We came to Leilani's for brunch and the food was so good that mid meal we decided to come here again the next morning!! My bf and I aren't from San Diego so we made sure to make another stop before we left. Our first time here we got the Hilo Style Loco (9/10), Jr. boy (9.5/10), and the musubi (10/10 can't go wrong). The Hilo Loco was so flavorful and comforting and the Jr. boy has the perfect amount of sweet & savory items. THE FRENCH TOAST WAS SAUR GOOODDD!!! but the Portuguese sausage wasn't our favorite so the next time we came we asked to switch it for spam which made it a 10/10 for me! We will def come again the next time we're here in SD :3 read more

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The food was fantastic. A+ customer service especially from the young man at the counter named Ezekiel. He was very patient with us as we navigated the menu and kindly answered any questions. The ambiance was lovely and we had an amazing time! read more

So delicious!! I got the Jr Boy breakfast and the coconut French toast is great, eggs were fluffy, Portuguese sausage had a nice caramelization. I didn't end up eating the scoop of rice, for me it felt like an afterthought on the plate. The nut latte was delicious as well. Order inside at the counter then take your food to go (saw lots of to go orders places) or snag a seat. They have outdoor bar seating and a few smaller tables, wouldn't rec coming with a big group. Staff was all incredibly friendly. Food came out hot and clearly freshly made. read more

The decor was fun, fresh, homey and made you feel like the owners really care about your experience here. I really enjoyed the ambiance. We ordered the food and drinks with the cashier, and they were helpful with suggestions. Note that they don't do smoothies here anymore. I was really looking forward to a green smoothie. You then take a number and find a seat. There's plenty of seating in the deck or in the indoor section, which felt vibrant and felt like eating in someone's dining room inside of their house. It was lovely. Though the tables weren't cleaned as often it seemed. Outside of ordering and the food being taken to your table, there's no other service. Ordered the ahi plate and the jr boy. The jr boy is perfect for anyone who wants a combo of sweet and savory options. Both orders were delicious! Only thing I noticed was that the salad that came with the ahi had a few browning greens I had to remove. The ahi itself didn't taste fishy, but fresh and cooked very well. The sauce was citrusy and savory and added to the flavor of the meal. The portions were just right. I wasn't immensely full but I felt satisfied. The drinks were also good. The macadamia coffee was good and the dragonfruit matcha was pretty and also tasted great and on the sweet side. I'd come back here again for drinks, brunch/lunch, and overall chill vibes. read more

Leilani's Cafe - Indoor dining area - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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After walking our mini-moose pooch a couple miles along the beach with my fiancée on a typical SD beautiful Saturday morning, the focus shifted to the most important meal of the day. With the Aloha Spirit on my mind lately, Leilani's Cafe had caught my attention. I have no idea which spirit may have been looking out, but we pulled right up to an open street parking spot nearly in front of the place. The blessings didn't end there. There was no line to order when I walked in & we found an open table immediately. But that changed shortly after my order was in. It got super busy with a line out the door to order. I had ordered the Hilo Loco Moco & Spam Musubi Leilani's Style. My fiancée got the French Toast. The food didn't take too long, as I was just ahead of the kitchen rush. It was all quite yummy & decent portion sizes. Trying some of my fiancée's French Toast, that ended up being the most interesting dish to me. I've never had that made with sweet Hawaiian bread before. & now I'm convinced that's the best way to make French Toast. So, on a day when Hawaii happened to be on my mind, Leilani's Cafe was a nice taste of the islands. Undoubtedly cheaper & more convenient than the 2,610 miles flight out to Honolulu. Though that is certainly a trip worth taking... read more

Leilani's Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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My fiancé found this cute, little spot...and let me tell you, it's definitely a neighborhood favorite! After reading a few yelp reviews and others noting that Leilani's is cash only. I called...Leilani's accepts credit cards. We scored the best parking ever....5 cars down from the front door. That's not the norm, especially in this part of town. There's a menu posted at the entrance. The menu has something for everyone....traditional Hawaiian plates to plates that have a 'Hawaiian' spin on it. Since this was my first meal of the day, I stuck to breakfast and really enjoyed my french toast made out of Kings Hawaiian sweet bread. It didn't need syrup at all! We both agreed, it was delicious. My fiancé stuck to more savory dishes. There's an outdoor patio and inside seating too. We opted for the patio since it's dog friendly and we had our pooch with us. The patio is nicely shaded. That's a HUGE plus. Order at the counter, grab your number, find a seat....easy. If you're in the area, stop in! read more

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I went on a day trip to San Diego and wanted to try something new I've never had before. Yelp led me to Leilani's Cafe. We arrived during breakfast time and ordered the BLT bagel and Hilo Loco Moco. The loco moco was really unique to me because the burger patty, gravy, and eggs were served over a spicy Portuguese sausage fried rice. The fried rice had a good, slightly sticky texture, which I liked. The gravy was tasty, and the over-easy egg made the dish creamy once the yolk mixed in. The patty was thick but personally, I would've preferred it thinner. Overall, it was delicious but very heavy. I was kind of over it halfway through. The BLT bagel was pretty tasty. I got it on an onion bagel, which was soft and chewy. I liked that every bite had bacon and it was even topped with two extra pieces. It also came with a scoop of mac salad, which was just okay. The cafe serves coffee, tea, and other drinks, but they don't have any sugar-free or low-sugar options, not even diet soda, so I just stuck with water. Customer service was just okay. I'm used to the super welcoming, family vibe at other Hawaiian spots I've been to, and I didn't really get that here. The staff came off a bit unfriendly. read more

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Leilani's has been in San Diego for quite a while and I would say I overlook it a lot and it deserves more recognition. Located in Pacific Beach, Leilani's is a literal cottage not far from the water. Parking I would say is the biggest challenge for this place. It's all street parking and those who know, know PB is hard to find parking. But we got really lucky on a Sunday Morning and got close parking! The restaurant itself is very cozy! I don't remember off the top of my head if they had a table or two inside, but they have a dog friendly deck that has a good amount of seating. You order first, then go get your seat and they'll bring it out to you. Service is great! The staff is super kind and funny and it's nice to see when staff recognizes their regulars. I think I might have been talking to Leilani for a bit when I was their, she gave vibes of being the owner but she was super sweet and kind and you can tell she genuinely cares about her customers. The food was yummy! I liked my poké! It was flavorful and fresh! My husband loved his sausage breakfast, his only wish is that the portion size was bigger. (he does eat a lot though so that's on him). Overall I know I'll be back! I love supporting local small owned businesses. This is one that seems to be constant through all the years I lived here in San Diego so I say come back and give them a shot again! read more

Leilani's Cafe - Poke and Portuguese sausage - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Leilani's Cafe has quite a lot of options on their menu but I went with a traditional Hawaiian dish on their Specials board. I'm not sure how often this dish is featured so if you see it, give it a try! Order at the counter and grab any open table. The Pork Lau Lau special is a combo plate with pork lau lau, teriyaki chicken, rice, mac salad, and a small serving of their poke. Overall, the meal was pretty good with the pork lau lau standing out as the best thing. If you've never had pork lau lau, it's chunks of pork, pork fat, and salted fish, all wrapped in taro leaves and steamed. The teriyaki chicken had mixed reviews between our group where I thought it was kind of dry while others thought it was juicy so I probably got a bad batch. On a busy day, you might find trouble with parking since there's no dedicated lot. Seating might be tough too since there's only the outdoor patio tables available. Some of the reviews mentioned indoor seating but when we came, we didn't see any. read more

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Getting Leid Popular café and eatery that's been serving up Hawaiian comfort foods in San Diego's Pacific Beach neighborhood for over twenty years (ca. 2003). The Good: *Friendly service *Pet-Friendly outdoor dining *Dragon fruit matcha latte was very good and an interesting mix of flavors. *Loco Moco was delicious, as the eggs, rice and gravy were all delicious. The hamburger patty was a bit overcooked, but that honestly seems to be SoP for Loco Mocos these days. =/ *My son enjoyed his spicy fried rice, and gobbled it all up. The Meh: *Not the biggest place around, as indoor seating is almost nonexistent and the patio only holds a few tables. So definitely more of a grab-and-go kinda place. *Everything is served on disposable plates and cups, even for dining in orders, which is kind of a pet peeve of mine. The Ugly: *Street Parking only and it's kinda tough to find at times. Conclusion: Nice spot for innovative and classic Hawaiian grindz. read more

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Street parking but it is in a cute area so walking around is nice. The line can get pretty long and moves really slow. You order first and can dine in or get it togo. It didn't take too long to get the food though. Ordered the Hilo Style Loco sub with pork and gravy on the side. The portion was good where I had to finish it in 2 sittings. My friend got the Leeroy's Spicy Chicken Plate which was good and filling as well. The mac salad was so yummy and the chicken was well seasoned. Aside from the wait (I was getting super hungry lol) I would definitely come back to try their other dishes and possibly drinks! read more

Leilani's Cafe - Hilo Style Loco Moco - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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I have been here four times, and each time it was perfect. You can tell when you're having food that the staff CARED about making. Nothing is lackluster here, everything is cooked very specifically and assembled like they want the food to match the picture on the menu. I'm guilty of trying to linger on the patio a little too long because it's just no nice to sit here. Everything is made fresh, nothing is pre-packaged to microwave later, it's all cooked specifically for you. ( as it should be. ) The bagels they use are good too. Sometimes that's my litmus test, was the source for their bread any good? Yes. The spam musubi is incredibly good and exceeds most of the kinds made by generic Hawaiian chain restaurants. read more

I popped into Leilani's for a nice big cafe au lait early this morning, and I had a lovely chat with Leilani. She was super friendly and kind, and we chatted about all of her exciting plans for the restaurant. She moved her family's Hawaiian Boutique to Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, and the space that used to house the boutique is currently being remodeled as a lovely and bright indoor dining room! There is talk of "Aloha Fridays" where Leilani's will stay open late to serve a special dinner as well based on community requests! So exciting! As usual, the coffee was great, and I'm looking foreward to coming back soon for breakfast in the new dining room (which should be opening shortly), and for dinner on an Aloha Friday! Yay! I'm so happy Leilani's continues to do well, as it is the best Hawaiian spot in San Diego! Mahalo! read more

This was hands down one of the best meals we had on our trip to San Diego! We stayed Downtown but had a car to drive to this area. It's counter service and there was already a line of people ordering when we arrived. I ordered one of their specials, spicy pork omelette served with two scoops of rice, my husband ordered a loco moco and of course, spam musubi. I also ordered a hot matcha with dragonfruit syrup. We were given a number to put on our table. Drinks were to be picked up at counter once your name is called. It took a little time for our food to come but we sat outside and enjoyed beautiful, though a bit chilly weather. They only had outdoor seating but I think I overheard they're renovating for inside seating. FYI - there's also no restrooms to customers. All of the food items we ordered were yummy and were big portions. The burger steak for my hubby's food was thick and savory. My spicy pork omelette was filled with pork kalua and cheese. I didn't find it spicy at all. The spam musubi had egg in it and honestly, the best musubi I've had (even better than the ones I've had in Hawaii). The matcha was to die for and the dragonfruit syrup was just the added sweetness it needed. I very much recommend this place if you're in the area. If not, make a detour because it's so worth it! read more

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Went to the window to order, stood there for a hot couple minutes but employees were too engrossed in their conversation to approach me. Ended up just leaving. read more

Great spot for plate lunch Hawaiian food. They have tons of options for those who have dietary restrictions. We went with a vegan and pescatarian and they had no issues finding options. The place is super cute, but be mindful that it's outdoor only and can get super packed. Service was quick, food was good, coffee was a pass. We'd definitely come back for a Hawaiian fix. read more

Leilani's Cafe - Poke - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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San Diego was making me miss Hawaii (especially the food) so I was happy to get a taste here. I ordered the spam fried rice which hit the spot with its salty filling goodness. The portion size was so huge I struggled to finish. I don't recommend the mango black tea - the mango was barely discernible and the tea tasted soapy which indicates a lower quality tea. The sips of my friends blended coffee drinks were delicious and not too sweet! Logistics: - outdoor seating only. Limited capacity for groups bigger than 2. - limited street parking nearby read more

Leilani's Cafe - Spam Fried Rice - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

We were looking for some place to eat since we were out and about. I had book marked Leilani's to try and why not? It is located in an interesting area of PB, with a number of restaurants on Cass Street. Order at the counter, get a number and they will bring it out. However, they will call out your drink orders for you to pick up at a side window. I had the My Kalani breakfast: two eggs over medium on a mound kalua pork and rice, portuguese sausage (3 pieces) and mac salad, but they were out and I had to suffer with a green salad...LOL! Daveed had the hamburger steak with mushroom gravy over rice with a green salad. The pork was flavorful but the portuguese sausage wasn't greasy enough...LOL! I also ordered the SPAM musubi Leilani style, and it was decent, and I felt it was missing something. Daveed liked the quality of the hamburger steak but thought there was too much rice. The missing mac salad was a disappointment since it's an island thing. Staff is nice! The outdoor deck is great and dog friendly. Looking forward to coming back soon! Cako liked being there because she only lies down when she does. Cako Approves! read more

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A must go to spot in San Diego! Adorable atmosphere and wonderful customer service. There was so much food and portions are very generous. Street parking is available and several seating options. There are stairs to get to the counter for ordering. If you are in SD, make the effort to go here and enjoy some Hawaiian delights, you'll be happy you did! read more

Leilani's Cafe was out of this world. The service was amazing, and even though it was busy, the line moved pretty quickly. Plus, it's in such a beautiful area that you just can't complain about waiting outside. The food also came out quickly after ordering! I ordered the Jr. Boy with French toast, and wow... the French toast was soft, sweet, and perfectly cooked. My mom made Hawaiian bread French toast growing up, but this was on another level. They were actually out of fruit, and forgot my syrup, but I think it was still the best French toast I've ever had. I'll have to come back to try it again with all the ingredients. The eggs were fresh and fluffy, pairing perfectly with the rice. For the latte, I asked for a recommendation and went with the haupia (coconut) flavor. It was creamy, smooth, and just the right amount of coconut flavor. Such a unique and delicious morning coffee. It can get busy, so I recommend grabbing takeout and walking down to the beach to enjoy your meal. Such a memorable and delicious spot! read more

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This place is really popular with the locals. Very limited street parking. The line can get long! But the service is quick and easy. After you order you can dine in if you find a table. It's opening seating and first come first serve. I got the beef plate and a side of the spam musubi. Everything was fresh and hot the food was delicious. Only problem I had was when I was dinning in , the food was served with a plate and I had left overs and wanted a Togo box and the restaurant said no . To go boxes are only for to go orders ! Note that for next time. read more

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Leilani's cafe is a neat pitstop of Hawaiian foods that really do a great job at making a delicious meal for your day! The food is diverse from loco-moco's, poke, to acai and salads. I was very impressed with how fast and tasty these eats were. I tried their poke which was actually quite flavorful and fresh tasting! Not bad at all! On a previous visit I tried their loco moco which was also delicious. The ambiance is a fun Hawaiian beach vibe. There is seating available but most folks will do the walk up and order to-go. Parking is street only --and the meter maid DOES check how long you've been around. We watched him do the rounds....so just fyi. Overall, a nice small establishment place that I look forward to visiting again! Leilani's got tha good grindz brah! read more

Leilani's Cafe - Yum! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Did not understand the hype. Sad to say it was very average Hawaiian food for me. Thank god I went on a rainy day and there wasn't a line. I would have been pissed. Loco moco wasn't a stand out. Meat was either very overcooked or just bad quality meat. The cashier was very nice though and price point was average. read more

Leilani's Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Service was good and food came fast. Food was decent. Not many options. If you're looking for a quick simple breakfast then this place is good. Outdoor seating only, so if the weather is nice then it's perfect. read more

Came here in a rush to get some caffeine and a quick bite. It wasn't too busy and my drink and food came out fairly quick which was nice. My dragonfruit matcha was okay, I didn't love the flavor combo. My bagel was really good! I enjoyed it. There's a little dining area right in front of the stand too. But the staff wasn't very friendly at all, so I had to dock a point. Will be returning to try other things on their menu though! read more

Leilani's Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Cute little place that is super casual and popular. Grabbed some breakfast today and I liked my spicy pork bagel- bit greasy but nonetheless hit the spot. My son got the Hilo style Loco moco and loved it! The spam musubi was decent. My husband's pork with rice dish was a bit disappointing for him just because it lacked flavor. Service was prompt and friendly- no issues at all. Overall good experience- good outdoor seating, dog friendly. Worth revisiting if we happen to be in the area. read more

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Whoever has given this place a poor review was mad giving it or is just a person upset at the world. Leilani's is FIRE. I didn't know what to expect walking into this place but the food was incredible. The bagel was nice and fluffy, the ingredients inside it cooked to perfection, they cut our misubi up into multiple pieces which was a nice touch. The French toast was incredible as well. They also have the real sriracha here which is awesome. The service is a window you order at then take a number with you. They were solid. Could probably use some more seated but that's not going to stop me from recommending this place. Awesome work Leilani's cafe, keep it up! Cheers! read more

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My friend and I went here on a Saturday at around 1100. There was plenty of seating open for small groups. It took about 15-20 minutes for get our food. You order at the window and then find a table to wait. Food was good. My friend got the bagel and loved it! I got the Jr. Boy and then we shared the spam musubi. The French toast is good but I wish I wouldn't have gotten the eggs/rice/ and sausage because that's all in the spam musubi. The spicy mayo that came with the musubi was great! Next time I would order something different as my main meal because the Jr Boy was good but didn't stand out to me. read more

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This cute shack fits into PB perfectly and reminds me of Hawaii. They serve up popular dishes that you would find in Hawaii, although nothing beats the food on the islands itself. Leilani's touches base on the classic dishes like loco moco, Kalua pork plates, Portuguese sausage plates, etc. They do serve unique bagel sandwiches on their menu with a Hawaiian twist on it so I'd like to try that sometime. I enjoyed my lunch of choice of a Poke Plate which came with Ahi, 1 scoop of white rice, 1 scoop of Mac salad, and greens. Well balanced flavors, although not my go to for poke in San Diego. It's a great spot to hit after the beach in PB with their nice outdoor patio! Loved the island feel of this shack and I wish I had the time to dine when I went! read more

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This place slaps. Their açaí smoothie and bagel sandwich literally revived me and brought me back to life. I got the original bagel sandwich, and it comes with an egg, tomato, spinach, aioli sauce, and cheese. Seemed like a nice friendly neighborhood. Lots of people passing by and walking their dogs. Would definitely visit again! read more

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Cute little place with fast service and good food will definitely be back to try more of their food . French toast was perfect and syrup was perfect complement to it . read more

Been here a few times now and I'm a fan ! The food overall is pretty good considering the basic Hawaii local dishes but nothing that really stands out or blew me away. But i think what stands out most is definitely the ambiance. Love the outdoor seating and how chill and laidback it feels eating there (especially breakfast/brunch time). Only real issue is if you go on the weekend, be prepared to walk cause the parking gets crowded fast and the the line can get pretty long as well. If you're going on a weekend, make sure you're feeling patient that day otherwise go somewhere faster ! read more

Leilani's is a PB staple with delicious food, great coffee, and a distinct hawaiian vibe you can't get anywhere else in SD. This place is always packed and for good reason. We went for the spam musubi and a macadamia latte - both were fabulous. The bagels and breakfast sandwhiches are also really good here. You can't go wrong at Leilani's! read more

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The hungry Hawaiian going to a Hawaiian café so worth the trip if you're ever in San Diego this needs to become a mandatory stop. I don't wanna blow them up too much because I wanna be able to get in and get food and enjoy it but if it does, it surely deserves it If I may say one thing on a low positive is, don't worry about the waffles. It taste like they were out of a package so you can skip those but they're still good now. As for everything else get them, don't think about it just get them fried rice was Ono teriyaki Ono spam Ono everything on this menu is Ono. The service was fast. I couldn't believe how quick the food came out. Loved it. It was like true local style. I love the outside setting except for like a true comfortable ambience where you were just there with other people enjoying good food good weather and good company. Definitely go for the ambience. In closing, I will be back to try more on the menu, much Mahalo for the experience read more

Leilani's Cafe - Spam fried rice - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

The first time you walk in all you see is smiles! That's how you know, when the employees are happy the food is going to be top tier!! Happy employees = happy customers! Food was amazing, my husband is from the big island and is exactly same! Quality and quantity! Top it all off the music was great, amazing vibes and the locals are nice too! Thanks yall we'll be back! read more

If you are looking for hawaiian breakfast or plate lunch, you have to come check out Leilani's. There is great patio seating and delicious coffee. I love that they have macadamia lattes! read more

I usually do takeout for Leilani's, but there is some table seating on the adjacent patio to sit and enjoy. Been coming here for years and the plate lunch and breakfast options have been consistent and worth the walk up line! The kahlua pork or bagels are filling. Street parking can vary. read more

Leilani's Cafe - My Kalani - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

We saw this place on tiktok after looking up hawaiian brunches and this came up, the spicy pork bagel was definitely 10/10. we've had better loco mocos than here it was bland. i'm coffee girl at heart and their espresso tasted burnt, i asked if i could get a different one bc the 'Nutt Buzz' was just not hitting it was so watered down you could even tell in the photo so i got a Macadamia Nut coffee instead and even then their coffee just wasn't good would not recommend. i probably wouldn't come back but it's definitely a spot to try read more

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Great breakfast spot in PB area! Friendly and fast service. Great coffee and the bagel sandwiches hit the spot. Next time we'll add something sweet in the mix! read more

Leilani's Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is so cute and delicious! It's a must stop place in San. Perfect for starting a day of exploring the city. Mac salad was pretty good! And the breakfast musubi was delicious! Service was great and quick! I would totally come back! read more

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