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    Waipahu Cafe

    4.1 (331 reviews)
    ModerateDiners
    Closed 6:00 am - 1:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Waipahu Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    WAIPAHU CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Waipahu Cafe

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    Outside
    S M.

    Today I got to try the Loco Moco Deluxe and it was the best I have ever tasted. Moreover, the service is very friendly and helpful.

    Kevin W.

    Oh heard about Waipahu Cafe from my fellow Yelper's. Had a chance to visit them this morning. Love this place, it's so hard to find local neighborhood restaurants like this one. Locally owned and operated, staff and owner are amazing people. Very friendly and accommodating. Their food is outstanding. Prepared when you order on a griddle the same way it's been done since the 60's. We ordered the Famous Fried Rice Omelette with a side of Bacon and the Breakfast Special which come with 2 large pancakes, 2 eggs, and the meat of your choice. No reservations, take out available. Get there early they're open from 6am - 1pm. Closed on Tuesdays

    Kimberly B.

    Nice hole in the wall small restaurant! Inside is very small luckily we got the last booth to sit in. Worker is very nice, she calls everyone "baby". Seems like a lot of the people that dine in are regulars and like to talk story with her which is nice. Good to have friendly workers, makes me want to come back! Ordered the famous omelette and kimchi omelette. Portions are pretty big, lots of rice. More rice than spam in the famous omelette though. Kimchi omelette is very good! One of the best kimchi fried rice/omelette i've tasted. Not too spicy either.

    Kim chee omelette with the extras
    Janice L.

    Since the original owner retired, we haven't been coming often. None can ever replicate her love of cooking for her customers. However, her one devoted line cook is still there and she is awesome. We always look forward to seeing Manang. The place hasn't really changed but the atmosphere with the new owners can be a bit over whelming, the lady is a bit too forward calling customers "honey" lol. They kept the same eats from the original menu.

    Outside
    Derek Y.

    First time here, heard about it on Yelp and some of my friends. They're only open from 6:00am to 1:00pm. You can have breakfast or lunch. LeAnn the owner has excellent customer service, talking to all the customers. The food is good too...If you're in the Waipahu area, give this place a try. Aloha, Derek

    Storefront
    Nadine C.

    Takeout Breakfast from Waipahu, O'ahu, Hawaii... I needed some fuel to pep myself up. I searched my Yelp app and found Waipahu Cafe. It's the end unit of the strip mall part of Waipahu Shopping Plaza. Korea Foody is to the left of Waipahu Cafe. There's lots of free shared parking. Inside, the cozy, old-school diner has about four counter seats and four booths. Service is efficient and frank. Example: I was asked what kind of rice I wanted. I answered, "Brown." The woman said that brown rice wasn't available. I asked what kind they had. I didn't understand her reply, but I answered, "White rice". Maybe she offered fried rice and was trying to upsell? I'm not sure. I waited a bit and glanced at the open kitchen. There was a guy and a gal working the grill - great teamwork! I had ordered the Salmon plate. It was alright. I've had better, but I appreciated the presentation - the Salmon was topped with Sautéed onions and some chopped green onion. There was a half wedge of lemon in a small container. The rice was okay, and the macaroni salad had tiny bits of chopped onion and carrot. It was on the liquidy side. This wasn't "cheap eats", but it was convenient and satisfying. I'd try some other menu items next time... like Fried Rice Omelet or Miso Butterfish.

    Corn Beef Omlette
    Kylie T.

    Ok, ok, ok. To be truthful I've been coming here for years and stopped the last year or so cause I just never had the time and was never in the area. But you know when you get the urge after reminiscing about something to just... *do something*? That was me this weekend and exactly why I found myself at Waipahu Cafe not only on Saturday but also Sunday morning before heading to church. You can't ever go wrong with a hole-in-the-wall family owned and operated place selling breakfast AND lunch. Lunch for breakfast? Sign. Me. Up. With generous portions and fair prices this place is a go to. I never spend more than $40-50 for two people including special requests like adding on fried rice or sides of hash browns and breakfast meats. Everything is well seasoned, delicious, and well cooked. One of my favorite chicken katsu on island. Juicy, perfectly breaded, and crunchy! The meat Jun is also good (chicken Jun is equality good per Mom). And my fiance says that their over easy/over medium eggs are cooked to perfection - "no where ever gets it right like this!" Consider placing an order by phone and picking up your order to-go. There's limited seating but that adds to the quality of the food in my opinion as the cooks focus on only a few dishes at once.

    Menu as of June 2025
    Teri C.

    Filled our breakfast cravings here. Old skool neighborhood diner... cozy, taped-up booth seats and friendly staff. On the menu, you'll find your standard local breakfasts and korean/local plate lunch options (available all day)... and reasonably priced compared to other breakfast spots. They're known for their Fried Rice Omelet - and you can add-on a meat. We had the Breakfast Special and French Toast. Wow - portions are great... left stuffed. Next time I'm craving some Korean food for breakfast, I'm definitely coming here. They open at 6am.

    What we shared.
    Jo M.

    Got together with friends for brunch and we headed to Waipahu Cafe located near Saver's in Waipahu. Lots of parking at about 8:30am on a Friday. It's a small unassuming restaurant/diner with solid Korean food. They offer hefty plates of their dishes. The four of us shared four dishes: fried rice omelet (that was an entire plate on its own - gigantic), spicy BBQ pork, meat Jun, and three banana pancakes. Everything was yummy; one of my friends did the shoulder shake that comes with eating a satisfying bite. The pancake was fluffy and old-school in flavor. Ono everything. The fried rice omelet was served with kimchee. Solid. Got lots of refills for our coffees and water. They let us stay and talk story. $21 for my share. Good, huh? Looking forward to bringing my family here.

    Old school decor
    Rayne U.

    Simple cafe with a warm ambience. 6-7 booths & 5-6 bar stools for the counter. Seat yourself. Greeted quickly with water & coffee. Super friendly & happy staff. The Kim Chee ham omelet was delicious!! Juicy without being runny. Full of flavor! Denver omelet was full too!

    Pancake

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    4 months ago

    We love coming to support this restaurant in our home town of Waipahu. The fried rice omelette is our go to all the time!

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    7 months ago

    Nanas making breakfast, super good, can share one fried rice shrimp omelette. I come here with my family.

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    Page 1 of 9

    Ask the Community - Waipahu Cafe

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    Rocky's Coffee Shop

    Rocky's Coffee Shop

    4.1
    (419 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    Rocky's Coffee Shop is kinda like the "Cheers" of coffee shops…read more As I sat at the counter gazing at the specials menu on the wall a nice gentleman next to me says hi. We talk story, woman comes and gives me a menu, asks if I want coffee. I get the coffee and place my order. Smokemeat fried rice omelette and short stack banana pancakes. Everyone on the counter, except me, is addressed by their name (towards each other as well). One guy gets a honi as he leaves. Others are greeted by name as they enter. Brah! Das neighborhood coffee shop. I also know now why the banana pancakes are so darn good. I watched her place chunks of both mashed and whole pieces of bananas all over the batter as it cooked on the grill. Filled the whole circle.

    On my last visit over 15 years ago I was left very underwhelmed and slightly irritated with the…read morelack of Service. Fast Forward to this past weekend, the Husband and I wanted a simple breakfast after the gym and Rocky's had popped into my head. Definitely a staple in the Waipahu community, this cozy coffee shop sits on Waipahu Depot Street right outside of the Waipahu Festival Market. The area can get ridiculously busy so if you can, park on the street instead of in the Lot. You will have a hard time getting in and out once the surrounding Businesses open. I'm assuming where you're sitting will determine the type of Service you get. We sat at the Counter, and while we were very entertained with watching them cook orders, we were a bit neglected by the Staff, while the parties at the regular tables were presented with friendlier and more patient Servers. We waited over 15mins to get our order taken and since I guess they thought we were regulars they kept rushing to take our orders while we weren't given Menu's. We pulled the Menu up on Yelp lol. Food was standard. I really loved the fried rice! but the Hash was passable, it was too mushy for my liking. Also, our order of pancakes came 20mins after we finished eating, I wish i were kidding, We kept trying to flag down Aunty to cancel but she was very frazzled cooking, taking orders, and filling orders so we just waited. At the end we spent $60 including tip and left with a Hoo-Hum experience. Although I know for certain I just don't have the greatest of luck with this place, I am so happy they are still around and very much thriving! Places like this, that make Hawai'i so great are slowly shutting their doors so I do have a very great appreciation for their hard work and resilience through the many years.

    Photos
    Rocky's Coffee Shop
    Hamburger Steak plate with green salad and French dressing... yummy!
    Hamburger Steak plate with green salad and French dressing... yummy!
    Kim chi omlette fried rice.

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    Kim chi omlette fried rice.
    Big City Diner - Waipio Gentry

    Big City Diner - Waipio Gentry

    3.5
    (601 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    Stopped in for lunch after being away for a long while, and Big City Diner Waipio reminded me…read moreexactly why it's such a dependable local go‑to. The place still moves at Jurassic‑fast speed--tables turning over nonstop, servers gliding through the chaos with calm efficiency, and service that stays consistently friendly no matter how busy the room gets. The kitchen was absolutely swamped, but Aunty Ida and the crew didn't miss a beat. No go‑backs, no complaints--just plate after plate coming out hot and on point. * Fish and Chips: The breading was different in the best way--chewy, crisp, and clinging to juicy, perfectly cooked fish. Every bite was a little "mmm" moment. * Pork Chops: Tender, soft, and smothered in a gravy so good you could honestly drink it. Rich, savory, and balanced--comfort food done right. And to finish it all off, a scoop of Dave's ice cream sealed the deal. Cold, creamy, and the perfect sweet ending to a great lunch. Big City Diner Waipio still has that fast‑paced charm, that reliable service, and those flavors that make you want to come back sooner rather than later. Marie

    Always great for breakfast. Quality food that is served quickly. Service is excellent, our table…read morewas always being checked on. The restaurant was not crowded when my family arrived. We got a table right away. The restaurant did fill up once the church service ended. The restaurant does appear a little older, they've been there a long time. Bathroom was clean.

    Photos
    Sat in the first booth on right upon entry  4.12.24
    Sat in the first booth on right upon entry 4.12.24
    Side French toast
    Side French toast
    Big City Diner - Waipio Gentry

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    Aina Grill

    Aina Grill

    4.0
    (195 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    It's a quaint, friendly establishment! The second you walk in it is just an amazing smell of food…read moreoverwhelming you in the best ways possible! I bought the Swiss burger with Mac salad and coleslaw and devoured it less than five minutes after leaving. I will most definitely be back and be bragging about how great of a place it is to others.

    My mom saw this place on TV this morning and she had high hopes for the food but sadly we were…read moredisappointed. We can deal with it being kinda in the ghetto of Waipahu but it was the very unhappy (clearly annoyed) counterperson who was taking our order - who SNAPPED AT MY MOM because she was confused with what comes with their plate lunch AND then the cook (assumedly - a different person than who took our order) annoyingly brought our items out to the table. She ordered the chop steak - I thought tasted ok, but it was seasoned heavier than my mom would like. Portion was right for the price. I got their signature Loco Moco burrito - SAD. It was $20, majority rice and mac salad, no meat. I needed a knife to cut the burrito in half, there was no counterperson or anyone available to ask for a knife, so I kind of looked around their register area and found a random one on the side, cut the burrito in half, DEFINITELY NOT how they showed it on TV, if the counterperson came back, I probably would have asked for them to swap it out. We were sitting for about 25 mins - nobody came back to the counter? If it wasn't for the counterpersons unfriendly attitude I was planning to buy their signature dessert to go, but I was turned off by the whole experience AND he didn't come back out anyways until literally I was throwing our containers away. He didn't greet us. Thank us. Ask how everything was. Or say anything when we were leaving. We saw the owners on TV and are happy and glad to support a local business BUT NOT when your employees are rude and unfriendly. $45 - 1 mini plate + 1 signature item and 2 cans of soda, I would SKIP this place

    Photos
    Double Cheeseburger
    Double Cheeseburger
    Introducing our Mochiko Chicken crispy flavorful crust coated in your choice of signature sauce.
    Introducing our Mochiko Chicken crispy flavorful crust coated in your choice of signature sauce.
    Ahi Katsu

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    Ahi Katsu
    Kuni Restaurant

    Kuni Restaurant

    4.2
    (573 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Certified professionals

    Totally LOVED THIS PLACE! If I ever want to eat Japanese style or Korean Style (which is mostly all…read morethe time) imma come here FOR SURE! They served delicious food and the birthday meal was worth it! You can choose from the TEISHOKU section of a 1, 2 or 3 choice and receive a birthday discount! That's their free meal. BUT... it's MUST BE ON THE DAY OF YOUR BIRTHDAY! They will ask for ID so be sure to come here for that $24 discount on your meal. And BRING SOMEONE to eat with because it has to have purchase to receive the discount! It's a great COUPLES outing or date night! They close @ 9pm but open at 11am so you have some time to make it. They do reservations ONLINE ONLY and hold the spot for you with a credit card. You can have more than 6+ but it will cost you to hold and DONT cancel because you may get charged for cancellation fee. But as I said... THEY ARE SO WORTH COMING HERE! The workers were so friendly and nice and kind! James and Keala both were considerate and our food came pretty quick too! OH! And their MOCHI ICE CREAM is ONO! Tastes like the mold school FOREMOST NEAPOLITAN ICE CREAM. The half gallon that came in the 1980's green box. Remember those??! So yeah... they are a BIT PRICEY for the meals but very worth it! Especially if you love watching those Korean dramas and get hungry for food during their meal scenes. Now I'll be thinking of KUNI's. lol Ok thanks for reading and ENJOY! James. Keala. Kaya

    Kuni Restaurant used to be very good when Mr. Sato was the manager, but he might have retired…read more The service has declined. One of the new employees is very rude. We'll find somewhere else to go.

    Photos
    Kuni Restaurant
    Kuni Restaurant
    Kuni Restaurant

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    Thelma's Restaurant

    Thelma's Restaurant

    3.7
    (659 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Thelma's Filipino Restaurant -- Pure, Real, Home‑Cooked Vibes…read moreAs authentic as it gets -- fresh Filipino cooking straight from Nana and all the indai working hard in the kitchen. They never miss. Every plate tastes like it came from someone's home. Big thanks to Omi and Ang for the good company. We smashed all the favorites: Pancit noodles, Pork Guisantes, Sari Sari soup for cold days and the legendary Thelma Special -- the true star of the night (iykyk). Flavor, comfort, and heart in every bite. Always a solid choice when you want real Filipino food done right. Marie

    Picked up lunch for my Co workers on a Friday around 11:30. It wasn't busy & had others picking up…read moreorders. They have disclaimers posted about consuming raw food, refund policy, and take out being your responsibility after it leaves the restaurant (must've explained that too many times - but hey they covered themselves)! Also a notice of 3% surcharge if paying with a credit card. Payment was easy (used debit) & staff was friendly. It looks like a comfy place to relax & get down on Filipino grindz. We got pork adobo (tender & flavorful), pancit mix (too lemony & lil mushy that day), Thelma's special (too salty, they wished I got regular lechon), Shanghai lumpia (ok) & adobo fried rice (good but small portion). The prices are reasonable but not as big portions as I thought would be.

    Photos
    Counter seating
    Counter seating
    Three choice mix, best deal on town for under 14 bucks!
    Three choice mix, best deal on town for under 14 bucks!
    Menu | December 2025

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    Menu | December 2025

    Waipahu Cafe - diners - Updated July 2026

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