Long Overdue: My First Time at Azuma's (And Why I'm Already Planning My Return)…read moreOkay, I have to be honest with you all -- I've been sleeping on Azuma's. For months, people have been telling me about their dried aku, and I kept saying "soon, soon." Well, soon finally happened, and I have nobody to blame but myself for waiting this long. Now, before I go any further -- yes, I forgot to take photos. I know. I know. But here's the thing: the moment that dried aku hit the table, all my food blogger instincts went completely out the window. It was just me and that fish, and nothing else mattered. The dried aku was everything the hype promised -- deeply savory, with that concentrated, almost smoky flavor you only get when something is made with real patience and skill. The kind of dish that makes you close your eyes after the first bite. Absolutely ono. No notes. Next time -- and there will be a next time, probably very soon -- I'm going in for the laulau. I have a feeling it's going to be just as worthy of the word-of-mouth buzz. Watch this space. Azuma's -- go. Just go.

Just found out about this place from someone we just met in Kapolei, and Azama's will be my go to…read moredried aku and laulau store. The aku may be a little pricey but so worth it...I bought the regular and seasoned flavored and both werethe laulau was very tasty, had just enough salt and love the butterfish & pork, nice portions stuffed in side, the luau leaves were ono as well as a generous amount... Spreading the word

We saw the sign for halo halo and just kind of lost it. Had to get some, and glad we did. It goes…read morewithout saying that halo halo is a super-popular Filipino treat, but it's also a nice departure from the standard shave ice that is ubiquitous in the Islands (not that I mind having more shave ice). The Magnolia ube ice cream made this halo halo perfect.

If there's anything that I need for a Filipino dish, I'm pretty sure Festival has it. Looking for…read moreTupig? They got it. Need Ilocos Empanada? Get there early because when I visited, they sold out. They've got some real fresh seafood, beautiful and plentiful. The food court area has anything you'd imagine for a quick lunch and their desserts from every vendor was delicious. I was able to get all the veggies, protein, and sauces in one place and each vendor was so friendly and helpful. Parking is kind of tough 'cause the days that get busy, I've found myself parked down the street. Otherwise, the whole area is clean, open spaced, and easy to find anything you'd need.

Been going here since I was younger and it's one of my favorite places to get Filipino desserts!…read moreIt's always fun walking around the market seeing all the fresh vegetables, seafood, meats, specialty products, and food stands. They accept credit card (usually for purchases over $10) and you can withdraw cash from the ATM out front. It's kept clean and stays busy on the weekends, and it's great hearing the community of all ages gathered here

I love this store!…read more Me and my family come here for our crack seed, candy restock for our home. And we cannot leave without an icee. Vanilla floats or strawberry lihing depending on our mood. The staff are always super friendly when we come, store is always neat and clean. They have sale bins and other local snacks. Parking is good right in front and it's never really full. You pretty much get in and grab all the goodies and get out. Love it here!

I've been to one of their express locations when I was out there three years ago. They have all…read morekinds of the Island snacks and goodies. I ordered on line from them a couple of bags of Huff n Puff snacks I wanted to try them. Placing the order on their site was smooth. I was surprised to receive my order so quickly a couple of days despite the Island dealing with storms and floods. Wholesale is definitely a place I will go to when I visit Hawaii as well as online order from them great service. Overall great experience.

Want some old school snacks this is the place. 1st time here to get some boiled peanuts and it was…read moremade to my likings (perfect taste and crunchiness). IDK if that was Chris behind the counter but it was a friendly personable guy! Sorry no photos, but when I go back I'll capture some.

Snackaholic dream…read more.. Always pass here when I'm at Waipahu Shopping Plaza area and just knowing that they sell peanuts already where in the past is so easy to find now is a rare thing to see. Love that there's lots of free parking that can be difficult for the area so this day was the day to peek in and settle my curiosity. Though from the outside window lists several items like ice cream, crack seed, soft drinks, icee and toys just to name a few walking in I just didn't expect to see the variety of snacks so neatly arranged in boxes and bins...kakimochi, dried fruits and crack seeds including fresh boiled peanuts in the chilled display case they certainly had that and so much more. The man there was nice and patient as I browsed around this cool shop that keeps up with the old school snacks that we love along with some newer items as well to keep the cravings in check. Thank you!

Wide variety of local snacks, samurai ice type soft serve, uncle ice cream sandwiches, Italian…read moresodas, specialty sodas even made with energy drinks. Small shop in Waipahu. But enough parking. Often with younger staff you'd expect sub par service but these young men were very eager to help and serve us.

They got your cravings…read more.. After satisfying my smoothing cravings at Hang's French Cafe & Smoothies which is right next door you know I had to give them a visit and as I walked in I just didn't expect to see so many options to neatly displayed at this cool shop. One wall is filled the snacks the local love and the easy grab and go does take care of cravings instantly along with some Pop Mart items though isn't quite the snack we sure have been eathing up the rave that's been keeping us guessing ourselves. Many of their items are crafted like specialty popcorn, Hawaiian Frost Soft Serve, Shaved Ice, and even açaí bowls. Keeping the coolness after my smoothie I decided on some dipping' dots as I stared into the display case with the various flavor offerings it was the "Cool Mint Crunch" oh yeah the minty coolness really hit the spot and bits of Oreo was so yummy as it kept me still for a moment as I enjoyed my treat before I continued on my errands taking this me time was just right. Thank you!

Healthy chips... I…read morehad a friend that loved their products discovering them at the many local holiday fairs and food shows we've been to and know that if they're there so is she. I've had my share of various thin sliced beef jerky but no one does it like Chyler's and finding them at the Hawai'i Shop Local Pop Up in Ala Moana Center where the vibe is so lively. It literally is beef chips as it's super thin and very crispy though not lacking flavor at all as this magical snack just hits the spot knowing I'm having something not just healthy but so yummy as well. Not sure...they will happily give you samples which this visit was no different and it was either regular or black pepper and this spicy lover went for it and no samples was needed as I got a bag knowing that as soon as it's open nothing will be left behind for anyone. The staff there is always so nice and friendly with any questions I may have and finding them on this holiday event was the best as it will make someone that I know happy this holiday for this yummy treat. Thank you!

I have been a customer of Chylers since day one ... just want to say their their Beef Jerky is the…read morebest ! And I've been buying Chylers for a long time .. and it has always been consistent .. I am so glad they have thrived and grown as a company. They now have online platform and I really like the service they provide... their warehouse is now in Waipahu so it's closer now and easier for pick up . They also run specials every once in awhile or during special holidays. Their crispy beef jerky is simply the best and so good! I can eat the whole bag by myself ! The owners of this business are really nice and friendly people too !

Want to start off by saying their store hours have changed, they're open 6am to 6pm daily. As a…read morefirst-timer here I arrived at 5:38 am because their website and Yelp said open at 5:30 am... oops! No problem, didn't mind the wait since I had time to spare before work. I picked up a dozen mini manapuas for the office. It was a hit with my townie coworkers (apparently anyplace past the aloha stadium is considered "west side" lol). It was about a 10 minute wait for the deep-fried manapuas but worth it. Will definitely be back to try the other manapua flavors.

*Warning!* MUST READ!…read moreWas there during the weekend with my family and was excited to go eat there. Must be new owner cause the place was dirty. Tables and chairs had food, workers just standing around looking duh...lazy workers. Floors were sticky and had choke flies flying around near the food. Me, my wife, and another customer was waiting and we saw one of the Chinese lady workers eating near the food where people order their plate lunch, then she sticks her used chopsticks in the pan to grab something to eat. WTF!, talk about passing the Department of Health qualifications safety checks. TO EVERYONE THINKING ABOUT EATING THERE, BE CAREFUL. This place has changed and maybe new owners.

Shopping in Waipahu, O'ahu, Hawai'i…read more.. When I saw that there was a third location of One 2 Buy, I thought, "Wow, they must be doing well!" I'm glad that the first location moved to Coral Street... it has better lighting, parking, and organization. The second location in Pearl Kai is also new and clean! This third location, inside of Keiki Kingdom, has more of a warehouse vibe. There are open cardboard boxes so that customers can see the products. I like the fact that there are prices on most items. It's a satisfactory place to find unusual Asian snacks. My friends liked the Hawthorne candy - it was like individually wrapped fruit roll ups! The green onion crackers had packs of eight crackers in the bag. It's a fun experience! Take a look around! Parking is free! Note: this used to be a Walgreens!

A Waipahu Treasure Hunt!…read more One2Buy just opened in the old Walgreens location in Waipahu (across from the former Don Quijote), and you truly can't miss it....the building is painted bright and loud in the best way. When you walk in, you can tell they're still setting up, but it actually adds to the experience. The front is filled with claw machines, giving it a fun arcade vibe before you even get to the good stuff. Then you head in deeper and suddenly you're surrounded by rows of exotic snacks and foods from all over the world. Half of it I've never heard of, the other half I've only seen scroll past on TikTok. It felt like a full-on treasure hunt trying to figure out what everything was....thank God for Google Translate because nothing is labeled in English and nothing is priced. We just threw everything into our amazingly smooth shopping cart and hoped for the best at checkout. Honestly? No regrets at all. The best part is taking all your treasures home and having a blast opening everything and doing your own taste test or mukbang. It's such a fun experience, whether you go with kids, friends, or just your adventurous self. If you love discovering new snacks or want a quirky little adventure in Waipahu, definitely check this place out. Excited to see how it looks once they're fully set up!

I wish I took a picture but the food went fast lol! Mini 2 choice for $12.75 feeds 2 adults! Adobe…read moreis very soft and pinacbet just came out and it was perfect for me (I love betterment too). Other things worth trying is the biko (another favorite) and the empananda with vinegar sauce! Just remember to turn right when you enter, you cannot cut in line!!!

I went to North Star today 5/19 at around 2:40 pm because I wanted some fresh Chicharron and I…read moreheard that they sell that. This place is next to PT Hawaii and there was plenty of parking. I went in and stood in line. There were a few people ahead of me so it wasn't too busy. There were 2 women working- one was doing the food and the other was the cashier. As I was standing in line I noticed there were flies in the hot food- however, the chicharron was in its own case that was enclosed and I made sure no flies were in there. When it was my turn the woman who was doing the food didn't even want to acknowledge me. I had to tell the cashier that I wanted one lb of chicharron, then she literally told the food lady right next to her what I wanted. I paid almost $20.00 for one lb of chicharron but the worst part is that food woman didn't even cut it up for me! I literally came home with a slab that I have to cut up myself, all good though. I had to inspect the pork throughly anyways to make sure there were no fly eggs. I absolutely don't recommend this place. Bad service and flies in the hot food area.