Saint Louis Delicatessen

St. Louis deli is a great little hole in the wall place. Owners are friendly, food is consistently great. It’s a bent ala cart type of place. Love the fast and convenience of the place. Musubis, shrimp/​vegetable tempuras, long rice, namasu, hot dog, potatoes pattys, fried chicken and more. Love the simplicity!!!

First time going here today and I was super stoked because the food just looks good by looking at the pictures. I would always past this place on my way to work. Finally went there today and I must day never again will I go. I order the sweet potato tempura… gross. Only 2 skinny pieces of potato and so much batter. The noodles are okay but it could use more flavor. like more dashi.
Owner lady in the front with the short hair has the rudest attitude. You ask her how much are for the container of noodles and she has this cocky way of replying back to you. Her whole attitude why I was ordering made me want to walk out but I wanted to try the food first. But that was the first and last time I will go there.
I give this place a ½ star only.

With all the rage of gourmet eats, fancy coffee drinks, fruity concoctions and craft beers eating has been changing, but Saint Louis Delicatessen is a throw back to simpler days and comfort food like when you were a kid (well at least for me, maybe not for you young ones haha) I can remember in Elementary bringing Okazu for when we had field trips my Mom used to get to get me a plate with Chow Funn, a Chicken either fried or Shoyu and a cone sushi which actually was a heck of a lot for a little kid but of course it was always so good I tried my best to eat it all and be comatose later lol, well yup, it brings me back to those days when I get to eat here gone are many of the old places like Hisago, Ebisu and such but SLD still is here! I love the Chow Funn, the Fried chicken, Teri Beef, Cone Sushi, Potato Salad etc it’s just like I’ve always remembered like when I was a kid I never want it to change! Yum!!! Happiness! And that’s why the four stars because it makes me happy!

Having grown up in this neighborhood, St. Louis Deli brings back happy moments when my Dad (God Bless him) used to take me here to buy me lunch for school. I would get spoiled as everything was always fresh and tasty. The old owners were so thoughtful saying, «don’t order mac salad if you are going to eat it later, since it might get spoiled!». Shucks, so much for my mac salad :(. Anyway, the new owners are just as nice and the food is still great. My go to place when I’m craving as I love the fried chicken, teri beef, chow fun, nishime, gobo, vegetable tempura, and long rice. Long time regulars would ask them to «dip» the musubi’s in the flavorful teri beef sauce just before putting it on the plate, yum! I’m getting hungry just writing about it! Very reasonable prices and good food!

Yes it’s small yes it not the cleanest yes it’s menu is limited so what! What they do offer is good and cheap food like how okazu did back in the day

Good Okazuya food with reasonable prices. My favorites are the potato tempura and cone sushi!

The pricing hasn’t changed since my last review in 2012! Get there early to ensure that they have all of their delicious Okazuya items. For about $ 3, I recommend ordering ½ chicken long rice and a piece of fried chicken. Crispy skin, chicken thigh, moist on the inside. The chicken long rice is the darker, thicker noodles (compared to the Hawaiian style). Very tasty, and not too salty.
This is the only place that doesn’t use spam for their fried luncheon meat, it tastes more like a canned ham, much leaner and «real» meat. Excellent musubis, plan with ume or nori wrapped. Another nice quality about this okazuya, is the fact that they always have the same assortment: fried chicken, shoyu chicken, nishime, luncheon meat, hot dog, shrimp, vegetable, and potato tempura, chow funn, long rice, and tofu.
The only item that I don’t like is their shrimp tempura, because of the thick batter that they use. I prefer the traditional panko shrimp tempura. Their vegetable tempura is the best on the island.
Service is a family tradition! I still remember being served by the grandma, then her daughter, and recently by her grand daughter! Always friendly, especially to the hungry students!

I used to love there bento here. I haven’t come for a while. It’s still ok, nothing special, I was hungry and close by. LOL This is one of the few drive in that’s been open for over 35 years. They must be doing something right ! Be back soon !

I like it… but I’m scared to go back again…
Atmosphere: The atmosphere is that of a small little kitchen that’s jammed into a little corner. You step in, order, and step out. It’s quite small, and in all honesty, not the cleanest looking place, but most older Okazu places like this look like that. Kinda old, dark a bit dingy…
Staff: The staff are pretty friendly and I really like the fact that they have some pre-​set choices for you. They were nice and very friendly I must say.
Food: The food was pretty good. I’ve always wanted to try the food here so one day I got up early drove from Aiea just to try their food, and ordered choice C which had musubis, chow fun, chicken, spam and potato tempura… all my favorites! I ate while driving to Haleiwa for the Saturday open market. By the time I got to the open market I had finished everything. Flavor was pretty good, nothing that was outstanding but overall I’d eat here again because its good okazu food that is home made… however…
…now, I remember this very clearly… by the time I got to Haleiwa I felt a bit… off. I shrugged it off as nothing, and continued on with my day. I kinda had to go to the bathroom but finding a clean bathroom in Haleiwa isn’t the easiest thing to do so I came back home to Aiea and got ready for work. I had to go to the bathroom really bad by the time I got home… nothing horrible, just a bit of an unsettled stomach. 4 hours from the time I had finished my meal I was at work and was feeling a bit sick. I went to the bathroom quite a few more times. I felt tired, and I started to feel «hot». At one point I was puking in my mangers office /​supply room. As soon as I came out my manager was explaining the next day’s tasks to me (I work for a company that obviously has some odd managers), and the assistant manager said «…he looks… green!» I promptly told them «I need to go home» and left without clocking out nor did I explain as I left my clothes and went home in my uniform… I live maybe 1 mile from work. I barely made it home, feeling dizzy nauseated and weak. I had cold sweats and my clothes were soaked literally and I was barely able to steer as I made my way home. I left my car parked very crooked in the driveway, door open and keys in the ignition as I made it to our bathroom barely able to stand from weakness… do I have to explain the rest? Food poisoning!!! I was on the toilet barely able to call upstairs to my mom. I contemplated between calling my own family upstairs or calling 911 on my phone but I was so weak I could barely hold it and ended up dropping my phone and couldn’t even pick it up… there I was on a toilet sick and barely able to sit straight… in all honesty I thought I was gonna die… the thought of the being humiliated by being found dead on a toilet was probably the only thing that kept me alive… Im honestly not sure what it was but I’m thinking it was maybe the spam. It smelled and tasted fine, but I heard old spam can do some nasty things to your insides.
Overall, I liked this place and it would probably get close to 3 or 4 stars… but the food poisoning? That’s a turn off… I’d come back again but I’m too scared to chance it… I haven’t gone back since…
1 star!

Old school Okazuya classic at its basic here. Good food and priced fair. The other one down the a ¼ mi Ewa on King St is two to three times higher priced and not as good.

I really like this okazuya. It is so fun to see what they have and pick out a fantastic (large) meal. There isn’t much of a seating area, just one table outside… it’s pretty much just take out. Sometimes there is a line, but it is worth the wait… and it goes pretty fast.
Today was a good day: fried chicken, chow fun (of course), cone sushi, tempura shrimp, and nishime.
The fried chicken was very good. Flavor was amazing, and the skin was crispy. As always, the meat was soft and juicy.
The chow fun is very good here (my wifes favorite). Cooked right, good flavor, and just the right consistency to the noodles.
The cone sushi is great because it has a sweetness to it. Consumption time: 1.2 seconds.
The shrimp tempura has a heavier batter than you would expect. Definitely a thicker, bread-​ier type coating than panko, but it’s tasty. The best part, believe it or not, was the nishime. Seaweed mixed with daikon makes for the perfect combination of textures. The daikon melts in your mouth and has just a touch of bitterness to contrast the sweetness… perfect…I shoulda got more.

Just picked up an early lunch from St. Louis Delicatessen! $ 6.40 got me chow fun, luncheon meat, a huge piece of fried chicken, vegetable tempura, potato/​mac salad and namasu! Can’t beat the price and the food is good. Flavored just right!
Nothing fancy, just good Okazuya!

This little tiny deli is next to St. Louis drive inn and shares the Parking lot. Good food to create a bento. Only open 7:30am-1:30pm since they sell out fast! The chow fun is yummy!

Ate here once when a coworker got takeout on her way back to work.
I’m not sure if it’s because I ordered the wrong thing but I didn’t seem to like my mini bento plate. I got the nishime, shrimp tempura and it was alright. Nothing fantastic about it except that it’s very cheap. My coworkers and everyone I know seem to like it here. They look like a hole in the wall kinda place with cheap eats.

Nice go to little neighborhood okazuya. Good selection of ala carte pieces and bento packs. I love to pick up their mini ($ 5– musubi, chow fun, luncheon, & one piece of fried chicken) before heading to the beach. Part of my regular rotation!

This is my go to for hangover okazu!
St. Louis Deli is a time warp back to the good old days with simple food at nostalgic prices. Located right next to St. Louis Drive-​In, it’s easy to miss this little hole in the wall marked only with a small sign and a window display of maki sushi and musubi.
No frills and no fuss, you squeeze through the door and place your order. Sometimes there is a line but it moves fast and locals are always willing to squeeze one more person into the tiny waiting area. There are no chairs. You take your treasure trove of goodies and eat elsewhere or at the picnic table in the front.
Things to order:
Tempura fish — No kidding, this is the closest I’ve come to REALLY GOOD fried fish on the island. Flaky pollack filet in a light batter, this reminds me of chipperies in England or New Zealand. YUM. You can taste that they use fresh, clean, and hot oil to fry these bad boys. At $ 1.60 a piece, these are a great portion and the delicate fish is always hot and crispy. I only come here early in the morning, but sometimes they are pulling these out of the kitchen so they are super fresh and ono before 8am!
Pair that handheld grease bomb with a $.75 nori musubi, maki sushi or cone sushi and I’ve got the perfect bite for bite double fisted breakfast of champions.
Namasu — I love the namasu here. It does not contain chicken like a lot of local versions. It also has a TON of daikon, which I adore. This makes a nice compliment to the typical starchy, meaty okazu offerings. Konbu also gets a vote from me although the serving is small.
Corned beef hash — Little nuggets of potato heaven. These are the WWII variety which means mostly potato with flecks of meat, but I love how cute, tiny and cheap these are ($.60).

I do wish they offered a baked egg dish and the chow fun is just noodles. But I keep coming back for that delicious fish! And I can eat a full meal for under $ 2.50!
Get in while the gettin’s good. Okazuya like this are getting on toward twilight.
NOTE: Limited parking. Cash only. Don’t expect a variety of color or vegetables, think 1950s comfort food for tiny old Japanese grannies. Come early for the goods cuz they sell out and shut down before 1:30pm!

LOVE (x100) this okazuya!
St. Louis Delicatessan is like a family tradition — grandpa brought my dad here, dad started bringing me here from the hanabata days, and I hope to bring my future kids here too.
It’s everything I love: small, mom-​and-​pop type business with great food that is very inexpensive. My usual plate is a half order chow funn, musubi (plain/​nori), a sushi (cone/​maki), hash, and shoyu chicken or teriyaki meat. The best part is most definitely the chow funn! I can’t really explain why it is SO GOOD… you’ll just have to trust me on that one. BF didn’t know what the big deal was until he tried it, and now it’s the only thing he orders (full portion every time!).
Other things they have: fried chicken, spam, hot dog, tofu, long rice, tempura, nishime, namasu, macaroni salad. Yes, the food is a bit on the salty side, but it’s how they’ve always made it. I think people are just a little more conscious about that stuff these days.
I’ve been coming here for over 20 years, am dangerously addicted to their chow funn, and will always be a loyal customer… buuut if you try this okazuya and don’t like it, no biggie — that just means there’s more for me! :)

Been coming here over 15 years and the food is still awesome as ever. The food here isn’t healthy, but it is great local comfort food. I always get 2 musubis drizzled with teriyaki sauce (a friend taught me to ask for this over the plain musubis), chow funn (great flavor with not much vegetables covering the actual taste of the noodles), hash, fried chicken and potato salad (they have to get it from the fridge so you don’t see it in the display case). So if you are looking for cheap but good okazuya this is a great place to come.

My mother went here when she was a kid. I went here when I was a kid. I don’t use the ‘small-​kine kid days’ statements much anymore. Many of the old, good places to eat have shuttered. Yet, here the St. Louis Delicatessen is still in operation. I was surprised to see the older woman still working behind the counter. I never went enough to be recognized, but I remembered her.
C Set– 3 ½-​stars– For the price, you really get a great deal. The competition would have nothing on them. You get two musubi, which is flavored rice, packed and shaped to be hand-​held, eaten easily. The luncheon meat was basic, yet brings memories of simpler times. Yes, the fried chicken was good, oily and delicious. The fat chow fun noodles were mild in flavor, also thick and oily, but filling. Finally, the sweet potato tempura, I always remembered the tempura here, because the batter had extra flavor. Everything seemed to be dripping with oil, which my mom was used to, but really hit me hard and made me tired. Still, you get a good deal of food, and nothing tastes bad.
Atmosphere– It really is mom and pop here. Even the door is old and wooden. This is a calm corner in the ever evolving Kaimuki area. I’m glad it hasn’t become hyper-​realized and upgraded. The simple roots make it memorable and comforting. There are seats outside, but only for a quick, casual eat.
Service– The woman was kind, but not overly excited, she seemed a bit tired. I think he daughter came out from the kitchen when she heard my mom talking about coming here all the time as a kid.
Conclusion– Simple comfort food. The prices are beyond reasonable. The variety offered isn’t as amazing as some places, but when you got the good food, you don’t need a huge variety. This is one place to visit on a warm, sunny day, when you want to feel a little bit of the older generation. It’s a calm spot, where the world outside just passes by.

I come here by default since I work closeby, but this is the cheapest okazu ya that I’m aware of in town. A plate for me is usually $ 3 – 5. The earlier you go the better selection you have (I typically go before I head into work to avoid the lunch crowd). Bring cash (preferably small bills!).
This is usually what I get (not all at once, but I alternate proteins):
— ½ order chow fun $ 1 (full order is $ 2), I think it’s the best chow fun, coworkers agree, except 1 coworker who prefers the Chinese style ones (if you know the difference).
— fried chicken (crispy and juicy, better than the Zippys kind)
— shoyu chicken
— fried fish (well… I USED to always order this, up til last year, it started to be a lot more greasy than before. Honestly I don’t know what white fish meat is in here but it’s still good).
— plain rice musubi
Sometimes I get:
— namasu
— tofu
— hot dog
— potato hash
— maki sushi (40cents for one, or you can order the whole roll)
I don’t order:
— beef teriyaki (meat’s a little tough)
Haven’t really tried any of their other things, like the veggie/​shrimp tempura or rice noodles.