Olena is a wonderful experience! Rose is so kind, generous and enthusiastic about you having the best food experience. Every choice has been so delicious, we have enjoyed every single one!! Located in Dole Cannery with validated parking across the street at the Regal Theater garage. Plenty of seats in the food court and they even bring your order out to you! Truly a hidden gem! read more

Let me start with Rose who greets you at the counter and knows her customers by name. This woman will blow you away with her enthusiasm and love for superb food! Then there's the food. Olena is located in the Dole Cannery food court so you wouldn't expect a place with such high quality food there, but if it saves them on overhead costs, it works for me! The food is insanely delicious. My absolute favorite was their blackened ahi sandwich. WOWWWWW. The fusion of flavors is perfect! The blackened ahi is seared to perfection. The fresh greens and sweet vine-ripened tomato add the fresh element, while the homemade crispy fried onions give it crunch and so much satisfaction. The sweet chili aioli binds it all together into a serious masterpiece. Their hours are short but I'm going to find a way to keep coming back. Again, WOWWWWW!!! read more

Can't say anything that's not already been said. One of the best hole in the wall places. Had the banh mi lemon grass chicken sandwich and a braised red wine stew. Both were so good!! read more

excellent food and drinks with great service from Rose! highly recommend any item here

I thoroughly enjoyed the chicken pot pie yesterday. The crust was perfection and the large chuncks were delicious! Today I tried the adobo pot belly bowl. Truly "broke da mouth" good!!! If you haven't tried Olena yet, you're missing out. read more

Food: there are few words that will describe the food at Olena's ... AMAZING, DELICIOUS and OUTSTANDING just a few Olena rice flavored with coconut, lemongrass and turmeric was flavorful... could eat it everyday Banh mi: loved it ... juicy pork belly meat topped with crispy picked vegetables and crispy caramelized onions And the beef stew out of this world... yummmm Service: everyone working there nice and hospitable Ambiance: it is situated in the old Dole Pineapple cannery...(in the food court) grab and find a place to sit or take away ... clean atmosphere Plenty of parking across the street in the multi level parking read more

Good food and the lady always take care her customers I highly recommend to anyone aloha!

So ono! The roast pork pancit was the best I've ever had. Highly recommend checking this place out, it's a must-visit for everyone!

their beef stew as 18 bucks, but I guess now days it's about value. to be fair the stew was great.. the portion was decent, but for 18 bucks.. well its a well made stew with lots of meat and veges.. so kudos to the chef. read more

Wow, the service here was so good that it restored my faith in humanity. The tofu was delicious too. read more

Superior customer service and great tasting food !!! Rose and Neal are awesome ! Highly recommended!

The three eyed, yellow, smiley. Evolution! (Hey, who doesn't like a sexy government scientist studying aliens?). And evolved Olena has, fine tuning preparations to make them takeout friendly, developing new grab and go options, and adding restaurant caliber dishes and desserts. Standbys like the spicy ahi roll made with fresh ahi, coated in tempura batter and deep fried crisp and the outstanding blackened ahi sandwich both as good as ever. Equally good, the prime rib with rich, buttery mash and savory sage au jus and the solid, juicy on the inside, crisp on the outside, perfectly fried ribeye katsu. Grab and go options like Okinawan sweet potato poke an absolute treat. Puffs (pastry filled with this or that), are outstanding. "Sauced", properly cooked salmon or filet paired with a few supporting ingredients baked in a hand-holdable "pie". Specials impress. The new, perfect medium, lemon-thyme fresh salmon with roasted Brussels sprouts on an organic quinoa salad paired with a zesty turmeric dressing impressive. IG worthy with flavors to match. Finally, the chocolate bomb. Creamy, not too sweet, crème brulee filling surrounded by the smoothest, silkiest mousse, robbed in chocolate. Sex on a plate. Tip: Follow on IG for specials and use online ordering to lock up yours. Tip: Spill lot across the street next to the Hawaiian Chip Company. Super friendly service. Don't be alarmed by the wife's photographic memory. Time is running out to give them a try. They are closing at the end of the year but are looking for a new spot. Eating the way through their evolution has been fun. Cheers to the next chapter. read more

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I ordered the special Corned Beef Plate for St. Patty's Day and it was DELICIOUS! The quality of food is fantastic and I highly recommend checking out Olena's. No matter what you order, you will not be disappointed! read more

OlenaHi - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Rose and Wendy are the aunties that always take good care of you whenever they see you. They are absolute dolls and this restaurant's is a total hidden gem. Food is tasty, portions are big enough where I always have leftovers even though i'd like to eat more and the shop has grab-n-go options for customers who are in a hurry. Olena rice and their pork belly bowl are two of my favorites, other than Rose and Wendy. read more

OlenaHi - pork belly with olena rice and salad - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Rose is a 5 star Hospitality superstar!! She makes everyone feel so welcome! She greets everyone as if they are longtime friends and includes you in the entire experience.... The lunches are delicious but I'm hooked on the brownie/mousse/ whipped cream dessert and the Filipino lemonade! I need to try the other offerings but know I will need to end snd top off with the dessert snd beverage. read more

OlenaHi - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I'm so happy they are open again, now in the food court of Dole Cannery. Easy pick up for phone orders or grab and go, just park in the loading zone in front of the entrance. Hubs got rained out, so I went to work trying to figure out what we should have for lunch. 'Olena came to mind, and I had remembered they moved, but wasn't quite sure where in Dole they were. Made a phone order, super easy and the happy lady on the other end of the line took our order and suggested to hang a U turn by the theaters and come on in. I ordered that yummy pork belly bowl, hubs had some stew and ordered the lemon grass chicken banh mi. Also got some Filipino lemonades and some fries--truffle fries FTW! Pick up was super easy and when she brought the fries out they were hot and fresh and crispy, drizzled with truffle oil, parsley, and parmesean cheese. The service was on point, and although she was short staffed today, she was working that counter like a boss! Now, if I could eat one thing every day without consequences to my waistline, it would be those truffle fries. We did take out, and live less than a mile away but when we got home, that order of fries was now in our bellies. Sorry no pics this visit, we just wanted to enjoy our comfort food! read more

Update: After trying many dishes, I've come to the conclusion that it's more than the quality of the food or the creatively tasty dishes Chef Ron puts together, but it's more about the EXPERIENCE. When you consume quality meals with fresh ingredients, your body feels differently. No kanak-attack and no post meal thirst (from high salt). You feel good! Serving size is perfect and doesn't leave you sluggish. Leftovers, if any, are eaten at the next meal. Adding to the experience is Rose. She's someone you want to chat with all day long. Rose connects with people, which is a beautiful quality. Such a friendly, fun-loving, and nice person with a heart of gold. Rose cares about the customers and knows how to recommend food based on your preferences, or if you're like me, based on appetite level. The environment is full of color. The building is bright orange, there are live plants at the storefront, and there are handmade crafty signs. It lifts spirits and prepares you for a wonderful experience. There are "frequent flyers" like myself who I chat with in line or while waiting for my order. Everyone is so nice and kind there, from staff to customers. Olena by Chef Ron is the perfect place to go when you want quality food at descent prices, or when you need to connect with good souls. read more

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One of Kalihi's finest! Let me tell you, the food here is GOOD! Picked up food for the office from an online order, so we had a lot of different items. My order was the adobo pork belly bowl... this is the best pork belly I have ever eaten! Very tender and just a little crispy on the outside. It wasn't greasy or oily at all and even the fatty part of the meat was perfectly cooked through. Made with delicious sauce and very mild pickled onions, this bowl is an excellent lunch. I got it with the cole slaw which was very light and fresh (not saucy like the one from KFC) I also had a Filipino lemonade. This is a mild drink with fruit cubes on the bottom. I believe the fruit is calamansi, and it can be sucked up with the "boba" straw that is provided. A fellow coworker who got the red wine beef stew. He said it was tasty with the meat being very tender and juicy. A few other coworkers got seared ahi, which looked expertly prepared and masterfully sliced. There were also a couple of people who got the lemongrass chicken bahn mi, which also looked good. I plan on coming back to try other items. Based on the outstandingly good pork belly I had and the Yelp ratings, I'm sure everything will be delicious! read more

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Great customer service. Beef brisket Banh Mi with Plantation Tea. My son is a picky eater and he gave his lunch beef brisket bowl two thumbs up. Josh said the "fat" attached to the end of the brisket even has flavor. Lol. We all loved the fuggy brownies. read more

First time coming back to Olena by Chef Ron Simon since they moved to the Duke Cannery location. I can see why they decided to move, this space is super nice and lots of tables to eat at in cool Air conditioning. The ambience is very tranquil and inviting! I ordered online and parked in the front at the red zone for a quick pickup. I had the lemon chicken banh mi sandwich. The bun was very fresh, the bread soft and the bun had a crunch to it, yum. The generous portion of lemon grass chicken was well seasoned, moist and delicious. Complimented by the pickled daikon and carrot slivers, fresh cucumber and freshly deep fried onions that wasnʻt oily. The sauce in the banh mi was light and blended well with all the tasty ingredients. Iʻve eaten this same type of banh mi at other eateries, but this one is my absolute favorite. Chef Ron uses only fresh ingredients and this sets his bar way above others! read more

The experience here at Olena was amazing and memorable. The food was very clean and fresh, I left with a smile on my face, knowing I was fueled off of clean, delicious food!! Thank you Olena!! Make sure to try the adobo pork belly, cooked to perfection topped with savory sauces and a delicious coleslaw!! ​ read more

OlenaHi - Pork belly adobo - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

There's not one option that isn't healthy and delicious, I'm here every time I'm on Oahu.

They had just closed and Wendy opened up for me! I ordered the special (fresh ahi!) sandwich with truffle fries. I had a Filipino Lemonade. Everything was DELICIOUS!!!! Fresh! Tasty! Glad I stumbled upon this gem!!! read more

So i just recently started working in this building and my co-worker recommended trying these guys. First time i had the mahi fish and chips and let me just say it was da bomb.com!! EVERY single thing i have tried here so far has been so delicious, quality, & always fresh. I highly recommend anything there and they even have vegetarian options too! They are always so fully of aloha and very friendly whenever i go. So totally worth it especially supporting local. You can tell from the ingredients to the cooking to the plate that everything is made fresh with care and quality ingredients. Mahalo for great service and food!! read more

OlenaHi - Fuikake Crusted Ahi - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Looking for a spot with great vibes and amazing food? OlenaHI is where it's at. I tried the lemongrass bahn mi and it was packed with flavor--fresh, zesty, and super satisfying. The chocolate chip banana poi bread? Total game changer. The combo of flavors is just perfect. Chef Ron absolutely nails it with the local flavors, and Rose at the counter makes you feel right at home. This place has quickly become my go-to for lunch. It's not just food, it's a feel-good experience. OlenaHI is hands down the best place for lunch in town. Real food that hits the spot read more

Started off with being greeted by one of the friendliest aunties around and ended with a perfectly executed fish and chips! I highly recommend upgrading to the truffle fries. 11/10 would recommend again!!! read more

This place is a hidden gem! The food is sooooo good! Reasonably priced, amazing quick service. Please visit this place to get take out or enjoy a gourmet meal at an amazing price. I got the pork belly bowl, pork was juicy, perfectly cooked, and lots of pieces! I got the olena rice, so flavorful, and the slaw is a little sweet to balance. Got a pure butterfly tea, so light and beautiful, and had the flowers in it. I will definitely go out of my way to go here again! read more

OlenaHi - Butterfly tea - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Rose and her team are absolutely amazing! Best food I've ever had in Hawaii, and I've been to Oahu many times. Amazing hospitality. Stayed open late for us when we showed up right off the plane. Healthy, filling, delicious. Brisket, ahi, lemongrass chicken, lemonade, desserts all out of this world. 10/10 must visit! read more

OlenaHi - Salad Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Honestly some of the best comfort food on island. I literally have tried almost everything on the menu and frequent the location as often as possible. The beef stew is like noone ever experienced. The beef is tender, the potatoes and carrots melt in your mouth and the portion lasts for at least two meals for me. My husband is a fish and chips conisuer and raves about their version as well. This is a must stop. Catering is another option. They never disappoint. So grateful Chef Ron and Rose. You enhanced our lives by taking such great care in presenting your dishes and caring about every person who enters your doors. True Ohana spirit. read more

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So glad that i found this little restaurant. We spent 8 days in Oahu, and this was definitely in the top two lunches/meals we had had. It's located inside the food count of the dDole Cannery, which is otherwise pretty dead despite the fun sounding name. It shares a parking lot with Costo. Menu is pretty limited- but that's generally fine with me when a place does a few things really good. Owner was super friendly- you can tell a lot of locals come here for lunch since she seemed to know most people. Most of the locals also seem to order ahead for pick up- so I recommend doing that since we waited a while. Lemongrass Tofu rice bowl was perfection- soft well flavored tofu. You can either make it into a Bahn Mi or a rice bowl- we did the latter and had the Olena Rice upgrade which I also recommend. It's a jasmine rice infused with tumeric, lemongrass, cloves, cinnamon- you really can smell all the flavors. We also had the Special of the Day which was Grilled Ahi Sandwhich- OMG AMAZING. It was a juicy cut of ahi perfectly seared, the whole sandwich was flavorful, juicy and came in a soft fresh bun. We loved it Other thing on the menu: lemongrass, chicken, adobo pork belly, prime beef brisket, red wine beef stew, They also have iced drinks- we had the butterfly pea tea, which was pretty blue but didn't have much flavor. I liked the plantation tea. Definitely recommend stopping by to/from the airport! read more

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Coworker wanted to come here as he saw a pic online so off we went! Ordered the beef stew...it was bland! I had really high hopes for this place but the food wasn't seasoned... The service is fantastic! The lady at the register is awesome and extremely friendly. If the food matched her personality, it would be off the charts...have also tried a few other things and have been underwhelmed. read more

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I really wanted to love this place. I had been following them on IG for awhile and couldn't wait to try their food during my Oahu visit. Overall I'd give them 3.5 stars if I could. They are a take-out only place, with available parking in the front or street parking. I ordered from them twice while visiting Oahu. Let me start with the good. Her name is Rose or Rosie. She's the one who answered the phone when I called to place my order, and she's also the one who greeted me when I arrived to pick up my food. SO FRIENDLY and personable. Even called me "Stace" as if we'd been friends for years. Not sure if she's the wife of the Chef (that would be my guess), but she really makes a great first impression! Now on to the food. For my first take-out, I ordered the prime rib for $22.95. It happens to be their Thursday special. It was a decent size and seemed to be quality meat, but there was not much seasoning or flavor to it, even with the large scoop of au jus on top. It came with salad and mashed potatoes, which I only had a small bite of so I can't comment much on that. The popover that came with the prime rib was huge and incredible! I dipped it in the au jus and devoured it. Might've been the best part of the meal. For my 2nd take-out, I ordered the angus loco moco with pork belly fried rice for $15.95. It's their Friday special. It also happens to be my favorite local dish of all time, so the bar is set high. Unfortunately this loco moco didn't meet that bar. The patty was overcooked and the gravy had a sweetness to it that I didn't care for. I had high hopes for the pork belly fried rice, but unfortunately that fell short, too. There wasn't much flavor to it. The mac salad was decent, but didn't stand out. What I really enjoyed the most was their banana poi bread! Omg, it was so moist and tasty! I'm dreaming of it now while writing about it. You must not leave without trying this! Their plate lunches are a bit pricey (at least the ones I ordered were), but probably appropriate based on the high quality meat and ingredients that they use. I just wish there was more flavor. 5 stars for their outstanding customer service! read more

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The fish and chips were amazing, great food and great service. Definitely coming back again!

Filipino lemonade is so refreshing, sweet & tart. Truffle fries are amazing. Nice gem in an indoor shopping mall. read more

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great food, got the brisket, pork, and lemon grass chicken Ban Mih along with the beef stew. great service as well super friendly and had great recommendations! I would definitely go back to get the brisket Ban Mih. read more

I love Olena, not just for its food, but for the wonderful lady who works in the front, who is always happy, energetic, and knows her customers. That in and of itself will keep me coming back. The delicious grinds is just a bonus. Also a bonus is the fact that they are located across the street from Hawaiian Chip Company, my favorite spot for made-to-order taro chips. But back to Olena - I usually come here for their banana poi bread. My sons absolute love it. They're eat almost a whole loaf (the small size) in one sitting. Can't taste the poi at all (because if you could, my sons would not eat it). The ganache marshmallow cookie is also a favorite of mine - if you like soft chewy cookies, you'll love it too! Online ordering is available and recommended. There are a handful of parking spaces right out front. read more

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Update after a second visit... I have more and more respect. The lemongrass chicken banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) was the best ever for me. Very slightly different than traditional versions I've had, theirs is more substantial, overstuffed, saucy, and more depth of flavor. The staff was very personable and enthusiastic about their menu, making recommendations. If you want it fresh and hot you can order ahead of time, and they honor special requests. The grab and go soba salads are top quality, I got the salmon version, which was delicious. The specials are not on any rotation, just whatever the chef dreams up that day based on ingredients. Most of the customers seem to be regulars picking up a meal for home or office, and everybody knows everyone by name. read more

Amazing food and service. They moved from Kalihi to inside the Dole Cannery food court in Iwilei. They are just getting going so menu is limited but still some great options. My favorite is the lemon grass banh mi sandwich with truffle fries. Incredible. Rose the owner is the sweetest. She is super personable and makes you feel so special while you are there. Bathrooms are easy at the food court if you decide to eat there. Or if you want to grab n go you can park in the loading area just on the road. See photo of parking. This place is just a gem that you need to try. Once you do you'll follow them just like I have. Lol read more

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I had the lilikoi rib plate and it was recommended by rose it was so delicious very melt in your mouth and the tendons in the ribs were edible! The service was great the staff was so warm and friendly and the ambiance is great came for Memorial Day with no one here. The food was so good I forgot to take a picture. Thank you! read more

Fish and chips was fantastic. Service was very excellent. Rose was very nice :) we'll be coming back again