I thought with COVID in full force that it would somehow affect the quality of food for most places. Oh how I was wrong! I recently started going to work on-site and I'm so happy I got that chance! OEC's Crispy Pork with Red Chili Sauce is one of my favorite dishes! And it just happened that the day I returned to work this was on OECs Menu!!! It was just as amazing as I remembered!!! read more

OEC Café - Crispy Pork with Red Chili Sauce $9.50 - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is going to be my go to lunch spot. The quality is excellent and the menu rotates so you can always have something a little different (they post the daily menu on facebook). So far I've had the turkey florentine which is ground turkey with their amazingly umami bomb gravy. I've also had their tuna melt, which is probably the best one in town. The two folks who run this are overqualified to do a lunch spot, but I guess they probably wanted something a little more chill compared to the former high power joints they worked at (looking at their bios). If you work downtown or in one of the gov't buildings, definitely check it out. read more

Finally found out where this place is located! It's a cute little restaurant owned by Japanese speaking owners. Of course, they speak English too. Anyways, the menu selection is small and the portions are not the biggest but it's still enough to satisfy you. My coworker got the tonkatsu which comes with rice, green salad w/ seasoned potatoes, tonkatsu with the sauce drizzled on top & a pink sauce to go with it on the side. I got the vegan soba noodles which came with a musubi, kabocha, broccoli, & choysum. And your choice of shoyu or sesame sauce. I love this dish! And it's so refreshing especially now with the hot summer days. Can't wait to go back & try more items on the menu. read more

OEC Café - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Charming lunchtime cafe that is a great choice for employees in the downtown area. I recommend the green curry chicken, which comes with a choice of brown or white rice, salad, and potatoes. I also like the fruit tea. Owners are very friendly. Outdoor seating and a few indoor seats are available. read more

OEC Café - Green curry chicken and fruit tea - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

OEC has become a new favorite for my friends and I. Our go tos are the tonkatsu which comes with a tartar sauce... so good. Desserts are homemade, and their cheesecakes and brownies are so sinful. Spaghetti is also different as well with a slight anise flavor as well. If you want to get dessert, it's best to go early. read more

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Having lunch at this hole in the wall place on Queens Street downtown. I wanted to get a salad around this place with a reasonable price, instead of paying about $10 for salad at Aloha Salad. I stumbled at this place, about 5min away from my office. They had a salad left waiting for me and it was only $6. It was a chicken Salad with Asian dressing and it has a good amount of portion. Other than salads, they have lunch special menu that changes everyday. It's a Japanese owned Cafe, so they have some cold noodles as well as Udon. Very clean, there some seating inside but tons of seating outside as well. Very polite and helpful workers. Id come back here for a quick bite and some good exercise to get to this cafe. read more

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Tucked away on Queen Street next to the Melim Building and on the makai side of the Post Office, OEC Cafe is an awesome option for restaurant eats under $10. Since we all have accepted that $10-12 is standard for plate lunches now (sigh!), OEC is on point with their decent pricing! I got there around 11:45am on a weekday. There were about 4-5 people in front of me. The lady at the register was nice. Although the line was long (more people lined up in back of me, making the line 10+ people deep), she was efficient in getting our orders in and taking payments. She even hand wrote each of our order #s onto the receipts! So if you're in a rush, go early! Wonder if you can call ahead your order.... I ordered the Seafood Combo over rice and a piece of cheesecake. The Seafood Combo included a cold macaroni/quinoa salad, tossed salad, shrimp tempura, misoyakj butterfish Kama (bone-in) all with rice. YUM! The shrimp tempura was the previously frozen kine, but it was fried nicely and had sauce to go with it. The Misoyaki butterfish was awesome, never had it bone-in before! The best part about it is that there was no little bones to have to pick out - SCORE! FYI - $5 credit card minimum. The most expensive part of the meal was the piece of cheesecake I bought. It was worth it though. Creamy and homemade, can't get better than that. Follow them on FB so you can see their menu ahead of time. Although, most of their options look delish! They even have sandwiches that they can put in the panini press for you as well as salads. Yay for options! Cheers to OEC Cafe and little hole-in-the-wall lunch places in downtown that know how to cook well and price right! read more

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Today is my first time here and now I know why there's a line. I had the tonkatsu. Everyone raves about the tonkatsu and pink tartare and rightly so. But they make a perfect brown rice, which is not easy to do. Their salad was so fresh, no question the dressing was home made. Taste: 5* This was a classy looking lunch served in a paper box. Not thrown together like a hot mess. Presentation: 5* I paid $12 and got two good size pork cuts. Couldn't finish it all and saved half for dinner. Value: 5* Customer service and cleanliness both get 5* I'll be back for sure. I can't wait to try their vegan noodles and sandwiches. read more

I've started a new fitness meal plan since I eat out practically every day of the week and it's important to keep fit. I now only eat at lunch spots at least three blocks from my office. OEC Cafe is about 8 minutes from downtown by foot depending on green lights and walk signals. On the Kaka'ako side of Queen St., OEC is in the old Caffe Grazzie space recessed off the street with a nice outdoor courtyard. The name is derived from the Japanese word for delicious, "oishii" and simplified to "ow ee see". The cafe has a number of muffins, sandwiches and sweet treats for a quick and easy breakfast or lunch but the real hidden gems here are the three daily specials. Ranging from thick and juicy tonkatsu to healthy and fresh vegan cold soba, prices from $7.00-$8.50, lunch on a sunny day is an easy decision. Most lunch spots have one or two great dishes that I'd think about ordering twice, OEC Cafe has an extensive number of specials that rotate regularly and I've come to trust their meals no matter what is on the board for the day. They also have some fancy water filtration system which makes their complimentary water quite tasty. Strongly recommended. The rice here is also some of the best I've had. As simple as it sounds, the rice makes dishes for me and I crave their food because of it. Sweet Chili Pork http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oec-caf%C3%A9-honolulu?select=NgBNC4acxi5mZEA_DP0dcg#NgBNC4acxi5mZEA_DP0dcg The juicy fried pork is layered and sauced with a reduced sweet chili sauce that tastes great with the amazing and plentiful rice in the dish. Vegan Cold Soba http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oec-caf%C3%A9-honolulu?select=NgBNC4acxi5mZEA_DP0dcg#LSkehOqy3xyni1_abiZVpQ Tofu with mushrooms, inari sushi, kabocha tempura accompany the refreshing cold soba for a healthy and filling lunch. Thai Green Curry http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oec-caf%C3%A9-honolulu?select=NgBNC4acxi5mZEA_DP0dcg#BkE4IOI6en7ZM-YRDZQeAw They serve up some comfort food like the sweet coconut curry, a hearty stew for the hungriest of downtown workers. Stroganoff http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oec-caf%C3%A9-honolulu?select=NgBNC4acxi5mZEA_DP0dcg#Qsv7IKPAcybunqnBPXFXLQ Creamy and rich, a nice stroganoff is a great way to start your week and reward yourself for the long walk to OEC Cafe. Tonkatsu http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oec-caf%C3%A9-honolulu?select=NgBNC4acxi5mZEA_DP0dcg#dLEIm-bFnGXFK_u9QQyeJw Best tonkatsu in downtown. Thick cut pork, fried expertly, and topped with a tangy tonkatsu sauce. They also add a side of their homemade tartar sauce which is a pink concoction which is actually quite good with the tonkatsu sauce. See you there this week. read more

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I stopped by here earlier today with my wife for lunch. We were looking on Yelp for a place near the Iolani Palace whenever OEC cafe came up. There's not much of an inside to OEC cafe as there is a counter with a display case and then a daily menu beside that. Today we had a choice between 4 different items. This establishment has a couple of tables inside and then a number more right outside of it. For lunch on this day I decided to go with the chicken Namban over brown rice while my wife went with the tempura don consisting of shrimp and kakiage over rice. Both of our meals came in to go containers with the larger half of the container the entree over rice and the smaller half consisting of a salad with potatoes and red peppers over some spinach and mixed greens. I ate the salad first and thought that it tasted pretty good. It could have used a little more dressing but I loved the freshness that it added to my meal. Then my chicken namban ended up being fried balls of chicken with a slightly sweet sauce on them that had an aftertaste of either ginger or lemongrass. In any case they were tasty and I enjoyed them over the brown rice, some of which looked like it was sprouted. My wife also enjoyed her meal as well so I would consider this lunch a success. The bottom line for me is that I would stop by here again in the future. With its location down from street level without much signage it may be bit hard to find but everything that we had here was really tasty. read more

Nice convenient spot on the edge of downtown. I can't say I agree with the 5 star reviews for the food. It's good but not stellar 3 to 4 stars at best. We plan to return soon and enjoy some of the other specials. Friendly service and nice Lanai to sit in. read more

I had lunch for the first time today, 12.7.15. We both ordered the hamburger steak katsu. I ordered mine with noodles & my co worker had it over rice. I thought it was ok, crispy on the outside & soft on the inside. It comes with a small scoop of potato salad & small green green salad. Overall, ok but not overly exciting. Very limited menu, probably due to small kitchen. I saw some pre made sandwiches in their refrigerated display case. Staff are friendly though. Large, outdoor seating area is a bonus. read more

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This is a small take-out restaurant cradle on Queen Street behind the post office. They do have a few tables at the courtyard to dine in for a nice sunny day. They have daily special posted on their Facebook page. It usually has a meat with rice plate, a salad & soup, and a vegan option. For $9, the portion is filling. I enjoy their chicken karaage, hamburger steak, chicken stew with puff pastry soup and vegan cold soba. They do have some desserts on display but I haven't tried them yet. However, the puff pastry shows the chef's talent in pastry. I would definitely go back for their cakes. Being a true small business, it is manned by husband and wife so once it hits noon, the line can get long. However, they have their process and the lady is so nice and sweet, you just have to trust that good food is worth the wait!! read more

This little gem! My coworkers and I walked here for our lunch break - located next to the HGEA building on Queen Street/Mililani in downtown. Walk down a little ramp, and you'll find this cute little shop that only offers about 3 menu items per day. We made it here just in time - got our orders with the two cute little Japanese women behind the counter, before the line formed. There was 6 of us and we were able to snag a round table that we all could fit on. We all ordered chicken piccata and pork katsu/curry on rice. Both were $8. They also offered a vegetarian soba type dish for $7.50. Chicken Piccata was yumma - 4 pieces of fried chicken thighs (not greasy) over a bed of spaghetti noodles and lemon, butter, caper sauce. DELISH. Plates also came with mac/potato salad which was heavenly because it wasn't drowned in mayo, and tossed salad with Italian dressing. Pork Katsu/Curry on Rice was unusual - all the boys ordered this and did a head scratch when opening their plates to find that it looked nothing like the picture and maybe they ran out of curry...? It was definitely some type of stew (tomato-based) over the katsu. None of them really complained - they're boys and they were hungry! We were able to walk here, eat, sit back and talk story, and still make it back to work with a leisurely walk within an hour. Love that. Although the menu is really small and the portions aren't gigantor, the food is really tasty and didn't disappoint. The ladies are also very polite and the interior of the cafe was very clean and welcoming. They also had self-serve complimentary water station. Don't come thirsty - they only have tiny water cups (the size that dentist offices give you to you swish your mouth out) HA! But I ain't complaining - it was free! Definitely will be back! read more

OEC Café - chicken picatta and pork katsu/"curry" $8 each - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This cute little cafe is easily missed because it's tucked away. It's a small store with a cute shady eating area outside of it. The menu is very small probably because I'm assuming there's only one cook and one lady working the counter. They offered sandwiches, salads, and three lunch items. Be sure to look on Facebook for their daily lunch specials! I had gotten the vegan cold spinach noodles for my coworker and they look like soba noodles. It was $8. On the plate they offered the noodles, pumpkin, and a musubi. You get to choose between shoyu and sesame sauce . The lady said the sesame sauce is a bit spicy. I'm excited to come back and see what else they have to offer. read more

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If you say the letters OEC, you will notice that it sounds like the Japanese word for delicious -- 美味しい (oishii). At OEC, the menu changes daily, so you'll have to check one of their menu boards to see what they have to offer that day. Chef Hitoshi and Miekoさん are at the restaurant early in the morning every day. They prepare the daily menu, wash the tables outside, and most importantly, prepare the delicious food we get to enjoy at lunch. They are kind, hardworking people. At around $8-10 per plate, OEC is also affordable compared to competing lunch establishments in downtown Honolulu. My favorite dishes here include their tonkatsu (pork cutlet), their mapo tofu (which comes with a pork cutlet), their chicken karaage, and their tempura. The only downside of this location is that inside seating is limited, but if you prefer eating al fresco, the outside seating is great. (Remember that Chef Hitoshi and Miekoさん wash the outdoor tables every morning.) read more

I'm updating my review because I decided that I don't just "like" this place, I love it. Since it's opened, hardly a week goes by that I don't eat lunch here at least once, and everything I've tried has been good to delicious (oishii!). Specials rotate but they always include one vegetarian or vegan option; either a soba, udon, or vegetarian noodle with little (adorable) side dishes like pumpkin, musubi, or miso tofu. Specials are between $7.50 and $8 and are all yummy. There is also a lovely, fresh salad with roast chicken that is $6.50, but you have to get it before it runs out because they only make a finite number per day. The owner is sweet, the place is meticulously clean, and they have cookies and muffins. I love it. read more

OEC Café - Vegan cold udon - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This is a small hidden place on Queen street in downtown. I parked in the building parking and passed by. The prices are very affordable and staff very warm and friendly. Definitely a place to check out in the downtown area. I had the salmon over noodles which came with just enough potato salad and toss. I wiped it clean which is unusual for me. When asked what OEC stood for in their name, I was asked if I knew the word for "delicious" in Japanese. Working with Japanese tourists all day, I replied OISHII!! and was told it was a clever play on words :) OEC = Oishii. And it was definitely Oishii-ne! Outside seating is available. Be sure to check it out. read more

OEC Café - The salmon over noodles with white sauce....very OEC(Oishii!) - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Had the ma po tofu over pork. I was pleasantly surprised. The pork was perfectly done tonkatsu. Nice crisp to it. The ma po was tasty. The tossed salad had seasoned potatoes in it. I would return. read more

OEC Café - Ma po tofu over pork. - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The food here is SOOOO GOOD! I'm obsessed with their Mushroom Gravy Crispy Chicken, Mapo Tofu, and their Pork Tonkatsu with pink tartare, and Crispy Pork with Chili sauce! I'm literally drooling just writing this read more

Ate here two times and both times the food was very good. First time, katsu mapo tofu. Second time, katsu hamburger. Both was under $10 and i got salad instead of rice. Low carbing. Went around 11:15am and didnt wait to order and waited less than 10 minutes for my food. Friendly and quick service! read more

OEC Café - Katsu Hamburger $9.50. Was very good! - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This lunch spot is great! It is a little set back from the sidewalk so keep an eye out for it as you go down Queen St. I got the Chicken Namban with brown rice. It came with 10 chicken balls, potato salad, mixed green salad, a ton of rice and a small pot of spicy mayo dipping sauce. The chicken balls (like battered meatballs?) were a little greasy and heavy but I think that's what I was in a mood for so it worked for me. Good value lunch. I want to try their pork tofu over rice too. Will return! #100in2015 (#55) read more

This place is a few blocks from my office and I've been wanting to give it a try. First impression, the place is cute! Clean and cute. I got the turkey panini with side of mac salad and greens, and the tropical smoothie. I thought the turkey panini said it had avocado but either they forgot to include it or I read the description wrong. Regardless, the panini was pretty good! Huge in fact that I could only finish half. The mac salad...which was actually potato mac salad was Ah-mazing!!! Seriously it was so different from the typical mac. Had a homemade, mashed potato sort of aspect to it. I loved it. The greens and dressing were tasty and fresh. Smoothie was refreshing, sweet and dense with fruit. Service was good, very friendly. I will be back. read more

OEC Café - Turkey panini and tropical smoothie - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I love the vegan noodle salad with spinach noodles and sesame dressing. It comes with a few pieces of roasted kabocha squash and a nori roll. They have yummy tea drinks and fresh smoothies. The service is friendly and fast, the restaurant is clean, and there is lovely outdoor seating. read more

OEC Café - Vegan spinach cold noodles. - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

No matter what I order, everything is really good at the cafe. I've never had any good brown rice at restaurants in Hawaii, but the cafe offers great one! read more

OEC Café - Crispy Pork Katsu with Pink tartar sauce - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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OEC Cafe has a really simple menu, which makes deciding what you want to eat for lunch very easy. I got the Vegan Soba noodles with Shoyu sauce. My lunch came with a 3 decent-sized chunks of Kabocha and this brownish rice with seaweed. The portion sizing was perfect and it kept me full throughout the day. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants a healthy and fulfilling lunch. read more

OEC Café - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Not worth the price and not very tasty. I spent almost $10 on a super basic cheeseburger and small iced tea. It didn't come with fries but I tried my friend's fries and they were not crispy. Her BLT sandwich came with a ton of thin strips of bacon. It didn't look that appetizing even with all that bacon. Perhaps other things on the menu might be ok but not the ones we ordered. read more

New lunch restaurant in the former Caffe Grazie space -- and it's good! Open Mon - Fri, 7:00am - 3:00pm. For now they're in a "soft opening," and their very-small lunch menu changes on the chef's whim -- 3-4 specials offered each day. They post the day's options on their website and a signboard outside. In the mornings they make a few pastries and have coffee/tea, too. Today I had the "Very Spicy Chicken Curry" over steamed rice with egg katsu on top. Came with a few bites each of mixed-green salad and hand-mashed potato salad. The rice was delicious, the curry had a great flavor, and the spice level was very satisfying -- gave me just a light sniffle about halfway through. I'd never had egg katsu so was wary, but it was also very tasty -- basically a poached egg, runny yolk, lightly-fried with panko. Cost was $8 + tax, portion size wasn't huge but was perfect for a no-groan return to work. Seems like they're doing a lot right: introducing high-quality, small-batch menu items for takeout (or to eat in their little courtyard), and welcoming feedback as they get up and rolling. Here's mine: I'll be back soon. read more

This little place is a great place to eat at. The lunch menu is always different and the choices are pretty rad and super delicious food. I've been here several times and it's always good food. There is a seating area right outside the building/cafe to enjoy your food and talk stories with your co-workers/friends. They accept credit/debit cards with minimum purchase of $5. Its affordable food, less than $20. I don't know if there is a restroom for public use. To access this cafe it's best to walk since parking is scarce. It's not really visible from traffic because it's inground although it's visible when you're walking by it. (did that make sense?) Anyways, always great food and the portion is just right. Stop by and support local. read more

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Cute, clean place in town for lunch. Has that chic Japanese vibe. There's a very limited menu which I actually really like because it cuts down on the indecision problem. I had the chicken sliders ($8) and they were delicious - the bun was super soft, sauce was teriyaki-ish, chicken was dark meat. It came with salad and potatoes. read more

Had their Chicken Katsu curry yesterday. OMG it was good. Best piece of Katsu I've had, ever!

This place is wonderful. Every time I post pictures of my lunch on instagram people always ask me where I got it and I proudly tell them OEC! Speaking of, I love that they post their daily specials on instagram the night before. Everything I've had from here has been tasty and they give big servings for a very reasonable price. My favorites are the crispy chicken over pasta and the shrimp with vodka sauce. The lady at the front is also verrrry sweet. And, the restaurant is always clean. Try it you won't regret it!!!!! read more

Can't say I love it, but I can't say I don't like it. Tried this pork dish with fried rice... meh. Noticed why the sandwiches are so cheap, already prepared and cold. Kept checking the website for daily updates... it kept showing old suff. Menu needs to be a bit larger and maybe some stick to your ribs stews. Nice folks though, selection is another story. Side note: I like the crust on my bread, leave it on LOL read more

I never come here anymore for lunch because iMO the food at Ono Cafe around the corner is better, but I like the seating area a lot so I stopped in for a frozen chai and it was AMAZING. Well, the taste was amazing. I felt sick about 60% of the way through it and 40 minutes later, the overdose of sugar is still making my stomach curdle. For $4.19, I don't think I'd get it again. I wonder if I could just sit in that seating area unnoticed without buying anything. At least it would look busier, right? read more

A friend and I were supposed to meet for lunch here but never did, but my boyfriend took me here weeks later and I loved it! It's one of his favorite places to eat and the one dish he/we order (when available) is the crispy pork over rice. They have weekly/daily lunch specials, and can be found in advance on their Facebook page. (They also serve breakfast). That was how I discovered their Italian sausage Ragu over pasta and spicy chicken Korean style over rice. My boyfriend ordered the pasta and I got the chicken, and both were really good! The pasta (spaghetti) was al dente, and the chicken had a spice level of 3, like the crispy chicken. Good portions for being under $10. I haven't tried their desserts but they're always calling to me whenever I'm at the counter ready to pay! Their cheesecake looks so good! :) It's difficult to find, and it really is a hole in the wall and easy to miss, but it'll become a favorite place to eat of yours after your first visit. Guaranteed. read more

Had to try this place, based on the great Yelp reviews. Likes it, but I somehow expected more. The atmosphere is great- a shady little courtyard a little removed from the street level. 4 stars Selection - only 3 items each day, one of which often sells out early. 2 stars. Food - I had beef sukiyaki. The beef was a little thick and chewy. Did like that the meal came will half a boiled egg, some kobacha, and a couple of other things. Nice selection in the bento. 3 stars I'll definitely be back to try other selections. read more

A clean, cozy little hole in the wall with a short menu (a plus - easier to make a choice) for breakfast and lunch, and fresh smoothies. Also a convenient location in downtown. I got the vegan cold spinach noodles with sesame dipping sauce, the other choice being shoyu. Sauce is flavorful, noodles had a balanced amount of garnishes and the squash was delicious. Overall a very pleasant experience. read more

OEC Café - Vegan cold spinach noodles with sesame dipping sauce - so good! - Cafes Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Went here for lunch. Walking distance from my downtown office. I ordered the Chicken Karaage. Service was quick, but the food was less than amazing. The chicken pieces were small, and reminded me of McNuggets in both texture and taste. My coworkers both ordered the clam linguine, they seemed to enjoy their meals. If I go back, it won't be for the chicken. read more

This place is a little bit of a walk from where I work, but it was definitely worth it!! I had the katsu, and my wife had the green curry. Both were delicious!! Definitely worth the effort to find!! read more

So far I've had tonkatsu, chicken picata, linguini clam sauce and muffins. High quality meals, great service, good size portions and reasonable prices. Nothing is over-spiced or over-flavored rather it is balanced and subtle. Check their facebook page for specials https://www.facebook.com/pages/OEC-CAFE/316165641862185 Just Ewa of the HGEA building on Queen and Mililani Streets - Oceanside of the Main Downtown Post office. Try it once and you'll be hooked. read more