My friend and I wanted Filipino breakfast so he recommended this place and I'm so glad he did! We…read morewalked in and got in line to order. There were two people ahead of us and we probably waited about 5 minutes to have our order taken which is to be expected. The inside has beautiful decor, lots of pictures of food and vibrant colors and plenty of comfortable seating. We had some questions about the menu and the women taking our order was very helpful with everything. We ordered our food and were told to sit anywhere we like. We ordered an Elena's Mixed Plate 2 plate combo with Diniguan and Monggo Beans with Pork, it came with two scoops of rice. And we also ordered the March Special which had Pancit, Gisantes, Lechon and Pork Adobo Fried Omelet. The Diniguan was made perfectly! Not sour at all but just the perfect amount of flavor.. the Monggo Beans with Pork were cooked perfectly with delicious pork pieces inside. The March Special was such a good deal! The Pancit, made just right, thr Gisantes, spot on, thr Lechon, amazingly fried and the Pork Adibo Fried Omlete was absolutely delicious! Something i didnt know I needed! The rice was also cooked perfectly, not mushy or under cooked but just right! We got cups of water to drink and they brought us out two cups and a pitcher to refill our cups at the table which I can appreciate.. Overall such a great place with kind, friendly staff and amazing delicious food!

HIGHS: 1. a serving person brings your order to your table, unlike most no tip needed places with…read morecounters for ordering & picking up. i felt compelled to leave a (small) tip -- which is OK. 2. location is great -- a short walk from Skyline's transit station. LOWS: 1. don't order chicken adobo: no sauce, no peppercorns, not tasty, some very dark areas in my chicken pieces. no veggie at all. best chicken adobo -- very tasty! -- on island is at Loco Moco in Koko Marina Hawaii Kai where the cooks & staff are Chinese folks! 2. ugh! big wall in dining room is an ad/wordage touting Elena's "greatness" -- in yo' face! color of this wall is NOT cheerful -- ugh! but maybe the color is nice to Elena's supportive clientele

Located off kings street they have a small parking lot shared with other business…read more This is for pick up orders no dining inside, they sell plate lunches you can get 1 choice with 1 scoop rice or 2 choice with 2 scoop rice or 3 choice for 3 scoop rice. They also have an area before the plate lunch counter that sell 1/2 lb or 1 lb containers of specialty cooked items that is not offered on the plate lunch choices. They have all kinds of Filipino desserts and deep fried pork rinds and deep fried pig ears. I had the pork adobo and igado which was tasty and good. The deep fried Lechon was very good, it was tasty and crispy and moist in the middle. Food is good, parking is very limited, heard a lot about this place about the great food, but many times I couldn't stop by due to no parking spaces.

Haven't been here in a short minute but whenever have a craving for filipino food this is the place…read moreto go Had a three choice and fried pork belly

I live in a US state/town that doesn't have good Filipino food, so when I got to Honolulu, I was…read moreexcited to see Max's. I didn't expect too much because of the low ratings here, but I was delighted to find the food is tasty. I ordered kare kare, dinuguan, BBQ skewers, and a side of rice. Everything was great! We did a doordash and it took 2 hours and 40 minutes to be delivered to a Waikiki hotel. So order early and expect a long wait. Order was put in 3:30 pm (which is early), and we didn't get it till after 6 pm LOL.

We've always come to this Filipino restaurant whenever we crave for authentic Filipino food. It has…read morevast amounts of delicious authentic Filipino food. We've been to different locations around the world and one thing in common are they all taste amazing! The people are so friendly (Filipino are always so courteous) and they pay close attention to you. Different locations have different takes on Filipino architecture and displays; however, this particular location seems to be becoming run down - need that extra special touch of Filipino culture not overstock of boxes and paper products. But still worth the visit. I highly recommend!!!!

Craving authentic Filipino comfort food in Honolulu? Hit up Shay's for a mix plate featuring…read morepancit, dinuguan, monggo, and veggie lumpia - spot-on flavors that hit all the right nostalgic notes. The pancit was a standout: bihon noodles perfectly stir-fried with green onions and subtle seasoning, light yet satisfying as a side that balanced the richer dishes without overwhelming. Dinuguan brought that deep, savory pork blood stew richness - tender meat in a chocolatey gravy with a vinegar kick, way better than average and not overly gamey Monggo (mung beans) was hearty and comforting, simmered smooth with malunggay or bittermelon options for that homey veggie depth - grows on you with each bite. Veggie lumpia delivered crispy perfection: fresh fillings, not greasy, and a great crunchy contrast to the stews. Generous portions at fair prices, quick service, and that lechon nearby if you want to level up next time. Solid Waipahu/Honolulu Filipino spot - will return!

Shay's is legit. I…read moreordered the chicken adobo and an order of lumpia. You can't really go wrong with that order. The adobo was tasty. I mean to be fair, no one makes it better than my mom. But this was close enough. The portions are great probably good enough for two. The lumpia were fire as well. 4 for $10 is a bit steep but not too bad. Crunchy wrappers. Tasty inside. They have this vinegar based dipping sauce, that I didn't really enjoy. My mom softens that vinegar by mixing it with ketchup and a bit of sugar if needed. If they had something similar to that it would have been 10/10. As it is, I'm just nitpicking. Shay's did make me miss my mom's cooking a bit but in a good way. I'd totally bring her in to get her take next time she visits. Will totally go back.

The name says Jesse's Coffee Shop. But, I will forever and always know it as "Jesse's Bakery, home…read moreof the PIANOMO ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!" You know what that is! You know when you go to TImes or Don Q, and you see that beautiful rolled up baked goodness of butter and sugar, that is the PIANOMO ROLL, YES! This is where they make it. Actually this is the reason why we sought this place out. I didnt realize that this place also sold other things, like hot Filipino foods and other baked goods. Not the greatest location.... It's probably a stop in, grab, and go kind of place, though there was some space to sit.

I came just for this bread! So delicious! Service was quick and friendly. Plenty of parking and the…read moreprice for each piece was $1.65.. also comes in a box. I was tempted but refrained.

Sadly Ruger Market Quietly Closed last month and hopefully will continue to after renovation and…read morereopen next month by Young Fish Market from what I understand ‼

How prophetic- see Jennifer Y's review from a few months ago…read more Evidently Fort Ruger Market closed yesterday on April 14, 2026. Great memories over the decades. Too bad it didn't play out well. The boiled peanuts were always a buy when we were in the mood. A posting this morning on the doors indicates they will re-open after renovation (does not mention timetable). Social media indicated they closed down 4/14/26. Same owner? New owner? Totally different business? Would be a shame if the iconic "Fort Ruger Market" disappears. If you lived in Kaimuki or went to Kapiolani Community College, this store was an example of the mom n pop stores that used to dot many neighborhoods before the arrival of 7-11 and other convenience stores. They were a Kaimuki Institution for over 75+ years. Hope they come back in a new and better form. Posted notice seen 4/15/26. Note: 4/16/26- a kitv news broadcast indicated that the owner, connected with the Young Fish Market family, told KITV after renovation the bldg would be occupied by CU Korean store, and that they would carry some of the Ruger Mkt favorites like poke and boiled peanuts . Hope they can incorporate the Fort Ruger Market name. Too iconic to disappear.

It seems Nona has moved around quite a bit. Currently, they are open Fridays and Sundays in this…read morecommunity kitchen (?) on Palolo Ave. This is great for us because it's close to our neighborhood and there's free parking. The chicken wings are very good. We tried 3 flavors in the 15 piece pack ($25.95) - calamansi chili, OG sauce, and yuzu buttah. The calamansi is tangy and spicy so you get a lot of flavor with a slow burn. The OG sauce is a classic soy garlic blend that is always satisfying. The yuzu buttah is not your typical lemon pepper rub. It has a nice fresh yet rich flavor. Our favorites were the OG and yuzu buttah. We're anxious to try the other flavors next. The waffle fries were nice, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, not dry at all. The homemade mac salad was also tasty and was a great balance to the spicy calamansi wings. I don't know how long they will be in this location orphan the hours will be. Definitely follow them on IG and make sure you catch them soon! The sandwiches look amazing... next level, for sure!

Hella good!! Finally got the chance to check out Nona on their last day at Hapa Market & Grill in…read morePalolo. Was immediately greeted by the owner who was welcoming n' friendly. Got their chicken wings in yuzu buttah, calamansi chili, gochujang honey, OG sauce, S.P.V. + sides of slaw n' mac salad. Everything was made to perfection including the presentation. The wings were crispy n' the unique flavors were on point, I couldn't pick a fave! Def looking forward to when they announce their new spot, make sure to bookmark them n' save!

Stopped by for lunch and their sign says Filipino and French Food. Which basically is a very nice…read morecrepe food stand. They make and serve both sweet and savory crepes. I tried their Chorizo and Avocado and was pleasantly surprised how flavorful it tasted. The thin perfectly cooked crepe was the primary carb so no rice or potato filling just a healthy mixture of Mexican chorizo, avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach and onion. It was great and a full meal. The chorizo is very succulent and does have the normal amount of oil released from cooking it which doesn't bother me but some folks may not like. The crepes are about 14" in diameter and are nice and properly thin. Like I've had at home and also in France and elsewhere in Europe. I look forward to trying their sweet and other savory crepes.

They make an amazing pork adobo fried rice, egg, and longanisa sausage. It's a rich tasty vinegar…read moreflavor that goes great with rice and eggs. You really don't need the sausage, but it's there staring at you...."eat me!!!" I definitely will come back. Their prices are reasonable $10-$12 Of course, masks are required....it's open areas and people social distance naturally, part of life!

This is the spot I only go to for Pinoy food at the Maunakea Marketplace! Aunty Naty I've known for…read more30 years. She's had her booth for about 25 years. Her ginataan halo-halo is delicious along with her many other dishes like dinakdakan, giniling na baboy with quail eggs and many others! If you crave Pinoy food and are in Chinatown then make sure you stop by her place and try. You won't be disappointed!

Hi everyone They used to give plenty but not any more…read more My suggestion don't buy from them I went they gave me one pig stuff and little rice. And the food was cold not hot yuck If the jook soup it was cold and the meat was old

Not to be missed, this is an outstanding place for dinner -- especially the…read more 7-course set menu. Gourmet all the way, without the pretension. Thoughtfully planned and presented with warm and excellent service. 'Ono-delectable. Mahalo!

The inviting interior was cozy, the food was innovative and every dish was delicious, with…read morebeautoful.prwsentation and different layers of flavor. The service was attentive and balanced- not too much that we felt invaded, and not too little that we felt ignored. Our waiter gave us some great recommendations. XO Honolulu should truly be a Michelin Star restaurant.