Pancakes are almost always on the list of gourmet foods you want to eat in Hawaii.
Many famous Hawaiian pancake shops have expanded overseas, so you may have already heard of some of these names.
However, since ingredients like wheat flour can be difficult to import, it is not uncommon for the ingredients and taste at Hawaii locations to be quite different from locations abroad.
In this article, Aloalo Travel tour guides introduce five recommended pancake shops in Hawaii.
We introduce famous shops as well as those characterized by ridiculously large portions or hidden gems that are not well known, so please use this as a reference for your trip to Hawaii!
Eggs ‘n Things
Eggs ‘n Things is often credited with sparking the pancake boom.
They have many locations worldwide, so you may have visited one before.
In Hawaii, there are a total of four stores: two in Waikiki, one in Ala Moana, and one in Ko Olina (West Coast area).
While the menus at the Hawaii locations are generally similar to those overseas, since you are visiting Hawaii, you should enjoy the authentic taste!
Actually, the pancake mix used is different from what is used abroad, and there are many elements you can only experience in Hawaii, such as the atmosphere of the store and original menu items.
Recommended Menu at Eggs ‘n Things
Speaking of Eggs ‘n Things, pancakes come to mind, but it was originally an egg dish restaurant.
The omelets and Eggs Benedict are excellent, and the other menu items are all delicious!
Eggs ‘n Things has a very large menu, but this time we would like to introduce plenty of especially recommended items.
No.1 Popular Menu: Pancakes
The biggest feature of Eggs ‘n Things pancakes is the fluffy whipped cream.
Many of you may have seen it, but the height of the whipped cream is about 10cm!
However, it is surprisingly light and not too heavy, making it a volume that even one person can often handle.
By the way, there are various types of pancakes, but the number one most popular menu item is the Strawberry Whipped Cream Pancakes.
Hawaiian strawberries have just the right amount of sweet and sour flavor, making them the best accent for the cream!
There is also a “Whipped Cream Pancake Sampler” where you can experience three types—strawberry, blueberry, and banana—at once.
Local Standard Menu: Omelet
Next in popularity after pancakes are the omelets!
Before the pancake boom, this omelet was the top recommended menu item at Eggs ‘n Things.
There are many types of omelets, but the Kalua Pork Omelet, which allows you to enjoy a distinctly Hawaiian taste, is especially recommended.
Kalua Pork is a traditional Hawaiian dish where pork is steamed, and it goes very well with eggs.
For side dishes, you can choose from rice, potatoes, or pancakes.
Exquisite Eggs Benedict with Irresistible Poached Eggs
Whenever I visit Eggs ‘n Things, I always notice the high rate of Eggs Benedict orders.
Looking around the tables, truly a lot of people are eating Eggs Benedict.
It is a standard Hawaiian breakfast, and the poached eggs and special sauce from a shop that knows delicious eggs are amazing!
Omelets are good too, but if you choose only one egg dish, this is the one we recommend.
There are various toppings, so please try to find your favorite.
Popular Hawaiian Breakfast: Fried Rice
Fried rice is a popular menu item in Hawaii, so you will see it at various restaurants.
Eggs ‘n Things fried rice is hearty and filling!
Since many egg dishes are lighter, this is recommended for those who want to eat something substantial other than pancakes.
It is a secretly delicious menu item that never fails, so please give it a try.
Hidden Favorite: Chewy Waffles
Actually, local Hawaiians order these waffles just as much as pancakes!
You might imagine waffles being a bit hard, but Eggs ‘n Things waffles are soft and chewy.
Pancakes are delicious, but I feel that waffles are just as tasty.
They are not as sweet as they look and are easy to eat, so please choose waffles if you prefer.
Classic American Menu: Ribeye Steak
Ribeye steak is one of the hidden popular menu items.
It’s a carefully prepared plate using Hawaiian beef, and the seasoning of the meat is excellent!
Although it is steak, it is not as heavy as other restaurants, so you can order it casually.
By the way, at Eggs ‘n Things, eggs also come with the steak.
Order your preferred style of eggs: over easy, sunny side up, or scrambled.
Popular Hawaiian Gourmet: Garlic Shrimp
Speaking of classic Hawaiian gourmet, there is garlic shrimp.
The seasoning is close to the authentic North Shore style and packs a punch, so it goes very well with rice!
It might not be the priority menu item at Eggs ‘n Things, but I think it falls into the category of quite delicious within the Honolulu area.
It is recommended for those who want to eat garlic shrimp without going all the way to the North Shore.
Cafe Kaila
Cafe Kaila is the shop chosen by locals as having the most delicious pancakes.
The delicious menu items handmade by the owner, Ms. Kaila, spread by word of mouth and became popular.
The pancakes with plenty of fruit are especially a menu item you should try at least once!
In Hawaii, it won the Gold Award in the prestigious “Hale Aina Award 2011 Best Breakfast” chosen by locals, and has continued to win the Gold Award in the same category without interruption since 2013.
Backed by the locals, it is a cafe with a casual and at-home atmosphere.
Since they don’t take advance reservations, you may wait about an hour, but if you go outside of peak times on weekdays, I think you can eat without waiting too long.
Cafe Kaila’s Pancake with All Fruits
When visiting Cafe Kaila, you must try the pancakes topped with plenty of fresh fruit!
There isn’t a specific menu item called “All Fruit Topping Pancake,” but you add toppings individually when ordering pancakes.
The topping contents are the following four items:
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Bananas
- Caramelized Apples
When you want to order all the fruits, just say “Everything, please!” to the staff.
Since many tourists visit, English menus are readily available.
Cafe Kaila’s Top 3 Popular Menu Items
At Cafe Kaila, there are plenty of must-eat menu items besides pancakes!
All of them are typically Hawaiian and taste exceptional, so please try ordering various things.
Waffles
Waffles, which are slightly smaller than pancakes, are particularly popular with women.
The crispy dough goes very well with fruit, making it a very Hawaiian dish.
Like pancakes, you can choose your favorite toppings, so “all toppings” is recommended for this too!
It might be a characteristic of Cafe Kaila that the fruit itself simply tastes delicious.
Eggs Benedict
For those who are not fond of sweet menu items like pancakes or waffles, Eggs Benedict is recommended!
Every cafe ends up having a similar menu, but this is indeed the quintessential Hawaiian breakfast.
The seasoning is delicate and widely appealing, so I think it is a plate that anyone would be satisfied with.
Breakfast Wrap
Cafe Kaila’s hidden popular menu item is this Breakfast Wrap.
You might not see it often in other countries, but it is a standard style breakfast in Hawaii.
It is packed with ingredients and very filling!
Please order it when you want to have an elegant breakfast feeling like a local.
Koa Pancake House
Koa Pancake House is a No. 1 breakfast spot chosen by local Hawaiians.
It is a budget-friendly breakfast restaurant known to everyone living in Hawaii!
There are many locations, but since they don’t really open in tourist areas, many visitors may not know about them.
It has incredibly reasonable prices that make you wonder if it’s okay, yet the menu variety is abundant and the food is delicious, so you can understand why they have many fans.
While stylish restaurants in Waikiki are nice, choosing a shop loved by locals is another way to enjoy Hawaii.
The Interior of Koa Pancake House is Casual
Koa Pancake House has a style somewhere between a restaurant and a cafe.
Once you enter, you order and pay at the counter, then sit at a table of your choice and wait.
When the food is ready, the staff will bring it to your table.
Drinks are self-service, and you clear your own table when you are finished.
Because of this, food prices are truly cheap, making it a wallet-friendly shop that is appreciated in Hawaii.
The atmosphere inside the store is also nice with a casual, Hawaiian feel!
Koa Pancake House’s Pancakes
As the name suggests, the most standard menu item is pancakes!
You can choose Short (3 pieces) or Full (5 pieces), but the size is large, so 3 pieces is more than enough volume.
There are 7 types of pancakes: Buttermilk, Blueberry, Banana, Macadamia Nut, Chocolate Chip, Butter Mochi, and Red Velvet.
Toppings include whipped cream, strawberries, cheesecake, and more!
The most popular choice is the classic Buttermilk Pancakes & Strawberry Cheesecake Whipped Cream with all toppings!
It becomes a pancake with plenty of sweetness that is very typical of Hawaii.
Maple, coconut, and orange syrups as well as butter are provided, so you can enjoy changing the flavors.
Koa Pancake House’s Breakfast Plate
Koa Pancake House has an abundant menu besides pancakes!
They have all the breakfast menus you often see in Hawaii, such as omelets, hamburgers, Eggs Benedict, and Loco Moco, so you will never be in trouble finding something to eat.
Among them, the item we especially want to recommend is the classic Hawaiian breakfast plate.
You can customize everything freely, including how the sunny-side-up eggs are cooked, the type of sausage or bacon, and potatoes or rice.
This really feels like a Hawaiian breakfast, and it’s great that you can make it your own preference!
It is the ultimate comfort food combination for breakfast.
Eat a local-style breakfast that you don’t often see in Waikiki.
Pancakes & Waffles B.L.D.
Pancakes & Waffles Hawaii is a hidden gem restaurant where you can eat cheap and delicious lunches.
There is still little information in guidebooks or on the internet, so it is recommended for those pursuing Hawaii’s B-grade gourmet!
The biggest feature is that despite the surprisingly low prices, the volume is perfect.
It is a shop firmly equipped with the features that become popular with locals.
Although it is not a famous store, the menu variety is abundant and there are many Hawaiian items, so please visit.
Pancakes & Waffles Hawaii’s Chicken Waffles
The menu item that symbolizes Pancakes & Waffles Hawaii is this Honey Butter Chicken Waffle.
It is a collaboration of fried chicken and waffles that you rarely see in Japan!
It might seem like a surprising combination to some visitors.
However, when you actually eat it, it is surprisingly refreshing, and the honey and fried chicken are an exquisite combination.
If you think about it carefully, biscuits and honey are often side menus at fried chicken shops.
It might be said that it is a familiar taste for people in Hawaii.
Pancakes & Waffles Hawaii’s Top 3 Recommended Menus
Although the name is Pancakes and Waffles, there are actually various menu items.
Among them, I would like to pick up and introduce some popular items!
Pancake No. 1 Popularity: Apple Caramel Pancake
When you think of Hawaiian pancakes, you definitely think of this feeling with plenty of whipped cream!
It has three thick pancakes + plenty of caramelized apples + whipped cream, but actually, this is still the small size.
If it is regular size, it becomes five pancakes!
It is sweet, but it doesn’t feel too heavy, and the flavoring is really good.
Honestly, the volume is enough to make you full with just three pieces, but actually, this is positioned like a side menu; it was changed from the french fries (which are the side order of a main menu) for +$3.
Since the volume is overwhelming, sharing with several people is recommended!
In Hawaii, pancakes are sometimes considered a side menu.
Shop Recommended No.1: P&W Special Omelet
It is a super high-volume and high-calorie omelet.
You might imagine a normal omelet having eggs as the main ingredient, but the contents of this omelet are packed with ham, bacon, and sausage!
Sometimes there are potatoes, onions, or mushrooms, so rather than an omelet, I think it is a food like a side dish that makes you want to eat rice.
So, for the selectable side menu, white rice is recommended instead of french fries.
Even among the hearty menu items lined up at Pancakes & Waffles Hawaii, this is exceptionally filling!
Locals Love It: Fried Rice Loco Moco
Actually, fried rice is a standard menu item that everyone likes in Hawaii.
Combining such fried rice with Hawaii’s soul food, Loco Moco, resulted in the Fried Rice Loco Moco, a local favorite.
It’s almost too good to eat together!
The luxurious feeling of Pancakes & Waffles B.L.D.’s special beef patty and rich gravy sauce topped on fried rice, which is popular even as a regular menu item, is irresistible.
It is a famous Hawaiian dish that feels a bit more special than a regular Loco Moco!
Boots and Kimos
Boots and Kimos serves Macadamia Nut Pancakes that you definitely want to eat at least once when coming to Hawaii.
The pancakes covered in original special sauce and fluffy exquisite omelets are very popular with locals too!
While most pancake shops originating in Hawaii have opened stores in Japan, Boots and Kimos has not expanded overseas.
It is a shop where there is always a line, so if you want to eat inside the store, going right when it opens is the trick to eating without waiting.
Since you might wait about an hour even on weekdays, takeout, which you can buy in about 15-20 minutes no matter how crowded it is, is recommended!
It is undoubtedly one of the top 3 popular pancakes in Hawaii, so please try it at least once.
Boots and Kimos’ Macadamia Nut Pancakes
The signature menu item you must order at Boots and Kimos is the Macadamia Nut Pancakes!
Contrary to its appearance, the sweetness is moderate and easy to eat, and the taste of the sauce is simply exquisite.
Actually, there is a rumor that the taste is very similar to Haagen-Dazs Macadamia Nut ice cream.
The pancakes are thin, but the chewy texture and the bananas kneaded into the dough are sweet, making for a nice finish.
You can order the regular size (Full Stack) with 3 pieces or the smaller size (Short Stack) with 2 pieces.
The amount of sauce does not change; the only difference is whether you reduce the pancakes by one piece.
There are fruit toppings, but personally, I feel that simple is best.
When taking out, you can choose to have the sauce poured over (Sauce on Top) or kept separate (Sauce on Side), so please consider it depending on the time until you eat.
Boots and Kimos’ Omelet
There are many shops with delicious egg dishes in Kailua, and Boots and Kimos’ omelet is actually one of them!
They use three and a half carefully selected eggs and vegetables imported from Maui, differentiating themselves from omelets at other stores.
For the selectable side menu, crispy hashed potatoes are popular.
Since Eggs Benedict is also very popular in terms of egg dishes, I think it is good to share various menu items with several people at Boots and Kimos.
The fried rice and Kalbi plate are also delicious, so please try them if you like.
Boots and Kimos’ French Toast
The menu item most recommended by the staff at Boots and Kimos is this French Toast.
It is a menu item with fluffy toast covered in special Macadamia Nut sauce!
Also, the compatibility with the sauce is good, and personally, I feel it is more delicious than the pancakes.
Since it appeared as a new menu item, people have been becoming fans one after another, and the day might come when its popularity exceeds that of the pancakes.
For those who find the volume of pancakes too much, choosing French Toast is also an option.