Top 5 Coffee Shops for Programming in Hawaii
Top 5 Coffee Shops for Programming in Hawaii
By D.J. Pomodoro
We could all make coffee at home, save money, and stay in. But we’re programmers. We get tired of coding at home. It’s 2023, espressos are out and pour-overs are in. We go to coffee shops to get out of the house. We got to coffee shops to code. We go to coffee shops to people watch and socialize. I’m going to share my Top 5 Coffee Shops for Programming in Honolulu, Hawaii. These are the best coffee shops to sit around and code in public.
I went to all the coffee shops in this list a few weeks ago to make sure I gathered and shared the most up to date information possible. This review will cover the WiFi, the bathroom situation, the noise level, the general ambiance, and the electrical outlet availability at each coffee shop. Read on to learn what I liked and what I didn’t.
754 Woodlawn Drive Unit 7-106
Honolulu, HI 96822
This is the coffee shop I go to the most. I get coffee here at least 2 times a week. The bathroom has been broken for months and shows no signs of getting fixed. The pour over Medium roast Costa Rican blend is fantastic. But make sure you get there before 11am or they will run out. Then the only coffee you’ll be able to get is an Americano. The cookies here are good but make sure you get a soft one. The hard ones are almost inedible.
I like this coffee shop for programming because it is never crowded. There are always chairs and a table to yourself. When you need a break from coding there’s even a community book shelf inside where you can borrow a book to read. This is the perfect place to study because there is no atmosphere to speak of. You will get your work done here because there are no distractions.
Pros:
- Open WiFi
- Always empty
- Tons of parking
Cons:
- Bathroom broken and not going to be fixed soon
- Some tables in outside seating wobble
- Sometimes homeless people taking up seating
3408 Waialae Ave. #103, Honolulu, HI
The Curb started out as a coffee truck at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Now it’s a high end coffee shop on the corner of 8th and Waialae. The building materials are beautiful with grey concrete floors, grey blue tile work, and wrap around floor to ceiling windows with fantastic morning light. It’s got good air conditioning and a family atmosphere. It feels like a showroom for coffee with a tasteful white roof and black hanging lights.
Unfortunately I timed my review poorly and I reviewed The Curb on their 5th anniversary. It was crowded and loud early at 9am. I got a seat near the bar. The table was quite low because I sat on the wooden bench against the wall. The power outlets were plentiful. It was fun to watch the #1 bus whizz by up Waialae and the #9 bus going down. There was a high community table for single patrons. An old man sat at the community table with his laptop to wait for his coffee. There were other people on their laptops so I didn’t feel like I stuck out.
I’m not sure if it was the 5th anniversary causing this but I did feel rushed out of the door after I finished my coffee. I felt like I was taking up valuable space drinking my geisha and writing this review. The geisha pour over was dry and dark but clear bodied. The baristas looked local with jeans and black converse chuck tailors. Next time I want to sit next to the window.
There is no wifi at this coffee shop. I guess they think that wifi might cause customers to linger for too long. If you can hot spot from your phone this is a great location. There’s a fantastic energy swirling in the room. It feels more collaborative and open to possibility rather than a place for quiet contemplation. The Curb is good if you want to work in a loud environment.
The morning rush died down as few patrons left. The hum of conversation curved down to accommodate the later coffee drinkers.
When I’m feeling low and worthless I’ll come back here to elevate my spirits and push my body, mind, and spirit back up. This coffee shop feels local but like a slice of downtown sophistication with a white rich clean feel of a Kailua bar. I feel like I’m in San Francisco or Denver. I feel confident and calm sitting here having a quality cup of coffee.
Pros:
- Pour over geisha at $4.50 was precise
- 2 Unisex bathrooms with no need for key
- Ficus plants and local art photography on walls
- Parking in back
Cons:
- No Wi-Fi
- Music is kind of loud. Lots of bass.
- Had to wait in line to get in and order
3538 Waialae Ave, No. 101
Kaimuki, HI 96816
Bean About Town is French-owned. The coffee was fantastic because it was expertly crafted. There is good energy and full sunlight with abundant plant energy on the staircase outside. Parking along the road is a plus. It’s a cozy cool shaded spot with ventilation near the park. There’s secured wifi. This is a comfortable space that’s cozy and warm that is far enough removed from the road to feel like a hidden oasis.
Outside there is very limited seating. If you can find a seat it’s wonderful and cozy. I was able to overhear the baristas behind me in the shop. The smell of almond croissants and buttery pecan cookies wafted through the air. Cars frequently passed by and filled me with a feeling of movement and progress. I’m worried that there won’t be anywhere for me to sit next time. The barista told me that the hack is to get there later than usual to avoid the rush. The tables outside are bolted down so you can’t move them closer to you. The quality of coffee was phenomenal.
Sirens and ambulances screeching by created an echo chamber that amplified the noise. Watching people play pickle ball across the street in the park was mesmerizing and distracting. It was fun watching the electric bike brigades riding up Waialae at speeds unthinkable on a conventional bike. Outside you get to feel the calm Hawaii weather. It was like sitting in a flotation tank where the water is calm and cool, and so similar to our body temperature. The sun dappled light filtering through the tree gave the impression of being in a private spot in a London park. It feels like a secluded place of solitude if you can manage to come when it’s not crowded.
If you move nearer the frier it tends to block out and silence the noise of the cars going by. The wind through the trees creates a suburban charm at Bean About Town. It’s French-owned and effortlessly chic.
Pros:
- Good plant energy
- Expensive at $7.12 for a pour over
- Secured Wi-Fi with password
- Bathrooms outside with a key from the barista
Cons:
- Noisy because it’s across from park and near the road
- Need to come at the right time to avoid the rush
- Very limited seating
- Only one outlet outside
#2 The Talk (Formerly Coffee Talk)
3601 Waialae Ave., Honolulu, HI
This coffee shop has been in business for over 27 years and it shows. The Talk comes in first for the laid back atmosphere. The seats are comfortable. The high ceilings here cause the sound to escape up instead of bouncing around and echoing. I’d argue that the atmosphere was so good when I visited that I had a hard time focusing and getting started on my work. The laid back feel makes me want to cozy up and watch Chainsaw Man instead of focusing and actually getting my work done. Crunchy atmosphere here with yoga studios around the corner and customers with rolled yoga mats in their backpacks. I’ve seen a bunch of dogs here too so it seems like a pet-friendly establishment. My friend loves to come here and write on Sundays. There are a lot more nose rings and piercings here than any other coffee shop I reviewed.
Unfortunately the line was long. I ordered a drip coffee. It tasted horrible. While it was the cheapest coffee I got from all of the coffee shops I visited. It wasn’t worth the $3 I paid. The coffee lacks the precision I witnessed at The Curb. Next time I’m going to get a cold brew. I walked around with my coffee and tested out four tables but ended up moving each time because they all wobble. The majority of the tables are tall with high chairs. I ended up sitting at the bar next to the ice machine. I enjoyed listening to the satisfying sound of the ice cascading every 15 minutes. It reminded me of the roaster at Honolulu Coffee Experience.
I wrote for 20 minutes and forgot about my coffee. When I tasted it again and it was still sour and acidic. It’s slow and calm at The Talk. The atmosphere and young energy puts this spot near the top of my list. Calm feeling that nothing needs to happen here, that feels pretty encouraging to get projects done. There’s a few yoga studio around the block that grant The Talk a sense of healthy authenticity. If I could change anything, I’d make the air conditioning a little stronger. I’d put more treble in the music. It smells good in here, no overwhelming smell of coffee or pastries, just clean fresh air. The glass baubles reaching up to the ceiling seem to lift my spirits.
Pros:
- 4 power outlets by the bathrooms in the back
- 2 unisex bathrooms with no key required
- Bathrooms were nice and clean with a bolt lock
- Optional outdoor seating
- Crunchy vibe
Cons:
- Sitting in the room that used to be a bank vault is no longer an option
- Drip coffee was horrible
#1. Honolulu Coffee Company Experience
1800 Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, HI
Honolulu Coffee Experience was teeming with people today. Miraculously I got a nice table in the corner. I savored my time with the $8.55 peaberry pour-over. The temperature insight was nice because it had just rained and the chiller didn’t have to work hard. Murmur in the coffee ship was not overwhelming. Nice hum because of the high ceilings and warm wood grain. Sounded like a manufactured Coffitivity track. I sat at the corner in the back with a good view of the entire coffee shop. Peaberry brought to me by a petite old Japanese woman who looks like she might own the place. Light and clean atmosphere. The flavor in the peaberry is barely perceptible and makes me want to let it rest a bit more and cool off before I try it again.
The bathrooms are usually available with a code. But today the men’s room door is broken so it’s propped open with a trash can. There’s a large roaster in the center of the room. There’s a window showing a view of the pastry chefs slicing cheese. Seasonal pour over coffees were 100% Kona coffee from Ka’u Big Island Hawaii.
The best part of this coffee shop is the sound of the beans pouring out of the roaster. It’s like a beautiful wash of white noise that sounds like 100 fish being seared in oil. This happens every 20 minutes. At 10:40am, the location seemed to be clearing out. I noticed more free tables. The sound of conversations reduced. This is a great location for early birds as it opens at 6:30am. Not so great for night owls as it closes at 3:00pm.
Pros:
- Clean bathrooms
- Strong air-conditioning
- Seating inside and outside
- Beautiful wood interior
- Roastings every 20 minutes
Cons:
- Drinks are expensive. I got a $8.55 peaberry pour-over
- Working at the bar is ergonomically difficult
- Hard to get a table during the rush
Now I’ve shared the most up to date information possible about my top 5 coffeeshops in Honolulu, Hawaii. I covered the wifi, the bathroom situation, the noise level, the general ambiance, and the electrical outlet availability at each coffee shop. I hope you feel emboldened to go out and try programming at one of the coffee shops I’ve suggested. Aloha!