Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Nani’s Cafe

    4.8 (52 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 3:30 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Nani’s Cafe Photos

    NANI’S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

    More like Nani’s Cafe

    Recommended Reviews - Nani’s Cafe

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    AAA Threat bento box
    Stephanie S.

    Stop here for a birthday lunch with family. We walked right in and were greeted immediately by a nice lady behind the counter of food options. Everyone took a turn building the bento box or picking their items. We paid and went out side to sit at the nice little patio area at the side of the building. There's even a pass through window they can give you your food that way so you don't have to carry it all out. I got a AAA Threat bento box and also tried a couple other items including the cone sushi I read about on someone's review, a spam Musubi variety I hadn't tried before and we of course had to try the ube donut holes. Everyone enjoyed their food. My grandson said 5 out of 5 and ate every bite of his. My box had a large variety of items so I had some to take home for later. I also got an iced vanilla lavender latte which was a solid choice. My son said it would definitely be a place he came back to and would get the same thing next time. It's quick service. The food is good and the prices are reasonable. I don't think you'll go wrong with this one.

    Famous Ube Mochi donut holes
    Ryne T.

    My friend told me to check this place out in Wailua because it's a local owned business. Brah you know me when it comes to supporting local, I'm dea! Plenty parking and real plantation vibe. Well hell it's smack in the middle of a plantation village. When come here it's like you're home. Home meaning Hawaii country easy living no rat race take it easy chilling home. I already ate lunch but I wanted to try their coffee. We were greeted by a beautiful friendly young lady who took our order. Then my wife saw it, the famous Ube mochi donut holes!! It was great with my coffee. This place sells Okazuya!! Can you believe it. A lot of older Okazuya restaurants in Hawaii are shutting down. It's hard to find them now in your area. So be hungry when you visit Nani's. Lastly, pick up their shirt, it has a great marketing line. IYKYK Maybe gotta explain to tourists lol.

    Cone sushi
    Rod U.

    Preface: All "local" food has its origins in the plantation era. People from specific regions of Japan, China, the Philippines and Portugal "settled" in specific plantation villages. The blending of flavors created each plantation region's preferential taste. Broadly, teriyaki is sweet in Hilo, sweeter and bolder in Kona, saltier with pronounced soy on Maui, uses more sake and ginger on Oahu and a variant that seems to have originated in the Wailua plantation village that is straight up meat candy. Why is this important? Nani's Cafe's food is just too sweet, too ginger forward, too different. It doesn't mean it's bad, it's just not what I'm used to nor my preference. That said, this family run okazyua / bento spot is worth the visit. Super friendly local service and lots of enthusiastic people waiting to get their grindz on. Who doesn't want a still warm, nicely breaded and fried bone in pork chop as one of the choices or a very unique mashed purple sweet potato / celery salad. Teriyaki items (miso chicken, kalbi beef) as previously mentioned are very sweet. As is the chow fun that must use the teri marinade as seasoning. All are however well cooked. Very good but sweet cone sushi. The only big miss, the mochiko chicken which is extremely bitter (too much ginger). Tip: For the best value, opt for the premade bentos. Ordering ala carte okazuya style cost more for the same thing. Don't regret the experience but the flavors are not for me. That said, the food is properly made with care so maybe it's for you.

    My bento
    Gail U.

    Opened since July 2025, very welcoming as soon as you enter this okazu- ya type ordering with coffee and refreshments available. Three of us each ordered our own bento so we could let our eyeballs select what our tummies might want since they have a variety of offerings in plain view. I handed the pretty young female my card for all 3 of us and asked if I could take her photo for Yelp. I asked her if it's a family business. She said her mom and the other young male employee's aunty are owners. We are taking our bentos home to eat lunch with fur Bebe. The food looks great behind the counter. A lot to decide on. I liked my Teri beef slice and hash the most. The namasu looked fresh and colorful with a vinegary twang but no crispy texture. The nishime had some slivers of gobo but I didn't notice konbu knots and needed more color, taste. Doc said if it's good it can be on our North Shore go to rotation. Very close to Island-X.

    Ube mochi holes
    Michele T.

    Stopped here specifically for the ube mochi holes. The bowl was empty when we arrived, but a fresh batch was brought out when we asked about them. $2.50 per order - comes with 3 but aunty threw an extra one in for us. Loved that they were piping hot and good texture. Maybe a bit sweet since they're rolled in sugar, but still good.

    Elizabeth H.

    I really enjoyed trying all of the vegetarian Hawaiian foods. Very impressed with all the different options and vegetarian choices available. The ube potato salad and macaroni salad were my favorites, but I also liked the noodles and tofu. Service was great, and the lady working was excited to give me her vegetarian recommendations. I liked the cafeteria style service here, and we were able to make it a quick stop between activities.

    Mochi holes and hours
    Christine G.

    The cutest little cafe in Waialua! Their prices are very reasonable and the staff is friendly. Their drinks are amazing, as are the mochi donut holes. We stopped in mid-morning so while they had the bentos and plates to put together of your choosing out and ready, it wasn't quite lunch time for our bellies. But I will definitely be back to try their lunch assortment as it looked delicious and fresh! A hidden gem across from the Waialua feed store.

    Salty bum & Haleiwa ice house coffees.
    Lindsey S.

    Such a cute spot! Such a welcoming and friendly staff. We went around 10 AM and the parking lot was pretty full already because there are other businesses in the area. We made our own bento, got 1 AAA threat bento from the menu and the Keiki bento, spam musubis, 2 coffees, some ube donut holes and a yogurt parfait. All so good! We moved to waialua almost a year ago and have been wanting to come by and finally made it. Will definitely be here more often as it's just down the road from us.

    Jason L.

    This is my fav coffee shop on the North Shore! The seating area is cute & cozy, service is always warm and welcoming, and coffee & food are always consistent and fire :) shoutout to Micah and Wehi for fueling my caffeine addiction yall have to come here when visiting Waialua, you won't regret it!

    Kevin W.

    Nice little bentos that are easy to grab and go enjoy on the beach. Latte was really good, especially when paired with these ube donut holes; honestly some of the best donut holes I've ever had. Slightly crispy in the outside with a soft semi-chewy center. Worth a visit!

    Exterior
    Jessica G.

    Cute little cafe in the Waialua shopping center. When you walk in there is an array of food to choose from. Everything looked Ono! I'll have to try some next time. I did grab a cold brew with an add shot $8 and a lemon, lavender cookie. I like my cold brew strong and it was delicious! The cookie was huge and delicious. There is an outdoor seating area with about 5 tables.

    Nat N.

    We were on the North Shore and found ourselves in the mood for okazuya. A quick Yelp search led us to Nani's Café in Waialua, so we decided to check it out. The café itself is small and cute, with a very local, family-run feel. The daughters were working the front when we visited, which gave the place a warm, welcoming vibe that always adds to the experience. We picked up a mix of classic okazuya items: chow fun noodles, two slices of kalbi tofu, one corned beef ʻulu hash, two fish patties, and two cone sushi. Our total came out to $27, including a cup of coffee. I'll admit there was a bit of sticker shock, especially for okazuya, but I also give them credit for trying--running a small, family-owned spot on the North Shore isn't easy, and it's clear there's heart behind what they're doing. If you're in Waialua and craving okazuya with a local, family-style touch, Nani's Café is worth checking out.

    Green River slushy
    JP F.

    The food was really good. We tried a few things. The Kalbi-kimchi burger was really good. We had a bento, with chow fun, Kalbi, mochiko chicken. Marissa was good at explaining things. We got Green River slushee to drink. The place is nice and clean. There are a few tables outside. We agree. Will mos def go back there again.

    See all

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    What a cute place! Such friendly owners and cute atmosphere. The mochi ube balls were AMAZING and the Pua Powder latte phenomenal.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nat C.
    12
    91
    238

    2 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    18 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rod U.
    592
    1725
    5659

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Helpful 13
    Thanks 5
    Love this 16
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 3
    Love this 10
    Oh no 1

    4 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 3
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jessica G.
    137
    221
    580

    9 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nat N.
    1240
    1445
    15271

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 4
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    11 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of JP F.
    2
    44
    53

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    18 days ago

    Great service! My fave is the Kalbi Kim Chee burger and seasoned fries. It's nice and relaxing to enjoy our meal on the patio.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Yay! Thank you so much for coming in, we appreciate the support!

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lei C.
    420
    43
    66

    9 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sarah T.
    129
    38
    2

    3 months ago

    Super cute, clean & friendly local spot! My kids love the Ube doughnut holes & I love the corned beef ulu hash!!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Thank you so much, looking forward to seeing you back.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Thank you for supporting, we can't wait for your next visit.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 1

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Thank you so much for stopping in and supporting. We so appreciate!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    The best coffee and yummy healthy food! Great friendly service. So happy this place opened.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Thank you for coming in and for recognizing our coffee game!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Doug F.
    504
    18
    13

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kanani O.

    Kanani O.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Nani’s Cafe

    Island Glazed - Tables and chairs for hanging out

    Island Glazed

    4.6(340 reviews)
    17.6 mi
    $$

    I live in Aiea, for years we've been without a doughnut shop!!…read more Island Glaze showed up a couple of years ago and I am thrilled! I really enjoy their glazed doughnuts, they taste like Krispy Kreme to me! I have cruised through the other choices and liked several of them! They do a good job with their fruit flavors. Strawberry, guava, and passion fruit were yummy! Peanut butter and jelly was good too! The people there are always eager to please and very friendly, even when I can't decide what I want to try! The shop itself is bright, there are places to sit and areas for kids to play! More importantly the shop smells heavenly and the doughnuts are fresh!!

    Walked in telling myself "just one donut"... yeah okay Next…read morething I know I'm holding a box of 6 like I showed real restraint. My inner fat kid was already side-eyeing me like "we both know that's not enough." That glazed donut though? Unreal. Soft, moist, and that glaze is straight disrespectful. Like melt-in-your-mouth, why-am-I-eating-this-so-fast kinda good. I took one bite and immediately started doing the math on how fast I could turn around and grab more without looking crazy. Halfway through the box I was already mad at myself. Who buys 6?? That's not a quantity, that's a warm-up. Should've got 12 and saved myself the emotional damage. Only reason it's not a 5/5 is because now I'm sitting here donutless, thinking about going back like a man with unfinished business. Next time I'm letting the fat kid make all the decisions

    Photos
    Island Glazed - Cute wall mural

    Cute wall mural

    Island Glazed - Excited for tasty donuts, especially her fave guava flavor!

    Excited for tasty donuts, especially her fave guava flavor!

    Island Glazed - Cute seating inside.

    See all

    Cute seating inside.

    Leonard's Bakery - A dozen goodies

    Leonard's Bakery

    4.5(10.3k reviews)
    28.2 miKaimuki
    $

    Parking: There is a small lot but better off trying the residential streets nearby with easy free…read morespots. Interior: GO INSIDE TO ORDER. OUTSIDE IS JUST LOOKS PACKED BECAUSE PPL WAIT FOR THEIR ORDER. Wait Time: Line inside took less 5min and about 10min for order to be ready. Items Order: Filled Malasadas $2.75 - COMES FRESH AND HOT! The dough is soft and airy on the inside and the shell is slightly crispy and chewy. SO GOOD! I get it cinnamon sugar coated with custard filling and for fruit fillings get the lihing coating. Ube Butter Mochi $3.85 - Ube flavor was medium strength. Mochi was soft and really good after reheating in airfryer. Slight crunchy top layer was really good. 10/10 Custard - very rich and creamy. not too sweet and it's packed! 10/10 Seasonal mango - Mango flavor was so good and did not taste artificial. Highly rec!

    Honestly, I don't see the hype lol. The filling was delicious but the actual dough part of the…read moredoughnuts had a weird after taste. Like it was contaminated with something else after sitting out, or maybe being frozen then thawed out, orrrr whatever someone had on their hand when making the dough. Not sure, but a really unpleasant after taste lingered with just the dough part. I probably will give it one more chance. After that, if it still isn't great I won't try it again. I recommend everyone try it for themselves maybe it was an off day. They're incredibly busy so I can see the possibility for mistakes. It's a casual spot with no seating available. You put your order in and get a number then wait outside. We waited outside for 6 mins - 10 mins. My favorite flavors was the guava and mango flavor!

    Photos
    Leonard's Bakery - Original Malasada

    Original Malasada

    Leonard's Bakery - 3/29/26 get the guava & mac nut filled ones

    3/29/26 get the guava & mac nut filled ones

    Leonard's Bakery - Inside of a Guava filled

    See all

    Inside of a Guava filled

    Papa Ole's - Pulehu Short Ribs

    Papa Ole's

    4.5(1.5k reviews)
    13.6 mi
    $$

    Papa Ole's is a spot I heard about from a friend, and it hasn't disappointed me yet. It feels like…read morea small mom and pop type place that locals enjoy, which is always a good sign. My personal favorite is the kalbi ribs. They've got that backyard BBQ taste that feels like a homecooked meal, and it's usually what I end up ordering. Simple, comforting, and it just hits. I also love grabbing food here and taking it down the street to eat at the beach. It's one of those meals that feels even better when you're eating it by the water. I just read that they may be closing soon, and if that's true, thank you for all the delicious meals over the years and wishing the team nothing but the best moving forward.

    Went to Papa Ole's before they will be closing their business after all these years on December…read more15th! We ordered a regular plate mix with kalbi and shrimp and a mini pulehu ribs. The kalbi and pulehu are just about the same cuts of meats just a different marinade and you get to choose how you want it cooked. We got it medium rare. Kalbi is more like a sweeter Korean bbq and pulehu more smoky bbq. Meat was good and tender and shrimp was a nice creamy taste. Getting a bite of everything with the Mac salad is a must! Only downside is I tried to phone order in advance knowing they would be busy but I couldn't get the phone call through. We had to order once we got there and there was about an 1.5 hour wait for our order. The area is a dead zone for phone service so although they'll call to let you know your order is ready, you may not receive the call. But the wait was expected so we decided to go hang around the beach while waiting. There was a line of people wanting to order. I'd recommend to go early in the morning while they still have everything in stock because we got there at about 10:45AM and they had just sold out of their peanut butter rolls! It is cash only as well. Sad to see the business go but happy there is a lot of locals supporting them, giving fond farewells and wishing the Papa Ole's ohana the best!

    Photos
    Papa Ole's - Papa Ole's Menu

    Papa Ole's Menu

    Papa Ole's - Papa Ole's Sign

    Papa Ole's Sign

    Papa Ole's - Jumbo Shrimp Plate

    See all

    Jumbo Shrimp Plate

    Haleiwa Beach House - Calamari

    Haleiwa Beach House

    4.2(1.4k reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    Thanks to Yelp, we stopped by the Haleiwa Beach House during our North Shore road trip. This is an…read moreopen-air restaurant with views of the bay. There is an upstairs seating area that must provide some exceptional views, but it was closed during our visit. Our lunch was easily 5-star. We began with the Spicy Ahi Wontons. Fresh ahi with shallots, scallions, tobiko (Japanese caviar), and cabbage. This App was extremely complex with a hint of spice. Truly wonderful! For our mains we ordered the grilled mahi mahi and fish and chips. My mahi mahi was grilled to a moist perfection, and the brown butter sauce could have overwhelmed the fish, so I went light on the sauce. Their fish n' chips are not your traditional Irish bar offering. The fish was gently battered with panko and fried just right. Their homemade tarter sauce was absolutely delicious. They have a very interesting craft cocktail menu. My Ku'Ula-Kai Mai Tai was on point and perfectly balanced - sweet and sour. Plus 1's Aloalo Fizz reminded her of a Paloma, only made with vodka with a tropical twist. Service was attentive and knowledgeable regarding the menu and ingredients. We really appreciated the chill environment, beautiful view, and the welcoming ocean breeze. Pro tip: After dinner, head downtown to walk off your lunch/dinner and check out all the shops. Dessert? If you enjoy waiting in a long line, then the famous shaved ice shop is located there (IYKYK).

    Stunning views, and delicious food…read more.. This place is not only beautiful it is the perfect place for a meal with friends or ohana. The service here was excellent (thank you to Cash for being an outstanding server.) We were greeted immediately, seated immediately, and had drinks in front of us within 5 minutes. Highly recommend as a place to chil, eat and enjoy your day.

    Photos
    Haleiwa Beach House - Inside

    Inside

    Haleiwa Beach House - Calamari

    Calamari

    Haleiwa Beach House - Rose wine

    See all

    Rose wine

    Kamehameha Bakery - Poi Glazed Malasada - so fresh and yummy!

    Kamehameha Bakery

    4.4(1.1k reviews)
    23.6 miKalihi
    $

    @fortunefoodfinds: "If you DO-NUT know, you can find banana fritters here! You read that right, I…read morecame across n' scored the last banana fritter that KAMEHAMEHA BAKERY in Kalihi had for the day n' also picked up our usual go-to poi malasada, strawberry malasada, orange malasada, n' da kiddies chose a glazed donut, donut twist, n' chocolate covered long John. When you get the last one, it's like the feeling that you won!" SERVICE: fully staffed INTERIOR: when you enter the line forms to the left n' moves across to the right, narrow space, no dine-in just pick up n' go, canned soft drinks n' bottled water are available for purchase that are located in the fridges to the far left. EXTERIOR: next door to Ubae in Kalihi WAIT TIME: right under 10 mins from entering to leaving PARKING: free lot OVERALL COMMENTS: it's been years since my last visit n' I usually come for the poi malasadas so when I saw that they had one banana fritter, I had to have it! I've only had a banana fritter in Cali so this was a nice surprise. Bc it was banana mixed with apple, it had a hint of banana flavor. Crunchy n' glazed exterior with a very soft n' cinnamon interior. The malasadas are always tasty. Out of the poi, strawberry, n' orange, the orange has the most flavor come through. Ofc my kids highly enjoyed their donuts. Prices are really good on all the items we got ranging between $1.55 - $2.12; we spent right under $12 for everything. Will be back again!

    Just bought 6 malasada's and got home to find out they were all completely doughy…read more EVERY SINGLE ONE. The inside was all uncooked. I went down the road to liliha and got properly prepared donuts. The lady at the counter seemed to be less than interested to serve us as well, not really sure what's going on there. They used to be much better.

    Photos
    Kamehameha Bakery - Poi Haupia - inside

    Poi Haupia - inside

    Kamehameha Bakery - Custard Danish.

    Custard Danish.

    Kamehameha Bakery - Banana Fritter $1.55

    See all

    Banana Fritter $1.55

    Nani’s Cafe - cafes - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...