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    Malu

    4.6 (143 reviews)
    ModerateDesserts
    Closed 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Reviews With Photos

    Angela P.

    Ordered a custom cake to celebrate me and my twin sister's birthday and it was exactly what we wanted. We're big grand sumo fans and we had requested a cake shaped like a dohyo (the ring that sumo wrestlers fight in). He even got the salt and water buckets we wanted! He was also kind enough to let us borrow his plastic container for transport!

    Jay S.

    Malu is a nice dessert place they have soft serve ice cream and the roll cakes are delicious. Also tried the sesame jelly drink that was so refreshing too. The owner was really nice and friendly. The place is small and has a few seats if you want to eat in.

    Menu

    What a nice treat after dinner! We tried the strawberry jelly drink. Don't forget to mix it before drinking! It tastes just like strawberry milk with jelly pieces (kind of like boba). We also had the vanilla soft serve topped with fresh mango sauce, and it was delicious! It felt like eating fresh cut mango with your ice cream. They're generous with the sauce too, which we enjoyed. Just a reminder: make sure to get your parking validated!

    Part of the menu
    Dianna R.

    It's always good to see Taka. I've been coming to him for years. Today, he opened the door for us and remembered me after months of being away. I got a new job, so I haven't been around as much. But his quality is as good as ever. Today, all of the items were winners. I think he is getting used to the American palate more. I loved the Halloween decorations, and the bright pick paint always lifts my spirits. Inside the case is the special of the week along with some of the staple items. On the wall is the rest of his menu. If you want, he can make speciality cakes for you. He really is fun to see. I love his hojicha soft serve!

    Candied Pear
    Jackie K.

    First time visit. Met the owner Taka. Nice guy. He makes the cakes and goodies here. Ordered the original beef Kimbap, Coffee jello drink, Candied Pear and newly featured Pistachio pie. I parked on Makaloa Street metered parking per yelp tips. 75 cents for 30 minutes. Owner Taka makes the Kimbap when you order it! Great tasting. Coffee jello was a little sweet for me, but still delectable. The pistachio cake and Candied Pear were recommended by owner Taka. Great recommendations! Update: The candied pear was perfectly ripe. However the candied cover was sweet and ended up cutting up my mouth. Maybe a thinner layer? I ended up pulling off the candied cover and ate up the delicious pear.

    Storefront
    Nadine C.

    Where to go after dinner in Honolulu, Hawaii... This is a common question which the Yelp app can answer. I searched for "dessert" and found Malu. I had seen it at the Ke'eaumoku Plaza (the building next to Sam Sung Plaza). It was time to check it out! Because I strongly dislike paying for parking, we parked elsewhere and walked over. Malu is between King of Thai Boat Noodles and next to Wen's Tea. It shares the parking lot with Cafe Gangnam and Kickin' Kajun. Inside, the cozy fuschia-colored shop is ready for Instagram photos. The bright pink decor is quite memorable! There's bench seats with a few tables and chairs for indoor dining. Service was very polite and friendly. My friend asked a lot of questions and the gentleman was so nice. We learned that "Malu" has many meanings. In Hawaiian, it's protection. In other cultures, it's peace or conversation. My friend asked - what's the Korean word for "pink"? The gentleman laughed and said that he didn't know because he's Japanese! LOL! My friends got fancy desserts - a cream puff cookie and a yuzu mousse - and strawberry jelly milk drinks. They really enjoyed the quality and flavors! I can't do dairy, so, I got Kimbap - Korean sushi. It was made fresh - it was delicious! The beef was tender and tasty! The rice was chewy and the takuan was crunchy! Yum! I wouldn't mind returning - especially since Malu stays open until 8pm. Note: closed on Wednesdays

    Mont blanc chestnut cake 12.2022
    Jenny T.

    Teeny mega pink shop. Usually it is quiet and peaceful, but the pink is always bright and welcoming. No matter what day you stop by to have a dessert, this place always has something for you (different selections often from the creative chef) and the nice man there who makes everything! Sometimes there are seasonal/themed desserts available too, and you can also order custom cakes for special occasions. I have no pictures of the taiyakis but they were delicious each time. All of the cakes, soft serves, and kimbap are delicious as well! Every bite is flavorful (and not too sweet or overdone). Parking is not the best in that plaza, but it has always been a good time on slow days. I like coming when I'd like a treat to myself.

    Soft Serve w/Oreos & Chocolate (L) and Soft Serve w/Fresh Strawberry Sauce & Fruity Pebbles (R)
    Daniel C.

    M: Let's go get dessert... Me: I have to work... M: Let's go get dessert!! Me: I'm busy now... M: LET'S GO GET DESSERT!! Me: ok... I should be working but Mink wanted to get dessert so we went to check out Malu. She insisted we go but at least we went during off hours. Samsung Plaza had lots of open stalls and the place was empty. You can't miss this place because it's bright pink. Inside is cozy and they validate for 30 minutes if you dine in. She knew she wanted the soft serve with Oreos and chocolate. Mink ordered me the soft serve with fresh strawberry sauce and Fruity Pebbles. I think she got me one so that she could have two lol. It was pretty good and the Fruity Pebbles offered the soft serve a nice textural component to each bite. Mink was satisfied and got her pics for the Gram. Main thing is she's happy and had a good experience there. Glad I was able to come and give this spot a try. It was nice break from everything and the soft serve was quite good. Definitely worth trying and solid spot near the Ala Moana Center area. 4.5 stars

    From left to right: nama Choco, Mont Blanc, and cookie cream puff
    Mona W.

    It was my first time trying this place! I have seen the advertisements for this business and follow them on IG as well but never actually had the time to go there to try it! It used to be a soft serve place and I've been there once before it changed establishment! The boyfriend was the one who said we should go. I think he may have seen it online or something. But I was so glad we did! We got there and no one was in the shop! There was only one person working and I am assuming that's the owner of the shop. He was very nice and made our order all by himself! We had ordered the 5 taiyaki, 1 kimbap, and 3 desserts! We got the spicy tuna and cheese kimbap and that was soooo good!! It's very cute that the top was sprinkled with rainbow sesame seeds! The egg was like a tamagoyaki egg versus the actual pan fried egg so it gave the kimbap a slightly sweeter taste! For the taiyaki we ordered two spicy tuna melt and one of each of the beef, chocolate, and custard! Omg!!! It was all sooo good!!! I don't eat beef so the bf had that and he said that it's realllllyyyy good!!! The spicy tuna melt was so good too!! But the sweet taiyaki...omg!! Chef's hand kiss! The chocolate was soo good!! It's like chocolatey but minus the extra sweet flavor! It's like actual dark chocolate!! The custard was amazing as well! Like I don't usually like custard but this custard is like the ones I've had in Korea! It's not the super heavy cream or pudding like custard it's the more transparent and not so sweet kind!!!! All of it was sooo good!!! For the desserts we got the Mont Blanc, nama Choco, and the cookie cream puff! They were alll really delicious but my favorite has got to be the nama choco!! It's like a dense mousse cake but when you take a bite of it, it's like this velvety chocolate that just melts in your mouth! The Mont Blanc has this really nice layer of chestnut and cream and the crust is nice and crispy/flakey!! The cookie cream puff was probably the best cream puff I've had! Like the puff itself was crispy on the outside with the cream on the inside! But the shell itself doesn't break down and make the cream gush out when you cut into it. Like the shell stays in tact when you cut and doesn't crumble!! That's a miracle!! Like I've never had anything like that!!! If you haven't tried Malu, I would definitely recommend you try them out!! Definitely will not regret it!! The price is pretty reasonable as well! I mean we ordered all of that and it was about $40 something! We will definitely be back to try the other items he has as well!!

    Ice cream with half Hojicha and Black Sesame topping sprinkled with color sprinkles! So yummy!
    Jody R.

    Met Taka, one of the owners. Super nice guy. We shared the soft vanilla ice cream with half Hojicha and half Black Sesame topping sprinkled with color sprinkles. So yummy! Will return. They also have beautiful cakes!

    Yayyy taiyaki!
    Li Y.

    Cute little boutique dessert and snack shop. One man show. Boy does the owner work tho; And he creates the cutest snacks and things. Check them out on their IG page or website to see some of his creations. First time I stopped by the shop was to buy a few dessert items for my friend's kids and kimbap for me. It was fun to choose! Saw that they also had taiyaki in sweet and savory choices and my favorite...jelly drinks! They had coffee jelly, matcha jelly, and mango jelly that day. Had to stop in later that evening with friend to try the coffee jelly! So delicious! Today I came back for the taiyaki and of course a jelly drink. Taiyaki choices include tuna, spicy tuna, beef, red bean, chocolate, and custard. Bought three to get the discount price. Ohhh swoon...I want more I WANT MORE!! Choices on jelly drinks today are coffee, matcha, and strawberry. Ohh boy, choices...such hard choices! Got the matcha jelly. Yumm so delicious! Looking forward to returning. Located in the Sam Sung Plaza on Keeamoku Street. Only the owner runs the space so if there is a line, expect to wait. I arrived first so my order was quick. The lady who arrived 4th while I was still waiting was not happy to be quoted 30 minutes for Taiyaki and Kimbap made to order. Taka, the owner, mentioned customers can order online at their website and he will start to work on your order before you get there. Small shop. Slightly small portions still, love the selection. Look for the bright cute pink shop. Thank you so much Taka, again, for your good service and delicious treats! Arigatoo ne, ja mata!

    Craig Y.

    Located off Keeaumoku St, Honolulu, Parking you have the option to pay for parking in the main lot or opt to look for street parking. The place is small a few tables. The desserts go pretty fast throughout the day we got there about a hour before closing and we had only 3 choices of desserts I got the double cream cookie puff and a bag of Chex style mix. Overall a cool place for desserts.

    Chanel inspired Chocolate Mousse cake
    Benny L.

    Where do I start.‍ Taka is one of the most talented Patissier on the island. Super nice & easy to work with. I had a custom cake done for my other half which was "Chanel" inspired. I sent a few pics of what Im trying to do & towards the end, I put my full truest into Taka with his creativity. I had no clue what the cake was going to look like. The day I licked it up is the day I saw it, It blew my mind how beautiful a cake can be. Not only did it look good, IT WAS DELICIOUS! My other half was amazed on the look and taste of this amazing cake! Malu is very fortunate to have Taka and his talent. Their daily pastries are also super Oishiiiii

    Custom frog birthday cake

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    Leonard's Bakery - A dozen goodies

    Leonard's Bakery

    4.5(10.3k reviews)
    1.9 miKaimuki
    $

    Malasadas are popular in Hawaii due to their 19th-century introduction by Portuguese plantation…read morelaborers, becoming a staple treat. These fried, sugar-coated dough balls, often filled with custard or haupia, are beloved for their fluffy texture and association with tradition, especially "Malasada Day" (Fat Tuesday). And Leonard's Bakery malasadas are popular in Hawaii because they are served fresh, hot, and fluffy, establishing the Portuguese doughnut as a staple island treat since 1952. Founder Leonard Rego pioneered commercializing them, creating a cult following for the crisp-on-the-outside, doughy-on-the-inside treats. There's nothing like a nice, hot, and fresh malasada. At $2.20 each, there's just no point resisting. Twinsie "Auntie" Nadine C. dragged me here, told me where to take the Instagram shot, and the correct stance to tear into these pillowy fried dough balls. Yum.

    Hot & fresh malasadas, I get the hype…read more The parking lot isn't much of a lot, in my opinion. There's about 6 spots available but it's also a tight squeeze in so I would consider parking along the side streets and walking over if possible. My group and I opted for 6 total malasadas to share and they tasted great when they're hot so best to eat it while it's fresh. We ate more after dinner when it's already cooled down and it was still good, but nothing beats fresh. Service was efficient and the line moves pretty quick.

    Photos
    Leonard's Bakery - Original Malasada

    Original Malasada

    Leonard's Bakery - 3/29/26 get the guava & mac nut filled ones

    3/29/26 get the guava & mac nut filled ones

    Leonard's Bakery - Inside of a Guava filled

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    Inside of a Guava filled

    Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery - Pumpkin Crunch

    Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery

    4.4(891 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    If you're more into lighter Malasada and other sweets, you have to give this place a try. I got to…read moretry their cinnamon Malasada with some pimples on them. It must be from their fryer or something. Nevertheless it was light, fluffy, fresh, warm to my tummy. We also got the hazelnut cake. Cake texture with coconut like flavor (I maybe wrong) with chocolate like hazelnut flavor coating. Also light and good. I saw ice cream too. Gotta try that next time. You can street park or Kaimuki municipal parking across the street.

    Everyone knows to go to Leonard's for freshly made malasadas, and the constant crowds there attest…read moreto their quality and variety (review: https://yelp.to/jaduiZfQRq). However, there are many alternative malasada purveyors throughout Honolulu, so I depended on local vloggers to find the best ones. This one popped up often on YouTube, and as luck would have it, we were dining at The Pig & The Lady on the next block. How calorifically convenient. We took the opportunity to stop by for a pre-dinner snack since they closed at 6PM. It's a cute shop with multiple sweets including quite a selection of housemade ice cream and delectable mouthfuls called Cake Bombs (Photo 10). We decided we would be good and ordered one unfilled Malasada each. Dusted with various sugar flavors, they were just $2.65 a piece. I went for the Coffee, while Jamie chose the daily special, Cinnamon (Photo 6). They were soft and tasty, quite comparable to Leonard's albeit a tad smaller. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing since we had dinner ahead of us. However, we let temptation get the best of us and shared a $5.50 slice of the Ube Haupia Mac Nut Bar, a yummy combination of sweet potato and ube topped with haupia (coconut milk pudding) on a macadamia nut crust (Photo 9). Truth be told, it stole the show from the malasadas. FOOD - 4 stars... the malasadas were good, but that ube dessert was next level AMBIANCE - 4 stars...really a takeout operation with a lot of temptations SERVICE - 4 stars...very calm and orderly TOTAL - 4 stars...yet another spot for sweet Hawaiian decadence RELATED - Exploring Hawaii? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/U7YPblfoMP

    Photos
    Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery - Interior during Malasada Day / Fat Tuesday, 2/17/2026

    Interior during Malasada Day / Fat Tuesday, 2/17/2026

    Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery - 1/2 dozen malasada

    1/2 dozen malasada

    Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery

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    Cha To Gelato Zen - Matcha gelato

    Cha To Gelato Zen

    4.6(166 reviews)
    2.0 miKaimuki
    $$

    New flavor Strawberry White Chocolate and Hojicha Chocolate gelato was delicious. All of their…read moregelato options are great because I tried all of it. LOL It's no secret that I love this place and my friends also love it too. It's our fave place to hangout and chill. Noticed that at night closer to closing time they get flooded with people - do keep that in mind when coming here. Was lucky to snag a seat at the counter but it was packed! Please be patient with the help as well because most of the time it is just them trying to handle the huge barrage of people waiting in line as well as dine-in customers. Great experience nonetheless.

    Walked in happy to try a new spot. No greeting. No acknowledgment. Nothing. Just dull pasty people…read morestanding around and some dude in a suit looking like he's lost. Three staff members present and not one offered so much as an aloha or hello. For a local, "Hawai'i based business", the complete absence of aloha was jarring. I came ready to try all kinds stuff, especially matcha, but only ended up only smelling it, because the energy in that room made it clear my presence as a Black man wasn't wanted or needed. If business is going so well that customer service is optional, congratulations. But for the rest of us who show up hoping to feel welcome for overspending on your match and ice cream, especially in a place that's supposed to represent the spirit of these islands -- this wasn't it. This is clearly one of those places that feel like they're too good to serve you if you're not meeting their aesthetic. Yeah, very Beverly Hills (attempt, but likely wouldn't do well there), kinda "clicky" like vibe, snooty, haughty seeming like vibe, maybe a lil tad bit stuck up, and for the tiny little portion and "big show" , I probably would have liked it somewhat, but also would have felt guilty for paying a fortune to be treated that way lol This place likely won't be around in a year, by the vibe I'd say it's slow times (wonder why). I know I will, happy to spend even more down the road- so many to choose from, trust me this place ain't unique in my experience. In these times, be kind to yourself, and love yourself enough to go where you're treated best, people.

    Photos
    Cha To Gelato Zen - Inside seating

    Inside seating

    Cha To Gelato Zen - Tea leaves with some shoyu topping

    Tea leaves with some shoyu topping

    Cha To Gelato Zen - New friends

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    New friends

    Kansai Yamato - Mango Mochi and mango and cream mochi

    Kansai Yamato

    4.3(148 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $

    I like my dessert wrapped in carbs, which is why mochi is one of my favorite things. Especially…read morearound New Years and Kansas Yamato has some of the best mochi on island. You can find this mochi around the island at different supermarkets but it's best from the source on University Ave. You can't miss out on their peanut butter stuffed mochi. It's just such a classic. I also love their strawberry stuffed mochi- so ono!

    Always wanted to go to their shop but since it's far from where we live, I didn't make it out…read morethere: We finally went to Kansai Yamato because my boyfriend wanted to try their fresh mango mochi. I've always been a fan of them since they were in the old 99 Ranch so I wasn't complaining about going there lol. We parked in the open lot on the left of the store. But you could also park in the parking inside. When we entered, it's a very small store that's hard to walk around if there's people in there with you. We got the fruit parfait cups, the fresh mango mochi, and the ones on the stick (which I forgot to take a pic of). The parfait cups were good with cream cheese, strawberries, and mochi. I didn't care for the mochi with the sweet soy sauce on it although I know that's what Japan is known for. And the fresh mango mochi was good. The only thing I didn't like was the Lima bean paste inside. I'm not a fan of that. I would recommend eating fast since it's fresh and the wetness of the mango can make the mochi soft and rip. I'm glad we got to try new items. Can't wait to go back and get their peanut butter mochi and other favs. The cashier that helped us was very nice and gave us a bag even though we said we didn't need one. If you love mochi, this place is for you!

    Photos
    Kansai Yamato
    Kansai Yamato - Assorted stuffed mochi. Orange one is the mango.

    Assorted stuffed mochi. Orange one is the mango.

    Kansai Yamato - Refrigerated mochi creams

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    Refrigerated mochi creams

    Malu - desserts - Updated May 2026

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