Jesse's Coffee Shop & Restaurant — Restaurant in Honolulu

Jesse's Coffee Shop and Restaurant is tucked away at a corner of a small plaza across from 7-Eleven and adjacent to where Loulen's Courte used to be located. Parking is limited. Whenever I think about Jesse's, the terms "old-school" and traditional Filipino food comes to mind--run by the Titas, Nanas, Lolas, and the Tatas. For those who have frequented a mom and pop Filipino food establishment and are also thinking tray warmers, fret not. There were no tray warmers used in sight.

Upon entering through the doors with the lighted open sign, you will not be greeted or aknowledged as it is customary to allow on-lookers and guests to gawk at the overhead menu. When ready, you'll need to take the initiative to walk up to the counter, ask for the full menu and possibly a table if you're dining in.

Food is cooked to order. I ordered the pork gisantes and chicharon. Whenever trying out a Filipino restaurant, I judge the establishment by their pork guisantes or adobo. White rice is complimentary, just ask for it.

Pork gisantes, also known as pork and peas, is a stewed dish in a tomato and pork-fond fortified with red bell pepper, onions, and garnished with green peas. Jesse's pork gisantes, to my disappointment, had chewy (not tender) strips of pork with a pool of risidual oil separating from its sauce. The sauce, when strained of its excess oil, is tasty.

Jesse's Chicharon is a deep fried pork belly chopped up and tossed with diced yellow onions, green onion, and tomatoes, I added drops of fish sauce from one of the available condiments on my table. It was crispy, porky, and salty-tomatoey. Pair it with the provided vinegar dipping sauce to counter the richness. Combine it with white rice to subdue the flavor.

Service is at a diner level. Water and the food are brought​ to the table. Dishes are bused by the wait staff. The over all experience was pleasantly filling, well lit, and quiet with white noise of dish wear clinking and ilocano between...

We asked for a two item combo, since there is a paper thay says a two-item combi is like $13. We asked if they had sinigang, since we didn't see it displayed. The worker said sure, you can have sinigang. I said I wanted sinigang, dinugoan and rice for my two item combo. Instead, she gave me a large container of sinigang, a large container of dinugoan and two scoops of rice. When we got to the cash register suddenly the price was $37. Okay, so it's a larger amount of food and it lasted for two meals but the two-item combo is like $13. At this point, we had been waiting like 10 minutes and since it was our first time in the restaurant, we didn't realize they were giving us the larger menu item. It also didn't seem possible that these containers if food cost $16 each, plus tax, and $1 for each scoop of rice.

It seems the reason she didn't explain is because she wanted me to pay the larger amount.

I just don't like the vibe of this place. The employees don't seem like they really want your business. They didn't even greet us when we entered. The food is good, but there are other filipino restaurants...

I’m here eating the food right now as I am writing this it’s horrible. The meat is tough. Takes five minutes to kill one piece of meat. I got a two choice for $14 with tax came out late 1466. I bought me one soda and it’s four dollars Like $3.50 plus tax and it comes out to pretty much four dollars when I showed up there is nobody here. I had to wait 10 minutes. There’s flies in here and there’s the workers there. I watch one lady take off her socks on the side and then come back and then grab pastries for another Customer and she didn’t even wash your hands. I will never ever come back here and spend a dollar. I’m afraid to eat the second choice that I got yeah I’m not even gonna eat that. I just wasted money here. Sad you know I was really hoping I could eat some real good Filipino food. Parts of my rice is all solid. Yeah this place is so bad. I don’t even wanna like clean my own mess. Just wanna leave here so for $20 that I spent here I really only eat about six dollars worth because the other $14 worth is trash and I can’t even eat it and...