A-Ma’s Gua-Bao

Authentic Taiwanese pork belly bun. Friendly and fast service. The buns are made to order so you may have to wait 10 min or so. It's located at the Kaka'ako Farmers Market on Saturday on the side with the sugarcane juice and butterfly chrysalis. It's take away only then you can try to find a spot to sit at a communal table. My favorites are the pork belly and the braised tofu. Also try their braised tea egg.

I've been to Taiwan and have had Gua Bao there, this is hands down the best on island, comparable to getting it from the motherland. I love that they have a few varieties and I get at least two each week at the Kakaako Farmers market. I've had Gua Bao at several places in Hawaii and non are able to even come close to perfecting the bun, and including the correct ingredients. Some places put a mystery sweet sauce on it and omit the peanuts, I just don't get it. This is a MUST try each and every time you go to the farmers market.P.S. to the person who left a 3-star review because they didn't put nuts on the side for your wife and child who are allergic, are you kidding me? If they were actually allergic to peanuts, you would not get them anything from a business who has peanuts as a main ingredient. It feels more like you requested peanuts on the side for other reasons and were upset they messed up your order. They now are very explicit about asking, and now I know why.

Breakfast at the Kaka'ako Farmer's Market in Honolulu, Hawaii...Every Saturday between 8am and noon, A-Ma's Gua Bao sets up a tent on the Makai (towards the ocean) side of Ala Moana Boulevard. I was really impressed with the teamwork of the four people under the tent. The polite elder male was taking orders and distributing packages of Gua Bao (pork belly Bao), while holding down the tent with one hand when a major gust of wind passed by. When he went to place more bao in the steamer, the pleasant young male staff called out the numbers of the finished orders. The two quiet, hard-working women also moved gracefully between the different tasks of assembling the gua Bao.I had read Andy's review for the pork belly Bao... I wished I had gotten that. However, the tofu version was tasty, but probably not as decadent as pork belly. I did like the crunchy bits of peanut and tasty hoisin sauce. It was a nice snack that I wouldn't mind getting again! Maybe I'll get the beef shin version - not the minced pork because I don't like spicy food.Even though this is outdoor/stand up dining (especially in the February wind), it wasn't too cold nor too humid. The sun was shining pleasantly - as expected in the Aloha State!Note: go early because the free parking on nearby streets fill up quickly!

When I see a Gua Bao, it reminds me of Rou Jia Mo. They're not the same, but the idea is the same. Meat in bread.I always see A-Ma's Gua Bao at the Kaka'ako Farmers Market, but never tried until now. It's always nice to see more Taiwanese foods offered in Hawaii as there aren't many. This place only offers Gua Bao with 4 choices (pork belly, minced pork, beef shin, and tofu). All $6 each.Gua Bao uses the lotus leaf buns (he ye bao). You actually see this type of bun used at more and more restaurants. Decades ago it was just for Peking Roast Duck or Roast Pork. Now you can put anything in it.On this occasion, I just tried the original, Pork Belly. This was surpassingly very good. Soft bun with tender and tasty pork belly, and a nice sour note from the pickled mustard greens to cut into the rich pork belly. The thing I didn't like was the crushed peanuts. It was very sweet and didn't match with everything. Eating the peanuts alone was delicious, and had that honeyed walnut taste that you find in the Honey Walnut Shrimp. But together? I didn't agree with it. The taste clashed.Overall, the gua bao was good sans peanuts. I'll come back to try the other baos. Hope they expand to more things!

A-Ma's Gua Bao is at the Kakaako farmers market every Saturday! I always love their Gua bao as they are always packed with flavor! Their service is pretty fast! Staff are very friendly! The baos do have peanuts, but you have the option of omitting peanuts if you have a food allergy :)10/10 recommend!

I was walking around the Kakaako Farmers Market on Saturday morning and looking for a delicious and affordable bite to eat. There are not a lot of affordable options anymore, sadly, so I'm so glad we stopped at A-Ma's Gua-Bao. For $6 we got to try a pork belly gua bao, which was amazing. There were tender pieces of pork belly with cilantro, shredded carrots, and crushed peanuts in a soft "manapua bun." So good! After we ordered we waited a few minutes at a nearby table in the shade, and when I went back, my food was ready. Service was nice and quick. And I'm glad I spent $6 to try something new and yummy. Worth every cent! I recommend A-Ma's Gua Bao! Looking forward to trying other flavors next time.

I went to the Kakaako Farmers market and got the Minced pork bao. The employee taking orders was so friendly and warned me that it would be spicy hot and if that was okay and that it contained nuts and if I had any allergies. I said sure I love spicy. They make the bao fresh so it's about a five minute wait. Omg it was so good! Yes it was spicy but offset w the sweet dust of nuts on the top. It also had lettuce, tomato, minced pork, basil, garlic and lemon. Yum! Please visit them and support local business!

I wanted to support my fellow taiwanese peeps so I came here to have a gua bao. This visit was from June 2022 at the farmers market. In case you're not sure what a gua bao is, it's these succulent and fatty pork with lots of sauce in a pocket and topped with cilantro and peanuts traditionally.Well, the wife has severe allergies with nuts so I told the young man over the counter nuts on the side. I am okay with eating nuts myself but the wife and kid cannot have nuts.And it was repeated back to me with my order 3 gua bao with nuts on the side.Well, 20 minutes later I got my order. It was 3 gua bao in a bag with nuts on the side, on top, and basically everywhere.They did not put the nuts in a separate bag nor in a container. Amas gua bao seems to be a family operation with the sons making it and steaming the buns with the dad collecting money. I voiced what happened with my order to the father and unfortunately he apologized in Mandarin but nothing was done with my order. I took a bite of mine and threw away the rest.This is by no means an insult to their product but I am voicing this incident so that they are aware of the seriousness on nut allergies.

The Pork Belly Gua Bao was so good that I scarfed it down before the thought of photos came to mind so now I have to go get it again this Saturday. Will be back to add more details!

Authentic Taiwanese gua boa! Got the pork belly and the minced pork, both very good! The pork belly is a bit greasy (per my husband) but it's what is supposed to be from an authentic stand point. Highly recommended, flavor is on point!