One of my favorite restaurants and best Latin food I've had on island! I almost want to gate keep-…read morebut it's too good not to share. Service is good, staff is friendly and welcoming. Decorations are cute and fitting. The food is amazing, so so Ono! Would definitely go back and definitely recommend.

If you care about cleanliness and actual authentic food, avoid Coquito's Hawaii…read more They advertise authentic cuisine, but the food didn't taste authentic at all -- it was bland and disappointing. But honestly, that wasn't even the worst part. The hygiene was a huge red flag. I watched staff repeatedly touch their hair and face, then go straight back to handling food with no handwashing or gloves. I even saw money being handled and then food being prepped immediately after. There were also small kids running around in both the front and back areas, including near food prep, and people walking in and out of the kitchen who didn't even appear to be staff. Overall, the environment felt very unprofessional and unsanitary. It made the entire experience uncomfortable and hard to trust. Definitely not a place I'd return to.

When I tell you, I cannot rave enough about how good these tacos are, I can finally say, I found it…read moreafter a year of craving good tacos. I finally found a good taco place!!! Also, their outdoor BoHo vibe is so welcoming and amazing. I feel like I'm eating at a treehouse. I had to stop by their seashell sink and mirror to take a selfie with the bestie of course. I truly enjoyed every bite of my taco that I had to order more to go. That's it. I found my place. I will definitely be back here again. Also, the red salsa is DELICIOUS!!!! I highly recommend the taco plate, steak, soft taco!

Latin Flair Month still continues... this time in North Shore!…read more Surf N Salsa did not disappoint. We tried the Beef Empanadas with Potatoes - Shrimp Tacos - Al Pastor - and Churros with Chócale Dip. Do I need to say more :) Great outside seating - with Roster and Chickens keeping you company. Will repeat every time I'm in Oahu.

Outstanding. I hate to even write a review because I want Castro's to be the hidden gem that it is…read more I discovered Castro's on a whim of wandering around Hawaii. The location off the beaten path is what originally drew me in. The exterior patio seating with blue umbrellas made me curious. Once I walked inside, I instantly knew the Cuban food was going to hit. Not only did it hit, it exploded into space and I returned 4 times on my vacation and recruited family members to go multiple times as well. On my first solo visit, I was going in to strictly get coffee and then decided to give a main dish a shot which was the traditional cuban. Let me tell you - I wish my husband was with me as the portions here are out of this world. This dish came out on a colorful dish on top of a bamboo board with fruit galore! It looked like a painting that I shouldn't touch but rightfully did. Needless to say, I had a leftover box on day 1. I then returned more times and want to highlight the Monte Castro sandwich which I fortunately or unfortunately split with my husband. Unreal!! It was drizzled in honey, served on the bamboo plate, had double decker bread and a plethora of fruit and some picked veggies on the side. I don't want to say more because I want everyone to go and split this meal with a loved one. It is award winning deserving. For my 3rd visit, I had the papaya bowl and once again - it was fantastic and required a to-go box as well. I'm so sad to know I'll never get to try the tres leche French toast as my vacation is coming to a close and there are so many more items I wanted to try. Castro's knows how to do it and I really think all restaurants should take notes from this establishment. From the water guns to spray the birds away to the dining service experience to the quality and taste of the menu item - chef's kiss. Thank you, thank you!!! Best meals in Hawaii hands down. OUTSTANDING!!

Cute brunch spot with beautiful food presentation. We ordered the Cubano and the Tres Leches French…read moreToast - the Cubano was delicious, but the French toast was just okay. It's a small place with some seating both inside and outside. Service was relatively fast. One of the staff didn't seem very friendly and rolled their eyes when we asked to make a change to our order, but aside from that everything was fine.

Awesome food and service!!! She delivered to us tonight with food fresh and hot! Was sooo Ono and…read moreshe was a so nice. Got to talk story a little bit too and told her how we stumbled upon her on our food adventure today. My husband, friend (Pikake) and I had the Lautele plate and ordered some Lautele ala cart. Gotta say...... for our first time trying Lautele, it was so GOOOOD!! Gundule rice was the best I've had EVER! It was not soggy which I dont like, it was PERFECT! THANK YOU again for delivering to us in Kapolei. We will be seeing you again!!

Service- 4 stars Food- 5 stars…read more I ordered a small pan of Gandule rice and 5 pastries from Shantell's last week Monday for my dad's birthday get together. First, you need to know that this business does not have a brick and mortar location. You are able to purchase items from their menu at craft fairs and farmer's market . However, they do offer catering. The contact number can be found on her business IG which is shantells_cocina. Shantell was extremely communicative via text. She informed me that my order would be $95 before tax because she sells 5 pasteles for $35 and a small pan of gandule rice for $60. We agreed on a location that was convenient for me. She. met meet at a public place with freshly made gandule rice and pasteles. My family and I loved every bit of her food and everything was mopped in 2 days. Thank you Shantell for doing business with me at the last minute. Highly recommend Shantell's Cocina for your catering needs!

Mercado de la Raza is the only store I know of in Honolulu that stocks and sells an abundance of…read moreproducts from around Latin America. In the spring, a friend from Brazil needed some snacks for an event at UH Manoa, so we went to Mercado de la Raza where he found what he was looking for. And in October, a friend wanted to make some Peruvian food, so we went to Mercado de la Raza. For those looking, they stock both fresh and frozen yucca. Mercado de la Raza is a small shop on Beretania across from Times. Just street parking is available, which can be tough. I've only received great service this year from the workers who have been very friendly with kind greetings, helpful service, and smiles. I think there must be new ownership because when I visited maybe 15 years ago, the owner was kind of snippy, lol. During the government shutdown in November, Mercado de la Raza gave out bags of free food to anyone who needed assistance. I am happy to support a small business that supports the community!

Fantastic store for spices, chilies and more! Plus you get more for your money here too. Very good…read moreprices. I was surprised. Great little market but with plenty of those harder to find specialty ingredients. Also the service here is excellent! Very helpful and knowledgeable about ideas for ingredient substitutions and they helped me with a smile. I will definitely be coming back and recommending this store to others.

Love this place - the food trucks really make great chow - this place is the top of tier in that…read morecategory though. Should be a full eatery but they would likely get raped for rent and have homeless pissing on the front door nightly if it were. This town is going downhill fast with all the homelessness and meth use in that area. No effect on this business - the owner runs a solid place and the miscreants steer clear.

Ordered 3 of these and felt underwhelmed to be honest! They didn't taste super fresh and had sort…read moreof an oily taste. I got 2 beef and potatoes and 1 chicken. Got the garlic sauce and a pink sauce for them but didn't really help. The beef potato ones almost had a curry taste - didn't taste like a latin american treat. Maybe I just came on an off day...price was fair for 3.

We got here on a Monday, the day before Cinco de Mayo. We were having dinner with family before…read morethey returned home from vacation. Mexican sounded good to everyone so we picked this spot and we're all very happy we did. Our server was kind and attentive. The place was lovely and decorated with just the amount of fun you expect. Some great photo ops in there. He even told us they were having a mariachi band tomorrow and invited us to come back. The food from the start with nachos and salsa to the end with tres leches was all delicious. I ordered the chorizo queso and it was fantastic. My son ordered the guacamole and it was so fresh and limey. Also delicious. My grandkids shared a quesadilla which was definitely large enough to do so with. My oldest grandson ordered a torte and he loved it. Also a generous portion. My son and I both ordered the grande burrito. He got his wet and I didn't. His was served on a plate and mine came wrapped in foil in a basket. I wish it would have also come on a plate. I like to cut it up to eat and the foil made that difficult to do. We ordered the tres leches to go because we were all so full. Enjoyed it the next day. Three of us could share on piece. It's delicious but very rich.

We visited this establishment as part of a group. We had difficulty communicating with our…read morewaitress. I believe she didn't quite understand us, and we didn't quite understand her either. It took a while to order and to get her attention throughout our time there, but we eventually received everything we ordered. The birria was very tasty, with juicy meat and a crispy shell. The Margarita flights were small, mini tastings which left us wanting more (and yes, we did order more). Regarding the tres leches, it's not the greatest we've ever had but not the worst. Yelp limits how many photos are posted with my review, but there should be 19 photos.

Order the lomo saltado they have lunch specials and are amazing as they give you free dip and chipsread more

Ordered the lomo saltado and wow--this was comfort food done right…read more The beef was tender, juicy, and perfectly stir-fried, with that signature smoky wok flavor. The onions and tomatoes were cooked just right--soft but still vibrant--and everything was coated in a savory, slightly tangy sauce that soaked beautifully into the rice. And the fries? Crispy on the outside, fluffy inside, and totally addictive once they mingled with the sauce. Every bite was rich, hearty, and satisfying without feeling greasy. This is the kind of dish you crave again the second you're done eating it. Definitely coming back for this.

Venezuelan cuisine…read more.. It's so hard to miss this vibrant truck with the cute smiling Arepas flashing a Shaka holding a Venezuela flag, and this newbie is the one to find as you must follow them on Instagram @arepas_hawaii and view their stories for locations feels like an exclusive secret spot. Well I found them in Kaka'ako right beside Milky Way Truck right along side Mother Waldron Park and yes it piqued my curiosity and though I do see on their instagram with menu items including empanadas as well though today it seems to be a selected Arepas seven varieties to be exact (Pollo, Pernil, Carne Asada, Spam, Pabellon and Vegetariana). Arepas are ground corn patties grilled and typically are enjoyed like bread are stuff with various fillings and my Pollo (shredded chicken) was stuffed beyond belief along with queso cheese was so enormous she apologize as it was impossible to close the container lol! The chicken was very moist and flavorful not spicy or loaded with sauce though it's standardly comes with cheese you're able to pile on the toppings by adding extras like more cheese or four types of salsa for +$2...oh my gosh what a fun and generous portions she serves here...it's all love! Thank you!

First off...for a new truck to have prices crossed off on their menu with a sharpie then not even…read morereplace the price is tacky! Was going to order an empanada, 2 drinks and arepa but they said $38. Paid $20 for 2 drinks and 1 empanada instead. Boy o boy did I regret it! $3 for each bottle water?! So that makes the empanada $14?!....lets talk about it! I understand your an arepa truck. But this empanada seems like is made with the same dough as the arepa but just fried. It was so gross and mushy. On top of it the price that was crossed off said $7 under it. I figure, maybe price change is like....$8/$9. Sheesh $14? That's a big difference. Basically paid double. Wasn't even worth it. It was so gross and lacked any flavor. Took me 3 bites to get into the center where the meat filling was. First and last time I'll be eating here!

The veggie cut roll and avocado cut roll were meat free and delicious. This was part of my first…read moresubstantial meal of the day. I had every last bite of each. The veggie rolls are each really big and I loved these. We ate inside the restaurant. There's a peaceful ambiance inside! All the disposable cutlery, napkins, and chopsticks we needed were easily accessible on the side for us to retrieve as needed.

Tucked away in the Haleiwa Town Center, No7 Poke n Roll is one of those hidden gems that makes the…read moredrive out to the North Shore totally worth it. This spot came highly recommended by a co-worker and now I see why. There are two entrances (one from the parking lot and another from the street side), and the setup is casual and welcoming with both outdoor and indoor seating. I got there just before the rush, which worked out perfectly because I was able to snag a seat inside before the place filled up. Ordering is quick and easy thanks to their tablet system. It was super efficient, especially when things get busy. My son joined me, and we decided to go all in with a 2-combo poke bowl featuring spicy garlic and spicy mayo. I chose a mix of ahi and salmon and added avocado (for an extra charge, but absolutely worth it). Every bite was incredibly fresh, and the salmon in particular just melted in my mouth. The bowl was nicely rounded out with salad and rice underneath: simple, satisfying, and done right. My son went with the katsu curry rice, and of course I had to try a bite. It was hearty, comforting, and full of that rich Japanese-style curry flavor that never misses. He also grabbed a spam hand roll, which he gave a big thumbs up. The only minor downside was a few flies making their way in from outside, but the staff was quick to shut the door, which helped. It really didn't take away from the experience much as I was too busy enjoying my poke. Overall, we left full, happy, and glad we made the trek out to Haleiwa. Supporting local spots like this feels even more important, especially after the recent Kona Lows. Fresh food, great flavors, and a laid-back vibe. Definitely a place I'd come back to again.