Unless you need a drink before, while or after grocery shopping, I would say to skip this Starbucks. I am cautious about grocery store Starbucks locations because my past experience with them has been spotty. And my experience at this Starbucks at a Safeway does nothing to change that notion. The location is convenient as it is on Kapahulu Avenue. This Starbucks is situated on the left hand side of the Safeway. There is no seating next to the Starbucks, but there is some at the front of the store which tends to be full of people downing their Starbucks beverage and/or eating something from the deli. The menu is pretty much like a regular store in regards to coffee and tea drink offerings, though the food selection is a bit more limited. They do sell bags of Kona coffee. Expensive though at almost $24 a bag. The credit card reader is of the Safeway variety, but you can use your Starbucks cards here and will earn Starbucks Rewards stars here. Make sure to select the gift cards button when paying. Also, the free Wi-Fi is provided by Safeway rather than Starbucks. Which is to say it is inferior as it was down and I couldn't use it at all. The tall iced coffee I got from here was just plain bad. Sour coffee and very little liquid. The cup was filled to the top with ice. Disappointing, but I should have expected that. If you need your Starbucks fix, you would be much better off going to the Kapahulu Avenue corporate store that is just a few blocks south. The product, service and ambiance there is superior to what you will get at this location.
(2)
M S.
I went in last week at 5:30am to get coffee to try and wake up to catch my flight. The most helpful and sweetest girl Kanani was working and OMG, if it wasn't for her I would have been a wreck! I was tired, grumpy, and to be honest a little bit attitudey when I first walked in, and Kanani just kept a genuine smile on her face and helped me decide on coffee with the most caffeine and tasted the best. She suggested the veranda blend, which I now buy to make at home. It was Kanani's demeanor, and the coffee, that changed my whole vibe and woke me up. I'm really grateful Kanani didn't react to my behavior when I first walked in, because like I said, I was half asleep and really bitchy lol, and keep in mind, it was super early for her too, I'm sure! Anyways, I don't write many reviews except for times that affect me enough, so I just wanted to give a shoutout to kanani who was really great, especially seeing some of these bad reviews! Oh, I also wanted to buy a box of Belvita, and I asked kanani where they were, and she gave me great directions! As helpful as the other Safeway employees, she didn't just tell me it wasn't her department or to just ask another grocery person.
(5)
Annie K.
Chai latte!
(5)
Erika R.
One star for convenience being inside of Safeway and one star for occasional good service. Minus a bunch of stars for almost always making my iced grande quad breve caramel macchiato too milky!! I think they add too much milk because all the other Starbucks make my drink stronger - much stronger.
(2)
Lorraine Y.
They make my drink just the way I like it. 2% 2 pump green tea frap no whip cream. And I think the workers are a lot more pleasant there now. Thumbs up!
(4)
Saane M.
I have been here several times and just once I was happy with both my product and the service I was given. All the other times, I was either happy with just one of the two or not happy at all. The time that sticks out for me is when I showed up 1 minute before closing and I was shunned away. When I was like "Are you serious?" with an innocent and somewhat disappointed expression, both workers kept on cleaning as if I wasn't standing right infront of them.
(1)
Jonn D.
Rating: 2.5/5 Date visited: Many times. Emiko T. commented on 12/03/2010: yelp.com/us ... "Since Starbucks' are all the same (across the nation, around the globe) I suppose that, what makes one Starbucks superior to another comes down to ultimately the layout of the cafe. Do they have space? Lots of tables? Couches and outlets for all those who "study" at cafes?" *************************************************************************** Drinks: 4/5 Service: 2/5 Atmosphere: 2/5 Price: 3/5 Parking: 3/5 This is also one of the Starbucks that do not accept the Starbucks Card. The one in Barnes & Noble Ala Moana Mall doesn't either. yelp.com/biz/starbucks-h… I would give this location the average 3 star rating for an average Starbucks, but you can not earn a gold star towards a free drink. Drinks: Always a pleasure having a cup of Starbucks coffee in my hands. Service: Depending on the time of day one would visit a Starbucks location, the delivery time from ordering to receiving your order, is either hit or miss. Atmosphere: Small, but you are able to sit down on the couches at the front corner of the store where the restrooms are. Price: Pricey, but worth it. If it was any cheaper, I think the service and atmosphere would definitely go down. Parking: Mini mall parking. Hit or miss. Way better in the mornings.
(2)
Anna F.
I get to sip on a Starbucks drink while I shop for my groceries. This a tiny Starbucks and they usually have 2 people working in it. Because of the limited staff and small space, it takes them longer to make your drink. There was a few times where I had to wait 5 minutes because there was only 1 person working.
(3)
Dionne A.
I'm super picky about my Starbucks & this particular one in Safeway is awesome. The customer service is great & the drinks are all made well. It's clean & displays are really eye-catching. Couldn't give 5 stars b/c: #1 Can't redeem my free rewards there. #2 The policy which has one person on break, leaving one person to deal with a loooooong line & grumpy people.
(4)
Maria Shea A.
Pretty much your run of the mill Starbucks which you would find inside any Safeway. The service is friendly and prompt. I have never waited in line for more than a couple of minutes. Parking is generally better than it is at the Starbucks location right down the road. I would give this location 4 stars however because it is a smaller Starbucks they do not offer the same variety of food items nor do they have a microwave to warm up your pastries.
(3)
Little D.
We come to this Starbucks regularly. It is conveniently located inside of Kapahulu Safeway. After shopping groceries, we get a drink. This is a very small station. Usually pretty smooth line. My partner thinks their drinks tastes better than other Starbucks. YELP 365 - 179/365
(4)
Courtney O.
The worst Starbucks ever? Just Maybe!! Horrible horrible service. The slowest I have ever been to! There is always one or two people working and the longest line. First I felt sorry for the workers but they don't even have a bit of hustle in their step! They don't seem to care a bit that there is a looong line of people waiting. They take their sweet time making each drink!! What is going on!? They also always give me the wrong change! What is that about? The part that really sucks is that one time there was no line and they STILL really slow! Really? Stay away! Consider yourself warned!
Usually this Starbucks is slow and the service isn't the greatest. However if you go early enough the people are happy and friendly plus your coffee comes extremely quickly.
(4)
Henry S.
So Sloooow. This has to be the slowest Starbuck's that I've been to. Every time I come here I have to wait what seems longer that most Sbuck's. So, service could be upped. This last time, however, they made a mistake on the order before me. I thought that it was going to take even longer, but they kept my order on top. Maybe that's why it was the Yummiest Vanilla Creme Frappe I ever had! haha
(2)
Krysten I.
This counter location in Safeway is almost always crowded when I come. Today, making things worse, there was only one employee working. Oh well, at least I can write my review while I wait using my cool app update! Woohoo! Perks of being yelp elite! I will say though, that the guy working was incredibly friendly/cheerful considering the circumstance he was in. He was much more friendly than regular Starbucks baristas. There are a couple reasons why this Starbucks is different than your normal Starbucks. First, it's smack dab in the middle of a Safeway. I guess it makes it convenient for grocery shoppers, but the hours are kinda weird because they mimic safeway's hours of operation. Second, you can't refill your Starbucks cards via mobile app here. Kinda junky... Third, I think I remember something from before about how they don't have seasonal flavors (aka pumpkin spice, best flavor ever) but maybe that was a different Starbucks. Anyways, I come to this location because its conveniently on the way home, and I can get groceries at the same time. They also have some tables to relax at if you get tired of shopping lol. Not to mention, Ono seafood is nearby, so I can get my favorite spicy ahi before i get my green tea latte and eat at one of the tables here. Awesome possum! My drink is ready!!
(3)
Nate A.
First off I would like to say that someone needs to change the website on this yelp because it does say "subway.com". LMFAO This was my first time here and I would have to say that I absolutely love the service here. It was a spectacular first impression. When I was standing in line, sadly, there was only one worker. I was next in line and there happened to be another worker that popped in. She had helped me and her name was Bianca. She was so nice. I ordered a Trenta green tea lemonade with strawberry. Unfortunately, there wasn't any Trenta nor Venti cups so I downgraded to a Grande. I didn't mind at all but Bianca ensured me that they had a shipment of new cups that came in and she offered to go in the back and check, I told her that I was fine with the Grande and I didn't want to be a bother for her. She charged me a Tall instead of a Grande. She's so sweet. Awwww. While eating in the food court (resting tables) I finished my drink and wanted to get a refill. (Also, this was my first time using the benefits of the starbucks gold card) I asked Bianca if I could get a refill on my drink and she said the normally it doesn't work for the lemonades. So, I asked her if I could get the Venti of my previous drink (this time they restocked of their cups) and I could pay normal price for this one. Bianca was so concerning and sincere that she said that it was free. I offered to pay but she said that it was okay. I was in shock that there are people like Bianca in this world. Customer Service like this needs to be praised. Thank you, Bianca for your excellent service.
(5)
Kelly V.
Getting my strawberries and creme fix!
(4)
Sherylynn S.
Aloha! Just ordered me Skinny Caramel Machiatto! Never heard of it before? Well I made this special request here. I have made this request so many times at the other Starbucks and usually they know exactly what I meant and happy to lower the sweetness for me. But this one right here, there's this young lady was absolutely rude. I'm known as a sweetheart and also because being deaf, I am an expert at reading lips. I read her lip and said to other worker that I was being difficult ... You would have think that I am just a dumb deaf person not to hear you say that... So I was really heartbroken to see what just happened right there and decided to speak up from my heart even it was broken... Told her nicely that that was really rude of her and I can read lips. She gulped and I think she realized this is her lesson. I paid for my drink and walk away. I had to speak with the manager at Safeway customer service, she kindly gave me my money back. Thank you Safeway. I'm sorry if this doesn't sound good and I had to speak up for myself as a deaf person. It was not nice to talk craps with the others right in front of me. I would never in the world to try and offend anyone in any way. Never coming back here again except any other Starbucks. Unless you hire friendly and positive people.
(2)
William G.
On my way to work I normally stop by this location in Kapahulu Safeway to grab me a cup of coffee. With my most recent visits I have grown to not like this location. Today, I went in around 2:20pm to grab my coffee. There were 2 people ahead of me so I figured it would be quick.WRONG! There was only one person behind the counter. She was obviously making orders that were placed prior to the 3 of us in line. The reason why I am complaining is because she would make one drink at a time. She placed a drink in the blender and starred at it for the whole duration of it mixing (30 sec). She did this with a total of 4 drinks. Once those drinks were handed out, she took the order of the next guy in line and went to make it. In a nut shell, I left 15 minutes after I arrived!!!! The coffee itself is delish but the service is slow. The cashier/coffee maker didnt even acknowledge me when I approached the cash register . I think this place needs more workers. Please and Thank you
(2)
Ed L.
Can't believe there's plenty of bad reviews for this Starbucks location! Oh well. I can tolerate the long lines and the snide service they can give, but you can't beat the coffee. That's what keeps me coming back! Although I would need to cut back due to the finances, I always think of Starbucks for my coffee needs. I like this location, since its on the way to Waikiki, when you want to spend a day on the beach. Sure, there are Starbucks locations in Waikiki, but it's best to get it before arriving there, so you can enjoy it at the beach and not be bothered with the parking. I rarely come to this location, unless I am in the Kapuhulu area for a reason, mostly on the weekends. Over here, I normally get a frappuchino, although I should probably get a mocciatto or something, The only thing that really bugs me is that I ordered a drink about 1 year ago, told the lady at the register "no whip" and the drink maker put whip on it anyway. Ugh. Well, that sucks.
(3)
Brian K.
Like many others have said: This is the WORST SERVICE out of any Starbucks on the island.. These guys are talking to their co-worker while I'm waiting to order. They then call over the Safeway worker to join the conversation. I almost walked away from the line because it was that bad.
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Good for Working : No
Jon L.
Unless you need a drink before, while or after grocery shopping, I would say to skip this Starbucks. I am cautious about grocery store Starbucks locations because my past experience with them has been spotty. And my experience at this Starbucks at a Safeway does nothing to change that notion. The location is convenient as it is on Kapahulu Avenue. This Starbucks is situated on the left hand side of the Safeway. There is no seating next to the Starbucks, but there is some at the front of the store which tends to be full of people downing their Starbucks beverage and/or eating something from the deli. The menu is pretty much like a regular store in regards to coffee and tea drink offerings, though the food selection is a bit more limited. They do sell bags of Kona coffee. Expensive though at almost $24 a bag. The credit card reader is of the Safeway variety, but you can use your Starbucks cards here and will earn Starbucks Rewards stars here. Make sure to select the gift cards button when paying. Also, the free Wi-Fi is provided by Safeway rather than Starbucks. Which is to say it is inferior as it was down and I couldn't use it at all. The tall iced coffee I got from here was just plain bad. Sour coffee and very little liquid. The cup was filled to the top with ice. Disappointing, but I should have expected that. If you need your Starbucks fix, you would be much better off going to the Kapahulu Avenue corporate store that is just a few blocks south. The product, service and ambiance there is superior to what you will get at this location.
(2)M S.
I went in last week at 5:30am to get coffee to try and wake up to catch my flight. The most helpful and sweetest girl Kanani was working and OMG, if it wasn't for her I would have been a wreck! I was tired, grumpy, and to be honest a little bit attitudey when I first walked in, and Kanani just kept a genuine smile on her face and helped me decide on coffee with the most caffeine and tasted the best. She suggested the veranda blend, which I now buy to make at home. It was Kanani's demeanor, and the coffee, that changed my whole vibe and woke me up. I'm really grateful Kanani didn't react to my behavior when I first walked in, because like I said, I was half asleep and really bitchy lol, and keep in mind, it was super early for her too, I'm sure! Anyways, I don't write many reviews except for times that affect me enough, so I just wanted to give a shoutout to kanani who was really great, especially seeing some of these bad reviews! Oh, I also wanted to buy a box of Belvita, and I asked kanani where they were, and she gave me great directions! As helpful as the other Safeway employees, she didn't just tell me it wasn't her department or to just ask another grocery person.
(5)Annie K.
Chai latte!
(5)Erika R.
One star for convenience being inside of Safeway and one star for occasional good service. Minus a bunch of stars for almost always making my iced grande quad breve caramel macchiato too milky!! I think they add too much milk because all the other Starbucks make my drink stronger - much stronger.
(2)Lorraine Y.
They make my drink just the way I like it. 2% 2 pump green tea frap no whip cream. And I think the workers are a lot more pleasant there now. Thumbs up!
(4)Saane M.
I have been here several times and just once I was happy with both my product and the service I was given. All the other times, I was either happy with just one of the two or not happy at all. The time that sticks out for me is when I showed up 1 minute before closing and I was shunned away. When I was like "Are you serious?" with an innocent and somewhat disappointed expression, both workers kept on cleaning as if I wasn't standing right infront of them.
(1)Jonn D.
Rating: 2.5/5 Date visited: Many times. Emiko T. commented on 12/03/2010: yelp.com/us ... "Since Starbucks' are all the same (across the nation, around the globe) I suppose that, what makes one Starbucks superior to another comes down to ultimately the layout of the cafe. Do they have space? Lots of tables? Couches and outlets for all those who "study" at cafes?" *************************************************************************** Drinks: 4/5 Service: 2/5 Atmosphere: 2/5 Price: 3/5 Parking: 3/5 This is also one of the Starbucks that do not accept the Starbucks Card. The one in Barnes & Noble Ala Moana Mall doesn't either. yelp.com/biz/starbucks-h… I would give this location the average 3 star rating for an average Starbucks, but you can not earn a gold star towards a free drink. Drinks: Always a pleasure having a cup of Starbucks coffee in my hands. Service: Depending on the time of day one would visit a Starbucks location, the delivery time from ordering to receiving your order, is either hit or miss. Atmosphere: Small, but you are able to sit down on the couches at the front corner of the store where the restrooms are. Price: Pricey, but worth it. If it was any cheaper, I think the service and atmosphere would definitely go down. Parking: Mini mall parking. Hit or miss. Way better in the mornings.
(2)Anna F.
I get to sip on a Starbucks drink while I shop for my groceries. This a tiny Starbucks and they usually have 2 people working in it. Because of the limited staff and small space, it takes them longer to make your drink. There was a few times where I had to wait 5 minutes because there was only 1 person working.
(3)Dionne A.
I'm super picky about my Starbucks & this particular one in Safeway is awesome. The customer service is great & the drinks are all made well. It's clean & displays are really eye-catching. Couldn't give 5 stars b/c: #1 Can't redeem my free rewards there. #2 The policy which has one person on break, leaving one person to deal with a loooooong line & grumpy people.
(4)Maria Shea A.
Pretty much your run of the mill Starbucks which you would find inside any Safeway. The service is friendly and prompt. I have never waited in line for more than a couple of minutes. Parking is generally better than it is at the Starbucks location right down the road. I would give this location 4 stars however because it is a smaller Starbucks they do not offer the same variety of food items nor do they have a microwave to warm up your pastries.
(3)Little D.
We come to this Starbucks regularly. It is conveniently located inside of Kapahulu Safeway. After shopping groceries, we get a drink. This is a very small station. Usually pretty smooth line. My partner thinks their drinks tastes better than other Starbucks. YELP 365 - 179/365
(4)Courtney O.
The worst Starbucks ever? Just Maybe!! Horrible horrible service. The slowest I have ever been to! There is always one or two people working and the longest line. First I felt sorry for the workers but they don't even have a bit of hustle in their step! They don't seem to care a bit that there is a looong line of people waiting. They take their sweet time making each drink!! What is going on!? They also always give me the wrong change! What is that about? The part that really sucks is that one time there was no line and they STILL really slow! Really? Stay away! Consider yourself warned!
(1)Jhoren C.
Iced Caramel Macchiatto w/ Soy Stirred - always good! Strawberry Passion Iced Tea Shaken - refreshing! Green Tea Passion Lemonade Shaken - thirst quenching
(4)Brittney W.
Usually this Starbucks is slow and the service isn't the greatest. However if you go early enough the people are happy and friendly plus your coffee comes extremely quickly.
(4)Henry S.
So Sloooow. This has to be the slowest Starbuck's that I've been to. Every time I come here I have to wait what seems longer that most Sbuck's. So, service could be upped. This last time, however, they made a mistake on the order before me. I thought that it was going to take even longer, but they kept my order on top. Maybe that's why it was the Yummiest Vanilla Creme Frappe I ever had! haha
(2)Krysten I.
This counter location in Safeway is almost always crowded when I come. Today, making things worse, there was only one employee working. Oh well, at least I can write my review while I wait using my cool app update! Woohoo! Perks of being yelp elite! I will say though, that the guy working was incredibly friendly/cheerful considering the circumstance he was in. He was much more friendly than regular Starbucks baristas. There are a couple reasons why this Starbucks is different than your normal Starbucks. First, it's smack dab in the middle of a Safeway. I guess it makes it convenient for grocery shoppers, but the hours are kinda weird because they mimic safeway's hours of operation. Second, you can't refill your Starbucks cards via mobile app here. Kinda junky... Third, I think I remember something from before about how they don't have seasonal flavors (aka pumpkin spice, best flavor ever) but maybe that was a different Starbucks. Anyways, I come to this location because its conveniently on the way home, and I can get groceries at the same time. They also have some tables to relax at if you get tired of shopping lol. Not to mention, Ono seafood is nearby, so I can get my favorite spicy ahi before i get my green tea latte and eat at one of the tables here. Awesome possum! My drink is ready!!
(3)Nate A.
First off I would like to say that someone needs to change the website on this yelp because it does say "subway.com". LMFAO This was my first time here and I would have to say that I absolutely love the service here. It was a spectacular first impression. When I was standing in line, sadly, there was only one worker. I was next in line and there happened to be another worker that popped in. She had helped me and her name was Bianca. She was so nice. I ordered a Trenta green tea lemonade with strawberry. Unfortunately, there wasn't any Trenta nor Venti cups so I downgraded to a Grande. I didn't mind at all but Bianca ensured me that they had a shipment of new cups that came in and she offered to go in the back and check, I told her that I was fine with the Grande and I didn't want to be a bother for her. She charged me a Tall instead of a Grande. She's so sweet. Awwww. While eating in the food court (resting tables) I finished my drink and wanted to get a refill. (Also, this was my first time using the benefits of the starbucks gold card) I asked Bianca if I could get a refill on my drink and she said the normally it doesn't work for the lemonades. So, I asked her if I could get the Venti of my previous drink (this time they restocked of their cups) and I could pay normal price for this one. Bianca was so concerning and sincere that she said that it was free. I offered to pay but she said that it was okay. I was in shock that there are people like Bianca in this world. Customer Service like this needs to be praised. Thank you, Bianca for your excellent service.
(5)Kelly V.
Getting my strawberries and creme fix!
(4)Sherylynn S.
Aloha! Just ordered me Skinny Caramel Machiatto! Never heard of it before? Well I made this special request here. I have made this request so many times at the other Starbucks and usually they know exactly what I meant and happy to lower the sweetness for me. But this one right here, there's this young lady was absolutely rude. I'm known as a sweetheart and also because being deaf, I am an expert at reading lips. I read her lip and said to other worker that I was being difficult ... You would have think that I am just a dumb deaf person not to hear you say that... So I was really heartbroken to see what just happened right there and decided to speak up from my heart even it was broken... Told her nicely that that was really rude of her and I can read lips. She gulped and I think she realized this is her lesson. I paid for my drink and walk away. I had to speak with the manager at Safeway customer service, she kindly gave me my money back. Thank you Safeway. I'm sorry if this doesn't sound good and I had to speak up for myself as a deaf person. It was not nice to talk craps with the others right in front of me. I would never in the world to try and offend anyone in any way. Never coming back here again except any other Starbucks. Unless you hire friendly and positive people.
(2)William G.
On my way to work I normally stop by this location in Kapahulu Safeway to grab me a cup of coffee. With my most recent visits I have grown to not like this location. Today, I went in around 2:20pm to grab my coffee. There were 2 people ahead of me so I figured it would be quick.WRONG! There was only one person behind the counter. She was obviously making orders that were placed prior to the 3 of us in line. The reason why I am complaining is because she would make one drink at a time. She placed a drink in the blender and starred at it for the whole duration of it mixing (30 sec). She did this with a total of 4 drinks. Once those drinks were handed out, she took the order of the next guy in line and went to make it. In a nut shell, I left 15 minutes after I arrived!!!! The coffee itself is delish but the service is slow. The cashier/coffee maker didnt even acknowledge me when I approached the cash register . I think this place needs more workers. Please and Thank you
(2)Ed L.
Can't believe there's plenty of bad reviews for this Starbucks location! Oh well. I can tolerate the long lines and the snide service they can give, but you can't beat the coffee. That's what keeps me coming back! Although I would need to cut back due to the finances, I always think of Starbucks for my coffee needs. I like this location, since its on the way to Waikiki, when you want to spend a day on the beach. Sure, there are Starbucks locations in Waikiki, but it's best to get it before arriving there, so you can enjoy it at the beach and not be bothered with the parking. I rarely come to this location, unless I am in the Kapuhulu area for a reason, mostly on the weekends. Over here, I normally get a frappuchino, although I should probably get a mocciatto or something, The only thing that really bugs me is that I ordered a drink about 1 year ago, told the lady at the register "no whip" and the drink maker put whip on it anyway. Ugh. Well, that sucks.
(3)Brian K.
Like many others have said: This is the WORST SERVICE out of any Starbucks on the island.. These guys are talking to their co-worker while I'm waiting to order. They then call over the Safeway worker to join the conversation. I almost walked away from the line because it was that bad.
(1)