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Aiea Manapua and Snacks
Categories: Restaurants Delis Restaurants Chinese Dim Sum Delis, Dim Sum [Edit]
Aiea Village Square99-149 Moanalua Rd, Ste103
Aiea, HI 96701
(808) 488-7443
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
41 reviews for Aiea Manapua and Snacks
Review Highlights
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"Wide variety of snacks, manapua, pork hash, etc." In 15 reviews -
"CRISPY GAU GEE - BROKE DA MOUT (again, very delicious) also..." In 3 reviews -
"...pizza, hot dog, and my personal favorite spicy sausage." In 7 reviews
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41 reviews in English
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Review from Angela R.
Aiea Manapua does not disappoint! I believe this is where you find the best pork hash in the world. The pork hash is so huge you cannot fit it in your mouth. You HAVE to take at least two bites. It is very meaty with a water chestnut in it that gives it a great crunch. There is also a deep fried pork hash but I prefer the regular one.
I love that place opens early. I stop by before work when I feeling like a dim sum breakfast. I love the fun flavors of manapuas offered here. For example Kalua pig, portugese sausage, pizza but my personal favorite is the spicy sausage- it's delish (and spicy of course)! You can also get friend rice, noodles, half moon and so much more. Check it out! -
Review from Lani P.
4/21/2012
Oh Man, this place has been open since I came back to the U.S. in 1986...They have the BEST CHOW FUN dried...EVER!! I got a ton of past boyfriend, friends and family members Hooked on this place! I have yet to find anything even within 50% as good as this place is.. They have onolicious Everything.. Even the chow mein, not the stupid Crispy way the Mainlands serve it, but more to those who don't know better, the soft noodles. I always get a Huge pan and even freeze it and bring it back on the plane with me all the time....I've thought of asking if they will send it overnight to me because when it comes too GOOD food like this I will play practically anything!! hell my Hubby spent over $100 just to have my homemade Pastelles from Puerto Rico sent to me..and Yes I know the real deal, my dad's from there and I've been there many times. I just have slant eyes..lol
Problem is, put in an order because they Run out fast and close pretty early everytime I visit.. I can't wait till I go back here in June this yr.. YUMMY!! my mouth is SOOOO watering!!
Oh got hooked on this place because I use to take dance/gymnastics at Rosalie Woodsons Dance Academy..hmmm never did check if they are still around?? -
Review from Will I.
Waipahu, HI
4/9/2012
Had the following
The baked pizza bao was like a giant pizza role- not bad.
Baked char siu bao had some good chopped char siu. The bread is more chewy than at Royal Kitchen but more flavorful. Pretty good.
Pork Hash- flavor is a bit strange but it is a BIG pork hash.
Mushroom stuffed pork hash tempura- ahh this was awesome but super oily.
I ate the chicken tempura but it was super oily and very salty. I took it home and reheated it in the taster oven and was amazed how much oil I could soak up. Don't think I will try that one again.
Parking is tight and just across the Aiea Library.
Wait help isn't the friendliest, maybe they keep their prices low by not smiling and talking to customers.
Food- 3 stars
Value- 3.5 stars
Service- 2 stars -
Review from David J.
2/13/2012
So I had Chun Wah Kam in mind at the Waimalu Shopping Center, but they weren't open early enough! So, I came down to the Aiea Manapua and Snacks as a great alternative to Chun Wahs for Manapuas. What's great is that they have a variety of pre-made Manapua besides the standard Char Siu Pork. I tried the Kalua Pig and the Portugese Sausage Manapua. It was absolutely amazing. They probably have 10+ other different types of Manapuas. I love manapuas, but I hate Char Siu...so anything besides the standard manapua works for me. Their Pork Hash is ginormous and absolutely gives you a mouthful of heaven. Okay...maybe I'm exagerrating just a little bit. A lot of things taste amazing at 5:30 am in the morning. Anyways, great place to go when you need to buy Manapuas for gift. They'll package it up nice and neat for you and have it ready to be hand carried.
I definitely recommend this place for Manapuas and Pork Hash especially if you're in town and craving manapuas! -
Review from Kai B.
8/31/2011
Dear Mama Buks,
Today sucked...I could use a pick me up...wanna get me a snack por favor??
Remember when you used to bring manapua for snacks after our soccer games...they were everyone's favorite. Can you get me some PIZZA MANAPUAS? That's my favorite afterschool snack. The steamed charsu manapuas good too, and some chow fun and don't forget the spicy sasuage manapua! Please buy some layered rice cakes and sweet potato tempura. Aiea Manapua is one of the best food-food snack places.
I know that's plenty to ask for but it's only like $1-$2 each. Just make sure you go early, cause even around lunch time the sell out of stuff. And don't go last minute cause you're gonna have to wait cause it's a small-hole-in-the wall place, even if you call in the order. I'd go with you and can just eat it there, but there's no where to sit.
Thanks Mama Buks, you the bestest. Remind me to make an order for this weekend cause Aiea Manapua is a good to take to tailgaitin' yea?
Yours Truly,
kaibemi bukuListed in: i live aiea
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Review from Alan Y.
10/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
We went to Aiea Manapua at the recommendation of a friend whose kids we were taking to the Arizona Memorial. I asked the kids what their favorite manapua was, and in unison they both screamed "PIZZA". I swear I almost gagged at the thought of a pizza manapua, but I figured what the heck, we'll get a half dozen and a few pork hash.
Pork hash is basically a "siu mai", a ground pork "meatball" surrounded by a noodle like wrapper, and typically found at dimsum. However, the pork hash at Aiea Manapua are the size of billiard balls. The portion size was ridiculously big. The taste was okay. Nothing special.
I tried the pizza manapua. It is a baked bao, not steamed, and is filled with low grade mozzarella cheese and chopped pepperoni. I get the appeal with kids, they pretty much don't know any better, so they love this crap. But, I didn't get the hype. Especially with the over age twelve crowd. It's basically a Hot Pocket with a softer bread casing. By the way, Hot Pockets suck. And this pretty much goes for pizza manapua as well.
I also tried a steamed char siu bao. It was okay. The char siu was...unusual. I can't really describe it, but I know I wasn't a fan.
The store logo is a Chinese coolie, complete with kung fu outfit and rice paddy hat, carrying a couple of dimsum steamers on a yoke. I was both amazed and amused at this, kind of like the food here. But amazing and amusing are not recommendations per se. Come here for the novelty, or at the request of the kids, but there are better manapua places out there. -
Review from Dean H.
Local style manapua with a bunch of twists, ya feelin' me? Wait, did I say that out loud? Anyways, go here for some steamed and baked goodness....here is the down low on a few of the items....
Baked manapua...win
Steamed manapua...win
Lup Cheong manapua....win
Pork Hash....half win
Half Moon....half win
Baked teri hot dog manapua....ah good twist! win
Curry manapua....win
There is so much to try there but those are my go to favs. There is also mini bentos, noodles, fried chicken, and so on and so on. Make sure you check out the hours tho cause sometimes I got some manapua epic fail face when it was closed.
The parking can be a bear since there is the 10000000 million people going to the dance studio right there but seriously, it is worth it. Bathroom...no bathroom but you won't be sitting anywhere in this place, there is only place enough to stand, order, and pay and GTHO of there and eat in the car....YES I said car....cause you are going to want to dig right in to that goodness!
Anyways, stop reading this and go get some good stuff ok?
032/365....challenge yelp 2011-12....BOOM!Listed in: YELP 365 Hawaii Challenge…
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Review from Krissy K.
Despite the meh parking and not-too-friendly service, I've been a customer of Aiea Manapua for a long time, because the food is the fatty delicious nom-bomb. Oddly enough, I think the only thing I don't really love here is the char siu manapua. This is the first place I ever tried pizza manapua, and it is done perfectly here. The one from CWK doesn't even belong in the same conversation. I also like the steamed vegetarian manapua, which is probably the only thing that is less than 1000 calories.
The pork hash are really big and...plump. That sounds funny, but it's the best word I can think of to describe them. As mentioned in several other reviews, the stuffed mushrooms and eggplant are also amazing. Like super-bad- for-you-oh-my-is-that-a-pork-hash-stuffed-in-this- deep-fried-deliciousness amazing. The chow funn is also really well flavored, and the tempura chicken and sweet potato (deep fried, natch) are yummy as well.
If you NEED a certain item, definitely call ahead to order. It also helps if you know what you want before you head in, as there is definitely a slightly Soup Nazi vibe from the grouchy workers. -
Review from Ron H.
Aiea, HI
3/2/2012 12 Check-ins Here
Great place to get ur manapua. Steamed manapua has a gooey bun and a semi sweet filling. They also have mini manapua as well. Pork hash r great and u got to try the mushroom stuffed pork hash.
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Review from Jason Y.
11/23/2011
This place is an institution in Aiea, it's been here for as long as I can remember. Wide variety of snacks, manapua, pork hash, etc...all of it's pretty good. I like the baked manapua. What's really good here is their catering items. We always get the chili. Weird that they have chili, but it's a huge party tray that serves 15-20 people, all for $25.99. Really good deal. The chili itself is good too, a little sweet, really ketchupy, with lots of meat and they also put in this spicy sausage which is really tasty. For the price and what you get, it's a really good deal. Especially if you are tired of just getting zippy's chili for parties. You're supposed to order it 2-3 days in advance, but we've done one day and they haven't turned us done yet!
Parking can be a bit of a pain, its a small area and you're technically not supposed to use the lot behind it for all the other businesses, but you're only picking up so it's not like you'll get in trouble or towed. -
Review from Darcy K.
1/23/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This place is good for a quick bite to eat. Their pork hash is B I G so if you looking for deals on portion size, this place has it. The pizza manapua is always a must for me. The people are really hard-working here too! No one said this food was gourmet, it's a hole in the wall business and they are good at what they do! Only thing I don't like is that there's only one table to sit on outside. Still, that doesn't stop people from coming.
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Review from Chancy C.
Aiea, HI
1/9/2012 5 Check-ins Here
Small little mom and pops shop that has pork hash, fried noodles, and a good variety of manapua. The parking is pretty tiny, but then again its not like you can sit down and dine. There's only one table outside and a couple of chairs. It's mainly a grab n go shop.
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Review from Cy C.
8/27/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Life is like a box of manapua, you never know what you're going to get. Does it matter? Its all good! I remember back in the hanabata days, my only recollection of manapua is the...excuse me "da manapua" truck. Ironically however I don't remember eating to much manapuas from the truck. The rare times I did eat was at potlucks and all they had was chair su manapua.
I'm a grown up now (some might argue that) and now I can have sophisticated manapua. Now there are so may choices, like ham and cheese, pizza, lup cheung, baked pork, spicy sausage and don't forget about the pork hash.
Aiea Manapua has been a recent lunch favorite of mine because its so close to work. Any time I need a quick lunch I head on down to Aiea Manapua. I like to call this the poor man special because you can get a meal for only $1.39. Granted my fat butt eats like 3-4 or them. Small place with great service. Parking sometimes can be a challenge.
Great to buy for potlucks and they even sell mini manapuas as well but don't forget to call ahead. It's been here awhile and I hope it stays around for future manapua eaters. -
Review from Kaimana N.
Aiea, HI
7/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I GREW UP ON AIEA MANAPUA.
So why am I only giving it 4 stars you may be asking? Lets just start with the criticism first. I lived in Aiea for most of my life, went to Alvah Scott Elem. (which is right up the road from Aiea Manapua, graduated from Aiea High school (which is also right up the road from Aiea Manapua). Lets just say that there were a lot of potlucks and class parties in my day. Aiea Manapua was always my first choice. But every since I was 5 years old...nothing has changed (Im 21 now). The service is mediocre and they ALWAYS run out of the good stuff too soon. To this day, I always have to order a day a head just so I can get what I want. So yeah...4 stars.
BUT I MUST SAY that the PIZZA MANAPUA is BOMB. I was very shocked to discover that many people have never tried pizza manapua. Let me be the first to say, Aiea Manapua has the best pizza manapua (go order it a day ahead, it does run out). They also have a KILLER rice cake...who doesnt love rice cake??
All in all...its a great place to pick up some treats for the office, class, or any type of meeting.
Parking is kinna tight in the morning. So be prepared!Listed in: Aiea Hideaways
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Review from Keola m.
8/30/2011 2 Check-ins Here
CUT THROUGH THE CHASE AND GET TO THE POINT!
Thats exactly what Im gonna do.
PORK HASH - HUGE! and Ono (delicious)
MANAPUA - Get choke kinds (many varieties) including vegitarian
CRISPY GAU GEE - BROKE DA MOUT (again, very delicious) also comes in vegitarian.
parking? Choke (plenty)
the ladies could smile a little....jus saying. -
Review from Val L.
3/18/2011 7 photos
Man, I've been missing out a lot on a lot of these hole in the walls! Lucky I found you yelpers here to guide me to some good eats that I would have never gone to. I feel sad that I've been missing out for some time, but yet, with places that come and go, I'm glad that now I'm able to find these places before those old (wo)men retire and the food will no longer be as good as when they're still there.
Aiea Manapua & Snacks looks like a convenience shop on the outside, so I always thought it was like an old style 7-11 type of store, and never bothered to venture in. I wish I read the reviews again right before I went in so I knew what to order, so I just ordered a bunch of different things there. For $1.29 a manapua, they are cheaper and tastier than Chun Wah Kam. Lucky I decided to order at least one pizza manapua or I would have kicked myself reading the reviews after I returned:
Pizza Manapua - 5 star - just as the yelpers say, yes this is one of the best manapuas they sell. The pizza sauce is a little sweet with chunks of portuguese sausage inside. Not one of those processed chun wah kam type of manapuas, indeed!
Kalua Pig Manapua - 4 star - Real smoked flavor kalua pig in it!
Cheeseburger Manapua - 3 star - I asked for the Teriburger manapua, and the guy gave me the cheeseburger instead. A big chunk of burger with cheese in this. I don't care for cheeseburger, especially when it wasn't piping hot, but it is great for the kids. Still, it's something definitely different no other store sells.
Shoyu Chicken Manapua - 3 stars - just your average shoyu chicken. Wasn't too impressed with this one.
Ham & Cheese Manapua - 4 stars - If you like ham and cheese sandwich, you'll like this manapua. Good for breakfast and for the kids.
Polish Sausage manapua - 4 stars - a type of spicy sausage with a sting, but the bun that covers it at least mellows the sting of the spice in your mouth. An interesting mix.
Half Moon - 5 stars - for 69 cents, it's a huge half moon with chunks of turnip that makes it crispy. Although it's oily, I'd buy this again because of the sweet fresh flavor with a hint of black pepper in it.
Pork Hash - 3 stars - Huge, but basic. I like my porkhash with the black mushroom and other ingredients in it.
Teri-spam/scrambled egg musubi - 4 star - I wasn't going to buy this, but my son eyed out the huge musubi staring at him, saying "eat me eat me!" It's a huge tasty musubi for $1.89 that my son devoured in minutes.
Fried stuffed eggplant - 4 stars - Very oily because it's fried. The tempura batter is like the ones you get at the japanese okazuya during my hanabata days. Not many places make this kind of tempura batter anymore. So flavorful, so if you want to die happy with a massive heart attack, order a lot of this and eat all in one sittng!
Service - 3 star - they look unfriendly, but are ready to serve you, and he waited for me to decide what to order. He has a pretty good memory because I even forgot what I ordered, and had to ask again if I ordered it. He waits until I say everything I want to order, then start getting the items. Although he was patient with me, I didn't want to take too long since people were there waiting for me to finish my order.
I also ordered the nine layer cake, but unfortunately, since the guy relied on his memory, he forgot to add that to my order. I went at 11:30am, so the manapua wasn't hot, but was still flavorful. At least they accept credit cards. A convenient place to buy a box full of fingerfood before walking to the stadium to watch football!
I really don't care to eat oily or fried foods, especially when they are just oily and not even tasty, but the taste in these foods I tried above justifies the oil I now have to detox from!Listed in: Kid Friendly places, Chinese foods
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Review from Kaipo S.
Waipahu, HI
12/2/2011
The 5 stars is for the steamed pork manapua, which is excellent. I consider myself somewhat of a manapua expert. I lived in town for years, island manapua and libbys are good, but fresh steamed pork from aiea is better. I don't know about when it isn't fresh as I'm usually buying a large amount and they make it special for me (usually around 530am), but I consider it the best on O'ahu.
As for the pizza which so many rave about, i'll give it 1.5 stars, like someone else said, it's like a hot pocket(which isn't good) and I really don't see what the fuss is about. Must be childhood memories or something? -
Review from Caryn W.
7/21/2011
I was first introduced to Aiea Manapua in 2005 when I had to go and pick up a pan of chow fun for a work potluck. I thought this was pretty ironic since I lived in Aiea and I hadn't ever heard of the place before. This little shop is tucked away in a section of a "mall" next to a formal dress store and a BBQ place.
I continued to patronize Aiea Manapua throughout the years and even purchased a set of mini-manapuas for my students' parting gift one year. Fast forward to 2008, the year I started dating my fiancee. Being a Mililanian, he had no idea what kind if food AM had to offer. I took him there one day and he fell in love with the char siu manapua, fried gau gee, and fried mushroom. He lived it so much that when he was living in Hilo for a year, he would request that I bring up food from there when I'd visit him.
We decided to take a trip down memory lane today and went to AM to get lunch. Fortunately everything we wanted was available, so that was a plus. Another time we had gone, there didn't seem to be anything left and it didn't seem like they were going to make any more. However, I did notice that this time around, the prices had gone up a little ($1.39 for a manapua) but we were able to get a lot of stuff for around $12. I remember when the manapua was around a dollar, but hey, everyone still needs to make a living and I'm sure people will continue to get their grub on from Aiea Manapua.
Oh and before I forget, the main reason I gave this place 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the parking. You have to park in the lot in front of the store or in front of the dance studio nearby, but there always seems to be tons of cars in the lot, so you need to be lucky. You can't park in any if the other lots, otherwise you may get yelled at by the guard (like my brother did once). Good luck! -
Review from Nathan N.
Honolulu, HI
6/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
A good price, tasty morsels of goodness, parking is ample, and service with sweat on the side.. These folks work really hard. If their sweat is in the food, it is obviously making the manapua that much better. Impressive.
Suggestions:
spicy sausage manapua
baked pork manapua
pepperoni pizza manapua
pork hash -
Review from CHAD K.
9/27/2010
I love Manapuas, kitty cat or not they are tasty. My first visit at a friends request lead me here to try the pizza manapua, form the looks of this place you know they can make good food. Its small, hot and old looking all good signs of great manapua shops. The pizza manapua is baked and filled with Portuguese sausage with a good amount of cheese, perfect little snack, I wish I had tried more but wasnt too hungry after my workout so I must return, I want to try them all. It was also waaay cheap, although I didnt pay lol.
I highly do not recommend parking at Aiea Shopping Center and j-running across Moanalua road, its trickier than it looks. -
Review from Robert D.
11/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
So my dentist is in the building right next to here and I swear he says no eating or drinking for 30 minutes, since I get fluoride treatment. But... Manapua, Pork Hash, Crispy Gau Gee, Chow Funn and Icee. How can I pass that up? I live in town so coming here is really few and far between but it is such a treat. I just buy stuff for my grandma and I and just chow down at her house since she likes this kinda food. These guys got Manapua down to a science! Sorry doc, I know I should listen but this food is too hard to ignore!
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Review from Michael D.
Honolulu, HI
6/19/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Need something quick and easy to eat while driving in traffic? If so, Aiea Manapua is a great choice. Everything on the menu is ready to be packed and paid for so you can be in and out in no time. Better yet, majority of the choices are different variations of manapua so its easy to eat while on the go.
The menu consist of both baked and steamed manapua plus fried noodles and Gau gee. I would have to say they are most know for their baked manapua which include pork, chicken, pizza, hot dog, and my personal favorite spicy sausage. I've also had the pork crispy gau gee which is extremely tasty and one of my favorites.
Don't let the curb appeal deter you from trying this place out. It's a hole in the wall but a hole worth entering. -
Review from Mark P.
My FAVORITE thing to order here: Pork Manapua
The pork was really flavorful wrapped up in a small warm bun. A pretty good snack for when your on the go and just want to eat on the road.
WE ORDERED: Pork, Beef, Fried Mushroom and Cheese
It's a pretty small place with an easy menu to order from. There's maybe one or two tables outside for seating. It's kind of hidden in the back of a mall. Definitely a local spot.
3 Stars -
Review from Jody S.
7/20/2010
For me, it's always an adventure and a challenge to find local faves that are "vegetarian-ized." For some reason, restaurateurs simply don't believe in investing in vegetarian options for whatever reason (s)--they don't get a lot of vegetarian requests, they don't see value in, it's too pricey, they simply don't care or maybe it's all, none or some of the above and then some.
This includes plate lunches, sandwiches, snacks and of course, manapua.
Lo and behold, Aiea Manapua and Snacks met my vegetarian needs with a veggie manapua that is simply off the chains.
First of all, I have to give them props for just creating AND offering a veggie manapua as a selection.
Believe me, I've searched high and low and have yet to find a manapua that isn't stuffed with EVERYTHING under the sun, except for veggies! :) You can get pizza, BBQ, hot dogs and the traditional char siu, but try to find a veggie version--good luck!
So I am glad that Aiea Manapua does just this. In addition, they also offer rice cake, other meaty manapua selections, gau gee and pork hash--all small kid time manapua man faves!
One tip: GO EARLY if you want veggie manapua--they tend to run out REAL quick! -
Review from so-ching c.
Waipahu, HI
3/2/2009 2 photos
The pizza manapua is tasty - it's like a pizza in a little pocket. But the teridog tasted like a regular hotdog.
Overall, it's a good cheap eat. We bought an entire plate's worth of food (pizza manapua, charsiu manapua, teridog, sweet potato, gaugee) for only $5.50!!
Plus, they threw in a free gaugee and a sweet potato!! Well, I think they only did this because they were about to close for the day... I love free food. -
Review from Rocelle S.
Ewa Beach, HI
7/14/2011
What is everyone talking about? I didn't enjoy the food at all. Maybe it's because I have such high expectations on how a manapua or pork hash should taste. Yanno growing in ktown eating Libby's, this place doesn't even compare. Aieas Manapua place is like a beautiful girl with plastic surgery. Beautiful baked buns on the outside but inside she is butt ugly. The meat or char siu's texture is chunks of pork instead of the pulled pork like libbys. My friend commented "what are they feeding us erasers?" Ahh it was sub par for me and I wont be returning.
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Review from mark m.
11/3/2010
It's all about the pizza manapua and the pork hash up in this place. I've been a customer here for a looooong time. The service could be a little friendlier, but for the short time you spend in their shop to begin with, I guess it's okay.
These guys have a lot of choices when it comes down to the manapua but I always find myself going back to the pizza ones. I guess it's because I grew up on these bad boys. It was always the noodles, the pizza manapua and the pork hash. The only thing about the food here is that it's a little heavy because of the oil, but all the manapua shops have that same downside. It's not a terror to your stomach, but it's noticeable.
Talk about a trip down memory lane. -
Review from David H.
Waiehu, HI
12/16/2011
Since we love manapua, we had to stop here to try their different varieties of manapua. We bought the pizza, shoyu chicken, and teri hot dog versions. The pizza was just okay, with not enough filling. When we broke it open, where there should be filling, there was just air. A few pieces of sausage and very little cheese. The shoyu chicken was better and kind of tasted like the old style of non-charsiu manapua we used to get back in the day. Our fave was the teri hot dog, which had just enough teri flavor to differentiate it from a regular hot dog. There were other things we wanted to try (like the stuffed mushroom with pork hash), but this was just a snack to tide us over until lunch.
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Review from Andy D.
Flagstaff, AZ
7/14/2008
I agree with the other reviews for the most part.
The service is quick, but not really friendly. Many times they looked pissed off.
The food is delicious. The manapua are really good, though sometimes the texture is a bit mushy. I really love the vegetarian manapua and the teri hot dog. The vegetarian is so flavorful, that I feel like there must be meat (It's the same as the veggie gau gee filling, which I don't know what it contains). I also really love their chow fun, and the stuffed mushroom, which is basically a button mushroom/pork hash meatball that's deep fried. Yum.
If you come any time past 7:30 am, it might be really really crowded.Listed in: There's No Place Like...
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Review from Juan F.
2/7/2011
If you don't have time to get a fancy meal or no time to cook, Aiea Manapua is the place to go. The best thing here is the Cha Siu Manapua. It is sooo good and flavorful. I've also had their pizza manapuas. It is good, but not as good as the cha siu one. They also have some other snacks such as stuffed mushrooms, different kinds of other manapuas (cheeseburger, chicken, etc), and of course musubis. Everything here is good and the best thing is that it is CHEAP. Nothing beats good food thats cheap!!
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Review from Justin H.
Pearl City, HI
5/18/2011
Need a last minute dish for a potluck?? THIS PLACE IS IT!!!! They have mini manapua's which are a perfect size and allow people to take one without getting full. My favorite one is their pizza manapua. They also have other dishes also. Whenever there is a need to cater at my workplace we always go here! The owner is pretty cool too!
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Review from Troy M.
Honolulu, HI
6/29/2010 1 Check-in Here
Stopped by this place this morning before dropping off a friend to the airport. Got there at 5:00 am when they just opened. Got 6 baked and 6 steam manapua. Only other thing that had ready at that time was gau gee so i had a dozen too. Great breakfast for the family.
Manapua & gau gee a notch better that Chun Wha Kam.
I was hoping to get thier stuff mushrooms but it was not ready at that time.
Relax...Enjoy...Eat. -
Review from Kristen C.
Waipahu, HI
4/8/2009 1 Check-in Here
This is the first place where i tried the pizza manapua and OMG its AWESOME! (just like the hamster from bolt says) The ooey gooeyness of the cheese + the spicyness of the pepperoni make a perfect non messy meal on the go because its all nestled in a soft ball of goodness. They manapua is pretty darn tasty in general so you cant go wrong with anything. I've also tried their vegetarian manapua and its also quite flavorable, if thats a word=P Their rice cake is also on par and I LOVE rice cake!
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Review from LesliAnn K.
Honolulu, HI
11/12/2010
Pizza manapua. hands down. Double points for mini pizza manapuas. When you make things mini, its even better. You can eat just as much and not feel as guilty, just for the sole reason that its MINI!
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Review from Kalani C.
2/11/2010 12 Check-ins Here
Always noticed this place. Finally gave them a try for the first time. Brought some pizza manapua for a work potluck. No leftovers, so it was obviously a winner. Will go back for their other manapua varieties: Teri & Shoyu chicken, Spicy sausage, Teri burger & Turkey melt. Good to know they offer party trays & tempura for last minute contributions.
Listed in: Hawai'i 4-star
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Review from Jeff I.
Manoa, HI
7/17/2007
This place is a "got to try". Sure the line can be long, and it may be a little tricky to find, but when you take that first bite, you realize that the line wasn't so long, and that you knew where this place was your whole life. They have a cool selection of manapua and snacks. I'd recommend the breakfast manapua (a manapua with ham, egg, and cheese as stuffing), or the pizza manapua (pepperoni, cheese, and tomato sauce), or the laupchong pig in a blanket.
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Review from demur e.
Honolulu, HI
6/1/2007
Aiea Manapua & Snacks is the place to get ono snacks and is definitely worth fighting the crowds (in the tiny store as well as for parking). It's located next to the Aiea Public Library and is on the bottom floor of a 2-story building.
Food: Home of the pizza manapua! They have baked manapuas with chunks of pepperoni and pizza sauce as a filling. Talk about East meeting West deliciousness! They have the regular manapuas (with fillings like char siu pork, shoyu chicken, black sugar, lup cheong and vegetables), but they also have the turkey melt (sliced turkey breast and cheese inside the bao), teri-burger, ham& cheese omelet, spicy sausage and teri hot dog (the sausage and hot dogs look more like pigs-in-the-blanket rather than the round bao ball shape).
They also have a variety of musubis (giant mahi w/ tartar sauce and giant katsu musubi w/ katsu sauce). A yummy one is the portuguese sausage and scrambled egg musubi...it's the local to-go breakfast!
They have dim sum (pork hash, half moon, pepeau) and noodle dishes (like chow funn and chow mein) as well as rice cake and almond cookies. But next to the pizza manapuas, my favorites are the deep fried stuff. There is this veggie gau gee that is so flavorful and yummy. I have no idea what is in it, but whatever it is...I love it. They also have chicken tempura (boneless chicken deep fried in tempura batter), deep fried hash, veggie tempura and this awesome mushroom cap stuffed with pork hash, lightly battered and fried. Literally (I guess) not for the faint of heart, this stuff is worth the potential artery clog.
Ambiance: None. The majority of the space is taken for the kitchen where these delicious grinds are created. There is a glass case with all the offerings that are still left and you order at the counter. Perhaps 5 or 6 people can fit in there at one time...but not comfortably.
Service: Everyone there is nice, but business is brisk, so it's good to try to scope out what's left so you know what to order. The staff may not rush you, but if you take a long time, your fellow customers may give you stink eye (ok, only me...but only if you buy the last pizza manapua).
Overall: Terrific snack shop. They open at 5 a.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. on Sundays. This is important information, because if you get there late the item you're craving (and believe me, once you eat here, you'll crave at least one of their items) may be gone. Oh, and they also make mini manapuas (really cute), but you have to order them a day in advance.
The only reason I gave them 4 instead of 5 stars is because the last couple times I've gone (late, so my fault), they were out of the veggie gau gee, pizza manapua and stuffed mushroom tempura that I was really, really wanting. Plus I had to wait in line for 10 minutes before I made it to the counter and found out they were all out. Still, if you've never been here, it's definitely worth checking out. -
Review from J R.
Honolulu, HI
4/12/2009
The place I go to get some great tasting manapua's...especially the baked 1's! They have an arsenal of teriyaki chicken, hot dog, pizza, and of course char-siu! For dessert, they have rice cakes & layered rice cakes (sweet). Their stuffed mushroom porkhash taste, looks delicious (don't forget the shoyu/hot mustard sauce). Last but not least, their chicken katsu musubi. Big enough to satisfy the hunger in you. 100% satisfaction guaranteed...thx Duane!
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Review from Lofa L.
8/21/2010
I love Aiea Manapua. But I don't eat their regular steamed manapuas or pork hash. I get the funky stuff. Love the stuffed pork hash mushroom or eggplant can't go wrong. REALLY LOVE THE CHEESEBURGER MANAPUA. Pizza is good. And the fried chicken is dope. The place is in the cut but well worth the search.
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Review from Rita L.
9/13/2008
I come here for 2 things only, the pepperoni baked manapua and the fried stuffed mushroom! OMG! yum, yum, yum...
