Highest-rated cafes in the Honolulu area by diners

·Stacker

Monning27 // Shutterstock
Monning27 // Shutterstock

From the first coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire to Boston's famed London Coffee House, cafes have always been an egalitarian place to gather, sip, and share ideas, many of which have changed the world.

During the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, cafes regularly entertained the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, Thomas Jefferson, and Isaac Newton. Later, Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre would spend hours in cafes, pondering their works and holding court alongside other intellectuals.

Needless to say, coffee and cafes beget some revolutionary ideas; sipping a cup may even be a political act. When settlers dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to send a message to the British in 1773, tea became a British loyalist's drink, and coffee became a popular substitute.

Boston's London Coffee House, which had opened nearly 85 years earlier, was soon renamed the American Coffee House. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Merchants' Coffee House hosted the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere.

Many other coffee shops steeped in history abound in the United States, including New York City's Caffe Reggio. Founded in 1927, it was the first to serve cappuccino in the country. New Orleans' Cafe du Monde, founded in 1862, is a fixture in the French Quarter for its coffee and beignets.

Whether it's for a cup of Joe, a heady conversation, or simply a place to start the day, cafes have become landmarks of our daily lives. But where's the best one to find refuge and that perfect caffeinated cup near you?

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in the Honolulu area based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of February 2025. Cafes with at least 20 reviews tagged as "coffee" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of Honolulu were included. As a result, some cafes featured may primarily serve other items besides coffee and tea. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 25 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.

Keep reading to see if your favorite cafe made the list!

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#30. Local Joe

- Rating: 4.7/5 (585 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 110 Marin St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee Roasteries
- Read more on Yelp

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#29. Thang's French Coffee & Bubble Tea

- Rating: 4.7/5 (550 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1286 Kalani St. Ste B108 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Bubble Tea, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#28. Insomnia

- Rating: 4.7/5 (445 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 669 Auahi St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Vietnamese, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#27. Bean About Town Honolulu

- Rating: 4.7/5 (179 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3538 Waialae Ave. Ste 101 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. Munch 'N Brunch Waikiki

- Rating: 4.7/5 (202 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1944 Kalakaua Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Tacos, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. Ali'i Coffee - Honolulu

- Rating: 4.7/5 (370 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 35 South Beretania St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. Bean About Town Waikiki

- Rating: 4.7/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 330 Royal Hawaiian Ave. Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee Roasteries, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#23. Better Daze

- Rating: 4.7/5 (75 reviews)
- Address: 737 Kapahulu Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Health Markets
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. Cafe Daisy

- Rating: 4.7/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1132 Bishop St. Ste 131 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Plantoem

- Rating: 4.7/5 (127 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3457 Waialae Ave. Second Floor, Unit 203 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Cafes, Nurseries & Gardening, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Nana's Green Tea

- Rating: 4.7/5 (260 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2250 Kalākaua Ave. Ste 5 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Desserts, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. PURVÉ Donut Stop

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1004 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1234 Kona St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Raintree Bakery Coffeehouse

- Rating: 4.7/5 (426 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1110 Pensacola St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Beer, Wine & Spirits
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Pai Cafe

- Rating: 4.8/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 755 Kapahulu Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Acai Bowls
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Island Glazed

- Rating: 4.8/5 (268 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 98-199 Kamehameha Hwy Ste B-8 Aiea, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Donuts
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. Surf Camp Coffee Niu Valley

- Rating: 4.8/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 549 Halemaumau St. Ste D4 East Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Neko Koneko

- Rating: 4.8/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1658 Liliha St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Pop-up Shops
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Tropical Tribe

- Rating: 4.8/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2161 Kalia rd. Ste 110 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Acai Bowls, Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Teapresso Bar - Kaneohe

- Rating: 4.8/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 45-1055 Kamehameha Hwy Ste 101 Kaneohe, Hawaii
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Vavin Dessert Bar

- Rating: 4.8/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2113 Kalakaua Ave. Unit 202 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Drive Thru Joe

- Rating: 4.8/5 (139 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 698 Trimble Road Wahiawa, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Ignition Coffee

- Rating: 4.8/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 2299 Kūhiō Ave. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Sweet Corner Cafe

- Rating: 4.9/5 (177 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 99-1255 Waiua Place Unit East Aiea, Hawaii
- Categories: Comfort Food, Coffee & Tea, Poke
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Drip Studio

- Rating: 4.9/5 (66 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1114 Fort St. Mall Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Sol Café

- Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 711 Queen St. Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Mr Coffee Bean Head

- Rating: 5.0/5 (49 reviews)
- Address: 2065 South King St. Ste 103 Honolulu, Hawaii
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Rasha Aly and Carren Jao, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 313 metros.

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