Bogarts
If you’ve heard of Bogart’s but have never tried it, you’re missing out! This little Diamond Head café offers a variety of brunch options that are all delicious. The house-favorite is definitely their signature Acai Bowl that is generously topped with granola, fruits and honey. Customers also enjoy Mama’s Fried Rice made with scrambled eggs and a medley of veggies, along with the Breakfast Bagel made with your choice of bagel, eggs, cheese and spinach.
Hours: Mon – Fri 6 am – 630pm
Sat – Sun 6 am – 6 pm
Location: 3045 Monsarrat Avenue
Cons: limited parking, limited seating, busy during breakfast/brunch hours, cash only, pricey
Sweet E’s Café
This hole-in-the-wall café located in Kilohana Square off Kapahulu Avenue is one of the best places for breakfast any time of the day. Sweet E’s sweet tooth approved Stuffed French Toast is one of the most popular dishes from the menu, and it does not disappoint. Stuffed with either blueberries or strawberries, and cream cheese, the fluffy breakfast indulgence is worth every calorie.
Hours: Mon – Sun 7am – 2pm
Location: 1016 Kapahulu Avenue
Cons: no reservations for big groups, may be busy during breakfast hours
Ono Seafood
It’s a little hole in the wall poke spot that you may or may not have noticed off Kapahulu. If you haven’t stopped to check it out, you should give it a try the next time you want to get a quick poke bowl. For $7 you can get a good amount of fresh poke for lunch or dinner with a complimentary drink. People’s favorites are the spicy and Hawaiian poke.
Hours: Mon, Wed-Sat: 9 am-6pm
Sun 10am-3pm
Location: 747 Kapahulu Avenue
Cons: Closed on Tuesday, limited selection
Marukame Udon
If you’ve been down to Waikiki, you may have seen Marukame Udon. It’s the Asian Udon restaurant with a line as if a crowd were waiting for Space Mountain at Disneyland. But in actuality, the line goes by fairy quick relative to its length, and you get a bang for your buck. You get plenty of fresh Udon for as little as $3.75 per bowl, and choose your add-ons of tempura, spam musibi, inari and more.
Hours: Mon-Sun 7 – 9am
Mon-Sun 11am – 10 pm
Location: 2310 Kuhio Avenue
Cons: long lines
Shokudo
Home of the infamous brick toast, Shokudo is a great restaurant to grab lunch or dinner with friends and family. Their menu offers a variety of entrees, with popular sushi rolls such as the Fried California Roll and Dragon Roll. Their Sushi Pizza is a fun twist on the traditional California Roll, baked like a pizza with a crispy Nori “crust”. And of course, not many people can walk away from Shokudo without ordering (and instagraming) Brick Toast. The fluffly bread drizzled with honey is served with your choice of ice cream: vanilla, cookies and cream, strawberry, chocolate or green tea.
Hours: Mon-Thu, Sun 11:30 am – 1 am
Fri-Sat 11:30 am – 2 am
Location: 1585 Kapiolani Boulevard
Cons: long wait for dinner