The Most Delicious Desserts in Honolulu

cakeM

★★★★★ 4.5 (90) • $$

"Cake M is located on the 3rd floor of 808 center, near the stairs and I'm so glad I came. I wanted to buy a little sweet for my birthday and I love panna cotta! ***What I ordered **Mango Panna Cotta (9/10) ~ I'm not a fan of the mango texture, but it went really well with the panna cotta. There was a perfect mix of refreshing and creamy taste to it all! I really do wish that they added a little more of the mango syrup/layer with the panna cotta! But it was super good and not too sweet! Overall,I actually bought the last one (so glad I did)! It was really good! Although, it was on the pricey side. Honestly, I wouldn't mind coming back! :)"

Aloha Bites

★★★★★ 4.5 (13)

"Her store is absolutely adorable and decorated in pink (not pictured). I reached out to her on Instagram and finalized my order through email. She was very nice and reasonable, offering great help with creativity! My husband loves cinnamon rolls, and she made that happen. I highly recommend Aloha Bites!"

E&H Cafe Foodie

★★★★★ 5 (4)

"From dim sum (pork hash) to dessert (Japanese style cheesecake, mochi, Oreo cheesecakes), E&H creates delicious delicacies and delivers them with a smile!! This is a Ohana run operation with a lot of talent, heart, and flexibility. Always accommodating and consistently good, they even have special dishes for holidays and have come up with different dishes over time! We have been ordering from them for years and always look forward to having their dishes to share, especially for parties and family get-togethers. Try them out and they'll be your go-to for pot lucks or whenever you need a treat!! Love them and their food!!"

Brug Bakery - Kahala

★★★★☆ 4.4 (134) • $

"LOVE Brug!Faves:* This location does thin sliced bread (whereas the Ala Moana only offers thick)* I've tried the golden, plain, and puffy top breads -- faves are the plain. Golden is good and costs a premium but tastes the same as plain to me? Puffy supposedly has no sugar.* The Hokkaido Haskap Berry Jam - Love that it is tangy. Could be a bit less sweet. Has chunks of fruit inside, and is liquidy (but not in bad way).Lows:* Cranberry cheese bread: Tasted very bitter one time, they did not offer to refund me or replace (nor did I ask)."

Little Ms. Hula’s Bakery

★★★★★ 5 (5)

"I recently learned about Little Ms Hula's when I saw an IG post showing her lovely summer box of macarons. All shapes and sizes and flavors. I ordered a box to take to a friend's shower and they were a hit! (Jennifer was so accommodating and helpful!) Can't wait to have an excuse to order more."

Uncle's Handmade Ice Cream

★★★★★ 4.9 (43) • $

"When it comes to ice cream sandwiches, nothing beats Uncle's!They're sold all over the island and their website has a useful map to show you which stores carry them. There are many unique flavors but 'It's A Party!' is my favorite! They've literally mastered the art of ice cream sandwiches: perfect cookie texture and smooth ice cream consistency. These sandwiches are also massive - perfect for sharing! I heard they also have mini ice cream sandwiches at Whole Foods. #supportlocal"

Lady M

★★★★★ 4.9 (16)

"Beautiful cafe with amazing cakes and delicious tea. The crepe cakes were perfect and not too sweet. Such a lovely experience. Service was exceptional. The Royce chocolates are the perfect gifts for loved ones! Small parking lot on the side."

Dis N Dat Kart

★★★★★ 4.5 (20) • $$

"This is such a nice little food and beverage cart right outside of the Pensacola Kaiser location. Sometimes you just need a little snack before an appointment or while waiting for a friend, so it's a perfect place to grab a bite. The owner is so nice, too!My personal favorite are the blueberry muffins. I know my doctor would probably give me scoldings for eating them, but blueberries are fruit...right? They have really yummy sugar crystals on the top and she will even warm yours up for you, if you want. The muffins are just under $2, including tax, which is very reasonable compared to the area coffee shops. Although I've never tried the beverages there, it looks like they have a good selection and reasonable prices for those, too. When I've seen other people order them, they do look pretty good. They also have tons of other snack: everything from pre-packaged granola bars to bagels. Like the name of the cart implies, it's a little bit of this and a little bit of that!"

Cafe Kopi

★★★★☆ 4.4 (275) • $$

"I follow a local artist named @candicedoodles on IG and I saw that she started selling some of her merch at Cafe Kopi. I live near Kailua, so I was surprised to find out that Cafe Kopi is Singaporean owned and has been in Kailua for a number of years. How did I not know about this place??! I kind of jokingly pride myself in being 1/4 Singaporean Chinese. I seek out Singaporean things mostly because I miss traveling to Singapore twice a year with my grandparents. Singapore is nostalgic for me. I decided to come in asap to get a coffee and do some work. It's a nice little coffee shop with about 8 tables and a splattering of chairs. They offer cute pastries and coffee and tea. They also sell artwork from artists like Candicedoodles. I ordered the Teh Tarik with condensed milk. It had a strong tea flavor and I love condense milk, so it was perfect. I was thinking about getting kaya toast, but I didn't see it offered anywhere by the register (like on a menu)...oh well, next time!I will definitely need to come back on a Friday, Sat or Sunday to get Laksa. And I am thinking about making this my go to coffee shop in Kailua."

808 Urban Bowls

★★★★★ 4.9 (18)

"Amazing Acai bowls. The cookie dough is a must. However, I really miss the Pitaya bowls. Also, found out that they have hemp seeds in the granola. Just need to stay away from the granola if you are in the military since its prohibited. Hopefully they change it up and remove the hemp seeds."

Slice By HB Baking

★★★★★ 4.6 (94)

"Cute little place in Kilohana Square in Kapahulu that you wouldn't know was there unless you happened upon it. The same location as Threadfin, so could be a dinner and dessert follow up or dessert before dinner kind of thing . Quite a few options for ice cream cake by the slice, ice cream cupcakes, shave ice, and ice cream. Wanted to try a slice of cake, but decided on Coffee & Bailey's ice cream. Came with two scoops ($5)...love liquor ice cream that you can actually taste the liquor. One bite and yup, there it was.There is a small seating space along the window to dine in. But, this place might be more like takeout or at least sit in your car to eat. There was a big group of 8-10 people when we went, so it was very crowded inside, making it a challenge to look at the case and navigate to get in and out. Still it's a good place for dessert, as they're open until 8 or 9.Will be back to get me some cake!"

Double Three

★★★★☆ 4.4 (177) • $$

"So before I start, quick overview of how I rate places. -3 Stars = It's good, glad I came but I probably wouldn't come back nor would I crave it or recommend it - 4 Stars = it's good and if I'm in the area, I will definitely come back. But I wouldn't go out of my way for it and I would recommend to someone if they are already in the area.- 5 stars = really good and I would probably drive over 30min just to get some more. Highly recommend other people try.Dessert is always tough cause it's hard to ruin plus you usually try it after you ate and are already full. This was the case here. And I was with a good friend so I was already in a good mood. Seating is a small area. Maybe seats like 10 people. And service was quick (it wasn't busy). Ice cream was good. Not sure I would specially come out here for it nor would I swing by if I was in the area, but recommend people try it if they have a sweet tooth."

Edible

★★★★☆ 4.1 (249) • $$

"The best cookies ever! Warm mini chewy chocolate chip. Must stop whenever we're in town"

Wing Shave Ice & Ice Cream

★★★★☆ 4.1 (489) • $$

"I love black sesame ice cream, milkshakes, cake, almost anything with that flavor. I finally scored some from Wing Shave ice & Ice Cream and it was so delicious. Service is always great there and I dig the music and the drum set and posters. The black sesame was so good that I never got a photo. My partner got the Cookie Monster and it was also top notch. I had the rose the week before and it was the essence of a rose and so creamy."

These Stuffed Cookies

★★★★☆ 3.6 (41)

"Attended a What the Truck event at the Waikele Center and I alway wanted to try the stuffed cookies from These Stuffed Cookies and was glad that they were the one of the vendors there that night. I arrived to the event late so there weren't much choices to choose from but lucky think they did have my go to cookie flavor in any cookie still available, the white chocolate chip macadamia nut ones. I love how the cookies are soft batch and when you bite into them, it's like your biting into cookie batter which I love! I also got to try a bunch of their other flavors that the had left like the Brownie and PB Cup, Ultimate Peanut Butter and stuffed mochi. I'm not a huge peanut butter fan, but the Brownie and PB Cup cookie was so good, I need to get more when I do attend the next What the Truck event. Also these cookies are huge so half a cookie is good for me."

Palaman Purveyors

★★★★★ 5 (2)

"Palaman Purveyors is changing the game! I have tried a lot of their products, and my favorite is the Ube Halaya. I put their Ube Halaya on bread, fruits, ice cream, etc! The food Palaman Purveyors makes is always fresh and tasty. I've gone to several pop ups in different areas, and they always provide a great experience for their consumers. Put your order in and/or catch them at their next pop up!"

Waiola Shave Ice

★★★★☆ 4 (935) • $$

"The best in the neighborhood since we were kids. My friends that went to Punahou used to run cross country and Waiola Shave Ice would be the reward after a long run. Now I find myself in the area, looking at the line at Shimazu next to Rainbow Drive-in and driving past and headign to Waiola Shave Ice instead. It's a hidden gem at this point. Off the beaten path. For a few years Obama made it quite popular again with it being his Shave Ice of choice. Their shave ice is very finely cut and it has all the bells and whistles as well such as ice cream, condensed milk, azuki bean etc. There is plenty of parking and its off the main road, so it feels relaxing if you have to park on the street. The prices are still good, didn't go up too much. Overall a good choice for Shave Ice just outside of Waikiki without the crowd."

Olili

★★★★★ 4.7 (320)

"A friend and I were going for happy hour and for a new place to try, I chose Olili. We love trying new places in Waikiki within walking distance and Olili was pretty perfect because it's just a couple blocks from our condos and that night we were venturing out during a storm.We arrived dripping wet and our waitress let us sit in a nice booth by the window where we could watch the storm go by and roomy enough so we could hang our wet stuff without bothering anyone. The table was big and the bench seats were quite comfy.We lingered for a couple hours, had a couple drinks, and enjoyed a couple dishes each. During that time, we received tons of service and in addition to our main server and runner, 2 additional staff came by to greet us and offer to help. Afterwards, outside the shop, we ran into one server and he said hi to us.My friend had the liliko martini, duck croquette, and bone marrow. She loved the drink, thought the croquette had too much potato and not enough duck, and she loved the bone marrow dish. I had a draft beer, kanpachi crudo, and bowl of mushroom soup. The beer was nice and cold and served in an interestingly shaped glass, the crudo was beautiful and delicious, but there was not very much actual food. The soup with baguette was a good serving size, tasty and well prepared. The chunks of breadfruit and mushrooms added extra texture. I would've liked at least a few slices of a higher-end mushroom like shitake or oyster to make the dish feel more luxurious, rather than just the standard grocery store variety white and cremini.We'll be back. Tip. It's easy to make reservations online and it seems like they don't block-out preferred time slots."

Mana Sandwiches

★★★★☆ 4.1 (160) • $

"At first I was very skeptical about this place bc of the prices but I'd been traversing between Hi-Tea Cafe and the Steak place on the other side and finally gave in when I saw their 40% sale one evening.I read a bunch of helpful Yeep reviews and couldn't help get taken in by Paul C.'s review about this place. When faced with having to select which flavor sandos I wanted, I couldn't help but buy more than a few! So I started asking questions about the ingredients.What made it even a better prospect is their mayo is not made with toxin-filled petroleum-based American mayo, a definite plus.Also, I avoid anything processed so keep this in mind *Sandos - Which ones did I like? Literally, * ALLLLLLL of them. From the tonkatsu to the portobello mushroom to the egg salad.Drinks - One day a woman was holding a fresh strawberry milk drink. She said I need to try it so I did. YUM!!!Soups - So far, the soups are fantastic. My favorite so far is the clam chowder and the corn chowder. I only wish the container were much larger for the price.Strawberries - Once a year at end of the year, they import fresh strawberries straight from Japan. There are two types, the smaller tart/sweet and the little larger mostly sweet. These strawberries are quite expensive but considering that ppl in Japan will pay $50 for just ONE jumbo asian pear, I guess this strawberry situation is not so bad. When I spent $50, I got a free "Mana Sandwiches" cooler tote. So cool. Thank you!! When the time comes, put your order in before they sell out. They are a definite must try.Discount card - Sign up for an account and get a $5 discount every so often (sorry, at the moment, I don't remember the redemption scale).Friendly staff - They are willing to answer any of your questions and explain what goes into their product. This place is worth a try! Don't forget if you want a better deal, go in the later evenings (maybe 6-7pm or so; you can call to ask what time this will be that evening) when their sandwiches are 40% off.Thank you, Paul C., for your recommendation!!"

Ilocos Best

★★★★★ 4.6 (5)

"Looks way cleaner and spacier, I like that! Food tastes pretty much the same. I like that they always have dinakdakan. They have different snacks added now too. This is a good haunt since Elena's left kalihi."

Not Just Desserts

★★★★☆ 3.9 (79) • $

"My mind has been blown and that is a good thing. I HEART Not Just Desserts!!!(Que DJ, rock band and electric guitar solo )I went to Not Just Desserts today for a lunch meeting and after reading through the quick tips on my Yelp app, I ordered the spinach and artichoke pasta with chicken for $8. It was delicious and the portions were huge! (Que twenty foot high electrified letters and hot half-naked male dancers)I only managed to eat half my plate. Chef Kate walked us through her selection of desserts and I got the haupia bread pudding for $4. I will admit that I am a dessert whore but bread pudding has never been my favorite dish. Served warm and topped with freshly made whipped cream, the haupia bread pudding was freakin' AMAZEBALLS! It had a light texture and each bite was full of sweet coconut flavor. I feel like JLo!!!(Que sparks, fireworks and fan breeze to make hair waaaay sexy)So if you're ready to hit an off the beaten path, hole-in-the-wall cafe that has zero fancy but all the kick you in the pantsy flavor?! Then meet me at Not Just Desserts for a rockstar worthy meal! We're not worthy! We're not worthy! We're not worthy!Yelp 365 Challenge: #90/365 (The Music Video)"

Ice Monster Hawaii

★★★★☆ 4.3 (898) • $$

"Ice Monster Hawaii is a Taiwanese dessert place specializing in iced desserts. The unique thing about this place is that instead of topping finely shaved ice with flavored syrups, a block of ice with fresh fruit infused in it is shaved to create a light texture like cold cotton candy. Fresh Mango Sensation ($17) - This was a light and fluffy mango shaved ice dessert complimented with a mango sorbet, panna cotta and topped off with fresh mango and a mango sauce. Although it was pricey, it was refreshing and didn't taste artificial like the other shave ice places. A slightly smaller version is available for $3 less. Other fruit flavors are available but mango is their most popular one.Overall, I really enjoyed the mango sensation here for it's uniqueness and taste. Other flavors that are available are papaya, strawberry, tapioca, matcha and coffee. Only 1 flavor is available per order, and this dessert really needs to be shared with multiple people, it's not designed for 1 person."

Spero Spera

★★★★★ 4.5 (443) • $$

"I woke up this morning craving a good sandwich. Trolled Yelp for the best sandwich shop on the island. After much searching, I found this hidden Gem. I decided to order the Mixed Avocado $12.42. The sandwich came with a bag of chips that went well with the Sandwich. The sandwich was made with care and thought. Everything was paired perfectly. I mean the shredded carrots and cabbage provided the sweetness to the salted ham and bacon. I also ordered the Bacon Salami $12.42, but this time opted to pair this sandwich with the organic side salad. The salad was complimented with a balsamic vinegar dressing. The sandwich is served on a French roll. The sandwich was served warm seeing the mozzarella needed to be melted. This would be my go to when on a run. The establishment decor provides a warm place to study, read or just to escape the town hustle and bustle. Establishment is rather large place that has two areas to sit and enjoy. Bottom floor can host 14 people and their upstairs can host another 20 people. They have soft jazz music in the background that topped everything off. This place isn't just a sandwich shop, it also serves a rather large selection of caffeine and teas (I'll be back to review). In closing: Whether you're in search for some coffee or a quick bite, I recommend you try Spera Spera if you are in the Honolulu town area. Until next time, eat till your heart is content."

Nisshodo Candy Store

★★★★★ 4.5 (640) • $

"I've known about Nisshodo for a long long time. It's always been in the back of my head to visit but the hours never worked for me. I'm happy to report that I finally got to visit thanks to my friend Li Y. for surprising us!We arrived at the mochi and manju shop on a weekday morning. As one of the only customers, we had the display case to view all to ourselves. Plenty of traditional and fruit-flavored mochi and Manju to choose from. Plus their famous chi chi dango. Service was speedy and informative and we were kindly helped.My friend picked up a Variety Pack for us to share. These were a mixture of mochi with various fillings and chi chi dango. The mochi is fresh and so soft. The flavor of the filling was not too sweet, a nice texture, and tasted exactly like what I'd imagine it to be. The chi chi dango was a soft bite-sized goodie. I enjoyed everything I tried and wish I could've gone when I used to work nearby.For those wanting quality, old-school, affordable mochi and manju Nisshodo Candy Shop has been the go-to spot for decades! It's a timeless place with a variety of Japanese goodies and warm service. They're a bit hard to find as their location is in the back but there's parking out front. Mahalo!"

Bake You A Smile Hawaii

★★★★★ 4.8 (15)

"The best mochi! So soft and tasty! My other 2 favorite items are the kulolo mochi rice and the haupia ice cream with kulolo, cocomacnut brittle and mochi. Oh man *chefs kiss*. My husband also loves the puffies. You really can't go wrong with anything they make!"

Rainbow House Shave Ice

★★★★★ 4.6 (136) • $

"This is my new fav shave ice place in terms of total package- yummy shave ice, not crowded (at least when we went there!), seating, and bowls that aren't spilling over with shave ice (clean and easy to eat!) And the mochi toppings were great. Best of all, they have a kamaaina rate! We will definitely stop here every time we go to the north shore!"

Franny's Hawaiian Frest Fruit Ice Pops

★★★★★ 5 (7)

"These are the best ice pops that I have ever had, hands down. I love how they are handmade here locally in Hawaii and how they use fresh local ingredients to make them. There are so many options to choose from and each one is so delicious. They are super refreshing and have a good price point. Just remember to bring cash as this is one of the few cash only booths at Ohana Hale Marketplace. I love this place because you can enjoy your ice pop while walking around shopping other great local small businesses. Win win!"

Dean & Deluca

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (23)

"Teatime in Kaka'ako, Honolulu, Hawaii...Jackie wanted to meet up with Irene and me. She asked for suggestions as to where we could have a chat. Irene brilliantly found Dean & Deluca - Kaka'ako Kouka Store.Located on the ground level of the Koula condominium building, underneath the Onkee Korean Grill House (Restaurant), this third location of Dean & Deluca has some outdoor seating, but beware of the flies - possibly from the nearby park where residents walk their dogs.Service was inconsistent. One of the servers might have a language barrier. It was challenging for her to explain the restroom (around the corner) code to me. The male server was really cheerful and helpful - and even gave a Loyalty Card to Jackie. Irene and I didn't get a card, but we didn't ask...I got the Kame Cold Brewed Sencha which was unsweetened, not bitter, and very refreshing! I also ordered a Strawberry Almond Tarte - it had a nice crust, smooth filling, and fresh strawberries... yummy!We might return again when we're in the area. It was a relaxing environment with the fresh air and slight breeze!"

These Stuffed Cookies

★★★★☆ 3.8 (6)

"Cute local business. I had a few of the stuffed cookies before, but the last visit I got the variety pack of stuffed brownies! These were amazing! Highly recommended for sharing."

Hana Tea

★★★★☆ 4.2 (212) • $$

"My bestie's suggestion...BesTEA with my bestie as we reunite for Gemini season our outing took us from Kaimuki to here in Pearl City somehow and of course my bestie loves tea as well not sure who loves it more but know that we both agreed to shop here at Hana Tea.What's more shocking is that after all my visits I haven't left a review and it must've been all the sips that calm my hectic days that puts me in a trance as I put all my adulting moments to the side for their yummy crafted drinks.Thrilled to have this Pearl City location as the Kalihi area is closed which is a bit farther out than usual for myself but is in a great location right across the street from Wal Mart it does share parking with many other tenants as well but it's free and is just a few steps away from them.Walking in the vibe here is cute and simple with two lines on the left is for walk ins and the right for phone orders along with picking up your orders. I always go fruity and they do it just right as me and my bestie took advantage of the seating they have available to chat and laugh spilling the tea with her here at Hana Tea is the best therapy.Thank you!"

Yoajung

★★★★☆ 4.3 (92)

"I absolutely love Tang Hu Lu. From having it for the first time back when Honolulu Skewer House would offer it complimentary for dessert after dining there. To seeing it trend on Tik Tok and attempting to make it myself. Which was dangerous. I burnt myself, then must have gotten the temperature wrong or something. The sugar I made was too hard and ended up cutting my mouth when I tried to eat it. So much better I just buy it here offered at Yoajung. They come in red or green grapes, strawberry, blueberry, tangerine (my favorite, definitely get that one), and pineapple on the weekends. They are $4-$5 each skewer. They seem to be super popular, possibly from exposure on social media. Their line was long. Good for them!"

Sun Tea Mix

★★★★☆ 4.4 (242) • $$

"First found out about Sun Tea Mix from a Yelp Elite Event. Everything is still as good as it was back at the YEE. Great interior. A bright and minimalist space with comfy chairs and great vibes. Service is fast and friendly. Soufflé pancakes take about 10 minutes to prepare.Strawberry Smoothie with Cheese Foam - Bursting with fresh strawberries. Really good!Mango Charm - Fresh mango, grapefruit, crystal boba and mango milkshake. Delicious!Brown Sugar Boba Soufflé Pancake - Fluffy perfection!Strawberry Soufflé Pancake - So flavorful! Eggy and so much jiggle!A wonderful space to visit or stay and do your work. Free Wi-Fi. Validated parking at 400 Keawe Street. Same parking as H Mart Kaka'ako. Highly recommended"

Tutu's Sweet Shop

★★★★☆ 4.4 (30) • $

"Tucked in the Hukilau Market, this was a fun find with lots of sweet treat options. The team serving us was really friendly. The gal working the register seemed new but after getting some help from a coworker was able to get us taken care of.The soft serve was really good. I had a pineapple vanilla swirl. They can put toppings on the soft serve for $.75. My spouse got some macadamia nuts on hers and loved it."

Matsumoto Shave Ice

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $

"The line was around 30 deep but we got our shaved ice in about 20 minutes.I've tried a few other shaved ice spots on the island and this was my favorite! Choose your 3 favorite flavors and make sure to add condensed milk, ice cream, and mochi. This was the best 5 mochi balls that I've ever had!"

Kamana Indian Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.5 (628) • $$

"Their vegetarian lunch special at $11.99 is a STEAL! Today was my first time at this restaurant and I got the saag paneer lunch special. And it had absolutely everything I wanted and craved and honestly I was stuffed to the gills after all that food. Aside from the main dish there was basmati rice, perfect buttery naan, yellow dal, and a curry with aloo and matar which just all *perfectly* hit the spot. There was something else spicy and sweet that I have no idea what it was but it also mixed in perfectly and just an all-around home run meal -- no, a grand slam!Service was excellent, they were super on it with the rhythm and refilling waters and everything, super duper nice too. The patrons at lunch were all smiles with the kind and attentive servers.It's a small cozy restaurant but oddly enough it never felt cramped, they had the space laid out perfectly in my opinion. Any empty tables (not many at lunchtime!) had upturned glasses atop a paper placemat with silverware set ready for the next customer.Will be back for a meat dish next time, pretty excited for that!"