Chubbies makes a comeback, and a popular acai bowl café opens a new Kapahulu location – 11 hot new spots to check out!
Here’s the latest on Hawaii’s newest cafés and restaurants that opened in June 2025. Highlights include the highly anticipated return of Chubbies Burgers in Kaimukī, and the grand opening of the beloved Sunrise Shack in Kapahulu. Let’s dive into all 11 new locations.
Hawaiian Aroma Cafe
A new location of the popular Hawaiian Aroma Cafe has opened in the former Starbucks near the Honolulu Zoo. This Waikīkī café offers outdoor terrace seating and ocean views right along Kalākaua Avenue—perfect for sipping your morning brew while doing some people watching.
Address: 2586 Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, HI
Hours: 6:00am – 8:00pm
Phone: 808-256-2602
🔗 Website
RM38 Hawaii
Located inside the Imperial Hotel on Lewers Street, RM38 is a new speakeasy by the Aoki Group, best known for its Doraku Sushi and 1938 Indochine. Must-try cocktails include the “Crazy Rich Asian” and “Wabi-Sabi.” Reservations are highly recommended.
Address: 205 Lewers St, Honolulu, HI
Hours: Sun/Tue/Wed 6:00pm – 12:00am; Thu–Sat 6:00pm – 1:00am
Phone: 808-200-2917
🔗 Website | Instagram
Boarded Up by Chubbies Burgers
Chubbies, the beloved burger shop that was originally a food truck in Ward Village before becoming a hotspot in Kaimukī, made a comeback in the former Hokkaido Ramen location. From its food truck origins, Chubbies earned the love of many locals with its smash burgers. Now back as Boarded Up, it continues to offer those cherished signature burgers served on sweet potato buns.
Address: 1108 12th Ave, Honolulu, HI
Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00am – 8:00pm; Sat 10:30am – 10:00pm; Sun 10:30am – 9:00pm
Phone: 808-291-7867
🔗 Website
Rise Cafe
Located near Moke’s Bread and Breakfast in Kaimukī, Rise Cafe opened on June 11. It offers coffee prepared with pesticide-free beans to pair with health-conscious dishes designed to maintain blood sugar below 120 mg/dL. The owner is a doctor who runs a keto & carnivore clinic in Hawaii and personally developed the low-carb menu to keep the community happy but healthy.
Address: 1135 11th Ave, Honolulu, HI
Hours: Wed–Mon 6:30am – 2:30pm
Phone: 808-260-9188
🔗 Instagram
Sunrise Shack
The famous café from Haleʻiwa is opening a new location in Kapahulu, replacing Kona’s. Known for acai bowls, the Blue Dream Bowl with spirulina, fruit bowls, and smoothies, Sunrise Shack already has popular locations in Ala Moana, Waikīkī, and Kailua.
Address: 945 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, HI
🔗 Website
Moojigae Korean Grill
“Moojigae,” which means “rainbow” in Korean, is a new Korean plate lunch spot in the Safeway lot on Kapahulu Ave.
Enjoy kalbi, bibimbap, bulgogi, jeon, tteokbokki, and kimchi fried rice. Choose 3 sides from macaroni salad, green salad, pumpkin salad, or kimchi. Originally based in Waikele, it’s already a local favorite that just found its way to town.
Address: 888 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, HI
Hours: Mon–Sat 10:00am – 9:00pm; Sun 10:00am – 6:00pm
Phone: 808-909-1415
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HanaPa‘a
Located next to Rainbow Drive-In inside Hawaii’s Favorite Kitchens in Kapahulu, HanaPa‘a offers poke in a variety of flavors such as spicy mayo, soy, Hawaiian, miso, garlic, and kimchi.
Bowl options include white rice, brown rice, salad, or half & half. Also available are the blackened ahi, miso salmon, and teriyaki chicken plates.
Address: 3111 Castle St, Honolulu, HI
Hours: Thu–Mon 10:30am – 5:00pm
Phone: 808-260-1875
🔗 Website
Sunshine & Pineapple
Opened in the former Kona Abalone space on Kapahulu, Sunshine & Pineapple serves up breakfast and lunch. Try the acai bowls, tofu & avocado toast (vegan), pineapple loco moco, Hawaiian burgers, or pineapple chicken curry. The “Poke Breakfast” is a morning dish worth putting the spotlight on. Family-friendly, this spot offers a kids’ menu too.
Address: 415 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, HI
Hours: Thu–Tue 7:30am – 2:30pm
Phone: 808-909-7961
Lani Sot
A new Korean restaurant in Salt at Our Kakaʻako, Lani Sot assumed the former Butcher & Bird space. Specialties include Korean rice bowls served in hot stone pots with crispy rice bottoms. Toppings include spicy pork, garlic shrimp, mushrooms, and eggplant. Finish the meal by pouring barley tea into the pot to enjoy the remaining scorched rice on the bottom of the bowl.
Address: 324 Coral St, Honolulu, HI
Hours: 11:00am – 9:00pm
Phone: 808-260-4949
🔗 Instagram
Mad Pie
A local favorite at the farmers’ markets, Mad Pie will open a brick-and-mortar in Kakaʻako, serving authentic Neapolitan-style pizza. While the official opening date has not yet been announced, anticipation is growing for this delectable addition to the neighborhood.
Address: 516 Keawe St, Honolulu, HI
🔗 Instagram
Ajitama
Located in Kakaʻako, Ajitama is a rice ball shop specializing in flavorful onigiri filled with marinated eggs. The eggs are seasoned with a sweet soy blend, and packed whole into rice balls. Other variations include shiso and furikake flavors. They also offer drinks made with matcha and roasted hojicha.
Address: 435 Kamakee St, Honolulu, HI
Hours: Sat–Mon 11:00am – 3:00pm
🔗 Website
Honolulu keeps sprouting new spots worthy of a visit. From hamburgers and acai bowls to Korean and Japanese dishes, a number of flavorful plates and bowls are awaiting you!
