Overview
Cinnamon’s Restaurant Kailua is a longtime breakfast-and-lunch spot in Kailua, on Oahu’s Windward Coast. The restaurant’s own site says it has been serving the community since 1985, and Google Places currently lists it as operational at 315 Uluniu St with daily morning-to-early-afternoon hours. (cinnamons808.com)
For a traveler, the appeal is straightforward: this is one of those local brunch places people go to for signature pancakes, benedicts, and comfort-style island breakfast plates rather than for a formal dining experience. The best-supported draw is the house specialty lane — especially the red velvet and guava chiffon pancakes, plus crab-cake and other eggs Benedict variations. (cinnamons808.com)
Cuisine & Specialties
Cinnamon’s sits in the breakfast/brunch lane with an American-Hawaiian lean. The menu and review pattern point to a broad daytime menu that mixes pancake-house favorites, benedicts, loco moco-style plates, sandwiches, and a few local comfort dishes. The clearest signature is the sweet pancake program, which is repeatedly called out in both official and third-party sources. (cinnamons808.com)
- Overall menu style: casual breakfast, brunch, and lunch; American with Hawaiian/local elements.
- Notable dishes and specialties:
- Red velvet pancakes
- Guava chiffon pancakes
- Banana cinnamon roll pancakes
- Crab cake eggs Benedict / crab cake Benedict
- Macadamia-crusted mahi mahi eggs Benedict
- Loco moco and other comfort-breakfast plates
These are supported by the restaurant’s own pages, Google review excerpts, and Tripadvisor/review summaries. (cinnamons808.com)
- Price range / spend expectations: Google lists it at price level 2, and traveler reviews describe it as reasonably priced or “about right” for the area, so it reads as mid-budget rather than cheap or splurge dining. (cinnamons808.com)
- Dietary usefulness / limitations: The menu appears broad enough for mixed groups, with omelettes, sandwiches, seafood, and vegetarian-adjacent breakfast options, but it is not especially diet-specialist dining. There is not strong evidence here of robust vegan, gluten-free, or allergy-focused programming, so travelers with strict needs should verify directly. This is an inference from the menu mix and the lack of strong official dietary positioning. (cinnamons808.com)
Notable Features & Ambiance
This is a casual, popular daytime restaurant rather than a destination with a luxury setting. Review language consistently suggests a relaxed, cozy, sometimes busy brunch room, and one Tripadvisor reviewer notes it can be a little tricky to find because it sits in a shopping-center-style setting. (cinnamons808.com)
- Service model and seating style: sit-down breakfast/lunch restaurant; walk-in expectations are common, and reviews mention waiting lists and occasional outdoor/courtyard seating. (tripadvisor.com)
- Atmosphere and decor: casual, cozy, friendly, and relaxed are the recurring themes; several reviewers mention attentive staff and a clean, pleasant interior. (cinnamons808.com)
- Amenities / practical features: official site supports takeout/order online and delivery via third-party services; Tripadvisor also notes parking availability, while traveler reviews mention metered or limited parking nearby. (cinnamons808.com)
- Best fit: a breakfast-or-brunch stop for visitors who want a well-known Kailua classic, especially if they want pancakes or a hearty local-style plate.
- Weaker fit: travelers wanting a quiet, polished, reservation-driven meal or an especially fast in-and-out experience during peak hours. Crowd/wait complaints show up often enough to matter. (tripadvisor.com)
History & Background
Cinnamon’s says it was founded in March 1985 by Puna Nam, Cricket Nam, and chef/partner Carsie Green, with a stated mission to nourish the community with great food, reasonable prices, and aloha. The current site also frames the Kailua location as recently renovated and still family-led, with the Nam family thanking the community for 40+ years of support. (cinnamons808.com)
Review Sentiment Snapshot
What People Love
The strongest and most consistent praise is for the signature pancakes — especially red velvet, guava chiffon, cinnamon roll, and banana cinnamon roll versions — along with crab cake Benedict-style dishes and other hearty breakfast plates. Reviewers also repeatedly praise friendly service, generous portions, and a relaxed, welcoming feel. (cinnamons808.com)
Common Gripes
The main downsides are operational rather than culinary: waits can be long, parking can be awkward, and the place can feel crowded or noisy at peak breakfast times. Some reviews also mention the location being a little hard to find. Quality criticism exists, but it looks mixed rather than dominant; for example, one reviewer found the cinnamon roll underwhelming and the crab cakes slightly overcooked, while many others were highly positive. (tripadvisor.com)
Practical Visitor Tips
- Hours: Google Places and the website both show daily breakfast/lunch hours centered on 7:00 AM–2:00 PM; the current website listing shows the same seven-day schedule. (cinnamons808.com)
- Best time to go: earlier in the morning is likely the easiest bet if you want to reduce wait risk; review history suggests it can get busy.
- Reservations / walk-ins: the evidence points more toward walk-in, first-come-first-served behavior than a reservation-led model; Tripadvisor reviewers mention checking in and wait lists on arrival. (tripadvisor.com)
- Parking / access: expect a shopping-center location and possible metered or limited parking nearby; one reviewer specifically called parking “large metered” while another described it as hard to find. (tripadvisor.com)
- What to order first: if you want the safest signature picks, start with the red velvet pancakes, guava chiffon pancakes, or a crab cake Benedict; those are the most consistently supported favorites across sources. (cinnamons808.com)
Verification Notes
- Official name, address, phone, and website all align across Google Places and the restaurant’s site: Cinnamon’s Restaurant Kailua, 315 Uluniu St, Kailua, HI 96734, (808) 261-8724, http://cinnamons808.com/. (cinnamons808.com)
- Google Places shows the business as OPERATIONAL and the website currently presents active hours and ordering paths. (cinnamons808.com)
- No major verification issues found.
Sources
- Cinnamon’s Restaurant official website —
http://cinnamons808.com/— retrieved 2026-04-02. Most useful for official identity, hours, contact info, founder/history statement, signature dish framing, and current operational cues. - Tripadvisor listing for Cinnamon’s Restaurant Kailua —
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60652-d433917-Reviews-Cinnamon_s_Restaurant-Kailua_Oahu_Hawaii.html— retrieved 2026-04-02. Most useful for traveler-facing sentiment patterns, menu highlights, wait/parking notes, and common praise/gripes. - Google Places facts supplied in the prompt — source URL available as Google Maps CID:
https://maps.google.com/?cid=13379844930692073650— retrieved 2026-04-02. Most useful as the baseline identity anchor for name, address, phone, status, rating, price level, and hours. - Restaurantji listing for Cinnamon’s Restaurant Kailua —
https://www.restaurantji.com/hi/kailua/cinnamons-/— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for cross-checking hours, common customer favorites, and recurring description of the menu and service style.
