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    Paalaa Kai Mini-Mart

    4.4 (252 reviews)
    Open • 5:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    Musubi +
    Joy F.

    Crispy chicken was so good. Spam musubi was yummy too - yes basic but done right. There were rice plates and other snacks - not to be missed.

    Yummy bentos
    Dawnielle K.

    We love stopping here on our way to the north shore. Cute little store family owned and operated. Very good service. They have lots of local snacks and food. They are well known for their fried chicken but I really love the musubi's. My favorite is the Korean vegetable roll. The lumpia is really good too. They have everything you need for a nice day at the beach.

    Dave G.

    Old time spot for everything you need The food n grindz they have is unreal. Chicken is the bomb. Musubi & Chicken combo is my favorite kine My your own sauce , i have a Fire In Da Hole I make. Great place to have . Parking is so so, if busy, be patient, it's worth it. Great customer service n very polite and friendly

    Lovey Y.

    I've visited this place 2x already because I heard they make really good fried chicken. I love fried chicken. It's best to come in the morning because the chicken is fresh. They sell different options of food from fried chicken, kimbap, spam musubis, lumpia's, etc. I always get the fried chicken that comes with their rice musubi and it's always a hit!! I love how they also sell other miscellaneous things like drinks, daily household items, etc.

    Toma C.

    Such a great place for fast food. We got a spam musubi. Plus the bakery is the bomb next door. Snow puffies and anything in here.

    Family take over 10/25/2025
    Rolly U.

    If you're on this side of the island, you absolutely have to stop here! This place is one of those hidden gems that really captures the local flavor and island vibe. It's the perfect stop whether you're driving around exploring for the day, heading to the beach, or just looking for a good local-style meal without spending a fortune. Everything here tastes homemade and fresh. My personal favorites are the bento boxes -- they're packed with variety and flavor, and perfect for eating on the go. The spam musubi is hands down some of the best I've had -- warm, perfectly seasoned, and such a great snack. The noodles are always satisfying, and the chicken katsu is crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and comes with just the right amount of sauce. What I really appreciate is how reasonable the prices are for the quality and portion sizes you get. You can tell they put care into what they make, and it really shows in every bite. The staff is friendly and welcoming too -- they make you feel right at home. If you're visiting or even if you're local and haven't checked it out yet, don't pass this place up. Grab a bento, a few musubi, and head out for a beach picnic -- you won't be disappointed!

    Korean pancake and japchae
    Marisa G.

    Paalaa Kai Mini Mart is located in Waialua right next to Paalaa Kai Bakery! They're under new owner/management but the food seems to be the same. They're known for their fried chicken but I always go for their japchae and korean pancake! Portions seemed a little smaller and pancakes were much thicker than before. Would prefer it to be thinner, but still good! Both priced at $7.49.

    Jessi Lynne B.

    So funny, stopped in since we were going to the bakery next door and happened to scroll on yelp to see what people were saying about this place and glad I did. Everyone raved about the fried chicken so you know I had to get some too! Chicken was absolutely juicy and the skin fried to perfection. I wish I got extra chicken skin. Perfectly paired with a spam musubi. We came in the afternoon so there wasn't everything available but I'm stoked with what I got to try and will be back. Follow them on Instagram for the most current updates!

    3 pcs Fried chicken + Jap chae
    Ruby S.

    I'm one of those peeps that enjoy consuming fried chicken on occasion. I was enthusiastic about first bite indulging in crispy skin and moist chicken. First thought, "Mild. Can taste flour, some black pepper. Yum!" Then experiencing after taste of excess salt equaled disappointment. I turned to my husband and asked, "How was your chicken?" First word that came out of his mouth, "Salty." I said, "I feel the same way." Taste lingered in my mouth and I couldn't get that thought out of my mind. Appearance can be deceiving. Glass noodles, carrots, green onions and mixture for jap chae was just right. Thick slices of onions overpowered side dish. Spam musubi tasted delicious. If you're craving, forget to make and bring spam musubi, here's your chance to pick up. Worker asked us if we needed a bag. We declined. Service was quick and efficient. Casual.

    Bentos...unconventional kind. Picked up the guisantes
    Todd M.

    Bro...this place never disappoints...I take that back. They only disappoint on Monday's cause they closed. Today I had the vegetable lumpia. Didn't need any sauce. Was perfect plain. Then got a plate of chicken, fried noodles and few spicy shrimp rolls to go. Pretty expensive but if you out here you just kinda have to.

    Angela N.

    An unassuming spot for some delicious musubis and snacks. The line moves quick and the people come here for one reason; their hot and ready food in the display. We got a variety of items: Spam Musubi, Spicy Shrimp Roll, Kim Bap. The best one was the Kim Bap! Complex flavors, but simple fresh ingredients. The spicy shrimp roll was really good too! Perfect spot for a quick snack on the go

    Seaweed namasu
    Becky C.

    Stopped here for some sodas and grabbed a seaweed namasu as well. I've never had it, but it was YUMMY! The place was pretty busy for a Thursday mid day. They have a ton if hot food options for beach snacks. Would for sure come back to grab food for the beach and avoid the touristy area.

    Yuka W.

    I love this market. A good old Hawaiian general store with many spamusubi and bento boxes. These're flesh and tast good!

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    8 months ago

    Da best! Always look forward to a visit! Variety of sushi and bentos. Never disappointed.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Paalaa Kai Mini-Mart

    Do they do chicken pan orders?

    Im pretty sure they will as long as you give them a heads up in advance 🤙

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    Review Highlights - Paalaa Kai Mini-Mart

    “They're known for their fried chicken, but also have a great variety of noodles, musubis, and kimchee veggies.”

    Mentioned in 26 reviews

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    Waialua General Store - Best poke bowl on the island!

    Waialua General Store

    4.8(121 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    •$$

    @fortunefoodfinds: "I FIN-ally found you! A Two-Choice Poke Bowl of Kaarie Style Poke n' Sweet…read moreAreya Oyster Poke all for $11.45 from WAIALUA GENERAL STORE. Even though I've been in the plaza where they're located a couple of times, it was only recently when I stumbled across their store. This hidden gem serves Filipino food n' Rudy's Famous Poke that is fresh n' ono. The price is nice so the next time you're in Waialua now you know where to go!" SERVICE: fast n' friendly INTERIOR: small, have bottled drinks n' snacks available for sale EXTERIOR: near Waialua District Park WAIT TIME: was helped out immediately PARKING: free lot OVERALL COMMENTS: was surprised when I saw that they served Filipino food n' poke bowls bc I thought they were just a convenient store. The poke was really good, texture was so fresh. I really liked the creaminess n' sauciness of the Kaarie Style Poke. The price for a poke bowl was great, hard to come across a bowl under $15 these days unless it was previously frozen, but their ahi was fresh. So happy to find this place. Definitely want to come back for another poke bowl fix n' try out their Filipino food!

    Steak plate on Wednesday. Uncle is out front grilling, Auntie is at the cash register. The food is…read moredelicious, the service is quick. Nice people. The poke is really good here too. Lots of good food on the menu. It's a Hawaiian bodega

    Photos
    Waialua General Store - Poke bowl, 2 choice. Best poke bowl around

    Poke bowl, 2 choice. Best poke bowl around

    Waialua General Store - Best poke bowl on the island!

    Best poke bowl on the island!

    Waialua General Store

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    Foodland - My spicy poke for $8.25. So good w/ the deli tortilla chips!

    Foodland

    4.0(221 reviews)
    6.3 mi
    •$$

    What an awful experience I guess if you're not from here they follow you around the whole time in…read morethe store watching you to make sure you don't steal! Hahah I asked for the bathroom was told I couldn't use it! The lady working was basically touching me the whole time I was walking around the store because she was so close to me hovering over me! They only allowed a couple people in at a time and they wouldn't allow us to really walk around the whole store they just keep acting like we where gonna steal everything we touched Very pricey also not worth it at all smelt like sour food in there would never recommend this place Photos of us for reference I'm pretty sure we look like the last people who would steal from this shit hole!

    They may not be all that alike (or even remotely alike), but Foodland is like my own little…read moreDisneyland. Beyond their similar naming convention, and despite the obvious lack of rides, characters, industry, movies, TV shows, cartoons, size, and so much more, it's because this place is just as magical! And, to be honest, with how much much less it costs to come here, a big part of me (and my wallet) leaves even happier! Compared to some of the other Foodlands I've been to on Oahu, this one might be one of the oldest (the building feels old), but I've been to this location the most. Every time we head up towards the North Shore, it almost always includes a stop here. Sometimes it's just to grab some drinks and/or snacks for the drive, but it's usually to pick up lunch to bring with us to the beach. Either way, whatever I end up buying here always includes their many varieties of poke! Whether you prefer yours with tuna, salmon, or hamachi (or one of their many other seafood choices), spicy or mild, or with a classic sort of shoyu/ponzu sauce or with some mayo mixed in, Foodland's display cases are bound to have at least one or two types that will pique your tastebuds. For me, my usual go-to picks are their Furikake Salmon, Wasabi with Salmon, Limu Ahi, and Hawaiian Style Ahi, but regardless of what I end up getting, each time I've been here, every poke I've had has always been so fresh and delicious! If poke/poke bowls aren't your thing, there's also a solid selection of hot foods to choose from, including hot bowls and musubis, but I can't say I'm familiar with any of them (#teampoke). As for the rest of the market (shockingly, they sell other stuff), their shelves and freezers has all of the staples you could need, as well as some local offerings. Given how the vast majority of things are shipped into Hawaii, prices are obviously higher than what you'd see on the mainland, but I can't say how it compares to other markets on the island, like Safeway, Whole Foods, or H-Mart. Along with their much beloved poke (just like the rides at Disneyland, the poke counter will typically have a line, though it moves significantly faster), the other thing my friends and I tend to leave with is some of Foodland's merch (just like at Disneyland...). More specifically, their musubi, pineapple, and poke tote/grocery bags, whether for ourselves or to bring back as souvenirs. After all, how else are we going to carry all of that poke back to the car? Can't wait to come back the next time I'm on the island!

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    Foodland - Spicy kochujang chicken bowl

    Spicy kochujang chicken bowl

    Foodland - The poke counter

    The poke counter

    Foodland - $5.99

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    $5.99

    7-Eleven Hawaii

    7-Eleven Hawaii

    3.5(2 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    •$

    After crossing Rainbow Bridge, my kids noticed this 7-Eleven at the gas station. They asked to…read morecheck it out for comparison to California stores. The inside is clean and organized very similarly to the ones we know in Cali. The Fresh Food section had a nice selection of Hawaiian foods. My kids also recognized some Japanese style sweet sandwiches. Butter Mochi and Haupia flavors were available at the Slurpee machine. At the counter, there were fresh Manapua and Pork Hash in a steamer. My kids picked out a couple items to try. The cashier was ok -- she processed our transactions and moved on to the next. Regardless, it was nice to browse the store and the various items specific to Hawaii.

    OK, this location is also a 76 gas station and you have to figure out a way around the people…read morewaiting in line to get gas to get into the small parking lot. When it gets busy, cars back up onto Kamehameha Highway. When they get a gasoline delivery it's a total clusterf*ck. Oh, and there was a young guy, like in his 20's, on a bicycle in the parking lot with a sign offering to sell one of his kidneys. It's not like you get a chance to buy a kidney every day, right? As I waited in line to pay for a bag of ice I wondered if there was any value in having a third kidney. I concluded it would just make me have to get up and pee even more frequently at night, so I decided to pass on the opportunity. Ice here comes in three sizes, starting with 7 lbs for three bucks and change. Mikey C says: one owner, low miles, make offer.

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    7-Eleven Hawaii
    7-Eleven Hawaii
    7-Eleven Hawaii

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    Longs Drugs

    Longs Drugs

    3.1(38 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    •$$

    Long's in Haleiwa…read more.. The place that we love to shop for all necessities is here at Long's, which is now owned by CVS hence the biz name here on Yelp but here in Hawai'i it will always be known as Long's. A place to stock up on the various wants and needs of our daily needs are found here through the weekly Sunday ads keeping it cost friendly for generations along with shopping for gifts and celebrations are found here and being miles away from town I'm sure is the place for many locals shop. Parking here is amazing in comparison from the general Haleiwa location is never gonna be a problem lots of free parking regardless the size of your car and though the roof seemed to be suffering from the recently downpour of rain hoping it all can get fixed so that we can continue to appreciate the staff and what it has to offer this community. Thank you!

    This review is specifically for the pharmacy. I have been a customer at this pharmacy before it was…read morea "Longs Pharmacy". A few weeks ago, I needed antibiotics and my Dr called them in (I do not currently have insurance) so my Dr kindly gives me the least out-of-pocket-cost. Upon arrival to pick up and pay for my Rx, I saw the total printed and proceeded to grab the $ from my wallet and pay. Before she would let me, the pharmacist on call saw that I didn't have insurance, and said she wanted to attempt to get me even further savings (very kind and nice!). I waited for over 20 minutes with my kids in the car thinking it would be in and out. However, they weren't able to get the cost lower, and in fact, instead the cost went up (for the same Rx). She printed out that receipt and told me the (now more) cost...I asked if I could pay the original and was told no. I had already waited so long for nothing, I had no more energy in me to try to argue...so I figured I'd leave this review and also, will try to never have to use this pharmacy again sad cause it's close.

    Photos
    Longs Drugs
    Longs Drugs
    Longs Drugs

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    Paalaa Kai Mini-Mart - convenience - Updated September 2026

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