While we were waiting for our taro chips to be cut and fried at Hawaiian Chip Company, I caught sight of this takeout joint, Ōlena by Chef Ron Simon. I remembered their operation and great tastes from the dining room at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) when my husband and I would meet for lunch since his former workplace was nearby. Chef Simon's "new digs" are painted bright orange which is the color of ōlena or turmeric. Did you know that turmeric is known to be one of the hardest-working spices in the World? Well, just as turmeric is known for its multiple health benefits, Chef Simon is a multi-talented chef with an impressive culinary background. There is a small parking lot fronting this takeout and catering business but it's often packed with cars and people waiting for their orders. Yes, they're THAT popular and even more so during COVID-19 because our local restaurants are only allowed to provide takeout service or at least until the rules change again. But, if the lot is full, you may still luck out and get street parking or you may park temporarily at the Hawaiian Chip Company while picking up your order. Walking up to the storefront, we saw the cashier who had on her PPE standing behind a Plexiglas barrier. She greeted us with a comfortable familiarity as we perused their menu board, the cashier told us about their Thursday Prime Rib Special which is shareable for only $22.95, and their fresh-made Filipino lemonade (100% calamansi juice & purée + caramelized pineapple). She expanded her menu descriptions to include their vacuum-sealed meals which save you time from food preparation and cooking since you will just need to heat and eat. A couple of items that she showed to us were the local staple chicken long rice and kiawe smoked ribs. Meanwhile, my eyes were distracted to the ube bread pudding with salted caramel. Oooh, everything looked delicious and the cashier's menu descriptions made us hunger more just as our indecisiveness started to peak. I nudged my husband to hurry on making a decision for his lunch plate as a line of people started to form behind us. He decided upon the Fish & Chips and I ordered the Fresh Ahi Roll. After placing our orders, we stood to the side while waiting for our food which was prepared to order. My husband returned to pick up our taro chip order from Hawaiian Chip Company and packed our purchases in our car. Meanwhile, the cashier brought out our food order that had just come out from 'Ōlena's kitchen. Knowing that it would take us at least 15 minutes to return home, I opened the lunchbox containers to vent the food so our fries wouldn't get soggy from the steam. -Fish & Chips: inside the box were 4 fingers of crisp beer-battered local fish, a copious amount of crisp shoestring fries with a lemon wedge, a small container of malt vinegar, and ketchup. The fish was moist and flavorful which contrasted with its crispy crust. My husband devoured his fish and chips while I was barely halfway into my meal. $15.99 -Fresh Ahi Roll: it's a good thing that there's an appetizing photo of this ahi roll as one would expect to get sushi bar-style ahi roll. Well, basically, this dish is a fresh ahi tuna makizushi BUT it's battered and deep-fried. Its fresh tuna filling is mixed with spicy aïoli and sushi rice are served at room temperature while the fried battered nori exterior is hot and crisp. The roll is cut into 8 pieces which makes it very shareable and is served with mixed greens, creamy dressing, and gari (Japanese pickled sushi ginger). $15.99 We rushed home to dig into our lunches and look forward to returning to try other entrées or vacuum-packed family meals from here. Chef Simon's upscale local-inspired dishes will excite your palate with its local comfort flavors with good value. read more

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By far some of the best food that I have had while on the island. We always make sure to stop by for a bite to eat while on vacation from Washington. Great, friendly service, especially when Rose is working. read more

OlenaHi - Beef Brisket - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Olena is fantastic There is nothing negative I can say about this establishment....only praises! When you walk in, you are taken care of by Rose...and from beginning to end, Rose is a delight! Whether it's you first time or your 100th, she will make you feel like part of the family. She has a recommendation for every palate, and she is not afraid to help. Put yourself in her hands and you wont be sorry! The food here is second to none! My wife won't stop eating the lemongrass chicken banh mi. She craves it! It is an amazing combination of flavors all wrapped up in a sandwich. Hot and cold, soft and crunchy, this sandwich always delivers a smile. I absolutely love the fish and chips. When you eat this, you can immediately tell the fresh fish and the homemade batter makes a world of difference! This may be the best fish and chips on the island! The fried ahi rolls are delicious...I crave them. This beer battered sushi at its best. This dish has a little spice to it, but it adds a nice dimension to the flavor. Served warm, this is a really special, well balanced dish....crunchy on the outside, with soft, delicate fish on the inside. This is an addictive choice, so beware! The prime rib special is so flavorful and wonderful..and the popover that comes with it is tasty as well. My wife and I shared it and it's a tummy-filling meal! The ribeye katsu is a favorite of ours. When you are celebrating a special occasion, or just need to feel better, this is comfort food at its finest. So if I had to pick my favorite dish here...definitely the home made empanada. The fillings are always different, and they dont always have them, but they are magical! The day we were lucky enough to have them, it was filled with bbq beef and okinawan sweet potatoes...yummy!! This was a match made in heaven! The beef had great flavor and was so tender. The potatoes had mild sweetness and gave empanadas body and balanced out the beef. I could continue telling you about how great the food is....the jook, the blackened fish sandwich, but you should just go and get food there instead... ...Go now! You wont regret it! read more

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This was a total chance find. I haven't been to the Dole Cannery in years and was wanting to see what there was to eat in their food court. Well not very much, but it just so happened that I found OlenaHi which had recently opened. What a great find and I was so happy I ventured in and ate there. The menu is limited to daily what seems like about 3 different specials. All are sort of an Asian/American fusion. The Beef Brisket Bahn Mi stood out and I just had to have it. That was a perfect pick! The beef brisket was succulent and dripping with flavor on a not so typical roll that was sort of soft yet firm and elastic on the crust, making it perfect to hold in the soft meat while retaining juices and toppings. The services there is over the top friendly. I watched them help people before me and then I got the same warm and friend, cheery greeting and attention. Overall, it was a big pleasant surprise and something I want to go back and try more. read more

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I've been craving halo halo for a while now. I had never had it, but the 'Olena Instagram posts were enough to make me crave something I've never had. Yeah, IG makes me want to eat a lot of things I didn't know about, lol. Ok, so when we explored the menu, bf found several things that we want ed to try so we made our way there just 2 days before they closed down for July. We liked it so much, we had to go back the next day to try a few more things!! We tried the BBQ Pork Ribs...fall off the bone tender! The pork adobo & the brisket musubi, a giant chocolate chip cookie, and of course the halo halo. It was all delicious. When I was waiting for our orders, a customer who was clearly a regular suggested I try the 'Olena rice next time. So next time we went (the next day!), I tried it with brisket. Oooh, that's a slippery slope when you're trying not to eat as many carbs. So the next day, we went back & got more musubis & the aforementioned brisket bowl and I think an adobo salad bowl. Yummmm. I'd have to say that the ribs, adobo & brisket in whatever form--musubi or bowls, are not to be missed. You can order and pay online, but I somehow did not get the order through successfully. The cashier couldn't have been friendlier and nicer about it, and while the online menu had stated things were sold out, she got me everything I had thought I ordered. She's the sweetest. Also, it's take out only, but you can put in your order and either hang out in the parking lot, or sit in your car and call them if your order hasn't been brought out in the amount of time they say (10 minutes is what she told me). Parking is pretty easy. There's a lot with about 8 spots in it, plus if that's full you can park at Hawaiian Chip Company as well. And of course, grab some fresh chips--you can't get them any fresher than right there!! I am pretty sure I have never eaten somewhere new and liked it so much that I had to go back the next day to get more yummy goodness (ok, maybe I may have done that in Japan, but that doesn't count). I think 'Olena will be opening soon, so I'll start reviewing the menu & figuring out what else I want to try/order again. read more

Aunty Rose is such a fun person and she always gives us information and details with their menus. Food and coffee is good

I don't know how this place has only been on my radar recently but it started with warm chocolate chip cookies that was a special treat for my office. One of the gentlemen we work with is notorious in the office for bringing treats so we occasionally get treated with melt in your mouth delectable chocolate chip cookies. Not sure why I feel so strongly about these cookies but they just have this taste to die for. Although I've never heard of someone actually dying so don't do that. Just eat and enjoy. 'Ōlena by Chef Simon is truly a gem. The first time I figured out they were right across from the Hawaiian Chip Company, my mom had accidentally stumbled on it while waiting for her fresh chips to be made. Well, after the tasty cookie I got at the office I had to go and get another one when I had the chance and since my mom and I have been taking regular trips to get chips I had to go across the street. Well, what a treat to be able to get a fresh, warm, chewy, melt in my mouth cookie! I treated my parents to a cookie too. Well, yesterday I got a surprise pick up from work and of course my mom and I went to our favorite chip place and because it was lunch time, we decided to get a plate to go. I ordered the turkey blt wrap and my mom got the prime beef brisket bowl. Everything was made fresh and I just don't have words to describe how happy my taste buds were with my choice of lunch. I have to say, Rose was amazing. She was the one who helped us with our order and sharing samples of desserts and also talked us through a lot of the menu items. During our conversation, Rose knew exactly who I was talking about when it came to the fresh cookies. She said he is known to them as "Cookie Monster". I told her I look forward to his visits and treats. Rose was so personable and I had a great time talking with her. I mean, you can't leave without feeling like you made a new friend. I look forward to the next visit to our new secret-not-so-secret spot. read more

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I loved the beef brisket bowl with their special Olena rice! The two containers of brownies were devoured by my teen and his friends, so I can't comment (but they seemed very happy!). Service was beyond top notch and made me happy to have chosen this spot after reading Yelp reviews. I can't wait to order their Thanksgiving line up if we don't head to Kauai. I'll definitely be returning to try other items. This place, the welcoming staff and amazing food, made my quick bite into a happy experience all around. Muchos Mahalos read more

OlenaHi - Beef Brisket Bowl with special Olena rice - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

STILL OPEN FOR TAKEOUT plus you can order ahead from their website! today i got the chicken bahn mi gigantic cuts of daikon & carrot, on a tasty baguette, with 4oz of moist juicy chicken! so flavorful! the hardest part was holding it and keeping all the fillings from falling out! paired it with an order of yummy truffle fries too and cant forget the fresh baked cookie! read more

OlenaHi - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Located close to the airport, 'Olena is great for a pre or post flight meal. There is a medium sized parking lot (that doubles as the Hawaiian Chip Company overflow lot) to park in or you can try your luck on the street. We came for a VERY early lunch and saw (an outdated menu photo on yelp) that there was a rib eye katsu....WHAT!? The front of house "hostess" was extremely friendly, polite, and was a great saleswoman. We ended up ordering the rib eye katsu (of course), adobo pork belly masubi, and the poi banana bread loaf. The adobo pork belly masubi was upsettingly meh compared to the spam masubis I ate all trip from 7/11. The poi banana bread was FILLED with banana flavor but I struggled to find the poi flavor/what poi added. I loved the rib eye katsu. It was crispy and the tumeric rice was very pleasing (visually and taste wise). I found the side salad's dressing to be GREAT. My only complaint for this dish was the sauce...I believe it was A1 sauce (its a steak dish...so give steak sauce?), but I think the typical katsu sauce might be better. read more

OlenaHi - "daily" special as of 11/20/21 - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Rose is the sweetest and she always picks up the phone. I was a little bit unsure on what to order & she suggested the BBQ pork ribs since I inquired about it. The meat is so tender that if you poke it with a chopstick the meat will fall off. The BBQ sauce is more sweet than tangy. I also ordered the spicy ahi roll. It had a fried batter covered nori wrapped around it. Ugggh. Winners. It really hit the spot since I was craving ahi. Rose was generous and gave me a sample of the calamalsi (little lime/lemon fruit) drink. It had bits of jelly on the bottom & was incredibly refreshing. The poi bread loaf is similar to banana bread! It does satisfy that sweet tooth. This place is convenient for me & there is parking out in the front. I'll definitely return for the BBQ pork ribs. Look for the bright orange building on Republic street. Or use google maps to help you find your way around here if you're not a townie. read more

OlenaHi - Pork BBQ Ribs - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I wanted to try something new...found a gem of a place in the Kalihi-Sand Island area...I ordered the special for Saturday, the Rib Eye Katsu with Olena Rice...I took the advice of the chef's wife, Rose, who was simply delightful, and went straight home to eat my food. The crispness on the Katsu was perfect, the side salad was fresh and complimented the entree, and the rice was unique & delicious. I would order again but I'll be trying the rest of their menu first. Great food will have you return but super-duper friendly, thoughtful service will keep you loyal. I will continue to support local, small businesses, as I appreciate owners who exude care towards their customers. Rose is a great billboard for her business. She was with another customer and wasn't rushing that customer, and she noticed me standing outside with the weather a bit hot. She kindly waved me in to the shade of the building, which to me spoke volumes. That thoughtfulness has this business on the top of my list! read more

OlenaHi - Special of the day - Rib Eye Katsu with Olena Rice - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Usually I take forever to post my opinions about a place, but today I just had to share. Not only did I experience 5 star food, but 5 star customer service. First off, I wasn't planning on buying anything from here because I thought they were closed when I got there since it was passed their open hours. I just wanted to look at their menu because I thought this place was the same as Olena Café in Big Island, but then I saw that they had Prime Rib plates, which I know for a fact is not available at the other Olena Café. I was greeted by a really sweet aunty named Rose who has such a welcoming presence. Turns out she's Chef Ron's wife! The whole time I was there, she made me feel like I've known her forever and was very informative of the food that they served. I honestly wouldn't mind just going back there to talk story with her. Food here was awesome! I went for one of the most expensive items on the menu today, which was the Prime Rib plate. The plate cost about $28, which is reasonable because it is Prime Rib...but it was a generous portion! Served with creamy mashed potatoes which tasted like it had a little garlic in there? Loved it! Even ate all the salad because I drizzled their homemade ōlena dressing over. Chef's kiss! It also came with popovers, which Aunty Rose was very specific in saying to use them to sop up the gravy juices and mashed potatoes from the plate, which was a great recommendation! I had to get the ōlena rice too, because curosity got the best of me lol. Lastly I had got their Filipino lemonade, which came with pineapple and fresh squeezed calamansi, which was so refreshing! I had told Aunty Rose that I was taking the plate home for dinner that night, but I just had to take a picture of the food because it was such a beautiful plate to see. Automatically, I got hungry from looking at the food and started sampling at it. Then my husband saw my plate, and he was eating at it. Soon, we just started to mop all the food, which was surprising in my husbands case because he only eats white rice. He ate all the ōlena rice! The food, the service, and the way Aunty Rose and Chef Ron care for their customers really show, and I'm so happy that I came across their shop! Thank you guys for the great meal, and I can't wait to come back here. read more

OlenaHi - Gigantic Popovers! - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Just wow!!! The adobo pork belly bowl was melt in your mouth fantastic! The calamansi lemonade delicious and refreshing! Chocolate chip muffins were sweet tooth satisfying! Lots of tables and chairs just outside of the restaurant. Perfect place to gather with friends and family. Service fast and friendly. Definitely recommend and will return! read more

Stumbled upon this when we weren't even looking for food. BUT it was so good. Sadly we found it on our way TO the airport instead of 10 days earlier when we arrived. We might have eaten there multiple times! The service was friendly and welcoming. So kind and personable. My SHY 12 yo voluntarily went back into the store to tell her how delicious the food was! He had the brisket bowl with rice which was so tasty (the brisket was perfection) read more

This is when they were back at the medical school with their restaurant before moving to their current location. Rose and Ron are the best! Their food is so delicious, comforting and Rose is so kind. They made my time working there while eating their food for my lunch much more enjoyable. Chef Ron used to work in 4 to 5 star Hawaii hotel restaurants before opening up their own business. He's a good guy and talented chef. Their beef stew is one of the best that I've ever tasted since Ron makes it in the French style of cooking with red wine and mirepoix. It was so rich and delicious. It was one of my favorite dishes to get from them. They had steaks too, perfectly made, tender and soft like butter. But all their food tasted natural, healthy and delicious with all the spices they would put in their food. They're a great hardworking family doing their best with the pandemic and doing what they love. Sometimes their kids would come by and help out serving food too. I would highly recommend this place for anyone trying to support local businesses and eat good food! They are so kind, helpful and friendly. They take pre-orders for some menu items that can sell out. Go try this place out! I highly recommend it! read more

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I eat at ʻŌlena at Dole Cannery at least once a week and usually have their Lemongrass Chicken. It's always fresh and tastes good. Today, they offered seared furikake ahi as a special menu item, and WOW!! The flavors were amazing!! The fish was cooked perfectly and had just the right amount of crunch on the crust, but paired with the sauce - just raised it to a whole other level. I will definitely have that dish again. The staff is very friendly, and their desserts are really great, too. Great job, Chef Ron and Team !!! read more

THE BEST BAHN MI on the planet! If I'm being honest, this is the first place I ever tried a Bahn mi at, and it just set my expectations. the pork belly adobo Bahn Mi is incredible! Typically when you eat something your tastebuds get used to it after the 3rd bite and then you're just going thru the motions....NOT THIS, Every bite was an incredible experience. Pork belly could have a hit show all on its own, and then the perfectly pickled veggies, and that BUN!!! Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I don't often go to town and try to avoid the Costco location that is adjacent to Dole Cannery at all costs....but since I've tried this place, I now plan my Costco trips around their hours of business. As I said earlier, this was the first place I ever had a Bahn Mi at and it started a little bit of a tour to try all the ones in my area. None of them compare. This one wins by a long shot! I had a foodie friend visit Oahu recently and in his 4 day trip we went to this place TWICE. His request was that we stop by before his flight, He got one Bahn Mi to eat there and one for the flight. I've also tried the smoked brisket Bahn Mi and Lemon grass chicken, both were good but pork Belly adobo is a must! I wish I could give this place 6 stars because Ms Rose has the most incredible customer service ever! She treats everyone like an old friend and her personality and hospitality are as incredible as the food. Any business who gets bad customer service ratings should send their staff to experience Ms. Rose and learn from her. read more

Stopped by to check it out Rose was awesome and gave great service Trying the liikoi BBQ pork ribs and LiLikoi lemonade Will be back read more

OlenaHi - liikoi BBQ pork ribs - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The best fish and chips on the island resides here. I walked in to the Dole Cannery shopping center on a nice day off of work, with no real plans. Saw this nice little restaurant, and a very friendly owner, Rose, greeted me. With the fish and chips I ordered a royal Filipino tea which was amazing with the fish and chips. The fish was fresh caught mahi, and had a great bite and was not oily at all. Plenty of food too. The owner was kind enough to let me try the banana poi too which was delicious. Fresh and fluffy. Just like me after eating all of that. read more

I've ate here a couple times for lunch and I love the food! I always get the grab n go seared ahi, it's fresh and melts in your mouth. They also have a fresh calamansi drink and a good variety of food to choose from. Don't forget to check out the Hawaiian Chip Co across the street for the best fresh fried chips and dips. You can't go wrong! read more

OlenaHi - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

So this is a small place in the Dole Cannery food court. I came across it by chance and after looking at the Yelp reviews I decided to go in and grab a Poi Banana bread. It had rave reviews and they are earned I assure you. This was my first time visiting so when I walked in I didn't see any prices but I did see photos of the specials. At the last minute I added the beef stew to my order and paid about $30 for both items. I must say that it was the best beef stew I've had in a long time!! The portion was on the small side though so don't even think about being able to share lol. It's almost like an exact serving size for one person but absolutely delicious. The Poi Banana bread was excellent cold, excellent warm, excellent with butter etc ... it was about $15 for the large loaf and we ate every bit. There was nothing left. I would definitely return but price to portion it would be a treat for me not an every day spot. If your a quality over quantity type this is the place for you! Workers were friendly, kind and efficient. read more

OlenaHi - Nicely packaged ... Banana Poi Bread $15 - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Outstanding personalized warm service and aloha by Rose . The blackened ahi sandwich is like something from a 5 star restaurant!

This place is a quick drive from the airport, and it was our first stop when we landed! The service was great, and the lady at the register is so nice and welcoming. We ordered the Filipino Lemonade, Blackened Ahi Sandwich, Adobo Pork Belly Bowl, Spicy Ahi Roll, truffle fries, large Banana Poi bread, and brownies. Everything was delicious, but the best is the Ahi Sandwich and the Adobo Pork Belly Bowl. Great flavor on both dishes and the Pork Belly is so tender. I love the crunch on the Ahi Roll and Sandwich too! Make sure to get the banana poi bread, you won't regret it!!! We decided to save the deserts for later. They both stayed moist and the banana poi bread was especially good and keeps well in the fridge for a morning snack in the hotel. Highly recommend stopping by read more

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The BBQ pork ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender with a generous brushing of tangy/meaty sauce, and the turmeric-infused "Olena" rice was a colorful and enticing flavor to the palate. The Filipino Lemonade was just the right balance of tart calamansi juice and pineapple juice, not to mention the pineapple bits made for a fun drink. A little pricey for takeout food but definitely worth the experience! Edit: calamansi autocorrect lol read more

OlenaHi - BBQ pork rib - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

First off do online ordering or phone it in. They service phone orders first. At first i was irritated because we were just standing there and they didn't even acknowledge us. However the lady helping is just so happy and enthusiastic and friendly that once she actually starts helping you - you can't be upset anymore. She even takes the time to learn your names. They are a bit expensive but the way the lady was describing things I kept on adding stuff to my order while I was waiting. I will be back because I heard their puffs are really good. I also want to try their fish and chips. They seem to really listen to feedback from their customers and they seem to change things to make it better. Bahn mi lemon grass chicken - chicken flavored well if it was on its own but I think it needs more flavor because it wasn't strong enough to stand out after you add the pickled veggies. Its plated for presentation so I would advise you take a moment (after your picture) and "even" everything out so you get a nice bite of veggies and chicken with each bite instead of one or the other. The bread is BOMB! I would order this again just for the bread. Soft yet crispy and so delicious. I would get this again for a nice light lunch but I wouldn't come put here just for this. Fries are just standard fries and I don't think it's worth the price. If ur craving fries go to McDonald's down the road. Rib katsu a little dry and nothing great as far as flavor. It was good but I would not get this again. Tried the apple puff pastry. It was good but not what I expected. I think I will pass on this one too but I do want to try their savory puffs. read more

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#Grateful for Ōlena by Chef Ron Simon, thanks for being a part of my community. Having an owner in a restaurant makes a world of difference. Keep doing what you're doing, aloha I come by almost every Tuesday movie night the atmosphere and the food is outstanding you will not be disappointed I'm never leaving paradise and I will be back often read more

OlenaHi - #Grateful thanks for being a part of the Aloha community Happy Thanksgiving - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I was so happy to find this hidden gem. Located across one of my other favorites - Hawaiian Chip Company! We got the Filipino Lemonade (uses calamansi) and it was so delicious and refreshing. My picky son even drank it up! I had a brisket slider and combo'd it with the Parmesan truffle fries - YES! While sliders are generally "small" - this was packed with meat. I would definitely have this again. My son had mac and cheese - the real stuff, not the box. He really enjoyed it. What stands out about this place is the service. The lady at the front (I believe her name was Rose) was sooooo sweet. She made me feel at home, welcomed customers, etc. Rose recommended their daily empanada. I didn't end up getting it as she advised to eat same-day and I knew I wouldn't be. I also hear their banana loaf is amazing! This place is take-out only. No tables or chairs. They have about 6 stalls right in front of the shop. I'd imagine people are coming and going regularly since you can't eat there. Give this place a shot! read more

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We happened upon this little gem of a place on our way to Costco. Rose, the no-nonsense personality behind the counter, makes a wicked chai latte. We only tried the chai and banana-poi bites (very moist and full of banana flavour) today, but we'd want to make room for a full lunch next time! read more

Olena, such a nice gem in the Dole food court. Aunty Rose is serving with Aloha and assistance - Lisa is very nice and sweet too. I tried their banana poi bread, which when they said a slice online, I thought is just a slice but I was wrong, it was quiet a thick square shape size! I was full after eating the whole thing! Is less sweet compare to other places that sell banana bread and it pair so well with the unsweetened drinks. I had the houjicha/matcha tea (no added soy milk), and is perfect balance, not bitter at all. And you can see the whole making tea process, no addition items added, just purely tea powder with hot water. Can do ice or hot but I opt for ice. I definitely would come back to try other entrees/bakery items! read more

Oh man this was my second time here and I'm so hooked. The prices are a bit high for me to eat lunch here everyday but you get what you pay for which is high quality, exquisitely executed meals. The place has a good amount of parking even though the street can get a little hectic. They have curbside pickup if you don't want to get out of your car but the staff are awesome too! Such a sweet lady called me by my name (on order lol) and suggested some drinks or cupcakes. Awesome customer service and up selling skills lol. I got the adobo pork belly with half white rice and half greens. The coleslaw and pickled onions really bring out the savory flavors in the pork. Paired perfectly, seriously. Rice was cooked perfectly- soft, not too mushy and no crunchy bits! (Rice is so important to me lol) I don't think it could get any better! I got the seared ahi which tastes like it was seared with coconut oil. Perfect sear. FRESH fish. No overly fishy taste. Like I said, you get what you pay for! So ono! I would recommend for office managers. You wanna spoil your staff?? Order here! Celebrating? Here's the place. I was "celebrating" a long hard weekend of extra work hours with this meal. I definitely felt the self love going on in this meal! Lol Note: first two pics are from first visit. Ube bread pudding changed my life. Please, if you love sweets, treats, pastries, ube, anything delicious, please try this one bread pudding with caramel sauce!!!! read more

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BEST RESTAURANT IN HONOLULU!!!!! The food, drink, and the dessert are amazing. A MUST try when you are in Honolulu. Great service with very friendly staff. We went back again on the second day just to taste the food one more time before our flight leaving Oahu. read more

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Brought to this take-out place and treated by friends, it's open, clean and inviting. The menu is on color monitors that also provides descriptive photos of the food. The staff are friendly, helpful, and attentive, explaining what the food is and making recommendations. I tried the empanada special of the day: chicken adobo with purple Okinawan potatoes in a tumeric-infused crust. Yum! Washed it down with a Filipino (calamansi) Lemonade. There are little pieces of sweet pineapple in the lemonade along with slices of fresh calamansi. So good! Also ate the red wine stew, which comes with white or brown rice and organic greens. Tasty but I like my stew meat to fall apart when I bite into it, so this beef was a little tough for me. However the red wine stew was delicious and everything was visually appealing, with pieces of carrot and potato along with the beef. The banana taro bread is one of their signature desserts, so we tried that too! Moist and flavorful, a banana winner! Olena's is definitely worthy of a second and third visit. Woo hoo! read more

OlenaHi - Banana taro bread by Olena's - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Had takeout here for lunch and it was average. To start with, my first choice was not available as the restaurant was closing up for the holidays. I instead went for the fried ahi roll, which was a sushi roll dipped in batter and fried up served with a side of fresh green salad. It was ok and the ahi was cooked nicely. I also tried the fish and chips and found the fries were stale and lacking salt. I appreciate that fries for takeout can sometimes get soggy, but these reminded me of fries you'd find at dodgy late-night fish and chip shops that have been sitting out for a while. The fish was still nice and crispy. Overall, this place was ok. Some misses from my experience on the food, but the roll was ok and some of the other dishes such as the ribs looked good. With so many choices of good eating places on Oahu, including nearby places in Kalihi, I wouldn't put this at the top of my list read more

OlenaHi - Fried ahi roll - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I happened to stumble upon this place while waiting for tires to be installed at Costco. From the outside, this place is runner by two I amazing ladies that shares the same passion of the food that they serve . After looking around this food court, there wasn't much choice to select from, but this place seemed to catch my appetite so I gave this place a try. I walked in, and noticed the building employees seemed to like this place over the others, and waiting in lindd we to try out there adobo bowl. On the picture and also the display, looked really good. One of the ladies showed me todays special that was the Kailua pork plate special. By the site of it look good, but I was still wanted to try there adobo bowl. But the cashier was the one that sold me on the Kalyan pork plate. She explained and made sound soo good that I had to try it out. OMG! It was amazing and delicious! The Kalyan pork didn't taste they salty like the cashier explains and it being more home made. It had the good stuff like the fatty part of the pork mixed in with shreds of pork and cabbage. I literally mopped the entire plate being soo good. I will come back to this place and try out that adobo bowl when I'm in the area , and will definitely recommend this place Shout out to the to workers up front! read more

Best bahn mi ever! This is a go to spot for take out lunch, pick-up dinner for later in the night. Food is just delicious. Service is great. Online ordering option makes it a snap. Only great things to say: - Tofu Bahn mi (just finished mine so inspired to write review) is to die for. So delicious - lots of pickled veggies, the secret sauce, bread - excellent. - Edamame Poke - Ate that as soon as I drove out of the lot. Lots of onion, limu, so ono. - Prepacked foods - picked up stew for dinner another night - Puff pastry anything - the salmon with spinich is also mm mm so good. Downed that deliciousness before i got to the freeway. Online ordering - roll up, pick up, and roll out. So easy! read more

We had the fish and chips and the brisket. The brisket was absolutely amazing. The flavors were complex in the meat was very tender. The fish and chips were delicious. There was nothing left on our plate afterwards. We enjoyed the pineapple tea and that was very refreshing as well. We finished it off with a delicious, soft peanut butter cookie. This may look like a cafeteria, but this food is high-end restaurant quality. read more

Pulled pork slider Taro roll (dinner roll size) pulled pork with tomato based bbq sauce on top of cabbage slaw and some spinach. It needs some spice and onions, otherwise there were no notable taste. The bottom bread was soggy. Adobo Oink N Moo Bowl It consists of two mini burger patties with a slice of quarter inch thick pan seared pork belly (enough to cover half of the small size take out styrafoam container). Cabbage slaw, with a yellowish aioli, covered the proteins. Rice makes up the rest of the 1.5 pound-total lunch "bowl". Both meats are severely under seasoned to unseasoned. The burger patties are medium to well done--tough as protein bars. The slaw was crunchy, but without any significant zesty acid. The dish, if it was supposed to hint any Filipino influence, was an insult to Filipinos who grew up eating Adobo (both meats and chicken)! If it was supposed to be the other kind of adobo, I'm sure that culture would be insulted too. Thanks to the condiments of ketchup and Kilauea Fire Hot Sauces offered, both of these dishes' shortcomings were easily covered. But what does it say about the chef that charges $11.95 for a "rice bowl" and not have the facility for customers to sit down and enjoy their under seasoned food? The food that I had today was literally assemble and nothing was cooked to order as it would be apparent after the first opening of each container. Also, the receipt says "no returns". read more

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New lunch spot in Kalihi opened on 10-29-18! This Hot & New restaurant used to be located at the John A. Burns Medical School in Kaka'ako, but has moved across the street from the Hawaiian Chip Company! How convenient! They share the same free parking lots! When you walk in, you will be warmly greeted by Rose Ling, the Manager. She is so helpful and enthusiastic! Wow! I want everything now! I was aiming for the Salmon plate first and got distracted by the Filipino Lemonade and the Cranberry Refresher. (The humidity in the late afternoon has something to do with it!) Yes - I went right before closing, so I got all of my questions answered and had lots of attention since I was the last customer of the day! Since I was there, I also got the Soup of the Day - Tomato Bisque which was quite hearty! The Parmesan Truffle Oil Fries put me over the top! I was pleasantly full in a healthy way! I had to eat my chocolate chip cookie and Banana Poi bread later! Mmmmm! The beautiful presentation of the food is above and beyond for a take out place. The quality products and service are worth mentioning! I'm looking forward to returning and having more yummy meals and maybe even take one of Chef Ron's Cooking Classes! read more

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So I've been here a few times and got different items to try each time - banana bread, brisket bowl, oxtail soup, and prime rib. While some of these dishes are great, I think that others could be better is there was more salt added to it as it was a little bland. However , I do understand that they try to keep it minimal but sometimes it just needs that extra bit of salt. Pricing is not bad for the items and it's pretty comparable to other places. Service is really great. The lady out front is always super nice. Location is in the Kalihi area next to the hawaiian chip company. It's off the side of the road but the building is not hard to find as it's bright orange. I do enjoy the banana bread and brisket bowl tho read more

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