Angie C.
Yelp
*Not me booking a trip to Honolulu just to eat at Cinnamon's* . We used to stop by Cinnamon's Las Vegas ALL THE TIME before they unfortunately shut down due to the pandemic-- I guess that's my new excuse to visit Honolulu much more often !!
We decided to dine in for brunch at Cinnamon's at the Illikai location because it was a short walk from our airbnb . We arrived early around 820am and were seated right away-- (id advised you to do the same because on our way out there were plenty of patrons waiting around for a table and they looked hangry lol) . The views, atomosphere, and customer service was great ! Shout-out to Kyle for being our kind server and for all his aloha .
Here's what we ate--
The one thing you have to order is their eggs benedict-- by far my favorite thing on the menu . Love that they also let you split between two different proteins if you can't make up your mind (like me lol) . We got the KALUA PORK AND CRAB CAKE BENNEDICT with home fries . We usually always order the TOTS for the side because they're highly crispy, flavorful, and addicting-- but today, we wanted to try something new . The KALUA BENNY was just as I remembered-- slow-cooked to perfection, salty, melts in your mouth, and pairs so well with the purple sweet potato that balances out all the flavors . The CRAB CAKE BENNY was also just as delicious . The cake was seared beautifully crisp on the exterior and not too much fillers . You can actually taste and lump crab and shrimp ! Home fries were okay-- if youre a fan of potatoes like my hubby-- you'd love them, but I definitely prefer the tots . Hollandaise sauce was thick, creamy, and sooo too tasty ! If you don't know what to order, start here !
THE SIGNATURE HAMBURGER LOCO MOCO is to die for . It's literally a hug in a bowl . I got mine with the extra add-on of mushrooms and onions cause I'm a fatty, I mean foodie**-- do it, so worth it . My hamburger patty was a little over well-done for my liking, but other than that-- it was still a fantastic bite . The white rice was warm and soft . The gravy was rich, flavorful, and the star of the show . The Mac salad is a little on the sweeter side-- I'm not used to this as the Hawaiian Mac salads in San Diego lean towards more savory . I asked for my eggs sunny side because I love a good yolk pop for the foodie in me . This would be a perfect bite to get if youre hungover or want something to share with another person-- a classic .
My parents got the PHOENIX BEFF LOCO MOCO which is a Schezwan-style crispy beef with peppers, mushrooms, onions & jalapenos . Im the one who told them they should order this because they didn't know what to get AND because I secretly wanted a bite... but by the time I got around to asking for a bite, my dad had finished every last bit . Im guessing it was ONOLICIOUS lol .
RED VELVET PANCAKES . They were thick, fluffy, and SWEET ! The glaze was theee honorable mention here . It reminded me of cake more than it did pancakes . This definitely gave me dessert vibes-- id recommend sharing these ! Next time, I need to try the guava chiffon pancakes .
THE PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE STUFED FRENCH TOAST was sooo heavenly . I believe the pumpkin is a seasonal thing-- but it should be year long lol . The French toast was cooked perfectly -- they were HUGE and sooo soft on the inside. The cream cheese glaze was sweet and complimented the pumpkin spice flavor immaculately . This is another dish id recommend sharing if youre not really a big fan of dessert for breakfast !
Overall, everything was too tasty and well worth the brunch . Surprisingly, for being at such a nice hotel, the bill wasn't as hefty as I thought . The portions are also HUGE ! Id definitely recommend to anyone looking for a yummy brunch spot on the island !! As always, ill be back (: