Kilohana Square Is Closing. What’s Next for Threadfin Bistro and Slice by HB Baking?
The short answer: One’s moving, the other is taking a break.
Photo: Thomas Obungen
The days of good food at Kilohana Square are over: Ahead of the site’s pending redevelopment, Threadfin Bistro and Slice by HB Baking both closed in recent days. Threadfin is moving; Slice will take a break and switch to catering and pop-ups for the time being. Below are more details on each.
As for Kilohana Square itself, it’s seen better, busier days. Built in 1971, it had tree roots cracking its parking lot and a narrow, chute-like exit that made the tight turn onto busy Kapahulu Avenue a challenge. But the mini-mall’s two buildings had a good run, housing eateries like Gonbei yakitori restaurant (whose owners later opened KuruKuru Sushi), which was replaced by the original Mr. Ojisan (now Mr. Ojisan Neo Bar & Sushi in McCully), then Threadfin. Elsewhere, breakfast spot Sweet E’s replaced an Indian restaurant in Kilohana’s biggest eatery space before it moved around the corner to Kapahulu. Other shops like Garakuta-Do and then T. Fujii sold Japanese antiques, the latter until April; and pet supplies shop Calvin & Susie debuted here before moving to Kailua and Kaimukī.
Kilohana Square’s future is a sign of our tastes and times. It was purchased by The Lock Up Self Storage, which has been buying property in urban Honolulu. Until now, its only location has been across from McCully Shopping Center on Kapi‘olani Boulevard. Reports say the new storage facility will rise on the Kilohana Square site within two years.
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Threadfin Bistro
Jason Kiyota’s Southeast Asian-meets-French eatery is moving into the old Morio’s Sushi Bistro spot in Makiki. The space, in the Eleven50 Building next to Akira Japanese Restaurant, has about 25 seats—just under half of Threadfin’s capacity at Kilohana Square. It was only last year that Kiyota, whose three-course prix fixe menus had a regular following, expanded into an adjacent space to accommodate more diners and à la carte dishes.
Short rib at Threadfin. Photo: Courtesy of Threadfin Bistro
“Like they say, just learn and move on and do even better,” he says. His next space is “kind of small, but I figure it’ll be a nice place. I’m gonna change the concept to more classically French, like a French bistro. Just pâtés, terrines, boeuf bourguignon, more classic stuff. I like to eat that way sometimes.”
Photo: Courtesy of Threadfin Bistro
Morio’s didn’t have a liquor license, so Kiyota is applying for one. He’ll keep the sushi counter, he says, and turn it into a bar featuring wines and some cocktails. Favorites from his old menu—including abalone escargot-style in cognac butter, fried crab curry noodles, lobster in brown butter miso and foie gras terrines—will reappear.
“I’ll still do Southeast Asian stuff in our special dinners, or a Thai-themed wine pairing, bring my old dishes back or dishes with a South American influence,” he says.
Jason Kiyota. Photo: Courtesy of Threadfin Bistro
All of this will be available à la carte, so you can order a dish or two with a glass of wine. Right now, Kiyota and his crew are busy clearing out equipment, furniture and fixtures; he hopes to open the new spot by late summer. He’s recognized as one of the best chefs in Hawai‘i, so the new Threadfin Bistro should be one to look forward to.
Slice by HB Baking
Knowing this ice cream pie and dessert shop had been searching for a new place ahead of Kilohana’s redevelopment, we’d been watching its Instagram for weeks. Still, the post that went up on Wednesday caught us by surprise. “Aloha ‘Oe,” it began.
Heather Lukela in her old Chinatown space. Photo: Thomas Obungen
“We’ve decided not to pursue our next space aggressively. We’ve had to move this business once before, and we don’t want to rush this process. I want to take it easy until the right spot comes along. Rather than force something that doesn’t feel right,” baker and owner Heather Lukela wrote. “And truthfully, we could both use a break. Been pushing hard the past 5 years.”
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Slice opened in Chinatown Cultural Plaza in 2021 and then moved across town. Lukela’s desserts were elevated classics that made the cozy shop a destination not just for slices of her ice cream cakes, but for Mother’s Day strawberry pies, ice cream sandwiches and themed cupcakes.
“So much appreciation to our guests who showed concern and expressed well wishes,” she wrote. “I’m so touched that you cared. Although it’s been tough to lose my shop, all of you keep me going.
Photo: Thomas Obungen
“I look forward to doing this without being tied to the hours of my shop. Whatever’s next is next.”
Lukela’s post said she’s traveling and visiting relatives and will take whole pie and custom cake orders when she gets back in July. Slice by HB Baking is another one-of-a-kind treasure in Honolulu. Follow its Instagram for updates.
Mari Taketa is editor of Frolic Hawai‘i and dining editor of HONOLULU Magazine.
