Kamehameha Bakery

OMG! OMG! OMG!
Bread pudding. Butter rolls. Long johns. Poi donuts.
AAAAAMAZING!
My pops made sure we had Kam Bakery every day while we were there on vacation.
We wish we had this in Las Vegas.

Get your poi malasadas here! My friend brought me here twice (they close at 4pm on weekdays — not sure about weekends and we missed them the first time around)
It’s a little nondescript bakery located in a strip plaza. There are generally lineups out the door per my friend but don’t let that discourage you as it moves fast.
Malasadas are kinda like donuts but way better. These ones are filled with some type of filling (they are apparently known for their poi ones). Even locals go here.
Purplish filling inside and sugar glazed outside you’ll like them even if you don’t like poi. Soft and fluffy is a pretty accurate description of these little balls of heaven. One is enough for me bc I don’t like sweets per say but grab a few for throughout the day. There are other flavours — orange, strawberry– but I didn’t try those so I can’t comment, but i did see a lot of customers before me grabbing up those ones so I’m assuming they must be good!

Dude.
The malasada’s are perfect. We had malasadas at another bakery, but they were warm, I think these were still better. And they are CHEAP!!! The orange were my favorite, they had a slight tang. Poi was great too!
You really can’t go wrong. do it. please

I’ve changed my malasada mind. Kam’s are best — but they’re so hit and miss whether the poi is sold out. I’d say half my attempts (before 12 noon I might add) are rejected as the poi malasadas frequently sell out. Why they don’t make more poi, knowing they’re going to sell out every day, is beyond me.
The reasons, yes plural, I don’t give them 5 stars are the frequent sell out of poi and beware, the ladies working are super nice, but not very accurate in giving you what you’re requested. Three times they’ve given me the wrong items. I now know better and always check the bag/​box before leaving to ensure I’ve gotten what I ordered.
Go early if you want the poi malasadas. Their strawberry malasadas are good but they ain’t poi!

Kamehameha bakerys donuts are good cold, warm, a day old a month old. They are really just unreal.
things that are a must
Poi Donuts
Orange Donuts
Regular glazed
Get about 10 of each. eat as fast as you can to make sure you dont fill up and then slip into a food coma. These donuts are really just unreal. Moist and fluffy.
Really a must have if you are in the area

OH POI!!! (that was funny right?) Unilocalers, this is such a great place for your baked good fix! We came here because we were told to try out the Poi Donuts. Upon our arrival, they told us they were sold out! We were extremely sad, but as we were making our selections, someone cancelled their order and guess what!!! We got to try their Poi Donuts! Yes… it is everything it is advertised. The Poi Donuts are a definite YES!
The staff were super friendly and knowledgeable about their products! They knew it all and had great recommendations for my family. They have a variety of baked goods, but come early for the good stuff! Even better, you can pre-​order their products for pickup the next day. That way you will be guaranteed the yummy Poi goodness!

Poi malasadas, strawberry malasadas, and yummy pandesal! Lady who helped me was super nice & helpful too. Got two boxes with a total of 10 pastries for just under $ 10…rediculous deal!

Quick, friendly service and some of the best donuts on the island. Try the poi or strawberry!

People from Hawaii grew up on the poi donuts here. I did not know about this place until maybe about 5 years ago and that’s when they were in the School Street location. I’m glad they moved to City Square where there is so much more parking and it’s easier to get to. It’s a local old school bakery that opens at 2am so whether you go out all night or wake up early, you can satisfy your donut fix.
What are they known for? Those poi donuts of course. It doesn’t matter if you don’t like poi you will love them. They’re moist and purple inside and glazed on the outside. They also have a sweeter strawberry and and orange version of this donut. And if you don’t like these, they have a bunch of other sweet treats in their display case.
If you need a large order, call ahead. As many as they make, those poi donuts do sell fast!

Being nice with the rating… could have gone with 4… they close early and they run out of stuff… because people ask for the poi donuts, but a few times when I went, they were out… but one thing I really like are the long johns… I have been told it is made fresh daily and I must say it really is soft and the filling is tasty. Since I work in the area… it really is convenient… it is just that they close early and sometimes are out of what I went there to buy…

Poi glazed donuts aka malasadas.
We were there Sunday afternoon toward closing time. The counter person handed us each one for free!
It’s a good thing I didn’t know about Kam Bakery earlier on our five night stay. I’d turn into a malasada before long.
I had my poi donut the following day and it was still fresh. More like a soft bread roll deep fried and glazed than a typical donut.
Definitely a must stop next time.

Only place I know to get Taro Donuts. Some people were getting the Orange ones as well. I’ll have to try those next time.
I also get them or steer out of town guests to here.
I LOVE LOVE this location way better than the original location!
Its not ghetto @ all!
Its actually safe!
The store is spacious!
There is lots of parking!
& I can stop by other shops after getting my sweets!
I’m so happy Kamehaha Bakery found a new & better home!

Two words: POI DONUTS. And strawberry and orange and chocolate. They’re all amazing, but those are my faves. They have a good variety of different flavors of donuts, as well as other pastries (danishes, breads, cookies, etc.) Carb city fo sho. We went around 9 am on a Saturday, and the wait was not bad at all. We pulled a number and were called about a minute later. The service isn’t phenomenal or anything, but the ladies behind the counter get the job done. All in all, the donuts are the bomb dot com– and cheap! Kamehameha Bakery is a MUST!

This was my first stop and I came for the poi donuts which were already sold out. So we got the strawberry and a poi filled pastry. The strawberry donut was pretty good but nothing special. I wish I got a chance to try the poi donut, but this review is only for those two things I tried.

Since my husband works graveyard, this is a perfect spot for us to go to on his days off. It might sound crazy, but nothing beats a fresh poi malasada at 2am. Their long list of pastries will surely have you walking out of there with two dozen more donuts than you had planned on getting. I was very excited to see banana fritters and their butter rolls were better than Liliha bakery’s!

Ugh! Just realized we should have picked up some Poi Glaze donuts to give that a try for the first time!!! This is why it’s important to read some of the reviews BEFORE you patronize a business. Oh well. Gives me a good reason to go back! My usual favorite at a donut shop is an Apple Fritter, and that they had! They even offered two versions: Apple and Banana-​Apple.
Decided on this bakery as an alternate to Mr. Donut since they are closed on Sunday’s. Arrived at 7:15am and there were about 5 other customers inside. Plenty of free parking available directly in front of the store. I noted their hours: 0200 – 1500 M-​F and 0300 – 1400 S&S. Wow! Early bird catches the worm. This is why there was such a variety and displays were fully stocked! Great for the customers.
Be sure to pull a number upon entering, because there’s just one counter and you can easily be unsure of where to stand.
So, the million dollar question. Was the apple fritter good? Yes. Is it my favorite? No. It was soft and fluffy, which is a little different than the texture that I’m used to. But, it was good! I just prefer crispy edges.
The Pan de Coco. I was surprised they offered it, so I decided to try because it actually appeared to look yummy. It’s one of my all-​time favorite Filipino breads. Verdict? The coconut filling is in a jelly/​marshmallow form. The consistency just isn’t right. But if you’re not Filipino, you may just like it.
There is a large beverage fridge available to the left, but I didn’t see any coffee nor was there an aroma. Napkins are on the shelf behind you.
Customer service is great. Friendly and patient, especially if your number is called up quickly and you really haven’t decided.
I’d visit again. I must try their Poi Glaze!

On Saturday morning January 16, 2016 I had finally visited Kamehameha Bakery. I just got through working a 6hr grave shift and I left Waianae around 4:45am via Uncle Fasi limousine aka TheBus. I got to City Square on Dillingham a little after 6am.
After getting off the bus I had to pull out my cellphone and find out where exactly Kamehameha Bakery is located. I walked passed the 7 – 11 Hawaii store, walked passed the drivers license building, walked passed the Ko’olau Farmers shop, and took notice of a building that had Pancakes and Waffles. I bypassed other store fronts until I finally reached Kamehameha Bakery.
I noticed that there were four individuals already inside. I took notice that Kamehameha Bakery had passed the Department of Health inspection. I entered the bakery and pulled a number. 92 is what I pulled. Two customers just got done with their transaction. Number 91 got called by one female. Then my number got called by another female.
Glancing at the pastry display case… too many delicious looking pastries to choose. I opted to order three poi doughnuts, three strawberry doughnuts, and three butter rolls. Employee was very friendly and she handled my transaction really quick. She mentioned that orders over $ 25.00 would need a signature on credit cards. I thanked the employee and left the premises with my box of yummy pastries.
²⁹⁄₂₀₀

What can I say about Kam bakery!!! There’s are no words to describe the food!!! The poi MALASADAS is die for!!! For being Christmas Eve it wasn’t too busy. Was in and out fast!

The piping hot poi glazed donuts are a must! The fluffy inside just melts in your mouth when you bite into it. Poi sold out before 11am!
Make sure you grab a number at the door so you’re not twirling your fingers outside for nothing. OR call ahead and place your order so you can just walk in and pick it up!

If you’re trying to get some of the oh so popular poi donuts, you definitely have to wake up extra early… I remember the first day I tried to get these, they ran out. Then I saw that their hours were 2AM — 4PM which I found hard to believe… but they really are open that early, holy moly. I went on another day, extra early, maybe at like 5am or 6am because I randomly woke up and decided I wanted to give it another try. And even then, there was a line out the door.
To be honest, they tasted like regular glazed donuts to me, but it’s definitely something to try while you’re on the island. They have a lot of other interesting pastries that I wish I tried if I was really into pastries, which I’m not.
You kamehameHAVE to try these as poi is a very popular thing in Hawaii… to everyone, they’re poi-​fect. (I’m lame, I know. lol). The actual poi itself that you might try at a luau definitely does not taste or look the same as these. It’s actually gray, but for some reason the inside of these donuts are purple.

Since today I knew it was going to be a long day, at the last minute, I did a poi doughnut run before work. I arrived around 6:50 and I was out by 6:55 with two dozens of poi doughnuts. Despite the other people in line, I was surprised by how fast the service
Don’t fret because there are a bunch of stalls. The prices has raised a little compared to a couple of months ago but it’s okay. It’s still less than a $ 1 for a doughnut. And for those who have never tried a poi doughnut, you HAVE to. Even if you don’t like taro, it doesn’t taste like it at all! It’s literally heaven in a doughnut form! So worth the sugary and fat goodness~

I have not been here before even when they were at the School Street location. I heard a lot of good things from here so I had to try. When I asked what was popular they said their Poi Doughnuts were what they are known for. I was lucky as there were only 2 left. I also remembered that their butter rolls were good so I got one as well.
Impression on the poi doughnut was good. I felt like I was eating a poi malasada but with a glaze instead of sugar. I could taste a little taro and it was not as greasy as a malasada. As for the butter roll, tasted like a normal butter roll and I wished it had more butter on the bottom… bc I love butter. I have tasted similar or better ones from other bakeries. Prices for each was under $ 1 so you can not go wrong.
Overall impression is that if I lived in Kalihi I would go here as my doughnut place. But otherwise save gas and go to your favorite bakery nearby. Must try their Poi doughnut bc they might be the only place that makes that. I have not tried their other stuff though but will do in the future.

The poi and strawberry donuts never fail to impress! Picked up the two donut flavors multiple times in the past, and everyone LOVES them. The donuts are soft and light, with the perfect amount of sugary sweetness! And the bright purple and pink colors are too pretty! Also awesome is the parking… With this (relatively) new location, the bakery is easily accessible. Definitely a factor to take into consideration if you need yummy baked goods but don’t wanna worry about parking.
Unfortunately, however, the poi and strawberry flavors aren’t as strong as you’d expect them to be, which is a bummer given that Kamehameha Bakery is known for its poi donuts (and the strawberry ones too? Perhaps? Always only ever hear people talking about the poi ones, but that should change– both flavors are delish!!!) But no matter. They’re like delicious (slightly) flavored and colored malasadas!
Main gripe– service. Specifically when calling to place an order. The man on the line was so grumpy. Yeah he’s up early and yeah he’s in a small bake shop, but would it hurt to be a little bit nicer? When I entered the store, the same man (pretty sure it was the same man) was just sitting behind the counter doing something else. Think we made eye contact and he didn’t even acknowledge me. Customer service fail.
Aside from the service, love LOVE the donuts here and excited to try some of the other baked goods. But maybe in the future, I’ll just go to the bakery early rather than call in an order… Talking to unhappy workers at a bakery is not fun :\

If you’re not a fan of poi, you might want to try the poi malasadas and reconsider. Well, at least this mighty tasty pastry! I’ll admit, there’s a lot of good bakeries on the island. Kamehameha Bakery had been on my to-​do list for quite some time. Due to social media, I was very curious and intrigued with poi malasadas.
I came here a little after lunch time. It was empty in the bakery, but I was worried because I didn’t see any poi malasadas. I approached the front counter and asked if they had any poi malasadas available. The malasada were in the back, freshly made! I opted to get an order of a dozen. I needed to bring some to the the hotel to share with friends. I wasn’t sure if that was going to happen! The ordering and transacting was short and simple, since there were no long lines.
An hour drive back to the hotel and the malasadas were still soft and warm. When I took my first bite, it was amazing! Soft, airy, yet flavorful. Nicely coated with a sugar glaze. You could also taste the coconut bits in the malasada. Next time, I’ll be back for sure to try other menu items!

New location & 1^st stop this early a.m. no lines… Got the taro w/​haupia glazed & some twisted donuts. Sorry, I took the picture after I started to eat the taro… oops but it had my name on it N it was yummy!
This new location has parking the shop is still a bit small but that’s ok the pastries R still delicious & the staff is friendly! Thumbs up N lickiin’ it…

I grew up waking up early with gpa and rushing to the small yet busy Kam Bakery for a box of sugary goodness to share with the rest of the family for breakfast. Now, they have moved, but they are still a definite presence in Honolulu.
Good new location, since it is across from Sugoi’s one of the best plate lunch places in town. They are certainly able to keep up with demand more now than they used to, but there are still days that they sell out. I went there 4 times on my 12 day stay, and ¾ times we left with the coveted poi doughnuts, only 1 time leaving empty handed.
A poi doughnut is a malasada (Portuguese style fried dough) with a bit of a poi or taro flavor. I think this the best item there, followed by the taro bao stuffed with haupia.

This «newer» location is so much more convenient to get to American Commercial Bakery items and pastries with local flair. Kamehameha Bakery is located in City Square on Kalani Street. There is ample parking as there are other eateries and businesses located in the City Square.
Kamehameha Bakery has been noted for their poi (taro), strawberry and orange glazed donuts as many locals flock to this store. They offer at least or maybe even more than 36 items that are baked, fried and sugared daily. Their pastries would always show up at our workplace potlucks or as treats for morning staff meetings. However, since I’m not in the workforce any longer, I refuse to wake up early (before 5 AM), drive to pick up pastries, stand in line (make sure you get a numbered ticket for service) and race to work by 6:30 AM. They’d always be so busy that they’d often sell out of these delectable donuts.
The other day as we were eating lunch at Utage which is located directly across the parking lot from Kamehameha Bakery, I convinced my husband to check out the pastries. It was after 1:00 PM so we weren’t expecting to find much. But, we were so wrong! There were 2 others in the bakery and one of female workers assisted us right away. hey, we didn’t even have to pull a number! They had half-​empty trays of pastries but I had my heart set on the donuts. I inquired if I could order a dozen of assorted donuts (poi and strawberry) priced at $ 0.95 each. She cheerfully and affirmatively responded. I thought she was going to just take them out from the case but I noticed that she went back into the bakeshop where there were racks of full trays of freshly fried donuts. Score! As she handed the box over to me, I noticed that the box was warm from the fresh glazes as the sweet aromas wafted out from the box. Oh, how I had to fight with myself to NOT open the box and dive into the donuts. I held back because I truly was full from my lunch meal and I was bringing the donuts to a gathering that evening.
Even though we didn’t get to eat the donuts until several hours later that evening, they were still fresh, soft, tasty and satisfied everyone’s sweet tooth.
#376

I love this new location for Kamehameha Bakery! It’s conveniently located off Nimitz Highway and the shopping center it is now in has much better parking.
Anyone who knows me knows that I absolutely love, love, love pastries (even more than candy and chocolate!), SO I always stop here whenever I need a sweet treat!
I’ll admit, I haven’t tried very much of their pastries because I’m obsessed with their POI DONUTS! Seriously, pure heaven. Not too sweet and the consistency is just right. I could even say the same for their ENSAYMADA… so perfect.

I’ve had their taro and strawberry malasadas so many times. They are famous for them but this is the first time I personally bought them.
Atmosphere: It’s located near city hall, tucked away in a plaza. Grab and go style. Kind of bare bones interior. Air conditioned.
Service: Grab a ticket when you’re waiting. Do not do what I did and wait to realize you need a number to be served. The lady who helped me gave me a chocolate donut instead of a coco puff. I was so disappointed when I was on my way home.
Food: They have great strawberry and taro malasadas. Hands down the best in Honolulu that I’ve tried so far. The orange ones aren’t that good.
Intangibles: Go for malasadas.

I miss you.
Why are your donuts SO good?! Located in City Square Shopping Center, parking is easy enough to find. Once you enter the bakery, grab a number ticket. When your number is called an employee will take your order. Their donuts are super fresh, well made, fluffy, and big. Just one bite, and your tastebuds will jump for joy. Flavor and consistency are spot on.
One donut can definitely be shared by two. Their servings are generous. Our faves were the Glazed and Strawberry donuts. I doubt you can go wrong with anything in here. A lot of love goes into these baked goods and you can taste it! Service was quick and friendly. We were in and out in no time. There is no seating inside, a grab and go type joint.
If only I could live in Hawaii…

Kamehameha Bakery is a go to place to get baked goods for conferences, office events, and other large gatherings. Call ahead for large orders and they will have it packed for pick-​up, but you still gotta wait in line to pay. Their prices have crept up a bit, but are still affordable compared to a designer bakery.
People love the Poi, Strawberry, and Orange Glazed Donuts. These are sugar glazed, fried, neon colored bread rolls. I really like their Plain Glazed Donuts. Soft and sweet. If you get them when they’re still warm they’ll melt in your mouth. The Bread Pudding is also pretty good, it’s on the firm side, not too sweet, with raisins.
Head over to Kamehameha Bakery to pick up local-​style baked goods for your next event.

Like every other review Unilocaler on here, definitely a regular of the infamous Poi flavored malasadas and Strawberry glazed donuts. That’s pretty much what I go to this bakery for. And because it’s that popular, it’s best to go early in the morning to assure yourself you’ll get a piece of it. These run out the quickest. Best believe that even before noon hits, guaranteed it’s gonna be sold out.
I used to go to their old location quite often since I live literally minutes away from there. But thank goodness they moved to this location. Although it’s a little further, this is a total upgrade from their original place. Better parking and bigger bakery with more assorted bakery goods. I haven’t tried any other pastries but I’m sure they all taste as delicious as it looks.
Service has always been great and friendly when I come here. Quick service and turnaround. Even though at times you may see a line, the line always moves fast. Although prices went up a little beginning this year, still can’t beat other bakeries for the quality of pastries they offer. They open as early as 2am! You can even get your fix at the wee hours of the night.

After reading all the excellent reviews, I had to give this place a try since there aren’t many good sources left on the island for great donuts. Upon arriving around 10:00am, we were fortunate to find an open parking stall just in front of the store. There were only two patrons ahead of us, so the numbered wait was not long. It gave us time to gather our thoughts as we peered through the glass display case to decide on their specialties. As I write this, I’m wondering if we were at the same Kamehameha Bakery everyone else is raving about or perhaps we stumbled upon an alternate universe of poorly executed deep fried dough?
CHANTILLY ROLL
Although the walnut topped chantilly topping on the exterior of this black sugar filled soft and tender bread roll is not as buttery tasting as Liliha Bakery’s, overall this was the best choice out of everything we sampled.
GLAZED DONUT
Somewhat a cross between a cake donut and yeast donut, this glazed donut is not as yeasty as most yeast donuts we’ve eaten. It’s nice and fresh and not too sweet, but we prefer the trafitional yeastiness chewiness which are typical of yeast donuts.
CHOCOLATE GLAZED DONUT
Same texture as the glazed donut, except with chocolate frosting.
CREAM PUFF
The mouth feel of the puff itself was a bit dry in texture, however the creamy, milk flavored pudding filling made up for the lack luster. Unfortunately, we both experienced a slight stomach ache after eating this particular item. Not sure why?
APPLE BANANA FRITTER
The fritter looked and sounded promising, however upon first bite, it was loaded with greasy, dirty oil. Sure… fritters are deep fried, but perhaps this fritter was deep fried in fat that wasn’t up to temperature because the oil it retained could be wrung out with a paper towel. The concept may be there, however the excution needs reevaluation.
CHOCOLATE BROWNIE
This chocolate brownie lacked the rich flavor of cacao and was hard and dry like a bad piece of cake.
BUTTER ROLL
From the scent, it smells buttery but the flavor says otherwise. It does not taste like real butter at all. In fact, it has a strong artificial flavor. The texture is nice and light and airy though.
STRAWBERRY DONUT
If you take a whiff of this donut, there is absolutely no strawberry scent detected. What’s worse is that it bears the same old oil smell. When you bite into it, it’s soft and tender with a faint hint of strawberry flavor but it also has a greasy feel while you’re chewing it. After ingesting all this oil laden dough, how can anyone feel well?
REGULAR MALASADA
The granulated sugar coated deep fried dough was unfortunately undercooked on the inside so we can’t say if it’s good or not because we picked out the raw core which left us with just the skin. One thing which is quite evident is the overpowering scent of old, dirty oil. Not sure how else to comment.