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    Salty Lemon

    4.6 (140 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Menu and interior!
    Winton F.

    (This place used to be called Summer Frappé, to my knowledge) Across the street from Lam's kitchen, this spot is tucked away but not to be taken lightly. Salty Lemon has a delightful selection of fruit smoothies, banh mi Vietnamese sandwiches, fresh juices, and desserts. I tend to lean towards the smoothies with avocado and papaya, but all the flavors are at least 8/10 in my opinion. We got the sugarcane juice with less ice and no calamansi (I wanted a pure flavor). Coming from someone who has had sugarcane juice in Brazil and Vietnam, this is the closest thing to achieving that flavor that I'm looking for. The Papaya Avocado smoothie has a nearly equal (50/50) flavor profile blend. It's very smooth, not chunky, and not overly sweet. I don't think much sugar is added if any at all, just judging by flavor. As far as ordering goes, make sure to bring cash unless you plan to spend $10 minimum - only then can you use your card. Parking here can be tough too, but circle around the blocks and be weary of the one-way streets.

    Amazing pandan jello!!!! They use real pandan juice coz I could taste the slight bitterness and the color is darker green
    Rebecca T.

    Changed their name to Salty Lemon. Still the same people running it. It's a takeout spot that serves slushy drinks, desserts and banh mi. Simple shop with friendly service. My favorite thing there is their pandan coconut jelly. They use real pandan leaf juice to make it, as seen in the color, it's not the artificial green! The taste was really good too, not too sweet. My husband likes to get their Kings dessert which is a jelly and bean drink like a dessert. Last time they were out of one of the ingredients but the lady was very nice to substitute with something else and added more stuff to the cup too. Some of the drinks have added sugar so if you don't like that make sure you let the staff know.

    Menu
    Joni F.

    This is my favorite place to get a smoothie, boba drink. I've been a fan since there original location at the Maunakea Marketplace location and followed them to their N Pauahi location. My favorites: Avocado - if they have it, it's rich creamy avacado goodness. Green tea - not too sweet please Salted Calamansi (sweet salty) Mango Dessert - lots of textures topped with rough shaved ice Or just ask Summer what she'd recommend and she'll let you know what's in season. Today I had the Salted Calamansi; my friend had the mango. The mango --delicious, authentic mango flavor. The Salted Calamansi --yum, it's sweet, sweet, slightly sour. There's multiple boba smoothie drink places in Chinatown, and if you're wondering which one to try, I'd highly recommend Summer Frappe.

    Frontage
    Cole K.

    First time getting an island drink and glad it was here. Got the sugar cane and mango smoothie drink and saw it prepared fresh in front of us. Late on the review but better now than never. The owner was super friendly and appears to have a great relationship with the locals that popped in too. Real sense of community and we will be back.

    Menu Bánh Mi are $9 and Summer Rolls are $8.50.
    D Z.

    I phone in my order at 3:30pm - guess what? Owner stated it was slow today so she closed up shop early. Since they are not open for dinner, I've had bánh mì from five other places. Their combination bánh mì with chili peppers on the side is still my favorite. I removed the chili pepper seeds before adding it to the sandwich or else it is too hot for me. The combination is such a well balanced sandwich.

    Meatball banh mi with plenty of little spicy peppers
    Charlene H.

    Fresh smoothies and tasty banh mi! She offers a wider variety for fillings than some other classic banh mi spots on Oahu. I love meatball (xiu mai) banh mi and was so happy to see that she sells it. The store itself is on the smaller side, but there's a little table and two chairs if you're dropping in for a quick bite! Definitely one of my favorite casual spots in Chinatown.

    Inside
    Valerie T.

    Whenever in Chinatown besides good food is this hidden gem. All the local flavors and boba in a large drink for the best prices. A small but mighty shop with an abundance of flavors. For a warm day that Oahu is in abundance of summer frappe drinks will hit the spot! The owner is friendly and welcoming. The only thing is parking can be difficult but patience is a virtue and this place is worth the wait! Enjoy!!

    Papaya Avocado
    Dante H.

    I came here during a lunch break after finding its many rave reviews on Yelp--although i must've passed this place dozens of times on my way to the Chinatown Cultural Plaza or to Char Hung Sut. I assumed it was the same as many of the smoothie places in Chinatown, having more or less the same graphic, but this one was unique both in name (I rarely hear the word frappe outside of Starbucks), the huge ume vats in the window, and the food selection. First of all I should've called in the order since I always overestimate how fast I can walk, and I saw another customer pick up her phoned-in order then make the cashier scoop out the boba--but I digress. It took about ten minutes for my combination banh mi and papaya avocado smoothie to be ready--not bad, but a little long for a downtown lunch. The papaya avocado smoothie didn't have boba and wasn't my favorite. Not very sweet, and I typically prefer my smoothies on the sweeter side (why drink a smoothie if you're trying to be healthy). It didn't really have the thick, creaminess of other smoothies I've had blended with avocado, and the papaya taste was a little watered down--overall I'd describe the drink as pretty watery. Refreshing, sure, and a more-than-decent portion for the price, but still not the greatest taste. THe combination banh mi was delicious (and also cost about the same as the smoothie IIRC). The bread was fluffy on the inside and dangerously crisp. I couldn't feel my tongue the next day. It had an interesting texture, with creamy, earthy pate, and processed meats that were all a little sweet and salty, kind of like less intense spam, with a more spongey, chewy texture. Tasty pickled vegetables and almost citrusy coriander too. For some reason only half of the sandwich had chili peppers in it and these were the really spicy red ones--I would've preferred the peppers spread more evenly through the sandwich but it was great nonetheless. Overall, terrific sandwich and I hope to come back and try other hopefully less watery drinks.

    Jars of Preserved Salted Lemon
    Paul C.

    As the Unofficial Mayor of Chinatown, while I was making my usual rounds in Chinatown earlier this year I saw my friend eating a Banh Mi (Vietnamese Style Sandwich). I heard the crunch from the crispy French bread and noticed the generous fillings of pickled vegetables, Chinese parsley and meats. I then commented on how good it looked and immediately asked my friend where she got it from. "Across the street." and she pointed at Summer Frappe (SF). It's been several months since my previous go to place Rice Paper for Banh Mi closed their doors. I was sad when Quinn closed her family restaurant but was happy for the birth of her first child. I've been craving for Banh Mi and decided to give SF a try. Guess what? I'm hooked on their Banh Mi. Indeed they have signs and pictures on their wall but never gave it a thought of trying them. Their Banh Mi sandwiches are offered with several options of traditional meats, meatball and avocado. I was also told they have it with canned sardines. After trying the traditional and meatball versions hands down my favorite is the traditional one. It has pate, steamed pork and this Vietnamese pork loaf with this layer of jelly. Then they add pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber slices and Chinese parsley sprigs. For those who like it hot you can request spicy and they'll add some fresh sliced red chilies with seeds and all. Your Banh Mi experience is not authentic if you don't scrape the top of your mouth. When ordering I ask them for crunchy and they'll toast the French baguette longer than usual. The meatball version was good but it's on the wet side and needs to be eaten immediately otherwise your sandwich will get soggy. It's hard to describe as this is not your average meatball sandwich. Let's say it's like an Asian-style Sloppy Joe type filling. Mother and son team are very cordial and polite when coming here. It takes about 10min to make a sandwich so I call ahead of time to minimize waiting. With tax the sandwich costs $7.33, a very satisfying meal without causing a dent in your wallet. In the Chinatown area and looking to satisfy your hunger? The Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich from SF won't disappoint.

    Menu
    Lori L.

    Summer Frappe is a little smoothie shop, conveniently located for those hot days in Chinatown. There are all the usually fruit options like strawberry, pineapple, kiwi and watermelon, but if you're looking for something different they also have sour sap, pennywort, jackfruit or the infamous durian. These smoothies are heavy on ice and simple syrup, which lessens the flavor of the fruit and is a little sweet for my preference. I would try asking them cut back on the sweetener next time. Each cup is made to order so expect a short wait if there is a line and bring cash.

    Sugar cane juice
    David C.

    Sugar cane juice was very sweet and refreshing. Not too sweet but sweet enough. The price of the drink goes up with less ice and no ice.

    Store front
    Nadine C.

    The last stop of our informal Honolulu Chinatown Foodie Tour had to be dessert. We first went to Timi House on Hotel Street, but it was closed for the Memorial Day Holiday... Strike 1 Next, we went to Wing's for ice cream, but it's closed every Monday... Strike 2 Directly across Pauahi Street from Wing's is Summer Frappe. I had been here before and I know that my friend, John N., highly recommends this place, so I felt confident in taking my friends here. Fresh fruits are used, so the quality is excellent and prices are reasonable! PARKING: since it was a holiday, most of us parked on the street in metered stalls for free. One of us wanted covered parking, so she (who will remain nameless) parked in the municipal lot for $3 flat rate. ENVIRONMENT: the door is left open, so don't expect strong, cold air conditioning. There are 2 tables and 10 chairs, so sit down quickly to reserve your seat or it's standing room only! SERVICE: there was only one female working the cash register, taking orders, and making smoothies by herself. I would be task oriented, too, if I was in her place! No chit chat. No smile or warm greeting. It's just business... and cash only! FOOD: in the past, I had the Grass Jelly with Coconut - yummy! I also tasted my friend's Durian smoothie. In 2014, it was $5.50. Today, the Durian smoothie is $8. That's because the entire fruit is used! Today, I had the Three Color dessert which included azuki beans, coconut gel, and coconut milk - delicious and refreshing! I probably will return and get the shave ice with soursop and a bahn mi. I'd like to try the other menu items, too, such as the Spring Rolls and Watermelon smoothie. The next holiday is Kamehameha Day in June... I'm getting ready already!

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    2 years ago

    Love all their delicious drinks and banh mi. Friendly service, cute decor, and cc is now accepted w//min $10

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    Great service. Friendly staff. Vietnamese owned. Authentic as you can get. Fruit looks really fresh will come back for smoothie

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    Page 1 of 4

    Salty Lemon Reviews in Other Languages

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    4.3
    (1.4k reviews)
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    Such a nice treat after laying at the beach for several hours. I got the tropical bowl and it was…read moredelicious! Very refreshing. The staff is very friendly and ready to help with your order. I love the vibes from this place, vibrant colors and very much sun-kissed energy. I see this business is marked as temp closed -- it is very much open lol.

    Super late review -…read more I'm sad. I really wanted to love this place but I just couldn't. I don't want to be that person when this place has an overall rating of 4.5 but this is just my honest opinion. I got the blue dream and yes it was very ascetically pleasing, but it was just too icy. Before coming to this place i read a couple of reviews that also said the same thing and i didn't understand what that meant, but now I do. There are a lot of flavorless, just regular, small shards of ice in the bowl. On top of that, the moment I received my bowl, it was already borderline melted. So that got me thinking, how can it be melted and icy at the same time? The only explanation that I can think of is just ice additive/fillers. It's not pure cold acai or whatever is in the bowl you choose, but there's a mixture of ice in it too. Yes I understand, it's Waikiki, everything is more expensive, but the added topping prices on top of the already expensive bowl prices just don't make sense. You want a beautiful looking bowl with a lot of different toppings, yet some toppings can go up to 1 dollar PER topping. I don't know if I've just been spoiled by a couple places in SoCal, but at those places they have unlimited toppings and those bowls are the best that there is. I'm not bringing any bias from other locations, but this is just an honest review based on my experience today.

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    Nalu Health Bar & Cafe

    Nalu Health Bar & Cafe

    4.1
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    Nalu Health Bar & Café is such a solid spot, especially if you're looking for something fresh,…read morequick, and actually satisfying. Parking is super easy with the complimentary structure, and the café is located on the bottom floor alongside other vendors. One thing I immediately appreciated was how well air-conditioned the entire market is--it's nice and cool, which makes sitting and eating there really comfortable. The cashier recommended the turkey pesto croissant, but suggested swapping it onto ciabatta since it's one of her favorites--and I'm so glad I trusted her. It was phenomenal. The flavors were balanced, the bread held everything together perfectly, and it felt like a step above your typical sandwich. I also had what looked like a simple salad, but the vinaigrette and candied pistachios really elevated it and made it feel more thoughtful than expected. The staff across the board were friendly and welcoming, and there's plenty of seating--whether inside the café or out in the open market area. Honestly, the value surprised me the most. I paid under $13 for everything, which is hard to beat for the quality. Definitely a spot I'll be coming back to.

    I love this place. I come time and time again…read more I got the monkey kine smoothie and the steak sandwich. Though my favorite is the steak wrap. I love the little cacao nibs in the smoothie. The sandwich was so good. Omg. So many flavors. I always never order steak, but I always do when at Nala.

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    Lanikai Juice

    Lanikai Juice

    3.8
    (273 reviews)
    1.0 mi
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    I am disappointed that they actually CHARGE an extra dollar for honey on your acai bowl... Like,…read moremost places like Jamba Juice automatically include honey on the basic acai bowl. Also, it's obvious that inflation has had an effect on them because like everywhere else, prices have soared. It's unfortunate because in order to "support local," it costs even more these days.

    The perfect pitstop post-pickleball (alliteration alert). Our pizza plan flopped, but staying…read morehydrated was a non-negotiable - cue the smoothies. (I used to frequent the Kahala location back before its Ku'ono Marketplace glow-up.) I'm usually an acai bowl loyalist at Lanikai Juice, so smoothie sampling was a first sip adventure. Location: Inside SALT at Our Kaka'ako, facing Ala Moana Blvd. Parking: Closest lot sits at the corner of Ala Moana Blvd and Coral St (entrance on Coral). You can also use the SALT lot on Keawe St, or play musical chairs with street parking. The Coral St lot is paid via QR code posted on signs - snap, register, and pay before you bounce. Atmosphere: Compact, but still has that classic Lanikai Juice feel. Seating is scarce, but we scored the seat jackpot with the window-facing bar (perfect for a trio). Drinks, snacks, and merch line the walls, while cup and bowl sizes are clearly displayed at the register - no guesswork needed. Drinks: I went with the Lanikai Splash, while my friend and her boyfriend ordered the... "I-don't-remember" smoothies. Mine hit the spot, and judging by their nods of approval, theirs did too. Service: Smooth, our drinks were blended and in hand within 5-10 minutes. Price: Roughly $30 total, generously covered by my friend's boyfriend. Would I return? Parched and passing by? Sure!

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    Bluetree Cafe - Kaka'ako

    Bluetree Cafe - Kaka'ako

    4.1
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    This is one of my favorite coffee places to come to! I have a list and it's part of the rotation…read morewhich keeps things fun! My favorite is the Dark Cloud Latte, black sesame syrup and espresso....sooooo good! The staff is always friendly! On this visit I got a shot of espresso on the side. I could've added it to the drink, but then it changes the flavor. The relaxed environment is always welcoming! Mahalo again Bluetree!

    A Cozy Cafe with Friendly Staff, but the Coconut Latte Missed the Mark…read more I stopped by Bluetree Cafe in Kakaʻako around 3 PM with my cat, and the staff were genuinely friendly. They all came over to say hi to my cat, which was such a sweet and welcoming touch. The cafe itself is very cozy and beautifully decorated, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere. I actually came specifically for the coconut latte after seeing it in their Yelp photos. Unfortunately, the drink was quite disappointing. There was a fairly long wait - around 8 - 10 minutes for one cup. It seemed like one of the baristas was new and another staff member was teaching her, so I completely understood the delay. But when I finally received the drink, it didn't taste anything like the coconut latte I was expecting and it's the most expensive one though. I've probably had couple of hundreds coconut lattes, so I have a pretty good idea of what I was looking for. I asked the barista if she might have accidentally made a regular latte instead of a coconut latte, and she assured me, "Yes, it's a coconut latte." I took several sips, but honestly, it tasted more like a cold brew to me. Since I had my cat with me and the AC inside was also quite strong, I eventually went outside and just enjoyed hanging out with my cat instead. I really wanted to love this place because the atmosphere and staff were so nice. If the coconut latte had been made correctly - or tasted more like the coconut latte shown in their photos - I would definitely consider coming back. For now, though, I'm not sure I would make a special trip back just for the drink. I hope they improve the consistency because the cafe has a lot of potential.

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    ALO Cafe Hawaii

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    4.4
    (212 reviews)
    3.4 mi
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    Amazing aloha spirit. Some beautifully curated, local products and delicious smoothies and açai…read morefruit bowls. If you're lucky and they still have their banana bread, it's vegan and gluten-free sometimes it has chocolate chips. They went over the top to help me with some ginger tea with lemon and honey. I was so grateful. Big shout out to the wonderful. Anthony

    Açaí cravings brought us to ALO CAFE HAWAII in Waikiki! What initially piqued my interest was the…read morename. Is this cafe related to the yoga clothing brand "alo"?? Nope! :-) We decided to check it out anyway due to the rave reviews on their coffee and customer service. It was only 1-mile away from our resort, so we walked. ALO is situated in a building which was under construction, but the business is open. The cafe itself is on the smaller side...just enough room to place your order at the counter. There is a bar with maybe 3 seats available, but it certainly got crowded once we sat down to wait for our order. Don't let this deter from trying them out! We opted for the "Happy Bowl + Drink Combo" for a 10% discount. So, we ordered a Lilikoi Bowl + Iced Americano. Wow!!! I looked at my +1 and said, "We should've ordered two!" The bowl was so refreshing, fruits were crisp, the Lilikoi base was delicious!! Not very sweet. Nice compliment for the toppings. Of all the Açaí bowls I had on our 7-day vacation, would rank this as #1!! We loved this bowl so much, we decided to also check out the ALO cafe in Kaka'ako for lunch!

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    Salty Lemon - juicebars - Updated August 2026

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