Rise & Grind Coffee Bar — Restaurant in Oʻahu

The disco ball spins lazily above a living wall of ferns, casting prismatic light across laptop screens and oat milk lattes. At Rise & Grind Coffee Bar in Kailua, Hawaii, millennial pink meets jungle maximalism in a space that feels like Alice in Wonderland opened a café.

This wasn't always the case. Two years ago, Rise & Grind existed as a scrappy blue trailer at farmers markets, grinding it out during the pandemic when most businesses were folding. Now, at 22 Oneawa Street, it occupies a thoughtfully designed shrine to both Instagram aesthetics and island chillin.

The interior reads like a mood board come to life: emerald accent walls, coral-painted exposed ceilings, mustard velvet chairs that beg to be photographed. A neon "Rise & Grind" sign bathes the space in cotton-candy light, while vinyl records mounted as art suggest this is a place that takes its vibe as seriously as its espresso extraction.

But the real star is that verdant living wall – a cascade of actual plastic greenery that makes every sip feel like you're caffeinating in Eden. It's flanked by smaller potted plants (a strategic mix of real and convincing faux) that maintain the lush aesthetic without overwhelming them busy baristas.

The signature "Hawaiian" – a cold brew laced with macadamia nut, coconut, and vanilla – arrives in a ribbed glass that feels substantial in your palm. Made with locally sourced beans from Honolulu Coffee Company, it tastes like liquid vacation: creamy, tropical, addictive. Other menu highlights include London Fog and an unexpectedly good blueberry matcha.

One customer noted: "Are you looking for a cutie coffee spot to go chat and spend time with your girlfriends? This is the spot." Indeed, the demographic spans young professionals pecking at MacBooks, tourists seeking the perfect shot, and local friends nursing lattes over salacious gossip.

The blue geometric tiles wrapping the counter nod to Hawaiian modernism, while string lights create constellation maps overhead. It's maximalist without chaos – every orange crushed velvet surface and hanging plant feels deliberately curated.

What saves Rise & Grind from feeling like performative IG bait is its genuine aloha spirit. Service consistently earns praise for being "always very nice and cordial," maintaining the warmth that started in their farmers market days.

This is the rare coffee shop that works equally well for solo laptop sessions, third dates, or casual catch-ups. You come for the 'gram, but you stay for the surprisingly excellent coffee and the feeling that you're supporting a local success story that bloomed from pandemic grit into something genuinely special.

In a world of sterile coffee chains, Rise & Grind offers something rarer: a space that feels both carefully crafted and authentically Hawaiian, where every detail serves the larger goal of making you feel like you've discovered something real good...

This place!!!! I am pretty picky about my coffee as a former barista and current coffee lover (the real stuff not nasty creamers and starbucks stuff). Every time I come here it is 10/10. Normally, I don’t get flavored lattes but their in house syrups are incredible. This past summer their orange vanilla latte was done just perfectly. This winter their sugar cookie was amazing. Not only that but their Parmesan cheese bagel with bacon and egg and aioli (youre drivin me crazy I think is the name) is my ultimate go to treat. The staff is beyond friendly and kind as well. I use to come here after every pregnancy appt with my toddler and one time I didn’t bring him and someone from the staff asked me where he was and mentioned how she loved that I always brought him etc. Made my week. When businesses are friendly and treat kids like human beings it means the most to me. Anyways, I made this review long because I have loved coming here so much and want...

They did not carry 100% Kona Coffee of any type of Kona blend for thier drip brewed coffe.

They only had one selection for thier drip coffee. All other drinks were made with one selection which is from Honolulu Coffee Co. Which I believe is 20% Kona blend.

Both of thier only to two beans are good, I had the brewed/drip coffee. Wasn't amazing wasn't bad I should have got an Americano.

Paid parking is available but is one street over so entrance is on next street over with walking access to the shop. Google map it and get directions for the parking lot behind it.

Wish they had more selection of beans for this type of amazing coffee shop. I had my heart set on a 100% brewed Kona coffee,...