What a great place to have breakfast! I'm always stuffed after eating their yummy offerings :) STARS: - the food is delicious! - portions are terrific - the potatoes are a nice accompaniment to the main dishes - the grilled cheese sandwich, though simple, is so comforting! - the corned beef hash is very tasty WISHES: - wish they were open until later in the day (or night) - sometimes, one person's dish comes out fast, and other person/people in the party are waiting a while to get their food (like the other person's dish would have gotten cold had they waited for us to eat) read more

Always a great place for breakfast. Friendly staff too! The place does need some detail cleaning. Do not stick your hands behind the counter for utensils they do not like this. Philippino lady serving orders was a bit odd yelling your order no wrong....21 61??? Go part is that they are quick. Egg was over cooked, way to large fried potatoes, Fried rice could be more tasty, but the bacon and spam were cooked perfect and crispy! read more

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If you want a quick stop to grab breakfast then this is the place! Wait time was probably not even 10 minutes for food and the service was very friendly! They check up on you and make sure you have everything you ordered multiple times. I ordered the strawberry crepes with a side of fried potatoes. The fried potatoes were seasoned so well they were absolutely delicious! The crepes were fluffy and good, but all the food looked very basic and not outstanding. The interior could be better and more comfortable, but otherwise this is a nice neighborhood quick breakfast spot. One thing I noticed is that the few of the workers go out of their way to be extra nice to guests which I appreciated noticing! read more

Koa Pancake House - Strawberry crepes, home fried potatoes, pancakes, corned beef hash, and the loco moco. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The best breakfast for the money. And this location has never gotten a yellow card from the health department*! I've been enjoying meals here since they opened and I am finally writing my review. This past week, we went twice. Corn beef hash and eggs is good. I order over-medium eggs and they do them correctly here. The potatoes are pretty good. For the price, the pancakes are amazing. Sometimes I get white rice instead and sometimes toast (which they butter for you). I get the Vienna sausage too. There are a lot of things I haven't tried yet because I always want my same breakfast. And where can you get a decent breakfast for two for under $20? It's not "fast" food, though it is paper plates. *http://hi.healthinspections.us/hawaii/#home read more

Generous servings and short wait for the food is a BIG plus for me. Lots of options to choose from on the menu. Plenty of parking and good location in HK. My only wish is that they are open for dinner. read more

Koa Pancake House - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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My dad and I get breakfast two or three times a week every time we are vacationing on Oahu and usually are religious eaters at the Wailana Coffeehouse. We decided to switch it up and head into the Koa pancake house before heading on to the beaches. Walking in you are greeted by a typical local food option. You order at the counter with the option of taking it to go or eating in the restaurant. There is lots of seating, but not much else feels very "permanent". The pancakes were fantastic but Koa loses a star for the paper plates and plastic cutlery they hand to you with your orders. The blueberry pancakes are loaded with berries and incredibly fluffy! Definitely give them a try if you are a pancake person. Unfortunately, Koa doesn't serve coffee that does anything more than make me grimace (again, served in a small styrofoam cup). They lose their second star for having a poor coffee option - this is a breakfast place!! Good coffee could be a game changer for this place! Will most likely visit again if I ever find myself near one in the islands; I'll be bringing my own coffee this time though. read more

Great place for breakfast or lunch on the way to Hanauma Bay! From the omelettes to the pancakes, everything was tasty and delicious. The food was only surpassed by the service. Mahalo! read more

Christine is wonderful... Has a great smile She's very upbeat We love going there when she's working! The club sandwich is usually what we order read more

Really small restaurant/dining room. Beware coming in the mornings as this place is PACKED! The line blocks up one of the aisles for tables, so it's cramped. I suggest if you're closer to Kaimuki they have a larger dining room. Parking: free in the lot Food: regular/decent We took our food to-go and ate at the harbor across the street. It was nice with the breeze and ambience. I like their fried rice loco moco. Their omelets are pretty good. Their pancakes are so so. read more

Great breakfast finally! After being ripped off down in waikiki for the last week and a half, we had a car and found this place. Prices are great and the staff is so friendly! Could not eat all the food on my plate, there was so much! Not a very big eat in area, but if you can find a spot that a view of Koko Head Crater! Will def return! read more

Ummm... yeahhh... I was super starving for breakfast so naturally I came here because I love their blueberry pancakes but I was recommended the Koa Moco so I went for it because I was quite literally starving! The pros: everything was tasty. Eggs were soft scrambled just how I wanted. Pancakes were fluffy and amazing as always especially with my fav coconut syrup on them oh boy! Cons: the cashier couldn't really hear me? I had to place my order with her a few times because she was older and a bit hard if hearing but I didn't mind. I also wish there had been way more gravy since they give you like 10lbs of rice. But oh well, it's breakfast and it's fast. There's not really much else to say considering the fact that it is what it is and you're not going to some bougee brunch place so take everything at face value. read more

Been coming here for years, but appears that the quality is going downhill. Not sure if it is that they are so busy, or lack of workers, but when you order pancakes, they should be a little brown and not the color of chalk. Probably not cooked enough, just waiting to see if I get sick now.. read more

Do some people actually think this place is good? You must have broken taste buds or have been raised by Cro-Magnons. I ordered the sweet bread French Toast with blueberries and strawberries. The french toast itself was decent. But the strawberries were some previously frozen bunk. And the blueberries were not fresh either. Will not repeat visit at the Koa Pancake House. I wasted my time and money eating at this slop house. read more

Food is good at a reasonable price, however if you go there around 1:00 pm the workers are more interested in cleaning than accommodating their customers. I experienced this on multiple locations. The staff made me feel like they were doing me a favor by letting me placed order. I' very been going here for years and only recently experienced the rude service. read more

Ordinary loco place that serves amazing food comes with friendly smile. My daughter is a huge fan of their fluffy pancakes. Anything on their menu is ono!! read more

Comfort food for breakfast. Yummy! Loved the mochi waffles, sweet bread French toast and strawberries and cream pancakes. Friendly service which adds to the good food. Loved it!!! Glad I had it in my to-list!! The mochi waffles were slightly sweet and oh so soft--didn't need syrup at all. read more

Best breakfast ever. Think about this place constantly, even after leaving to the mainland. 10/10 service and 10/10 food! Definitely recommend read more

Lately the quality of the food went down quite a bit. Today we both got the runs right after having omelettes. Again! That's the second time in a row. Get your kitchen in order! Sorry! Never coming back. read more

Super nice staff and great food. The portions were really big and filling. Would definitely go again!

This is the 2nd time I'm eating here. The first time was after a sunrise photo shoot and we were all pretty hungry by the time we got here. I had one of their spinach omelettes, which was absolutely delicious. The pancakes were excellent, too, nicely fluffy, but after the omelette it was just too much to finish all of them. This time I got their daily special omelette with fried potatoes instead of the pancakes. Again, very tasty, the prices are very reasonable and we had our food in less than 10 minutes after ordering. I'm definitely going to be coming back again. read more

Koa Pancake House - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

WOW....The reviews on this place....SAD, REAL SAD... I live in Hawaii Kai and I come here 3 times a week, I walk here it's so close...The food is good and Cheap and deserves 4 stars...you can get an entire meal for under $10 and that's with a Juice of choice and endless Coffee. Great before a trip on the East Side if your going to Hanauma Bay, climbing Koko Crater, Sandy beach, Makapu'u Lighthouse or beach, Waimanalo beach, Bellows beach or Kaiona beach. It's open early and closes early...weekday mornings are not busy while weekends are...don't come here at 10am or later on weekends...it's packed and that's what gets me to what I have to say next... It ticks me off that people write CRAP reviews for places where you get what you pay for like MISS SAD FACE :( Give me a break...expectations are high on a place that serves cheap, quick food? Many of these one and two star reviews are just dead wrong. If they come in 3 times a week then write a bad review I can see that but these people probably tried it once and dropped the bomb...So nice of you people to give a place one strike and dump on their business. What is so sad is this one reviewer goes on and on about Foam cups and plates...Has she ever worked in a kitchen before? Has she ever seen a kitchen so small back there? If so she would clearly see it would be impossible to have dishes, a dish washer and a person to wash them...The KITCHEN is the size of my bathroom! Come on people, wake up and get that pole out of your puka...don't sit here and act all high in mighty with sad faces and one stars and act like you know how and why a cheap Rest works the way it works. Comments like: I wasn't WOW'D by the pancakes...Really? Well go to Kimo's or Mac 24/7 if you want to be wow'd with pancakes...You can pay for those "WOW pancakes also! The gravy on the Loco Moco was just OK...Really ok? Define ok...like ok, that you ate it all, ok? Service, there really wasn't any. Listen...this is a, go to the counter, order, sit down, and the DRA brings you your meal. If none of you know what that means...Dining Room attendent, common lingo if you have worked in such a setting. The system is set up that way NOT ONLY TO WORK AROUND THE SIZE OF THE LOCATION but to KEEP THE PRICES DOWN! Did any of you know this place is in HAWAII KAI....HELLO! How cheap do you think it is to lease there? You don't get a whole lot for your money...Really? So when you leave you're not full and head next door to Burger King to top yourself off? Come on...this place POUNDS IT ON...I'm a big guy and can never finish me food, always end up leaving some of the rice, fried rice, pancakes or toast. These reviews are done by morons! I don't care if they have 100 reviews more than I do. I'm sorry to say it, but it's true. Listen folks, this isn't Boots n Kimos, Cinnamons, Mac 24/7 and the others great places...Lets accept this place for what it is. Good cheap ono grindz with foam cups and plates...PERIOD! Now, I'm not a fan of plastics or Foam...KOA SHOULD SWITCH TO PAPER or RECYCLED PAPER...which is best. Naturally doing so would increase our meals by 20 cents or so but it's worth it to me. I have been a Chef for 20 years now so I should know. If you're a poor man like me this place is perfect! I LOVE IT HERE! I have looked over all these reviews and have been in the exact position that they had been and complained about...It's absurd for them to write such reviews for a cheap breakfast place. When coming here I always get something different but I lean toward my Mahi-Mahi Loco Moco...They make it for me and just dump the sunny side up eggs right on my Mahi...I pay the extra buck instead of white rice and get my FRIED RICE...it's worth it and FILLS a BIG GUY UP! I have had the pancakes about 10 times...they are average and I get that it's a pancake house, which is sorta strange...it's clear they don't make their own batter and they don't put a lot of love into them. This should be a passion there and it's not. Managment should be working on this. Yes, this place should be known for better signature pancakes but I don't see it happening anytime soon. This is why it's getting four stars for cheap grindz. If the pancakes had been signature this place would stand out. I made signature pancakes on a menu back in Boston that we served and it's not hard to do if you put some passion and love into your batter and your toppings to compliment it. If Koa called me in I would show them how it's done! I have been here now about 30-40 times...just so I am clear. I get what I expect here 95% of the time. ___ * 11/01/11 (Good News: Since reviewing Koa they have switched to Paper Plates and are working on paper coffee cups) *11/01/11 (Bad News: The breakfast Potatoes have become dry & crunchy on the outside, why? Simple, make all them in the morning and keep them in a heating draw or under a lamp all day, NOT COOL!) ___ read more

Wow. I am so bummed to be writing a 1-star review, but it must be done, dear Yelpers. Serious sad face. For me, weekend breakfasts are a total treat...something I look forward to all week long, because breakfast is usually something quick I grab as I dash out to work. My idea of a proper weekend breakfast is something delicious and filling --something sweet and something savory, enjoyed with good coffee and fun conversation in a comfortable place. Admittedly, my expectations are high, but at least now you'll be able to understand why my experience at Koa Pancake House was an especially bitter disappointment. Here's the deal: The food is terrible. Really poor quality - borderline inedible, in fact. I ordered the strawberry banana crepes and was rather surprised to find that the strawberries were still partially frozen and not even sliced - just huge, mushy and gross. The bananas were fine but the crepe itself was rubbery and unpleasant. After a few unappealing bites, I gave up and just picked out all the bananas. My boyfriend ordered pancakes - they were nothing special, but he couldn't even finish one of the three on his plate. He also ordered an egg white omelet with portuguese sausage and left most of it untouched. It was super greasy and though I didn't try a bite, it looked pretty awful. To make matters worse, our coffee was watery and had a chemical taste. It was totally undrinkable. See what I mean? Sad face. It wasn't just the food that was bad. It was BOILING hot inside the restaurant, the tables were grubby, the floors dirty and absolutely everything you order is served on/in disposable containers, most of it plastic or Styrofoam, along with plastic utensils. I'm a member of Surfrider and abhor single use plastics, so you can imagine that I was utterly horrified when our meals arrived at the table. For a restaurant that serves mostly customers inside the restaurant and not takeout, their use of single use disposables is lazy and irresponsible. The family of 4 at the table next to us was given their food in plastic bags, along with several mini Styrofoam containers with all their little sides. Just watching them unpack everything at their table nearly gave me a panic attack. Do one beach cleanup in Hawaii and you see how dangerous Styrofoam and plastics are...ahh, but I digress. In summary dear Yelpers, I urge you to choose another restaurant for breakfast. We cut our losses, didn't finish more than a few bites each and upon leaving Koa Pancake House, went straight to Starbucks and nursed our disappointment with drinkable coffee. The End. read more

I LOVE this place, just as much as I love their other locations. I love the little pots, pans, spatulas, and various other cooking paraphernalia hanging from the ceiling. I love the Korean mama behind the counter. I love that I don't have to wait long for my breakfast. I love their delectable omelets with fresh, chunky vegetables. I love their fluffy, chewy pancakes. I love their coconut syrup drizzled on said pancakes. I love that I get my bang for my buck. I love the casual atmosphere and local feel. In no particular order. :) This place doesn't fail. If I want a solid breakfast with no frills, nothing less and nothing more, I come here to get down and dirty. Hmm, just writing about it makes me wanna go back now!! read more

Great breakfast to start your morning...is there anything else to be said? Well the food here is great and the service is really up there. You don't have to wait forever for your omelette and pancakes to come so you have more time in your day to do whatever you gotta do. The line might get pretty long on the weekends so you should plan accordingly. Overall, I love getting breakfast here and would most def come back. read more

Koa Pancake House, located in the Hawaii Kai Towne Center, is in the same shopping center as Costco and Ross. Arrived early on a Saturday morning and already this place was busy with customers as was expected for a weekend. But with the crowd I somehow managed to get the last of the available open tables. This restaurant is catered toward fast food rather than a full service restaurant. You order and pay at the counter and then wait for your food. Breakfast menu offerings include omelets, waffles, crepe suzettes, eggs 'n things, french toast, eggs benedict and pancakes in several different flavors. Lunch menu (served after 11 am) include burgers, sandwiches and plate lunch offerings such as BBQ chicken, pork, beef, loco moco, hamburger steak and chicken cutlet to name a few. Since they are known for their pancakes I ordered the short stack buttermilk pancakes for $3.50. By ordering short stack I receive three pancakes versus five you receive in a regular order. Although the pancakes were light, it did soak up quite a bit of the maple syrup. But in all as far as the taste goes it was actually good. This is one place where the prices are very reasonable as menu items are priced under $10. read more

The people here are kind and friendly. I've been here enough and ordered the same thing enough time they know oh its cary ordering a veggie burrito with no eggs and extra cheese. And honestly how often do you have an experience like that. I know its not an actual part of their job but it makes all the difference. Also that burrito is delicious. read more

I'm a fan of the breakfasts and the prices. They have some really yummy breakfast food sans the huge amounts of grease you end up getting at places like Zippys and McDonalds when you get a "local style" breakfast. Their Eggs Benedict is perfection. I know some people don't like how they serve on paper plates and use plastic forks but I don't mind, the food at this location is worth it!! I've been to other Koa Pancake houses that were so-so at best but this one is my favorite! read more

The breakfast experience in my mind has changed over the years. This could be just my habits adjusting, but for me I see breakfast as a luxury weekend treat. I strive to find the perfect balance of price, service, selection, quality and speed. These things are weighted differently in my mind, but my overall rating is taken on the whole. I went to Koa this morning expecting to find a local alternative to a major chain. We don't have many breakfast places (see: none) in Hawaii Kai, so Koa was a welcome addition. Price: Decent, but your not getting a whole lot for the money. I got an omelet with cheese and Portuguese sausage. The choice in toast was between white and wheat (very poor selection). I paid $7.50. For what I got I would hope the price would be around $6.00. Service: There really was none. the "kid" at the counter was a little pissed I was there in the first place. Once I paid and picked from my huge selection of toast, without washing his hands, he threw my bread in a toaster to his left. I'm not a germ freak, but that is just kind of unsanitary. The really silly thing was they only use paper plates and plastic utensils. When the food came, they dropped off the utensils, 2 packages of jam and 2 napkins. I have a 11 month old at the table. The 2 napkins lasted 2 seconds. We didn't get coffee, but if we did, there would be no refills and no one to serve them. Selection: Meh. I love loco moco and didn't try it. I've heard it's good, but I don't think I'll be trying them again to find out. In short, large chains have larger selections. Quality: My breakfast was pretty good. My wife's ham and cheese was pretty bad. tasteless and the ham was a little slimy. Speed: the only thing that was good, but given the requirements of each meal, this does not surprise me. Each meal was uber basic and they make no attempt to pile it on, so the assembly line can move quickly. Overall, I won't be going back. Weekend breakfast is supposed to be a treat and relaxing. I felt like I was at a bad cafeteria. Save your money and go to Cinnamon's in Kailua. They are rad. read more

Can't you see that it's just raining? Ain't no need to go outside... Waking up too early Maybe we can sleep in Make you banana pancakes Pretend like it's the weekend now... After two days of non stop rain, I had a craving for banana pancakes from Koa pancake house! Jack Johnson knows what's up. Get 'em. Red Velvet is also pretty good. Blueberry is fresh too. You can order pancakes per piece ($2 each I think), or just get a short stack of 3. 2 pancakes per person tho is plenny. Trust me. So big, so fluffy, so yum! Their coconut syrup is also delicious. (also have sugar free, regular, and orange marmalade...) Everything else is super cheap too. If you want a filling, delicious breakfast or lunch for under $8 (much for under $5), come here! Their mushroom burger is pretty solid too. HUGE patty. The feel of this place is like a giant L&L. Order at the counter, sit down, and they bring it over on disposable plates with plastic utensils. Only sad sauce is that they use so much disposable stuff, including styrofoam. I guess that's how they keep their prices low though. :( read more

Great place for breakfast, the food is good the prices are reasonable the menu has a large selection to choose from. They have the traditional eggs bacon pancakes, or eggs Benedict. The local favorites are good to, Portuguese eggs and rich or the always popular loco moco. They have a build your own loco moco, you can put anything you want. read more

This place always messes up the orders. Ordered spinach and sausage omelette. Got omelet with spinach, sausage, cheese and mushroom and there was rice in the box. I don't eat dairy! What is far worse than messing up the order is my daughters French toast was raw with uncooked egg. We are hoping she does not get sominella. Messing up the orders has been a constant problem for years which is terrible but uncooked food is intolerable. We need more breakfast choices in Hawaii Kai! read more

I am a breakfast food fanatic! I'm the type of person that could eat breakfast at anytime of the day. With that said, I have been to my fair share of the breakfast places on this island. This will be my first "review" of the many breakfast places I've been to on Oahu. As in my profile, something I whole-heartedly abide by is this one guideline "You cannot judge or base a restaurant on just one visit or experience" Which leads me to the reason why I am writing this review. For the number of times i've eaten at Koa, I felt it was in order to yelp this place. First and foremost if you have been to any other Koa Pancake House they are all the same style of restaurant excluding the Kaneohe one (where it's dine-in) It is basically a fast paced, reasonably priced, breakfast place. You order your food from the counter, grab a table and they bring your food out to you. Simple as that. This newer concept is called "fast causal" No fancy silverware or cloth napkins, unlike traditional restaurants. If your in the mood for a good and fast breakfast then this is definitely the place! I was so excited to hear that Koa was opening in Hawaii Kai. It is so much more convenient then the other locations being that I live on the east side. I always order banana pancakes any where I go. Koa Pancake House, hands down has my vote! They are absolutely delicious and fluffy. The banana's are cut right into the batter, not thrown on top which I personally think makes it 100x better. note: It goes really well with Koa's coconut syrup too. Besides pancakes there is also a large variety of other breakfast foods and meats including local favorites such as Portuguese Sausage, Kalbi (which by the way is mouthwatering!) and Vinha D'Alhos a portuguese pork dish, kind of like adobo. Open til 2 AND serves breakfast til closing!! Just be mindful that this location is very busy. Sometimes you have to wait for a table, or be prepared to take it to go. I've seen a couple take their food and eat in the car! Going early you'll probably beat the crowd but if its later just be aware that tables turn fast so bring a friend to keep a look out for the next open table! read more

There aren't too many breakfast places in Hawaii Kai and this is BY FAR the best bet for your $$. The portions here are HUGE! I've always taken pride in just how much I can eat, but I have difficulty finishing a corned beef hash/eggs/fried rice meal in one sitting. I normally phone-in and pick-up my breakfast because it gets pretty busy on the weekends -- when I get there, I never have to wait more than a few minutes to pick it up. read more

First time at this location , I've been to 4 of the locations so far on this island an I think this is one of my favorite ones so far the people are pleasant & what I like most about this one is how clean & having the condiments on the tables available , not larger but a little more roomier their dinning area is . The food is always good at every location .. I always get the vinadoh & fried rice read more

The food has definitely gotten better since the last time I came! Ordered the 2 sunny eggs with Portuguese sausage and fried rice,the Koa omelet,and the banana pancakes. The sunny eggs were cooked perfectly,and the sausages were super flavorful with lots of smokiness from the grill. The fried rice was awesome as well. My boyfriend really liked his omelet and raved about the sausages as well. Everyone must get their banana pancakes! They were just divine! Best pancakes ever.:: :-) read more

The Maca Damien nut pancakes are off the hook! My husband gets a different thing every time we come and loves it. The weekly specials, are awesome! The wait staff is very friendly. Quick and easy! read more

Food is always the same, decent. But the service here is the worst! These people act like they worked super hard when there's so much of them, yet they make you wait! Phone order line, they make you stand in the regular line. We ordered waffles and I had a strawberry whip cream waffle. Well the undercooked my waffle.. like it's mushy and they forgot my whip cream-my fault for assuming they would take pride and make sure they got my take order right. My advice is phone order and stand in the main line. DOUBLE CHECK EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU LEAVE. Tip after you check. They didn't deserve my tip. Learned my lesson. Paid for half of my under cooked strawberry whip cream waffle. Just a sad undercooked strawberry waffle read more

Unsatisfied today. I don't know why this lady asked me if I was ready when she clearly wasn't ready to take any order. There was no one in line nor was my order hard. Today was an unsatisfactory visit. 3 other guys came in and ordered before I got my receipt finally printer. Customer service was depressing this morning. read more

Koa Pancake House - Unsatisfied - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

A chain of fast food cheap eats around town? wait... not only in town, but around the island? Think of L&L, mixed with Dennys, but local....Man this is just better eating than explaining. If you're ever in the mood for cheap breakfast and have no other options and you want fast service, Koa pancake is the place to be. I've been to two locations and both are right on the money when it comes to consistency. You know how dennys has a chain of restaurants? Think of Koa like dennys, but local. Anything here is pretty average food. Blueberry pancakes, side of eggs and hash....kept me full for days! I did try the red velvet pancake...can't beat cinnamon's! read more

Came to eat after hiking Koko Head Trail because it was the closest breakfast place nearby. I wasn't terribly impressed with my omlette, but according to my sister, her pancakes were very good. The ladies working were all very sweet, one even saw me shivering and offered her sweater to me, how nice! I would recommend the same morning we planned- hiking then here for breakfast. I wouldn't necessarily drive the twenty minutes next time just for this place, but if you are hungry, it gets the job done! :) read more