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    A-Ma’s Gua-Bao

    4.8 (19 reviews)
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    A-Ma’s Gua-Bao Photos

    A-MA’S GUA-BAO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Pork Belly Gua Bao
    Andy F.

    When I see a Gua Bao, it reminds me of Rou Jia Mo. They're not the same, but the idea is the same. Meat in bread. I always see A-Ma's Gua Bao at the Kaka'ako Farmers Market, but never tried until now. It's always nice to see more Taiwanese foods offered in Hawaii as there aren't many. This place only offers Gua Bao with 4 choices (pork belly, minced pork, beef shin, and tofu). All $6 each. Gua Bao uses the lotus leaf buns (he ye bao). You actually see this type of bun used at more and more restaurants. Decades ago it was just for Peking Roast Duck or Roast Pork. Now you can put anything in it. On this occasion, I just tried the original, Pork Belly. This was surpassingly very good. Soft bun with tender and tasty pork belly, and a nice sour note from the pickled mustard greens to cut into the rich pork belly. The thing I didn't like was the crushed peanuts. It was very sweet and didn't match with everything. Eating the peanuts alone was delicious, and had that honeyed walnut taste that you find in the Honey Walnut Shrimp. But together? I didn't agree with it. The taste clashed. Overall, the gua bao was good sans peanuts. I'll come back to try the other baos. Hope they expand to more things!

    Gavin N.

    A-Ma's Gua Bao is at the Kakaako farmers market every Saturday! I always love their Gua bao as they are always packed with flavor! Their service is pretty fast! Staff are very friendly! The baos do have peanuts, but you have the option of omitting peanuts if you have a food allergy :) 10/10 recommend!

    Gua Bao with minced pork (spicy!)
    Samuel P.

    I've been to Taiwan and have had Gua Bao there, this is hands down the best on island, comparable to getting it from the motherland. I love that they have a few varieties and I get at least two each week at the Kakaako Farmers market. I've had Gua Bao at several places in Hawaii and non are able to even come close to perfecting the bun, and including the correct ingredients. Some places put a mystery sweet sauce on it and omit the peanuts, I just don't get it. This is a MUST try each and every time you go to the farmers market. P.S. to the person who left a 3-star review because they didn't put nuts on the side for your wife and child who are allergic, are you kidding me? If they were actually allergic to peanuts, you would not get them anything from a business who has peanuts as a main ingredient. It feels more like you requested peanuts on the side for other reasons and were upset they messed up your order. They now are very explicit about asking, and now I know why.

    Gua Bao menu
    Jen C.

    I went to the Kakaako Farmers market and got the Minced pork bao. The employee taking orders was so friendly and warned me that it would be spicy hot and if that was okay and that it contained nuts and if I had any allergies. I said sure I love spicy. They make the bao fresh so it's about a five minute wait. Omg it was so good! Yes it was spicy but offset w the sweet dust of nuts on the top. It also had lettuce, tomato, minced pork, basil, garlic and lemon. Yum! Please visit them and support local business!

    Pork belly
    Brennan T.

    I was walking around the Kakaako Farmers Market on Saturday morning and looking for a delicious and affordable bite to eat. There are not a lot of affordable options anymore, sadly, so I'm so glad we stopped at A-Ma's Gua-Bao. For $6 we got to try a pork belly gua bao, which was amazing. There were tender pieces of pork belly with cilantro, shredded carrots, and crushed peanuts in a soft "manapua bun." So good! After we ordered we waited a few minutes at a nearby table in the shade, and when I went back, my food was ready. Service was nice and quick. And I'm glad I spent $6 to try something new and yummy. Worth every cent! I recommend A-Ma's Gua Bao! Looking forward to trying other flavors next time.

    Pork belly gua boa

    Authentic Taiwanese gua boa! Got the pork belly and the minced pork, both very good! The pork belly is a bit greasy (per my husband) but it's what is supposed to be from an authentic stand point. Highly recommended, flavor is on point!

    Pork belly and tofu bao

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    1 year ago

    Finally got to try this. Tasted straight out of Taiwan. No complaints! Watch out for all the sticky monkeypads on the ground!

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    5 months ago

    Best I've ever had, anywhere...fresh ingredients, all made to order. I will definitely go back.

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    4 years ago

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    Ricky L.

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    Ricky L.

    You mostly welcome,expecting to come back!

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    4 years ago

    Super delicious just like the Gua Bao from Taiwan. Meat is very juicy. Something different on the island. Highly recommend to try it.

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    3 years ago

    Pork belly melted in my mouth! It had a lot of depth and flavor! Really enjoyed the bun as well.

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    4 years ago

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    Ask the Community - A-Ma’s Gua-Bao

    Do you cater events?

    Hi Shari Yes ! We do ! Just Email us at least 3 weeks ahead than we can discuss all the details!

    Did they have vegetarian options?

    There's a braised tofu option that's vegetarian I think

    Did you move locations? Couldn't find you on 4/29 Kakaako in your usual spot?

    Dear Maile : Sorry for the inconvenience, we took two weeks off and we do have posted in instagram ,please follow us on instagram, we will be back on May 13 at Kakaako at the… 

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Seasons Taiwanese Eatery

    Seasons Taiwanese Eatery

    4.5
    (288 reviews)
    1.3 mi
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    By far my favorite Taiwanese go to restaurant!…read more I highly recommend their popcorn chicken, so crispy, so juicy and the leaves not sure if they were basil or sobering else but the way they fry them and get them to also be super crispy is amazing. It's also seasoned perfectly, not too salty and you can add a level of spicy to your liking.

    The death knell is ringing for the Chinese (Taiwanese-Chinese, apparently) Cultural Plaza with the…read moreJune 2026 announcement of plans to can the place, so Seasons and all Plaza cohorts will meet their maker in a year! IRREGARDLESS I'd go back for the popcorn chicken (crispy, light fry, bite sized) and air conditioning. Sometimes Chinese food can get super saucy so the small plates - cucumbers, rolls, baos, and veg - work for me. It's serious 家常菜 or home-style cooking or quick food you'd find on the street: ong-choy, tomato-braised scrambled egg, garlic cabbage, essentially all the greats, shareable. Seasons also offers the beef soupy noodle sets, but when it's 85+ degrees out and sunny and 80% humidity, I do question ppl's judgement. I've always loved the Plaza, empty and partly abandoned, bec/ the design is conducive to good airflow and cooling, a much underappreciated architectural element in modern downtowns. But the bums and indigent love it more and sadly always leave some je ne sais quoi. Seasons finds itself across from the dim sum behemoth in Chinatown, Legends, but that's a different flavor profile. Still, quite nice to have variety.

    Photos
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    Inside
    11. Classic Beef and Tendon Noodle
    11. Classic Beef and Tendon Noodle
    New location is around the corner, towards the canal.

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    New location is around the corner, towards the canal.
    Dew Drop Inn

    Dew Drop Inn

    4.1
    (615 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    We ordered pickup here and it was delish! Usually pickup food can be tricky and may not be as good…read morebut it was! I followed recommendations by others and ordered Orange Beef, Garlic String Beans, and my husband got Mongolian Beef. Honestly the Mongolian Beef wasn't good, but the Orange Beef and String Beans were delicious! They gave it to us with the sauce on the side which is smart so it doesn't become soggy. I was suspicious cause the fried beef looked white so I was nervous but when we dipped the beef into the sauce, it was soooo good! We will have to try this place again but so far this has been the best Chinese food that we've found on island! And my aunt used to have Chinese cooks from China that worked in her restaurant so I'm very picky!

    I came by again with my mom, like my previous review, the spot is pretty small and feels quite…read morehomey, more suited for smaller parties. It was just us and one other party at first but they quickly become packed after we were seated. The water didn't have the same dish soap taste issue I had last time so that's an upside. We ordered: * Salt and Pepper Lamb: 7.6/10 This was flavorful and fried pretty well. It's seasoned very similarly to the fish dish I had the last time I was here. They seem to utilize curry powder in all of their "salt and pepper" dishes. My main gripe about this dish is that the CHUCKS of fat. Maybe that would be appealing to some but each lamb stick had like ~35% fat which is A LOT if you consider that there's already not much meat on each rack. * Broccoli and Seafood Stir Fry: 7.5/10 This was nothing exceptional, I feel that you can definitely get this at any Chinese restaurant. It was flavorful and the veggies and seafood was cooked well (not over or undercooked). * Orange Chicken: 7.5/10 Tastes exactly like panda express but with a slightly better frying method? However, the pieces of chicken was a lot less substantial (many random thin and small pieces) I would note that the dishes do take a while to be made and brought out. We honestly wanted to try the pan fried pork buns but the quantity was too much for us to justify ordering it for just the two of us (on top everything else). I think that may be the only thing I would come back to try. Since it is very close to my home that's another appeal but otherwise, I feel like most other Chinese spots are comparable.

    Photos
    Stuffed sesame bread
    Stuffed sesame bread
    Ground Pork & Tofu with Sesame Bread (top), Spicy Mongolian Beef, Orange Chicken
    Ground Pork & Tofu with Sesame Bread (top), Spicy Mongolian Beef, Orange Chicken
    Shao bing (sesame bread pocket) with pork

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    Shao bing (sesame bread pocket) with pork
    Fooki

    Fooki

    4.4
    (836 reviews)
    8.0 mi
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    It was KISMET we ended up here! This was hands down one of the best Taiwanese restaurants I have…read moreever been to! My family was in the area to shop over at Crafts Way and I found Fooki on Yelp as a nearby food option. It had something for everyone in our group of seven: 2 vegetarians, 1 vegan and 4 meat eaters. The restaurant had a divy vibe, cozy and welcoming. The service was very friendly and the server was incredibly knowledgable about their menu and how what made some of their dishes stand out from what's expected. The Li Hing Mui Sweet Potato Fries are a must! They totally reminded me of my childhood and the kind of fries I'd get at the amusement park back in Taiwan. Here's everything we ordered. Every single item was a hit! -stewed egg -stewed tofu -Majiang noodles -Lu Rou Fan -Grandpa Rolling Beef -Scallion Pancake -Fooki Bao -Tofu Bao -Li Hing Mui Sweet Potato Fries -Veggie Scallion Noodles -Fooki Bowl -BoomBoom Chicken If we ever find ourselves back in Aiea again, we will be stopping in!

    Famiily night and everyone wanted to go out. After debating between sushi, ramen, or curry - we…read moresettled on Taiwanese noodles/beef. We have been here several times before and this time we brought the whole gang. Although it was a Friday night, we came earlier than normal and were able to be seated immediately. All the tables were taken, but it wasn't too loud or crazy. Our service was great. I chose their Classic Beef Noodles which were great! The beef broth was flavorful. The beef slice was tender. The noodles were cooked well. Honestly, it was great. The portions could be a little better. So, from a cost-to-value perspective, that could be better. All in all, it was great.

    Photos
    Insect on rice
    Insect on rice
    Braised beef Noodle Soup
    Braised beef Noodle Soup
    Grandpa Rolling Beef- the perfect appetizer!

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    Grandpa Rolling Beef- the perfect appetizer!
    Fun Station

    Fun Station

    4.5
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    2.9 mi
    $$

    All I can say about eating at the - "Fun Station" is that it's more fun when eating with a friend,…read more& getting a 20% discount.........well, that's just an extra bonus! So the thing about coming to Fun Station is the "suspended flying noodle thingy" which I didn't go for, but if you like Instagramable stuffs, then I supposed you would probably go for that flying-noodle dish. As for me, I mainly came to try their Minute Chicken Cake Noodles, and as a bonus......... I actually got a 20% discount thanks to my friend - Jennifer C. who let a Bruddah know about da DEALAGES in da Sunday food section newspaper, as they had a coupon! The Sunday morning when I came with my friend, I can clearly see that this restaurant was thriving, as every table in the restaurant was taken. Fun Station specializes in noodles, but if you're not into that, they do serve other items like - soups, vegetable dishes, rice plates, & porridge (jook). Upon looking over the menu, we ordered the following items - 1. Frrrrrrried Chicken Wings ($9.95) for an appetizer 2. Minute Chicken Cake Noodles ($17.95 - minus da 20% coupon DEALAGES) 3. Beef Brisket Tendon & Won Ton in soup ($18.95) What can I say about da grub??? Da chicken wings came out hot & crispy. Although they featured only "flats" vs. drums (I like drums), I must say da wings was nicely executed. As for the Minute Chicken Cake Noodles.........nicely plated on a fancy smanshy panda plate. The cake noodles weren't drowning in gravy, so the noodles stayed crispy on the dish. I really liked how they did this dish, and would easily come back here to eat it again. My friend had the Beef Brisket Tendon & Won Ton soup. The dish looked good, and there weren't any complaints, so I take it that it was pretty ono! Overall, a very satisfying meal and the service here was on point, as the staff was friendly & very efficient. Easy 5 stars for the Minute Chicken Cake Noodles! Chance 'em!

    You could drive past this place a hundred times without giving it a second thought. It's tucked…read moreinto a small strip mall, the dining room is no frills and if someone told me it was just another average neighborhood Chinese restaurant, I'd probably believe them. Then the food starts arriving. We ordered way more than we needed and almost everything impressed me. The chow fun was cooked exactly the way I like it. Chewy, smoky and never overcooked. My only complaint was that it leaned a little saltier than I prefer, but it was still very good. The Hainan chicken was the surprise of the meal. Perfectly tender with an incredible ginger sauce that I'd happily put on just about anything. Even the dishes I normally avoid won me over. I've never been much of a lotus root person, but theirs was crisp, savory and honestly delicious. The wontons were another highlight. Since we skipped the noodles, they generously gave us extra wontons instead, which was a really thoughtful touch. What really pushed this place from good to memorable, though, was the staff. We were there with our two and four year old and they couldn't have been kinder. They brought over little toys to keep the kids occupied, checked on us throughout the meal and made us feel genuinely welcome. None of it felt forced. It was just warm, thoughtful hospitality and that's something I always remember long after I've forgotten exactly what I ate. The bathroom situation isn't ideal, you have to use the one outside the restaurant, but that's really my only complaint beyond the slightly salty chow fun. This isn't the place I'd recommend for date night or a long evening out. It's the kind of neighborhood restaurant you walk into expecting very little, then leave thinking, that was a lot better than it had any right to be. We'll definitely be back.

    Photos
    Inside the restaurant.....
    Inside the restaurant.....
    Choi Sum & Beef Cake Noodle
    Choi Sum & Beef Cake Noodle
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    Joy Cup Noodles Mean

    Joy Cup Noodles Mean

    4.5
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    1.4 mi
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    Keep an eye out for this hole-in-the-wall noodle spot off of Kalākaua. There is a small parking lot…read morewith a few dedicated stalls up front making it super easy if it's not busy. Good thing all of the food came out as they were ready, since items like their fresh blanket noodles took longer to prepare (but def worth the wait). We started with their chicken wings which were lean on the meat but I think that made it easier to flash fry because they were so hot and crispy and still juicy! We also ordered their cucumber salad and eggplant salad-- I'd probably just go with the cucumber salad next time but both were good. For noodle dishes we went with the dan dan, ja jiang and the beef noodle soup but we subbed it for the blanket noodle for an extra $4. Hungry but also in the mood for karaoke? Come here!

    Joy cup noodle mean is under new ownership with a new cook. They might've changed the name to wah…read morekung with joy cup underneath the main name. The proprietor is a lovely friendly person. The place was empty for lunch. I was so looking forward to the blanket dan dan noodles and cucumber salad. Sadly the flavors are completely different. The XLB were bland and half of them had no soup inside. Cucumber salad, mapo tofu, pork belly noodle bland. Dan Dan noodle bland and the blanket noodles too thick. Gone are the flavorful dishes and mouth numbing heat that I associated with joy cup noodle mean. The ong choy was well cooked and seasoned nicely. The gentleman was so nice I almost hate to write this update but I think people should know that this is no longer the joy cup noodle mean that we knew and loved.

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    Joy Cup Noodles Mean
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    Wuwei Chong Qing Cuisine

    Wuwei Chong Qing Cuisine

    4.3
    (211 reviews)
    1.6 mi
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    Authentic Chong Qing style noodles - really worth to give it a try. Some hopefully helpful tips:…read more1. The noodles only have one size but it's pretty large. Depending on your appetite, two ladies could possibly share. We ordered 2 and it was enough for 3 people to share. 2. Since we do not eat anything spicy, we asked for non-spicy from the get-go at ordering. The owner was able to accommodate. 3. Parking is street parking only but readily available fronting the restaurant. 4. The restaurant space is rather small, so it gets busy during meal time. We often take out by ordering ahead of time.

    stand alone restaurant - with limited seating insides…read more freshmade noodle for sure noted with quality. Do recommended getting chewy noodle vs flat noddle. The texture is more enjoyable when eating. Flat noddle - would have prefer to be more wide in size. Had the beef noodle classic -flavor in broth was decent, but could use with additional pickle vegetables to bring some sour and cut the richness of the broth. beef itself was very tender and came in separate bowl. Breakdown easily. not spicy at all though. next dish tried - was the pickle fish noodle - first time trying to dish anywhere. Surprisingly preferred this over the beef noodle. a little bit of sour, but just the right amount with the creamy broth mix. This with the chewy noodle was bomb. Highly recommended* price - reasonable for quality - but could have more noodle for quantity*

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    Unique cr code menu
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    A-Ma’s Gua-Bao - taiwanese - Updated July 2026

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