Overview
Times Coffee Shop Kailua is a long-running, locally owned breakfast-and-lunch diner in Kailua on Oʻahu’s Windward Coast. The official site says it opened in 1959 and is still run by the Low family, which gives it a stronger sense of continuity than a typical coffee shop. (timescoffeeshopkailua.com)
For a traveler, the main appeal is straightforward: this is a classic local breakfast stop rather than a trend-driven café. The place is known for hearty plates, a simple setting, and a menu that leans into familiar Hawaiian-style diner food, especially fried rice. (hawaiimagazine.com)
Cuisine & Specialties
This is a low-key breakfast, brunch, and lunch diner with a comfort-food menu that mixes mainland diner staples with local Hawaii favorites. The strongest recurring signal is the fried rice, which the business itself treats as a signature item and which multiple reviews and feature coverage call out as a reason people return. (timescoffeeshopkailua.com)
- Overall menu style: old-school diner food with local breakfast plates, omelets, pancakes, loco moco, and lunch-style comfort dishes. (hawaiimagazine.com)
- Notable specialties: fried rice; hamburger steak / hamburger patty plates; banana pancakes and other large pancakes; corned beef hash or corned beef hash patty; eggs over easy with local-style sides; loco moco. (hawaiimagazine.com)
- Signature rice angle: the restaurant says its fried rice has been part of the menu foundation since the beginning, and HAWAIʻI Magazine describes both a sweeter teri-sauce version and an off-menu shoyu version. (timescoffeeshopkailua.com)
- Dietary usefulness / limits: there is some vegetarian flexibility. HAWAIʻI Magazine says the fried rice has a veggie version, and that certain items can be made with a plant-based patty. Tripadvisor also tags the restaurant as vegetarian-friendly. (hawaiimagazine.com)
- Price range: inexpensive to moderate by island breakfast standards; HAWAIʻI Magazine says many plates run about $10–$15, and Tripadvisor shows a single-dollar price level. (hawaiimagazine.com)
Notable Features & Ambiance
The setting is simple and familiar, more like a neighborhood diner than a polished café. HAWAIʻI Magazine describes brown vinyl booths, a worn orange-tile floor, and a steady flow of local regulars, which suggests a place built around routine rather than destination dining theatrics. (hawaiimagazine.com)
- Service model and seating: table service in a sit-down diner format; Tripadvisor lists seating and table service. HAWAIʻI Magazine describes the host/check-in flow as orderly but casual. (tripadvisor.com)
- Atmosphere and decor: cozy, old-fashioned, and unpretentious; the magazine piece emphasizes a worn-in neighborhood feel rather than a styled-up retro concept. (hawaiimagazine.com)
- Practical features: Tripadvisor notes wheelchair access and gift cards; the restaurant also supports online ordering on its site. (tripadvisor.com)
- Best fit: breakfast or brunch with a local feel, especially for travelers who want a dependable, non-fussy Kailua meal. HAWAIʻI Magazine also frames it as a regular’s place, which usually appeals to visitors looking for authentic local routines. (hawaiimagazine.com)
- Weaker fit: travelers seeking a quiet, design-forward café, a long leisurely brunch, or a highly curated specialty-coffee experience may find it too plain or utilitarian. That is an inference from the source descriptions of the room and menu style. (hawaiimagazine.com)
History & Background
Times Coffee Shop’s origin story is unusually clear for a neighborhood diner. The official site says it opened in Kailua in 1959; HAWAIʻI Magazine adds that it started a couple blocks away on Oneawa Street and later moved to the current Hāmākua Drive location after the Shimabukuro family sold it to Samson and Veronica Low in the early 1980s. The same piece says the business remains in the Low family, now involving a younger generation as well. (timescoffeeshopkailua.com)
Review Sentiment Snapshot
What People Love
The recurring praise is for the fried rice, the reliable local-breakfast feel, and the sense that this is a true Kailua standby rather than a tourist invention. Review coverage and feature writing also point to solid portions, affordable pricing, and friendly, efficient service. (hawaiimagazine.com)
Common Gripes
The main practical downside that appears repeatedly is parking, which Tripadvisor notes can be challenging. Beyond that, evidence for negatives is fairly light; the available sources do not show a strong pattern of major food or service complaints, so any criticism should be treated as limited rather than deeply established. (tripadvisor.com)
Practical Visitor Tips
- Hours are breakfast-centric: weekdays 8:00 AM–1:00 PM, weekends 6:30 AM–1:00 PM. That makes it a morning place, not a lunch-all-day restaurant. (timescoffeeshopkailua.com)
- Expect a sit-down diner with table service rather than counter-service grab-and-go. (tripadvisor.com)
- If you want the most local-sounding order, fried rice is the obvious house specialty; if you want something more standard, pancakes, eggs, omelets, or a hamburger steak/loco moco plate are all well-supported choices. (timescoffeeshopkailua.com)
- Parking may be a modest hassle, so arriving early is the safer move, especially at peak breakfast time. (tripadvisor.com)
- The restaurant supports online ordering, which may help if you want to avoid a wait or pick up food quickly. (timescoffeeshopkailua.com)
Verification Notes
- Official name and contact details match the Google Places record: Times Coffee Shop Kailua, 153 Hamakua Drive Ste A, Kailua, HI 96734, (808) 262-0300. The official site lists the ZIP as 96744 on one page, while Google Places and the candidate facts use 96734; the street address itself is consistent, so this looks like a ZIP typo or site-level drift rather than a different business. (timescoffeeshopkailua.com)
- Operational status appears current and open as of the source retrieval dates. (timescoffeeshopkailua.com)
- No major identity mismatch found between the official site, Google Places, and third-party listings. (timescoffeeshopkailua.com)
Sources
- Times Coffee Shop Kailua official website —
https://www.timescoffeeshopkailua.com/— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for official identity, hours, address, phone, online ordering, family ownership, origin year, and the restaurant’s own framing of its signature fried rice. - HAWAIʻI Magazine, “This Family-Run Coffee Shop in Kailua is a Must for Breakfast Lovers” —
https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/this-family-run-coffee-shop-in-kailua-is-a-must-for-breakfast-lovers/— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for ambiance, signature dishes, price range, ownership history, family background, and traveler-facing context. - Tripadvisor listing for Times Coffee Shop - Kailua —
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60652-d4334560-Reviews-Times_Coffee_Shop_Kailua-Kailua_Oahu_Hawaii.html— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for corroborating meal type, vegetarian-friendly tag, accessibility, seating/table-service posture, and the recurring parking caution.
