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Zippy's Kahala

3.1 (613 reviews)
Open • 6:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)
Updated 3 months ago

Zippy's Kahala Photos

Business Info

ZIPPY'S KAHALA ATMOSPHERE

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

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Recommended Reviews - Zippy's Kahala

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Reviews With Photos

Rachel B.

So many options. Too many options. We liked almost everything we got. Nothing was necessarily mind blowing, but it was all solid and satisfying. The chili was better than your average chili. The sushi was not good (would definitely pass next time). This is a very classic Hawaiian diner experience with a huge menu, lots of comfort food options, and some fun dessert choices too. The Kahala location has lots of seating, which was a nice change from some of the smaller and more crowded places we visited around Oahu. It felt like a good place to come when you want something casual, filling, and don't want to fight for a table.

Remodel July 2026- Kahala Sushi seating
Ric C.

Zippys Kahala reopened to the public after an extensive 4 month remodeling and repair on July 7, 2026. The main dining room seems more spacious and the lighting is brighter. General layout is about the same just new and nicer touches. The takeout lockers which are already being used by other locations are a welcome addition. The food is what you would expect and to their credit, they are experimenting with their offerings. Because this is their first week, there's bound to be some hiccups. When by to pick up some take out kau kau- everything ok except the turkey noodle soup (which we like) had only a small string sliver of turkey in it. End of the day portion? Not sure what would be a good way of checking but beware when ordering that soup. Parking after 5:30 can be problematic. You might have to play a little bit of musical chairs if you go prime time, especially these early first month or so. All the Kahala Zippys regulars are happy they are back and open. Welcome back to the 'hood Kahala Zippys.

Blue color theme on back wall
JoAnn O.

Zippy's Kahala finally re-opened!   It felt like forever but they said it was only closed for 4 months.  That tells you how much we missed going to Zippys Kahala!    We went yesterday to check it out - about 2 weeks after it reopened.   For me, the first things I noticed was the new color theme.  It went from darker colors to a nice beige and light blue color theme with new beige seats and the light blue picture wall in the back.  The new color theme made it feel more open and inviting.   I liked it!   They also put table seating in the previously open area in the center.    More tables, more customers! We were seated immediately and lucky enough to get Eunmi as our server.  She's one of the servers that remembers you when you come in.  The three of us sat down and the first thing she did after getting us menus was bring us all hot green tea that my mom always requests.   I was impressed she did that without even being asked.   That's service -- she remembered!!   Something that I did notice was Eunmi and the other servers were running around like crazy.  They had to seat, take order, serve, bus tables, do refills, cash you out..... while customers keep coming in one after the other.   They definitely don't have enough staff.   I felt very sorry for the servers.  As I mentioned, they were literally running back and forth between the tables and the kitchen area. Between the three of us, we ordered 1 tempura udon and 2 chef's specials.  The chef's special came with udon, tempura, and nigiri sushi.    The udon was served hot (which I love) and the noodles were al dente!   The only thing I didn't care for was the dashi had a slightly sweet taste.  I remember it being the usual udon (katsu boshi dashi) but this time it was a little different.   The tempura was good -- nice and crunchy!   It came with 2 shrimp, kabocha, and a carrot.   I think the only thing that was missing was the daikon to put in the tempura sauce.  They also don't have togarashi for the kick I always enjoy.   The nigiri had ebi, tamago, salmon with onion, and maguro.    They enjoyed it and said it was good. Now for something that made me go  "HUUUMMMM??"    I noticed they automatically added a 2% kitchen charge to the bill (see picture).    On the receipt it states "Kitchen Charge helps recruit and retain our highly trained back-of-house staff and support a sustainable compensation policy."   Instead of adding the 2% kitchen charge, why don't they pay their staff a rate that will allow them to retain and recruit good staff.  Why embed these extra charges into the customer's bill. Maybe we'll try the new locker system they installed for take-out.   We tried it at Waimalu Zippys and really love it.

Dan A.

Renovations are finished at Zippy's Kahala. On Waialae Avenue across from Kuono Marketplace. It is a two story building with parking underneath. There is sushi bar and a dining area on the mauka side. Dine-in area is on the makai end. This week also saw the release of digital deals in Zippy's proprietary app. I got the Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, which I customized and subbed with no-bean chili. For $12, it was a solid bargain. Open from 600a till midnight.

Outside
Klynn D.

Me and my fiancé had the pleasure of vacationing on Oahu last week and we were starving after the flight from Burbank. We hadn't ate all day to save an appetite for some delicious Hawaiian food! We were extremely lucky to find a zippy's close by once we landed we went straight here to divulge in Jason mamoa's go to order, of course it didn't disappoint! We had the best fried chicken ever, some Chili with rice and the Korean style chicken. Ambiance inside is nothing special but good enough for a local family diner ,Would definitely recommend and will be back .

September Special was Zippy Chili with Korean Spicy Garlic Chicken.
Carly I.

This place is amazing since the renovation. It's nice and clean. The spacious parking lot is located under the second level structure. Our waitress Sheri was excellent and the entire staff were friendly and efficient. The special of the month was Korean Spicy Garlic chicken and Zippy chili. $11.99 was a deal! Their famous chili is so ONO with two scoops of rice, side of corn, and a tasty serving of chicken. This is our new favorite Zippy location.

Darren Y.

Mom likes this location because it's easy to park and take the elevator up. Tried their Japanese food for the first time. 2 item teishoku w tempura and butterfish. Tempura was good. Butterfish has a thick sweet miso glaze that was a little too much

The front receiving area after the crowds died down somewhat
Patricia S.

After attending an event in Kaimuki three of us decided to check out the newly-renovated Zippy's in Kahala. This was about 6:15pm. When we arrived at the parking lot we were lucky enough to find a space because the lot was packed. Once we got upstairs there were groups of folks waiting for their tables so we signed in on their QR code to get a place in line. While we waited, we noticed the woman who was checking the waitlist was also the one who took the divider between booths and checking on other things. She was hustling and looking exhausted. As she sat some of the parties at their tables we noticed a considerable amount of booths that were empty: some that had been cleared of dirty dishes and some not. There was an absence of bussers so when the servers had a minute between their usual duties, they bussed the tables, sprayed them down and put on their server hats again. In the meantime, groups kept coming in and we finally had to ask when we were to be seated. We were next. One thing I did notice on the positive side is that no one was getting upset having to wait for a table, or seeing so many empty booths. That is ALOHA When we finally sat down (next to a window) we put in our order with a lovely server named Chels. Sweet girl and very accommodating and apologetic because she was relatively new, but very professional considering the situation. We ordered our food. Two of us ordered Japanese, which meant the orders would have to be fulfilled at the Sushi Bar down the hall (different kitchen from the main Zippy's). My Spicy Salmon Bowl was beautifully arranged with very spicy salmon, egg, and ginger, with sushi rice underneath. My friend had a beautiful bento (specific name & description in the photo). Unfortunately, the sauce that went with the Shrimp Tempura was cold & the rice was missing. When the rice did come, it wasn't Japanese (Calrose). It all tasted delicious, however, despite the setbacks. Would we return? Maybe if we give them some time to get the staff they need we might. It's a lovely place but just not well organized at this time.

Keiki Saimin, Regular Teri beef (all Tossed Greens), regular chicken katsu (all brown rice).
Rachel T.

Spotted the BOGO plate app deal and couldn't say no to a free meal! Keiko saimin, regular Teri beef and regular chicken katsu coming to a total of $22 was an absolute steal (especially these days). All the food was hot, fresh and delicious. Service was warm and friendly and loved the refresh of the Kahala store.

Kid's waiting for their food!!!!
Danny B.

No changes in service, came in tonight with my granddaughter's, ate in the dining room, they served all adults first, kids waited 15 mins before their food came out! So sad!!!

Wun Tun Min Mini Korean fried chicken plate
Nick W.

This is my favorite Zippys location. The food is always good. There are so many amazing options. The Korean friend chicken plate with a won ton min is one of my go to orders. Even the pancakes are delicious and fluffy. The staff is so friendly and attentive. I will always come back here.

Today's specials
Maile K.

Zippy's Kahala is great. Loads of parking on two levels. Lower level is covered and there are stairs and an elevator to get customers upstairs. For a holiday, it was very easy to order snd pick up my breakfast order. I was a little worried I wouldn't find parking. Clearly posted signs for paid and unpaid phone order pick ups. Plenty of staff on standing by to assist customers and answer any questions. The bakery case was well stocked with pastries, cakes and pies. Any sweets needed for the Christmas morning breakfast feast ahead. Everything looked delicious. I was so captivated, I completely forgot to order the gin dui. ‍ The fried rice was so soft and very flavorful and the Portuguese sausage was perfectly cooked. Not burnt and not just "kissed" by the pan. The spam was a bit overdone, and a little crisp which is easy to do when cut thinly. I know to customize my breakfast order next time.

Turkey plate
Kanani C.

I saw a post where this lady mentioned her new favorite menu item was the lemon chicken. I love lemon chicken but it's so hard to find good lemon chicken. I used to love L&L but they kept overcooking the chicken. I had high hopes for Zippy's lemon chicken ($15.50) but was so disappointed. The pieces were fatty and not crispy; it's ok if they decided to make their version a non-crispy version, but this one seemed to be their Korean chicken without sauce. The worse part was the lemon sauce--was like a thick lemon gel cake frosting. I tried to eat the chicken nuggets with bbq sauce instead but the texture didnt work. There's just something amiss about it. None of my family members cared for it either, and it's hard for a chinese family to waste food. Also tried the turkey plate ($19.15). Turkey and gravy tasted okay but the stuffing was just mush. Guess nice not having to chew. Was disappointed in how little turkey there was for the price. May look like a lot, but they were small pieces--like the end or scraps. Also ordered the $9.99 spaghetti plate special which seemed to have only about 2/3 the amount than before. I need to try this order again to see if quantity really did decrease permanently. But on the plus side, tried the $15.95 Wrecking Crew pac which was a fun combo of chili, a chicken, Portuguese sausage, and a fish. This would be an awesome permanent addition to the menu. And as always, love the friendly staff.

Tossed salad part of the complete meal

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10 days ago

We had 9 in our party. The male waiter was excellent!! The food is comfort food. Everyone enjoyed the renovations and family feel

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Zippy's Kahala Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Zippy's Kahala

Is the 25.00 coupon for tahr out only Where can I find the coupon?

After putting things for your order. Then you want to redeem it's the orange button. Pick the $25 coupon. Before payment and then checking out. I used mines already. I hope this helps. I did mobile app order, pick up and take home. If eating there… 

May we make reservations for 15 people on Dec. 30, Sat., for 9:30 pm?

As far as I know Zippy's does not take reservations at any of their locations. When I go with a large group I try to go 30 minutes earlier to get a table or be put on the waitlist. Zippy's also will not seat you until your group is there.

Does the sushi bat take reservations?

Hi Reiko, Happy Holidays! Thank you for your question. We do not take reservations at this time.

Do you still sell your gift card with bonus coupon?

Aloha Wes! During the holidays we do have out Gift Card Promo giveaway to December 31st, 2017. Spend $50 on Zippy's Gift Cards and receive a free $5 promotional coupon. Mahalo.

View All 6 Questions

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