Scratch Kitchen & Bake Shop

Hearing positive reviews from a family friend, my family and I left our house in Ewa at 7am just to ensure we have a spot at this popular restaurant! And although I’m not a morning person, let me tell you. it was worth it! One of my favorite go-​to breakfast & brunch restaurants on the island.
However, after looking over reviews, it seems as though that certain dishes are seasonal. They didn’t have some of the dishes I see from other Unilocalers. Perhaps the staffers tweak their menu to fit the current ingredients on the shelf? None the matter, they always have their popular dishes: Milk n’ Cereal Pancakes and Elvis French Toast! I had a salmon benedict with tomato. I loved it, but there wasn’t anything special about flavor. Generous portion sizes though!
Scratch Kitchen & Bake Shop is just a few stores over the prom dress stockroom Calista. If I’ve never heard great word of this place, I would have never caught it driving by – be on the lookout for this small bakery!

From the outside it looks like many of the hole in the walls in Chinatown. But inside you have a very rustic yet modern appeal to the décor.
The food was options were plentiful and honestly bringing friends with you may be the best option to you can try a multitude of options. Went for the Cider Braised Pork Belly with Apple hand cut pasta with jalapeño and Gorgonzola. This dish was simply amazing. The cheese wasn’t overbearing, the noodles were tasty, and the jalapeño and apple added a nice twist. Next time I’m interested in their Pulled Pork Dumpling Posole or Watermelon and Herb Salad.
In addition I had the Elvis French Toast (smoke bacon, peanut butter, bacon-​banana caramel, and granola. Share this with people or eat as an entrée. For a person who doesn’t like caramel, like me, I had to have several bites.
Lots of seats and the wait time was very minimal. Service was quick and were great with sharing their personal and customer favorites. Food came quickly once we ordered and drinks were never empty.
Prices I thought were very reasonable at $ 12 – 15 per entrée for the most part. Drinks were around $ 5 – 10 for some very creative concoctions worth a shot.
Parking is always the same in Chinatown. Tons of street parking and municipal parking available.
Definitely worth taking a look for breakfast or lunch if you are in the area.
Food ⁵⁄₅
Atmosphere ⁵⁄₅
Parking 4.5÷5
Service ⁵⁄₅
Price ⁵⁄₅
FYI the owner used to help run Little Village and Epic and ventured into doing this spot. Owner is a good guy and great to talk with if you get a chance.

Came in, party of 2, around noon on a Sunday — 1 hour wait they said, but they call your cell which is awesome! We walk to Walmart, look around, about 30minutes and they call. We come back and are seating right by the door. They warned us that the benny and the avocado toast was basically the same thing but we order it anyway and a Elvis french toast.
Our recommendation:
If you’re coming for the Benedict (Benny) then chose:
— the avocado toast if you like avocado (it’s on toast like bread; comes with salad)
— the benny if you don’y like avocado (it’s on a biscuit type bread, has a tomato)
The Elvis french toast if you like peanut butter. It’s layers of peanut butter, bananas, and bacon! It has granola on top which is genius, it’s that crunch you never realized french toast was missing.
Overall, great breakfast, I’d come back !

– Long wait but sooo worth it. We came here on Mother’s Day so ofc we waited long.
– The cereal pancakes were good but not great. I was hoping to try their tiramisu pancakes but I guess it was a seasonal thing :(and I’m also a lowkey waffles girl but the pancakes were good nonetheless.
– Our waiter was nice and was able to tell us what he recommends and how long the wait for food was.
– Tip: if you’re ordering the cereal pancakes and you know you can’t finish it, ask for a box before you pour the «milk» so the pancakes you want to take home won’t be soggy.

I came here for a late brunch and there was still a 20 – 30 minute wait. The waiting area is very tiny for this popular restaurant so if your party is big you may have to wait outside. In the waiting area there is complimentary fruit water that is in a jug. It’s water with strawberries, limes, lemons, apples and pineapples soaking in it. It was refreshing.
Once seated, our server explained the specials of the day. I really wanted the posole but it was sold out. I opted for the Creole shrimp and grits. It came with Andouille sausages, lots of shrimp, an egg, and a red eye gravy over the grits. It was pretty tasty but some of the shrimp still had some veins attached to it even though it was butterflied. Maybe they need more attention to detail when cleaning shrimp because that was kinda gross.
My friends got the Elvis French Toast, which I sampled and it was yummy but I don’t think I could handle that much peanut butter all over two pieces of toast. My friend enjoyed it though. My other friend got the BLT eggs benny which also looked delicious but I didn’t get to sample because I just wanted to finish my own meal.
To accompany my dish, I got the ginger beer which is a different brand from Bundaberg. It was more ginger in flavor and very refreshing. I’m starting to be a fan of ginger beer even though I’m not a fan of ginger ale. Makes sense right? I’m sure it’s pretty much the same thing with a different name.
Overall, I’d come back here again and try to get here earlier for the posole. Parking is either street or municipal lot.

I am a little speechless about this place — given how great everything was from the food to the service. I ended up ordering their special — oysters eggs benedict. The oysters were perfect fried, with a very creamy, yet not overpowering hollandaise sauce. The house coffee (not sure if it was Kona blend) was also really strong and flavorful. This place is definitely party of the trendy movement happening in Chinatown and I have extremely high hopes for this place.

I came here a second time for my birthday recently and I have to say, I keep getting disappointed with breakfast/​brunch places. Just because they’re cute and hip and have an amazing sounding menu, doesn’t mean the food is good. The food was ok, but with the almost 1 hour wait, it sure was NOT worth it at all.
We shared 3 items between 3 people. First, we tried the oyster benedict and let’s just say they give you enough hollandaise just to say they give you sauce. I hate places that give you so little. They told us the yolk from the egg should do the trick… but there is a reason why benedicts are so expensive and why they are so good… its the sauce. And to barely give any is just plain sad. I stand by my last review that they DO NOT season their potatoes. I still dont’ get why not. Potatoes are bland. Very bland. Zero taste. I had to add so much salt then dip it in ketchup just so I can eat it. (Cooked perfectly though just no taste)
Second, we got the famous loco moco with foie gras. Basically the foie gras doens’t make sense with the loco moco that I just ate it by itself and it was so tiny it wasn’t worth the extra money you pay. I do have to say, maybe the two shouldn’t be paired together but separately as the foie gras had exceptional taste and on top of a good toast or baguette, it’d be heaven.
Lastly, I had their Elvis (french toast with peanut butter and caramel sauce) but it was so dry we all had a hard time swallowing it. The bread was so thick and barely dipped in custard that it doesn’t deserve to be called a french toast. My table basically wished we had a huge glass of milk each to help wash this dish down. Maybe maple syrup (they didn’t give much caramel to the plate) or actually soak the breads before cooking it would have been nice. The idea is delicious but it was poorly executed. This dish is too easy to make at home yourself to need to spend almost $ 15 on a dry one and also wait an hour for.

Scratch Kitchen had a pretty cool setup– sat at the counter where there is an open kitchen to literally watch as they make all their dishes from scratch. Gave me a feel of eating at home– except the food was a lot more elaborate.
My favorite is their Elvis French Toast, a truly unique and flavorful batter with peanut butter, bananas, and topped with bacon. This alone makes me come back. I also like their Cereal Pancake, which is a thicker battered pancake, covered with Frosted Flakes, in which your syrup is a thicker-​milk sauce. Kind of wanted to pour the whole thing and eat it as a cereal, but I think I would have been taking the name too literally.
The place also has a nice assortment of pastries which are also good, but less stand-​out ish as the prior two items. Will make a point to stop by every time I come back home.

Dropped my car off at Lex Brodie to get a safety check and Mel was nice enough to pick me up. From there we headed down to Scratch…
Scratch is located in Chinatown on hotel and smith street, across the street from livestock tavern. You can find street parking or park in the multiple garages in Chinatown.
It was my first time here! Not gonna lie, I had high hopes of delish food. We got there around 830am not to long after they opened. Mel had me up at 7am… he wanted to beat the wait and arrive here early! On a Saturday, My day off I wake up early for this. man this better be good right? Haha but thank you Mel! Helping me start my day! We got seated within 10mins, not bad wait but looked like lots of people maybe just a bigger party.
We got seated and as I looked at the menu… HUGE FROWN, I saw they only had BLT Benny. If you know me, I LOVE LOVE my eggs benny. BLT wasn’t to appealing to me so I ordered their famous «Elvis» French toast. The Elvis has bacon in the middle with peanut butter spread and its drizzled with caramel sauce, plus a thick crispy bacon strip. (Now if you love bacon, I may offend you) I’m not a huge bacon fan but I’ll eat it, I was expecting the toast to be sweet, it was light, soft, and kinda bland to my liking. Maybe I should have ordered pancakes instead?!
Mel had the chilaquiles which was their special at the time. It’s like a Mexican dish with jalepeno and tortilla chips, tasted like a deconstructed taco! His was good! The spice level was enough to give a kick!
I ordered a plantation ice tea, I like that their drinks come in cute mason jars or cute cups! Mel had coffee and the little thing they used for cream was adorable!
Presentation wise: THEY WIN!

Yay! My heart is happy.
Dinner is back at Scratch K&B. And it’s in full swing.
With breakfast, lunch, and dinner — not to mention the wonderful menu for those who partake in alcohol «tasting» — Scratch is a full on must!
This is a great option for vegetarians and meat lovers alike. And if you are a bacon lover, you are in great company with Chef Brian.
My most recent visit started off with a Kim chee Bloody Mary. With daikon and basil. How could anything go wrong. And you know… nothing did. Start to finish. Our group ordered almost everything on the menu and ate almost every bite. But alas, eyes are too big for our stomachs and we had to pack a few things to go (too good to toss)
It was flawless for texture, taste, presentation and creativity!
We will be back. Again and again. And o suggest you do the same!

I thought it was time to get this unbookmarked. We purposely got up early for easy parking and avoid the morning rush. Made it 2^nd in line. By the time the doors open at 8am there was a nice line of 6 parties, too numerous to count.
We were seated against the wall on the left. Next time I want to sit on the counter to watch the action. Some items were explained as the menus were brought over. If you want water, you need to ask for it. Knew what I wanted because I perused the menu before we came. It did take a while for them to take our order. Probably because they just opened up trying to get some things in order.
«The Elvis» French Toast $ 12.00
Smoked bacon + peanut butter + banana caramel + sweet bread + granola. Sounds a little weird but what a wonderful treat. Loved the dark brown, almost black, golden caramel looking deeply rich. And, that it was. It didn’t just look good, it tasted even better. Didn’t taste the bacon that much. The peanut butter came through sticky, creamy and sweet. It was a pleasant sweet that didn’t go overboard to where I had to put it down. Nope, I finished this bad boy up!
Creole Shrimp & Grits $ 14.00
Spicy sausage + hominy + fried eggs + red eye gravy. This dish, ordered by my better half, is gluten free. I had a little taste of it. It was very delicious. I wanted to have more but didn’t want to get bloated. Plus, Ms. M was hungry looking forward to breaking her fast.
ODB $ 9.00
Jalapeño infused tequila + triple sec + grapefruit juice + lime. This is not something I order in the early morning. Somebody had it rough. I did take a sip. I would definitely drink this. I’ll have to come back at a much later time to enjoy something like this.
Lily Coffee $ 2.75
Wasn’t anything special but it did go well with my french toast.
Overall service seemed a bit chaotic. I was getting really frustrated trying to get the attention from any anyone who could get us our bill. We were a little rushed because we did have some where else to go. I will visit again because the food is really good and see if it was a fluke for the inconsistent service.

Location:
This small restaurant is located off Smith Street in Chinatown. There is street metered parking that accepts coins and card in front of the restaurant.
Food:
I ordered the milk & cereal pancakes and a homemade scone. My sister ordered the chilaquiles and a side order of bacon.
The pancakes were fluffy and filling. It came with «milk» which was thicker than normal milk but not as thick as condensed milk. The pancakes came with Frosted Flakes cereal, strawberry and bananas. It was okay but I wasn’t amazed. The scone was tasty and not dried.
The chilaquiles was unique. It tasted like soggy tortilla with shredded chicken, salsa, cilantro, jalapeño and two fried eggs.
The menu is limited. It was a single page and half of the menu was breakfast and the other half was lunch. I wish there was a larger breakfast selection.
Bathroom:
There is a bathroom in the back that is shared by other businesses.
Ambiance:
It was a hip environment with modern décor and a bar area to sit and watch the cooks cook your food. Fun mason jars were used for water.
Overall, I’m glad I tried it but I don’t think I’ll be visiting again.

This is a place where you go when they first open… or be prepared to wait! But trust me, it is worth the wait! I took my in-​laws here to enjoy a culinary breakfast experience! This place never disappoints!
It is a small restaurant that is open for breakfast, lunch & dinner! Their service staff are super friendly & on top of their jobs! They use fresh ingredients in all of their food and it really shows! We have been here so many times, but this is my first review!
I ordered the Creole Shrimp & Grits & let me tell you, this entrée will MAKE you like grits! Seriously, you will go from «what’s a grit?» to I’m going to the grocery store to buy some grits right after this!
The presentation is top notch here. They are fast & efficient, but they never lack on their presentation. As for the food, the grits were super creamy & had the right mix of shrimp to go with every bite! The Creole seasoning was not overpowering… it gave this dish just the right amount of spice! There is an egg & sausages in this as well! Yummmmm!!! Order this, you will enjoy it!
Parking is a challenge though. There is metered larking on the street that is always packed & there is a paid parking lot across the street from the restaurant.
Either way… come here and experience this culinary delight!

Can I give more than 5 stars??? Please???
This place is located in cute little china town and is the most clean and modern restaurant in the area (of my choice).
Hands down the best pancakes and loco moco I have had and my boyfriend agreed (he has family in Hawaii and visits often)
Our server (and many others) were so attentive and caring.
You HAVE to have the milk m cereal pancakes and brisket/​foie gras loco moco.
The coffee is illy coffee and verrrrrrry delicious. Comes with a refill of your cup too :)
Just do it. You won’t regret it at all.
P. s., their pastries and all are about the size of your head and if not bigger. Delish!!!

We came for the Milk and Cereal Pancakes but we stayed for the service, delicious cocktails and oh, yeah, the Milk and Cereal Pancakes!
We hadn’t went out for breakfast/​brunch since before our 7-​month-​old was born but since the husband had a taste for brunch last Sunday, I suggested we try somewhere new — I’m happy we did!
We got there around 9 a.m. and had to wait about 40 minutes. We parked for free across the street (it seems like that parking lot is free on Sundays… or we just got really lucky). I didn’t mind waiting because we would’ve waited twice as long at our favorite breakfast spot in Honolulu (which shall remain unnamed since it is always too busy as is).
The interior is modern and clean and the staff is very friendly and accommodating. There’s little room for waiting inside so prepare to stand outside as you wait.
Now for the food and drinks!
The breakfast menu is quite limited (hence four stars and not five). The menu is so small that I ended up getting the BLT Benny which is odd because I hate bacon. Nevertheless, I wanted something that had potatoes and eggs of some sort… so I ordered and hoped for the best.
My husband got the Milk and Cereal Pancakes and a Bourbon Fig Smash. I had a mimosa to drink.
All in all, everything was truly delicious. My biscuit was a little tough to cut through, but other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the food and drink here. We’ll definitely be back as I plan to order the Milk and Cereal Pancakes for myself next time!

Couldn’t believe this was our 1^st time here and the place has been open since 2014! Ok, so like any popular eatery after opening hours, you’ll have to wait… Just read someone else’s 3 star review of the place… Sorry it wasn’t your speed. Personally, I appreciate well thought out and cooked meals… They have that going on here so the wait was not a problem for us. But if you can wait, do it! If no can, no can. The host was even kind enough to offer his truck tailgate to sit on since the waiting area inside was already full… That was a good start of their kama’aina service!
Once inside, the kitchen is right inside with the dining area and nicely lit to see what the Chefs are up to… Reminds me of that movie with Catherine Zeta Jones No Reservations… It’s a unique place in Hawaii next to a sushi bar. As we got our menus we glanced at the them but had predetermined what we wanted from all the pictures on Unilocal!Still, I ordered the Elvis with side Chorizo patty and my foodie partner had the notorious BLT Benny! Our neighbors next to us recommend we get a taste of their pastries… So we got a strawberry haupia scone… Was fluffier than those Starbucks ones I’ve been eating lately… And tastier!
We also had hot tea with our orders… Our waitress was busy as was all the other’s so our main dishes were taken by our host and everything came in quicker than we thought… The scone came last because our waitress was busy but not a big deal since our food was sitting nicely in front of us.
The verdict… We likely! I personally ate my way through everything we had… My Elvis was sweetbread French toast with peanut butter, bananas, bacon, some cocoa granolas, walnuts and their syrup… Was mean! The chirizo patty added the savory taste to my meal and was a good match for the Elvis. My partner’s BLT Benny was really delightful and healthy looking and tasting. Came with Kale and bacon instead of a classic Benedict and these smashed taters… OMG… Was cooked so perfectly… Imma starch fan btw…
Anyhow, tab was under 40 bucks & everything was great and we’ll be back for more… Really wanna try the pancakes next… Till next time… Grind on! Pau!

ohmygod, stop it, Scratch. You’re too good to us!
Quick update since it’s been over a year from my last review. Still one of our favorite brunch AND dinner joints. And did I mention their lighting is perfs for taking food pics! :P
Brian is amazing and the changing menu never ceases to amaze me.
Our last visit a couple weeks ago was for dinner. But wait, are they normally not open for dinner? I can’t really keep up. On their website, there are no dinner menus, so maybe it was for a limited time? Anyways, I know they’re open for Brunch from 8am-​2pm.
Although packed, Brian graciously showed us to the counter seating. And you know what? I kinda like this seating better than the tables. you get to watch the amazing cooks do their thang while you drool and wait for your food. It also gives you a good preview of what to order!
This is what we got for dinner:
–Brussels Sprouts: don’t knock it till you try it! I swear, the flavor and the way they cook the Brussels sprouts here are amaze. Kind of smokey and garlicy with just the right amount of saltiness. love.
–Chicken Fried Deviled Eggs: (i think this is what it’s called?) Yup, fried deviled eggs. The flavor on this bad boy is like no deviled eggs you’ve ever had. It comes on a bed of slaw and there’s some sort of saucey buttermilk relish thing on it that balances out the eggy flavor. idk, it’s just good — get it!
–Pork Adobo Quesadilla: ok, let me start off by saying, I hate cilantro… and this guy had cilantro on it and in it. Yikes. I’ll get through it – after scraping off the top, and tasting it, hmm, not too shabby! I actually really enjoyed it!
–Meatball Toast — yup, just as the dish is called — a meatball on top a little crostini toast. Served as ONE piece. Pretty good.
–Crab Toast (sorry guys, I don’t remember what this fancy dish was called) — just like the meatball one, but with fresh crab meat. YUM. Served as ONE piece. Perfect seasoning and so fresh.
Doesn’t sound much huh? But man, we were STUFFED and our bellies were very happy!
We could’ve ended it here but Brian sent out a bread pudding. Ah, I don’t remember the flavor but it was amazing, not overly sweet, especially with that sauce they give you on the side to drizzle on… it was delish!
Roll us out of here! Thanks, Scratch. you never let us leave unhappy and hungry!

We tried to eat here once before, but were told that the wait was over an hour, so we decided to try our luck down the street. We eventually stumbled in hungover around 1:30 — 1:45 after the ridiculously difficult task of parking in Chinatown on a Sunday not knowing that they closed at 2. I know, we were those guys. They graciously took us in and informed us they closed at 2. In our attempt at redemption, we offered to come back another time, but they profusely refused and served us.
The server was amazing, making conversation with us, joking around, even though we had kept him over his shift. They even brewed a fresh batch of coffee for one of us. I think that the food is just alright though. I had the Shrimp and Grits, it was a little soupier than expected and the egg came out a little hard boiled. The flavor The foie gras loco moco sounded amazing, but it was a little pricey.
Overall, it was a good place. And the service is extremely memorable.

The long waits are worth it, I waited twenty minutes to eat once. The dining area is small, so they can only serve so much people at one time. This place does food justice. The first time I came here, I came with my two besties. We tried.
creole shrimp and grits — rich in flavor, spicy sausage was so good too. When I took a bite, I understood why people are obsessed with grits.
BC Burger — You can’t go wrong with this. This burger is piled high but is more narrow then it is wide. Still fulfilling for one person.
Milk N Cereal Pancakes — Want to feel like a rolly poly and getting your money’s worth of food? This dish has a sweet thick «milk»
There skillets are tasty. I didn’t care for the adobo loco moco skillet, but my friend liked it.
Overall, try to come early so you don’t have to wait in line! I only tried their breakfast menu and can’t wait to try their dinner menu!

Scratch Kitchen. (4 stars)
I have to thank Eileen B. for planning today’s Easter brunch! I got to meet some new friends as well (and their cute doggie Thundar)!!
Scratch is located just across the street from Livestock Tavern (side note: I LOVE LIVESTOCK TAVERN!!)… Parking is difficult at best but today I lucked out as I found street parking right next to the restaurant!
When you get to Scratch… REMEMBER TO SIGN IN! The good thing is that you can leave your number so that the host will call you when your table is ready! (If the host tells you that you have at least a half hour wait… Try Smith’s Union Bar! The service is on point! It’s a local «dive bar»… But it makes the time go by fast!!)
I will start by saying I am NOT A BREAKFAST FOOD LOVER so our group decided to meet at 10:30 when the «Lunch» menu becomes available.
I had looked at (aka studied) the menu for the last day wondering what I should try and (of course!) reading the Unilocal reviews and looking at pictures to figure out what I wanted to eat! It was toss up between the Shrimp and Grits and the NOLA Muffaletta. (As many will tell you… When I can’t make up my mind… I order it all!!)
Here’s what I ordered:
–NOLA Muffaletta
–Shrimp & Grits
–Smashed Taters
–Brussel Sprouts w/​Reggiano (and an egg)
I’ll start with my favorite! I searched high and low on Unilocal for a review of the NOLA Muffaletta but I couldn’t find one? It could be me because I am pretty dumb at using apps!
NOLA Muffaletta. (5 stars)
I am usually very wary about ordering sandwiches (ESPECIALLY PANINIS) because the ratio of bread to the rest of the ingredients is (70% bread and 30% ingredients)… But this Muffaletta was AWESOME!!! I loved it! The meat trio (I didn’t bother to ask what the meat trio was but it tasted like there was salami and capicola? and I’m not sure??)… was amazing! The meats were definitely quality (farm to table). There is a homemade pesto sauce and arugula with cherry tomatoes on the side. I added the arugula and cherry tomatoes to the Muffaletta to add the «peppery» flavor profile to the sandwich! Oh-​Em-​Gee! Still reminiscing! (This dish comes with smashed taters which I didn’t know otherwise I wouldn’t have ordered another order… But oh well!!)
Shrimp & Grits. (3.5 stars)
The grits were prepared well. They were not overcooked (and NO I have never been to New Orleans so maybe what I like isn’t «authentic»)… But nonetheless I thought the dish was interesting. I have had Grits before in different parts of the mainland and I have to say this dish did have a good flavoring to it but after eating the Muffaletta there was no comparison for me! I usually try to order shrimp and grits wherever I go because I do like grits! The shrimps were not overcooked. Overall a dish I would probably order again.
Smashed Taters. (3.5 stars)
Smashed Taters… Literally baked potatoes that are «smashed» once with salt sprinkled to give it some flavor. It wasn’t bad. But I wouldn’t order it again. Which is saying a lot for an Asian who will always pick potatoes over rice!
Brussel sprouts. (4.5 stars)
I think Brussel sprouts get a bad rap! I love them! Especially when they are cooked with olive oil, salt, bacon, and a touch of garlic! I had never thought of putting cheese with Brussel sprouts but these were awesome! The Brussel sprouts are lightly fried and then topped with Reggiano cheese (loved this!!) and CAPERS (WHICH I LOVE) and an egg (which I didn’t care too much for but again it could be because I’m not a huge «breakfast food fan»)… The Reggiano cheese and capers had just that right amount of «salty» that allowed me to allow the absence of bacon and still love it! I would definitely order this again! A simple yet under-​appreciated dish!
I would definitely come back here for sure! It is worth the wait just to have another bite of their NOLA Muffaletta!!!