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.

So happy Guaiqueri was at Waianuenue, even though they were by themselves during lunch. First time…read moretrying. Tried their chicken empanada, seafood empanada, and lilikoi tres leches cake. Empanadas were yummy! 4 minutes to fry so wait was quick. The dough/crust was tasty, but a bit greasy. Fillings were also tasty. Shredded chicken had great flavor. Seafood consisted of chopped up large pieces of octopus, shrimp, and calamari. What's even better was they were surprisingly still good when microwaved the next day (was too lazy to heat it properly). Definitely dip with lots of sauce! Unfortunately the tres leches was just ok - cake with frosting. Will definitely be back for the chicken and seafood empanadas!

I like empanadas but they are deep fried pastries and as such are heavy meals. Moderation is the…read morekey. Guaiqueri Empanadas is a food truck that is often available at a new food truck venue at the Varsity Building on University Avenue and Coyne Street. This is part of Kam Schools' Waianuenue Shopping Complex that is scheduled for completion later this ( 2026 ) year. One of the many ventures Kam Schools is undertaking. Guaiqueri offers Venezuelan empanadas. I tried their Beef Empanada. Filling was hefty and overall a tasty savory pastry. One does the job. Guasacaca ( cilantro cream ) sauce compliments the empanada. If you have political views on Venezuela their owner ( or co-owner ) is quite willing to talk about the situation. He was positive about the overthrow of Maduro but warned it is the crime cartels that still wield the real control from the shadows, but that the average person is going to be better off in general. Hours of operation - I'd check their IG.

First time trying aunty Mercy's empanada and it was very impressive ! I'll be back here again !read more

If your craving Filipino food and your near Māpunapuna there's a food truck that service it with…read morethe ilicano empanada. I had a mini plate pork gistantes and pinakbet. This definitely hit the spot for my Filipino craving without driving to Waipahu.

Parking: street side…read more Seating: 4 large picnic tables inside for seating with bar seats along the entrance window. Service: counter service. Restrooms: shared with other businesses located behind the alley. Cost : $6-$8 per empanada Food: if you're looking for a traditional empanada this is not the place to go. With that being said, we have been to a few modernized empanada shops on the mainland so we were excited to try this spot. We found the dough to be softer than what we're use to from both Mexican & Colombian empanadas. The dough on one side was soggy while the other side was slightly more cooked. We got the ossobuco & corn empanada and while the filling was good, it wasn't anything special.

It's been quite a while since I've been here, but the empanadas are as good as I remember. I had a…read morecraving after I ate some that my granddaughter's nanny had made. She's also from Argentina originally, so they were the same type. The prices are the same, but they did adjust the discount structure a little. They used to offer either a discount, or a free empanada when ordering a certain quantity, but apparently no longer (understandable). They also used to provide a free serving of their amazing chimichurri with a quantity order as well, but either they forgot, or they discontinued that practice as well; and unfortunately, I forgot to check my box and order one before I left. They seem to be doing well, because several items were sold out, but they do have a wide variety, and there are enough choices to satisfy any tastes. I really must remember to come more often.

Saw them at the Blaisdell Wed market. Had a large amount of people waiting so I decided to check…read morethem out. After talking to the super friendly and helpful worker decided on the Chorizo, Chicken Tiki and another one I forgot lol All 3 were crispy on the outside and tasty inside! The chimichurri sauce made it even better!

At the Honolulu Farmers Market on a Wednesday evening. If you're in the mood for some empanadas,…read morePapi's Empanadas is your place! They have lots of different kinds to choose from. I tried a Lobster empanada and also a Beef empanada. Both tasted great! The workers are friendly and the food tastes great!

I went to North Star today 5/19 at around 2:40 pm because I wanted some fresh Chicharron and I…read moreheard that they sell that. This place is next to PT Hawaii and there was plenty of parking. I went in and stood in line. There were a few people ahead of me so it wasn't too busy. There were 2 women working- one was doing the food and the other was the cashier. As I was standing in line I noticed there were flies in the hot food- however, the chicharron was in its own case that was enclosed and I made sure no flies were in there. When it was my turn the woman who was doing the food didn't even want to acknowledge me. I had to tell the cashier that I wanted one lb of chicharron, then she literally told the food lady right next to her what I wanted. I paid almost $20.00 for one lb of chicharron but the worst part is that food woman didn't even cut it up for me! I literally came home with a slab that I have to cut up myself, all good though. I had to inspect the pork throughly anyways to make sure there were no fly eggs. I absolutely don't recommend this place. Bad service and flies in the hot food area.

Best chicharrons! My absolute fave! Ladies are so friendly too! Lots of various vegetables and…read moreauthentic Filipino foods.

Awesome always good Spanish rolls and assorted other pastries and baked goods. Parking and location…read morecan be a little challenging but people are friendly, patient and helpful. The bakery is a counter w display, cashier and access to the bakery behind it.

Ai sos! Grabe Ang sarap! Wow so delicious!!! Filipino baking…read moreis such hard work! AND so flavorful!!! Us local people love coconut,ube,sweet rice & custards! So,naturally we would love a bakery like dis! Dis is not our maiden voyage here so,I was looking forward to a few things . By the time we arrived,the cases were pretty empty!!! I was surprised dat after noon time, they were out of a lot of things! Oh nooo! Hungry husband was a bit confused as he did not grow up around these delicious treats! Okay now let's hurry & order b4 da "Na-Na" get impatient with us! I quickly ordered one mochi rice steamed /baked in banana leaves,grabbed a bag of fluffy Spanish rolls, she asked if we would like some freshly baked ones...yes please aunty! Nice of her to offer! Last time we were here, there were custard pie slices. But I don't see any,ugh ! My heart dropped & felt disappointment for my custard pie lovin' husband! He asked me if I wanted an azuki/an filled pastry. I said no thanks cuz I was oogling at da giant ensamada da size of my head! Believe me,I wanted dat all to myself!!! Geez Louise...why I neva get um??? Ugh...dad okay! Lots of other locations on da island to try next time! Nice & cool inside cuz u know it's Kalihi & eternal summer there! Free parking right in front! (4 stalls) . Sweet lil' ladies with thick accents & neat hair doo's in upswept buns just like the ones sold in the bakery cases are willing to welcome u in immediately because patrons come in and out immediately!!! Hurriedly shuffled to the hot car & snorted up our goodies! Even my mo'opuna (grandkids) love da Spanish rolls! Please support dis lil' local bakery because grocery baked goods are not as ono! U know dat right?! He he he !!!

Last time I've been there is when I arrived from the mainland. First stop is a poke place at…read moreStadium Mall. Craving for Filipino food, spotted this little gem in the heart of Kalihi. Their food is excellent as well as the prices. Can't go wrong with two choices plate. Comes with two scoop rice and two entrees. It's way cheaper than getting ala carte. Service is great! No seating area. The place is small and sometimes packed with customers. But they're quick in moving you in and out. Visit them if you're craving for Filipino food. Definitely worth it.

Nasty! There's hair on my food! Yuck! What kind of service is this? I lost my appetite seeing this.read more

Coming to the KCC Farmer's market in late January, I was surprised to find the layout changed so…read moredramatically. Besides several familiar sellers being gone, the number of vendors seemed to be less than I remember. Bringing a friend to this market, I wasn't sure whether he'd been here and I walked off to use the restroom which is now the one on campus. As I returned, my friend had wandered to this stand and generously shared what he bought with our other travel companion and me. He bought the Empanada especial which was crab (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=kWEPRzOWs2EtocPcEAaSLw), real crab meat, potato, smoked Gouda cheese, mayo, onion; it came with a delicious green chimichurri sauce (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=WS6EnU062gvtZnct4DPPog) that we dipped them in. Not expecting this treat, I first took a bite and it was tasty, not knowing the flavors and ingredients. We toasted our landing here (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&start=72&select=fpX7EDFfjUJTUwsveh5Elw) and started dipping it in the provided chimichurri sauce. Before you knew it, it was gone. Since we were walking the rest of the market, I didn't stop here and only got details about this business and what I ate from taking a photo of their stand (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&start=72&select=xnYnbxbbydTYYSmFCRZ-mg). I'll study this a little more before my next visit and we'll see what the special is when we return.

I decided to try Papi's at the Kailua Farmer's Market tonight (Thursday), because I was looking for…read morea quick dinner bite. They don't have a permanent location, and do pop ups at various locations. I love a great empanada, and have been getting mine from the "other" empanada store that opened in early 2024 in Kailua. These empanadas are really small for the $5 price 3 for $13), but that's the only "negative" about it. It's about 3 inches across, which is about half the size of a "regular" sized empanada. Empanadas are more of a snack anyway, but two or three would make a meal for me, just not at this size (lol). The taste and texture are really great. The crust is flaky and slightly crisp, like the outside of a biscuit or a pie crust, which is really nice. The fillings are very tasty, and they have a good variety. I tried the Greek empanada, and the Cochinila, which is a slow roasted pulled pork. They were both very good and flavorful. They provided a small dish of chimichurri, fresh, tart, and slightly spicy. Their special one is their crab empanada ($6), and if they're a regular at the Kailua FM, I may try that the next time. Overall, they're very tasty with a great texture, but a bit pricey.

For our dinner we were served with the following dishes: Snails simmered in coconut milk, green…read moremango slices, pinakbet, garlic butter prawns, Insalada with bagoong na isda, Lechon kawali, grilled Hito, Bulalo soup, pork barbecue on a stick, freshly fried Turon, Biko and Karioka. We were spoiled to the max! The owners and their family run the place and in true Filipino hospitality, they served us buffet/family style and entertained us with their stories from their humble beginnings to what they are today. The food was the best I've had in the Island. Hands down. Everything tasted nostalgic because the technique used in cooking each dish tasted like a handed down recipe from a grandma's kitchen from back home in the motherland. If you're ever in the island of Oahu please make your way to Waipahu and sample as much of their offerings as you can and I can guarantee you will not be disappointed! 10/10 recommended coming from a humble cook who rarely raves about Filipino food because I myself learned from my paternal grandmother.

Stumbled upon this place because had to go get a haircut for my nephew at the Waipahu plantation…read moremarketplace. They're located on the corner and once you see a tent & smell bbq, you're at the right spot. This restaurant gave karinderia vibe to it! Karinderia is basically like those food stalls they have in the Philippines, where they have a bunch of dishes and you sit out to enjoy the food. Home cooked & affordable eats. They have everything from bbq sticks, adobo, lechon, kilawan, lumpia and more. I got the bbq stick & chicken inasal plate. The bbq stick was packed with so much flavor! The chicken inasal was more on the huli huli side & was served with Filipino dipping sauce. They also offer free sabaw with your meal. Ordering was a little complicating, they have a menu outside with food and also more food inside. The bbq items were cooked by order and the inside food had more of the Filipino dishes like (adobo). But next to the cashier, you could also find other fried dishes as well. So a little complicated. You also have the option to sit outside under the tent or inside the restaurant with AC. For this type of place, if you're dining in, you order & eat first then pay. Like any karindera. Overall, this place was VERY good & SUPER AFFORDABLE. If you want to experience a true Filipino experience with great food, this place is for you.