BWS Cafeteria

RIP. Closed in late 2010.

EXCELLENT PLUS. that’s how oxtail soup should taste. And you gotta love the ambiance.

I remember when I was in the 6^th grade and I won the Board of Water Supply poster contest. That’s right, now you can say you know the winner of the Board of Water Supply poster contest! Well, when I was in the 6^th grade that was like winning the lottery! I got a $ 100 savings bond and a breakfast at the Perry & Price show. I had steak and eggs for the first time in my entire life and I thought, «Boy it sure just doesn’t get any better than this!» Being a celebrity sure does have its priveleges…
So fast forward to 2010 some, twenty+ years later and I now return to the Board of Water Supply to eat in their cafeteria. Why? Because I like to eat at weird places and I had a doctor’s appointment across the street. Oh and because I’ve been thinking about this place ever since Brian A wrote about it in October of 2009. Yes I’m obsessive to a fault.
You check into the Board of Water supply at the security desk and I have to wonder what the point of this is. Are they worried terrorists will one day poison the water supply? If so then you should be worried because the lady at the security desk was reading a Nora Roberts novel and she didn’t scare me one bit. She was actually very sweet.
Up to the fourth floor we went and as Brian A wrote, the ambiance is «early 70s neutral lunchroom.» I felt like we were on the set of the ‘Wonder Years.’ We were very lucky today as it was Thursday and they had their oxtail soup on special. I ordered the soup because I felt like this might be my one and only chance to eat it and I didn’t want this to be my one regret before dying. My BF ordered the pork chops with mushroom gravy. I got a $ 1 peanut butter sandwich for my daughter and two cans of orange passions for $.70 each. Our total was about $ 19. I’m not sure how much the entrees were because the guy at the counter, who I assume was Roy the owner, didn’t give us a breakdown and the specials weren’t priced. Oh well, it was still a deal either way.
In addition to the specials they also have hamburgers, breakfast, loco mocos but the one thing I really love is that it is only $.50 for coffee. Fifty cents! And $.10 for refills. Yes Starbucks really did screw us all and this is Roy’s way of sticking it to the man.
It took about 10 minutes for our food to come as it looked like Roy was plating everything himself. I can wait for nostalgia. The portions on the food were awesome and there was a ton of meat in my oxtail soup. I only ate half and packaged the rest for my Dad and furthered my lead as favorite child. That’s right, I’m the favorite. Are you surprised? My BF’s pork chops were so yummy and I kept taking bites of it. He was being greedy and I could tell that he didn’t want to share with me. Too bad buddy, the pregnant girl always wins! If I had to reorder I’d probably choose the pork chops but I think that’s just because I’m not too into the oxtail soup deal. If you like oxtail you’ll probably really enjoy it and it’s such a steal that you’d kick yourself for not getting it.
Roy made my daughter’s sandwich wrong and added jelly which of course created all types of chaos. I want to find out what Roy pays for his rent because he could have a sweeeet Summer BBQ up on the 4^th floor! Unilocal party? Hmmmmm… Is he an ex-​BOW employee? Do they give him free rent just for running the kitchen and selling super cheap food?

I talked my lady into having lunch at the BWS cafeteria. She was quite skeptical at first, especially since we were on vacation, but I wanted to try someplace off the beaten path. We got to the BWS building and parked on the street by their pumping station. Choke parking there, just feed the meter.
This «cafeteria» is on the top floor of the BWS building. You need to sign in at the security desk, get a name badge and take the elevator to the 4^th floor. The cafeteria is a one-​man-​show run by a little Chinese or Japanese local. He takes your order, cooks, rings you up and cleans. How he does all that without breaking a sweat in that top floor hotbox, I do not know.
The food is pretty good, especially for the price. $ 3.75 for a Loco Moco, $ 1.50 for a grilled cheese and 60c for a Hawaiian Sun cannot be beat. The only downside to this is that, Roy, the one-​man-​show cannot add. We paid about $ 8 for our $ 6 meal. Still a deal.

BWS Cafeteria is by far one of the best deals in town for Oxtail Soup. A really GOOD bowl of local style Oxtail Soup, including all the sides for under $ 9!

Hidden atop the pasty green building that is the Board of Water supply is a hidden gem. You have to check in with security sometimes and take the dark elevator up to the top. Usually there is only one guy working and you may have to wait a long time to just order, but the food is pretty good. I usually try to get over there on Oxtail Soup day, sometimes they run out early.
I would describe the ambiance as «early 70’s neutral lunchroom.» It’s kinda open air with windows all around and takes you back to elementary school with the tables and chairs. Please make sure to bus your own tables please.
Not sure where I would suggest or even know where to park. Most of the people that go walk and it’s mainly a destination for lunch.

Some co-​workers and I had heard so much about the BWS cafeteria, we HAD to try it, so we walked from downtown. Took about 20 minutes in the hot sun, and when we got there, the elevator was broken so we had to take the stairs… we definitely worked up an appetite. We got there early, so there was no one in line, but the chef/​cashier/​order taker/​phone answerer/​dishwasher was busy in the back making someone else’s order. I don’t know if this is an every day thing, but is there seriously only 1 man running the whole thing? We waited about ten minutes while he chopped veggies for a salad and served up some chicken for the customer before us, then we finally placed our order. We got the stuffed chicken, hamburger steak, and roast pork plates. We served ourselves tiny cups of water from the water fountain and sat down to wait for our food. Fifteen minutes later our food was ready. He scribbled something on a paper and took our money, so I never got to see the old cash register in action. The food was good, but not so good that I’d go through the long walk and wait very often. I love oxtail soup, though, so I’ll need to make another trip back just for that. If it is as good as I hear it is, I may have to add another star.

The hamburger steak is killer, the prices are good, and the people are friendly. Aside from commentary about the ambiance, which others have already provided, there isn’t much else to say!
Oh, and the water is free. ;o)

I agree with Joshua C. This is a good place to get local style grinds, and the décor will take you back to a simpler, humble time in our island’s history. They actually have a hand crank on the cash register, and a little bell goes «ding!» when the cash drawer opens… ahh the memories! So far, I’ve had the beef stew and the corn beef and cabbage. I’m usually working in another part of town on Thursdays, so don’t know if I’ll get to try the oxtail soup that Joshua mentioned. Enter the building in back of the main building on Beretania street, tell the security guard where you’re going, and take the old Otis elevator up to the fourth floor. Get off the elevator, and step back in time. When you’re done with your food, bus the dishes over to the little window to the kitchen and throw the rubbish in the can there… this is not an establishment with table service. It’s actually very pleasant, as there are sliding screen doors all around, so if you’ve been working in an air-​conditioned office all day, it’s rather nice to feel the fresh air.

The BWS Cafeteria is a hidden local spot that many have heard of, but never tried. Great affordable home-​style food (OXTAIL SOUP, Loco Moco, Beef Stew, Hawaiian Plate) all served in a unique open air atmosphere.
I used to eat here twice a day while I was contracted to work at the Board of Water Supply for about a two year period. It was cheap, good, friendly, and just upstairs. I miss this place, since changing companies and working in Aiea I haven’t had a chance to go back. For all those who are downtown and don’t mind trading luxury for laid backness, you should really stop in and check this place out. It won’t stay the same forever. It’s run by two affable brothers Roy and Howard Kaneshiro (with one of them only recently coming back from retirement to help out).
Parking can be found behind the BWS building that runs parallel to Beretania Street. Pull into a guest stall then sign in at the security desk (no picture ID, no food). Take the elevator up to the top floor and you’ll find yourself in window and sliding door enclosed space a top the Board. As you’ll see when you arrive this place isn’t about marble and hardwoods, it’s much more plastic chair and linoleum.
The Cafeteria is open 8am-​2pm M-​F, call ahead to order specials if you don’t want to wait or be sorely disappointed (Specialties like the fantastic Oxtail Soup do run out).
What to eat?
Start with Thursday Oxtail Soup, at $ 7 this dish is a bargain compared to its more famous $ 11 counterpart at Kapiolani Coffee shop. Amazing broth and a cornucopia of ingredients (including, but not limited to ginger, green onions, parsley, peanuts, won bok, celery, onion, fork tender oxtail). If they had served this every day, I might have considered eating it every day. Growing up I never understood why my father would order Oxtail Soup every time we had dinner at Wisteria. Kind of like drinking Phở, there’s something about the broth that’s weirdly restorative.
Loco Moco’s are only $ 3 and delicious, thin handmade patties slightly charred, eggs over easy, and rice all drowned in killer brown gravy. I also liked the Beef Stew, Hamburger Steak, Hawaiian plate and Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
If you’re looking to escape the madness of downtown, want to reminisce about 1980s Honolulu, or just want some reasonably priced, seriously ono, local style grinds this unpretentious secret spot might be the place for you.
For more details check out Lisa Sekiya’s Advertiser article: