Café Julia Hawaii image

Café Julia Hawaii

Restaurant Family restaurant Catering service Event venue Wedding venue Fine dining restaurant

Creative, locally sourced New American fare in a historic YWCA built by architect Julia Morgan. People often mention venue, wedding, Julia, beautiful, service, great, Cafe, staff, Elijah,


Address

1040 Richards St, Honolulu, HI 96813

Website

www.cafejuliahawaii.net

Contact

(808) 533-3334

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.40 (282 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Thursday: 11 AM to 2 PM
  • Friday: (Good Friday), 11 AM to 2 PM, Hours might differ
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: (Easter), Closed, Hours might differ
  • Monday: 11 AM to 2 PM
  • Tuesday: 11 AM to 2 PM
  • Wednesday: 11 AM to 2 PM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: venue (19) wedding (18) Julia (10) beautiful (10) service (10) great (9) Cafe (8) staff (7) Elijah (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Peter and J. 2 years ago on Google
    My husband and I were supposed to get married here in November 2020. But of course, due to the pandemic, we had postponed. Much like my other vendors, Cafe Julia was more than accommodating to anything and everything when we decided to postpone our date to November 2021. The staff exceeded my expectations, especially their Event Manager, Elijah. They took care of us as if we were family and during these unprecedented times, that's exactly what we needed. The venue is beautiful and is in an area you would least expect to have a wedding venue. I had many compliments from my guests about how much they loved the ambiance and how elegant everything looked. The food was AMAZING. Many compliments from my guests as well about how much they loved the food and all the different choices we've selected. Any couples right now looking for a great venue, Cafe Julia is the perfect place!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Helen 1 year ago on Google
    Such a beautiful space to enjoy a coffee or lunch in the centre of Honolulu. After some sightseeing it appeared there was a lack of places to eat & drink that were not Starbucks. I am so pleased we went to Café Julia! Everything from the service, location and quality of food was excellent. Such a relaxing space and mainly locals - I highly recommend! I think Annie served me and she was ever so kind and attentive. Thank you!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Tia S. 1 year ago on Google
    Great little place tucked away in the YWCA! Amazing food and service!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 J E B. 2 years ago on Google
    Amazing food and very attentive service. Our docent from the palace recommended this for lunch and I’m grateful she did. It is tucked away in the beautiful YWCA building. I would never have known of it. We had the lobster roll, meatball sandwIch and the superb bread pudding.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Ami Chen (. 4 years ago on Google
    The food is great. The service is a bit slow but great. The mint water was a little too sweet and not enough mint to have a taste of mint. I recommend to come a little before noon if you are on a time crunch.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Mark S. 11 months ago on Google
    A family member used this as the venue of their wedding and reception. Was absolutely perfect and a beautiful place to have a wedding
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Celeste M. 5 years ago on Google
    I love this old building, it's where I learned to swim. Cafe Julia is beautiful, stately an oasis in downtown. The food is excellent with a few exceptions. I had the veggie quiche with cream of garlic soup and a salad. The quiche and salad were excellent but the soup was garlicky yet bland, no finish, no spice or salt, just garlic. Needed something more...
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sharlane B. 2 years ago on Google
    My husband and I held our wedding on March 18, 2022 and I am so happy that we chose Cafe Julia as our venue! We initially reached out in September 2021 and Elijah did a tour of the venue with us via FaceTime as we were planning a destination wedding from Canada. He was so easy to communicate with via email and answered all of our questions. Having not visited the venue in person or done a tasting, we were a bit nervous, but everything was AMAZING. The food, the staff, and the venue itself! This is a hidden gem in the middle of Honolulu. Most of our guests were from out of town and were staying in Waikiki, so this was an easy 15-minute Uber ride for them. In the planning process, we also found that venues typically have an event end-time of 10pm, but we were able to continue the party at a club that was about 5 minutes away - another easy Uber ride for our guests. The venue is so beautiful and there were great spots in the area for our wedding photos. Highly recommend!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 R K. 1 year ago on Google
    Came here for a work function for lunch and since it was always busy (everytime I passed by), I figured the food must be good. Was surprised by the prices, but I figured the pricing is reflective of the quality and taste of the food. I ordered the Laniakea Wagyu Kobe Beef Burger for $24 with the french fries option. When the burger came, the portion size was ample, the lettuce, tomato and onion looked nice and fresh, the cheese was nicely melted, but there was no "sauce" on the burger although the looked like it was toasted with butter. My thought was that the seasoning of the patty must be so good that no sauces were necessary. The first bite confirmed that my thought was wrong! While the patty was on the tender side, the flavoring was very light, so light that you could taste the "beefy" taste, which thankfully wasn't gamey. For $24 I expected a better tasting burger...I had way better burgers from places that cost half the price!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Chu Esquivia Holdings C. 1 year ago on Google
    We have our wedding date set on October 1, 2022, let me be the first to say this wedding venue is the best and most beautiful all thanks to our incredible venue coordinator, Elijah Samuel and his team! He has gone above and beyond to not only accommodate us even at the minutiae detail of ensuring our dietary restrictions were met, and any questions we asked were answered immediately. He really makes the effort to make you feel certain and comfortable during this entire process. We are looking forward to our wedding all thanks to the spectacular team at this venue. For those of you even "curious" about booking your wedding here, my fiance and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND it! Mahalo Cafe Julia, especially Elijah and his team!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Elizabeth S. 10 months ago on Google
    Atmosphere is really cute and the food was decent. I didn't think such a cute place would be in downtown. Parked in the same block at Alii towers and for 2 hours it was about $3.

  • 5/5 Bert K. 2 years ago on Google
    Casual dining. Excellent, fast, friendly service. Creative and tasty menu. Good variety of options including vegan. Best locomoco that I’ve had since Alan Wong’s Pineapple Room. Very relaxing atmosphere. Outdoor seating available in courtyard. Popular and crowded, best to make reservations. Located inside the historic “Richards Street Y” building and named after its designer, Julia Morgan, one of America’s foremost and first female architect. On street or municipal metered parking available nearby. Some public parking stalls available behind ʻIolani Palace.

  • 5/5 Karlen R. 6 months ago on Google
    This is a review of the banquet facility. Attended a banquet held in the courtyard. It was beautifully lit, with comfortable space for the appetizers during cocktail hour. The menu offered was excellent, I highly recommend the lobster bisque as well as the braised Short rib. The bar prices for alcohol were reasonable but for some reason soft drinks were noticeably overpriced, they allowed both cash and credit. Street parking was available nearby or down the block near the post office.

  • 5/5 Mike A. 1 year ago on Google
    I can't thank the people over at Cafe Julia enough. They made my wedding the best night of my life with the stunning atmosphere, friendly staff, and great food. If marriage wasn't a one-time thing, I would get married here every time. Lol! Thanks again!

  • 5/5 Dezzarie at HNL S. 11 months ago on Google
    Cafe Julia is a stunning venue for wedding celebrations! It is easily accessible, located in the heart of Honolulu, the cafe offers a unique setting to exchange vows and celebrate with friends and family. The staff's attention to detail ensures an unforgettable experience. We always have a great time shooting at this venue!

  • 5/5 Katie R. 1 year ago on Google
    My husband and I had our wedding reception at Cafe Julia in August of this year, and we can't say enough good things about this venue! Elijah, the manager, was incredible to work with- he was kind, reasonable, and answered my questions efficiently and in a timely manner. The rest of the staff was professional and polite the day of the event and made sure the two of us and our guests had everything we needed. The venue was beautiful and well maintained, and the food (we chose the 3 course surf + turf meal) was delicious. There were lots of little things the staff did that was unexpected and so sweet, for example, after we ran out of gin for the night, the bartender still made me one of my favorite drinks with the restaurant's alcohol on the house. The staff also cut our wedding cake and served it for everyone, had our drink menu displayed in the bar area, and sent us a small gift and card after the celebration. These little things were not mentioned in the wedding package, but they went above and beyond for our special day and I could not be more grateful!

  • 5/5 Karen L. 1 year ago on Google
    We got married here November16/2022. We booked it few months earlier during the summer, and I have to say the experience was nothing less than wonderful! Communication was prompt and timely during business hours from Elijah. He was very kind, professional and accommodating. He followed every detail and answered all our questions. The venue is beautiful!!! The food and service (we had the buffet option) was reasonably priced and great! We will definitely be recommending this place to everyone!

  • 5/5 Amy O. 2 years ago on Google
    I went here for my friends wedding last week. Beautiful outdoor terrace with their arches and so much character! I would definitely recommend this place for any special event as they put so much care into hosting.

  • 2/5 Erika K. 2 years ago on Google
    Nice setting, helpful and friendly staff. Large portions but the flavors and textures were lacking. My risotto was more like over cooked rice in a seafood broth, the French fries were extremely oily. You can’t charge so much and deliver so little.

  • 5/5 Deborah E. 1 year ago on Google
    Delicious food. Great service. It was like eating on Spanish or Italian patio. Just a beautiful little gem. A great place to go after visiting some of the sites like Iolani Palace or the Judiciary. A real find.

  • 5/5 M. P. 1 year ago on Google
    Welcoming, friendly service. Vegetarian options as well. The building is architecturally interesting and the whole vibe is excellent. Food was delicious and super fresh. Also, coldest Longboard beers on the island.

  • 5/5 Robert M. A. 2 years ago on Google
    Expensive but wonderful, breezy, healthy place for a great lunch in the YWCA. Excellent service, too

  • 5/5 Anthony A. 2 years ago on Google
    Beautiful wedding venue. The food was fantastic. Parking is definitely a hassle, but that's just in general for all of Downtown Honolulu. Reception and dinner was in the courtyard, and the cocktail hour was in the bar area. This is located at the YWCA, entrance was a little difficult to find, as we could enter through the front door, but had to go around through the courtyard area. Other than that, this place is a nice little venue for a small wedding.

  • 5/5 Lucas W. 4 years ago on Google
    The bacon quiche I had was one of the best I've had in a long time. Enjoyed sitting outside during our balmy winter. A most elegant oasis in downtown Honolulu.

  • 2/5 Jason M. 2 years ago on Google
    Great service. Good people Good trade winds blowing through. Horribly overpriced for definitely not fresh food.


Call (808) 533-3334 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Hard liquor
    • ✓️ Comfort food
  • Popular for
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Solo dining
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible restroom
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Takeout
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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