Malia's Cafe

I recently visited the Island Brew Coffee House and wanted to share my thoughts! It's a nice place to grab a quick bite or get some work done. However, if you're looking for a brunch spot, it might not be the best choice. There weren't enough tables for my friends and me to sit comfortably, which was a bit disappointing. But hey, their menu has a great variety of food options like turkey sandwiches, pancakes, and waffles. I tried their lavender raspberry tea, and it was delicious! They keep it light on the sugar, which I appreciate. Overall, it's a nice place to grab a quick bite before exploring the mall. Just don't expect a fancy brunch experience. 🍽️☕️

The staff is absolutely NOT the issue at this establishment - like many of the other reviews have claimed. the gals that work here are very patient & kind, answer questions with care, & are happy to correct your order immediately if it is wrong. The food is amazing. Support Local. the issue with this particular Island Brew Location seems to be two things - First, a lot of the patrons lack the aloha spirit, which makes the environment uncomfortable at times. a lot of the patrons here absolutely refuse to share spare chairs, outlet plugs, or be considerate of the person next to them. I have experienced a lot of unnecessary aggression from other patrons here over asking to use an empty outlet or by simply taking up space. It’s a very “me, me, me,” vibe. You will notice this especially if you enjoy the Island Brew on the eastside, where the residents of Hawai’i Kai are always friendly & considerate of those around them in an appropriate way. I think the overwhelming negative energy from some of the patrons stresses the staff members out - which is the vibe other customers pick up on when they arrive to this establishment. the second issue - is the lack of outlets. I think the patrons of this establishment would be in higher spirits if they did not feel so protective over outlets available in the cafe, especially since this seems to be a hub for those that work from home. (I personally think the “me,me,me” vibe will always be an apparent when surrounded by some people who work from home/office jobs because they are not used to socializing & seem to generally be in low spirits because of their lifestyle. this is definitely something you just try to accept when going to a cafe in the middle of the city, but I do think something could be helped in this case - especially because the other island brew location is such a happy place to be, the staff at ala moana is great, and the space is beautiful.) I think this cafe would be 6 out of 5 stars if the owners added some more communal seating or perhaps more terrace seating & invested in some multi-plug extensions cords. a charging station for computers & phones at the front of the store would be a game changer. if they wanted to make it extra special - maybe add some more hand drawn signage displaying positive affirmations & reminders to be empathic, share the space, & be nice to your neighbor. I already love this place but I could love it more. There is definitely nothing they can do about the people they serve - and I have to say, the girls here do a fantastic job of serving the rudest people with a big smile on their face - but maybe alerting the environment could help with the issue. thank you for your time & have a blessed day!

This is an excellent location with a superb selection of coffee, sandwiches, and desserts. It provides the ideal ambiance for focusing on your work. However, there was an instance where the music was somewhat overpowering, making it difficult to concentrate. Nonetheless, if you're working remotely or simply need a quiet place to work, this is a wonderful spot. It offers comfortable indoor seating and an outdoor patio area.

Had an amazing outdoor seating area over looking the water. The cold brew and blueberry scone were very tasty. I also ordered a turkey pesto sandwich that was a generous size and was toasted to perfection. Everything was fairly priced, especially compared to other coffee houses around the island. They had a large menu with a surprising variety of breakfast foods. They even offered macadamia nut milk for your coffee, which I found to be very unique compared to other places.

Surprisingly there aren't many cafés in Ala Moana so when I catch myself needing a place to grab a coffee and do some work, I'll stop at Island Brew. You can't go wrong with any of the beverages here and I love that there are a lot of options to choose from. My favorite thing to eat here is the basilito wrap + avocado. It's so simple, filling and delicious! I've tried their other sandwiches which are pretty good but my only complaint is that they are a bit over priced. As much as I would love to get work done here, only the tables in the back half of the cafe have outlets. There are no outlets at the tables near the entrance (where I like to sit because of the natural sunligjt coming in). The other bummer about this location is that there are no restrooms, so you have to walk to Bloomingdale's to use theirs. This location is convenient because it's at the mall but if I had to choose, the Hawaii Kai location is my favorite because of the beautiful views of the harbor :)