Hawaiian Aroma Caffe - The Ilikai — Restaurant in Honolulu

We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and wanted to try a different coffee shop other then the 2 Starbucks that were located at that property. Nothing against Starbucks but come on when in Hawaii one must try local coffee shops, right? Well I'm so glad we did! This location is located a very short walk to the Ilikai Hotel where this location is located inside their lobby. There are other location (2 more I think) around Waikiki as well and we tried those as well and each one was consistent! I'll go ahead and say get the Nutella Latte and you can thank me later. You can definitely taste the difference in their coffee versus Starbucks and I'm no coffee connoisseur either. Also, they are more than just coffee and a few pastries as they serve full breakfast as well. My kids loved their pancakes, bacon, and french toast as well. And wow their Acai bowls were so good I got it each time I went to one of their locations either for breakfast or lunch. I'll recommend the PB&J but they have others. This particular location has seating right outside in the hotel lobby and the other ones have seating inside as they are bigger inside. If you're reading this cause you're looking for coffee try this place or one of their other locations you won't be...

First time eating here. Got the Tuxedo waffle and added strawberries. Very decadent. The strawberries helped cut the sweetness of the chocolate and ice cream. I also got the very berry smoothie, delicious.

Unfortunately I'm only giving 4 stars due to staffs lack of attentiveness. We asked for water when ordering, she directed us to the free water, seeing it was empty, stated they would refill it asap. After being there for 20+ min and starting our meal. We asked for the water to be filled. They said yes. My sister had to take a cup up to the counter for them to fill. We were there for 45 minutes, enjoying the atmosphere. The water was never filled. 😄 It's a minor issue, but for some it's very important to have water with their meal. I greatly appreciate the free water that is offered. I just wish the staff who were talking behind the curtain, while others cleaned, took orders and made food, made sure to keep the customers from dying of thirst. 😄

Over all I will eat here again and just get a water bottle...

Review based on 5 encounters by a Starbuck’s addict. The line is sometimes long but goes quickly, especially if you enjoy the multitude of art while you wait. Queue for pickup and enjoy on a covered patio with sea breezes. I can only comment on the small latte and Americano (2 shots), made with their own roast. The smile it puts on my face almost matches the smiles of the staff. Parenthetically, it is cheaper than the multinationals and better tasting. The plethora of savory foods is impressive. I can only directly comment on the breads, waffles, and eggs. Inexpensive, hot, generous, and delicious. Art is not limited to the walls, the açaí bowls are a work of art themselves. Considering quality/ price, this caffee has superb value. They also personify the Hawaiian ethos of a pleasant ( not merely stress free), non-invasive ( “if I’m not getting a 5…”), individually respectful approach that is refreshing. An inexpensive, tasty, caffeinating and morning feed...