Waikane Store

Love the fresh snacks at this store! Especially the mochiko chicken and the shrimp thingys. very friendly people!

Amazing mom and son place. My husband dreams of this place every time we come back to Oahu. He LOVES the sushi and spam musubi. I am in love with the Mochica chicken.
Perfect place to stop for a locals lunch (or snack) and take it to the beach. Cause everything tastes even better after a great day at the beach.

Super tiny roadside store, it’s quaint and classic, but slightly outdated for the price points. Lukewarm Mochiko chicken and soggy sushi rolls were meh. 2 small chicken trays and 1 sushi roll (not raw fancy sashimi, but plain roll with canned tuna and egg) ran about $ 15 for quality and prepared items one would find at a carnival for half the price. Good roadside stop if on the way to or from that side of the island, especially for a cold soda or slush puppy (Hawaii’s version of slurpee).

Waikane store has been one of my favorites since intermediate school! Being raised in kahalu’u this place is a must! One of the eastside country’s best hole in the wall stores! I will forever love aunty’s chicken, maki sushi, and her homemade Russian cookies are to die for! Love supporting my hometown’s local businesses it’s such a plus living only 5 minutes away!

Anytime I decide to take a drive out this side everyone knows first stop is waikane. Everything is amazing, the chicken, sushi, cookies, and now they have a coffee machine? what more could you want! Try it once and i promise you’ll be back every time you’re on the east side :)

When Driving on Kam Hwy thru Kahalu you have to stop by Waikane Store for a local favorite snack. They also have Tully’s coffee or slush puppies depending on your preference of beverage. It’s all yummy.

«Life is a journey not a destination”-Ralph Waldo Emerson.
«Yeah, da journey for great local grinds in da islands” — says Ric
Prelude or conclusion to a «circle island» tour on Oahu has to include Waikane store. One of the oldest mom and pops on Oahu, they offer great grinds to munch on along the way. Pretty limited offerings in terms of the homemade stuff but what is offered is quite ono.
The store is a small wooden building located on the Makai (Oceanside) of Kamehameha hwy about a mile before or after the Waiahole Poi Factory eatery depending on what direction you are coming from. One of the few businesses on the oceanside so it’s relatively easy to find.
Your four basic choices are the fried chicken pieces, the maki sushi roll, the hot dog sushi roll and assorted cookies. Sometimes they might be making it when you come by but if it’s frying da chicken or rolling da Maki, the wait is always worth it. And I love dat hot dog sushi roll. They seem to use the Chinese type mustard in the roll and man it’s good.
Almost guarans that if you go in the late afternoon something will have run out but whatever is left, go gett’m, it will be worth it to try. Just make sure you have a designated driver because their homemade snacks are so good it’s one of those «eat till you sleep» moments that will put the piggies who cannot control themselves into a «catatonic bliss».
They make everything well. It’s like getting some snacks to eat from Aunty during small kid time. If you are lucky and they have everything available, a little of each goes a long way to a happy belly :)

Waikane Store aka Mama-​san store is like a trip back in time. No fancy décor, just simple food, snacks and drinks at a fairly reasonable price. Like other Unilocalers have pointed out, there isn’t much for sale here aside from snacks and drinks. There is an ATM located in the store, but I have no idea how much the surcharge is. When you walk in, you’re warmly greeted by an elderly woman. «You want sushi? How many you like?» I looked on the counter and didn’t see any. I asked for one roll priced at $ 4.00. «Hold on, I’m still rolling them». I asked her how much the infamous fried chicken. There was no price; it’s based on weight. She said that sometimes they come out to $ 5.00. Luckily mine was only $ 3.78 for a small tray. Perfection since I only had $ 9.00. A younger gentleman thanked me from the kitchen and I wished them a Happy New Years as I smiled with my treasure of food. :) Good times Waikane! May you be around for many more years to come :)

I used to work out in Ka’a’awa and the best thing about my boss leaving for the day was Waikane store. When she would leave, I would take an «extended» lunch, blast down Kam highway and would some how, always, without fail, end up at the Waikane Store for lunch.
The chicken is divine, I would die a million deaths for the mochiko breaded, juicy, chicken bites. The sushi is pretty great as well. It’s all super simple-«just like anutie used to make,» according to my coworkers.
If you’re looking for a real family run business and a «real» Hawaii experience, stop here. I miss this place, oh how I miss this place.

I really like family owned stores like this one. The chicken here is so yummy! So flavorful and juicy, cooked to perfection. She also has maki sushi that is great. Keep your eyes open or you’ll pass it!

so we headed to ka’a’awa and some donkey stole a car and the cops shut down the road. we turned around and went to the beach at chinamans hat. after swimming we were hungry and couldnt wait till we got to kaneohe. we pulled into Waikane Store and bought out their sushi and fried chicken. so good. glad we did. the aunty cooking and the aunty at the register was super nice. had soda, ice cream, cookies, soap, ukuleles, ukulele strings, slush, and kolohe kai cds. the usual mom n pops store maybe not, but chicken and sushi is bomb here so go get some!!!

Great little country store, super friendly, something for everyone. Love the fried chicken and coffee.

Stopped by to grab some lunch for a picnic on Kualoa beach. The family that owns it is so nice! Genuine smiles as u walk through the door. We got the fried chicken & a sushi roll. Both were pretty good! I’ll stop back again next time we visit Oahu!

Five stars When I used to work out in the area, this was a main staple for sustenance. The fried chicken, shrimp fritters, and sushi are one of the best old school, mom & pop style foods. No can beat! You gotta try it to see. Highly recommended.

I awake with the Makaha Sons’ «take a walk in the country» refrain ringing out clear and bright in my head. Hey! Good idea on this holiday.
I jump in Bessie II (my faithful ol’ mule), and head out to the Windward side. I’m thinking of Waiahole — Waikane. The day is partly sunny, and radio tunage courtesy of Supertramp, Fleetwood Mac, Steve Miller Band, MFSB («TSOP»), Atlanta Rhythm Section has got me remembering my younger days and drives around the island on days just such as these in a convoy of cars filled with friends. Good times back then. Good times.
Waikane Store looks exactly like one of the images of «country» that comes to the mind of this island boy, and, I think, anyone who grew up in the islands. It’s your quintessential, prototypical, iconic country store. The hand-​painted wooden store sign indicates «est. 1898». [!!] The dusty dual glass doors and metal frame roughly fitted to the surrounding wood planking and boards look strangely out of place. They look like they’ve been transplated from some 7 – 11 in town.
Inside, you glance over the the sparsely stocked shelves looking immediately for the «fried chicken» and «famous sushi» proclaimed by the roadside sign. I recall seeing several bags of sugar. And probably corn pone, hardtack, and rolls of linsey-​woolsey material too had I looked closely [affectionate «heh heh”].
A small kitchen was visible through an open door behind the counter, and a guy therein plying his craft. Fourth-​generation member of the founding family? Fifth? I respectfully smiled and waved to him. He smiled genuinely and generously back, and said „thank you“. „Country heart“, my dad used to say.
The „fried chicken“ is like mochiko chicken rather than karaage. Boneless thigh meat with skin on and light and uneven crust (i.e. bare in spots). Moist and tender. Tasty. Meat evidently soaked long enough for flavor to soak through. About 4 – 5 pieces served in one of those small paper boats with the Hawaiian tapa print on the sides, and the whole thing Glad-​wrapped.
The sushi is maki sushi with shoyu-​mirin flavored tuna, red shrimp powder, cooked carrot, and egg in the center on this day. A 7» roll roughly cut into 10 uneven pieces all rolled in wax paper. Its relatively loose construction, and hewn look adds to its charm. Good. Together with the chicken — better.
Beyond the food, for the feeling you gave me today, the remembrances you revived in me, I am grateful. Thanks Waikane Store. I so needed that.

One bite of the maki sushi and faded memories come rushing back…
I don’t know why we pulled off the road. Mile marker 33, Kamehameha Highway. A small, green wooden building. An old sign. Inside, nearly bare shelves. A friendly, elderly woman calls out from a raised kitchen «Hi, hi, hi. Can I help you? Chicken just came out. Shrimp, maki sushi and musubi ready too». Add some boiled peanuts and home made cookies and that’s the entire menu.
The maki sushi near perfect. Everyday short grain rice made sticky and flavorful by rice vinegar and sugar, softened carrot and kampyo cooked in soy /​sugar, mirin infused sweet egg and colorful powdered dried shrimp cooked with canned tuna all rolled in fresh nori.
The fried chicken; boneless pieces of chicken thighs marinated in a light, sweet soy, coated with a flour /​mochiko mixture, then deep fried. Moist, crunchy, delicious. Quite possibly the precursor to today’s mochiko chicken.
The shrimp fritters, and musubi simple and as they should be.
The memory: New Years Eve, my great grandmother and grandmother rolling over 100 rolls of maki sushi, many to be given to their neighbors. My mom frying ginger marinated pieces of flower coated chicken from a brown paper bag. My aunt frying the tempura. A six year old me, running 9×12 newspaper lined pans filled with cooling fried chicken, sweet potato, shrimp, gobo, and green bean tempura between them.
At the time, the significance of four generations of immigrant Japanese Americans preserving their plantation heritage escaped me, the flavors of the food did not.
Okazuya’s hint at the flavors but have been corrupted by «modern taste». It is rare and just by chance that the Waikane Store has been run by the same Japanese American immigrant family since 1929. Currently the third and fourth generations, holds fort, continuing to cook the same food the same way, preserving the past.

I can never get enough of these OldSkool/Mom&Pop Stores. I remember this store during the 1960s… I use to walk home from church just to stop in for the almond cookie and chocolate drink (similar to Yahoo) Other times I’d buy the penny candies or the cracked seed which was served in a brown paper bag.
Now days, I get the fried chicken & maki sushi and if its not sold out the fried shrimp and cookies that will never ruin your meal choice.
Supporting local businesses is key to having a productive community. Hoping they stay open forever!!!

Great place to stop off when working your way around the island. They are known for their fried chicken and maki sushi. They also have really good Russian tea cookies. Would rate it higher if the hours were more predictable, because right now as it stands its one of those that you are lucky if it is open as you drive by kinda deal. So if they are open then stop by.

Making a trip to north shore? This is a great spot to stop by and grab some:
boiled peanuts, tuna roll, fried chicken, or even a slushie!
The boiled peanuts are lightly sweet in flavor and make a great snack! Highly recommended!
The tuna roll isn’t a typical Japanese sushi roll, instead, its like a salted tuna with egg and something else I’m not familiar with. The taste of the tuna mixed with everything makes this one of most unquie things I’ve ever eaten. Highly recommended!
The fried chicken is a local style in which the chicken is marinated in soy sauce or something. Not really my thing as it was too salty for my taste.
The $ 1 slushie was ok, but it was cheap and was a nice thirst quencher.
Overall, if your along this route, make a quick stop and pick up a tuna roll and some peanuts!

This is the Hawaii that I miss, though I never once stopped here until this past January.
Twenty three years on Oahu (spread out over three different time periods) and not only had I never stopped here (I’m sure I drove right by minimum fifty times), I never even heard of it.
Sad.
All those wasted years.
In thinking about it, I wouldn’t change a thing about this mom n’ pop store. Here there is a time worn charm that can’t be fabricated. A beautiful sense of place. Delicious homemade snacks prepared lovingly by delightful people.
There’s local style fried chicken, shrimp fritters, old-​school makizushi, hot dog musubi, cookie filled baggies, and even a slushy machine.
Setting foot in side reminded me of all the general stores of my youth: Toyo’s where I’d spend my Manoa summers getting icee. The place where Diamond Head Grill and Market is now where I bought my first Topps baseball card pack (the first card was Pete Rose). 21 Mart, which is still around, where I love to get Poke. Ruger market, boiled peanuts. Waiola, for my shaved ice addiction.
(Yes, I realize that some of those places are more «neighborhood liquor store» than «general store». Waikane is not though.)
While I consider this a true hidden gem, I know it won’t be so for everyone. But for those seeking a place that’s real, a place of character, a place that encapsulates a bit of history, a place with simple ono grinds and simply wonderful people, stop by here and seek no more.
For a great review of Waikane check out
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