Café Haleiwa — Restaurant in Oʻahu

Why the high reviews??

This place was noted by our shark cage diving captain as "decent" so we headed here. You stand in line to order/pay then get a table # and pick a table. Few tables inside so we sat at one of the tables outdoors. They have a few that are covered which worked since it was drizzling out.

Ambience is a kind of a larger beach shack that they keep the doors open (likely just for covid). Their customer restroom is a locked single port-a-potty that was the kind you Don't want to go into. Yes, the very smelly kind. After shark cage diving we needed to use the bathroom and just wanted a sink to wash our hands in before eating. The restroom by the shark cage dive is beyond disgusting and had no soap. You don't get any better coming here. Only antibacterial gel stations. Besides the lack of a real bathroom that was very off-putting was the flow of large roaches crawling by our table. So all the chickens and roosters around not eat roaches? We had to constantly keep our eyes on the roaches as they were right by our feet.

Food also was Not worth 4.5 stars. The coffee was one of the worst we've had on any of the Hawaiian islands. My breakfast sandwich which is on an English muffin was overly buttered/greased that it felt like eating a fat bomb with the egg&cheese in it. The Canadian bacon in it was the thinnest I've ever had and so there wasn't a good balance of flavor or texture.

Is this really one of the better places in Haleiwa?? The food is not great (3 stars) but the dirty bathroom and roaches really make it feel gross sending the stars down. Would not come back...

I wanted to share my recent experience at Cafe Haleiwa, a charming local café with a genuine Surfside Hawaiian ambiance. This spot is perfect for those looking to immerse themselves in the local culture. At Cafe Haleiwa, you place your order at the counter and then take a seat to be served. It's worth noting that if you're in a hurry, this might not be the best choice, but the leisurely pace adds to its authentic charm.

For breakfast, I opted for the country breakfast with French toast. It was a delightful choice! The French toast came sprinkled with sugar, and I decided to add some bananas on top – they were absolutely fantastic. Everything tasted incredibly fresh, and the eggs were flavorful and cooked to perfection. Overall, it was a great experience that truly captured the essence of the local vibe.

My wife chose the huevos rancheros, and of course, I had to give them a try. They were delicious and had an authentic Mexican taste, albeit with a unique twist that made them stand out.

If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend stopping by Cafe Haleiwa for a taste of the local flavor and a relaxing breakfast experience. If you’re in a rush, this might not be the place for you. It is a truly laid-back traditional North Shore...

Out of all the places we went to eat, this is the one my family kept wanting to come back to. You can find fancy dining on the north shore anywhere but we were attracted more to the modest, down to earth Haleiwa Cafe.

Food is served on paper plates, but I loved it. (Again if you’re looking for fancy, this place isn’t it. And again, that’s part of why my family loved it.)

I got the Country Breakfast plate and was able to share it with my two kids. I added sour dough toast and the veggie sauté (kale, mushroom, squash, tomato, onion and peppers) and ate the eggs and my kids ate the pancakes and bacon. The food isn’t fancy and neither is the seating area but…if you’re in Hale’iwa, isn’t that best? The dining area was comfy and and had a friendly atmosphere.

I’m SUPER picky about iced coffee and rarely find one I like but I loved theirs!!! I got the iced coffee latte. Soooo good.

On top of all that, the staff is so great and accommodating and friendly!!!