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    Lotus Cafe

    4.0 (49 reviews)
    InexpensiveCoffee & Tea, Cafes
    Closed 7:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Lotus Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    LOTUS CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for working
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Lotus Cafe

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    Order counter
    Mie D.

    After I had lunch with friend in Kaimuki, we looked for coffee place. Before we came lunch this area, it was hard to find the coffee place. But we found here this time! This place face to Waialae Ave. and another back side door face to the Kaimuki Municipal parking. It's cozy and quite inside, so I don't think good for group, but no need to talk in a whisper. When ewe got here only one customer was there and she was working on her computer. During we were there another two friends customer came in. There are coffee(espresso and brew both), tea, and food in their menu. The staff were quiet but felt friendly when we ordered. I ordered decaf hot coffee and they brew each coffee after they got an order. Even decaf, my coffee was good aroma and flavor. We enjoyed having our coffee time here!

    Lawsuit against owner who was weird in front of me

    I loved the Kailua location but it closed :(. I tried this location and the workers were great but the owner was acting weird in front of us. He was arguing with an employee and just seemed rude. I looked up the owner and found this, doesn't seem like a great guy...

    sign from sidewalk
    Heidi H.

    Friendly staff they answered my questions. Drink was nice and cold on a hot day. Seats are inviting. Some pasterie on display. Crossaint, lemon bars.

    Drink Menu (as of Jan 2025)
    Rachael K.

    [Location] New cafe alert! Lotus Cafe is located on Waialae Ave, Kaimuki. Parking is available, though not free (with the exception of possibly metered parking on Sundays). Restrooms available. I believe WiFi is available too! [Drinks] I ordered a cortado and hot matcha latte with honey. The matcha comes unsweetened unless otherwise indicated. You can sweeten your matcha latte with honey, lavender, etc. for an additional cost. The cortado was super hot, a little too hot than I would've liked. The espresso was a bit too bright and weak for my preference. From the coloring of the matcha latte, I suspected it wouldn't be the best. And I was unfortunately correct. I docked one star because of the quality of the drinks. Not terrible but not necessarily good, in my humble opinion. Affordable though! [Service] The employees were super sweet and upbeat. I felt welcomed and taken care of. [Ambiance] Love the serene aesthetic! Super clean, pleasing to the eye. Quiet too. Perfect spot for a productive study/work sesh. I want to give this place another try in terms of drinks. Eager to try food too as I noticed plenty of reviewers enjoyed the soups and sandwiches!

    Menu as of 7/31/24
    Larene U.

    This is such a classy cafe. Free wifi and comfortable seating adorned with plants and artwork. Literally my type of vibe. I got their matcha since I heard it was really good. Really smooth taste! And the cashier rec'd it with oat milk and vanilla. Perfect mix between the sweetener and the earthy taste of their matcha. Definitely would come back to try more of their stuff. Also 5 stars because their playlist literally was playing all the older classic songs I listened to with my parents as a kid. Chillin' fr

    Entrance from the municipal (paid) parking lot
    Nadine C.

    Lunch in Kaimuki, Honolulu, Hawaii... I read Irene's review and decided to get exactly what she got: matcha Latte with Oat Milk and a yogurt bowl... because the strawberries looked so fresh... and the matcha is so healthy! Located on Waialae Avenue, I found a metered street parking stall on Koko Head Avenue. The meter was broken, so I scored free parking! Yippee! There are two ways to enter the cafe. I happened to enter from the municipal parking lot entrance. I walked along a long hallway with a convenient restroom before I arrived at the cashier's station. She greeted me right away, so I told her I wanted the matcha Latte with Oat Milk and the yogurt bowl. I was asked if I wanted some sweetener - okay - a splash of honey. I didn't taste any, so I added a packet of brown sugar, which was at the self-service area. The yogurt bowl had granola, blueberries, and strawberries... it was just right... not too heavy, but simple and refreshing on a hot August day! The environment was relaxing and spacious with modern, natural decor. I liked the live plants! I'll be back when I get free parking again!

    Menu
    Irene M.

    A new cafe has blossomed in Kaimuki... Lotus Cafe fresh from its soft opening on July 17th and what a lovely spot to take in all the simplicity. I absolutely love Lotus and what it represents and finding a lovely spot to chill and catch up on while supporting local makes it a great spot. Located right on Waialae near Happy Days which offers lots of parking options from the municipal lots in the back to some street parking which I lucked out on today (Sunday) because it's free and starting early did give me the advantage. Walking in this cozy cafe you'll immediately notice the Lotus lighting which is absolutely stunning along with various types of seating from a comfy sofa, lounge table and some bar top seatings. I chose one of the table near the window and took the opportunity to sip my Matcha Latte with Oatmilk which was a very yummy sip looking at the deep green color it has that bite that i love about matcha along with some Yogurt with fruit bowl and granola making it a light and refreshing morning. Yet to discovered by many i enjoyed the quite time here and the simplicity of the decor along with the staff which are quite lovely and nice. Lotus symbolize positivity and cheers to a refreshing spot. Thank you!

    Lily D.

    searching for new businesses on yelp and came across this business that's nearby! I think they took over the old Kaimuki Cafe spot. It quickly caught my attention as it featured "Dog friendly" yay!! There's a entrance off Waialae and also from the back parking lot. I came around noon and it wasn't too busy, but they had a steady flow of guests while we were there which is pretty good considering they've only been open for about a week and theres a million other coffee shops in Kaimuki. I also saw that they use Greenworld farms coffee beans. They also have a small food menu on the counter and their drinks menu is on the wall. I tried the kalua pig pizza ($10) which was pretty good. my friend ordered the breakfast empanadas. It was my first time trying that - it was baked but i thought they're usually fried? so its a good healthy alternative. It also came with a siracha mayo dipping sauce. There is a parking lot in the back of the restaurant. the first 20 mins is free if you're doing a quick grab and go this route is perfect. Otherwise, there is another metered lot next to it or street parking. The service was awesome! There was 3 girls working the front and my son absolutely loved all of them.

    empanadas and matcha
    Cora L.

    Very cute cafe located on Waialae Ave near Happy Days. The inside decorations felt minimalistic but cute and the service was very quick. We were greeted immediately upon entry. I ordered a matcha latte and the empanadas. They were out of the ingredients they use for the majority of their items (i.e. tomatoes, cheese, cream cheese) so I was not able to order some of the other items I wanted such as their bagels and breakfast sandwich. We sat ourselves and were able to find a table although there was limited seating inside. The food came out quickly and the empanadas were like breakfast empanadas with egg and ham inside. It came with a choice of sauce and I chose the spicy mayo. The empanadas were about $14 for three and they were smaller than expected. However, they were tasty. The matcha was also pretty good. It would be nice to come back and try some of their coffee!

    Street waffle (taken literally) just thrown in the bag

    I ordered lunch for my office (5 people) trying this place out for the first time. When I called to place the order, they told me they wouldn't take orders over the phone, so I placed it online. When I picked up the order, they apparently were out of the breakfast empanada (at 11AM) and just wrote "No Breakfast" on the box instead of calling to ask if we'd like a different option than what we ordered. Wondering why they even have a phone if they don't take orders and won't call to let you know that part of your order will be missing. The employees also made no mention of it to me while I was picking up. Additionally, one of my coworkers ordered the Street Waffle, which they literally just tossed in a brown paper bag, no napkins, no foil, nothing. There was maybe one other person in the store (could've been an employee sitting out front, not sure), so I don't understand the carelessness that took place. We did not have a complicated order (one lemonade, two soups, one sandwich, one toast, one waffle, and a few empanadas). The food was good, but the customer service did not leave a good taste in my mouth. Not likely not return.

    Caprese salad, salmon bagel, breakfast empanada
    Jamie I.

    Parking: parking lot on Waialae (same parking lot as happy days) Service: I've had much friendly service at other places, but I think the girl was just tired that day. I don't knock anything off for that, we're all just doing life. Drinks: Iced matcha latte with oat milk, pretty standard. Not that high quality of a matcha powder. Food: Caprese salad- very refreshing Breakfast Empanada- I really enjoyed this with the sriracha mayo! It came out HOT! Salmon bagel- this could've been much better if the bagel was toasted (this is where I took off a star) Overall: I would say this place is okay. I might pop by if I'm in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come back.

    Seating
    A U.

    I studied here with a friend. The staff was friendly and it was a good ambience for studying and hanging out. I ordered an iced latte which was good. There is free wifi and a clean bathroom which makes it a great spot to stop by!

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    2 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Great place to get work done! Their iced coffee and refreshers are amazing as well as their breakfast sandwich! No complaints at all

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    4 months ago

    10/10 would recommend this place if in kaimuki, the staff is very friendly and & ava is my favorite barista ^-^

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    11 months ago

    The latte was surprisingly unremarkable. I wanted to like the place as it is a convenient spot for me to take a break

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    11 months ago

    Yummy matcha and bruschetta toast. Chill staff and great for studying in the morning.

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    Lotus Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Lotus Cafe

    Dog friendly...can my furry friend hang out inside with me?

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    4.7(180 reviews)
    0.1 mi
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    Super healing vibes and beautiful plants. The employees are so nice and helpful AND the honey…read morematcha was bomb. Can't wait to take my bf with me next time so we can pick out our next plant together.

    Iniital visit the other day to Plantoem...a cafe / plant nursery. It's been open for awhile on…read moreWaialae Avenue in what may be the smallest two-story shopping plaza in town, Lafite Plaza. Go up the ramp to dedicated parking stalls for patrons; avoid the stalls demarcated, reserved. There are street metered stalls along Lafite and, the adjacent structure, Kaimuki Plaza. Plantoem offers a relaxing ambiance upon entrance. Navigate the jungle of plants to access the cafe counter. I requested the Yerba Mate which is only available for in-house. A container with filtered straw was provided alongside a thermal carafe...there was enough hot water for 2.5 servings. The barista was a bit bemused when I ( humorously ) mentioned I swallowed some sediment from the straw...not being used to drinking yerba mate in this traditional way. I felt a little less of a gringo after that beverage. The main dining area is to the left. A nook to the back of the counter is a laptop/device free zone...and I sat in that hideaway...perused a book on interior design ( a few books are available) ...and enjoyed the yerba mate. Hours are from 700a till 500p - Mondays thru Thursdays. Fridays are 700a to 700p. Saturdays are 1000a - 700p. Sundays: 1000a until 500p.

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    Excellent Macchiato coffee and canelé pastry at Plantoem Café in Kaimuki Honolulu Hawaii

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    Plantoem - Plantoem Café in Kaimuki Honolulu Hawaii hosts many local artists events for the community .

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    Daily Whisk Matcha - When just can't choose...Matcha Lilikoi Soda & Fruit Sando

    Daily Whisk Matcha

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    0.1 miKaimuki
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    They had the best tasting matcha we had on the trip! When I say best tasting, they had the best…read morequality. They didn't have tons of matcha flavors, but we ordered: Strawberry Matcha 4/5 Lemonade Matcha 4/5 It has to be a 4/5 for me cause although the quality was the best, it wasn't the best flavors. I've had places that do both. I love a good balance of strawberry and matcha, this one the strawberry flavor wasn't super noticeable. That's probably more of a preference thing though. It's a super small quaint spot. There's seats available, but it's more of a pick up and go spot. They have restrooms and a little shop to buy custom local swag. The service was good, nothing crazy! Not tons of parking. Overall, I would totally come back!

    Parking can be a bit tricky here, but we were lucky enough to snag the last of the six available…read morespots. The barista was friendly and offered some great recommendations for popular drinks. I went with the strawberry matcha, and it had the perfect balance of earthy matcha and creamy strawberry. We also ordered the salt and butter bun and the cheese and mushroom puff, and both were delicious, especially warmed up. There was even a local pop-up vendor selling banana bread, so we grabbed one to try. Overall, it's a great little spot for matcha drinks and tasty bites.

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    Daily Whisk Matcha - Strawberry matcha & Hapa matcha lattes

    Strawberry matcha & Hapa matcha lattes

    Daily Whisk Matcha - Drinks and Snacks (@miguelmoralesphotography on Instagram)

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    Daily Whisk Matcha - My favorite

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    My favorite

    Talk Kaimuki - Grilled cheese! Yum!

    Talk Kaimuki

    3.7(711 reviews)
    0.1 mi
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    Enjoyed this iced haupia latte with oat milk, definitely nice pick-up drink in the morning. Much…read moreless sweet than other lattes like orange blossom, which was too sweet for my taste. Also ordered a blueberry scone, in my opinion, one of best scones in Oahu. Fresh and soft bites with a lot of blueberries as it wasn't too dry like other scones. Plenty of seats with tables including some seatings outside for people watching. Love it for Kaimuki. Nice to be back after college years and glad to see it still up and running.

    What is it about coffee in the afternoon that makes everything feel so much naughtier? It certainly…read morebrings with it a whole latte energy! Last day on Oahu and it was stop-after-stop of amazing company, laughter, good food, and lots of fun sips. At some point, someone suggested coffee. Honestly, it was a great call. Enter: Talk Kaimuki. We ordered: Matcha Latte × 3 ($7.00 ea.), Hot Matcha Latte 16oz ($5.25), Haupia Latte × 2 ($5.50 ea.), Almond Croissant ($6.00), Banana Bread ($4.50), and Lemon Cake ($7.00). Purchase Subtotal: $54.75 + Card Processing (3.6%) fee: $1.97 Now the lattes are amazing. Robust in flavor, creamy, and it had enough caffeine to make the midday need for a siesta go away. The baked goods had a mix reaction. The almond croissant was good, I heard good reviews for the banana bread, but that lemon cake is a hard pass. She looks cute but she was diabetic levels of sweet. If you're not into caffeine but are a fan of a sugar rush, feel free to get the lemon cake as your energy source. Woo! Randy S. had told us the evening hours is boozy, Thursday-Saturday. Now that sounds truly wonderful! Cheers, Kaimuki!

    Photos
    Talk Kaimuki - Inside

    Inside

    Talk Kaimuki - Today's case of sweet and savory things.

    Today's case of sweet and savory things.

    Talk Kaimuki - Iced matcha latte

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    Iced matcha latte

    Cowcow’s Tea - Cheesy blueberry and Strawberry yogurt

    Cowcow’s Tea

    4.6(837 reviews)
    0.1 mi
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    Our friends really hyped it up and I can totally see why, this place is actually really good and a…read morelocal hit especially for the college students At first it reminded me of boba tea, but the more you drink (and start chewing on the purple rice), the better it gets. The texture is honestly the star here, and it makes the drink feel way more satisfying than your typical milk tea. We ordered the jujube drink and the mango drink. I personally liked the jujube one more, but my girlfriend preferred the mango. Both were really good, plenty sweet, and the purple rice had such a great chew that I didn't even feel like I needed boba or any extra toppings. Inside is super cute too. I feel like if they had board games or something it would be such a fun hangout spot. Staff was friendly and we got our drinks pretty quick. One thing to note: the rice is really filling. I genuinely felt like I ate a meal after finishing a drink. Would definitely come back.

    Cowcow's Tea in Kaimuki is well known for their cute pink themed interior, plushies, and their…read morepurple rice yogurt drinks. I ordered their strawberry guava purple rice yogurt drink and I felt a bit disappointed that I didn't taste much of the guava. However, their purple rice yogurt drinks are one of the best on the island, and I always try to get one whenever I am in the area. Overall, highly recommend! Great place to go for a refreshing and delicious boba treat.

    Photos
    Cowcow’s Tea - Decapitated roach that was in our cup. Antennas and legs.

    Decapitated roach that was in our cup. Antennas and legs.

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    Purple yam

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    Bean About Town Honolulu - Mocha and Latte and Croque Monsieur

    Bean About Town Honolulu

    4.6(211 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $

    I have been to Bean About Time multiple times over the years, and love it every time…read more COFFEE: I usually get an iced latte, and each time it has been delicious. You can tell they use high quality beans and it has a smooth flavor. I don't even need to add a flavor to my lattes (although they do have that option). TREATS: I got a scone today for under $4 and have gotten banana bread in the past. Each baked good has been fresh and reasonably priced (sometimes scones are $6-$7 in LA) SERVICE: Each time I go, the barista is kind and friendly, usually talking story with a regular. They also make their drinks fast (less than a 5 min wait). AMBIANCE: Their store is tiny, really just made for ordering with a few benches. Outside they have a few tables and seating. They may also have seating on the street ("parklet") although most recently I didn't think to check. I have done work here before using a hotspot and have always found seating. It seems to be a more grab and go spot especially considering how tiny it is in the actual store. PARKING: They have a few stalls in the lot shared with the apartment building nearby marked "Visitor". There is also metered street parking in the area. Parking hasn't been an issue for me. Altogether a super cute local spot with high quality coffee. One of my faves on Oahu for sure.

    The original Bean About Town is in Kaimuki :) their Waikiki location will be closing so this will…read morebe the main location. Their BB Hot Choccy is their signature and the drink I always get. I prefer it hot but they also can do iced! Always love the pretty latte art that they do when you get it hot. I also really love their Croque Monsieur sandwich. I love how simple and delicious it is - almost like a panini. Service is always kind and quick and I hope they stay for a long time! There are so many cafes in Kaimuki popping out but definitely stop by this one. The quality is never compromised and I can vouch that the drinks are great.

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    Bean About Town Honolulu - Looking straight ahead from the entrance

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    Bean About Town Honolulu
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    Lotus Cafe - coffee - Updated June 2026

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