Govindaji’s

I’ve always walked by this place when going to fort street café for many years. I know its a good spot because they were there for a few years and there always seem to be busy during lunch time. you know you will be open for a while if your business is business during lunch time in down town honolulu. If it isn’t, forget it, you wont last.
When i walked by before, i always though Vegetarian food was weird and gross but have since changed my eating habits recently and started to eat and be more open of Vegetarian food.
Now on to whats good.
Sometimes I get the NutLoaf. Ya its kinda like meatloaf but made with Nuts. I actually love this thing cause its like your eating meat but not. I drizzle it with sirracha sauce and chow down.
Another thing thats super good is their Spinach Lasagna. Its to die for!
Those two are my go to things to get.
They also have these very very refreshing ice tea that they let me sample one time. now thats way better than you will ever get at Starbucks.
Sadly as i type this review July 13, 2012. it looks like they have been closed for over a month already. No sign is hanging on the front and they haven’t been opened for lunch in a very long time.
Not sure where I will be getting my Vegetarian meal fix from here on out.

Cheap, delicious, vegetarian.
They’ve recently changed ownership, and seem to offer more mainstream vegetarian fare. You know, mock meats and nachos. I’m vegan so that doesn’t mean much to me, but for a quick, nutritious, affordable meal you can’t go wrong with Govindaji’s. The soups ($ 3) are hit or miss, but the stirfries are usually super tasty and start at $ 4.50 with just rice. Seem slightly overcooked/​soft sometimes, probably because they’re on a hot plate half a day, but the flavor profile makes up for it. Also, it’s great being greeted by friendly staff with a smile. This is my go-​to place on a lunch hour if I have nothing home made – definitely one of the best deals downtown.

I’m trying to lower my carbon footprint by eating more vegetarian and less carnivorous meals. So, this place fits the bill. But I’m not that into vegan food because I always feel like there’s something missing — like the smooth texture and fifth dimension that a dairy product can add to Indian food. However, if one choses to eat simply vegan, this is not a bad option.
If I’m craving Indian food, I wouldn’t head here as my first, second or third option. But if my intent was to eat more socially responsibly, I’d find myself here from time to time.

Best vegetarian plate for lunch

I came here with an open mind to experience vegetarian food for the first time, so I walked in on a Monday and ordered the vegetarian yellow curry and the tamale pie. The curry needed a bit more seasoning, so it was a tad bit bland. It had lots of chunkies such as eggplant and potato, with peas and carrots, so it was hearty at the very least.
I enjoyed the tamale pie a bit more with its bolder flavors. I’m not so sure if I’d call the filling authentic to a tamale (beans, corn, and tomato with a taco seasoning), but the nice cornbread top (hence the «pie» in the name) was a nice touch in the absence of actual corn masa. The cornbread layer is pretty thick, almost two inches, so you’re getting a pretty generous portion of the cornbread.
Overall the portions were pretty large, although I did pay close to $ 9 for the full plate (entitles you to two entrees or a double order of one), which also included a scoop of brown rice, a dessert and a small drink (served in a dixie paper cup).
Govindaji’s isn’t too bad, but I don’t think I’ll be ditching my carnivorous ways just yet.

The mini plate is a great deal. The food is so healthy and delicious and the staff is laid back, waaayyy back, which I love. I also love the idea of small, healthy meals, cooked by people who care and I feel like I get that here.

Less than $ 10.00, you get salad, main food, little dessert, and a great ginger mint lemonade. This Lemonade is addictive.
A couple of daily special plate is written on boards by the entrance and by the cashier. You order, pay, get your food, go to the right utensil counter to get salad dressing, used to have sunflower seeds (did not see that last week), and raisens.
Friday, they had live music!
They have good Baklava and Samosa as well.
Restaurant Hours: 1200 – 1500 for now.
Unilocal 365 — ¹⁶⁄₃₆₅

When you’re working downtown in the middle of filth, drug addicts, and unfriendly merchants, it’s a bit daunting (perhaps even scary) to come across a bald man with exploding joy across his face, asking if you’d like some lemonade on «such a wonderful, sunny day!» I wasn’t sure if he was legitimately happy or a really friendly robot.
Govindajis is a quaint, hip restaurant located across the HPU campus on Fort Street Mall. After a few minutes of skepticism, I was convinced that these guys were excited about what they cook. And they should.
A mini curry plate is usually accompanied by some rice, a salad, and a dainty dessert that is packed with killer deliciousness. The curries that I’ve tried are rich in flavor and fresh ingredients. During that time, I was a pretty poor telemarketer, but the meal didn’t leave a hole in my wallet (nor should it leave a hole in yours.)
What I got from my experience with the food, as well as the service, is this notion that I was getting pure goodness all around. That’s a really refreshing notion to take, especially in a place seated in a seedy area.

I have never and will never eat at the McDonald’s, L&L, or Mabuhay on Fort Street. Just. Not. Interested. Govindaji’s doesn’t conjure up the same type of ick as the aforementioned establishments, but it was still a downtown option that I’ve always immediately dismissed. I mean, I’m vegetarian and the looks of this place still struck me as a bit too crunchy for my comfort. Like patchouli-​crunchy. There I go being judgemental again.
Food: I ate the mini-​plate of their yellow curry today. Their food still isn’t breaching my Top 5 for downtown eateries, but it is good. Basic, but yummy. For $ 7 I got some brown rice, a mixed green salad, yellow curry and a square of mystery dessert. The curry was tasty although the vegetables look like the frozen kind you get from the Jolly Green Giant. The dessert is whatevers to me. It’s cinnamon-​y and honestly, has the texture of malt-​o-​meal. I ate that stuff a lot as a kid and I’d prefer a bowl of that to this square.
Service: The counter-​help are nice enough and seem to be very stoked on the food they make.
Bang-​a-​rang: They have vegan options too and a long list of «we-don’t-add _​_​_​_​_​to our food». Including dairy, eggs, MSG, hydrogenated oils etc. When I call this food basic, that’s not a bad thing. Not all meals need to be extravagant or have shmancy ingredients. And as someone who finds salads pretty boring, it’s cool to have food options where the food is cooked simply and well.
Heads-​up: Their standard menu is pretty weak but they have a handful of entrée specials everyday.
Verdict: Didn’t blow my mind, but I’d consider it an option.

I’m not a vegetarian but I do like to take a break from meat now and then, and Govindaji serves that purpose for me.
I went on Wednesday and they had four choices for their special – thai curry, spinach lasagne, brocoli mashed potatoes, and some type of bean soup or chili (i think.) While all the choices looked yummy to me, I went for the brocoli mashed potato because I was wearing a white top and did not want to risk getting any curry, tomato sauce, or soup on me. Great choice. I love mashed potatoes and always make mine from scratch – they had the perfect balance of creaminess and firmness, with a lot of flavor. I wasn’t crazy about the texture and flavor of the brown rice; perhaps if I had the curry I could have mixed it in. The salad was your basic bagged tossed salad type mix… nothing fancy even though you get a variety of dressings to choose from. The little desert thing that the mini comes with added a nice finish. OH, and I loved the ginger/​mint drink… very refreshing.
Next time I want to try a samosa and their baklava.
The service is great, they are super friendly, and if beat the lunch rush there is a lot of open seating indoors. I will definitely be a regular here!

In an effort to eat healthier this year (and win the office pot of money for our healthy living challenge) Govindaji’s is one of the places I’ve been frequenting for weekday lunch.
I’ve been going here for a few months now, but I have more than one reason to eat here besides the food being so delicious.
I love indian/​mediterranean/​pakistani-​type foods, so eating here is pure foodie joy for me! For about 6 bucks you can get the mini, which is the regular plate lunch size, full of salad, a scoop of brown rice, halva, and the main dish. I’ve not been eating the rice and I’m contemplating ordering an extra salad in place of the starch next time.
Today they had a choice of vegetarian quiche, masala, and something else (can’t remember). I picked the masala and I’ve also had several other curries and stir-​fries at previous visits. All the dishes I’ve had were vegetarian generally with tofu, but they do have non-​veg dishes. I also like that you can pick your dressings (I always go for the spicy one) at a side counter and put on sunflower seeds or raisins for the salad.
The counter help is usually friendly, sometimes more than others. My favorite part is the halva (although it’s not the healthiest part of the meal!). It has different fruits everyday and is always tasty! If you eat the whole mini, I promise, you’ll be full and satisfied.

I am a liar. Despite my original review that I vowed to never to return, I came back twice within a week’s time, shame on me. Maybe it’s the new management or the guy playing the keyboard outside but Govindaji has gotten better since the last time in 2008.
The staff is friendly when they want to be. They will charge an extra dime for takeout and they didn’t offer me a plastic bag. Weird, but for the good of the planet, I’ll accept it. Go Earth! The portions are huge and the mini plate is enough food for most people. The full plate is just ridiculous with two entrée choices AND a soup or drink.
I like the non-​seemingly vegetarian stuff like the lasagna and enchilada. Still loaded with some sort of cheese so it’s delicious. I really missed the halava desserts since I never go to the UH truck anymore so I’m so happy to eat that again. yum yum.
I will be back again since my meal of choice is usually Ahi & Vegetable but I’m gonna cut back my seafood intake after watching this:
Moderation, people!

When I think of Vegetarian food I normally think expensive and not tasty. That’s not the case when it comes to Govindajis! The food is pretty tasty and CHEAP (6 bucks will get you a mini plate that will leave most people full). I’ve been working downtown for years and can’t believe I never tried this place sooner.
They normally have 3 specials and one of them is red beans (never tried them yet). Give them a call to find out what the specials are. The mini plate comes with 1 of the specials, brown rice, salad, and a halva dessert (they have different flavors daily). This place is full vegetarian, they don’t use and meat or fish bi products, no hydrogenated oils, no msg, etc etc.
Some of the stuff I like are:
Spinach Lasagna
Spinach Enchilada
Some kind of non meat ball spaghetti
Halva Dessert is awesome!

Govindaji’s is my go-​to downtown lunch spot. I get a mini-​plate of whatever’s on special: usually some pasta-​type dish. Today I had parmesan eggplant. Their mini-​plates are served with a side salad and rice. I find it a little strange eating pasta with a side of rice but it’s not the 2-​scoop, sticky Diamond G kine that locals are so used to, which makes the starch+starch OK.
The side salad is basic greens but what puts it over the edge are the sunflower seeds — available near the dressing — that I pour on top.
The meal comes with a grainy, mochi-​like dessert — usually a fruit flavor. While the dessert does taste good, I have a difficult time eating it due to the texture. (I’m sure I’ve said this in previous reviews, but I’m weird like that.)
I definitely suggest getting the ginger iced tea. I like ordering it «half and half» — the mix of sweetened and unsweetened tea makes the refreshing drink just right.

This is a solid place to get lunch. I found out about this place after seeing some Tweeps talk about it on Twitter and decided to go. It’s perfect when you’re looking for something outside the norm.
For $ 7 I got a mini plate and a large berry herbal tea. The mini plate came with brown rice, an enchilada, salad, and a dessert. I, being a loyal carnivore, needed to ask the staff to explain some of the dishes. I wasn’t feeling adventurous enough to get the curry so I stuck with the enchilada. Wow, I was impressed by the flavor and portions for a plate under $ 5. Let me tell ya, the dessert may not look like much but it’s an amazing dish. I don’t know what the dessert was (other Unilocalers call it halava) but it was really the perfect dessert for the meal.
There was a dude playing the piano outside which was a nice respite from our day. I can see how it could get crowded during the lunch rush but we had no problem getting a table at 12:30 on a Friday.
I’m rarely in town but I would come back here when I have that craving for something new. If you’re feeling bored with your lunch time routine, come to Govindaji’s and try some good ‘ol healthy food for a change.

I ate my whole lunch and it was pretty good but it was super oily and I had asked for more salad/​no dessert but didn’t get that so was a little disappointed, so I had to knock it down a little.
I had a plate lunch with brown rice, a paneer dish and salad. The dessert that he did include looked absolutely awful that I was afraid to even try it so I threw it out. But the paneer dish was pretty good. I’m not sure how healthy it was because there was a film of oil left in my container. Nothing tasted too fresh either, which made me wonder how fresh and healthy this place really is.
They usually have 3 dishes to choose from and at least one is vegan; so if that’s you, this might be a good stop since not a lot of places cater to vegan eating. They also have a bunch of other things on the menu (samosa etc) but for main dishes, it’s a daily menu.
Every so often they seem to hand out fliers with coupons for free drinks; they look like pan handlers with fliers but there’s actually a coupon on the bottom of that white paper!

There are a ton of places to eat in Fort Street mall. For vegetarians, this place has the most variety of foods to choose from. While I am happily a carnivore, I do not mind eating good vegetarian food. This place has pretty good food.
It’s a very small and quaint place open for lunch in downtown Honolulu. Not many seats, but you can find a spot outside on Fort Street. Expect to spend under $ 10, so not wallet-​busting. As with most of the eateries in Fort Street, it looks like a hole-​in-​the-​wall… and is a hole-​in-​the-​wall. But don’t let that deter you from trying it.
I’ve eaten there a few times now and have not been discouraged from future visits. I’ve had the lasagna and curries. The food sits in a tray, so it can be a bit stale looking, but it still tastes very good. They have their own salad-​dressing which are not the typical ranch or blue cheese. Try a sunflower seed dressing, it’s new and definitely has its own appeal.
Overall, it’s a nice alternative to other restaurants in Fort Street Mall. The food isn’t great, but it’s good enough not to dissuade you from coming back. With not a lot of vegetarian options available in the immediate area, it’s probably the best option you have for a vegetarian meal and a very good option for healthier food there.

I’m on my lunch break stuffing my face with some type of tofu-​spinach curry, brown rice, some type of dessert (it’s purple) and salad with raisins and no dressing on it — all of which is being held in a biodegradable plate/​utensils.
The entrée is very lite, it doesn’t taste too much like any one ingredient the greens in the salad are fresh. The tofu, which is supposedly local, is quite firm and boiled with a number of spices I can’t begin to describe.
The reason why this is missing a star is because I could smell B.O. from someone there. I’m not sure why hippies fear deodorant or if current hippy-​personal-​care products fail to actually do their job.
In any event the food is delicious. I am eating it in a clean/​hippy-​free environment. I am definitely going to eat there again… I mean buy food from there and eat it in the office.

Though most of my friends, especially the vegetarians and vegans, RAVE about this place, I never quite enjoyed the food. If it were based on the taste of the food alone, I’d have left my review at 2 stars. However, I very much appreciate that there’s some sort of meatless option for downtown dining. Ever since Mr. Goodburger closed a number of years ago, the meatless dining void had never quite been filled.
I’ve had their spanakopita, as well as a few of their entrees. Nothing was too impressive other than the surprise I received when I realized food can have a distinct and pungent bland flavor. I haven’t eaten here in a long while since I don’t enjoy the food.
However, the service is usually fairly quick (since the preparation is all done ahead of time… you’re not waiting on one chef to make it when you order it) so I think that also justifies the third star. Also, there’s indoor and outdoor seating, which is very nice.
Still, I wasn’t too impressed with the food. There are numerous other options for downtown omnivorous dining which are much tastier than this restaurant.
UPDATE: So, my vegetarian friend swayed me to eat here again with her a couple of weeks ago and, I must admit, I feel a lot better about the three star rating I gave this place. I had the enchilada (which was more like a mexican style lasagna than an enchilada) and was pleasantly surprised by the fact that it was (1) not grotesquely flavorless and (2) actually quite tasty. I also enjoy their berry tea. I’ve come to realize that this place is hit or miss but considering they have a rotating menu with different specials everyday, at some point they’ll offer something you’ll like.

Normally a staunch carnivore, I wandered into Govindaji’s out of curiosity, lingered because the food and prices looked good, and stayed because the staff was so friendly.
Govindaji’s is a spin-​off of Govinda’s vegetarian buffet at the Hare Krishna temple in Nuuanu. In fact, there are Govinda’s (cheap, Indian-​style vegetarian restaurants run by Hare Krishnas) all over the country. I had eaten at the Nuuanu one before and wasn’t that impressed with the flavor. Therefore, I was hesitantly checking out the wares at Govindaji’s when the guy behind the counter asked if he could help me. I told him I’d never eaten there before and didn’t know what to get (even though there are only two entrees of the day offered). He enthusuastically offered me a sample.
Sample? He gave me a mini-​meal! I got a heaping scoop of vegan yellow curry next to a generous slice of eggplant parmesan. He was so accomodating, friendly, and generous that I was sold. The food was good, too.
I think this is the best deal in town, especially downtown, for an affordable lunch if you don’t mind vegetarian food. The mini plate only cost $ 4.50 and it was huge. It came with a slice of halva for dessert, a huge mound of whole grains and rice, lots of fresh green salad, and a very generous portion of the entrée. Honestly, I wouldn’t have minded if he skimped a little on the entrée portion, since he gave me such a large sample. I also got a very delicious, spicy, and refreshing lemon-​mint-​ginger drink.
To the right of the counter is a condiment bar that offers raisins, sunflower seeds, and assorted homemade dressings and green salsa. I tried both dressings on my salad and they were disgusting, so I used the salsa, which was very spicy.
Govindaji’s offers at least one vegan entrée a day. I also overhead the customer after me ordering daal, so they must have sides that are not on the board. Their food never contains meat by-​products, fish, eggs, MSG, iodized salt, preservatives, hydrogenated oils, or artificial colors or flavors. They say that all of the rice, grains, beans, tofu, sugar, and flour they use are certified organic, and they only use sea salt. Usually food like this makes a carnivore like me balk, but I thought it was pretty tasty. Plus, the service and the price can’t be beat. I can’t wait to eat there again.
Update 2÷11÷08: I finally returned, and the prices went up to $ 5.45 for a mini plate and $ 7.45 for a full plate with two entrees! And a samosa, which is quite large and tasty (and comes with a yummy sweet-​tart tamarind sauce), is a little pricey at $ 2.65. Darn; everything was such a great deal before. ..