The Ripple of Smiles image

The Ripple of Smiles

Restaurant Meal takeaway Vegetarian restaurant Vegan restaurant Vietnamese restaurant

One of the Top rated Vegetarian restaurants in East Honolulu


Address

3040 Waialae Ave A-1, Honolulu, HI 96816, United States

Website

therippleofsmiles.com

Contact

+1 808-354-2572

Price rating

$ $$$

Rating on Google Maps

4.70 (197 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • .: Hide open hours for the week

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: vegan (16) fresh (8) rolls (8) menu (7) veggies (7) favorite (7) delicious (7) options (6) special (6) nice (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 4/5 Nathan M. 1 year ago on Google
    This place pushes very hard on a “clean cusine” marketing angle for their food. They do offer lots of vegetarian and vegan options which are not readily available in other places. However the promise of “your mind being blown” by the vegan house special etc falls a bit short - I tried the special with tofu myself. There are some nice flavors but definitely not mind blowingly good. The iced coffee is definitely worth a try though. Another random note - when I visited (early dinner) the music was of the obnoxious smooth jazz variety and a bit too upfront in the “outdoor dining” area. It did change for the better as the evening progressed.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Hope Floryss D. 1 year ago on Google
    They have plenty of options and the menu looked good. The signs were very enticing and yet when we started dining we were utterly disappointed about one after the other. 1. The server wore heavy perfume that it lingered after she walked away, we should've left by then. 2. The tables were so small and the plants were not properly taken cared for especially if youre sitting directly under it. 3. Vegan coffee, whatever kind of 'milk' they put in was very chunky. 4. Papaya salad, sweeter than norm and we had to mix it ourselves in the small plate that it was served on. 5. The house special was a piece of boneless skinless chicken thigh served with veggies that was not fresh. I.E. the dried up cucumber on the photos. 6. The eggplant curry lacked flavor, boiled and smothered with the curry sauce along with some dried up carrots. I believe fresh should be taken off from the signs. Spent over $80 for 2 people. The place is a lackluster. I dont know if we just came on an off day nonetheless we will NEVER recommend this place to anyone.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 T J. 2 years ago on Google
    4+ if not 5 stars. Excellent service, nice outdoor seating area but along a busy and noisy street. Very fresh, tasty food with good flavors. The portions are just right. Had eggplant and mushrooms with lemongrass vermicceli and mushrooms. I recommend and will be back.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Annalyssah C. 4 years ago on Google
    I go here almost every week so I must really like it ; ) hours are great. It's a family run business and the staff is always running around trying their best. Even when it's busy we seem to get our food reasonably quickly. I love love love that they have a clearly labeled veg menu and with the vegetarian society membership I get a 15% discount. My favorite dishes are the spring rolls, pho, veggies tempura, papaya salad, vegan pho, and house special (tofu mushroom of course).
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 ann n. 2 years ago on Google
    This place is a gem. We love sitting outside which they have cleverly covered so you’re not distracted by the very busy streets. They also allow dogs to sit outside. There is an extensive vegan menu. I have eaten the pho, ban mi, lemongrass tofu, lemongrass meat alternative, vegan spring rolls. Nothing has disappointed me. The coffee is absolutely delicious. Parking can be challenging but I have always found parking available-just an awkward lot. Service is prompt.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jamie H. 2 years ago on Google
    My new favorite pho! And they have a lot of options for my husband who is gluten-free and mostly vegan.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Rajeev K. 2 years ago on Google
    Nice little place that serves tasty vegan food in a clean and friendly environment. Also, serves delicious salmon and veg pho. Clean toilet. Friendly staff. Very popular. Online table reservations and take-always. l
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Pete 2 years ago on Google
    I get the beef pho EVERYWHERE I travel to and this is my top 3 best ones of all time. I was so impressed. The broth has soo much flavor, the portions are generous, and the atmosphere is extravagant. Can’t do any better, ESPECIALLY at this price point. Give it a try.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sarah R. 1 year ago on Google
    What a great find outside the hustle & bustle of Honolulu. Loved that the had a whole vegan menu! Food was very good. Consider making a reservation - it's a small seating area. Charming little spot, wish I had gone back again!

  • 5/5 Lucca E. 11 months ago on Google
    Ordered off the vegan menu and it was some of the best Vietnamese food I’ve ever had! Immediately rated 5 stars after my first bite of the house special with vegan meat. Summer rolls and manapua were also 10/10!

  • 4/5 Robert E. 1 year ago on Google
    We got the spring roll vermicelli, lemongrass chicken, and beef pho. The food came out pretty fast. Overall everything was tasty, but not any better than good Vietnamese food we’ve had elsewhere. However, the prices here are significantly higher than expected for the portion size.

  • 5/5 Cathleen V. 1 year ago on Google
    This is a quaint place with vegan options. I ate the curry with beef and brown rice. It is delicious! Small interior, but you can sit outside basically. Really great on a beautiful day here in Hawaii. Thoroughly enjoyed it, and I finished all my food and Thai iced tea. Yum!

  • 5/5 Kemba E. 1 year ago on Google
    We enjoyed an absolutely delicious meal and this wonderful little spot in Honolulu. We'll definitely be back!! Excellent place for both meat eaters and vegetarians.

  • 4/5 Righthero P. 1 year ago on Google
    If you are into pho, this is a great spot to check out! If I were to describe how their pho tastes, I would say full of flavor, fresh ingredients (which make the pho have a smooth clean taste to it) with plenty of noodles, meat, and veggies. They also have lots of vegetarian and vegan options on their menu for those who are curious. The summer roll is a nice and safe way to start before your meal as the veggies are nice and crisp, the peanut sauce goes really well with the rolls, and is not too filling before your main dish. This place is my go to spot when I'm craving pho and have even changed some of my friends opinion on pho after trying it here. One thing to look out for is that parking is extremely limited, so ubering might save you the headache with finding parking. Also if ordering takeout, double check to make sure your bag of veggies are fresh. Although they leave the veggies in the fridge and are fresh, on rare occasions I've received the bag of veggies with freezer burn (bean sprouts brown and the basil leaves wilted). Also if you order summer rolls they sometimes forget to add foil or a sheet at the bottom to prevent the rice paper from sticking onto the paper container, so I suggest double checking. I would rate it 5 stars if the takeout issues are resolved.

  • 1/5 Josh D. 1 year ago on Google
    I ordered the stir-fried noodles with mushrooms. There were only around 6 small pieces of mushrooms in the whole dish. The noodles tasted like $1.00 ramen. The flavor was okay, but I felt ripped off for paying $17.00 for carrots, green onions, and noodles. I will not return.

  • 5/5 Keya Q. 1 year ago on Google
    I really love this place, the food is so delicious and fresh and the people who work here are really great and accommodating. I get out of class right before they close for a few hours before dinner, but they always squeeze in my favorite tofu summer rolls! They have vegan options, but also plenty for someone who wants a heartier meal. The outdoor dining is shady and the perfect spot to nibble on some spring rolls, cool off with cold tea and enjoy a healthy light lunch w friends. My only complaint is I can never remember the name correctly when I recommend it to ppl 😂

  • 5/5 Jacob T. 1 year ago on Google
    My favorite food on the island hands down. Great food (baguettes are my favorite), prepared by happy people with good energy. Great vibe for dining in and also competent with phone orders (rare combo). Food is generally pretty rich, which should be taken into account. I don’t go here when I need more plain/subtle flavors.

  • 5/5 josh y. 2 years ago on Google
    Best restaurant I've eaten at in town. Service is always top quality as well as the atmosphere...the happy hour, the workers and food are all perfect. This place only ever gets better with time. Some of the healthiest food I can find with the best taste!! The chili oil and condiments are available and delicious. Best Thai tea, best owner and staff. hands down favorite local restaurant to support and visit 🙂🙌

  • 5/5 Elaine Ponce G. 2 years ago on Google
    Excellent service and delicious vegan food.

  • 5/5 Kimberly T. 2 years ago on Google
    Concierge at Hilton Grand Islander booked this restaurant for us. Highly recommend. Sat in a cool, charming secluded garden patio. Food was excellent. Totally fresh and healthy. We had the shrimp spring rolls with peanut sauce, salmon and vermicelli with Vegas and herbs, beef noodle soup, and garlic shrimp with rice and veges..Had pickled cucumbers and carrots. Loved it!

  • 5/5 Jay A. 1 year ago on Google
    The Ripples of Smiles has easily become one of my favorite spots on Oahu. They specialize in “healthy” portions and also have a great vegan menu. Parking in the area is kinda limited, but well worth the trip for the quality of food. I’d definitely recommend this for a first date spot. The outside portion has nice fairy lighting as well (feels very intimate).

  • 5/5 Connor G. 2 years ago on Google
    The vegan house special is the best tofu I have ever had!

  • 4/5 Chip 2 years ago on Google
    I'm not big on Vegan food, but this place was nice.


Call +1 808-354-2572 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Cheques
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Vegan options
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Delivery
    • ✓️ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Kerbside pickup
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating
  • From the business
    • ✓️ Identifies as Asian-owned

Trends



Last updated:

Similar Vegetarian restaurants nearby

Rainbow Drive-In image
1
Rainbow Drive-In
Hawaiian restaurant
Iconic counter-serve spot for Hawaiian plate lunches features BBQ, mahi mahi, chili dogs & more.
$ $$$
4.30 (6.8K reviews)
Boots & Kimo's Homestyle Kitchen image
2
Boots & Kimo's Homestyle Kitchen
Hawaiian restaurant
Casual restaurant serving Hawaiian-American breakfast & lunch dishes, with patio seating available.
$$ $$
4.20 (2.6K reviews)
Sweet E's Café image
3
Sweet E's Café
Breakfast restaurant
French toast & other breakfast/brunch dishes in a cozy space with comfy-chic decor.
$$ $$
4.70 (2.4K reviews)
Ono Seafood image
4
Ono Seafood
Seafood restaurant
Locals flock to this no-frills eatery for the variety of ahi poke & a chill, laid-back atmosphere.
$ $$$
4.60 (2.3K reviews)
Denny's image
5
Denny's
American restaurant
Casual diner chain dishing up classic American comfort fare, including all-day breakfast favorites.
$ $$$
4.10 (2.2K reviews)
Last updated:
()