Best place for records/music in Kakaako! I love their disco ball :) ideal for dancing. They also…read morethrow the best parties! Yelp has a super fun event in Kakaako and Hungry Ear had the best setup of everyone with the best music! I had fun dancing and partying with my Elite besties in the store and Aunty Mary and her husband run the best record place in Kakaako! Definitely go visit them! :)

Located on the 2nd floor of SALT. Lots of parking. Please be sure to scan the QR code when you park…read moreand scan again at the store to validate your parking. Great selection if you are into cds, vinyl albums etc. Good value for used cds and vinyl. Nice staff to help you if you have any questions. They sell stickers by the cashier.

I stopped by the Barnes & Noble at Ala Moana Center and it remains one of the most comfortable…read moreplaces in the mall if you want to slow down and spend some time browsing books. The store is spacious and well organized, with clearly arranged sections that make it easy to explore different genres. Walking through the aisles feels relaxed, and there is a wide selection of books ranging from best sellers and new releases to classics and specialty topics. One thing that stood out to me is how the store still maintains the traditional bookstore experience even though it is located inside a busy shopping center. The layout encourages browsing, and it is easy to spend a good amount of time looking through titles and discovering books you were not originally planning to buy. Another highlight is the range of non-book items available throughout the store. You will find journals, gifts, educational toys, and other reading-related merchandise, which adds variety to the experience. The atmosphere is calm compared to many other areas of the mall, and the store tends to attract a mix of students, families, and casual readers looking for a quiet place to browse. Overall, Barnes & Noble at Ala Moana Center is a great stop if you enjoy bookstores and want a comfortable place to explore books while spending time at the mall.

This specific store is noted for being a unique "cultural hub" in Honolulu with several standout…read morefeatures that distinguish it from a standard mainland location. 1. It serves as a major community gathering point, often hosting local author signings and cultural events that reflect the islands' literary scene. So now you can get your copy of Eat Lava Pray signed. 2. The in-store café serves official Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes, so you can skip the restaurant lines. 3. Reflecting Hawaii's deep cultural ties to Japan, this location features an exceptionally large manga and anime section that rivals international bookstores. 4. The store maintains a robust physical media section with a curated selection of vinyl records. I found Pois Don't Cry and Lei Lady Lei.

We love coming to this spot after a meal at the Ward. The kid loves perusing the comic book…read moresection. This is where he's bought comic books every year on vacation. I love book stores in general so I don't mind hanging out checking out all the new books and art they have. We love coming here every year we're in town :)

For what it's worth this place is a godsend for those looking for used books and supporting the…read morelibrary but don't expect a massive catalog. For the footprint they got there which is sizable they don't have a large footprint of genres of books. A good set of it is dedicated to rare large print books and music which while good was not what I was looking for. The aisles that were were small and lacking much variety in topic. I'd imagine that their system changes often from donations from the library so maybe I came at a slow time for my genres but yah. All books regardless are priced so cheaply like 2-4 bucks so it's an easy visit if you're coming to town. If they had more variety I'd definitely make trips specially for this but as it is a solid stop regardless.

Shoots, This Place is the So Da Bomb! Came in yesterday with two shopping carts stuffed with books…read moreand honestly didn't know what to expect -- but wow, this place totally exceeded my expectations! The owner greeted me right away with that warm, aloha spirit energy. No attitude, no long drawn-out process. She got straight to scanning my old dusty books while I waited, and when she was done, she texted me -- yes, texted me -- to let me know. Walked up, got my receipt, got my quote. Super professional, super smooth. Here's the best part: while I was waiting, I browsed around and found three gifts for my grandchildren that I knew they'd love. So in one trip I freed up a ton of space at home from books that had been taking up way too much room and knocked out some gift shopping. Win-win-win! The whole setup is easy too -- rolled the carts right from my car into the store, no stress. My friend was chillin' in the massage chair outside the whole time, so nobody's time was wasted. I was originally just gonna dump everything at Goodwill. So glad I didn't. I'm already planning to come back with my old DVDs and CDs just sitting my shed in the backyard. If you've got stuff collecting dust at home, bring it here first. You might walk out with cash in your pocket and a smile on your face. Highly recommend. 5/5, no question!

I wish this place was bigger. We still come by here when we are in the area, but a bigger location…read morewould be nice with quiet nooks for reading.

Kpop friends was such a cute find at the Ala Moana Center - if you're into kawaii and K-pop, this…read morestore is for you! They had collectibles, posters, keychains, and various gift items - we saw a cute BTS luggage tag, which we purchased right away! Staff are very kind, friendly, and welcoming, and they allow you to peruse the store comfortably. Feed your inner fan at Kpop! +friendly service +located at Ala Moana Center

I love this store so much i wish they had one in the bay area back home in CA. We got a bunch of…read morestray kids items and the clerk was super friendly everything is so organized and we had fun looking at everything

I like a hole in the wall, but this market is a hot mess. I don't understand the high rating. The…read moreshelves are way too close together and there is no logical order. Glass jars are stacked high. There is food on the floor. The clerks, while friendly, don't know where stuff is. My daughter asked for canned garbanzo beans and they said they didn't have them, but they did (I found them). They couldn't find a mix that we asked for, but we later did. I was looking for fresh naan, but they only had frozen. So, I'm guessing they have the corner on Indian ingredients in Honolulu. The positive is that they carry a lot of the necessities for Indian cooking. They staff is friendly and they have a private parking lot.

We pass by this India Market everyday going to work and home. My daughter loves cooking and loves…read moreethnic foods. She told me one day let's go check it out and we finally did. Its a super small market with so many options & seasoning. They also had samosas so of course we had to try it and it really hit the spot! We will definitely be back.

When Jamie W and I heard that Josh Spencer, the owner of LA's legendary Last Bookstore (review:…read morehttps://yelp.to/PBt2J99ygG) had opened a bookstore in Honolulu, we decided to look for it on our recent Oahu adventure. It turned out to be in Downtown close to Chinatown. While it doesn't have the scale of the Last Bookstore, this store shares some of the unique design elements of its SoCal progenitor like curving shelves and large vinyl collection. A broad scan of the books on display reflects titles that seem more avant garde than more commercial curations with sections devoted to science fiction, horror, true crime, and rock music. Jamie found an existential book about his favorite band called "Queen and Philosophy" (Photo 9), while I bought an intriguing manga cosplay history book called "Otaku Japan" (Photo 5). We probably could've spent another hour in here, but we had manapua on our minds. RELATED - Exploring Hawaii? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/n9JWu5nlzl

I stopped by Skull-Face Books & Vinyl while walking through Chinatown and it quickly stood out as…read moreone of the more unique independent shops in the area. The store blends two cultures that often go hand in hand: underground literature and vinyl records. The space itself feels very curated. Instead of a large commercial bookstore layout, the shop has a smaller, more intentional selection of titles and records that reflect niche interests, counterculture themes, and independent publishing. It feels like a place built for people who enjoy digging through shelves to discover something unexpected. One of the highlights is the mix of books and vinyl. The store carries everything from rare or independent books to records that span multiple genres, which creates an environment where music and literature intersect. Browsing through the collection feels more like exploring a curated archive than a traditional retail store. The atmosphere fits well with the Chinatown neighborhood. Bethel Street has a strong creative and artistic identity, and Skull-Face Books & Vinyl contributes to that scene with its alternative aesthetic and independent spirit. What stood out most to me was how personal the shop feels. Independent stores like this often reflect the personality of the people behind them, and that character comes through clearly in the selection and layout. Overall, Skull-Face Books & Vinyl is a great place to explore if you are in Chinatown and enjoy independent bookstores, vinyl records, and creative spaces that feel a little different from mainstream retail shops.