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    Hong Kong Island Cafe

    4.8 (23 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

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    Garlic Ong Choy
    Douglas T.

    Tucked away in Honolulu Chinatown's Maunakea Marketplace Food court is this GEM of a stall. Starting off with food, we got chow fun, Singapore style noodles, garlic Ong Choy, and truffle fried rice. This is definitely a family style typa restaurant but you can totally get your own personal entree if you want. The restaurant has a lot of good food but the table next to us got the sweet and sour pork and it looked SOO GOOD AND JUICY I regret not trying it (definitely next time). The service was next level truly felt like being fed by my parents. Despite being a stall, she was hand delivering food to our table and refilling and pouring our tea. Auntie was also sooo kind and gave us complementary cheesecake which was light and not too sweet (you fellow Asian readers get it). If you're in the area and even if you're not, PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT THIS SHOP! You won't regret it

    Stir Fry Morning Glory
    Russ L.

    Hong Kong Island Cafe is a hidden gem tucked away in Maunakea food court. Everything was fresh, delicious, and piping hot. The desserts are homemade and absolutely mouthwatering. We got juicy chicken wings , Singapore noodles , beef chow fun, and garlic ong choy. One of the best authentic places on the island. Limited seating but service is excellent.

    Located in the Maunakea Marketplace Food Court
    Nadine C.

    Lunch in Chinatown, Honolulu, Hawaii... I saw Andy F.'s check-in at Hong Kong Island Cafe and had to check it out! Metered street parking was free on a Sunday... yippee! We walked over to Maunakea Marketplace where there's an indoor Food Court with community dining tables and chairs. It's located near Blue Water Seafood and Maguro Brothers. Service was efficient and friendly! After I ordered, my meal was brought to me! (I think customers are supposed to pick up their own meals when it's busy.) Later, a spoon was brought to me, but i didn't need it. I speared each dumpling and ate them skewered! My wonton soup was tasty and filling. Each of the ten wonton contained a shrimp! The veggies in the soup were fresh! I wouldn't mind returning!

    Hong Kong style French toast (stuffed with peanut butter)
    Andrea M.

    This booth is located inside Maunakea marketplace in Chinatown. If you are familiar with this location then you know you don't get here for the setting, but for the taste and some good food deals. There are definitely some hidden gems in this area and I wanted to try the Hong Kong cafe this past Sunday afternoon. I had already had lunch so I tried the milk tea and the French toast as a sweet treat. I didn't know what to expect since there isn't a description of the French toast but it's really good and rich. To my surprise it's stuffed with peanut butter which gave a nice balance to counter the sweetness of the topping, just beware if you have a nut allergy since peanut wasn't listed on the description. The milk tea was good and had a nice fragrant flavor but maybe a bit too milky. I'll try the Dalgona whipped coffee next time. I want to come back and try the main dishes they look really good. The French toast was ready in about 10 minutes and the drinks in about 5.

    Yvonne C.

    Newest HK cafe inside Manakea Market. It's a tiny area but they have seating area in front of the restaurant. Staffs are friendly and efficient. Prices are reasonable. I would recommend their wonton soup with noodles. Each wonton is stuffed with a piece of shrimp. Milk tea is very good. Chicken wing is well seasoned. They open daily till 4pm. Don't missed out on this restaurant.

    Ong choy
    Addis T.

    This place is a hidden gem! Located in Manuakea marketplace, this spot specializes in Hong Kong "cha chang teng" classics such as Beef chow fun, Shanghai noodles, milk tea, etc! Maggie is extremely kind and super nice! Must try!

    乾炒牛河

    I tried the Chinese sausage fried rice and the dry-fried beef chow fun, and both were delicious. The fried rice had great flavor, and the chow fun was perfectly cooked with a nice smoky wok taste. Really satisfying meal! 我點了兩道菜臘腸炒飯和乾炒牛河味道都很棒,這頓飯讓我非常滿意!~ 老闆 Maggie 非常親切,還送了我一杯免費的茶,讓人感覺很貼心. will come again.

    Food and health care good luck nice job and I love it and I'll be happy with the job I'm doing right this second
    Ada k.

    Good afternoon food nice and hot to eat with your amazing good food and good luck With all good food

    Beef chow fun

    It's a hole in the wall place inside the marketplace food court, but the food was very tasty. The beef chow fun had great wok hei (sp?) flavor. The sautéed on choy was delicious too. The prices were great by Hawaii standards. The chow fun was $13 and veggies $11 for the dish. I would definitely go back.

    Busy life in Hawaii, but today I found a taste of home tucked away in the Confucius Temple food court. This no-frills Hong Kong cafe serves real black pepper pork chop wok-hei beef hor fun, and nostalgic chicken wings that teleport you straight to HK. A heartfelt recommendation for when you're homesick.

    In New York and now in Hawaii, as a food lover, I never miss an opportunity to try every dish that comes my way. After browsing Google and Yelp, I came across a newly opened Hong Kong-style diner called Hong Kong Island Cafe. I noticed they serve a type of crab that's only found in Hawaii, so I gave them a call. They said they'd help me get one tomorrow -- so I didn't have to wait long to try this local seafood. The crab meat was indeed thick and incredibly sweet, and it was my first time trying it prepared this way.

    HK French Toast

    The garlic ong choy, HK french toast , ice HK milk tea ,honey ice lemon tea , and homemade cheesecake all taste good . We went back 3 times in 6 days to try different items. Good price , great taste , and wonderful service. It was just opened about a month ago . We will go again next time when we are back to Oahu!

    Beef brisket & tendon noodle soup. Soft beef, tendon melts in your mouth, & good quality noodles that I've never had for a while.

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    Yi Xin Cafe

    Yi Xin Cafe

    4.4
    (452 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$
    Takes reservations
    Catering service

    Normally long waits if you don't book a reservation so make sure you book in advance. There a…read moresmaller restaurant and kind of tight in space. We were lucky to get in on a Wednesday evening. I hope they expand soon! We ordered so much food they had to move us to a bigger table. We tried the Curry Crab (of course), Thai style pork jowl, beef fried rice, salted egg chicken wings, and their milk tea and lemon iced tea with the cute bear ice. This place is so good, a little expensive, but worth every penny. My favorite was the curry crab and the salted egg chicken wings! I love their curry sauce and the naan bread. I typically dislike chicken wings at Asian restaurants like this but they really did their thing with the batter and sauce. The fried rice was a little plain but overall a nice balance to every meal. The sauce with their pork jowl was too good! I need the recipe.

    You can't eat here and not get any crab I just love the curry crab I tried chili crab even in…read moreSingapore but but when I tried the curry crab here I never order anything else ; I just love this curry crab dish omg it is lick your fingers delicious! You wear plastic gloves when you eat this and I still lick my fingers Lol I know the crab seems expensive but you really cannot not order it when you come! The curry crab comes with 4 pieces of naan bread sometimes we order extra naan but we do eat it with rice The salted egg chicken wings is another item we get here I love bringing friends from out of town here; we come as often as we can even though we live on the west side Heart emoji! :o)

    Photos
    Yi Xin Cafe
    Szechun spicy JJ chicken pot
    Szechun spicy JJ chicken pot
    Impressive presentation that served with sizzling sound, but the beef was too well done & on the tough side.

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    Impressive presentation that served with sizzling sound, but the beef was too well done & on the tough side.
    HK Cafe

    HK Cafe

    4.0
    (118 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    This place is one of my go to spots for a quick meal! Staffs are very friendly and accommodating!…read moreI always get their side of Chinese donut, it reminds me of my childhood. I really recommend this place for anyone that's visiting Chinatown!!!

    Been wanting to try HK Cafe for the longest time! It didn't disappoint, but it didn't exceed…read moreexpectations. Located along Maunakea St, in the previous Happy Garden dim sum spot. Inside is bright and surprisingly spacious. A big difference from before. Started with the Minced Beef Steamed Flour Roll, which was very good. Soft, tender beef, thin rice roll, and flavorful sauce. You won't find these "messy/not quite neatly rolled" style look funn at many places! I like it! The Preserved Chinese Sausage and Meat Clay Pot Rice was pretty good. Nicely prepared rice that was soft and fluffy that crisped up very nicely from the pot. The Lap cheong and lap yuk were good. Lap yuk was sliced on the thin side to be able to appreciate it. Sausage was the usual brand. The most important ingredient is the sauce, and it was excellent! Good balance of savory with enough sweet to balance out the meat and to flavor the rice. Note: these take 25-35 minutes to make. The Curry Laksa with Beef Tendon and Brisket Noodle Soup was good. Tasty and tender brisket and tendon. The laksa broth was flavorful with nice hints of lemongrass, ginger, and other spices. The coconut milk and the spice didn't quite come through leaving the broth not as creamy or silky, or spicy as I would have liked. Still good overall though. Noodles prepared well and the lemon added a nice acidity that goes well with everything. The Hong Kong Style Milk Tea and Coffee mix was all right. The tea was on the strong side which masked the coffee. Overall, a decent meal at HK Cafe. Food was good. Service was good. Reasonable prices. I'll come back to try more things!

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Very small amount of meat, 4 tiny pieces.
    Very small amount of meat, 4 tiny pieces.
    HK Cafe

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    Kevin's Kitchen

    Kevin's Kitchen

    4.1
    (193 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    Keeping this review short and sweet because it's simple- we've been here three times, and it's…read morepretty obvious why. Kevin's Kitchen serves authentic, delicious Cantonese cuisine. The prices are also reasonable compared to other Chinese restaurants, and it's well worth it because you can taste the freshness (especially the seafood and fried items), the wok hei, and the well-balanced flavors. They also offer affordable daily lunch specials with generous portions. They've been consistently good every time we've visited, so I highly recommend Kevin's Kitchen for both lunch and dinner if you're craving great and authentic Chinese food!! Pro tip: Call ahead, especially for dinner. They get pretty busy, and it's not a very big space, so you could end up waiting a loooong time for a table. Chinese dinners also tend to take a while, so plan ahead and save you and your party the wait!

    As of right now my opinion of this place is OK…read more The chasiu is not really tender or fatty which is how I like it, next time ill ask for my preference I just want to experience what they give to people who dont know how to order. I read a review where someone was crying and complaining that their chasiu was too burnt and fatty so I think thats why they serve the cuts like this by default. If you complain your chasiu is burnt please stick to eating avocado toast or something dawg. Roast pork isn't the fattiest but its somewhat tender. Could use more crisp. What bugs me is that I never got to try their potstickers which I somehow keep missing out on everyday and then finally they decide to discontinue it on my last attempt. Lol. I am sure this place is better once I ask for better preparation of the cut.

    Photos
    Inside da restaurant........
    Inside da restaurant........
    Pandamonium
    Pandamonium
    Whole roast duck (back)

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    Whole roast duck (back)
    Sandy's Cafe

    Sandy's Cafe

    4.4
    (185 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    If you are looking for authentic Hong Kong food, this is a place you can put it the "to go" list…read more It's conveniently located in the Chinatown Cultural Plaza, so you don't have to worry about parking. This place is very clean, which is a very big plus. Food review: -wonton soup: 5/5 Very homey taste; in fact, this is what an authentic Hong Kong wonton taste like! The favor of the wonton is not salty and they are very generous in the meat portion. The wonton is pretty big compared to other places. This is my always go to dish to get. -beef chow fun: 5/5 I have to say this is one of the best beef chow fun in island. Each of the chow fun is coated evenly with the sauce. I usually don't like to order beef chow fun because it can taste very oily and heavy, but this one not at all. The chow fun is very tasty! Highly recommended! -beef spaghetti w/ tomato sauce: 3.5/5 This is not the usual spaghetti where you get at an Italian restaurant. It's an Asian/hong Kong style spaghetti that have a different flavor compared to the traditional Italian pasta. The portion it's actually pretty big. It's pretty average, nothing special. If you want to try a non-Italian version spaghetti, can give it a try.

    Sandy's Cafe in Chinese Cultural Plaza is the epitome of HK lunch cafes, with mouth watering,…read moretender char siu, and iconic crispy roast duck. Their roast duck is one of the best available in Oahu. I knocked off a star though because 2 years ago, I felt that the recipe was less oily and was much better, rivaling some places in Richmond/ Vancouver BC, Canada which is also known to have solid HK cafes outside of the home country. I miss how they've made it in the past, and wish they would revert back to how it was before... but regardless, a solid pick and a place I will probably still continue to frequent in the future.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Yeung Chow Fried Rice
    Yeung Chow Fried Rice
    Front entrance coming for Nuuanu Stream

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    Front entrance coming for Nuuanu Stream
    Bo’s Kitchen

    Bo’s Kitchen

    4.4
    (402 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    Homey, comforting, delicious Chinese food. On a Saturday night there was ample parking at the front…read moreof the eatery. This place would be classified as a hole in wall with good fresh foods. There are so many offerings from bubble tea, egg tart, dumplings and noodles. We were seated quickly and noted most patrons did take out. Once seated there is a server that takes your order. We ordered beef chow fun, green onion pancake, fried rice, salad, green beans and dumplings. Everything came out so fast! The food was fresh with that familiar wok essence from the noodles and rice. Yummy!!! Favorite was the dumplings with the chives and meats. So good!!! Will return to eat and eat again!

    I never dined in here, but I did order delivery twice in less than a week through doordash. Both…read moretimes the food came nicely packed, well organized, and hot. The first time I've ordered almost a week ago was the pork hash, garlic green beans, mabo tofu with noodles, rice noodle and dumplings, and a pork belly dish with rice (can't remember the name). My favorite has to be the rice noodle cake with dumplings. It had peanut sauce and even reheating it on the stove made it satisfying to eat as leftovers. Each dish had between 6-8 pork and shrimp dumplings. The portions are generous which is enough for two meals. The pork hash came in 3s with the hot mustard and shoyu. Again these were good as well and not as oily and greasy. The pork belly was stringy and the rice was meh. It tries way too hard to copy Tom Khem which is a Laos dish. My mom had the tofu dish and after a while she did mention that the noodles got mushy and had no flavor. Then again she had to take a blood test so she had to watch her salt intake. I also tried the tofu and it was soft and not overly salty. The second time I ordered which was today, I replaced the rice dish with the char siu noodle soup and it was so good. It was the right portion size and the hot broth that's separate from the contents help soften the noodles. I also ordered coconut pudding and even though I have yet to try it, my mom said it was really good so I'm looking forward to it. Edit: I have now tried the coconut pudding and it was a generous portion. A nice refreshing and cold treat especially since we are now in the summer season. There is just a hint of coconut flavor though and shredded coconut flakes don't exist but it's still worth eating as a dessert or a snack. On both orders, I've ordered garlic green beans and it was the best tasting garlicky green beans I have ever tried. Overall, this place does serve good food but I'll probably skip the rice dishes and focus more on the noodle dishes and their sides.

    Photos
    Inside seating
    Inside seating
    Mini Sesame balls- jindui
    Mini Sesame balls- jindui
    Dinner@Bo's Kitchen; 12/29/2024.Our long time Gf ordered Mapo Tofu* So nice of her she let me taste a lil of it, Cuz I thought it was Spicy?

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    Dinner@Bo's Kitchen; 12/29/2024.Our long time Gf ordered Mapo Tofu* So nice of her she let me taste a lil of it, Cuz I thought it was Spicy?
    Kukui Cafe

    Kukui Cafe

    4.2
    (62 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $

    I walked past this hole-in-the-wall corner spot near Chinatown for literal decades and never…read morethought much of it. It's wedged between the always-busy Royal Kitchen (known for their manapuas) and faces Izumo Taishakyo and Lum Sai Ho Tong, with a few yards of sidewalk in between that's usually occupied by crackheads nodding off or lighting up crystal methamphetamine. Honestly, that probably kept me from ever walking in over the years. Then Kukui Cafe popped up on my Yelp feed. I didn't even register the name -- I just saw the food photos. Beef brisket and wontons? Get in my mouth. I stopped by over the weekend to find out if it lived up to the pictures. The place is small and surprisingly clean, and the staff greeted me right away. I'd read other reviews mentioning the noise, and yeah -- it's loud. Cantonese and Taishanese conversations hit serious decibels, with a couple of guys in the back corner adding some colorful profanity for good measure. Everyone seemed to know each other; it had that unmistakable "regulars" energy that told me this place was legit. I figured out pretty quickly that the noise wasn't really about volume of people -- it's the concrete walls and tight square footage bouncing every sound around the room. Didn't bother me. It's part of the charm. Two massive split AC units kept the whole place ice cold despite the chaos. Service was fast -- drinks came out within minutes of ordering. While we waited for food, a homeless man walked in holding a huge scooping net, the kind you'd see someone hauling a giant salmon out of an Alaskan river with. He said something to the owner, who looked confused, so he repeated himself. I eavesdropped and burst out laughing once I understood: he'd caught a freshwater red-eared slider turtle -- about the length of an iPad -- out of Nu'uanu Stream, which runs right alongside the restaurant, and was trying to sell it to them. The owners just shook their heads, and the man left with his net and his turtle in under a minute. You can't make this stuff up. Shortly after, the food arrived. Heads up: paper plates only. But the food itself was excellent and well-seasoned -- the standout was the ten wonton and brisket dish without noodles for $20. Genuinely delicious. There's a parking lot in the rear with what I believe is one free hour. Look for the Sun Yat-Sen Cultural Center at 135 N. Kukui St -- the driveway entrance is just to the left of it. Customers were walking through the kitchen and into the main dining area so there must be an entrance from the garage. Cash only. Would I go back? Absolutely, without a doubt.

    I love kukui cafe! It's a small hole in the wall and perfect for a quick lunch!…read more Very lively with many of the Chinese community coming in to eat and chat. Food tasted like my childhood and memorable. The host is nice and friendly and easy to chat with!

    Photos
    Inside the cafe
    Inside the cafe
    Kukui Cafe
    Entrance from the parking lot - through their kitchen

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    Entrance from the parking lot - through their kitchen
    Papa's Cafe

    Papa's Cafe

    4.2
    (151 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    This was a great meal and I can't wait to go back! The location is not in the best part of…read moreChinatown so there were some crazies walking in. The staff does well to deal with it but we preferred to do take out. Going home I was still happy with everything. We got won ton min, cake noodle, green sides, and some fried shrimp and crispy gau gee. Everything was delicious but I think the cake noodle was my favorite.

    A co-worker and I headed up to Maunakea Marketplace to pick up lunch from Mei Mei but it was…read moreunusually crowded so we ended up at Papa's on the outside of the Marketplace, on Hotel Street. It's a small space with four or five tables. We ordered Minute Chicken Cake Noodles and Seafood with Crispy Noodles. The restaurant was empty, so service was fast. My seafood plate contained a lot of seafood in a tasty sauce ... too much sauce, as it drowned the noodles and softened them. However, it was very good and powered through and finished off my plate. My friend couldn't finish his Minute Chicken ... It was too much food for him. We miss Canton House, just down the street, as it was our "go to" place for Chinese food. However, Papa's is an adequate substitute ... The menu is vast for such a tiny place, and we've always been able to find something to please our palate. The prices are reasonable and thus we can continue to give it a thumbs up recommendation.

    Photos
    Cold Beef Salad
    Cold Beef Salad
    Seafood laksa.  Added an egg on our own at home.
    Seafood laksa. Added an egg on our own at home.
    Spiced Duck Neck

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    Spiced Duck Neck
    Mini Garden Orient Cuisine

    Mini Garden Orient Cuisine

    3.3
    (327 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    I ate here before when there wasn't Yelp. I moved out of the neighborhood and found the Mini Garden…read moreExpress at the old 99 Ranch. Then they moved out and now near the airport on Nimiz highway. Thought I would try something different. Ordered the stewed beef with tendon over noodles. I should have ordered my usual. Can't put my finger on it but it was lacking something, but it was cooked perfectly. . Nice presentation, great service and the place is clean, including the restroom. Pros: Nice portions, clean, great service food was cooked perfectly. Cons: It's missing something in the flavor. It wasn't too sweet. It wasn't too salty. Can't figure it out. Would I go back? You know me. I believe in second chances. Hope to get you and update review soon.

    Today my sister and brother in law decided to try Mini Garden Orient Cuisine . Located on Beretania…read morenext door to Illi I'll pizza. Small parking lot next door also limited street parking right in front of restaurant. I always passed by Mini Garden and I always thought they only open for dinner because during the day it looks closed. Although they open for lunch at 11am it was great my hairdresser actually recommended this restaurant because her co- worker is part owner and she said it was good . Do I had to try it overall it was ok service was great and friendly I mentioned I know her co- worker and the owner actually made us a complimentary bowl of soup . She mentioned it was a seafood, tofu soup it was quite delicious. I also ordered Peking duck and buns, shrimp canton, string beans w/minced pork, and beef chow fun. I would say the Peking duck was different most places they put the skin only with hoisin and green onions over here they put the duck inside the buns. My favorite was their string beans and pork it had a little kick to it . Their beef chow fun was ok along with their shrimp canton . If I'm in the area I would probably support them again . This time I would try other dishes . Looks like they specialize in vegetarians dishes as well looks yummy. Support local

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Mix stir fried vegetables with tofu
    Mix stir fried vegetables with tofu
    The view of inside

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    The view of inside

    Hong Kong Island Cafe - hkcafe - Updated July 2026

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