A little Korean mart with a bunch of delicious snacks to try. It's like a Korean 7/11. The mart is very clean and well stocked. The employees are friendly and efficient. What makes this place stand out is the selection of snacks they offer and their Ramyun Library. So many delicious choices and you can get hot water to make and eat your Ramyun in store. Unfortunately there is no seating so if you have accessibility needs, this may not be the place to enjoy your treats in store. Some of the snacks are a little on the pricey side... I saw a snack size bag of chips for $7. I get these are imported but that seemed a little excessive. I really enjoyed their variety of hot foods. It's no 7/11 however if you're in the area and want something a little different, I recommend you give it a try. read more

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Located at Fort Street Mall area in the Executive center building. That's where we parked. We also happened to come upon this store when we were in the way to 24 hour fitness. There is more ramen than I've seen in one place. Different flavors and non-spicy to extra extra spicy Snacks galore and drinks galore. Both alcohol and non- alcohol. Service is cheerful and friendly. They accept tap. Cash. Card. There's a security guard outside of the store. That was interesting. read more

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CU is the first Korean-based convenience store to establish itself in Downtown Honolulu, located near where Ross used to be. I walked in since I was in the area and it is a very well-kept store, with items frequently restocked. They have the iconic ramyeon station, where instant noodles can be immediately made for consumption after purchasing. There was also K-pop Demon Hunters collab shin noodles and displays of HUNTR/X and Saja Boys. Overall, I liked the vibe and would have been down to try food if I wasn't full from a matcha latte I had earlier. Would visit again for Korean products! read more

CU Hawaii - Downtown - K-pop Demon Hunters Display - Convenience Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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C U there... Thank you to Yelp friend Jackie K for suggesting this place since we were already in the area and searching for a place which turned out to be closed not wasting a moment it was great idea to peek in for the very first time. Located in the midst of Downtown it was a nice and bright new spot filled with various items for foodies and anyone hungry to explore with grab and go ready prepared warm bites to smoothie machine and what many flocked over to the back for the wall of Ramyun which you can cook and enjoy there is an interesting and fun option that is cost friendly as well. Though what I was recommended was the "Tornado Potato" which they were out of unfortunately but as I was about to make another decision here they come woohoo! At $3.49 is a fabulous deal and comes with sauce of your choice does level it up but thank you to Jackie K for the suggestion as it was a great place for a simple treat that made plan B a A+. Thank you! read more

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Shopping in Downtown Honolulu, Hawai'i... This relatively new Korean convenience store, CU - Hawaii, is located on the ground level of the Executive Centre. It's the first store of this Korean chain to be in the USA! Wow! The Executive Centre was a smart choice of location because it is a condo/hotel building. Many people (residents, hotel guests, and working people in the area) would appreciate the snacks, beverages, and grab 'n go foods here. Note: The entrance of CU - Hawaii is actually facing Hotel Street. The space was formerly Ross Dress For Less. I arrived on a Sunday when metered street parking is free. The spacious, clean environment was well-organized! There's a lot of merchandise, plus microwaves, a smoothie making station, and a do-it-yourself Ramen area. It's a good idea if you want to dine here to stand and dine at one of the large "ramen cup" tables! Come check it out! I almost got one of those cute plushie bag charms... (The price is kinda reasonable!) Instead, I got one of those beverages in a pouch that you pour into a cup of ice. I'll do that at home... LOL! read more

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It was pretty cute. The ramen wall was pretty interesting and I can see it being a good photo op. Definitely a good addition to this area since I don't see too many options for convenience stores in the area. I just wanted to see how the interior looked like - spacious and clean and they had their hot food options and the instant ramen station. Would be a good choice if you end up in the area but I think I'll stick to Kahala CU :) read more

I really like this place. It's the Korean 7-11. I would come more often, but parking in downtown is a pain in my behind. As with any convenience store it's filled with food and snacks. The whole back wall is ramen that you can heat up with their high tech microwaves against the wall. Don't forget to pay for it first with the cashier up front. I really wasn't feeling ramen that day. I saw another customer buying a cup filled with ice and pouring a pouch of syrup in there. That piqued my interest and I wanted to try it. I got a cup filled with ice from the freezer $1.99 and looked through their syrup selection. They had a lot; everything from fruity to coffee. I settled on the sweet mango. All the syrups were $1.99. The mango was good. It had a little of that artificial taste to it though. At first it was really sweet. You have to wait until the ice melts, then it's good to go. As with the ramen they want you to pay first with the cashier. At the checkout they have all these hot food items that you can purchase such as fried mandoo, corndogs, tornado potato and squid fishcake bar. I had to try the squid fishcake bar $3.49. It was so yummy. I could taste the bits of squid in there. read more

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There was so much excitement about a new store in downtown Honolulu! Lines so long and interesting new products and novel ways to prepare and consume. I was so excited and happy that I could come here during the first week, earlier in the morning, and not have to endure any long lines! After 2-3 visits and trying a few items, the novelty wore off. Everything I've had here is so mid. That's the best way to describe the offerings of CU Hawaii. The smoked ahi Musubi? Fine. Kim chee mandoo? Ok. Potato corn dog? Meh. Tornado potato? Dry but fine. Egg salad sandwich? Fine but dry bread. L Egg and karaage chicken Musubi? Bland. Americano in a pouch? It's just coffee really. There is a cold brewed coffee in a small carton that was pretty good and strong! I'd get that one again. Some of the snacks might be worth a shot. The fried nori chips were good and different from the ones you usually see at longs or Walmart. Otherwise, this place is pretty mid. 7-11 is better for sandwiches and musubis. Palama market express is better for convenience store Korean food. Happy mini mart is good too. Hope CU stays open though, as an option in downtown. read more

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Nice to CU is basically a Korean-style 7-Eleven located in downtown Waikiki. We were lucky enough to find street parking nearby, otherwise, I honestly have no idea where you'd park. This was our very first stop after landing in Oahu, and we grabbed some snacks to hold us til we have a real lunch. I made my own iced coffee using banana milk, crushed ice, and pack of americano, and we picked up water, popcorn, and chips. They also have a pretty extensive selection of instant ramen if you're craving it. CU totally made me reminisce about my trip to Seoul. However, I think you may also find the items cheaper at Hmart nearby. Nice to take a peek here! read more

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CU finally made its way to Oahu, and I was so excited to check it out! They had a great selection and basically all of my favorite Korean snacks, food, and drinks in one place. The ramen selection alone is extensive, and I loved that they have hot water stations so you can make your ramen and eat it right there. They also have ice cups and drink stations, which really add to the experience. I loved eating at the giant ramen tables! The only downside, if anything, was that it was smaller than I expected. Influencer videos made it look huge, so I was a little surprised by the size, but it didn't take away from the experience. The staff was really nice, and everything we tried, food- and drink-wise, was good. Definitely a fun stop, but for me it was more of a one-and-done experience since I don't live or work nearby. I can get most of my favorite Korean items at other Korean markets like Palama, so it's not somewhere I'd go out of my way for regularly. Still, it's worth checking out at least once! read more

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@fortunefoodfinds: "C-U later! Last month I finally got the chance to check out CU Hawaii located in downtown Honolulu. From the self-serve ramyun, to the variety of snacks n' customizable drinks, it's an experience whether you go solo or with a friend to link!" SERVICE: friendly INTERIOR: clean, well kept n' stocked. Had a photo booth in the back. Limited stand up tables (shaped like instant noodle cups). Smaller than what I expected, that's bc I thought it was going to be like a big supermarket, idk why! EXTERIOR: in the business area, not easily seen WAIT TIME: came after work hours so line to register moved fast PARKING: difficult, found a nearby public garage that I believe charged every 30 mins OVERALL COMMENTS: came for the self-serve ramyun n' customizable drinks, which was a neat experience with the fam. The location is great for people who work around there n' who can easily get there by walking. Although if you have a vehicle you may think twice about making a visit. Unfortunately, I won't be back anytime soon unless I'm randomly in the area n' on foot. Glad I was able to try it out at least once! read more

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Was downtown for an appointment and my husband suggested we stop by and check this place out. The store is very neat and clean and well stocked, for the most part. The convenient eats section was pretty bare lol. The most impressive thing was the ramyun library and large selection of various different noodles. I honestly expected more of a variety of Asian snacks so I was a little disappointed in that. I liked the tables that looked like ramen bowels but think they could have probably made better use of the space with a different dining area. Overall I probably won't return unless it's to bring my kids to check out the ramyun wall. read more

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This place is okay. I would probably shop here if I lived walking distance or happen to be stopping at Paris Baguette and snagged a street stall, but I definitely wouldn't go out of my way to hunt down parking. They offer a ton of ramen and chilled food similar to 711. I'm not sure what the hype was but glad I got to check it out! read more

CU Hawaii - Downtown - Ramen! - Convenience Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I stopped by the grand opening of CU Hawaii after seeing all the hype, and I'm glad I did. It's pretty cool to have Hawaii's first CU in the U.S. right here in our backyard, especially with all the unique items they brought over from Korea. The one thing I was really excited to try was the Tornado Potato. It was good, but having a few different topping options would really take it to the next level. Also, like fellow Yelper Jackie K. said, it was warm, but not hot! read more

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Super bright, colorful, welcoming and interesting. Located at former Longs location CU is like a trend with a ton of young people taking pictures inside for instagram worthy photos. The products are very different with an Asian flare of drinks, hot snacks, instant ramen bar. The lines are long with only a couple of cashiers. This shop can be likened to an Asian 7-11 without the hard liquor aisle. The instant ramen bar is different but cool because you can access a glorified fancy hot water machine. It's self serve and well... don't know if I would pay a premium for instant ramen in a styrofoam bowl. Nice to CU is worth a visit but shop probably has to offer other things to keep the surrounding lunchtime crowd interested. read more

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Update on CU Hawaii I guess the best time to check out this new trendy place is on Sunday . Lots of free street metered parking and not too crowded compared to other days . This time I ordered what's called Potato tornado. It's alright although you need ketchup it's a little dry . read more

CU Hawaii - Downtown - Potato tornado - Convenience Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Grand Opening scheduled for November 12, 2025 at high noon. Then open daily, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Get there early for the swag bag giveaway for the first 100 purchasers. No validated parking. We found street metered parking for $3 an hour. Credit card or coins. Peeking inside it looks bright, colorful and filled with so many goodies! Adorable ramen table tops! I will update later. I thought CU Hawaii had a soft opening per Instagram posts. There were @8 of us waiting there for CU Hawaii to open lol. The store was all lit up and you could see someone was inside, but after hanging out for a while, it was a no go. 11/12/25- update. The line wraps around the building! Crazy. We asked an employee to estimate the time to get inside the store, his response: Two hours plus! Uhm, we only paid for one hour metered parking! It's also raining. I was able to peek inside, but that's it! A quick picture with CU iconic mascot was the best for today. Another update will be forthcoming! 11/16/25- THIRD TIME IS A SUCCESS! We found free street parking on a late Sunday afternoon. Walking up to CU Hawai'i, I observed a much smaller line of customers. Hooray. The wait to the front entrance took us approximately 15 minutes. Success. Surprisingly, the store appears small and compact inside. Most 711 stores in Hawai'i appear larger in size than this convenience store. However, the CU Hawai'i store has an eating area and high density merchandise. I tried the viral cream vanilla bun. It's in the refrigerated section. It's pretty much a very soft bun filled with whipped cream! We also tried the tornado potato stick. It's warm (not hot) and ketchup was provided in the packet. It was not crispy, oily and without flavor. No spice or salt to taste. A huge variety of drinks, CU totes, snacks, ramen and so much more are available here. Service was attentive and efficient here. My CU App didn't work at first. I was instructed to delete and reinstall the app. It worked! The employee rang me up immediately after I was able to bring up the QR code on the app. Welcome CU Hawai'i! Wishing you a successful business here in downtown Honolulu, Hawai'i. Instagram: @nicetocuhawaii Website: www.nicetocuhawaii.com read more

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This new Korean convenience store is the first of its kind in the US. Located in the heart of Downtown Honolulu where the old Longs Drugs used to be, it sometimes gets a little busy during the lunch hour. If you're not working or living in Downtown Honolulu, parking might be a little challenge (something to keep in mind if you're making the trip). Because this place is set up to be just a convenience store with a couple of fun experiences, the space is much smaller than when it was Longs. Matter of fact, it feels like about half the size. Inside, you'll find mostly the same items you would get at your local Asian market, at a slighter higher price. One of the few things that stood out to me was the infamous ramyun library wall. They have a lot of options to choose from across from the wall, is a self cooking station. They also have a self-blend smoothie station that adds to the fun experience. If you're not up to cooking or making your own food, you can also pick up ready made food like bentos and hot foods in front of the cashier (think like 7-11 but Korean food). I decided to try out the potato tornado on a whim and sadly it was a disappointment to me. It had a strange bitter aftertaste with no seasoning and the texture was more hard-plastic-crunchy than the crispy-fry I would expect. I might come back to try the ramyun station just for the fun of it, but at the end of the day, it's just ramyun and unless you get creative with mix-ins you find around the store, there aren't really extra toppings provided. It's worth checking out once for the experience in my personal opinion, especially if you're nearby. read more

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We decided to try Nice to CU in downtown where the old Longs used to be, thinking 2 weeks after they opened should be good. Nope! The line to get into the store was LONG! We waited for about 30 minutes before being able to get into the store. The security outside shuffling people in was good at keeping the "crazy" people away. Hopefully that persons stays or else they are going to have a lot of problems. Inside of the store was quite small since I was thinking of the Longs space there previously. I thought the ramen lounge would be bigger to enjoy in store but it too was very small. We chose some of their food items, got some snacks, and picked up packets of drink mix. But the star of the show, ice cubes for the drinks were sold out. I tried the kimchee dumplings which looking back tasted great but probably because we waited so long to get in and were hungry. The veggie kimbap was junk mostly due to the hard rice. The kimchee fried rice with the egg was ok. Probably one of the better foods. They also had American and Korean grocery items in the fridges. Overall, I wasn't really impressed since you can get a lot of the items outside for much cheaper and less wait. Parking is a bit limited for street parking so I would suggest Ali'i parking garage (low price but cash only) or the new pickleball parking garage (old Walmart) since they had a $5 flat rate on Sunday. read more

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I had told my wife about Wednesday's opening day at 12 noon and that the first 100 customers would receive a gift. She arrived a little after noon, but there was already a long line with security blocking and controlling entry. She decided it wasn't worth the wait and shopped elsewhere. Since today is Saturday, we arrived together around 9 am and were surprised at the long line, although much shorter than three days before. It looked like the security guard was allowing small groups of people in at a time. When we finally made it in, I was a little surprised how narrow the store was compared to the floor space of Longs and 88 Mart before it. We selected two packages of noodles and two musubi. To cook the dry noodles in-store, go to the cashier and pay for them, letting them know you'll be preparing and eating them while at the store. You'll receive a bar-coded paper bowl for each pack of noodles. Follow the instructions at the cooking stations. I microwaved my musubi for 30 seconds and wrapped the nori around the rice ball. The noodles and musubi were quite good. On the way out, I bought two danishes, a Blueberry Cream and a Cheese Berries. My wife and I shared the blueberry one. It was quite tasty. I put the cheese berries one in the freezer to eat later. When I first heard CU was opening, I thought the 7-Eleven around the corner would lose business. I now feel the impact may be minimal, as each store stocks different types of food and caters to different clientele. For us, CU's opening was a novelty, similar to our first (and only) ride on the Skyline. If the lines continue to be long, I'll pass on waiting to get in. If things eventually smooth out where I can drop in to quickly pick up and pay for an item or two, then this could be an occasional option. read more

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The newest Korean grocery store opened in downtown area. They do not validate parking. Me and my friend passed by and there's no line. We went in with no waiting time. The store is kind of narrow. Beside of the regular cashier, there's a self checkout nearby the entrance. The store looks clean and organized. Staff keeps restocking the shelves. There's a ramen library all the way in the back side of the store. You can pick the noodles you like, go to cashier and they'll give you a bowl with barcode. Scan the barcode at the machine and it'll take 4 mins to cook the ramen. It's definitely a gimmick! The ramen tastes great. I also tried the green grape juice and I love it. It's not worth it to wait on a line for instant noodles. However I will definitely go again when there's no line. read more

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My daughter has ballet downtown on Saturday afternoons and we figured the hype had died down after a few weeks so we could finally check out CU. It was definitely still busy but no line this time. The main attraction is the ramyun wall and smoothie maker so that's what we did. It was fun and my daughter really enjoyed getting to pick out her ramyun from the wall and help make it. Pros: Ramyun wall definitely our favorite although we can make it in a less congested space at home the experience was fun and a large variety of options. Cute Korean snacks, nothing I haven't seen around though especially at Hmart. Some nice fresh options like Kimbap in the refrigerated section and 5-6 options near the cash register. Cons: location, not just the lack of parking but in our 5 minute walk there we encountered at least 3 individuals who were acting aggressive and another 2-3 passed out nearby. This area has never been great so it's not an ideal location. We would not go at night or when the area is not busy. The line was also a little confusing, there was what appeared to be two lines but the clerk told me to move to the other side as there's only one line, and I did but the people behind me did not and she served them next? A sign saying line starts here would help clear the confusion. We will go back after ballet to have some ramyun and smoothie for sure read more

CU Hawaii - Downtown - Finished ramyun and smoothie - Convenience Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Yes, this place is open! An upgrade from 808 market, it's a Korean version of 7-11. The standout part is the ramen "kitchen" in back where you can make ramen - well, pretty much exactly the same ramen you have at home. I didn't see the extra sides that you get in Korea for the same type of ramen station but maybe I missed it. In Korea there are a bunch of different additions you can put into your ramen. What I liked about this place was the variety of Korean ready to eat dishes. There was an entire shelf devoted to this. You will also find a large assortment of drinks. There are a number of small cute items - anime type characters you can purchase. Look this place doesn't have much parking except in the building next to it, and the area is not the best. I walked there from Hawaii theater but I wouldn't go there unless I worked right around that area. I wish them luck. Oh the cashier was very friendly. read more

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An impressive array of Korean goodies including snacks, desserts, alcohol, hot foods (including corn dogs, tornado potatoes and mandoo), and K-beauty products. There's also the signature ramyun station where you can have an elevated instant ramen experience that will make you feel like you're Seoul. Also a ridiculously priced $16 photo booth where you can get a strip of CU branded photos (hard pass on this one lol). I really liked the limited edition CU Hawai'i x Sig Zane collab items. Picked up a water bottle and large ecobag for myself. The smoothie station was empty and the machine already seemingly broken, though. And it can't be left unsaid that this was a highly questionable choice for the first location in Hawaii... Very sketchy area and I can see this place quickly falling into disrepair like any other run of the mill downtown convenience store. Came here for the experience, but I don't really see myself coming regularly, even though I'm often working a few blocks away. I'd rather head to Palama Market. TLDR: Fun experience, but once was enough. read more

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The Hype on this is just aiight, but can't knock the cool experience of cooking your noodles but waikele has the same concept but a small area inside Mr. Cow. Some items are different but majority you can find in Donki or DonQ or even Hmart at a cheaper price. After coming here I went to DonQ and Hmart to compare prices and notices that the prices at CU was slightly higher in comparison. One thing that was a plus tho is the fact it was a smaller store so it gave a bigger insight to focus on everything in the store. When I went to the other stores to find some items I was able to notice the price different faster and find it faster. A downside also is the store is so small that it looks so cluttered even when they try to manage how many people they let in at a time. My opinion as others I came with thought it would of been awesome if they took the old Ross next door and made the down stairs the food court and the upstairs the shopping section where you purchase your items first then have the option to eat downstairs after. Receiving a ticket from the register would grant you access downstairs to control people just overcrowding it that haven't brought. That would have been cool. Would I be back, I prolly would just to check in to see if anything changed in a few months as they are new and to update my review. read more

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The grand opening was today at 12:00. I stood in line half way around where Ross used to be around 11am- finally got inside around 12:50pm. This spot is what I would call small but mighty. There are various shelves with snacks, hot and cold food, and a whole back section for Ramyeon. Due to how busy it was, I felt bad and didn't try to take pictures. All of the staff were definitely, "Nice to C U." I would recommend a visit to the new CU Hawaii just for the food alone. There is a great variety of eats that the nearby shops don't have. Also, there is a self check-out line for non-food purchases and a set of cashiers for food+ everything else if you are just there for the Sig Zane Totes and Bottles. I would recommend this business if you can make it there. read more

CU Hawaii - Downtown - Convenience Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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First time here, Had to see my CPA on Bishop Street, decided to stop by. It's like a 7-11, lots of Korean products, especially dry ramen noodles. You can make your ramen and it in the store. They have stand up counters like in Korean. Give this place a try if you're in the Bishop area, use to be the old Longs store. Aloha, Derek read more

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Not really like the CU in Korea. I think the ramyun wall and making your own bowl inside is a fun idea but I wish there were more things available to purchase that you could put in your bowl (like eggs or cheese). read more

CU Hawaii - Downtown - Convenience Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is a popular Korean convenience store located in downtown Honolulu in The Bishop Suites at the Executive Centre building. They have a ramen library and cooking area, prepared foods, refrigerated and frozen items, ice cups and lots of beverage items. They even have a photo booth in the back of the store with Kpop backgrounds that makes it look like you're taking selfies with your bias. My favorite prepared food item was the tteok-bokki and sausages on a stick. The cream donuts were also amazing! The local workers were really friendly and they even have a counter area where you can enjoy your drinks and snacks. It's definitely a fun place to grab a bite and hang out. read more

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It's a much smaller space than it's predecessors in this location, and it's bright and clean, much brighter and cleaner than most anything else on the area. I was a bit disappointed, though. It's Korean, but descriptions made it sound as though it was like the Japanese combini that I love. (I never went into a convenience store in Korea. . .) If you are downtown and want a snack, at least there is this place. There is a little bit of fresh fruit available, but mostly you're coming here for hot fried foods, chips, noodles, rice balls, Ice cream, Tucker and Bevy sandwiches, candy, and more treats, mostly Korean or American. There's a bit of household necessities like TP and such. Honestly there was really nothing that appealed to me, especially given the prices. Towards the back of the store was the wall of noodles - multiple brands of Asian noodles. Not just rameyon but also pasta. I finally got the two different flavors of Tangle pasta, a brand I'd never heard of. After paying, you can get a bowl, and make your noodles in the store in the back. There are tables to stand at and slurp away. When I went to pay, several employees were by the hot food / cashiers stations. Although I was clearly in view, they all ignored me. One employee just stood in front of her register and never invited me over. After a wait, I asked if I could come over, and she said yes. Not-so-great service. But I am glad something new and lively is in downtown. read more

Did you guys know this place IS NOT the first spot in Hawaii to have the ramen cooker machines? It's just the most advertised. I feel like the biggest appeal to this place - aside from being new - is the ramen cooking stations. And let me tell you, Mr. Cow and the small Korean convenience stores that are run by a Micronesian family were the first ones to bring it to Hawaii! YEARS before this place. So just know you don't have to come to downtown to use the ramen cookers. Also, don't come to downtown just for the ramen cookers! Or just for this place in general! Especially since at the time I'm writing this review, they're about to open two more that are a lot more convenient to park at than downtown. I've come here about three times because I've had business to do in downtown and because I have a way of getting free parking that is nearby. All three times, I grabbed ramen and I think three is the max you can come here before it loses it's novelty. If I worked in Downtown, I would feel different, but now you know the perspective where I'm coming from. Truthfully, if given the choice I would rather go to 7-11 just a little ways away. Why? Because it's bigger, cheaper, and there's more options for a meal. At this store, the only options for a meal are ramen or kimbap. Yes, there's the heated sides, but that's just sides compared to going to 7-11 and I spend the same amount and get a three course meal...AND a drink! Also, the content creators in Hawaii made it seem like the place is so big. But trust, you DO NOT want to be here at peak lunch hour because the line is gonna curve all the way to the eating area. OH YEAH, and you can't sit down and eat. Probably because there's no room for anyone to sit down because it's so small. All things considered, would I come back???? MAYBE if I feel like it and I'm in the area. But most likely might go somewhere else just with the way I tackle being in Downtown. read more

I just live how u can feel a little bit of Korea here in Hawaii with there convenience store that brought here.Love the vibe the different types of noodles and drinks and all types of goodies u can find to enjoy eating here or u can take it home.I enjoyed it here alot. read more

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We planned to eat lunch in downtown Honolulu at Kamana Indian restaurant when we passed by this newly opened Korean convenience store, Nice To CU, located in Downtown Honolulu's Executive Centre at the corner of Hotel and Bishop Streets. During our recent May cruise, we noticed the popularity of convenience stores in Japan (Lawson, Family Mart, and 7-Eleven) and Korea (Nice To CU, 7-Eleven, MiniStop, and GS25) as these stores seemed to appear at every corner or street block. I remembered wandering through several Nice To CU convenience stores while visiting Korea because I was so curious about the Korean convenience store culture I'd often seen in modern-day K-Dramas. It was exciting to see this convenience store chain open its first US location in Honolulu. As you might expect, the convenience store carries many grab-n-go beverages, snacks, meals, household items, and alcoholic beverages. But the Asian convenience stores offer much more in the way of their grab-n-go hot or cold meals and snacks, even though you might be concerned with nutrition or eating processed foods. Upon entry, we were greeted by the cashiers near the front of the store. We started roaming around the store, and one of the female workers took the time to show me where to get pre-filled cups of ice with the purchase of their convenient fruit juices, flavored teas, or coffee pouches. I did mention that we had the opportunity to browse the Nice To CU stores in Korea, and their set-up was similar, if not larger. But, that's when she pointed out the local collaborations with Island Vintage coffee roasters, snacks, and bentos prepared by local chef Sheldon Simeon, and Korean prepared foods such as kimbap and mandoo labeled by a local company called "Ho'ina." The worker took the time to guide us back to the "Ramyun Library" and cooking stations. Once there, there were three tables shaped like ramen cups where some office workers, but mainly young high school and college students, were gathered around, busily slurping down their ramyun, udon, or tteokbokki. We appreciated the worker's warmth and willingness to show us around this new store. Unfortunately, because we had just eaten lunch, we didn't purchase anything, but I've got my eyes focused on trying their Korean/local hot bentos and onigiris. So, I'm making plans to return soon. We wish this new business well and think they can offer a new experience to Downtown workers and residents. read more

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overall it seems very goood but it's not in the best location and parking is v hard i rec public transport or walking the ramen was a bit too cooked for me so i think ill take it out earlier nxt time... bit sad haha but the experience was cool! they had smoothie machines and all the extra hot food and snacks u can buy, good vibes i wish there was more fresh food or sauces/add-ons to the ramen workers seemed uninterested in helping though read more

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The ramen station is a fun little experience, but make no mistake, this is a convenience store and what you're eating is undeniably convenience store food. We tried a number of the "Hawaii exclusive" items and they were extremely disappointing. The garlic noodles were terrible and I was ready to throw it out after one bite (but I didn't, because don't waste food) and the rice in the musubis was hard and dry. Musubis were also extremely light on filling. The ramen library was pretty cool and the ramen was fine, but I guess it's pretty hard to mess up adding hot water to instant noodles. It's also worth noting that they charge $1 for the bowl to eat your instant ramen there and $2 for the ice cups that pair with the drinks in the plastic pouches. The staff were good about keeping the dining area clean - I saw them constantly cleaning the microwaves and taking out the trash bins, so I appreciated that much of the experience at least. read more

We wanted to visit CU today...Too busy on opening day. They open at 6:00 am so we will go early one morning! The line was long but business looked good!! read more

CU Hawaii - Downtown - The line on opening day was still around the building at 5:00. They should've taken the Ross' space... - Convenience Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Novel idea in downtown Honolulu. Bright and clean. Staff is friendly and welcoming. Lots of Korean items. However, in need of a restock. Visited at 9:30 am on a Wednesday. read more

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I really wanted to love this place. But I bought Tornado potato that I never received, 3 triangle kimbap and macaroni salad. Macaroni salad was super dry. Triangle kimbap was dry and rice was soo old. With every bite rice was falling apart and falling all over the place. Spam mayo triangle kimbap - don't waste your time. I couldn't taste spam and the overwhelming flavor was onions. This is not the place for fresh food experience. Cool for the ramen machines. Nice and clean probably best for people who work in the area. I wouldn't go out of my way to frequent this store. read more

I like the idea of coming here and eating but just a ton of kinks that still need to be worked out despite it being over a month since opening. Hot food is still inconsistent (cold and undercooked, or sitting under the heat lamp too long), constant supply chain issues with stuff always being out of stock, and overall just not a great experience right now. It's kinda like this quickly became an American lackluster convenience store with a Korean name slapped on it, as opposed to a genuinely good Korean convenience store (which I know because I lived in Seoul for many years and went to CU all the time). If you have time, I still think it's worth it to come try out the self service ramen cooking for a unique experience, where you can cook and eat your instant ramen on the premises, but it's a quick novelty that has the potential to wear off when everything else in the store isn't in stock. I'll keep an eye on this place, but I'm not sure how hopeful I am just yet. read more

CU Hawaii - Downtown - Convenience Stores Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

A nice Korean alternative to 7-11. They have a lot of imported Korean products ranging from drinks and chips, to hot foods like Kim Chi Mandu, Tornado Potatoes and Potato Corn Dogs (which do not in fact contain a cornbread...nor a hot dog) to the famous Ramyun bar....a wall of ramen packets that you can purchase at the counter as well as a bowl (an added $0.99) so that you can cook it in the back in their special machines. I thought they'd have toppings somewhere, but I did not see any, just signs showing what kind of toppings they suggest (egg, canned tuna, etc). The store itself is pretty small, but its clean and bright. Food is great even just to try a bunch of Korean snacks you probably can't get most other places. Its downtown so parking is...well its trash. Also its on Hotel Street so there's unfortunately a ton of homeless and the smell of urine lingers outside everywhere. read more