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    Not Just Desserts

    3.9 (79 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 3:00 pm

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    Red velvet cake
    Kris O.

    I stumbled upon Not Just Desserts with my friend Michelle, at the last I Love Chinatown Festival. We were surprised this adorable eatery not only serves delicious desserts, but also offered meals created by Chef Kate Wagner. But the main reason I fell in love with Not Just Deserts is Chef Kate choosing to only hire male staff vs. having the traditional female staff. Last week, I planned to work on my one year anniversary blog posts until my hair appointment at Ryanjacobie; but I could think about was eating food. I used Yelp to find places around Chinatown that weren't too far to walk & would satisfy my hunger; it seemed like a good decision to eat at Not Just Desserts (which is across the street from Ryanjacobie). Whenever I'm starving & on the verge of turning into the Incredible Hulk; I always have difficulty deciding what to eat. Luckily, Chef Kate saw me standing outside contemplating what I should order for lunch, she came outside to go over the lunch specials. Even though it's been several months since my last visit to Not Just Desserts, I loved that Chef Kate remembered who I was & makes everyone feel like they're starring in an episode of "Cheers" (where everybody knows your name). After devouring my Meatloaf & Rice, I decided to eat one of the cinnamon rolls that were displayed on the counter & while I waited for Chef Kate to heat up my dessert, she gave me a snicker doodle right out of the oven. Normally, I'm not a fan of snickerdoodles but this cookie was mind-blowing & I inhaled every morsel of that gigantic cookie. The reason Not Just Desserts taste so heavenly is Chef Kate's decision not to use anything artificial; the proof is in her dedication to use local products: buying beef from the Big Island, using honey from the North Shore, real sugar cane & butter. Whether you're eating a meal or dessert from Not Just Desserts, you can taste the love in every bite. If you're in the neighborhood & got a sweet tooth, I recommend stopping in Not Just Desserts, I promise you won't be disappointed.

    Avocado salad w/ added chix
    Lauren H.

    I'm so happy that I've stumbled upon this restaurant as I was roaming around during lunch trying to get away from my habitual spots. 5 stars for the AVOCADO SALAD! The portions are huge and of great quality, so it's fine to shell out $8-9 for a salad downtown. I also ordered chicken on my salad as well as an iced tea. The salad was substantial to fill me up for lunch. I absolutely loved that they included fresh dill in the salad. What was a shocker to me was that I liked the Oriental/Chinese Chicken Salad dressing they made (I usually hate that dressing!). I gobbled the salad up in no time! I will definitely be back here to try the other menu items as well as desserts! :)

    a sign in front of a restaurant
    Val D.

    I pass by this hole in a wall once in a while, but never bothered to try it because there are usually no to a few people sitting inside, but after reading the reviews of you yelpers, I decided to give it a try, and yes, I agree that this place serves above average food. I noticed that the reason why nobody is sitting in the place is because we noticed a lot of people ordered take out instead. Roasted salmon w/Quinoa Rice - 4 stars - for $10, I got a nice piece of salmon that they say they roast because they try to make their food healthy. Although the fish was a little too cooked, it was fresh and what I liked is that it was served on Quinoa rice instead of your regular white or wheat rice. The Quinoa is something I have never had, and it was something different to me, so I rated the plate above average. It came with a heaping serving assorted greens, which was mixed very nicely with their lemon vinaigrette which was very refreshing and tasty - not too strong or weak. Pesto pasta - 4 stars - I don't know what type of pasta it was, but it wasn't your regular spaghetti noodles with their pesto sauce and sun dried tomatoes. For $8, my friend who ordered it (and I had a taste to rate it) said it was the best pesto pasta she has ever tasted. I agree with her because it was not oily like some restaurants, and blended very well with the pasta. Chocolate cake with marsh mellows and M&Ms - 3 stars - Order one dessert for $3, or 2 for $5. The cake was a little dry. The mixture is good, but I didn't care for it as much as the bread pudding. Blueberry bread pudding - 4 stars - The blueberry bread pudding is awesome! Although I got a corner piece when I asked for a middle piece, the inner part was soft and flavorful. The corner, though, was a bit chewy, which I was disappointed with because I usually like my bread puddings nice and soft. I think I would have given it a 5 star if he had given me the middle as I had asked. They ask if you want whipped cream with it, and will also warm it up for you if you eat it there. Service - 4 stars - As we walked in, we were greeted by the cook. They only serve what's on the menu board outside of the restaurant. The desserts except for the bread pudding are out on a table, Although there didn't seemed to be any water (but I didn't ask either), we were asked how we were doing twice. As we ordered we were also asked how we would like our food made (e.g. if my friend wanted more cheese in her pesto, if I wanted whipped cream with my dessert, etc.). They accommodated our requests and also greeted us goodbye as we left. In all, this is a very warm, quaint and more than average type of plate lunch to eat healthy (or unhealthy by blowing it by eating their dessert) for a reasonable price. They mentioned that they make a lot of their foods to accommodate for vegetarians and people who don't like gluten in their food. Also, the price on their menu is already tax included, which makes it nice.

    Mark O.

    Not just desserts is usually found as a food stand at the various farmer's markets around town. They also have this storefront, albeit with limited operating hours. Even when they are open, when you drive by it is easy to miss or will seem closed, especially since there will not likely be anyone standing behind the counter when you get there. Inside is a small seating area and a single display case with a handful of the desserts available on display. Rather than choosing from there though, it is definitely better to speak with Chef Kate, who is likely working in the kitchen when you show up. She will tell you of what is freshly available in the back and what might fit your tastes. I ended up getting a slice of pumpkin ginger cake which was pretty good. It was soft and moist with a frosting that was not too overpowering. I also took home a sugarless (and flourless?) brownie which she stated was a healthier option at around 100cal a piece. This was decent as well. Overall, I liked the personal touch that this shop provided. It may be a small operation that is still finding its way, but Chef Kate is very friendly and the desserts are above average.

    Kalani C.

    4.1 stars. We had a very pleasant experience here recently. Because of the raving yelp reviews, we decided to come here for dinner to try something new. This place is primarily popular with the downtown lunch crowd, however they are open until 7pm, so we thought why not treat ourselves to Friday night dinner and gain an evening perspective of this new joint. The place was easy to find and on the Ewa end of Marin Lane. We were the only ones there. As we entered we were greeted warmly and noticed trays of desserts cooling off on the dinning room tables. Everything looked incredible! The female chef (sorry, forgot her name!) said the desserts were for Saturday's KCC Farmer's Market. However, she offered them to us if we didn't feel like the available lemon cake, chocolate pecan tart and chocolate cake. Whoa! Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Ambiance: 3 stars. Service: 4 stars. We ordered from the outdoor menu. About 50% of her offerings were out and she explained that she had a busy and successful day. Good for her! I ordered the Wild Sockeye Salmon with brown rice and local greens (4 stars). My friend ordered the Spinach & Artichoke pasta with local greens (4.5 stars). Both were cooked to order and took about 10 minutes. In the meantime we went over to a liquor store and brought us back some beer. The salad dressing was to die for and easily a 5 star asset! For dessert we had the Lemon Cake and the Big Island Chocolate Pecan Tart. The lemon cake was nice and moist with intense lemon flavor, especially in the glaze: 3.5 stars. The Big Island chocolate pecan tart was more like fudge; rich, delicious and the chocolate was deep and powerful and really amazing: 4.5 stars. Overall a very pleasant home style hole-in-the-wall establishment that we foresee returning very soon. Apparently, the chef is originally from the Big Island whose family owns a cocoa farm and she has an array of restaurant experience that expands to New York City. Impressive! *Tip: Bring your own biocompostable plate lunch container as she uses Styrofoam for the entrees and plastic clam shells for the desserts. Do your part to protect the aina! Otherwise a perfect prize at amazing prices. Bon appétit! Tally: Ambiance: 3 stars Service: 4 stars Wild Salmon: 4 stars Spinach & Artichoke Pasta: 4.5 stars Salad dressing: 5 stars! 3+4+4+4.5+5= 20.5/5= 4.1 stars. #Yelp 365: 061/365

    Haupia bread pudding
    Yuko A.

    Bread pudding may be one of my favorite desserts, and Chef Kate's is one of the best. I've been buying them from her stand at the KCC Farmer's market for a while now but it was my first time coming to her store downtown. I had already eaten lunch so unfortunately I couldn't try out of the meals other yelpers rave about but hopefully soon. The store was quaint, nothing fancy, but there was enough seating for about 20 people. There were a few people eating lunch when I came in. Kate came right out, all smiles and asked me what I wanted. There was only haupia bread pudding and to be honest I'm not a huge haupia fan so I was a little hesitant and I think she saw that because she got a fork and gave me a small bite. Yum! The haupia was definitely present, but not in a way that was overpowering. I like her bread pudding because its not too sweet (she uses agave instead of sugar) and has a nice fluffiness to it, even on the corner pieces. Every bite is like a soft custard soaked piece of bread. It tastes even better when you warm it up. They also last for a few days if you put it in the fridge. She has a 4-5 different kinds that are always rotating when she is at KCC because she sells more of them . She has chocolate, banana, blueberry, strawberry, oreo, and others. When I told her I always go to KCC rather than her store she gave me a stamp card and told me she would stamp it if I brought it to KCC. One of the things I LOVE about her is that when she's at KCC, no matter how crowded it is, will let you choose which piece you want.. I also have tried her cinnamon rolls at KCC and they are just as good as the bread pudding. Flaky with a sweet glaze on top. Its hard to stop once you start unraveling it, because its so good. I held myself back from eating the last couple of inches so I could warm it up and wow, if you like cinnamon rolls, definitely try Kates. The prices are not bad. $4 - breadpudding $7 for 2. $3 for cinnamon rolls. The prices at the store and at KCC are the same which is really nice of her. She also has a number of other cakes/breads/cookies/fruit bars/brownies at KCC

    Roasted Pork Loin
    Grant S.

    Not Just Desserts? What a peculiar name. From my experience this name is quite misleading. Calling this place Not Just Desserts is like calling Pokemon, "Not Just Pikachu". We clearly Pokemon is much more than just Pikachu. You have Charmander, Squirtle, Brock, Ash, Misty, and many many more. Outside this eatery is a nice hand drawn sign with the daily specials- all that sound so tasty. Once you walk in you see a whole table full of desserts. Cakes, pastries, and pies greet you at the door. We take a seat in this little dining room and the chef de cuisine comes out and takes our order. She is a friendly personable woman who is dedicated to her profession. A coworker and I had lunch at this fine establishment and we had the Spinach and Artichoke Pasta and Roast Pork Loin. The Spinach and Artichoke Pasta was fantastic! Huge portion and it was well-seasoned. The corkscrew pasta held onto the sauce very well and it wasn't too rich, making it a nice hearty lunch. The greens with dressing is a nice touch, adding a nice healthful alternative to a heavy mac salad side. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zC33SnmBINxr-jGIfjEig?select=U7yNwY9Tup040nNGfEI3AQ My coworker got the Pork Loin with Brown Rice. I love any restaurant that allows for the brown rice option. Its a nice texture and I hear its healthier than white rice. The pork loin was moist and tasty. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zC33SnmBINxr-jGIfjEig?select=Q2LHcdy0GKeZCfdUEslxww Overall, Not Just Desserts is a great lunch choice for the downtown crowd and they have a frequent eater card too! I will most def be coming back!

    Haupia bread pudding
    Zara N.

    Really interesting location. It's located on a small street across of Murphy's Bar & Grill. I got the oreo brownie and the haupia bread pudding. The bread pudding was delicious! I heard they also have a menu and serve food. I will have to come back for that next time. Just got desserts this time.

    Hours...7-7
    Beth I.

    I love the pesto penne pasta! I've had it twice and just love the delicious sauce. You can also get it with chicken if you need some meat with it, but it doesn't need it. The pasta also comes with a mixed green salad and a vinegrette dressing. It is a little sweet and tangy and it goes so well with the pasta! The portion size is also humongous so it's major good value! Regarding the pastries, I really want to enjoy what they have becuase they offer natural sweeteners in the pastries like honey and applesauce, but maybe that's what makes them a little dry. I've had on several occasions the brownies, banana nut cake, blueberry energy bar, and oreo brownies. They have all been decent in taste sometimes bordering on too sweet and most times too dry. The energy bar and banana nut cake were both too crumbly possibly from applesauce? It seemed either overbaked or lacking a bit of oil. I understand this is more along the lines of healthy baking so I'm not complaining. Just stating the facts. The pastries are decent not mind blowing. The service and pasta will keep me coming back though. Very friendly staff and great fresh food made to order. I will give two thumbs up for that!

    Bad photo of a Blueberry Bread Pudding
    Wayne S.

    I'm an ocassional regular at her stall at the Saturday KCC Open Market but today I stopped in for something regretful and I found she had low sugar blueberry bread pudding sweatened with agave. Tell you, I missed the sugar! hahaha she always has a great variety of stuff and so nice.

    Roast chicken
    Jarod H.

    Five stars. I really enjoyed the roast chicken. The cook/waitress related that it was fresh island chicken from the north shore area farms. It really was fresh and very delicious. The way that it was seasoned too, was flavorful and robust. I was thoroughly satisfied with the roast chicken. Also had some bread pudding, fresh out of the oven and the cook/waitress let us choose what slice in the pan we wanted. Now that was super cool!! Try it out here!

    Edgar M.

    Whats funny about the name and my review is about just her Desserts! My review will mainly focus on her sweet stuff. Kate's place is tucked away literally in a lane in downtown Honolulu. she has some wall decorations and paintings and tables / chairs in the place. When you first walk in, you see the table full of desserts and thats where my main focus is. There are a few rotating deserts. But a few that i tried were the Oreo & blueberry bread pudding, candy bar brownie, red relvet cake, Lemon caramel cake, but my all time favorite dessert is the truffle brownie. It is to DIE for. I always have to stop my self from eating it all when i do get it. I'll make try to get some of the lunch items next time for sure over all, Kate and her place is great and you have a customer faithful customer here!

    Mahina K.

    First off, the lady at the front was oh so nice, I like her a lot. She was so friendly, she took our orders, but the way she did it was fantastic. Even though this was my first time here it's like she talks to you like you're a regular and an old friend. She immediately makes you feel comfortable. Even if the food wasn't as good as it was I would go back just to see her. I got the chicken pesto pasta. The meal comes with half salad and half penne pasta. It was so good and I was starving. The small side salad has a clear sweet vinegar type dressing. The penne and pesto were mixed just right together. Some places put too much and some put too little but it just covered all the pasta and the chicken. I literally ate the entire plate and was completely full at the end, but I still want dessert. So I got the truffle brownie. It had chocolate chips sprinkled on top, dried fruit inside (I think they were cherries) and the brownie. The woman at the front offered to warm it up for me but I brought it home and ate it with ice cream. Delicious. I've been hoping for a restaurant that really rocks my world because I went to so many that I go to all the time or just have plain bad service and this was seriously like the light at the end of the tunnel.

    Chocolate bread pudding with brownie chunks--amazing!!!!

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    Duke's Marketplace - Many small shops along Duke's Lane.

    Duke's Marketplace

    3.5(130 reviews)
    0.8 miWaikiki
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    This was an interesting little maze of stalls selling wooden tikis, this, jewelry, aloha shirts and…read moredresses, and whatever other Hawaiian souvenirs and tchatkis you might want. It's a bit of a cross between a flea market and a Chinatown. The prices will get lower and some vendors will wheel and deal if you walk away. I bought a carved coconut tiki mug that started out at $25--my hesitation brought the price down to $15. Dog bandanas went from $15 each this $10 each. You get the picture. If it's fun to look around and bargain, but be aware that we saw similar items at the ABC convenience stores (on every corner--like a circle k but much nicer) for, in some cases, a lower price. Still, is kind of fun to go

    Duke's Marketplace is now the place to go to shop with local vendors in small stalls, selling…read morehandmade crafts, Hawaiian clothing, and fresh food. It is located very close to the International Market Place, to help visitors like me who hadn't realized what the International Place has become. Instead, coming here to interact with 80 or so vendors allowed the first time visitors in our party to get the souvenir shopping fix out of the way. I did notice quite a few stores selling Hawaiian style fashion for pets and dolls. My mother-in-law took advantage to buy a dress for our stone goose, standing guard over our condo back home.

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    Merchant Street Market

    Merchant Street Market

    4.3(14 reviews)
    3.8 miDowntown
    $$

    Since our initial blind "meeting", Val Y. has been begging me to meet him for another dining…read moreexperience. (After our last disastrous outing, I can't believe he would want to do this again!) In order to avoid another potentially embarassing situation for him, and to make him look PLAYA COOL, instead of just YELPER COOL, I thought it would be best if I brought along a small posse with me (Traci H., and Theresa S.) to check out the boneless kalbi plate from Grandma G's at the Merchant Street Market. Val must have been nervous because he was sweating when he met the three of us there. So, go read Val Y.'s review of this same experience, and click "COOL" and send him lots of "HOT STUFF" compliments because TODAY is VAL Y's BIRTHDAY (10/26/11!). WHEN/WHERE: 2nd and 4th TUESDAYS 11am-2pm at the corner of Bishop and Merchant Street, in the Davies Pacific courtyard: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/q9KQKUGDr0hyBYNKQQezQA?select=rDAjazQFrThepxLC3hNIng COME EARLY! I got there at 11:10 exactly, and there were no lines. By 11:12 there were 8 people in line at Grandma G's and 6 at Stacey's Lau Lau. (where did they all come from in 2 minutes? We don't know.) DIVIDE AND CONQUER: Similar to Eat the Street, the more the merrier. Traci stood in line at Grandma G's, Theresa stood in line at Stacy's and I walked over to Chef Sean at Soul to get my fried chicken. We were 3 women on a mission. But where did Val go? He bailed on us and was checking out the healthier alternatives at Honolulu Gourmet Foods. Just a tip for you GUYS....when your women are ordering things with names like Kalbi, buttermilk fried chicken, Dynamite chicken and guava chicken, DO NOT ORDER A SALAD! It will make us feel like complete gluttons. BRING $$: Looks like everyone's price point is around $9-$10 so it's not exactly cheap plate lunches, but you get a ton of food! There are more vendors than this, but we ordered: Grandma G's Boneless Kalbi plate $9 (HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! This is absolutely fantastic! And the honey mustard dressing is delicious). You know when you see Justin U. standing in line for this, it's gotta be good: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/bk0DlrMggqPZgWQ_sVD2aA?select=BflSgv5hXnaKyzyz9nW_Rw Stacy's Lau Lau Co: Dynamite Chicken/Guava Chicken $9 http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/_jZl9uu6eialCkZ5UBd72w?select=PDYeg_cOeFkKT8ZA5YOWdg Soul: buttermilk fried chicken $3 each (of course, this one ranks up there on my favorite fried chicken list....He even offers a "smothered chicken" but I showed some restraint, and just got it plain, which is anything but): http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/zznyv4BsJ_GKQuNXJznm3A?select=5YQqpKvcQPmGqom9zykTbw Honolulu Gourmet Foods: Grilled steak SALAD w/mini spicy dynamite ahi bowl combo $10.50: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/q9KQKUGDr0hyBYNKQQezQA?select=Qt7H1QQ1k-Lw1LzN7hYVbQ SEATING: Secret rooftop open patio seating at the Davies Pacific Center. Thanks Traci for the tip! Looks like everyone in downtown already knows about this bi-monthly event, but if you are like me and haven't been to it yet, this is a great one-stop place to try a bunch of different local plate lunches.

    Sad to say that they discontinued this event that occured every 2nd and 4th Tuesday, so there's now…read moreless eating places in the downtown business area. :( Hopefully they'll bring it back sometime in the near future.

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    Merchant Street Market
    Merchant Street Market
    Merchant Street Market

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    2NO 2NO - BBQ Sticks

    2NO 2NO

    5.0(2 reviews)
    6.5 mi

    1. Food - I grew up in the Philippines up until I moved here when I was 13-14 years old. Naturally,…read moreI would crave Filipino foods and meals from home. The food is, dare I say, authentic. The options they have, the ingredients they use, the cooking, and the flavor... it's made exactly like how I remember in the Philippines. It kind of does bring me back to my days growing up in the Philippines. We've been ordering platters from 2NO 2NO (pronounced "tono tono" like "pono") for a few years now. I've yet to receive anything that I didn't like. Their platters of food, like pancit and lumpiang shanghai, and their BBQ sticks and Filipino street food offerings are really good. I can eat a whole pan of kwek-kwek all by myself. Not in one sitting though, but spread throughout a few meals and late night "snacks". We've also ordered there big "budol fight" (pronounce "boo-dol" as in "boo" and "toll") meals. It's a traditional Filipino/southeast asian way of sharing a meal with families or large party. I grew up using the term "kamayan". Anyway, it's a feast of your choice of meat, fish, seafood, starch, etc. So far, the two or three times we've done it, it's been real good. 2. Service - Not much. They're not a restaurant. They are essentially a "catering" company. You send your order through text or instagram or some other social media thing, with the date and time of pick up, and pay cash or Venmo or some payment application after you get your order on the day of. I don't know, my wife usually does the ordering. I usually do the pick up. When I do go and pick up our order, most of the time, it's ready or almost ready. They haven't messed up any of my orders yet, which is important because most of the time when we order, it's for events. 3. Ambience - Non. You go to their place and pick your order up. If you want to talk ambience, it's in Kalihi, in one of those tiny streets off of Kalihi St. I do like going there though. The smell of the kitchen reminds me again of home in the Philippines. On a good day, when the sun is out, the skies are blue, and there's no vog covering the island, picking up orders is a pleasant errand. In my book, 2NO 2NO one of the best Filipino food caterers in the island.

    The BBQ sticks were so good. Almost melts in your mouth. My favorite was the Lumpia Shanghai. The…read morebest i have every tasted.

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    0.5 miWaikiki
    $$

    We stumbled upon this restaurant a few visits ago and now we make a point to stop by every time we…read moreare in Waikiki. It is truly the freshest and most delicious shrimp dish we have had here and we honestly cannot believe this place is not packed all the time. The outdoor seating area is so cool with a pool, beautiful lighting and tons of plants that make it feel like a little oasis. It is a great spot for larger groups and very kid friendly. Definitely grab some wine or beer and enjoy dinner here because the prices are incredible for the quality. On top of all that the staff are so personable and welcoming. We just love this place and highly recommend it.

    Hawaiian garlic shrimp is a iconic local dish, not technically traditional Hawaiian food, featuring…read moreshell-on shrimp tossed in a pungent garlic-butter sauce, heavily popularized by North Shore, Oahu food trucks since the mid-1970s. With the recent flood happening at the end of March, and our trip being in early April, going to North Shore wasn't advised. While we have some great Hawaiian garlic shrimp spots in Arizona, we had to at least try to get some garlic shrimp while on Oahu. We gave this place a try just because we were already in the building. It wasn't a choice we made prior because honestly, I would have suggested trying a more well-known spot like two miles away, haha! We shared a $14 Shrimp with Original Garlic sauce on it and made it a combo with rice, a scoop of potato mac salad, and regular salad, $14 + $6. Sam's Kitchen was okay. I would have loved to have the shell-on but this place does not offer shell-on shrimp. Still, they make a decent garlic shrimp.

    Photos
    Sam's Kitchen - View of the pool from our table.

    View of the pool from our table.

    Sam's Kitchen - Orig garlic shrmp & tery-garlic steak

    Orig garlic shrmp & tery-garlic steak

    Sam's Kitchen - Glass of wine

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    Glass of wine

    Not Just Desserts - desserts - Updated June 2026

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