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OEC Café

4.5 (110 reviews)
ModerateCafes
Closed Closed
Updated 3 months ago

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OEC CAFÉ ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Quiet
Outdoor seating
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - OEC Café

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Drink selection
Candace F.

This small unassuming shop on Queen street has owners that love and care about their business. Every morning they spend the time washing and cleaning their outdoor tables so lunchtime patrons can enjoy their food. They post their specials on instagram daily and the menu changes. So you know everything is fresh. The vegetarian soba noodles are my favorite. The noodles are cooked perfectly and pairs well with their seasoned sauce. The option includes a brown rice musubi which has a lot of flavor. The cold pumpkin and broccoli are perfect accompaniments and kinda a pseudo appetizer/dessert. You can also order green tea or other juices in their cold fridge. Everything screams mom and pop. Happy to give this small business my lunchtime patronage.

Crispy chicken plate
Emily R.

I've gone here a few times for lunch and the food has always been delicious. The place is a hole in the wall and can be easily missed. Their menu alternates everyday so make sure to follow their Instagram account for their menu. They also sell out really quickly so make sure to go just before the lunch rush. My favorites from here are their tonkatsu plate and crispy chicken plate. They offer white or brown rice. Their tonkatsu is so crispy and they have a unique creamy pink sauce that pairs really well with the tonkatsu. This was some of the best tonkatsu I've had in the downtown area. Their crispy chicken stays pretty crispy even with all the gravy. Their gravy is super flavorful and pairs really well with the chicken. If you're looking for a quality and filling meal in downtown at a reasonable price, check this place out!

Crispy pork and mapo tofu
Gillian D.

OEC is my top pick for lunch in Downtown. Yummy food, great variety, and super affordable prices! Not to mention the owners are so nice too. Lots of people talk about their tonkatsu with pink sauce, but my personal favorite is the crispy pork with mapo tofu. It's the perfect combo and really filling too. This crispy pork is fried in a batter similar to fried chicken, so it's something different from the panko-coated tonkatsu. Delicious! It's super convenient that I can call in my order and it's ready really fast, like 5-10 minutes. Their menu rotates daily so make sure to follow them on Instagram. There's so many options, including healthy ones like the hiyashi chuka cold noodles. I still have yet to try everything, so catch me coming back here for lunch on the regular.

Tonkatsu with pink tartare
Kenny C.

Everyone has a pic of their tonkatsu. That's probably because it is sooooo good. And that pink sauce....what is in that pink sauce that makes it so good. It is nothing I have ever tasted before. It really compliments the tonkatsu well. I have tried a few other of their items but this is the thing always keeps me coming back for more. I love the name of this place. It is a play on words - Oishii (Japanese for delicious) so they called it OEC. Cracks me up every time. The lady in the front is so nice all the time....so Japanese style. One tip is that if you follow them on Facebook you can find out their daily specials menu.

vegan cold soba
Kacie S.

Soba was delicious! Paired perfectly with the sesame dressing. Small restaurant located in downtown. Parking is a bit difficult. Fast and friendly service!

Tonkatsu Plate
Mic O.

Rating: 7/10 OEC is a play on the Japanese word おいしい (o-i-shii). Every day they have 2-3 different lunch specials, which are shown on their Instagram daily, and a regular menu of sandwiches and pastries. I got the Tonkatsu with Pink Sauce, one of the most popular plate lunches. Overall, the taste was above average and at a reasonable cost ($14). The pork was cooked well and still juicy with a crunchy panko coating. The brown rice was surprisingly moist and the salad had a good dressing. I personally didn't care for the pink sauce, which seems like a tartar sauce (Probably a play on a Japanese nanban sauce). I would rather just have more Tonkatsu Sauce. Only problems are that there is no parking besides street parking and it's a bit hard to find the restaurant. My friends have been telling me the crispy pork with mabo tofu is the best thing on the menu, so I will come back when they have that available.

Chicken karaage plate
Marissa K.

I got their chicken karaage chicken plate. It comes with a spring roll, rice, and salad. Great prices and yummy plate lunches in Downtown! Love this place!

Tuna Melt
Shannon H.

Tuna melt was good. Super friendly and good selections. Nice place and seats to eat outside.

Seafood special
Starla T.

I love OEC Cafe! Delicious food, great quality, and reasonable prices. Every time I eat at OEC it's always a wonderful experience. Working in Downtown, I don't have a lot of time for lunch. The food is always made quickly and is always so fresh. Everything I've eaten is always delicious. There isn't really a set menu other than the cheesecake and sandwiches, but it's something I like about them. One of my favorites is their tonkatsu. It's crispy and often comes with a pink tartar sauce. I don't know what makes it pink, but it's yummy! Their seafood combo is also delicious. The time I went, it had salmon Katsura, shrimp tempura and a creamy crab croquet. The plate lunches range from $8-$10 and are pretty good sized. They're totally worth it. Lastly, they're located near the HGEA building on Mililani St. Be sure to check them out if you're in the area.

Pork katsu $11
Nicole I.

I've only tried the Pork Katsu plate ($11) with pink sauce so far but it was really tasty! You get to pick from either white or brown rice. After a few minutes out comes a hot plate of delicious katsu. They don't skip on the pork here and it is very filling. I loved the pink sauce. I'm really not sure what it is but it paired very well with the katsu! The salad was also really good with a dressing that reminded me of what would be on shoyu poke- in a really good way! Also had amazing service. Make sure to check their Instagram the night before to see what specials they'll have the next day

Tonkatsu
Val S.

A great place to grab some lunch if you're in the downtown area. My favorite lunch plate is their tonkatsu over rice w/ pink tartare sauce. I don't know what's in their sauce, but it's so good when you dip the tonkatsu in it. Their cheesecake is also delicious. It's very helpful since they post their daily menu on social media and they indicated when they are closed. I usually check Facebook and it has their menu with photos. Everything is priced reasonably and the person working the counter is always smiling and friendly. A definite must.

Mapo Tofu with Crispy Pork
Samantha S.

You will never be disappointed with any of their food! I go here on occasion as it's quite out of the way. They used to be not present on social media as much, but they are doing a great job at posting next day menu items and and closed days. I really love their crispy pork with red chili sauce, BEST EVER! They also serve muffins, their pear almond muffins are AMAZING! There is a small area you can sit outside and the lady at the counter is always so nice. Service with a smile. One thing I will say is they are a small business and I respect that they have a limited menu. You can't let food go to any waste.

Pork tonkatsu
Vincent T.

For me they're in the healthier food category. I tried the pork tonkatsu yesterday and found it to be a bit dry. The pink sauce was a bit strange cause they claim it's healthier. It tasted ok. Salad was good. The choice of white or brown rice was also a good option. I just can't justify their 4.5 star rating. 3.5 at best from me.

Crispy pork with chili sauce over rice

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11 years ago

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8 years ago

Definitely needs more options for vegetarians but my friends loved the non veg food here!

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9 years ago

Awesome food, awesome service!! Clean, friendly best kept secret for fine dining food at plate lunch prices!!

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13 years ago

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9 years ago

Best Pastrami Sandwich in town. Price is reasonable. Clean very clean restaurant. Awesome customer service

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9 years ago

Great customer service and clean. Delicious food. We had the chicken Namban & cold spinach noodles.

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12 years ago

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10 years ago

This Japanese couple used to be chefs in NYC. Best pork tonkatsu on island. Whole grain fresh Udon and spinach noodles. Love this place

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12 years ago

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12 years ago

The cookies are the best!!! Ordered some for my bro in law's bday!

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9 years ago

I've tried everything. They're ALL good. Reasonable prices, delicious food. This is my favorite take out place in downtown.

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13 years ago

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Bluetree Cafe - Kaka'ako

Bluetree Cafe - Kaka'ako

4.2
(93 reviews)
0.5 mi
$$

When I visit a new coffee shop, I always make sure there's adequate parking, seating, WiFi (if I'm…read moregonna do work), and a bathroom. Bluetree has become one of my top coffee shops in town for checking all of these boxes! There's parking in their structure (scan QR code in the cafe to register your license plate #), plenty of seating inside (upstairs/downstairs), and WiFi if you plan on doing work. My go-to drink as of recently has been their Kulolo Crunch Latte. I also loved their Coconut Cloud Matcha -- they use Wai Koko coconut water! For the most part, people in the shop are doing work and being productive so it's not too overstimulating like many coffee shops I've been to. If you're looking for just a chill place to grab a coffee or matcha and lock in, I'd recommend checking out Bluetree in Kaka'ako!

I finally got the time to check out this place after I heard about a kulolo crunch latte. Anything…read morekulolo ima need to try it out! Parking: depends on the day & time you go but they do have a pay parking garage right across the street or if you get lucky with street parking but you also have to pay. Service: when I walked in it looked just like a mainland coffee shops I've been too. Pretty cool & clean inside. They do have an upstairs sitting. So of course I got the "KULOLO CRUNCH LATTE" but sad to say ima have to give this a 4/10. It just tasted like a regular coffee with crunch. I really tried hard to get that taste of the kulolo but I didn't. I also let my mom & daughter try & they didn't taste any kulolo.

Photos
Upstairs seating
Upstairs seating
Downstairs
Downstairs
So pretty!!!

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So pretty!!!
Kona Coffee Purveyors

Kona Coffee Purveyors

4.4
(2.6k reviews)
2.9 mi
$$

Good things come to those who wait. I only wish there were more people here specifically waiting…read morefor the coffee because it was absolutely delicious! Sadly, it seemed more folks were there for the pastries though. First off, I'm surprised I found such a fabulous cup of coffee in what feels like the epicenter of tourist life on this island. While visiting another island nearly establishment had signage stating they served Kona and/or Hawaiian coffee, but nearly every establishment's coffee was absolutely awful. Seeing the location I fully expected them to phone in the coffee, but it's clear that coffee comes first here, even if many of the guests are trying to get pastries! You'll be shocked by the line, but just know the staff is efficient and it moves fast. They offer a variety of their own locally roasted beans here, with options for batch brew, espresso drinks and even pour overs (impressive considering the volume of customers). The coffees are well described and the baristas have the additional knowledge you may be seeking when you order, and all in all this went as quickly as I could have expected. Truly, the coffee was delightful, and the fact I was drinking a hot drink on an extremely hot day didn't even phase me. I wanted so badly to bring home a bag of each one, but given that everything is more expensive in Hawaii, these were all 4x the price of the specialty coffee I buy on the mainland and I just couldn't make it happen. What will happen is me telling everyone to visit this shop when they're in Hawaii because it is 100% worth it. Won't you consider opening one in Reno NV?

Long line, oven was broken, so only coffee and desserts available…read more Ordered a "Kona" coffee for $5. Quite frankly it's one of the worst cups of coffee I had. Watery, flavorless. This can't be Kona coffee, and if it was, they don't know how to brew it. Terribly horrible, really expensive coffee. Don't bother.

Photos
The famous pastry
The famous pastry
Delicious dessert
Delicious dessert
A cup of Americano

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A cup of Americano
Café LAPIN

Café LAPIN

4.5
(57 reviews)
1.3 mi

It's another Sunday search with my hubby. We wanted something small for breakfast and decided to…read moregive Cafe Lapin a try. Sunday street parking is free so we parked in one of the metered stalls on Sheridan Street. Free parking This place is located on the 3rd floor. We opted to take the stairs to get our steps in but there is also an elevator available. The shop is very tidy and for seating, inside there is a communal table for up to 6 and a table for 2. Outside there are tables on the lanai area. The menu is limited but has both sweet and savory options as well as a good selection of coffees and teas. Today we tried the Guava with cream cheese and Black Sesame with cream cheese. The bread made made both yummy! Both were not too sweet and served in a lovely presentation. Prices were pushing the wallet for the serving size however, I can understand it because of the time and effort that it takes to make the toast presentation make you do a double take. Overall, the service was good and we did not feel rushed at all. We were able to slow down our typical pace and just enjoy each other's company. This definitely a place I would love to share a mommy-daughter breakfast excursion.

When my husband was looking for some coffee after we landed in Honolulu and our first option wasn't…read moregoing to work, I ended up quickly spotting this seemingly quaint Japanese cafe and am glad it was good and a lovely, peaceful vibe! It's a bit hard to find though. Located on the top floor of a complex with other food options. You take the elevator up. I'd recommend parking in the Walmart structure across the street because otherwise parking is also hard to find. I got a seasonal drink (white sesame kinako latte with a shot of matcha) and at $11 it was maybe the priciest cup of caffeine I've ever had haha. But it was interesting and tasty and got me refreshed, so worth savoring as a special treat. My husband got a maple cocoa cold foam coffee and it was also delicious! We also got a couple of baked items, which took a while (barista did thank us for waiting) to come out but the tuna melt toast especially hit the spot. The dashi tamago sando was just alright. They also have dessert treats which looked delicious.

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Inside
Inside
Pictured with the owner, in black, and his team
Pictured with the owner, in black, and his team
White sesame kinako latte with a Matcha shot

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White sesame kinako latte with a Matcha shot
Daily Whisk Matcha

Daily Whisk Matcha

4.3
(316 reviews)
4.2 mi
$

They had the best tasting matcha we had on the trip! When I say best tasting, they had the best…read morequality. They didn't have tons of matcha flavors, but we ordered: Strawberry Matcha 4/5 Lemonade Matcha 4/5 It has to be a 4/5 for me cause although the quality was the best, it wasn't the best flavors. I've had places that do both. I love a good balance of strawberry and matcha, this one the strawberry flavor wasn't super noticeable. That's probably more of a preference thing though. It's a super small quaint spot. There's seats available, but it's more of a pick up and go spot. They have restrooms and a little shop to buy custom local swag. The service was good, nothing crazy! Not tons of parking. Overall, I would totally come back!

Heard so many good things about this spot and I finally got to try it when visiting back home…read more Daily whisk matcha is located at a house like building and there is a sign on the outside which is helpful. It's a small shop so it can get crowded and they have 2 outdoor patio tables. I ordered the guava vanilla matcha and my friend got the strawberry matcha. Upon first sip we both thought it was quite good but the matcha is very subtle. I do find that this is the type of drink you have to finish fast cause once the ice is melted it waters down your drink.

Photos
Strawberry matcha & Hapa matcha lattes
Strawberry matcha & Hapa matcha lattes
Drinks and Snacks (@miguelmoralesphotography on Instagram)
Drinks and Snacks (@miguelmoralesphotography on Instagram)
My favorite

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My favorite
The Curb Kaimuki

The Curb Kaimuki

4.5
(514 reviews)
4.0 mi
$$

I've been a big fan of their coffee for a long time, but never actually made it to the cafe until…read morerecently. I loved the spot! It's super easy to get here walking around Kaimuki, or there's free ample parking right behind the business with a rear entrance too. It's cozy with a great bar area, small tables for conversation or work, and a wine and beer selection for evenings. On my visit I had a black iced coffee and a coffee cake; both were delicious! The staff was welcoming and friendly. Prices were reasonable for the quality. I'll definitely be back soon!

curb...idk about you bro. i'm gonna be a bit harsh since they market themselves as specialty and…read morealso i am a picky over- caffeinated brat. first location - LITERALLY on the curb of some small strip. funny looking decor, try to find the pic of the abg. that means asian baby girl by the way. service was fast and nice especially since we came 10 minutes before closing. cortado was okay. tad bit overextracted. decent amount of brightness, some chocolate notes that are masked by the bitterness. idk if this was their recipe today but i saw a piece of paper saying 18g in 30 g out. that ratio is unfortunately not working for me! not sure if they pulled too long or this was just a crappy ristretto . however milk was steamed well! the matcha latte belongs on the curb, homeless depressed and broke. tastes like cow milk and not the lush greenery of japan. at least it was hand whisked but WOW did they just like whisk green milk powder or what?? UGHHH i really wanted to like this place too. maybe i'm just more sensitive to espresso right now since i'm on my deriod

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Maloof Wine
Maloof Wine
The shop
The shop
8th and Waialae

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8th and Waialae

OEC Café - cafes - Updated June 2026

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