5th Floor Cafe

The 5th Floor Cafe is a unique cafe with a limited selection of local breakfast and lunch favorites. The cafe is at the top of the Public Health building and is open to the public. The best thing about the cafe is that it offers spectacular 5 star views of Honolulu. I sat for an hour enjoying the quiet view of this beautiful city. The food is simple and changes daily. A Pork Chop Bento Box, Egg and Spam flatbread and a few premade sandwich were today's options. Prices are incredibly affordable. My egg flatbread was $5 and Blue Hawaii water was a buck. Ice cream bars and prepackaged snack items, soda cases and fresh coffee are also available. The clerk is genuine, sweet and most likely been running the cafe for many years. She knows the regulars by name. There is a nearby public restroom, not fancy but clean and you can wash hands. Pay parking is available in the Public Health lot. I walked over from Queens Medical Center, which is across the street. I love finding a hole in the wall.

I was introduced to the 5th Floor Cafe by my buddy, who is a long-time State employee & akamai foodie who knows most of the good places to eat in the Capitol district.It's on the 5th floor of the Dept. of Health building on the corner of Beretania & Punchbowl. This cafeteria probably hasn't changed much since the building first opened, though it's clean & friendly & has a pretty good view.The food here is not fancy, though it's tasty & hearty. I has the roast pork special & it was ono/delicious & plentiful!They're open until 3pm, though lunch is over about 1pm. You can call & pre-order, if you like, especially if you want lunch after 1pm (they'll hold it for you). I hear they'll send you an email with their weekly specials ... I have to sign up next time I eat there, which should be soon! ;)

5th Floor Cafe is located at Kinau Hale Dept. of Health Bldg. on the 5th floor. They had renovations but not sure what was done.Last Friday, I spoke with chef/cook Kahea. He said that he is closed on Mondays because he has to go shopping for groceries prepare for Tuesday to Friday menu. There is only 1 selection per day.Per blind vendor Gail, on Mondays, she buys bentos or Chinese charsiu bun from Char Hung Sut. To be on her email list, you can give her your name and email address. She will email your the menu that Kahea gives her.Gail Sakamoto's email is at [email protected], She posts menu and photos on instagram at 5thflrcafe.My order was pasteles stew that was $9.00. I heard from my co-worker that it looks better that another place at Chris's snack shop.

Omg, why has no one ever Yelp'd this place before?? My guess is it's just a hidden gem that their patrons have been keeping to themselves, hehehe. ;D. I happened to be looking at the website for Abilities Unlimited (a local non-profit) & saw that one of the training grounds for their clients is this cute little "cafe" on the 5th floor of DOH (just outside of downtown, across from Queens Hospital). There was no other info anywhere online, so I just HAD to check this out for myself...& it's open to the public! Just sign in with the guard downstairs & he'll let you up the elevator. Ooh, love the little "secret" location!Now, keep in mind that nothing here could be called "fancy" by any means, but everything's clean, staff is super nice, prices are CHEAP, & most importantly, the food is YUMMY, fresh & clearly made from scratch!! Seems the sandwich & salad selection are always the same, but the soup & entree changes daily. Today's soup was Toscana, so of course I had to try...& it was great!! Creamy, tasty, and very filling, loaded with sausage, potatoes, onions & spinach (I'm used to kale, but the spinach worked just fine)...I could've just had a large soup ($3.75) & been totally full, but I couldn't bear to only try one thing...Unfortunately they were out of fried rice for the day, but this turned out to be a blessing in disguise, bc I tried the Bacon Avocado sandwich instead (on the recommendation of the cashier)...and WOW!! I know, I know, it's just a sandwich--and I'm not even a big fan of sandwiches--but this was an exception. O:-) Smooth & tasty avocado, UBER-CRISPY bacon, & beautiful fresh cucumber, lettuce, sprouts & tomatoes (I don't usually eat sprouts either)...seriously, $5 is a bargain...& I had to stuff myself just to finish half of that, along with half the soup!Overall, the ambiance here is probably 2-3 stars (kind of an old school cafeteria/diner-look)...but that really doesn't matter when the food, staff & prices were a solid 5 stars. Throw in the fact that it's helping people to get back on their feet & learn important job skills...well, I'll definitely be back. Maybe for lunch tomorrow?! ;D

Ono food!! found this amazing hidden gem!! The food here is sooo fresh and flavorful! Such an amazing find I had the fish burger it was soft inside the batter was crunchy just FRESH!! My husband had the meatloaf plate Another winner! FAT meatloaf plate. Also, their Hawaiian food here on Fridays is a can't miss. We'll be aback again, and again.

Stopped by downstairs and saw signs of this eatery on the 5th floor. They had salads and sandwiches already made. Snacks and drinks were plentiful and not pricey for downtown. Time to enjoy my Beet and Goat Cheese salad!

Melissa, formerly of The Sandwich Shop (Waikiki Shopping Plaza on Kalakaua Ave.) is making her awesome soups and trademark fresh made to order sandwiches at the 5th floor cafeteria located in the State of Hawaii Department of Health Building located at 1250 Punchbowl St. On the corner of Punchbowl and Beretania. Across Queen's Hospital on Punchbowl and across the State Capitol on Beretania. Parking is metered. Let the Security Guard in the lobby know you're going to the Cafeteria on the 5th floor. Check out the sweeping downtown view from the 5th floor.Melissa is making sandwiches, soups, salads. Can't beat the soup and sandwich combo. A great deal with sandwiches less than $5, small soup $2.25 and combos around $6.25-$8 (add avocado). Tax included. Ah, but it's the soup that's special. Fresh, clean tasting soup. Straightforward homemade soup made fresh daily. Healthy, delicious, comfort and warmth for your soul.