Karen’s Kitchen
614 Cooke St, Honolulu, HI, 96813
Karen’s Kitchen Menu
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Address :
614 Cooke St
Honolulu, HI, 96813 - Phone (808) 597-8195
- Website https://www.karenskitchenhawaii.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 am - 4:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : No
Good For : Breakfast
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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peter k.
Been going
(2)M T.
I come to Karens at least 3 times a week, and I do have my favorite dishes. There is parking in front and a small parking lot adjacent to the lot. If you think portions are too big then ask for mini, some items they will do a mini and it is a dollar less. If you are like me and can't make a decision, them do a combo for $1.50 more. I love to eat but trying to be wiser in my choices, so I ask for toss salad. They give a lot of veggies. When they give toss salad, they will ask if you want dressing. For me, the Italian is too vinegary so I ask for less dressing. . The other two salad dressings are okay. For the dressing, most of the time it is the italian that they use, but sometimes they have other flavors. The food here reminds me of my moms cooking, especially the hamburger curry and hamburger stew. I love their chicken adobo, meatballs, tofu dishes, etc. For me, this place is where I can get comfort food... fast... sit down, relax and slowly enjoy my food in an airconditioned environment. They do have a website where you can check the daily specials. The ladies here are very nice (a little on the shy side) , just remember they want to keep the line moving so they may not make small talk. One time I forgot to bring money, the cashier treated me (remember I've been coming here for years, at least 3 times aweek). I give the 5 stars based on my years of coming here and enjoying the establishment.
(5)Rebecca C.
Only place that i know serves elementary school kine baked spaghetti. I usually bring home lunch but today i needed to buy. Unfortunately it was a disappointment. Something has changed from my last visit 5 months ago. New cook, new recipe, cutbacks. Who knows? When i first walked in and seen the spaghetti, it just wasn't right. Imagine chef boyardee spaghetti dumped in a pan with cheese on top. That's exactly how it looked and tasted. Too saucy, too tomatoey, bland, frozen meatballs, etc. Lunch fail! I think I'm better off making my own at home. Todays food was not picture worthy. The pic below is from 5 months ago
(1)Keola m.
I've been here for lunch and it was O.K. Breakfast on my mind this time so, I thought why not. Should have not. Haha The service was cordial. Nothing more, just cordial. They also have free self serve water station and the place is clean. Breakfast menu was eh, so-so I love corned beef hash and the patties looked homemade and large. Yup, large but mostly potatoes ... and dry. I also love fried rice. But, I was not impressed. I guess if you working in the area and hungry this place is ok. But, don't go out of your way. In other words ... don't waste your time.
(2)Jennifer Y.
Update: 09/09/2015 Hubby and I returned this afternoon for hamburger steak and an order of their mochiko chicken. The single, medium-sized hamburger steak patty was smothered in brown gravy and had a wondefully natural ground beef flavor as well as a hearty, meaty texture. In other words, they probably don't use much filler in their recipe. For a little over $8, it would've been nice if there was a bit more protein on the plate, but at least the taste and texture made up for the small portion. As for today's order of mochiko chicken........read on! Dear Karen's Kitchen, Why O why do you serve your customers refried mochiko chicken from a previous mistake order? Don't you know that sliced pieces of mochiko chicken become dry and hard like rock after you refry it in an atttempt to avoid waste? Do you realize you risk losing future revenue because the recipient who unfortunately paid over $10 for the inedible take-out food cannot turn around and drive back after they've reached their destination? Are you aware this is how you lose customers? Not only are we thinking about not returning, but we will most definitely caution our friends, acquaintances and anyone interested about your unwise practice of re-serving mistake orders to other customers. 08/20/2015 While this eatery is conveniently located in Kakaako and has three parking stalls fronting the establishment, it's been more than several years since we've patronized Karen's Kitchen. For starters, there's been a growing number of plate lunch places popping up all across town with a more gourmet flare to their offerings. On this visit, we ordered their Ranch Chicken and Tripe Stew mix plate, as well as their Mochiko Chicken. Our plates came with white rice and iceberg lettuce salad with bottled ranch dressing. The rice was cooked perfectly, but the salad and dressing were definitely forgettable. RANCH CHICKEN Ranch? What Ranch? You mean like chuckwagon days when you're out on the range with no seasonings or cooking options except for a cast iron pot over the camp fire? Cuz dis chicken is as bland and dry as a bone! Never again. On a positive note, the Ranch Chicken could be considered one of the more healthier options on the menu since it's not deep fried and you end up eating less because it's not very appetizing. TRIPE STEW Although this tripe stew contains tomato in its base, it was perfect as it's not overly tomatoey and not too tripey-innards-gamey tasting either. There was a fair amount of tripe, however the portion could've been a bit more tripe with a lot less gravy and carrots. MOCHIKO CHICKEN The Mochiko Chicken saved the day! It was tender, moist and flavorful. Not too salty. Not too sweet. Not over cooked. Yay! We would order this again if we were to return.
(3)Casey N.
Great deal if you go for the early bird special (before 1030 am)! The food was nothing special but for 4 bucks you can get rice, eggs and your choice of meat. FYI Cash only!
(3)GLENN F.
Today I ordered Portuguese Sausage and eggs and rice. See photo. It was nothing different, nothing special. It wasn't worth $7.95
(1)Adrienne B.
Karen's Kitchen is yet another spot I would not have found if not for my coworker. That being said, I'm pretty sure that the staff of Karen's Kitchen doesn't give a crap if you find them or not since the staff there truly has the demeanor of the scary lunch ladies of years past when you were in school and simply asking for milk that hadn't expired three years prior. The gruffness of the employees aside, this place is hit or miss with the food. I've eaten here three times and nothing has blown me away, but nothing has been bad enough to keep me from wanting to return. I've had the shoyu chicken, mushroom meatballs and the baked spaghetti. My favorite has been the baked spaghetti, not because it was delicious, but because it reminded me of my grandmother's cooking...mushy spaghetti with some of the wrong cheeses mixed in, comfort food at its best. The prices are reasonable and the portions are big, and you gotta respect a place that truly doesn't seem to give a f' about customer service....gangsta. Since my favorite plate lunch place by work is gone, this is now my go to...so I'll be back... (Cash only)
(3)Lori L.
You come to Karen's Kitchen when you're hungry and want to eat for cheap. The food is heavy and made to fill you up. The Lau Lau I ordered was dry and flat in flavor. The Meatballs tasted store bought and the gravy tasted Iike it was from a mix. Karen's Kitchen is open for breakfast and lunch with regular menu and daily offerings, most items are pre-made so staff can pump out food quickly. Know what you want by the time its your turn to order, service is brisk, eat there or take out, and cash only.
(1)Terry K.
No beef in the beef stew!!!! Where's the beef????it appears their price went up and the quality and value went down No beef specifically after I asked about it since looking at the pot- there was NO BEEF It's my understanding Karen's Kitchen does catering for some school. Maybe she should stick to that because their kitchen cannot keep up with the food orders.... $9.37 for my meal with NO BEEF. Shame on Karens Ktichen
(2)Jerrae R.
Since Karen's is located close to my office I've been here a handful of times, usually when I'm tired of New Queens or if the weather is too hot for ramen (I love ramen). The serving sizes are HUGE, especially the baked spaghetti. By the time I'm taking my lunch break (1ish) the workers look exhausted and ready to go home. With what little energy they do have, they try to crack a smile, nice yes, friendly...meh. The food here is bland. It looks and smells delicious, yet lacks in flavor. You have lots of food to eat with little taste. Be sure to add some salt and pepper or better yet do as I do, for all you spice lovers...add lots of tabasco!
(2)Kristine R.
I've been here for breakfast a few times because it's super cheap. It is $3.99 for the breakfast schedule which includes sausage, 2 eggs, rice and luncheon meat or ham. Not really crazy about that combo meal tho. I've also had their French toast which is OK. Their pancakes are huge! The pancakes are a little bit too thick for me but my kids love them. I prefer my pancakes light and fluffy. The food portions are huge so I always feel like I'm getting my money's worth when I come here. The staff here is great! They also bring you your food at your table when it's ready.
(3)Ric C.
Already lots of reviews so my thoughts in abbreviated form: 1) the $3.99 breakfast special is great! Choice of two eggs, sausage, luncheon meat or ham, two scoops rice. (till 10:30am each morning) 2) school kine oven spaghetti - the best in the state. 3) friendly servers, always a smile! 4) parking in the front and on the mauka side. Yeah, lunchtime can be crazy.
(4)Fran C.
Went back to Karen's Kitchen recently..........didn't feel like the skool kine spaghetti today, so I opted for the Sweet Sour Pork. I was a little bummed, as they ran out of brown rice.........but I must say, they really do serve up a hefty amount of food! My sweet sour pork plate was MASSIVE, but after I had finished my plate, I saw all the oil floating on the bottom of my plate which kinda grossed me out. YUCK! Did I just put that into my body??? Well, too late! Lol! I think I will pass on this dish in the near future........taste is there, and I like the little pineapple slices they have in the dish, but didn't care for it, that it was so oily. Again, this place only takes cash (no credit cards)......and I think there is a ATM machine inside now. Lots of parking in the private parking lot, and if they run out, there is ample street parking. I'll be back again..........but not for the sweet sour pork, I'll probably be back for the spaghetti, or for something else.
(2)Randy L.
Ordered the shoyu chicken looks good but when u get a taste of it nothing, NO TASTE AT ALL.
(1)Jennifer Y.
NEVER thought I'd rate any place on Oahu with one star...but it's happened. The garlic chicken was SO SALTY!!!! The sauce was SO GROSS (pure vinegar...). I couldn't finish it and for the first time ever, dumped an almost full plate of food. I'm hoping that I just ordered the wrong thing...but for now this place is off my list of places to eat.
(1)Nicole C.
I usually come here for cheap breakfast but today was different. I came in around 7:50AM on a Wednesday. I usually get the breakfast special which is about $3.95 before 10:30AM, but today I wanted to try the French toast and link sausage. Much to my surprise, the cashier asked how I wanted my egg. So that was new to me. Then when she rang it up, it was $7.28. Like whoa, what happened to the cheap early bird price of $4.95? I figured they might have raised the prices but that jump was a bit for me. That's what caught me off guard. Besides from the price jumps, the service is usually quick in the morning. There are lots of indoor seating as well. Parking stalls are on the scarce side though. Overall, my visit today was just like any other day except for the non-early bird prices. The quantity to price ratio & parking is what gives this place 2 stars off.
(3)Krysten I.
Apparently I'm the only one on the island who doesn't know about Karen's Kitchen. My coworkers decided on coming here for lunch after a very indecisive conversation about where to eat. Once Karens was mentioned, everyone was suddenly in agreement. As a first timer, I couldn't decide what to get so I opted for a two choice plate with tossed salad and white rice. Karen's serves their food like a Pandas, food is already prepared and you make your selections at the counter. This makes for no wait time! Woohoo! They have weekly specials too, so there is always a different selection. Spaghetti (the baked kind that reminds me of elementary school lunch) seemed to be the favorite.... But I chose squash with chicken and roast chicken instead. Both were excellent and for less than $8, it was a lot of food. Best of all, there is designated parking for Karen's right in front of the restaurant :)
(4)Eric Robert R.
"AUNTY" KAREN'S KITCHEN! I've known "Aunty" Karen for well over a decade! Gosh! I've been saying that about a lot of people & places lately! Maybe I've been around the block one too many times?! Eh, no shame. I live life to the fullest! KAREN'S KITCHEN IN KAKA'AKO: "Aunty" Karen's Kitchen... Y'know one of those places you sometimes forget all about. I mean the food's good, and heck you get a mountain of food, but... Just one of those places that slips on by. I've been coming here "on and off" for awhile. Gosh! Darn! The type of place you can easily put in the back of your mind, unless working or driving through the Kaka'ako area. Small parking lot in front marked "Karen's Kitchen"- only about 3 or 4 stalls, so lunch hour can be tight. Typical Kaka'ako street & meter parking is another option. Inside is your typical local lunch spot... Soda & Hawaiian Sun display on the right side. Hot Table straight ahead with full menu on chalk board. Eating room to the left side. Lot's of area to grub your Kau Kau. No one really lingers here, so tables clear fast too. Eat, digest or to-go environment. KAREN'S KAU KAU: "Aunty" Karen's Kitchen is nothing fancy. Just ONO local plate lunches that give's "BIG BOY" sizes. Y'know the typical 2 BIG scoops rice, Mac Salad (or toss greens w/ dressing), and choke Entrée. "Aunty" Karen's Kitchen has both, a "hot table", which changes daily, and a handful of "made-to-order" entrees. For example: Hot Table: Pork Guisantes, Beef Stew, Teriyaki Chicken, Sweet & Sour Spareribs, Palehu Ribs (my fav), etc., etc. Made to Order: Pork Chops, Hamburgers, Katsu, Loco Moco, Breakfast Specials too. Entrée prices range from about $7 - $9, plus change. Breakfast less $. Cookies, drinks, nibble stuff available. Complimentary water available too. On my last visit, I had the Sweet & Sour Spareribs- so yummy! I went in josesing for the Palehu Ribs *drools*, but it wasn't meant to be as it wasn't served on this day *sad face*, so I "settled" on the S&S Spareribs, but it was ONO and I was pretty content walking out the door. My cousin had the Puerto Rican Pasteles Stew. Not so sure if it was the right choice for her, but they did give plenty! SHARING IS CARING: Nothing fancy. Just good 'ol local plate lunches for "BIG BOY & BIG GIRLS". Even if you're manini or average size, you could probably eat a full plate if hungry or share it with another manini. Not the worse dilemma in the world! Definitely worth a visit. Wave at "Aunty" Karen if you see her! She's the stern Asian lady with wire-rim eyeglasses, y'know that librarian "no-smile" look, but trust, she's a sweetheart. Enjoy your Kau Kau! K, BYE! YELP REVIEW #167
(4)Judy C.
The reason why I chose Karen's for Breakfast! (after an appointment at Kaiser Permanente) The free parking since I ran out of coins to feed the meter and the 3.99 breakfast special!! but for some strange reason, my hub wanted to get the corn beef hash plate, so as a good wifey would do, go along with the hubby's choice. I didn't want to eat too much for breakfast and since it was around 9-ish, I just wanted to go light. so I shared the plate w/him. got the corned beef hash w/fried rice and scrambled eggs. Waste of $$, as the hash was burnt, the fried rice didn't taste like fried rice, For 6.95, you get 1 corned beef hash, 2 scoops fried rice, and scrambled eggs. ( not worth it.. should have stuck to getting the breakfast special) & food didn't even taste good. & my hubby didn't even finish his food. I've been to Karen's many years ago & I remember we enjoyed the food! Sorry Karen's K.!! as the saying goes... Waste money!!
(1)Donna P.
Had Valentine's day breakfast with my husband and my son...omg!! Cashier came to each table and gave each a long stem red rose and delicious cupcake. Very friendly staff. Felt very special....love that.
(4)Stacie M.
Very disappointed.... I've catered through them before and it was ok...but my order that I picked up today was the WORST!!! I ordered 95 mochiko ahi plates for my entire company and majority of the plates were raw.... I've tried called the restaurant but got no answer.... I'm never going to cater through them again and have to say I would not recommend them to anyone... This is not safe and I will let the appropriate peoples know...
(1)Alisa K.
I come during breakfast because the food that they have in the heaters are half price of their lunch menu prices. One plate is around $3.95! That's SUPER CHEAP and they give choke food!
(5)Chane L.
At work, my co-workers used to order from Karen's and they said it wasn't really good. But recently one of them gave Karen's another chance and raved about the food and how it improved so much. So we all ordered from there and one of my co-workers went to pick it up. I have never been to Karen's but I've passed by the location so it was my first time ordering lunch there and I got the baked spaghetti. It came with 2 scoops of rice and a scoop of mac salad. It was the best baked spaghetti I've ever had for only $6.95! The amount of food was enough for 2 people. I was only able to eat half of my plate and saved the rest for dinner. My co-workers ordered the combo plate of baked spaghetti and beef tips, stuffed chicken plate, and shoyu pork plate. They all looked really good and tasty. I am definitely recommending this place for lunch again so I can try something else.
(5)Alison E.
Having the breakfast special! 2 eggs, white rice, choice of ham, luncheon meat or link sausage for $3.95 from 5 am to 10:30am!
(5)Kenji H.
Breakfast was disappointing, fried rice sucked don't get it. The bacon was burnt, and it cost $11.00.
(1)Nicole C.
I got the baked spaghetti and it was flavorless. Lots of places to sit, pretty nice size inside. The prices are cheap but the staff wasn't too friendly.
(2)Mike A.
Awesome service, I'm a regular in the morning so they know exactly what I want as soon as I come in. The food portions are huge!!! They started offering an additional item to your plate for $1.50...awesome!!! Now can get mixed plate!! I work upstairs so I definitely will be back!
(5)Fred W.
Just had the garlic chicken plate. Chicken was dry, bland and just junk. Mac salad was good.
(2)Heidi K.
Yelp's 3 stars says A-OK but I wouldn't say the breakfast was ok. 2 stars says "Meh. I've experienced better. It's not 1 star, because it's not the most revolting thing I've ever had, so I would say 1 1/2, but I'll go with 2. The best way I can describe my "home-made" corn beef hash, eggs, and rice is "It was edible." My husband thinks it's hilarious. The corned beef hash is not really home-made. It looks like it was pulled from a can, shaped into an oval and fried on a grill. Everything was very bland and tasted the same... even with salt and soy sauce. I NEVER salt things when I go out, I don't cook with table salt at home, so it has to be major for me to salt something. I ate a quarter of my plate and was done... I couldn't stomach another bite. They should charge less and give smaller portions, especially because I can't think of anyone that wants to pay 7.50 for a big ole plate of "edible" food.
(2)Gspot H.
Really like this spot. Local Good Grinds. Reminds me of "You Hungry" {da restaurant back on Atkinson} [but bigger more seats and better parking options]. Breakfast is served all day baby. Maybe Brown rice option would be good.
(4)Lai T.
Several weeks ago, my co-worker and I had a semi-late lunch. By the time it came to picking a spot and ordering lunch-I was game for anything. We walked into Karen's Kitchen and immediately I was at a loss on what to order. There was a fairly simple menu consisting of entrees such as loco moco, roast pork, spaghetti, ect. We ended up getting a mini hamburger steak curry and a mini fried chicken. Both plates came with a scoop of rice and either Mac or tossed salad. We paid about $13 for both plates. While the portions were just right-I felt that the curry hamburger steak was a little bland. The fried chicken was pretty good though! I skipped the Mac salad and opted for the tossed salad. Most of the entrees are behind the counter and ready to be served so if you're in a rush to pick up lunch-this is a good spot. I thought it was humorous how they had a sign posted on the door about no animals allowed, except service animals...with papers! Which makes me curious-how many people have tried to come in with their dogs? :p
(3)Bryan W.
Their loco moco was huge! I thought I was ordering Kalua pig hash and eggs with fried rice but was surprised to have it brought to the table covered with gravy. I decided I had to eat it since my friend had a loco moco. It was ono. I guess better to have a large breakfast than a large dinner.
(4)Melissa S.
My daughter ordered the spaghetti for lunch, it was disgusting. It tasting like canned tomato soup poured over noodles, a little bit of ground beef thrown in, cheese sprinkled on top and baked. I ordered the loco moco and was giver a RAW patty. It was refired and I was given the same plate, with the same rice and gravy that had been touching raw meat. Needless to say I went hungry. The mac salad had way too much mayo in it and the green salad tested like vinegar. I wouldn't recommend this place to my worst enemy.
(1)Mike R.
Great service. The food is local style with fair prices! Can't complain about the food I ate. Breakfast: two large scoops of fried rice, scrambled eggs and a large whole 4" -5" piece of Portuguese sausage. Excellent! Lunch: Garlic chicken was extremely tasty. This is fried chicken with special garlic sauce the you can dip or pour over your chicken. This come with 2 scoops of rice and salad or Mac salad. I opted for the regular salad because you know got to watch the figure. Anyway this was a very good plated, almost enough to share for 2, and its under $8. Killer deal Enjoy!
(5)Moshe H.
Dirty , oily , salty . Would never go back . I mean I'm sure they have they type of costumer that would love this joint But not me . Prices are ok 9 $ for a large plate of garlic chicken, ( oily and salty as hell even without the garlic sauce ) 1.75 for water , It's like middle of the day lunch break spot , but its just not for me .
(2)Kevin Y.
I had the loco moco and we got the 1 dollar off before 1030 special which was good but the hamburger patty wasn't good at all...sorry
(3)D W.
Loco moco: hamburger was thick and moist. Gravy was a good consistency but not too flavorful. Onions were large and not cooked enough. Egg was not over easy. Garlic chicken: large chicken cutlet-style pieces. Dipping sauce was sweet. Mac salad was good: not too much mayo, macaroni cooked perfectly.
(2)Val D.
Someone in Karen's Kitchen must be reading this because their tripe stew doesn't smell gamey anymore, and it was oh so good! Again, even if it's just one order, I can save half for dinner. I don't know how I huffed that tripe stew with laulau on my previous visit,but the craving just took me over! Talk about raising your cholesterol with such a huge bowl of tripe! At least I ordered the salad with no dressing instead of the mac, or I'd be in for a heart attack! But I'm definitely going back!
(4)R C.
Wow- just like mom used to make Great breakfast specials- for $3.98 you get fried rice, ham or link sausage, two eggs cooked to order. They have quite a few tables so eating there is usually not a problem. You puts in your order, and they bring it to your tables unless it's a take out order. Their lunch offerings are really good, I especially like their baked spaghetti, just like small kid time at home or at school. They really got this simple dish recipe down pat. Karen's is a winner!
(4)R. C.
Big breakfast plates
(4)Trish P.
i've been coming to Karen's kitchen on and off for years now, and things are still as good as ever. one early morning, i feel like some breakfast, so i found my way to KK's again. the breakfasts have changed a little since my last visit, but they are still GOOD! I had: Karen's home made house special. this breakfast is an entire Portuguese sausage (its HOME-MADE PORTUGUESE SAUSAGE!), 2 eggs cooked any style, and 2 scoops fried rice or white rice. my breakfast-mate had the ham steak breakfast. this comes with 3 bone in ham steaks, 2 eggs any style, and 2 scoops of fried rice or white rice. All the breakfast items are a dollar cheaper before 1030am ("early bird" prices). Breakfast is served all day, but for a dollar more after 1030. they also have LOTS of lunch choices (i spotted ribs, chicken, etc.) and they have spam musubis BUT... theirs have 2 (TWO!) pieces of spam sandwiching the rice! don't forget your cash tho - they are CASH ONLY!
(5)Al M.
Bomb.com ! Need I say more? Everything is good! Must try if you're in the kakaako area.
(5)Nathan W.
I just had one of the best breakfasts. Do you like loco moco? Do you like kalua pork? Do you like homemade hash? Combine them all in one with kalua hash loco moco! AMAZING! The kalua pork was Smokey and juicy and the homemade hash was delicious! So glad that I tried it. Hope you will too.
(5)Ka'ili H.
Breakfast fix: Karen's Huge loco moco fix: Karen's Yummalicous Spaghetti: Karen's Whenever we're in need for some serious breakfast time, but not really in the mood to shell out a bunch of bills to do so AND be in the presence of local regulars, Karen's is THE place to go. On a recent visit to our regular breakfast eatery we got there for the early bird specials (arrive before 10:30 and breakfast is even cheaper). I got the sweet bread french toast with sausage and my best friend got the humangous loco moco. I loved my french toast! It was simple and to the point. And that morning, that's all that mattered to me. I'm pleased by good taste & quality. Comes with two syrups and a container of butter and two sausages. Just right for me. The Loco Moco patty had the texture of a meatloaf than a meat patty, yet still pretty tasty. Gravy was smothered ALL over that dish (it's definitely a once in awhile meal, if you know what I mean). The best subbed the regular rice for fried rice, and their fried rice is flavorful. It has a bit of a kick to it which I liked and it made it unique for me. What I like most about this place is that it reminds me of places my Grandparents would take me when I was small, everyone is nice and there's always a community newspaper nearby. They also have self serve water, which is nice =o) What I miss most about this place is the chicken apple sausage =o( Love you Karen's! We shall see you again soon!
(4)Cami O.
first time at Karen's and I love it! got their Kalua Cabbage plate to go and they give more than enough of the main entree, unlike some places that give unproportionate servings of (more) sides and (less) main entree. I'll make sure to place a phone order next time so I can finish my food! :b
(5)lily d.
Skip the corned beef. It was hard and tasteless. The fried rice was also hard and tasteless. Maybe I'll give it another try but for lunch one day...
(2)Shanisse I.
I think Karen's Kitchen is a good place to eat if your around kaka'ako area. I haven't been here for breakfast due to the fact that I'm too busy focusing on the inside of my eyelids but when I go there for lunch, their breakfast menu looks good. I believe they serve it all day but if you go early in the morning you get a discount I think. Anywho, They have several plate lunches that vary from $4-$8 a plate. Their plates vary from baked spaghetti, pork adobo, fish, etc. Personally, I like to eat their baked spaghetti. And its awesome because their servings are huge!! it comes with two scoops of rice, salad and then the entree. Honestly, I think you just need to go down there to try their foods. Every time I go to Karen's, they rotate their menu so there's usually something different there.
(4)Ryan K.
What happened to mixed plates? I arrived during peak hour and looked around. Not too many people, Hmm. I went to the counter and spotted 2 things I wanted. I asked for the items and was told "no more mixed plates" Huh? What kinda lunch house doesn't have mixed plates. I ordered the 2 items and it totaled 15.00. I don't think I'll be back here anytime soon. There are many more reasonable and delicious places across the street.
(2)Daniel K.
"Wow, 12 oz hamburger patty on the loco moco" . . . so what?! Reviewers seems to equate volume with quality. "Food is falling off the plate - 5-stars!!" If I poured cans of chili over a heaping mound of rice, these same people would be saying, "awesome, so much food, this is a 5-star find." Well it's not. In fact, this overrated plate lunch dive is like many other places where the food is average at best, but the volume more than satisfies the quality shortfall. I was wondering why my order was ready in a few minutes. The hamburger is a pre-made patty that is dense and more like a bad meatloaf. At least the eggs were made to order. Services is less than friendly. They look like fast food chain workers who go through the motion. No smiling or small talk. Just order and move down the line. It wasn't even that busy when I went after the lunch rush. They serve all day breakfast, so that may be the only reason to return. I happen to like breakfast food for lunch.
(2)Dean H.
2 full breakfasts for 11 buckeroos? How can you beat that? 1. 2 eggs, rice, homemade port. sausage, coffee, and 2 pieces of toast 2. 2 eggs, luncheon meat, rice, and coffee Come on now, you cannot beat that with a stick, right? The port. sausage was a special and was the right blend of spicy and crunchy. Ummmmm good indeed! The only thing holding me back from the last star was that they ran out of fried rice...awwww.... GO get um!
(4)Norm D.
So during my lunch break, I was on a mission to find a place that I've been reading about on Yelp. So with an umbrella in hand (yes it was gloomy and slightly drizzling that day) I decided to take a walk out of Downtown Honolulu. After a few blocks of walking, I realized that the place that I was looking for wasn't close by at all and it was probably close to Ward Center / Ala Moana area. Screw that!! This lunchtime adventure had to either be postponed or I had to take my car. So instead, I stopped to grab a bite to eat at Karen's Kitchen. I've eaten at this establishment before and left full; but never overwhelmed with a great and flavorful experience. However, at that point I was hungry and already walked a few blocks out of Downtown; so I decided to give this place another try. As I scanned the counter at the food options, they didn't have too many options nor did anything look really appealing to my eyes. However, they did have BBQ ribs that day so it wasn't a total disappointment. MMMM... ribs. I also ordered brown rice instead of white; but they charged me extra for that (not sure of the exact cost). So in total I paid $10.26 for a heap of ribs, brown rice, macaroni salad, and a can of Diet Coke (hey.. I try to find possible ways to cut my calorie intake so I can enjoy more food). Overall, the food experience was alright for $10. I had better ribs elsewhere and I'm sorry to say that the ribs at Costco could rival them. BUT, I do commend them on their portion size. It was pretty big and I was stuffed. I'm sure on different days they have different food options; however, I don't think I'll be taking regular walks out this way to find out.
(3)Sis K.
Picked up lunch for the gang at work......What a pleasant surprise, I didn't know they had entertainment going on in the middle of the week (Wednesday) the couple that was entertaining the lunch crowd, was a wonderful change in pace for me after running all over town doing errands for the office. It felt like I was at a mini luau party. The Pulehu Ribs, Chicken Long Rice, Shoyu Turkey Tail and Beef Stew plates all were made and I was ready to take the party back to the office! I would have loved to sit there and enjoy the music. But, duty calls.....had to bring back the lunch to the office or all hells gonna break loose! WE LOVE KAREN's KITCHEN plate lunches, it always calms the tummy beast! :0) Now if you're lucky, you can have a feast too! Just pray you come at the right time, and get parking right in front.
(4)Troy J.
They give a large portion.....and thats about it. Close to restaurant prices for a plate lunch. I can find a better value. I used to work across the street. After, over 1 yr of going there for lunch. I finally decide to have dinner there one evening with friends. We stayed long after (about and hr) to avoid traffic. There was lots of empty space inside the restaurant and parking outside. So we weren't bothering anyone. Then one employee starts complaining we are staying to long....I said but you don't close until 7pm. And there is nobody else here, what is the problem? The employee then gets Karen (the owner) to come out. Basically she asked us to leave. I said: "I come here for lunch everyday, now I decide to give you business for dinner. You want me to just eat and leave? How rude......." She said:"I need the room for dinner." Like I said, there was nobody else there. I would have kindly left in just a few more minutes or if the restaurant started filling up. Sorry Karen's Kitchen. If you didn't want people to stay and eat....then don't make a dining area. Plus there are lots of other great places to eat in Kakaako area. Next time I'll show up with my friends who ride Harleys and wear leather jackets.....and see if you are as rude to them as you were to me.
(1)Michael M.
Came in for breakfast at around 9:40, ordered the Chorizo special. The fried rice was room temperature and dried out. Scramble egg was perfect. The chorizo was overlooked, plain, and poor quality. They should take it off the menu. That is how bad this chorizo was. I might as well have been eating beef jerkie.
(2)Kelly M.
Good honest food at decent prices. I had a huge loco moco, the hamburger was tender and flavorful, not the dense packed burger some places have. The pancakes were huuuge. Cokes are a bit pricey - at $2 for a 20 oz. $1.10 for a can. As mentioned elsewhere, go before 10:30 AM for the early bird prices ($1 less).
(3)Olivia D.
I was telling my dad about the great pancakes they have at The Griddle Cafe in West Hollywood and he replied that the best pancakes were at Karen's Kitchen in Kakaako. He goes there every week with his work buddies so I decided to join him. The pancakes at Karen's only come in one flavor--plain--and are huge, thick discs of perfectly cooked yumminess. Usually, when pancakes are that thick, the inside is raw batter or the outside is too brown, but these were perfectly done all the way through--crisp and golden on the outside and fluffy. It's a good thing my dad only ordered me one because I also got their breakfast special plate--a homemade Portuguese sausage with rice (I chose white and fried), eggs, toast and coffee for only $6.95 The Portuguese sausage was scored and deep fried so the outside was crisp. It was a little hard to cut through the hard casing, but the flavor more than made up for that. It was possibly the tastiest Portuguese sausage I'd ever had. It was pretty lean, too, for sausage. My dad said they sell the sausage by itself, but it costs about as much as the breakfast special, so you might as well get the whole plate. I read through the other (not-so-good) reviews and my recommendation is to come to Karen's for breakfast. As I left, they were setting up for lunch and the selections didn't look as tempting. My dad raves about the baked spaghetti for lunch, but I have to pass on anything that reminds me of elementary school cafeteria lunch slop. I'm sure it's delicious, but it looked so oily and un-nutritious. My dad also recommends the beef stew, but he says you should get there early to get the day-old stew, which has more flavor. I had the chopped steak there for lunch one day with rice and mac salad and that was good. Breakfast was cheap: my pancake, special plate, and my dad's hamburger stew (bleh--another cafeteria lunch item! This was oddly sweet and too oily) came out to $15. I think they serve breakfast all day, but if you want it after 10:30 am, the items are an extra dollar. I was so used to eating at places like Griddle Cafe, Eggs and Things, and the Original Pancake House, where they charge you $9 and up a plate and coffee is extra, plus you have to stand in line to get in. Never again!
(4)Dev C.
This is my first time. I didn't know what to grab so I just went for the BBQ chicken (western). I'm not gonna lie, it looked risky because it didn't look very good on the warming table. I was bracing for the worst... but when it came down to it, the meat was moist and tender and the BBQ sauce was just right. Sweet and smokey. Definitely will be back to try more stuff. Edit: went back everyday for a week. They're consistently kanacks-good. The only thing holding them back from a 5-star is that they take cash only.
(4)Bradley H.
Looks like there's some animosity towards this place, but i've been there twice (both during May 2009) and had what i considered to be some pretty good food. Also, i thought the prices were pretty good (starting at $6 or around there) for the portion size, as someone explained this place to me as the next Masa's massive plate lunch style place. First time i had the roast pork and the garlic chicken w one scoop mac salad and one scoop rice. Portions were huge and i walked out of there with a full stomach and a full wallet too. Second time, i ordered their hawaiian plate special with kalua pig, lau lau, lomi lomi salmon, opihi (where the heck serves opihi anymore?!?!), mac salad and rice. This plate lunch almost took me down, but i managed to rally at the end to finish it off. I've also heard that their spaghetti is good, but i just don't spend my time in hawaii eating spaghetti...no matter how good the recommendation. Happy Eating!
(4)Ian C.
This is such a great local place for breakfast and plate lunches. I had not been here in a few years and recently started coming again after my daughter started attending preschool nearby. Quality has not changed one bit! Still a great breakfast deal to get your day going. Their special is 2 eggs, choice of white rice or fried rice, and choice of link sausage or ham, all for $3.95 if you come before 10:30! They also have other things for breakfast, some plates being so huge, if you eat it for breakfast, you will not be hungry until dinner! Loco Moco is so huge! I could barely finish it and had to groan just getting the effort to stand up from the table. The brown gravy was pretty good and the hamburger steak on top was so huge, tasty, and juicy... Love the veggie omelette with cheese and 2 scoops of white rice. Next thing to try is their kalua pork hash and kalua pork hash loco Moco.... Oh, and the pancakes here are so huge and fluffy... Nothing disappointing here, yet!
(4)Norm G.
I can't believe I'd never been here before. A friend and I walked here for lunch this week. I ordered kalua pork and cabbage, and she ordered the hamburger steak. Both came with the standard 2 scoops rice and choice of tossed salad or mac salad. We both opted for the tossed salad. I was surprised at the amount of kalua pork that came with the dish. It was delicious! I am sure I would have eaten nearly the whole thing, but seeing as how my friend ate about half, I was inspired by her restraint and restrained myself as well. You know how you get to the point where you're just eating because you love to eat, but the reality is your stomach is already satisfied? Well, that's the point at which I stopped eating. If only I had the will power to do that myself, without waiting for a friend to take the lead! Drinks are available for sale in a refrigerated case, and they also have self-serve ice water available in a cooler. Anyhow, this is good, plentiful, local-style comfort food, and for many of us who were raised here, when we're in need of an emotional "pick me up," this type of food does the job!
(4)kesha t.
The food here is OK its not the best thing i have ever ate but the price isnt bad. The loco moco is huge! probably one of the biggest ive seen. The omlettes are pretty yummy as well. The lunch menu isnt bad it changes daily kinda like zippys the baked spaghetti is always something to get if nothing else excites your senses.
(3)Seth H.
This place is good and cheap, the loco moco is huge and the gravy is tasty, comes with big hamburger and tons of rice- but it's the gravy that makes any good loco moco. I've also had their corn beef hash which is also huge, one of the better ones I've tasted that wasn't homemade. Gotta get there early as they only make a finite number of these. I've only had their lunch once and it was pretty good, sort of like cafeteria food but 3x's better and they also give lots.
(4)Jillian P.
Karen's Kitchen . . . They're GREAT. :) I used them for catering for my graduation party and everyone LOVED the food! :) SO ONO! :D Definitely can't go wrong. The size of their pans (small, medium, large) in relation to the price they charge - DEFINITELY WORTH IT! :) If you want to cater some ono Hawaiian food, I definitely recommend them. PS. Karen is REALLY KIND. :)
(5)Richard R.
Wow! 12 oz patty for a loco moco? who does that? Karen's does! crazy, it was huge and it was good, I don't even know why they give you a knife with your order because you don't even need that knife to cut through the monster patty, the patty isn't tough, its soft and only needs a gentle push with your fork to cut through. The gravy was just ok though nothing special if you ask me. The Mac salad was decent, it gives you a good break from all that meat, rice and gravy. I heard from a friend that their Pulehu Ribs, only served on Wednesdays is great. I have to make sure to make it down there one Wed. to try them out. Overall I think I would come back and try other menu Items, the other reviews sound good I want to try more. Good for for a good price, hard to turn down.
(4)Brian H.
Great food with variety of menus. Local style hospitality keeps me coming back.
(5)Mary D.
Large portions, great prices, YUMMY FOOD! I had their breakfast special. Sausage, fried rice, 2 eggs and all you can drink coffee all for $3.95! What a deal!! The fried rice was tasty. I've also tried their loco moco and I call it the 20 lb loco moco! Huge patty with gravy all over. Ono!! The only pitfall is the lack of parking. Other than that this place is a must try!
(4)Aaron B.
So I went back and order the famous portage sausage plate with fried rice. And I gotta say the portagee sausage was good, good balance of fat and meat. The eggs were stanadard and the fried rice was can squeak by as okay. Would I eat here again the answer is no, the food quality is low and the price is high.
(2)Michelle L.
Local Hawaiian and Filipino food, in local portions... meaning pretty big. ;) The only thing is, it can be difficult to find if you don't know where to look.
(4)Melissa K.
Wonderful portugese sausage. The interior comes off as a bit dingy, but it's part of the "experience." If you're hungry, try the portuguese sausage special ... rice, eggs, the best portuguese sausage ever, and coffee too! The people working there are extremely hard-working and courteous. Be nice to them. The portuguese sausage is smoked and yummy. Not too many fat chunks either. The menu is on the wall behind the cash register. Enjoy!
(4)Cheryl S.
This is where i get my breakfast of champions!!! Baked Spaghetti with two scoops of rice (yes, i know that is a lot of carbs but oh well...it's sooo good!) !!! $4.14!!!! This plate is enough for 2 people!!! It reminds me of elementary school lunch and you will totally be happy. They also have other yummy dishes.
(5)Courtney S.
I have been here a few times and the homemade corned beef hash and portugese sausage is really good. I usually go there on Mondays, it isn't too busy or crowded. There is one down fall about this place. When you first open the doors, posted is a no outside food or drink sign. Also, the sign specifically states no pets allowed. I noticed that when I go there on mondays, there is this man that ALWAYS brings his dog. I don't understand. Can he NOT read!? This is a food establishment. Leave your dog in the car or at home! I don't understand how people can be so inconsiderate at times! I like dogs, don't get me wrong. But what if someone that was eating here was allergic to pets?
(3)Forest F.
I used to really like this place. It's really gone down hill the past year and I am not sure why. They recently raised the prices pretty significantly but the quality of food as gone down hill big time. The last 3-4 times I have eaten there I have been really disappointed with the food. Today was the last draw for me. I had their beef stew which shouldn't be hard to get right. It's a staple at Karens. Well the beef tasted really old. I actually could only eat a few pieces of the beef because the rest of the pieces were 90% fat and grissle. The veggies were ok, and the soup base tasted like it was out of a can. The worse part is the mac salad was basically frozen and I could taste that the macaroni noodles weren't cooked. Its a shame, because Karens used to rock.
(2)Christopher C.
Visit: Long time ago. Ate some chicken thingy. Never go here. Terrible. It's so bad that the trauma has made my brain forget the experience and warns me never to come back.
(1)Arlette D.
i love karens kitchen.. but i miss being able to make a mixed plate
(4)Alan K.
Karen's have changed some what over the years. I started going again recently since I work in the area now. The food is not as good as before so it is only 3 stars now. Don't get me wrong, the food is decent but definately not top notch. The adobo is too salty. The corned beef (when they serve it) is some what dry. The tripe stew is too thick. There is something to pick on with every dish, whether it is from the kitchen or the day's special. The problem is compounded by prices that aren't cheap. A mix plate with a drink is $10+. It is a far cry from the plate lunch alternative of yester-year. Yes, I will go again because of proximity but this is no longer a place to drive out of your way to.
(3)Kevin T.
The loco moco is big and onolicious!!! The price is not bad, but the size makes up for it, because my girlfriens and I shared it. When I was there a lot of people were ordering the baked spaghetti which also looked pretty bomb!
(5)D K.
A major flaw in my opinion: cash only. With that said, I'm not too keen on most of the items other than the shoyu chicken which is fantastic, and my personal favorite: the House Special Omelette done "local style." Reminds me of how my grandfather used to make omelette. If you're into ham & eggs, it's nice to find a place that still does the ham steak with the bone marrow, old school!!
(4)Daryle W.
Fresh cooked hamburger steak. Half fried chicken. Mean... I got the last hamburger steak for today.
(5)Shannon C.
Wow, It's been several years since last eating here. It really hasn't changed. The food is always good. Comfort food. I had the baked spaghetti and pork and peas and my husband had the chicken adobo which he enjoyed also. I've heard that the ribs are good so that is what I wanna try next time!
(4)CJ C.
I'm a regular here, but I wanted to yelp about 2 special items. First, the breakfast bento: For $5 you get rice, ume, scrambled eggs and assorted meats--luncheon meat, their yum portuguese sausage and a small corned beef hash. Great "on the run" breakfast -- hearty and tasty. The other great bargain is their $1.50 spam musubi. Not your regular musubi, mind you, but the only musubi I've found that has a slice of spam on the top AND bottom of the rice and wrapped with some nori.
(4)Mark Y.
I only come here for the hamburger steak which is my favorite. Thick and juicy and mac salad with rice. I never tried anything else here. But I will return here on my next trip.
(4)Crystal C.
We make sure to go to Karens on every vacation to Oahu! Best portagese sausage!
(4)Michael S.
I had the Loco Moco and the special that day was Baked chicken. The Loco Moco was huge! the baked chicken was good too. I've heard the breakfast pancakes are really good too. I need to try it one of these days.
(4)Lora H.
Home-style cooking plate lunches! Great food, great people - get a plate to go and enjoy at the beach, home, or you can sit inside of Karen's, it's kind of like being in someone's patio, but indoors. Portions are huge and a plate lunch is generally under $8 bucks. For those of you non-Hawaii people... a plate lunch = a plate with two scoops rice, macaroni salad, and a entree. Karen's offers brown or white rice, you can choose macaroni or tossed green for the more health conscious, and a variety of entrees - everything from hamburger steak w/brown gravy, garlic ahi, baked chicken, garlic chicken, nishime, etc. etc. Their specials change daily. I decided to try the Turkey Jook (turkey rice soup). Everything was fantastic. And then, you have to pick up a bag of their peanut butter cookies - OMG... it's soooooo good.
(4)Phong T.
I came across place on the recommendation of a cab driver. I was out late one night and asked if there were a good plate lunch place and he said that I should got o Karen's Kitchen. The loco moco was huge with rich gravy and runny eggs. I was there with a big group and everyone ordered something different. I was in Hawaii so I wanted to get a loco moco, but when I saw the garlic chicken that my friend had ordered I wish I order that instead. On our last day in Hawaii, I wanted to go back. My friends all wanted to go to a different place, but luckily the other place didn't really have anything we wanted so we all went to Karen's instead. We called in our order.... 5 garlic chicken. That really made my trip and they also gave out free T-shirts that day.
(4)Sasha-sparkle y.
the garlic chicken is awesome! it's fried garlic boneless chicken (3 strips and they're huge!) with a shoyu/vinegar sauce with chopped garlic and onion in it. you dip the chicken in the sauce. soooooo ono! the mochiko chicken was okay, but you gotta try the garlic chicken. i want to try other stuff there, but the garlic chicken is soo good, i'm afraid to. shortbread cookies are winnah too!!!! mmmmmmm............
(5)