Okayama Kobo Bakery & Cafe HNL — Restaurant in Honolulu

In the past two months I have stopped by this store so many times I lost count. I love their bread - pastries or loaf - flavoured or plain - and at this point have probably purchased all of their offerings at least once.

My favourite is their white bread. I am not a fan of bread that disintegrates while you eat - so I was happy to finally find one that pulled (sort of look like pulled pork when you tear it) and was therefore strong and chewy.

I always buy the whole loaf - and ask for it to be sliced. It comes out in two half-loaf bags which I find convenient - one bag in the refrigerator - to be eaten sooner - and one bag in the freezer - to be eaten later.

A couple of days ago - when I again ordered the whole loaf to be sliced and was waiting for it to come out - I noticed that one of the staff bagging one of the sliced half-loaf was not wearing the disposable gloves they are usually wearing.

She was chatting away with another employee who was bagging the other half-loaf, and because her attention was not fully applied to the act of bagging the bread slices decided to attempt an escape from the bag. So she kind of "oops"ed and started to push the loaf back into the bag with both of her fully-bare hands - as she giggled.

Watching this did not make me feel good about the bread. The other staff were all wearing gloves - why wasn't she? - and sure, I guess those gloves could have gone everywhere when the customers weren't looking, anyway - who knows - but they still gave an impression of good hygiene practice, anyway. The bare hands pushing the bread in the bag did not.

I debated whether I should say anything - maybe I am over reacting - after all, I am pretty sure I won't die from this - it's just bare hands - stranger's, but still just human hands not panda's - although panda hands may always be very clean - I'm not sure. In the end I decided to say something - if only to have her wear the gloves henceforth - for the customers coming in after me. So I did - suggest clearly and loudly but calmly and non-threateningly - that perhaps - maybe - she should be wearing gloves - especially when she was touching the bread directly.

I didn't know which made me feel worse - having watched the bread get shoved into the bag with bare hands, or the non-reaction reaction of the staff when I said something. I was staring into several blank faces - and of course, at this point the other customers had their full attention on me as well - which multiplied the awkwardness.

I guess they did not have anyone in a managerial position at the time - to intervene the onslaught of the blank faces. A simple reaction of - oh, sorry about that! - would have happily resolved the issue - and maybe a proactive quick swap of the bread would have been an extra bonus - for them - the above and the beyond in the realm of excellent customer service - but no apology was forthcoming - nor a swapping - no hands were moving - only blank faces - and blank stares - then eventually a reluctant: "you want a new one?" Which - although I appreciated the gesture, made me realize they missed the whole point - and also, with that they succeeded in turning this around to make me look like the bad guy - inadvertently or not - which made me feel even worse.

So I left - feeling strangely guilty - and as if running away - waving my hand - saying - repeating - that it's just a suggestion - that she should be - maybe - wearing gloves.

I probably won't be returning to this store - if only for a while - since I still love their bread - but if and when I do - I will probably most definitely never ask to have the bread...

I'm glad I finally got to try this lovely little Japanese bakery! When we first spotted it months ago closer to opening, the huge lines trailing around the block scared us off, but today on a Friday morning at 10am there were just a couple people ordering inside and we got to pick out breads immediately. Staff were all very friendly. We tried a whole lot and most everything was quite tasty. Our notable favorites were the matcha mochi anpan (not too sweet, just great flavor and textures all around, perfect snack size), mentaiko mochi bread (brilliant combo, not too fishy), pickled mustard greens bread (flavorful and nourishing), matcha bolo bun (just a well done staple of Japanese bakeries), the matcha banana latte (yummy, a bit too sweet and heavy for an everyday matcha for me but makes for a good treat, and I don't mind the artificial banana cream flavor), and the strawberry croissant (fluffier than European style but still with a nice crisp exterior, pastry cream wasn't too sweet and the fresh strawberries really shined through)! The only flop was the spicy curry bread. There was a sign stating they are served hot and fresh but ours was room temp and pretty soggy. The filling was indeed spicy but too salty. Wouldn't try that one or the regular curry bun again but everything else was great! Definitely would come back for more of their matcha mochi anpan and maybe to try another matcha fusion drink. For our big bag of goodies we probably payed about ~$55 including a 15% tip.

The interior has some bar seating and there are four little tables outside too :) lovely in...

Okayama Kobo Bakery & Café in Kakaʻako’s Ward Village is a delightful gem!

We usually see a line out the door when we pass by, but this visit we were lucky enough to walk right in.

The staff was incredibly friendly, greeting us with warm smiles making us feel instantly welcomed.

They even offered us a sample of their famous pastry, the Salt & Butter Roll, a must-try. It was soft, buttery, lightly salty, and simply melt in your mouth deliciousness.

The variety of desserts is impressive. From fluffy croissants to cinnamon rolls and creative buns shaped like little cartoon characters.

With so many options we found it challenging to choose which one(s) to try.

We began to talk story with the guy in front of us, who seemed like a real regular, he said that every item is outstanding and that we’d be stoked on whatever we ordered.

He highly recommended the cinnamon roll and chocolate croissant as his favorites.

I went with an Iced Matcha Latte (added two pumps of lavender) per the recommendation of a viewer on TikTok and my partner enjoyed a strawberry croissant with whipped cream, he said it was onolicious.

We’ll definitely be back to try more of their offerings.

Though there’s no indoor seating, the small selection of tables outdoors offers a charming spot to enjoy your treats.

Whether you’re craving your go‑to snack or looking to explore new flavors, Okayama Kobo delivers consistently delicious treats with outstanding service.

A must-visit spot when visiting...