Boots & Kimo’s Homestyle Kitchen

I really wanted to try this place due to all the hype about it and the fact that there are always long lines to get in here. I came with my Mum who is visiting from New Zealand. There were no lines to get in as we arrived at around 2 pm. The music when we entered was very loud, but after 10 – 15 minutes or so they turned it down, (someone must have complained) thank goodness. I ordered the famous pancakes with mac nut sauce which cost $ 11.99, which I feel is expensive for three pancakes. My mum ordered the banana pancakes with mac nut sauce plus a side of bacon. The side of bacon was $ 6, which I feel is expensive for a side of bacon. They brought out our food and had messed up my mum’s order, giving her a short stack rather than a full stack. We told them, and they took them away, and a little later brought out the full stack she ordered. Her bacon was overcooked and there wasn’t very much of it. The pancakes were delicious but for me they were not as good as the lilikoi ones from Moke’s — which are also cheaper and aren’t on the sickly sweet side like these ones were pretty close to being. My mum also ordered their «fresh orange juice» but was disappointed when for $ 2.85 a glass it was pretty much just meadow gold orange juice from a carton and not «fresh» at all. When my mum went to pay with my amex card the lady rudely/​abruptly told her «cash only!». No, «sorry we only take cash» or any politeness about it. So that was a little irking.
So, overall, I don’t think I’ll be coming back here to try anything else on their quite expensive menu. I wonder if this place used to be better but has gone downhill? ‘Cos I couldn’t quite understand the hype.

About a 30 – 45 min wait, but well worth it. The banana nut pancakes were the best I’ve ever had. The owner is definitely a sports fan, the place is covered in sports memorabilia from football, basketball, boxing, + more. Great vibes, good food, fast service once seated.

The line for this place seems helllllllllla longer after hiking so I already knew I wanted to try everything on the menu. I honestly think the mac pancakes are WAY better with bananas than without. I got the pelehu ribs lunch plate which I think was better than the New York steak my niece ordered but know it’s more on the salty side if that’s not your thing. My other cousin ordered a side of sausage and the pancakes as well. The serving size is reasonable for the price. Overall I think it’s worth to try it out WITH the bananas & I would come back!

I made a crazy choice and elected not to get the famous pancakes. Instead I got eggs and the hamburger steak with gravy with hashbrowns and toast. It was a very good choice. I destroyed everything on my plate. This is a good place to get breakfast.
We went on a less crowded morning but I can see how this place would get so busy and have lines out the door.
A cool touch is the old football cards and other trading cards that you can buy at the front of the restaurant. I was so tempted to buy a bunch of packs of 1986 Topps Football.
This place may not change your life, but you will get a legit breakfast.

So delish & worth the wait. I visited Hawaii last week & made sure Boots & Kimo was on the list of food places I had to visit. I came for the macadamia nut pancakes after reading countless reviews on them. And they did not fail! The pancakes themselves are fluffy & the sauce is what makes it sooo amazing. Just the right amount of sweetness. We were quoted about a 45 – 1 hour wait and it ended up being about 40 minutes. The staff was very polite. I just wish the restaurant was a tad bigger to accommodate the crowd they draw. Overall, I would def come back next time I’m on the island.

Three words: Macadamia Nut Pancakes! I’m not one that even likes sweet things, but AMAZING! Customer service is a big one for me too and this place is awesome. They accidentally brought my boyfriend’s omlette to the wrong table (appreciated the honesty on that one, wasn’t a big deal) then they surprised us with a free macadamia nut pancake which I’m sure to order next time. I thought I was full until I had its sweet &savory goodness! AND on top of all that they still took the cost off of the late omlette.

Their macnut pancakes are still outstanding. This time I also tried it on a waffle, where the sauce pools into the little waffles holes. Both are great ways to enjoy their signature macnut sauce.
They grill their Portuguese sausage so you get a nice delicious char. The hash browns have a very crispy exterior, but I like it that way.
The wait is a bit long, and there always seems to be a wait. I think it’s a hot spot for Japanese tourists. Because of crowd, they are very efficient, you are in and out of there in a snap. In some ways I appreciate the efficiently, but in other ways it seemed just a little quick and impersonal. Don’t get me wrong, the servers were friendly (and I do want to note they were very accommodating when we got very watered down juice), but it just had an order at the counter feel in a sit down restaurant.

Ordered Seafood Omelet. Imitation crab was a turn off. Otherwise good.
Wait. Cash only… no good.

Finally made it to Kimo’s to see what the fuzz is all about.
There are a lot of tourists in this location therefore this is a got-​to breakfast place for most; be prepared to to get in line. Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long (10 – 15 mins) today.
I am not exactly sure what the theme of this restaurant is, wether it is a sports bar, a breakfast place or a tiki place (lol) there is only 1 bathroom which is a little hassle for the ladies.
Customer service is okay, nothing worth more than 20%. Kimo’s is an upgraded hole in a wall and isn’t very big so they can get very busy without much help/​servers. I had to ask for straws 2x which took 5 mins (from another server); I didn’t even bother to ask for more napkins (the things that should already be there… Tsk)
Now for the foodies. YES to the macadamia nut syrup. It is certainly yummy! Although the everything else is mediocre; I do not recommend the cheese & jalapeño omelette. My friend ordered the omelette and not only that they are spicy but it was ALOT! Almost a handful (10 – 15 whole pieces). Now, if you’re into it then maybe it won’t be a bad choice. Also, bring cash for they take cash ONLY.
In conclusion, the rumors about the macnut syrup is good but is it worth the long wait line? Hell naw.

Working in Kailua definitely has its perks.
Boots & Kimos is a small restaurant in quaint Kailua town. Known for it’s breakfast and lunch menus (well, more breakfast), the food here is known to tourists and locals alike.
First off, expect to wait for a table (unless you’re the first one there or really lucky). Sometimes it can be 5 minutes, sometimes upwards to 30. One of the benefits of eating alone is that they sometimes have a single table for one person that is almost always empty so I rarely had to ever wait for a table.
The food is where this establishment really shines. Their signature dish is the macadamia nut pancakes. Well, the pancakes are normal, but the sauce that tops it is simply divine. I don’t know what they put into that, but it’s simply marvelous. Not to say that only their pancakes are good. Their palehua steak is fantastic and their chicken sausage is top-​notch as well.
Parking is easily found. There is a small lot, street parking, or parking at the nearby Target or Kailua Town Center.
If you happen to find yourself in the area and don’t mind the wait, it’s definitely a gem to dine at.

SO SO SO GOOD! Great place for a breakfast or «brunch» — you’ll definitely be full until dinner time rolls around. There is usually a line for this place, but we got in just at the right time when the «breakfast» crowd was finishing up their meal and the «brunch/​lunch» crowd hadn’t arrived yet.
PARKING: Small parking lot in the back for people dining at the restaurants.
CASH ONLY! They also have an ATM inside if you forget to bring your monies.
FOOD: We ordered 3 dishes for the 2 of us to share and it was just enough food!
Macadamia Nut Pancakes — So fluffy and the sauce is perfect! Not super sweet and just right. Goes SO well with the pancakes.
Eggs Benedict — Delicious! Comes with two so one for each of us. Got it with fried rice but you can choose another side dish if you’d like.
Corned Beef Omelette — Filled with yummy goodness and big omelette! Got a side of fried rice with this dish too cause you can’t have enough of it :)
Would definitely come back to try some of the other dishes!

boots & kimo’s? regardless of the wait in line, so worth it. dude, just go there. Totally «awesome sauce»!!! Highly, highly recommended!

I am 100% confused as to why this place only has an overall rating of 3.5 stars?!?
I am new to the island but have been here a handful of times and each time I’ve been met with consistency! Great food with great taste and great service each and every time.
My absolute faves are the pulehu ribs, the Hawaiian Smoked Sausage breakfast, and their pancakes! Everything is good, however, so you can’t go wrong with whatever you decide to order.
Tip: it’s cash only, but, no worries, they have an ATM inside.

Great place to come for breakfast and not have to eat a lunch!
Everyone is talking about it, when you come here, you must get the Mac Nut Pancakes! The pancakes are so fluffy and the Mac Nut Sauce is very light. You will probably end up eating all of the pancakes with no leftovers at all!
The Eggs Benedict and Corned Beef Omlette was also good!
WAIT TIME: Came here around 8ish and only had to wait 10 minutes because the 7:30 opening rush was just finishing! I would advise coming early to avoid the ridiculous 1 – 2 hour wait!
PARKING: There is a small lot in the back that is shared with the other businesses
CASH ONLY! ATM inside if you forget!

With any of these places that are highly raved about, I go in with an open mind and not expecting too much. With this said, we went to B&K’s around 9am on a weekday and expected to wait a ridiculously long time. But we walked in, put our names down with the host and waited about 15 minutes tops for a table. Lucky, because a busload of those tourists others Unilocalers mentioned did come in right after us. We ordered an omelet that I can’t even remember what was inside because it was mediocre at best w/​a side of tasteless fried rice, and the infamous banana macadamia nut pancakes.
The four-​star rating is for the pancakes only — they were fluffy and the mac sauce was not too sweet. We literally almost licked the plate off! I definitely wouldn’t wait longer than 30 minutesfor this place and DEFINITELY wouldn’t wait an hour or more. If anything, I would recommend just ordering the pancakes to go and eating it outside, like a lot of the patrons did. The service was friendly and the prices were right, but the only thing I’ll be back for are those pancakes!

Sorry guys, I just don’t get it.
After waiting for more than an hour for a seat, I was so looking forward to the awesome pancakes that so many Japanese tourists flock all the way from waikiki to Kailua for.
The hostess (Nadine) was rather rude as she tried to manage a growing line. After an hour of waiting, I went to peak at our status on the wait list and she abruptly covered it saying to go to the back of the line if I had a question. Sheez, just trying to see how many more parties before ours.
Once seated, service was efficient, but considering that about 75% of the customers inside were japanese during this visit, I think that a Japanese menu would help them move things along.
Ordered a full stack (3) of the banana macadamia nut pancakes for $ 10.99.
Yes, they were good, but in comparison, McDonald’s hot cakes are also pretty good. Just Not worth the hassles.
Oh and Don’t forget to bring cash, no credit cards accepted here.

ALL HAIL MACADAMIA NUT SAUCEEEE!
Pancakes won’t ever be the same for me again, thanks to Kimo’s delicious BANANA PANCAKES WITH MACADAMIA NUT SAUCE.
The pancakes here are soft, fluffy, and filled with slices of fresh banana. The Macadamia nut sauce here is like gold– rich in macadamia flavor, thick (with pieces of macadamia nut), but not overly sweet. This paired amazingly with the pancakes. We were literally licking the sauce off our plates! Regular pancakes with maple syrup doesn’t even compare.
The Portuguese sausage breakfast plate here had everything I was craving– crisp hash browns, eggs, and Portuguese sausage. The slices of sausage had a nice char, which I always love when it comes to sausage (or bacon), haha.
Definitely my favorite breakfast spot in Hawaii so far!

BRRRRRRAH. Those pancakes are MEEEEEAAAAAN! No joke!!! RUSH UM! No sked um!
I’ve been wanting to try boots and kimos for probably a solid year now. Whenever I called, the wait til was always ridiculous (1 hour or more) and be forewarned, they do not take reservations. Also, they are featured I believe in some travel magazine, so beware, there will be plenty of tourists. Overpopulation aside, you still need to try this place.
We went on a random Friday at around 1230, and that seems to be a pretty prime time to go (to avoid crowds). Our wait was just under half an hour.
I had the Maui wowie omelette (mushroom, onion, tomato, mild jalapeños, and Swiss cheese) with egg whites. I chose white rice but you also have toast or hash brown options. The omelette was soooo yummy! Gooey melted cheese and perfectly seasoned vegetables. I would try again. We also ordered a side of Portuguese sausage, and it came grilled with char marks and everything we got a side of pulehu ribs as well, but those were a little disappointing. Flavor was on point but the meat was tough.
Lastly, what trip to boots and kimos would be complete without their famous Mac nut pancakes!!! They were AMAZING. The pancakes are light and fluffy, and the creamy Mac nut sauce they use is velvety rich and sinfully sweet. That is a game changer right there. Hands down, best pancakes on island.
Go check um go check um gooooooooooo

Aloha!
Wiping the drool as I write this short and sweet review. This is a must eat!
Take the scenic drive on the Pali Highway (61) from Honolulu. The hype is real here, so a few pointers to make your visit here an enjoyable one.
1) Come early or be prepared to wait at least an hour! (You can also order for take out if you don’t want to risk the wait).
2) Be patient and have the Aloha spirit while here, as service can be slow (but the staff hustles and does the best they can to accommodate).
3) Bring cash!
4) Order the banana pancakes with the creamy mac nut sauce/​syrup. Pancakes are light and fluffy, and not overwhelming (as I’m not usually a pancake eater). The sauce is outstanding and the best I’ve ever had. You will lick the sauce clean from the plate.
Mahalo and enjoy!

If you’re ever in the mood for a big solid breakfast and you’re willing to wait for your food, make a stop by this place. I had breakfast here and it was quite a filling and yummy meal. My only suggestion is to get here a little before opening time, in order to avoid the big line that comes later in the morning. Trust me, it’s worth coming early since this place gets packed pretty quickly and service isn’t always the quickest.
For breakfast, I ordered the classic banana pancakes with the macadamia nut sauce. My friend ordered the Portuguese Sausage meal and both dishes were tasty. The sausage meal was quite savory and not too salty. As for the banana pancakes, this was definitely my favorite. Light, fluffy and loaded with the sweet fruity taste of bananas and the slight crunch of the macadamia nuts used in the sauce, this was an absolute YUM. I was pretty surprised to see how big one pancake was and how thick it could be. If anything, I would just come back here again for the pancakes.
Overall, service here isn’t too bad. When the place got packed, it did take some effort to flag down the wait staff if you needed something. Our food arrived around 45 min ish after we ordered and while it did taste pretty good, I wish it was a bit hotter instead of room temperature. As for the décor of the place, it’s warm and cozy with all the various football gear laying around. Downside to this place: Cash only. Breakfast here isn’t the cheapest, so prepare to bring a nice chunk of money to spend on the food.