Ali'i Coffee Co. — Restaurant in Honolulu

Full disclosure: my partner and I are from Australia so we are spoilt with the best coffee in the world by a long shot, but I'll review anyway.

Ube Taro latte is delicious. My partner got it, it's her first time in America so I tried to steer her away from an espresso for her first drink. It was a delicious drink.

I am an espresso drinker. I had heard good things about coffee in HI so thought I'd give espresso here a shot when I usually would never have espresso in America due to the significantly lower quality than Australian espresso.

If I have to be honest, the beans were far too over roasted. Coffee culture is meant to focus on the unique properties and flavour of each beans, to bring out their unique flavour profiles. If you over roast the bean, all you taste is burnt caffeine pretty much which is typical of American espresso. This was reflected ib my espresso too so needless to say I was really dissapointed with my drink, particularly since after conversion it was about $7 Australian more expensive than our 7/11 espressos which are far nicer.

It's just a reminder for us exactly why Americans add so much other stuff to their "coffees". I'd recommend barristas to try train with Australian trained barristas to understand what elevates an espresso.

Cute store, clearly hard working staff but their espresso isn't at the quality I'd expect from a cafe being used to Australian Cafe culture.

Service was also quite slow. I'm used to 3 minute turnarounds for coffee in small cafes.

Summary: 5 stars for the ube Taro latte, gorgeous looking drink with a great flavour. 1 star for the espresso. Average 3 star between...

Aliʻi Coffee is a coffee shop in Chinatown, and like many other restaurants and coffee shops it’s good. However, what truly sets Aliʻi Coffee apart is not just their delectable offerings, but the warmth and familiarity they extend to their patrons. In a world where you can get good products almost anywhere, finding a place that genuinely cares about customer service and makes you feel at home is a rarity. This place goes out of its way to remember your name, recognize your order, and let you know that you are not just another customer but an actual member of the Aliʻi family. For a place so rooted in community, Aliʻi Coffee in Chinatown is where the roots go deep and the community is one that extends beyond their business location.

Aliʻi Coffee has been open in Chinatown for more than seven years and has been in business for longer. However, this is not surprising considering they actively care for their community, respect their differences, and provide a safe place for all. Their food is fresh, their drinks are made with love and care and their service is second to none.

I’m personally a big fan of their Hilo Honey Latte. Smooth, Creamy and Cozy. Every time I enter Aliʻi Coffee, I walk away with a smile on my face, not just from the quality product but also the energy you feel when you are...

1/5. I didn't order bc it was cash only and after spending $1 to get parking and walk up from makai of Hawaii Theater. I am not fond of unnecessarily walking around Chinatown and paying for exorbitant metered parking. So coming back with no plan was a no.

5/5 This used to be my very favorite coffee place on Oahu. I'm a fan of The Princess, almond Rocca, and Kula cold brew especially. Oh and banana float.

I get that there was stuff going on, a Hawaiian Tel outage or something. The employees were NOT thoughtful, helpful, or kind. Nor did they give me any options. Where there might be an ATM, online ordering, try coming back later... It was also weird that I was looking at the menu for a few minutes and was completely ignored by the 2 staff people and then a guy came in and ordered and only after he was done did they ask. The person who was servicing their system also ordered before me...

1/5. It was weird, I had a strange vibe and not open and airy and light, how I remembered it. Used to stop by with my friend, James when he lived in the neighborhood, years ago and loved the growlers. This experience was so disappointing and I was really looking forward to a nice treat to make my day off feel extra special...