Lovely morning beverage and snack with Yelp Elite All Star Jackie K. Barista Victor was so friendly and helpful with suggestions and checked on us twice. Some cheery looking yellow and green seating available in front of the ordering station. We sat at the long counter which wraps around to the restrooms in the back corner. Higher comfy seating with enough space to eat at with just the right height for short people like me to sit on. Pastries on the left where you order. I chose a blueberry scone and Jackie got a ginger cookie. I tried a piece of hers and it was delightful.

Carrot Cake with Melted Pecans.
James K.

I heard that this place opened a while ago, but I never got the chance to stop by, until yesterday. For a small local coffee shop, Makanai has a lot going for it: Great ambiance, ample seating, and delicious coffee and snacks! The on-duty staff were friendly, and my order was given to me in a timely manner. If you're in the mood for a great cup of coffee at an affordable price, be sure to stop by Makanai! I cannot recommend this place enough! For my most recent visit, I ended up getting a Honey Latte, which tasted delicious, and a carrot cake with melted Pecan. And both were delectable!!

Strawberry matcha latte. Not good :(
Caitlin C.

Cute desserts I haven't tried, but their matcha is horrible. I got the strawberry matcha and as I watched the barista make it I was already disappointed. The matcha was premixed in a squeeze bottle. It was incredibly watered down and VERY bitter. The strawberry syrup tasted artificial and also really sour. I'd come back and try their coffee maybe, and their food. But matcha is very obviously not their specialty. The service is nice and the interior is cute.

Kristen S.

Makanai is the highly anticipated coffee shop that opened the in the makiki neighborhood earlier this year. I frequent this spot at least once a week, specifically for their koko love matcha drink. On this occasion, my grandfather and I also tried their egg salad yuzu sammie, which was so unique and delicious! The shop has a nice bar area, as well as small tables, with a menu that boasts solid breakfast food and pastries. At night, the bar serves cocktails and a select dinner menu, which attracts a young and trendy crowd. Highly recommend as a date spot any time of day. They have free parking as a part of makiki village shopping center--definitely a luxury many like-coffee shops don't have!

Outside
Nadine C.

Breakfast in Honolulu, Hawaii... Located at Makiki Shopping Village, Makanai popped up when I did a search for "Breakfast" on my Yelp app. It turned out to be a wonderful experience! 1. Parking is free in the shared lot. 2. The interior is trendy and cute. 3. The upbeat music is current. 4. Service is efficient and friendly. 5. Food is beautiful and tasty. I didn't get a photo of the middle part of the café because there were customers working on their laptops and having conversations. It's like square-shaped counter seating around the workers' space. The kitchen is in the back. We got a refreshing Strawberry Black Tea (mix the fresh strawberry syrup on the bottom of the glass with a straw) and a delightful sandwich: "That Sando" which was toasted sourdough bread filled with fresh arugula, honey, thin slices of apple, fig jam, prosciutto, and brie... it was earthy, savory, crunchy, nutty, creamy, fresh, sweet, chewy, bitter, and complexly delicious! The self-service area has utensils, napkins and straws. Empty your garbage under the counter and place your used glasses, plates, and utensils on the tray. I would go back again!

Victoria B.

Super cute new café in Makiki!!! It's really convenient if you live nearby. There's parking in Makiki Shopping Village, but it can be a bit limited. The staff are friendly, and the pastries are sooo good. The food items are solid too. I was a little skeptical at first since they pre-make their matcha, but it's pretty good. I get the Earl Grey matcha often. I've tried their coffee as well, but I'm not sure what beans they use because it leans more on the acidic side, so I usually stick with matcha instead. There's plenty of seating and I love the overall vibe of the café. Only downside is there's no Wi-Fi, so just something to keep in mind!

Chai Latte ($6.50) and Americano ($5.00), both 12 oz.
Mona C.

Out and about looking for coffee on a sunny morning after a whole lotta rainy weather... talk about a pop of much needed happy! Makanai is a new and cute cafe in the heart of Makiki's residential area. Many coffee shops have cycled through this spot, but I have a feeling this one may last. Bright and clean,with cheerful colors and fresh flowers on the tables and counters. We ordered our usuals, Americano and Chai Latte. Also ordered a Kim Chee Corn Muffin and Chocolate Butter Mochi to nibble on. I surprisingly liked the Kim Chee Muffin alot, it was savory yet slightly sweet from the corn kernels mixed in, with a nice crunch from the kim chee bits as well. The Chocolate Butter Mochi may quite possibly be the best chocolate Butter Mochi we've ever had. And it's a thick chonky slice too!! We somehow managed to gobble down the food items before our drinks were ready haha. The employees are sweet and attentive and the overall shop mood is cheerul and yet chill. Coffee shop vibes music plays as customers converse or do their studies/work on laptops which the counter space is quite perfect for. If I still lived in the area, I'd probably become a regular!

Baked goods display
Rosie P.

The vibes and music were great! Plenty of seatings available and it was nice watching the barista craft drinks at the bar. The coffee was perfectly crafted and the shot was balanced! However, I don't recommend any matchas here. It is prebatched and sits in a squeeze sauce bottle. The matchas here are also unsweetened. Overall, the coffee here is great! And the barista today was very knowledgeable of the origin of beans used here!

Early grey matcha
Ann C.

Cute little coffee shop/ cafe tucked at the front of the Makiki Village Shopping Plaza. Parking is easy/free in the lot, walk around to the front by the Subway and you're there. Vibes are modern. Didn't love the fluorescent lighting, wish it was a bit warmer or had more natural light. The seating in the front area wasn't the most comfortable but the bar seating in the back looked comfortable, with a good number of people on laptops camping out. Lots of seating in general. Music was good and on the louder side. Bathroom was clean. Service was fast and polite on a weekday around 11a. I got their popular earl grey matcha, I charged $1 for alternative milk. It was a tad sweet for my liking so I wish I had known it was sweetened before I ordered it but it was absolutely delicious flavor wise. Pricing is what I'd expect from a coffee shop in Honolulu. They also offer sandwiches and baked goods which is nice. Overall it's a cute little shop, not sure I would go out of the way to come back as the vibes weren't quite my ideal, but I would be happy to stop by if I were in the area.

Strawberry matcha
Aggie C.

We used to come to Sure Shot Cafe on the regular. So when I heard there was a new cafe in its spot, I HAD to come check it out. Parking: The shopping plaza has parking, but it is limited! Ambiance: WHOA! Makanai looks amazing!! They did a fabulous job transforming this place! Its the cutest place to have coffee or tea with your favorite person. It's white beige clean walls and the U shaped counter top seating makes it so modern! LOVE the renovations! Food: The menu was a pretty straight forward menu. Coffee, tea and pastries and sandwiches. However, EVERYTHING we tried was delicious. I ordered the egg sando. Contrary to the egg sando with the light fluffy bread, this one is toasted! My husband got the "that sando" it had fig jam, sliced eggs, arugula and other ingredients. All I know is we both took a bite and it was amazing. It looks so simple, then you just taste the love when you bit into it. My husband also order the Makiki Love latte. Unfortunately, I did not get to try it, but that being said, my husband enjoyed it. I tried the iced strawberry matcha. I was scared it was going to be overly sweet. I loved it! It was well balanced! The sweetness did not overpower the matcha! Price: is about where you would find most coffee prices, $5 to 15 for items. Overall, this place brought my hubby and I back to Japan. We enjoyed it. The baristas were friendly and welcoming. The quality and love in the food and drinks show. I LOVE it. I can't wait to come back to try their cocktails!

Egg sandwich
Jackie W.

Located in Makiki Shopping Village- same area as Pizza Hut, Subway, and Peppa's. Parking in the parking lot or street parking. For a Sunday morning, there was a lot of people. I waited about 5-7 minutes in line to order. There's bar and table seating. They call your name when your order is ready. My drink was ready in about 5 minutes. My food took about 10-15 minutes. The kitchen was backed up because the shop was busy. The strawberry matcha is deceiving. It didn't look like there was any strawberry in it but you could definitely taste it. It was perfect. Perfect amount of strawberry, matcha, and sweetness. The egg sandwich was just ok. Not much taste. Needed more flavor. I did like that the egg salad had a creamy texture. The bread was perfectly toasted and yet still soft. I'll go back to try the other sandwiches because they looked good when I saw other people ordering them. My knife broke when I was eating. You could feel it was the thinner utensils. I was confused on what to do with my dish/tray my sandwich was on. I didn't know if I had to leave it where I was sitting or if I had to bring it somewhere, like to a bucket or the front. I just left it where I was sitting. The shop was clean. Noisy because it was busy. There was a bathroom.

Yuzu egg sando and Makiki Love
Victoria C.

I've honestly been here already a handful of times in the past month and I don't even live in the area. If I did, I'd be here all the time lol. Makanai is a new cafe located in Makiki Shopping Village (it took over Sure Shot cafe). They have coffee, matchas, teas and toast/sandwiches as well as yummy baked goods that are displayed at the front. I've tried a bit of everything and I've honestly liked most of the things here. The yuzu egg sando reminds me of Japan konbini egg sandos. Creamy egg salad on a light fluffy bread. The only thing is I don't taste much of the yuzu. I also really love their tomato bagel. It's so simple but tastes so good. As for the drinks, I really enjoy their cold brew w/the salted vanilla cream top or honey cream top. I've tried their earl gray matcha which is not bad but not my fav. I like that the cafe has a very relaxed, comforting vibe which is what makes me come back besides just the awesome food and drinks. There is a pretty good amount of seating but it does get busy during peak hours. There's ample parking in the lot which is nice. Staff are super friendly and welcoming. It's my new fav cafe of 2026!

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Reviews are largely positive. People highlight the friendly staff, welcoming atmosphere, delicious sandwiches and pastries, and creative specialty drinks.

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Super yum small plates and cocktails for dinner! Very open and welcoming vibe. Run by family and friends who are dedicated to the business.

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Island Vintage Coffee - Original Acai Bowl

Island Vintage Coffee

4.3(4.3k reviews)
2.0 mi•Waikiki
•$$

TLDR: Long lines even at opening, customizable options but consistently good!…read more Can't say I haven't had authentic acai up until this point. For some reason, I totally forgot that good acai could be found in Hawaii!! Hello!! Its not just the fresh fish ya'll I walked here and there was still a line by 7, and even longer one when I went the next day, but it does move quite fast, especially with some of the workers letting people know they have a sit down resturant next door so just food for thought if you want more actual food options! As it stands they have quite an extensive list of juice, coffee, acai. I decided to go with a more basic route but instead subbing my fruit for what was in season which was mango, lilikoi and lychee. You order at the front and they call your number. They have some seating around as well but if you're at the hawaiian center you can just sit downstairs. The fruit alone was out of this world. I was actually so focused on that I wasn't even thinking about if the acai was good which I think it was! It comes out rather creamy, not frozen or icy. The price is a little steeper than what I've had in the past but honestly the fresh fruit alone made it extremely worth it. A regular sized bowl was quite filling! I came back the next day and it was still just as good. I know some people probably prefer different locations than others but I can rep this one for sure. Its in a very touristy place, maybe even the mecca so if you want to avoid that then avoid any location in waikiki

This place definitely lived up to the hype for us! The line was long but moved pretty fast. The…read moremenu is huge so there's going to be something for everyone. Don't sleep on the avocado toast! My friend and I really liked it. We also got the açaí bowl with passion fruit which was delicious but a tiny bit too sweet for us. They have seating out front and it's a super casual spot.

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Island Vintage Coffee - Order counter

Order counter

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Island Vintage Coffee - 2025.03.21. Island Vintage Coffee Waikiki, Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawaii

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Sunny’s Local Grind - Avocado toast

Sunny’s Local Grind

4.5(366 reviews)
1.3 mi•Waikiki
•$$

Sunny's Local Grind, Waikiki: A Little Hidden Gem Serving Big Breakfasts and Even Bigger Aloha!…read more BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): Fantastic breakfast, generous portions, and some of the friendliest service you'll find in Waikiki! Sunny's Local Grind is a small, unassuming neighborhood eatery serving delicious food with plenty of personality and genuine aloha. Definitely worth a visit! The Details: My wife and I stumbled upon Sunny's Local Grind while staying at the nearby Hilton Hawaiian Village. We'd dropped off some laundry at Ena, a wash-and-fold service down the road, and decided to grab breakfast while waiting for our clothes. Having checked out Sunny's Yelp ratings beforehand, I was pretty confident we'd found a winner. Still, you never quite know until you experience a place for yourself! The restaurant is small and casual, with a cozy dining area decorated with colorful local artwork. Unfortunately, the Hawaiian heat and humidity were in full swing, and it was a little too warm inside for my haole liking. Fortunately, Sunny's has a charming little outdoor dining area tucked into the alley alongside the building, complete with wooden tables, shade sails, and tropical decorations and a refreshing tropical breeze. Perfect! Now, let's talk breakfast! I ordered the Garden Omelette with Portuguese sausage added, accompanied by rice. WOW! This thing was absolutely packed with fresh ingredients, and best of all, it was loaded with glorious, gooey, melted cheddar cheese! One of my pet peeves with restaurant omelettes is when they advertise cheese but deliver barely enough to qualify as a garnish. Not Sunny's! They certainly were not stingy with the cheddar, and I appreciated every delicious bite! My wife ordered the French Toast with haupia coconut sauce, accompanied by eggs and bacon. She thoroughly enjoyed her breakfast, and was sweet enough to share a bite. I can certainly understand why! We need to start making haupia sauce at home...! The Service Deserves Special Mention! The folks working here were absolutely delightful! Warm smiles, vibrant personalities, friendly conversation, and plenty of laughs and witty banter. It's the kind of genuine hospitality that makes a small neighborhood restaurant feel special. We felt welcomed from the moment we arrived, and that friendly atmosphere continued throughout our visit. And speaking of personalities, we even encountered an adorable little black-and-white dog perched proudly in the front basket of an electric bicycle outside while its owner stopped to order some food. Naturally, I had to snap a picture! That little character looked like the unofficial neighborhood supervisor, keeping an eye on everything! Final Thoughts: Sunny's Local Grind is located just a block farther down Ena Road from Aloha Kitchen, within easy walking distance of the Hilton Hawaiian Village. It's not fancy, nor does it pretend to be. It's simply a wonderful little local restaurant serving hearty, delicious breakfasts with generous portions and terrific hospitality. Between the outstanding omelette, my wife's delicious French toast, and the genuinely cheerful staff, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Would I return? Absolutely, without hesitation! Sometimes the best meals aren't found in the fanciest restaurants. They're tucked away in little neighborhood spots where the food is made with care and the aloha comes naturally. Sunny's certainly lives up to its name. The food is delicious, and the people brighten your day!

This place has been on my list for a while, and I finally made it in. I arrived around 7:30 AM, and…read moreit was moderately crowded. We waited about 10 minutes to order at the counter, and the food came out within another 10 minutes. I had the Sunny's Loco Moco, Decaf Coffee, and the Caramel Apple Pie. The Loco Moco was okay -- the meat was dry and the gravy felt a bit heavy. The decaf coffee was too weak and acidic for my taste; I usually grind my own Swiss water decaf and make it pour‑over style, and mine is definitely better. However, the Caramel Apple Pie was delicious, and I'd come back just for that. Overall, I wasn't too impressed with this visit. Maybe I should've tried something other than the Loco Moco.

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Sunny’s Local Grind - Inside

Inside

Sunny’s Local Grind - Veggie egg n cheese pastry

Veggie egg n cheese pastry

Sunny’s Local Grind - Iced Black Tea and Mango Peach Tea

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Kulu Kulu - Photo 4: Baked goods display

Kulu Kulu

4.2(166 reviews)
1.3 mi•Waikiki
•$$

Was devastated when Kulu Kulu at Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center closed in late February 2026. Come…read moreto find out, their 10 year lease came to an end. Their other location of Shirokiya Village Walk in Ala Moana closed abruptly during the start of COVID in March 2020 and sadly never reopened. That means the only Kulu Kulu is at Eaton Square conveniently located on the first floor. This Kulu Kulu store opened in 2013 and still going strong. We recently came here to capitalize on their 14th anniversary special with 8 assorted sweets for $27.50 (originally valued at $55) for a limited period of 3 days from 10/23/26 to 10/25/26. I originally was planning on getting a red velvet cake for my sister's birthday but consulted with the fam and decided on this anniversary special plus 4 of their famous Diamond Head Puffs, offered at BOGO deal. We ended getting several of their anniversary specials to give away to others and a box. After our dinner, we asked the staff who kept it chilled from when we arrived at the restaurant and were in awe of the attention and detail and precision. Crowd favorites were the mango mousse cake and Japanese cheesecake. Their Diamond Head puffs don't disappoint. So perfectly shaped with a firm exterior and center generously filled with cream. Some may think the cakes here are pricey but the quality and flavors justify. I personally enjoy the nama chocolate and eye stunning rainbow cake. I'm still glad we get to enjoy Kulu Kulu and even a super plus when they have their anniversary special. Congratulations for celebrating another year and looking forward to my next visit.

What an amazing bakery. They actually did my wedding cake (hidden in image for privacy) And it's in…read moremy opinion the best strawberry shortcake on island. The frosting is not too sweet, and the cake is very moist. The strawberries fresh. I had to pick up one for my birthday recently. They have an assortment of pastries as well. Located on Eaton square check them out!

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Kulu Kulu - April Special: Oreo Mousse Cake

April Special: Oreo Mousse Cake

Kulu Kulu - Chocolate cake

Chocolate cake

Kulu Kulu - Sakura Matcha Roll cake and Double Cream Puff

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Sakura Matcha Roll cake and Double Cream Puff

Makanai - coffee - Updated October 2026

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