Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Stage Cafe

    3.6 (41 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Stage Cafe Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Stage Cafe

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Cool man reading the daily news
    Cindy P.

    Stage Café is an absolute gem! You can easily miss it since it's located inside the Inspiration building. There are no signs guiding you to the café, but you'll know it when you see it. Their menu features café favorites: panini sandwiches, soups and salads, and my personal favorite baked goods! Seating feels homey and it makes a nice casual lunch spot to meet up. Thank you to Michael, who surprised us with their signature coconut mac-nut toffee bar featuring layers of fudge, crushed macadamia and toffee: a perfect pair with our coffee! I've been here an innumerable of times and I always bump into Rayla who is the sweetest person ever! A few of my favorites would be: Chai Latte: A sweet silky latte with a kick of spice to it. I often lean towards dairy alternatives, so a personal favorite would be soy! There are other options for those not into soy as well. Americano: They use Illy coffee, an Italian brand that used 100% arabica beans! Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookie: They are huge, and when I mean huge, it's the size of my two palms laid side to side. In addition, their baked goods are all made in house and really hits the spot with the huge chocolate chip cookies found in them! Likewise, they're on the soft/chewy side since the oatmeal's presence is very fine with few whole pieces of oatmeal. I can never seem to find myself finishing it and need help to do so. Chicken Pesto Panini: Warm, crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside. It's worth every penny. They have garage parking and it is free on weekends. For weekdays, the café will validate as well, just bring your ticket to the front desk before you leave!

    Snacks n coffee
    Chief K.

    Neat place to sit, relax and look at new furniture designs. They have coffees, small sandwiches, cakes and other small stuff.

    Chicken pesto was/taro chips?? ($8) and vanilla ice coffee ($4.50) coffee jelly not shown :c
    Judy N.

    Needed to find a good place to study at with a friend and found this place as one of the yelp options and decided to try it out. I didn't realize it was in the Inspiration Home furniture store so I was a little apprehensive when I found that out. It was a pleasant surprise at how huge the parking was! It definitely got me pumped for experiencing the rest of it because parking is always a pain. The visual aspect of the cafe definitely lived up to where it was located, interestingly in the center of the building (right when you walk in through the sliding doors) so you're actually among other actual pieces of things being sold. So very interesting! It has great ambience, not too loud and very relaxing in my opinion. The cafe itself was decently small so their selection of food was respectfully limited. I had the chicken pesto panini which was wonderfully soft, but it wasn't AMAZING. I also paired it with a vanilla ice coffee (+$0.50 for flavored syrups FYI) and it wasn't bad. What really took the show for me was the coffee cream jelly they had (which my friend tried), it was really amazing, great balance of sweetness and it was strange how creamy it was for being jelly. It was half white on top and the coffee jelly on bottom, can't miss it! Definitely the one thing I'd recommend trying. Now the biggest downside for me was that there were literally no outlets. Minus ONE by a single table nearest the garage door entrance. That was a huge downside especially since I needed an outlet for studying, so my study trip got cut really short. Overall, okay experience. But if you're looking for a place to do hardcore studying on computers or any sort of device, this isn't the place to do it. Though if you need to meet someone for lunch or need a relaxing hang out place to sit and lounge about, this is a pretty great place to do it! And definitely try the coffee jelly when you do!!

    "Peanut Butter Chocolate Macadamia Nut Brownie" has a creamy layer of peanut butter and chunks of mac nuts.
    Kelli S.

    I actually came across Stage Café by accident. My mom and I were attempting to go to Stage Restaurant for lunch on a Saturday, only to discover that the lunch menu was not available that day. Apparently on weekends, they feature a tea menu instead of the regular lunch menu that's available during the week. I was disappointed, but we visited the Café (located on the first floor) before we left the building. But, I'm so glad we made a detour. If not, I wouldn't have discovered one of the best chocolate chip cookies that I've ever tasted in my life. Stage Café offers paninis, salads and delicious-looking bakery items, as well as juices and coffees. My mom and I just went to see what was available--and if we wanted anything from there for lunch instead--but at that point, only the bakery items were calling my name. I couldn't believe that those decently sized "Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies" were only $1.50. What a deal! Since then, my mom and I have been to the Café twice. We don't necessarily go out of our way to visit, but when we did revisit Stage Restaurant--and had a successful lunch--we stopped by the Café on our way out. I'm completely hooked on their baked goods. While I've never actually gotten a meal from the Café, I would come by just for some coffee and to enjoy some of their sweet treats. Here are some of the items I crave from the Café, as well as some that I want to try in the future: "Chocolate Chip Scone": I don't mind it when scones are slightly dry, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this scone was moist and chockfull of chocolate chips. I enjoyed every single buttery bite of this scone, which I had for breakfast the day after I got it from the Café. I don't often find plain chocolate chip scones, and I would order one of these again in a heartbeat. "Peanut Butter Chocolate Macadamia Nut Brownie": I love all things peanut butter and chocolate, so naturally, I wanted to try this brownie when I saw it. The peanut butter flavor isn't as predominant as the chocolate brownie, but I could see the thin layer of peanut butter toward the bottom of the brownie. I like my brownies to be dense, moist and fudgy; this one probably wasn't as rich and fudgy as I would have preferred, but I still found it delicious. There were chunks of macadamia nuts throughout, which added welcomed texture and crunch to the brownie. I would gladly order this sweet treat again, but I preferred the "Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie" to the brownie. "Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie": This is now one of my favorite cookies ... and I've tried a LOT of cookies in my lifetime. I like this cookie because it's soft, chewy, tender and contains five huge chunks of chocolate chips. That may not seem like much on paper, but when you look at the cookie--chocolate chip in proportion to the entire cookie--you know that they didn't skimp on the chocolate chips. The oatmeal flavor is present but not overwhelming, but the grainy texture is there. I don't often eat oatmeal in cereal form, but I absolutely loved it in this cookie form. Because this cookie was moist, flavorful and had a good balance between the chocolate and oatmeal, it makes the list of one of my top cookies. "Caramel Maple Brownie": I haven't seen this brownie in the display case yet--only on the Stage Café online menu--but if it's available, I would love to try it. I do like caramel and maple flavors, but I don't think I've experienced them together. I'm sure the brownie provides a great combo of salty-sweet flavors, but I'm curious to see what this brownie tastes like. "Italian Margherite": This panini features house-made macadamia nut pesto, mozzarella cheese and hamakua springs tomatoes. I would probably opt for the sando sans the tomatoes, but everything else sounds divine. Plus, with all the paninis, you get your choice of bread - dark pumpernickel, sourdough or whole multigrain wheat bread. I love pumpernickel and I don't see it featured often when it comes to sandwich options, so I can't wait to get it. "Maximus": This may seem like a traditional Caesar salad, but I actually really enjoy the refreshing taste of Caesars. This one features baby hirabara romaine, grape tomatoes, parmesan cheese, house-made croutons and Caesar dressing. Again, I would probably order this salad sans tomatoes, but to me, it's always a win when a place features home-made croutons ... which are the best part of ANY salad! "Café Triple Chocolate Mocha": Although I haven't had a chance to try them yet, the espresso drinks at this café caught my eye. I especially was looking at the "Café Triple Chocolate Mocha" because mochas are my go-to when it comes to blended coffee drinks, namely because they include chocolate. Since this one is a "Triple Chocolate" drink, I'm curious to try it one day and see how chocolaty it really is.

    Pastrami Panini
    Chad Y.

    Stage Cafe is the re-branding of Crema on the first floor of the Honolulu Design Center. It offers a cafe style menu with panini sandwiches, salads, fresh juice combination's and bakery selections. It offers a nice location/feel and decent service which make a casual lunch with a friend a pleasant affair. The menu is decent, however somewhat limited. They currently offer about 5 or so sandwiches and another 4 or 5 salad mixes which are decent and offer a broad array of flavor profiles. They are nothing to wowing to write home about, however the sandwiches we opted for were rather decent. The salads are good and you certainly won't be disappointed. If you like the salads upstairs at Stage, you will certainly like the salads at the cafe. Service is a little on the slower side, however I credit it to their recent re-opening. The staff needs to be a bit quicker on taking your order and understand their menu a bit better, however once they get those two details down, they will offer a great experience. They already got the pleasant and nice part down! The location is centrally located in town. It offers a plethora of parking in the Honolulu Design Center so it is a breeze to get in and out quickly. The tables are well spaced out and seating might get limited if they get busy, however it is pleasant and comfortable for a casual lunch or coffee.

    Lien V.

    I enjoy going to Stage Cafe for their coffee because they've a very nice cafe environment. It is also a great place for me to indulge in one of my favorite pastries; especially when I casually sauntered up to the counter to order the delicious apricot frangipane (flavored or made with almonds) while I'm slurping down some good quality illy coffee too. So cool to be able to sip my Italian coffee while sitting in those sleek looking European furniture. Stage Cafe is conveniently located inside the Honolulu Design Center on the ground floor. The cafe's location is central and easy access to their private parking lot makes this my to-go coffee stop. On occasions, I tend to forget to ask them to serve my coffee in a real cup; I don't like paper "cupped" coffee. Changes the taste of my illy coffee entirely! Since the place is casual, service can be on the slow side. Seating is self-service and usually there is availability. Besides coffee and pastries, they offer a variety of juice, sodas, soups, salads and sandwiches, including daily specials. Prices are very easy on the wallet, you can grab a quick meal for less than 10 dollars. Stage Cafe serves good fast food for a good price. It is an easy place to "be chillaxin" solo or hang with your friends. They also have free WiFi. Sometimes when I drinking coffee there, I feel like I am sitting in a modern museum admiring all the works of art and beauty. Then I am INspired to go upstairs and check out the furniture.

    Inside of the zeus sandwich
    Chloe M.

    I've always been curious about this place. While I was walking back home from Ala Moana, Stage Cafe was the nearest escape from the pouring rain on Wednesday afternoon. I'm glad I got poured on, otherwise I would've never discovered their delicious stuff. I walked in soaking wet, past all the nicely dressed business people sipping espresso on their iphones, with absolutely no shame! Zeus Panini $6: Two words, FETA CHEESE. This sandwich is packed with the stuff. It also has tomato, lettuce, and supposedly olive tapenade but I didn't taste any of it. Don't get me wrong though, the sandwich was delicious. Perfect amount of crunch, and perfect amount of every ingredient. Except that darn olive tapenade.... Bread pudding: They had this for everyone to sample. I've been here two times and both times they had something to sample. I don't care for bread pudding, but this was moist and delicious! A fenny for your health Juice: Who knew fennel/apple juice could taste so good? They have a few fresh juices on the menu that sound and taste healthy for you! Overall: Everything I've tried so far has been delicious! I wish I could eat my food in their outdoor seating but it always smells like cigars out there.

    Artwork
    Marissa K.

    I got here before they opened! I was pretty excited lol. Anyway didn't realize this place opens at 9am which is a bit late for morning ppl like me lol. Anyway must try their Mac nut coconut toffee bar! That was amazingly good! I love their variety is speciality coffees here too but I just went with my norm iced latte. Great lil cafe inside a trendy and hip furniture store!

    Joanne P.

    Stopped to get a quick and easy lunch while furniture shopping. I ordered chicken tortilla soup after the cashier assured me it was not spicy. Well, after two spoonfuls, I could tell it was extremely spicy! They exchanged it for a bowl of beef vegetable soup but only filled it 2/3. WTH? The first bowl was full to the rim. The picture I took is exactly how it looked when I opened the lid. Very disappointed. Soup tasted very good though which is why 3 stars.

    Kristine C.

    With many newfangled smelling furniture's and innovative designs the Honolulu Design Center displays throughout its brick and mortar, I'm not afraid to admit I can't afford to buy any of it. I've come to a conclusion that I will gladly not only peruse and view them from a far distance but to keep walking until I either reach Amuse Wine Bar or Stage Restaurant. Perhaps I'll just stay on the first floor where Stage Café is located. Stage Café is conveniently located on the first floor. Accessible entrances are from the centers parking garage and Pensacola St. If you don't frequent the building it's safe to say that parking is free for the first 3 hours with validation. Parking entrance is through Piikoi St (bring your parking tickets for validation with Stage Café, Stage Restaurant, Honolulu Design Center, Amuse Wine Bar, INspiration, Cupola). The locale is quaint, and surrounded by breathtaking furnishings and numerous places to sit. At most, high tops populate the café with a couple of lower tables for 4. A pitcher of water is open for the taking with eco friendly cups and napkins near the entrance. A separate blackboard displays options for alternative drinks and food specials. I enjoyed the Italian soda with my choice of mango syrup and cream in the mixture; however, there are 18 flavors to choose from. Although it seems the board is still currently offering their holiday specials, I stuck with a more simplified option. The menu derives from Stage Restaurants "back stage" "signatures. Upon approaching the counter, Bailey was kind enough to be patient with me since I was indecisive at the time. I glanced at their three screens which displayed their usual's from an uncomplicated selection of Panini sandwiches ranging from $6.50-$8.50 (tuna melt, BLT, Grilled cheese etc.). I loved the BLT Panini since this is made fresh and was easy to eat. The bacon is cooked to full crisp, veggies are garden-fresh and the Panini was delightful. I've still yet to try their soup of the day for $5, side dishes including Smoked Ahi Dip and Blue Cheese Potato Salad. Fresh squeezed juices are a set price of $3-$5 (Up Beet is made with beet, apple, grape and ginger/Ginger Lemonade/Limeade/Orange Juice). Grab and go salads are from $5-7 (Caesar/chicken Caesar/quinoa salad/island green). The café offers a mixture of hot and cold frappes, latte and tea in three sizes (12oz/16oz/20oz). A separate refrigerator has a plethora of well-arranged pastries, cookies, quiche and chips and more choices of The Republic Tea. My take from the first visit is excellent service, clean and affordable (on the food). I love that I don't have to hunt for parking during lunchtime and is validated. Bathrooms are easily accessible for everyone. The food is a tasty and affordable alternative for Stage price. I only wish they would open earlier than 9am, however, I will return again. Social Media: Twitter: stagecafehi IG: stage_cafe_honolulu

    The order area/ menus/ display case
    D M.

    Well I didn't find out until after I paid for everything that they have a military discount of 20% off, so tip to everyone who is military or the fam, always ask. Thanks for being Military friendly though, Stage! I really appreciate it! It's weird because it's part of a furniture store, but the cafe is chill and has wifi so plus. I love modern furniture and like to walk around and ogle everything at INspiration on my way to Amuse wine bar, but I'd never stopped here at the cafe on the first floor of the store until today... Had to kill some time before my dance lesson across the street at Arthur Murray Anyway I had a hard boiled egg, a bunny burst juice and a shot of expresso. The juice was delicious! I highly recommend! However it was way tiny for 4 something. It's hand pressed so I'll deal. The expresso was also good. They say on the chalk board they brew Illy coffee but I've never heard of it. The lady working was pretty nice and tried her best to be fast about things which I appreciated. Overall, if I have to kill time in the area during the day, I'll come back. But if it's after five I'll just go to Amuse

    The atmosphere was exotic and mysterious. The food was average and pricy. Still a fun time.

    See all

    2 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 1
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Feb W.
    188
    642
    9193

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 0
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kelli S.
    1944
    1210
    15751

    11 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 9
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Chad Y.
    1186
    1323
    578

    15 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lien V.
    210
    226
    5393

    12 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Chloe M.
    56
    110
    219

    14 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Shay F.
    488
    1692
    3497

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 0
    Love this 10
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of D M.
    1
    32
    67

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jenna M.
    370
    31
    57

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ken T.
    478
    29
    54

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kobe O.
    264
    207
    104

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Reiko S.
    170
    309
    318

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of K G.
    229
    98
    719

    12 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Guava G.
    264
    44
    77

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Judith H.
    78
    138
    3

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Biny C.
    134
    34
    30

    11 years ago

    Very nice little cafe that serves basically everything a big cafe serves! Perfect for a simple brunch or snack anytime of the day~

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Martha S.
    27
    10
    11

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Danne T.
    54
    37
    78

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Stage Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Stage Cafe

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Coffee & Tea 15,107 times last month within 5 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Banh Mi Street Cafe

    Banh Mi Street Cafe

    4.3(51 reviews)
    2.0 miWaikiki
    $$

    Sorry, but gotta keep it real-- this place was a foul ball. Mrs. Picante and I wanted our cake and…read moreeat it too: we wanted pho, but didn't want to walk too far from the hotel. This place was just two blocks away, so we braved the November misty rain and consistent wind through the buildings to make it over here. To be fair, this seemed more like a Vietnamese coffee joint and a Banh Mi place... so maybe coming here for pho wasn't our best idea. They had two kinds available that night-- beef and chicken. Since chicken pho is not something I'm willing to try, we both ordered up the dac biet. The broth was bland with a thin and unpleasant veil of grease along the top that congealed quickly on the rim of the bowl. It wasn't hot enough, or maybe the pre-cooked and chilled noodle block they poured it over cooled it off. Meat was chewy and low quality. The sprouts and basil were soggy and wilted. Honestly, it was a get up and leave kind of thing. The whole place was just dingy and didn't feel great. I've eaten at some very modest places in my native San Gabriel Valley in Southern California, so it's not a snobbery thing. It's a "someone get a Swiffer wet jet and some paper towels and give this whole place a once-over. Speaking of once, that's the sum total of times we'll ever eat here. Too bad... because it was really close to our hotel :)

    Don't understand the high rating, that pork Ban Mi was atrocious!! The ladies be in there…read moremicrowaving up a storm; and you can tell by the way the food tastes.. The pork in it was mostly mushy in texture and off putting. Nothing was really fresh tasting and The price definitely didn't line up. Place was ambiance free- felt like I was eating in someone's messy kitchen! I tossed my sandwich but my daughter ate her half and her stomach paid the price later! Easily my least favorite food experience while vacationing in Hawaii!

    Photos
    Banh Mi Street Cafe
    Banh Mi Street Cafe
    Banh Mi Street Cafe

    See all

    Sprout Sandwich Shop

    Sprout Sandwich Shop

    4.5(619 reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $$

    Located in Kaimuki near the Crackseed store and Banan, Sprout is a small sandwich shop. There is…read moreparking in the lot near the shop, or street parking. Mostly we go as a takeout spot, although there was a bench outside. Their sandwich menu has variety but is not overwhelming. The people working have also been quite nice! We decided to get the No Comply toasted. While it is a pricier sandwich, as it was about $14, the sandwich came packed with chicken, lettuce, and more. It served as a meal and a half! It was also super tasty with the roasted garlic mayo and pesto. Definitely a go-to sandwich order that I am looking forward to getting again!

    I had heard about this place but had never tried it before. I love a good sandwich, so I was…read moreexcited to give it a shot. Ordering ahead was easy and convenient, which I appreciated, and pickup was smooth. When I picked up my sandwich, my first thought was, "Wow, this is a heavy sandwich for a turkey-bacon with added avocado, no onions, and no tomato." At the time I assumed the weight meant a generous portion of turkey and bacon. Unfortunately, when I got back to work and opened it, I quickly realized that wasn't the case--it was the lettuce. There was an overwhelming amount of lettuce packed into the sandwich, to the point where it felt completely out of balance. Instead of being turkey-forward, it felt more like a lettuce sandwich with a few toppings added in. The turkey and bacon portions themselves were surprisingly small and unevenly distributed--one half had about two slices of turkey while the other had closer to a slice and a half. Most of the bacon was also concentrated on one half, so I ended up redistributing it just to make the sandwich feel a bit more balanced. The bread didn't help either. I think I shouldn't have gotten it toasted--it just didn't do it for me. It felt a little off with the filling and didn't add anything to the overall experience. I ordered The Duke, but what I didn't realize was that I was essentially getting a salad sandwich (see pic). I like lettuce on a sandwich, but this was next level--the amount completely overwhelmed everything else inside. The cost was another consideration--my total came to $19.37, including a $3.50 charge for avocado. For the portion size and balance of ingredients, I expected a bit more bang for my buck. If I give this place a second chance, I'll definitely need to say 'lite lettuce'--or maybe just 'no lettuce, please'--unless I want another salad disguised as a sandwich!

    Photos
    Sprout Sandwich Shop - Inside

    Inside

    Sprout Sandwich Shop - Sproutwich

    Sproutwich

    Sprout Sandwich Shop - FONZ: Fresh prosciutto, Pastrami, salami, house olive tapenade, Maui butter lettuce, pickled red onion, and house mayo... yum!!!

    See all

    FONZ: Fresh prosciutto, Pastrami, salami, house olive tapenade, Maui butter lettuce, pickled red onion, and house mayo... yum!!!

    Hawaiian Aroma Caffe - Daily breakfast special with coffee

    Hawaiian Aroma Caffe

    4.6(76 reviews)
    2.2 miWaikiki
    $$
    Happy hour specials
    Full bar

    My wife and I stopped by Hawaiian Aroma Caffè after Easter Sunday service at a nearby church,…read moreexcited to try it together. I had visited their sister location the night before in Waikīkī and had such a great experience that I told my wife, "If this place is anything like last night, we're in for something good." She agreed--and we decided to give it a shot. Right when we walked in, we were greeted by Colby, a tall, friendly guy with a great attitude. I mentioned my experience from the night before, and he immediately said he wanted to live up to that standard. That kind of response set a really positive tone. We ordered two Aroma Specials: Dolce & Banana (me) Nutella Latte (my wife) For food, we went with: P.B. Delight açaí bowl Turkey pesto panini Bacon & egg bagel Total came out to about $62, which we expected given the location near the beach. We grabbed a seat inside by the window (outside seating was full--no surprise on such a beautiful morning). Our drinks came out quickly--but unfortunately, this is where things started a little rough. We both noticed right away that something was off. My wife's Nutella latte didn't have that rich hazelnut flavor you'd expect, and my Dolce & Banana was missing the banana entirely. Honestly, they tasted almost identical. When I politely mentioned it to a staff member who brought out our food, the response felt dismissive and didn't really address the concern--which was disappointing and definitely not the experience we were hoping for. At that point, we decided to just enjoy the food and move forward--and I'm glad we did, because the food was fantastic. The turkey pesto panini was loaded with flavor, perfectly crispy on the outside, and packed with melty cheese. The bacon & egg bagel was hearty, well-balanced, and super satisfying. The P.B. Delight açaí bowl was the surprise standout--perfectly blended, fresh, and the peanut butter added an awesome richness that made it feel like a treat. Everything on the food side absolutely delivered. A few minutes later, Colby came by to check on us--and this is where the entire experience turned around. I let him know honestly: "The food is amazing, but the coffee missed the mark." Without hesitation, without attitude, and without making excuses, he said, "Hang on, let me fix that." I even told him not to worry about it--we were enjoying ourselves regardless--but he insisted. "Rick, I got you," he said. Within minutes, he came back with two freshly made drinks and a sincere apology. We took a sip and immediately--night and day difference. The Nutella latte had that rich, distinct hazelnut flavor. The Dolce & Banana finally had that smooth, balanced banana note Exactly what we were hoping for the first time. Colby is the MVP Colby completely turned this experience around. His attitude never changed--he was smiling, positive, kind, and genuinely cared about making things right. No defensiveness, no excuses--just great customer service and follow-through. That kind of service is rare, and it matters. It's evident that not all the workers have that same dedication to customer service but Colby does! What could have been a disappointing visit ended up being a great one because of him. Hawaiian Aroma Caffè--take care of this young man! He represents your business incredibly well. He needs to be leading your team on what customer service looks like and they need to follow his lead. From naming customers by their first name, to holding that perfect smile the entire time, to checking in with guests after receiving their meals and really caring about their experience. Colby naturally has it and should be showing every one how to do it as well! The Future Looks Bright for Colby and if you don't take of him, someone smart will! Final Thoughts Great food, great location, and a really cool atmosphere--but what stood out most was the service recovery. Mistakes happen anywhere. What matters is how they're handled--and Colby handled it perfectly. Because of him, we'll absolutely be back. Thank you again, Colby--keep doing your thing. You made our day. - Dr. Rick

    Skip Sunrise Shack and get your acai bowls here!…read more Hawaiian Aroma Caffe was super chill, delicious, and had great menu options for families and big groups. Thoroughly enjoyed my acai bowl. I loved the granola, banana, strawberry, blueberry in my cup. The person at the counter was friendly. We found a table without any trouble. Highly recommended.

    Photos
    Hawaiian Aroma Caffe - Acai tropics bowl

    Acai tropics bowl

    Hawaiian Aroma Caffe - Full bar

    Full bar

    Hawaiian Aroma Caffe - Traditional waffles with side of scrambled eggs and bacons.

    See all

    Traditional waffles with side of scrambled eggs and bacons.

    Kono's Northshore - Waikiki

    Kono's Northshore - Waikiki

    4.3(971 reviews)
    1.7 miWaikiki
    $$
    22 years in business
    Locally owned & operated

    Super unassuming spot. I've driven by it several times before finally deciding to try it after…read morereading a few things online, and I'm glad I did. Plenty of outdoor seating and a solid variety of food options, but I went with the Haleiwa Bomber breakfast burrito. Honestly, one of the best breakfast burritos I've ever had. No exaggeration. And the kalua pork inside it might be the best I've had - crispy but tender, flavorful, and so addictive. Everything about it just hits that ideal balance of simple, filling, and really well-executed. Service was easygoing, the vibe is relaxed, and it feels like a true local breakfast spot.

    We were looking for a place to grab dinner in the go, and decided we wanted to stick to Hawaiian…read morefood since we were in Hawaii. This place looked kind of cool, and we liked that kalua pork was in the menu. There is no dining room--rather there is a collection of wooden tables under string lights. Being near the International Marketplace, there was quite a bit of bustle (even on a Tuesday night) and it was nice to sit and watch the people go by. We both ordered the pork plate. It came with rice and a salad. Unfortunately, I didn't love it. Kalua pork is usually juicy and succulent. This was dry shredded pork. The sauce was quite good though. I didn't care for the salad dressing, but hubby did. We also ordered a iced Hawaiian coffee, and that was quite good All in all, this place got us fed, but I probably would not go back. Hubby said we might, though.

    Photos
    Kono's Northshore - Waikiki - Dole whip for breakfast

    Dole whip for breakfast

    Kono's Northshore - Waikiki
    Kono's Northshore - Waikiki - Pig on grass  IG: @fooddeclassified

    See all

    Pig on grass IG: @fooddeclassified

    Timmy T's Gourmet Grinders - #16 absolutely pathetic amount of meat. Paid $14 for this piece of garbage. They should be ashamed of themselves

    Timmy T's Gourmet Grinders

    3.9(82 reviews)
    2.2 mi

    Great local vibes here! Big Kahuna Grinder ROCKS da Mouth with a Man-which that satisfies!…read moreEspecially when you "Jack it up" with all the extras that complete da meat in between the soft chewy fresh baked bread that completes this super sandwich! The team behind da counter works in sync to create each Grinder to order! Great Five Star Grinds! Timmy T's The Terrific Taste!

    Timmy T's is the WORST sandwich shop EVER. Honestly, they're getting one star only because I can't…read moregive them a zero. Ordered a turkey sandwich, which comes with sprouts, lettuce, tomato and mayo and asked for the sprouts and tomato on the side, and was told that they're not allowed to do that. First he gave me the excuse that they don't have portion cups so I asked for them to just wrap it in paper and he refused because that's one of their founding rules. He literally told me "you can either have it in the sandwich or not at all" even though I'm paying for the ingredients. He then added on that if I wanted to pay extra for the premium add-ons ($2 for a slice of cheese), I could get THOSE on the side. To make the sandwich worth even LESS than the $10 for turkey and lettuce, I watched as he cut the bread in half and DUG OUT the insides of the bread and threw it away before putting the turkey and lettuce into what was left of a very skinny baguette shell. So much for trying to support a new business to the area. Never again!

    Photos
    Timmy T's Gourmet Grinders - Inside

    Inside

    Timmy T's Gourmet Grinders - Club Kailua with Bacon

    Club Kailua with Bacon

    Timmy T's Gourmet Grinders - Storefront

    See all

    Storefront

    Stage Cafe - coffee - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...