Timeless Tastes: All the Old-School Feels at Harry’s Café

Frolic’s new video series spotlights old-school family eateries where food comes with a generous side of nostalgia.

October 30, 2025

Landon Kurata,

Once famous for its 99-cent breakfast, time-worn Harry’s Café seems the kind of place you pass by on your way to something glitzier. You’d never guess it’s a destination itself. The 99-cent breakfast has long since been replaced by the ‘‘‘ono” breakfast, but regulars still pack the place on weekends.

Pancakes (plain, banana or blueberry), corned beef hash loco mocos, kim chee omelets, beef stew: The food never changes. Neither does owner Christy Cho’s friendly smile. Read on for Frolic contributor Landon Kurata’s story with Harry’s, as told to us in his own words.

“My sister used to live at 909 Kapi‘olani, and when I moved to Honolulu, she took me to Harry’s Café. My thing was I always had to get that corned beef patty ’cause it’s real similar to something my grandma used to make, corned beef hash and two eggs over easy on rice. And then the crispy bacon. Almost overcooked, you know? And super crispy. It brought me back to my granny and my childhood. So me and my sister used to go there pretty often. That was our hangout spot.

Now I get the pancakes too, they’re really good. I know they have blueberry pancakes and other stuff but I just get the traditional ancakes. They’re so fluffy. I feel like you could almost eat it without the syrup. Sometimes I do.

Years back, I asked the lady oh, so who’s Harry? And she said I’m Harry. It’s kind of funny. I thought Harry was like a dude. She’s still there, Christy is still there. When I come in, she’ll say hi, ask about my sister and I’m like yeah, she’s living in Colorado now. I was surprised because I haven’t been going frequently, just here and there now, but yeah, she still recognizes me. Cute, her, yeah?

It’s so old school, it’s so warm. Christy is so sweet. Even last time I went, I got my iced coffee, and she was like oh you, no pay, no pay. So I just put the money in her tip jar. You can tell she’s still busting her butt in there, she’s running around bussing tables. I have a lot of respect for her. Kind of reminds me of how my dad is too—even though they own the place, they’ll get in there, work hard, day in, day out.

Real homey feel, really local vibe. Very inviting, low-key. You walk in, you’re like ahhh, your stress level just drops because it feels like home. Feels like Hilo.”

Open Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday 6 a.m. to noon, Sunday 7 a.m. to noon, (808) 593-7798, 437 Kamake‘e St., Kaka‘ako

Landon Kurata is a physical therapist by day, avid diner by night—or any time of day. He is and always will be a Hilo boy at heart. @hi_grindz