Looking for fun things to do for my sisters birthday (that still complied with state regulations at the time) and a friend mentioned Clay Café. I was so happy to hear that they were doing take home and paint ! How exciting and a fun way to celebrate at home ! At the time they were scheduling people to come in to pick out pieces and paints and then you could take it all home to work on it. Now they have their pieces uploaded to their website so you can browse and pick your pieces and paints online and pick it up in store ! Even better. It was a super fun activity and I got my pieces back and they are fabulous. Such a fun experience to mark the occasion. It can be a little pricey but it's nice to paint your own unique piece especially if you're doing it for a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary. We'll definitely be back again in the future to paint more fun pieces with the family. read more

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MAKE A RESERVATION!! This is something I wish they would encourage a lot more openly. It's in teeny tiny print on their website on the way bottom. You NEED to reserve we saw 2 groups come in during our time hoping to come and paint but they were turned away (we were in the same boat 2 weeks ago so I made this appt in advance for Valentine's Day with my bf). Ultimately this place is very small, only 4/5 open tables. They play nice calm old hit songs that we all sang softly to ourselves. The prices are a bit high and right now the wait for your pieces will take 5 weeks!! That's kind of a bummer for paying almost $80 but I guess it'll be a fun surprise next month. Ultimately I think this is a once in a few years thing to do and a fun date night to do. My heart box was $30 and my boyfriend's dragon mug was $48. Their brushes are kind of really bad and I would maybe suggest if you need a small detail brush maybe go get your own and bring it! I had a lot of trouble. You get 2 hours and the thing is you need to go over everything 3x and that takes so much work and time so try going in with an open mind to a simple design since mine took up 2 hours and it was literally just flowers (I am a newbie so understandably so I took forever maybe?). Ultimately come here once in a great time. Never got to try their drinks since we were gonna get a nice dinner after! Ultimately pricey but fun to do once in a blue moon! read more

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Super helpful staff, tons of affordable pieces and a ton of selections! I love all the inspiration pieces they have. 2 hours was not enough time for me - I wanted to stay and make more! My new obsession. read more

I came here to glaze a bowl for my anniversary gift to my husband and while I was told turnaround is about 4-5 weeks it's currently week 6 and I haven't heard from them. When I had called they said they've been short-staffed and still backed up from earlier in the summer. I went to glaze on July 31st so I had expected it to be done by Labor Day weekend. I was so disappointed it wasn't ready yet. So at the rate they're going, just allow a good 6-8 weeks I guess. If you wanna do Christmas gifts start NOW lol! Other than their super long turnaround time the staff is really nice and the selections are pretty good. I'd come back again when I know I can spare a good 2-3 months for my piece to be ready. read more

My daughter and her friend opted to come here during a day their school was scheduled off. It was a Thursday and reservations is recommended so I called ahead (2 days ahead). I left a message and received a call back within a couple hours. They take walk-ins but when I read prior reviews, I didn't want to take the chance. I was told while making the reservation that the wait time for the glaze will be 4-6 weeks. The girls had a great time. It was very "calming" :) read more

This small cafe in town is like no other. The environment was relaxing, calm, great customer service, and organized. We both loved the Nutella drink they served. We booked a reservation the same day and they have the tables all nicely ready for you when you get there. It just felt like you were just doing arts and crafts at home. read more

Went here for my bday with the kids. Convenient location, 7-11 downstairs that my boy walked to when he couldn't sit still. Definitely recommend the vanilla late coffee- best so far! Our masterpieces- always an awesome surprise to see how they turn out. Thank you Aunties for taking care of us! read more

Clay Café - Our masterpieces - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great place to relax and chill the mind. You don't have to be talented to make a masterpiece. A place to go to make something special and unique for yourself or as a gift. The staff is friendly! There's always parking. And they also sell drinks to sip on while doing your piece. Highly recommend! read more

First time trying with my friends and we had a blast. I did ceramics before and thought would be the same but doing pottery is a lot harder but yet fun. read more

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Went today with a bunch of friends and had an amazing time. The person who helped us, I believe her name was Shay, was absolutely amazing. She made our experience so much better. She was helpful and so personable. I will absolutely be back soon, especially because of Shay. read more

Clay Café - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Great place to bring your close friends to bond over painting. Definitely recommend! Cash, debit/credit accepted. You do have to pick up your clay design after about 2-3 weeks. They will call and call to make an appointment. read more

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Love this place! They pre make the designs for you and they have figurines, plates, cups, you name it! Huge variety of paints and colors to choose from. They'll even help you make cool specific designs! If you don't finish painting in time, you can come back another time free of charge! read more

It's so fun please try it nowwww hurrry up it might close befor you know it it's so gooood read more

Clay Café - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Awesome place, great selection & customer service. Special hours during Covid to accommodate their customers. Home projects and fun and they make it easy!!! read more

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We were at this clay Café. Today we came all the way from Canada enjoying a wonderful vacation in Waikiki. One of the things on my daughters bucket list was to paint pottery. We knew we had to do it in a bit advance because it takes some time to fire. Well then she told us that it takes 5 to 6 weeks to get your thing back so I strongly suggest they put it on their website because my daughters heart was absolutely broken. People update your Flipp websites with current information we drove all the way there wasted our time gas and energy. Just put important stuff on your website. read more

I had not heard of this place, and found it one day while looking for an activity for my son, daughter and me. We had a great time. The 3 of us picked out our pieces - unfortunately, some were out of stock. Still, the Clay Cafe had many other options. You can even order something to drink while painting. The staff was friendly and kind. I'm sure they need all the support we can give them. Especially since they seem to stay open not for profit, but to let the community have something to do during this pandemic. read more

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Bored kids. Bad weather. No electronics. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, or, the beginning of my favorite book; The Cat in the Hat. It was a Sunday morning, the girls and I had just finished breakfast, and was wondering what to do for the rest of the day. I remembered the Clay Cafe back in the day at Ward, and Yelped! Called to see if we could go in, and luckily they said come on down! Highly recommend making reservations, they only have 5 tables. Location moved to McCully Shopping Center, good location but bad underground parking. Double and Triple bonus- they have a member rewards program, and monthly half off specials! For every $100 you spend, you get $5 off your next purchase. March was 50% off all cups and mugs, and April plates and platters. They also serve coffee and teas, and you can bring in your own different drinks as well. The girls and I had a good time, drawing and painting away for the next two hours. Our pieces were ready in 10 days, and everyone was happy with their masterpieces. read more

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A nice afternoon date spot! We made reservations 24 hours in advance for a Saturday afternoon. When we got there, our name was on a table and we were welcomed by the workers. They had a 50% off deal so we scored a succulent shaped bowl and a wide plain bowl for a little under $30. There was a HUGE variety of things to paint from small and large figurines, bowls, plates, coin banks, and other pre-shaped items. There is a huge wall full of glazes and when you get settled after paying, a worker talks you through the process and best practices. There are an array of techniques on the wall for inspiration and they even offer you help if you'd like to try any! There are a lot of different brushes, sponges, and tools to work with so you can really get creative. They do have a two-hour time limit which was the perfect amount of time for a single piece, I worked very slowly. Overall, a very fun and friendly in-store experience! Our bowls were ready to pick up in a week. They look glossy and beautiful! The speckled glaze was a nice surprise so I highly recommend one of those. I will be back to paint some holiday gifts soon! read more

Clay Café - Before: Glazed succulent bowl and circle bowl. - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We have followed Clay Cafe since 2008 from Aina Haina to Ward Warehouse, and now to their new location in McCully Shopping Center to paint our annual Christmas ornaments. I have never been less than satisfied. The owner remembers us every time even though we only come in about once a year. A majority of her staff has been with her for many years and they are always super friendly. They do the best they can with tight spaces and small children and really don't get mad at the children. I simply adore this place. Your kids get to express their creativity and have a great time. Although the new space is seemingly smaller I actually like it better than the Ward location. I felt cramped at Ward. However the parking at the McCully location is far less ideal. Then it leads to grumpy husband... but oh well, it's once a year. read more

Clay Café - Painting our annual ornaments! - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Staffing is so knowledgeable and friendly!! They're always organized and ready for you and your party. We love coming here!!

Cute painting cafe! Lots of these in the mainland and rare on the island. Pricey items, but that comes with being a rare business on the island. They have specials and deals every now and then so be sure to follow their campaigns! I will definitely take my kids back here. Staff is super friendly as well :) read more

If I ever get to drafting my retirement to-do list, remind me to put this place down as one of my favorite places. Clay Café is a fun chill space for both adults and children to enjoy a few hours of creativity. I love crafts and painting but haven't dedicated a lot of time in my schedule for it. So for my birthday I decided to stop in with my friend, catch up, and paint something cute together. On their website they recommend calling to make a reservation ahead of time (especially if you plan on coming with a group). Due to COVID restrictions, they need to allow for extra space between tables, and full mask-wearing is enforced throughout your entire visit. When you arrive for your scheduled time slot you'll be directed to your table and given instructions immediately from the staff. You'll then proceed to choose your ceramic piece(s) you wish to paint (pricing for each is found on the bottom). This can take a while especially if you're indecisive like me. Keep in mind that you only have a 2-hour time limit for your reservation. Prior to your visit its a good idea to think about what you want to paint so you don't waste too much time deciding once you get there. After choosing your ceramics, select your paints from the paint wall. I really found it helpful that Clay Café had all the brushes, sponges, paint/glaze colors clearly labeled and swatched in 1-3 different coats. They showcase a lot of examples on how to use each of them in different ways. If you're experiencing a creative block they do offer several books to browse through for inspiration, or you can ask the helpful staff to assist if you have any trouble getting started. Once you're settled with all of your tools you can get painting! In general, I find ceramic painting to be fun but also like playing chance because the coloring won't show in full-effect until it gets fired in the kiln. The 2 hours we were given ended up being the perfect amount of time to work on a single ceramic piece. Pricing-wise I'd say its reasonable since you're paying for the ceramic, the glazes/paints, and labor. If you're ever looking for a relaxing spot to flex your creativity and just get away for a few hours consider coming here. I'm so glad I chose to spend part of my birthday doing something fun for myself. Can't wait to pick up my work of art once it's ready! read more

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Clay Cafe Hawaii, located in Ward Warehouse near the stage, is a place where you can tap into your artistic side and paint your own pottery. They have a wide selection of unpainted ceramic pieces and have many styles and paints to choose from so you can create your own unique piece. First, you choose from the many unpainted ceramic pieces. Then you select your paints to create your own paint palette. Clay Cafe also provides brushes, stencils, and stamps. Then, you paint. Once you are done, you turn it in to the staff and in about 7 to 10 days, your piece will be ready to be picked up. This place is packed. On the weekends, it's pretty much back to back birthday parties so try to call ahead and make a reservation. I have only brought my daughter here and watched her paint as painting is not my thing. So what I really like is that they serve coffee, espresso, teas, bubble drinks and gelato! It's very relaxing to sip on a vanilla latte while watching my daughter paint. Clay Cafe not only does children's birthday parties (recommended for ages 4 and up) but they also offer a take out party where they will pack up the ceramic pieces and the supplies you will need to do it at home. They even offer a mobile studio party for 50 or more people where they will bring to your event the ceramic pieces and the painting supplies. Clay Cafe is great for both kids and adults and a great activity for the whole family. read more

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Went to make a piece for the first time . Very over priced and the wait is 6 weeks , I don't think I'm ever going to do this again .

It's Date night! My mom is an advid pottery painter in Florida, and tells us all the time how much fun she has. We have walked by this place several times, and finally decided to stop and go in. There wasn't much of a crowd tonight, which is always nice. We looked around a bit and were a little shocked by the prices, so we decided to do a piece together? It's romantic date night right??!! We selected a square shaped salt and pepper shaker set, that sits on a little plate. I did the pepper shaker and plate, and hubby did the salt shaker. We had a really great time getting in touch with our creative side. It took us about two hours to get all three pieces done. The staff here is super nice. They were showing some customers at another table how to do different painting techniques. Can't wait to try some on our next visit. Overall a great experience, other than hubbys lack of creativity. Only 4 stars though because of the price. The clay pieces are VERY expensive. Our little salt and pepper shaker set cost almost $40! read more

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My second time coming here, first time I went by myself to make a gift for someone at the former Ward location, and this time I went with friends as a farewell outing as one is moving to Orlando. They are now located on the 2nd floor of the McCully shopping center by Bozu. The workers have been super helpful and friendly, and gave some cool tips on creating different works of art! I love how they have a such a big selection of items to choose from to decorate/paint how you choose. It's a great place for date night or a chill girls night out. My friend made reservations so we had about 2.5 hours to create and paint our pieces. When you get there, you check in with the workers, pick the piece you want to paint, pay at the cashier (and order a drink to sip on while you work), then grab your desired paint colors and tools from the paint wall. Behind each paint bottle are examples of how the colors will turn out based on 1, 2, and 3 coats of paint after they're put in the kiln. Once you're done with your piece you turn it in to the staff and they contact you when it's ready for pick (at least 7-10 days). Excited to see how my piece turns out! read more

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I'm so glad this place didn't close down when they left Ward Warehouse. This is my first time here at this location so why not write a review. Clay Cafe is a cute clay shop that allows you to bring out your artistic (or not so artistic) side out. Sure, you won't have the "Ghost" experience of actually creating the pottery masterpiece yourself, but at least you get to bring some color to it. Tired of going to the movies or just going out to eat for a date? This place makes for a great alternative. Whether it be with your your kids, your spouse or significant other, or even with your friends/coworkers, Clay Cafe offers a wide variety of figurines, dish-ware, and desk accessories that's suitable for just about anyone. Reserve a table ahead of time. I called the day before and was able to get a table of 6. When we got here, we were warmly greeted by the staff. One lady came up to us and directed us to our table, then gave us instructions. How it works? 1. Pick an item that you will be painting. 2. Pay for that item 3. Decorate and Paint your item (there is a variety of different paintbrushes and paints in different colors to choose from. They also have stencils you can use if you need help boosting that creative juices.) 4. When you are done decorating your item, leave it with the staff. It will go in the fire for about a week. 5. They will call you when it's done. We were here for almost 3 hrs. Thankfully the party after us didn't start til way into the afternoon. Otherwise, they may have given us a time limit. It does get crowded in here if there is a party of 6 kids with all their parents. So if you plan on doing a kid's party, i may suggest having just one or two chaperones. Or i guess depending on the ages of the kids. Because the last thing I'd want to do in here is to be chasing a 3 year old in a place filled with fragile and breakable items. Ha! They do have a small cafe in here. That's why it's called Clay CAFE :) No baked goods or snacks though, just drinks that you're allowed to bring to your table and drink while you paint. Totally dig this place. Definitely will return. (Especially to pick up my finished product in a week) ;) read more

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Great customer service and even with someone who is not very "crafty", they're so patient and helpful!

We had a blast today creating our pottery. So many choices for an afternoon adventure. For a memorable experience, highly recommend.

My 2 kids tried this place with some friends from school for the 1st time a few weeks ago. I love the concept and creativity this place promotes. Location is somewhat convenient, as it's located in the McCully Shopping center up on the second floor, however the parking lot fills up fast and is pretty tight, in my opinion. The workers are helpful but keep in mind the shop is very small. I would not recommend baby strollers in there. There are only a small handful of tables there and seat about 4 people at each table. I believe there are only about 4-5 tables.... I saw different techniques on the wall you could imitate, but there was so instruction on how to do so. I'm not sure if they offer any extra help with that, you'd probably would have to ask. My main complaint about this place is how long it takes them to fire your piece and call you to come pick it up. They say it's about 5 weeks or more. In my opinion, that's way too long to make customers wait. It should be 2 weeks. Perhaps this is something the owner can consider to improve customer satisfaction and return? I would also like to say it's pricey for the pieces that you pick out. You can expect to pay roughly $50 and up for 2 pieces to paint. I would come back again though since we had a nice time and loved being able to let out some creativity and have something useful to take back home (well, pending the 5 week wait). read more

I haven't been to Clay cafe since they were located at ward, however I don't mind the new location. McCully shopping center has a pretty good parking situation (to me) and it's easy to find for anyone not used to town. This being the first time I've been to Clay cafe in YEARS I am happy to say that their customer service has not changed and still outstanding as usual. If you're a new customer don't forget to make a reservation well in advance! They allot two hours (sometime cancellations happen and you can stay longer!) When you first get in they will go over shop rules and how things may work, don't be afraid to ask they're helpful. Due to the Christmas rush there is about a 5 week return time on your items, usually less if not during holiday season or so I've been told, however they'll give you a call. Overall, it was nice going back and it's just as calming, relaxing, and joyful as I remember. read more

Was looking forward to painting pottery while in town but didn't realize the fire time was 8 weeks long, wish there was a faster process

Book a reservation!!!! They do get busy and luckily I got a spot but it was very packed when I got there. Also keep in mind it is a very long turn around for your items which is a downfall but other than that I loved the experience and will definitely be going back with my daughter. Have a good variety of paints just wish they had larger pallets for you to have more colors at your table. read more

I love painting pottery and there aren't. Lot of places to go! There were a lot of different selections and there were tons of brushes and tools! The workers were super helpful! I love that they have drinks and smoothies you can get! The place is small and only has like 3 tables. If you're planning to have a group of people I would recommend making a reservation! read more

Clay Café - Celebrated my birthday - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I love this place. I've brought my kids there since young. And I have so much fun everytime. I take it seriously and am real careful. . No matter what the colors come out beautiful after the kiln. Go there enjoy. In Covid its a little complicated you need reservations and pay a reservation fee like $25. Which makes sense so that people show up when they say they will. read more

Located on the 2nd floor of the McCully Shopping Center. Make reservations ahead of time because space is limited. The customer service was great; everyone was friendly and helpful. July's monthly special is 50% off of everything except woods/metals. Score! I ordered a small marshmallow latte and hubby ordered a large lava flow. We are totally coming back. It was so fun and relaxing. I decided on painting my cactus salt and pepper shakers entirely hematite and my hubby did a cute dia de los muertos skull jewelry box. Can't wait to pick up our finished pieces! read more

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Random Sunday when we visited the Cafe. Staffs are friendly. They make you feel comfortable. Great place for a quality time with love one. Come in when your feeling creative and artsy. If not and just curious, keep in mind their blank ceramics are not cheap. The staff will explain the different paint you can use and the style you can use it for. I personally didn't want to spend $$, so I chose to paint in tile. I'm glad I did. We offer coffee, latte, milk teas, and smoothie. I had a milk tea, they alright. Will probably just a coffee or latte next time. The point though, I guess the drinks are just an add on. I truly enjoyed my time here. It's relaxing, soothing or can be therapeutic for some. I highly recommend this for good quality time for parents and kids, or friends catching up. read more

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I have a new bad habit. No it's not crack cocaine or heroine, it's clay painting... Why all the mixed reviews on Yelp? I think it's all the negative nancy signage. Don't do this, don't do that, if you break this, if you do that... I get it, if people break things or waste paint then the business loses money. But people also come to Clay Cafe because they're trying to get away from rules and people them telling them to live their life in a square box. Being told "no" at every turn is very counterproductive to getting back to your childhood roots of zero responsibility! It's okay, I'm a Mom, I totally get it. Someone around here has to wear the responsibility pants!!! My daughter had one more day left before the start of prison, errr I mean 4th grade, so I decided to treat her to a morning of crafting at Clay Cafe! She is an artist at heart and I thought this would be the perfect way to spend some quality time together before she becomes a teenager and doesn't want to be seen with me in public. I feel like I'm holding onto the very last threads of childhood with a death grip. Today I'm her hero and all she wants are my hugs and kisses. Tomorrow puberty hits, she's got a training bra and only wants me to contact her via text. I dread the day... But that is tomorrow and for now we shall live in the moment painting coffee cups and little figurines. She picked out a cat figurine and a two little kittens while I decided on a discounted coffee cup. It had a tiny chip in it and was 40% off. Score! Be forewarned that if you're on a budget Clay Cafe can be a bit spendy, but I think it's worth it. You pick out the item you want to paint and the price of the item includes your paints, the space to color your piece and the glaze and firing of your item in a kiln. I don't know about you, but I don't have a ceramics kiln at home so this seems like a pretty good deal to me! What I didn't factor into the equation was how long our little arts excursion would take! We spent a good two hours painting and I had to take my coffee cup home because it took me so long to paint it. They were nice enough to wrap up my item so I could come back later on to finish painting it. My daughter was able to finish her kitties and happily turned them in to go into the kiln. We picked them up a week later and she loooooves them! Those little glazed kittens are a great memory of something fun we made together and I'd definitely go back again to make more pieces with her. Childhood is fading, but painting clay together will hopefully help it to last a little longer... read more

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I LOVE CLAY CAFE! Located in Wardware house, so much parking and they're always so friendly here! I am quite the artist myself and I love painting pottery. The first time I've ever painted pottery was when I was 12 years old at "Color Me Mine" at a birthday party but I do enjoy Clay Cafe A LOT MORE. They have everything you need for a fun time. I always end up painting on cups and mugs because its just a weird obsession. They have all the colors you need, all sized brushes, sponges, stencils and much more. I recently came back here just for fun with my girlfriend and even if we become "mute" from being "in the zone" for a while, I think its a good time spent everytime. I suggest to bring a jacket because sitting on a chair for an hour or more gets you a bit cold. & they serve drinks too! P: They get fire your pottery up pretty fast and they will give you a call when its ready. The price is super reasonable, you just pay for the amount that is written on the bottom of your pottery. That includes all the material and sevice fees too, so don't think of it as "oh my gosh, its $20 for a cup" Because its totally worth it. They seem to have a lot of birthday parties here. The kids always seem to have so much fun, if you're looking for a place instead of "Chuck-E-Cheese" & renting out big rooms for a birthday party, this is a memory that will last for your kids. I came to a pottery painting when I was a kid and its one of the most meorable parties I've ever been to. I would come here every week if I could. Honestly. I need to start painting a matching plates and bowls to go with my cup. (o: I'll be back real soon Clay Cafe! xxxxxxxx read more

Clay Café - My galaxy cup I painted (before fire) - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I think this is a pretty cool place. My advice is to call in advance to reserve a space. If you're a tourist keep In mind that your masterpiece will take 7-10 days to get glazed and fired. The first time we did this kind of thing was in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Maddy made a mosaic in a wooden LOVE sign. Darcie and I left her there for an hour or so as we visited the Torpedo Factory on the waterfront. I don't like the prices of the clay objects. I guess I'm a cheapo looking for a great deal. Regardless it's fun for the family and kids. They have refreshments you can order. Good think we had a gift card. For 6 of us it was $70 read more

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