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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?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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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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    7 months ago

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

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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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    4 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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    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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    A night in Kaka'ako is always a fun place to explore, and just be entertained!…read more The Honolulu Night Market at Our Kaka'ako is indeed a fabulous adventure into the biggest street/block party filled to the brim with all things local...food, retail and culture. I've been to so many and each and every one is very unique where you can find either fashion runway stage, live street art, or even a dance night in the barn. I just love the vibe SALT and surrounding Our Kaka'ako brings with the vibrant art we're so blessed to have and this particular night (November 19th) there was actually much more shopping just perfect for the holidays and the party went further down to Ya-ya's. Tonight I was fortunate to have gone after work so I kept it short but found some awesome treats. Some straw toppers to add to my holiday gift giving and some cheesecake cups (OG, Strawberry and Cookie Butter) of course I got one of each to share...ate the Strawberry which of course omg was yummy!! Not too sweet as the Strawberries was just perfect as I tried to get an even scoop of it all in every bite. Walked further down and honestly wasn't in the mood to wait too long for anything found something that would just exactly work for me. Ya-Ya's Chophouse & Seafood and tonight they had two items - Steak Kebabs - Fat Fried Rice with TAB (aka Thick Ass Bacon lol!) I seriously wanted the fried rice but thought that the Steak Kebabs was more sensible for me personally and it came with two kebabs each fully loaded with steak, mushrooms, peppers and onions with a huge scoop of rice! So many options I really was considering including Henna from Henna Happens, Birria Tacos from Dolce Vita, Corn from Corn Onoz Hawaii but though there's always a next time yes!?! I remember pre-pandemic Yelp had a booth here and hoping as things return to normalcy that we'll see it back again one day (hint hint!) Absolutely love this Honolulu Night Market as it offers so many cultural coolness that you can't find anywhere else! Thank you!

    There were only about 4-5 food trucks when I visited, and it felt small. Around 6 PM, the area had…read morevery few people. There was some live music, but it seemed more like a quick stop for tourists rather than a real night market. I didn't try any food because the atmosphere wasn't appealing, so I left quickly.

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    Visiting this food truck was one of the highlights of our trip. The food was amazing and the owner…read morewas so welcoming that he made us feel special. We were hungry in the morning, so we arrived just after they opened. There was lots of parking. We ordered and while the Poi rolls were cooking we had a chance to chat with the owner Dennis. He described the extra effort that they put into every ingredient. Later after we finished eating, Dennis would bring bowls of freshly cut cantaloupe from a close-by market. It was perfectly ripe and one of the best that I have tasted. That is an example of the Aloha you will feel while visiting. I have been to Hawaii a dozen times and was never a fan of Poi because I never tasted a dish that was prepared properly. We went to a picnic the previous day that had a donut like pasty made with Poi and fresh Poi made at a local restaurant. They were both delicious and this totally changed my opinion. Based on that positive experience I wanted to try the signature Poi dog. We opted for the spicy version. It was so tasty with the matching condiments. If you are a foodie that wants to try something unique, be sure to give it a try. Dennis has a sister location in Waikiki that is managed by his partner Hong Banh-Mi sandwiches are one of my weekly lunch options when at home, so we were excited to plan a visit to Aloha Hot Dog and Banh-Mi for dinner!

    A must try on the island! I wish I was joking but I would fly to Hawaii for just this alone…read more Love that they serve vegetarian dogs, love the different tropical relishes and love the taro bun. The perfect amount of sweet and savory all in one bite. The owner is so friendly and welcoming, the three times that we have gone over the years, he would go above and beyond. He is right that it wasn't the same business as years ago, but if you're reading this I hope it brings your spark back, even just a little.

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    The porridge was piping hot and the pork was very finely shredded, which I prefer over tough/chewy…read moreand sometimes fatty slices of meat, as is common at most places. The rice was smooth and thick. I wish there were more century egg bits. The broth flavor could have been a bit stronger, so I asked for shoyu. One order is good for two people. I also ordered shrimp dumplings. They were plump pieces of shrimp and a good size. The skin wasn't thick either. They weren't hot like the porridge was but it was fine coz then I could eat them right away. The hubs got some pork mochi. They were quite generously filled as well. The mochi was crispy and chewy. Everything was decently priced. It's a little stall in the Maunakea Marketplace food court, so mostly self-service over the counter. The uncle was kind and pleasant. Auntie was busy cooking/prepping in the back. We were there around lunchtime on a Sunday so they were probably getting ready to pack up as well. I'd try the fried donut and other dim sum items next time!

    Went to Mei Mei Chinese BBQ for a quick pick up & a couple stalls away heading…read more mauka ( mountain side) saw these good looking round sesame seed doughnuts in their display area. Jin Dui in Chinese ! Had to try some . They comes in three's .Got 2 coconut& one red bean filled. $ 5.00 for 3 They were soft once you bite into them& the fillings were the highlight.They are a dim sum shop so you can get all your goodies there. In the Maunakea Food court. Lot of stalls to pickup all kinds of different cultural foods! Service was fast & you can dine in the court or take out! Cash only!

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    Dimsum Village - Savory ip chai filling includes chopped water chestnut and other vegetarian ingredients

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    4.4(154 reviews)
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    *This comment is noted for the general seating area and unrelated to the business: The public…read moreseating area for all of the food trucks has roaches around the area. There are the tiniest baby roaches in the crevices of the picnic table due to the buildup of gunk and I saw them crawling around the table and larger ones on the ground which made me gag. Just be cautious if you choose to sit there.* Food 5/5 This is actually the best spicy garlic shrimp I've ever had. We had the "highly rated" North Shore shrimp three years ago and the way they serve it to you isn't very appetizing. However, this shack, chef's kiss. The presentation and the flavor was all there. My partner's platter was half short rib and half garlic shrimp. (Fries/drinks from a different location.) Service 5/5 The staff are friendly and very hardworking. They were very quick to get me a plastic bag when I asked. 100000% coming back.

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