So... WOW. Unbelievably clean food but the flavor is still there. We're a bit hard to please (grew up with a bountiful supply of pho restaurants competing for our business in California) but this is the best pho we've had on island. The noodles are right. The broth is clearly quality - homemade feels. The meat quantity is on point. And what none of the greens were wilting or browning! Service was wonderful too. Normally as an allergy family we get cold shouldered or even told to find somewhere else to eat if I show the staff my child's long list of food allergies. The server joyfully double checked our list with me and confirmed there were no allergens in their pho.We all polished off our bowls. Will we be coming back? Yes. Ambiance was nice too - with the outside air blowing in gently and the calming music... we can't wait to come back! Thank you for your food and services.
Sandra L.
The food is delightful: fresh, healthy, and tasty!!! I hope they expand their hours, new favorite place to eat!
Luis & Haydee Chiles
Absolutely delicious vegan options.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
rasa f.
This used to be one of my go-to places for vegan food. It's frustrating because COVID and lockdowns really messed up the eating scene, as it seems to have done with this place. The service was always excellent and the cafe itself so cute with all of its plants. Now, they don't have Thai iced tea, various things I ordered they didn't have, the service was lacking and I had brought out of town guests, we all agreed we would not come back unless there was some big change. It's no longer the fun, yummy bustling place it was. Very sad.
Nani S.
Food is good. Got food for 9 people and everyone loved it. Service was good even though when i called for directions she gave the phone to a customer because she couldn't explain it to me. Lol Parking is hell! Maybe order take out and park at City Mill. Other than the parking, I'd go back!
Erica S.
I'm always interested in establishments that can pull off vegan renditions of my favorite foods so I was excited to try Ripple of Smiles. Located across City mill in Kaimuki, the restaurant is super cute, decorated with lots of greenery. There are a handful of tables that is semi-outdoors. I went on a friday evening and there were maybe a few tables opened up. The server/owner, Frank is extremely friendly and definitely works hard to please his customers -- all while doing this as a one man show. Food: I was craving pho but knew I had to try their vegan version. Honestly, it was pretty great. I definitely missed the flavor of meat in the pho, but I knew what I was signing up for and it didn't disappoint. They load the soup with all sorts of vegetables and the broth is still rich and tasty! I was actually really enjoying the tofu pieces that he adds. I also had a bite of their lemongrass beef and it was tasty! A nearby table ordered their house special, a stone pot rice dish and it smelt really good so I'll be back to order that! Overall, I'd recommend this place to both vegan and non-vegans. Will come back!Parking: Kind of rough given they have a small lot shared by other establishments. It's also located awkwardly right off the road. But we got lucky with a decent spot.
Traci H.
Vegan? What? Where are we going? Ok so my sister took us here one day to this vegan place. Like what???? But 1) it was so tasty and 2) they don't only serve vegan food. But my favorite dish is the vegan pho and I order it off Uber eats a lot when I don't feel well. Or when I just feel like it but can't get down there. Tofu. Veggies. A great flavorful vegan soup base that actually has flavor. And the noodles just are good. Love it so much. My favorite pho on the island The sizzling pots are so good. But they don't do take out. The chicken curry is good too but honestly the vegan or vegetarian food is the best. They just know how to do it right. Parking is awful. Free but super tight. So if I'm doing takeout I just hope there's something I can just run in and run out. Or I get lazy and do Uber eats.
cipotechernak
Very enjoyable Vietnamese meal. Fully half the menu is Vegan. I had the House Special with "V-meat" aka seitan which was excellent
Qme L.
Might be the best Vietnamese food on the island.. Frank, our waiter and owner (I believe), was friendly and efficient. Basically a one man show for all the tables. Only outdoor covered patio seating, looks like they are renovating the inside. We ordered the lemongrass salmon rice plate, the salmon curry, and the Vegan Thai iced tea. Very flavorful dishes. The taro in the curry was surprisingly delicious. Lemongrass was spicier than expected. We plan on returning!
Marjorie S
Why did you guys get rid of your stir fried noodle ?
Recommended dishes: Vegan Summer Rolls, Spring Roll
Lucca Eloy
Ordered off the vegan menu and it was some of the best Vietnamese food I’ve ever had! Immediately rated 5 stars after my first bite of the house special with vegan meat. Summer rolls and manapua were also 10/10!
Kemba Esmond
We enjoyed an absolutely delicious meal and this wonderful little spot in Honolulu. We'll definitely be back!! Excellent place for both meat eaters and vegetarians.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vegetarian Spring Rolls, Vegan Stir Fried Broccoli and Tofu with Rice, Healthy Vegan Stir Fried Eggplant and Tofu with Rice
Jay K.
Am I back in Vietnam? Wow. I am always amazed when I find truly authentic cuisine, especially when it's plant-based/vegan. The restaurant is located on a very busy corner, next to a busy bus stop. However upon entering, you are taken to a different space. With the bamboo screening and live plants, the ambiance tricks your mind like your in a street cafe in Vietnam. After ordering our food, kudos to our young waiter that took our orders ( 4 different beverages and 4 different mains; all 4 of us asked questions about the main, but he never wrote anything down and it was delivered as ordered.) Amazing service.From the menu:"VEGAN APPETIZER *Summer roll 11.75 Vermicelli, tofu, cucumber, lettuce, pickles, basil, peanut sauce""VEGAN HOUSE SPECIAL We braise and caramelize your choice of *tofu 20.75 or v-meat 22.75 in our special sauce, garlic, chili, pepper, onions, served in hot stone pots with white/brown rice, cucumber, lettuce, pickles on the side."I had mine with the vegan meat (v-meat) and white rice. I loved the fact it was served in a hot stone pot. It came out sizzling and the aromas that drifted up were amazing. The v-meat was awesome, great texture and great flavor. Not sure what it was made of (tofu?, seitan?, combo?), but it was delicious. Chopstick full after chopstick full, the food remained hot, flavorful, and delicious. A must try if your plant-based or vegan while in Honolulu. Too bad these guys aren't in Maine ;)
Robert E
We got the spring roll vermicelli, lemongrass chicken, and beef pho. The food came out pretty fast. Overall everything was tasty, but not any better than good Vietnamese food we’ve had elsewhere. However, the prices here are significantly higher than expected for the portion size.
So... WOW. Unbelievably clean food but the flavor is still there. We're a bit hard to please (grew up with a bountiful supply of pho restaurants competing for our business in California) but this is the best pho we've had on island. The noodles are right. The broth is clearly quality - homemade feels. The meat quantity is on point. And what none of the greens were wilting or browning! Service was wonderful too. Normally as an allergy family we get cold shouldered or even told to find somewhere else to eat if I show the staff my child's long list of food allergies. The server joyfully double checked our list with me and confirmed there were no allergens in their pho.We all polished off our bowls. Will we be coming back? Yes. Ambiance was nice too - with the outside air blowing in gently and the calming music... we can't wait to come back! Thank you for your food and services.
The food is delightful: fresh, healthy, and tasty!!! I hope they expand their hours, new favorite place to eat!
Absolutely delicious vegan options.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This used to be one of my go-to places for vegan food. It's frustrating because COVID and lockdowns really messed up the eating scene, as it seems to have done with this place. The service was always excellent and the cafe itself so cute with all of its plants. Now, they don't have Thai iced tea, various things I ordered they didn't have, the service was lacking and I had brought out of town guests, we all agreed we would not come back unless there was some big change. It's no longer the fun, yummy bustling place it was. Very sad.
Food is good. Got food for 9 people and everyone loved it. Service was good even though when i called for directions she gave the phone to a customer because she couldn't explain it to me. Lol Parking is hell! Maybe order take out and park at City Mill. Other than the parking, I'd go back!
I'm always interested in establishments that can pull off vegan renditions of my favorite foods so I was excited to try Ripple of Smiles. Located across City mill in Kaimuki, the restaurant is super cute, decorated with lots of greenery. There are a handful of tables that is semi-outdoors. I went on a friday evening and there were maybe a few tables opened up. The server/owner, Frank is extremely friendly and definitely works hard to please his customers -- all while doing this as a one man show. Food: I was craving pho but knew I had to try their vegan version. Honestly, it was pretty great. I definitely missed the flavor of meat in the pho, but I knew what I was signing up for and it didn't disappoint. They load the soup with all sorts of vegetables and the broth is still rich and tasty! I was actually really enjoying the tofu pieces that he adds. I also had a bite of their lemongrass beef and it was tasty! A nearby table ordered their house special, a stone pot rice dish and it smelt really good so I'll be back to order that! Overall, I'd recommend this place to both vegan and non-vegans. Will come back!Parking: Kind of rough given they have a small lot shared by other establishments. It's also located awkwardly right off the road. But we got lucky with a decent spot.
Vegan? What? Where are we going? Ok so my sister took us here one day to this vegan place. Like what???? But 1) it was so tasty and 2) they don't only serve vegan food. But my favorite dish is the vegan pho and I order it off Uber eats a lot when I don't feel well. Or when I just feel like it but can't get down there. Tofu. Veggies. A great flavorful vegan soup base that actually has flavor. And the noodles just are good. Love it so much. My favorite pho on the island The sizzling pots are so good. But they don't do take out. The chicken curry is good too but honestly the vegan or vegetarian food is the best. They just know how to do it right. Parking is awful. Free but super tight. So if I'm doing takeout I just hope there's something I can just run in and run out. Or I get lazy and do Uber eats.
Very enjoyable Vietnamese meal. Fully half the menu is Vegan. I had the House Special with "V-meat" aka seitan which was excellent
Might be the best Vietnamese food on the island.. Frank, our waiter and owner (I believe), was friendly and efficient. Basically a one man show for all the tables. Only outdoor covered patio seating, looks like they are renovating the inside. We ordered the lemongrass salmon rice plate, the salmon curry, and the Vegan Thai iced tea. Very flavorful dishes. The taro in the curry was surprisingly delicious. Lemongrass was spicier than expected. We plan on returning!
Why did you guys get rid of your stir fried noodle ?
Restaurantji Recommends
homey!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Vegan Summer Rolls, Spring Roll
Ordered off the vegan menu and it was some of the best Vietnamese food I’ve ever had! Immediately rated 5 stars after my first bite of the house special with vegan meat. Summer rolls and manapua were also 10/10!
We enjoyed an absolutely delicious meal and this wonderful little spot in Honolulu. We'll definitely be back!! Excellent place for both meat eaters and vegetarians.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vegetarian Spring Rolls, Vegan Stir Fried Broccoli and Tofu with Rice, Healthy Vegan Stir Fried Eggplant and Tofu with Rice
Am I back in Vietnam? Wow. I am always amazed when I find truly authentic cuisine, especially when it's plant-based/vegan. The restaurant is located on a very busy corner, next to a busy bus stop. However upon entering, you are taken to a different space. With the bamboo screening and live plants, the ambiance tricks your mind like your in a street cafe in Vietnam. After ordering our food, kudos to our young waiter that took our orders ( 4 different beverages and 4 different mains; all 4 of us asked questions about the main, but he never wrote anything down and it was delivered as ordered.) Amazing service.From the menu:"VEGAN APPETIZER *Summer roll 11.75 Vermicelli, tofu, cucumber, lettuce, pickles, basil, peanut sauce""VEGAN HOUSE SPECIAL We braise and caramelize your choice of *tofu 20.75 or v-meat 22.75 in our special sauce, garlic, chili, pepper, onions, served in hot stone pots with white/brown rice, cucumber, lettuce, pickles on the side."I had mine with the vegan meat (v-meat) and white rice. I loved the fact it was served in a hot stone pot. It came out sizzling and the aromas that drifted up were amazing. The v-meat was awesome, great texture and great flavor. Not sure what it was made of (tofu?, seitan?, combo?), but it was delicious. Chopstick full after chopstick full, the food remained hot, flavorful, and delicious. A must try if your plant-based or vegan while in Honolulu. Too bad these guys aren't in Maine ;)
We got the spring roll vermicelli, lemongrass chicken, and beef pho. The food came out pretty fast. Overall everything was tasty, but not any better than good Vietnamese food we’ve had elsewhere. However, the prices here are significantly higher than expected for the portion size.