Govinda’s Vegetarian Buffet

I went here last year before I moved to Oahu and It’s always an experience coming here. Small mansion in nuuanu with beautiful grounds. Large banyan tree in the background and wind blowing through the leaves. It’s at the ISKCON Hare Krishna Temple. So there’s music or singing in the background. You can dine outside or inside under the tree. The buffet is through the gift shop, all you can eat vegetarian for $ 13. The food is great and they always have things ginger-​lemon drink. I love the backyard with the banyan tree. The only tough thing is they they serve their lunch buffet M-​F 11 AM– 2 PM. But highly recommend stopping in.

This lunch spot is a hippie-​dippie must-​try if you’re vegetarian visiting Hawai’i. I remembered Govinda’s food truck on the UH Manoa campus, and thought to give them a try on our return to Hawai’i.
We input the address on the GPS and as we drove up, I thought we were lost! But the numbered address on the front gate told us we were where we were supposed to be… I parked the rental car in the small circle driveway, removed my shoes (you’ll notice this near the front door because this is someone’s house basically), and headed inside.
We were greeted by a girl at the register who asked us for payment before heading into the buffet/​dining area. We paid about $ 26 for two people.
Their buffet has a nice selection of all-​veggie options. I don’t remember what we ate, but it was delicious! We sat in the humble dining area, overlooking the large backyard. The rainfall, trees, and bird sounds in the backyard only added to the ambiance… I felt all nature-​y and shit.
I really liked this place, and would recommend it to anyone who loves Indian-​Vegetarian food (like Lentil Curry, etc.).

I have been here before many many years ago. Although the space is nice, the food seems to have gone downhill. It tastes stale, potatoes in everything, and did not taste fresh energetically.
I don’t like tomato paste and a couple of the dishes had plenty of that in them.
Sorry to report this, because I’ve had excellent food at Hare Krishna temples other places, where it indeed tasted spiritual.
I had indigestion after my meal. Bummer.
May 9, 2016
Brought some Guests here to eat. Was just as stale as it was the last time I was here. The «green» before dish was brown — so over cooked. I NEVER write bad reviews, but feel obligated to in this case, because they are a «spiritual» place and yet the food doesn’t measure up at all. So I hope someone from there read this and puts proper attention on the food so it reflects Krishna better!

This is a Hindu Temple, they serve Indian vegetarian buffet here for $ 13 which is very ordinary, the high charge is probably to maintain the Temple premises and the staff. The only good thing about this place is a backyard with Banyan tree and birds chirping. If I have to rate this place by the Vegetarian Buffet it is one star

What can I say… Highest recommendation. The best place to go if you want great foods… Oh did I mention it’s vegetarian and STILL tastes FANTASTIC?! The ambiance …, the vibe… The Best!!!

Pretty yummy weekday lunch spot and fun getaway to an authentic and tranquil setting for a healthy vegetarian lunch with your favorite friends. I will definitely be back again and want to share it with others. Go early, it seems popular and gets pretty crowded! All you can eat and remove your shoes at the door. :)

Was excited to go to this place. Google said that there is a «suggested donation» but when we got there we were asked to“pay” for our lunch. I paid $ 39 for three and my husband later told me that the sign outside said 9.99… Food was simple but I was irked that I was misled twice… I was also not happy to see single use plastic utensils and paper plates… Finally, there was a guy outside talking to us about cats and witches and devil worshippers… Not appealing at all… sorry!

My husband absolutely despises buffets because he feels that quality of food can never be up to par when cooking for the masses, that the food is usually too rich, too fried, overcooked, undercooked, and that the food in buffets usually lack character. That being said, Govinda’s is the ONLY exception that he will make when it comes to buffets and is even one of his favorite places to meet for lunch, and since its close to work, we come here often. Govinda’s is not your typical buffet — the food is unique, delicious, made in smaller batches than your typic «buffet», healthy and to top it off, really affordable!
For $ 10, you can sit in a beautiful garden (or inside the dining room if you choose) and eat all the vegetarian food your heart desires. Set in Nu’uanu in the Hari Krishna temple, Govinda’s is a unique dining experience. Take you shoes off at the main door and enter the house. The dining area is to the left. Dishes here for the most part are similar to Indian dishes and each time we go, they seem to have different offerings. We’ve had everything from split pea soup, to veggie lasagna, naan, eggplant curry, salad and other dishes that I can’t even tell you what it is, but it’s delicious. It’s not a huge buffet, so try a little of everything, even if you don’t know what it is. Almost everything I’ve ever eaten here is very tasty. We also love the mint, ginger lemonade. It’s very refreshing and balances out the spices used in their food. They usually have some kind of dessert as well.
This is not a very large place so I wouldn’t suggest coming with a large group. Parking is free and right outside the temple. It can be tricky to find since its nestled behind a gate on a residential street, so be sure to map it out before you go, and drive slowly when you’re on the street so that you don’t miss it. The hours are from 11 – 2 so be sure to get there on time before they close.
Don’t let «vegetarian buffet» scare you off. Whether you enjoy meatless meals or not, you’re guaranteed to have a memorable meal at Govinda’s!

Not so Aloha place, We went for vegan lunch and to visit the temple as Tulsi Gabbard also belongs to same religion but the Indian temple manager named Sundur was very rude, unclean and without any adequate, he was smelling bad and might not have taken bath or shaved that day and He was treating a temple worker like a slave, and abusing him in our presence. Hate to see such people in western civilization. He should learn how to behave and adequate on how to treat people. He is unfit to be a temple manager. his behavior was very mean towards his own people. As outsiders we were shocked to see such a manger in position of power there.

delicous and good for you
good place to eat and quiet background

I eat meat and this place was amazing. I had to preface this diatribe/​review by saying that. I’m not even sorry if that offends anyone because we were meant to eat meat. It’s science.
However, when it comes to vegetarian places (this being my first) I was amazed. The buffet is delicious and I went back for several helpings. There was a delicious variety of Indian food.
I have Indian friends back home in Jersey and it was a little different, but keep in mind Indian culture is vast and diverse. They have 1.3 billion people and growing. Consider how different we are in America and multiply it by 4.
When I first came in and took off my shoes I was welcomed in traditional «Ohana» fashion. I felt peaceful entering into and walking around this place. It’s sounds strange, right? But no joke, this place had a very peaceful atmosphere to it.
Before eating, I suggest walking around the grounds of the establishment first. There is a beautiful Banyon tree in the back that looks like something out of Ferngully.
Donna was a wonderful host and truly made us feel welcomed. I’ll be back here again with friends.

THERE HAVE BEEN AN INCREASE, TO $ 13!
BUT I“M STILL MORE THAN WILLING TO PAY FOR THAT.
Yes, it’s that good.
To be honest, I think they’re still losing money even they charged at this increased rate.
They actually don’t even care for making a profit… just look at their operating hours.
I’m a 100% meat lover and I have came back to this place so many times and introduced so many of my friends to this place.
One of a kind hidden gem in Hawaii, I actually want to give this place negative stars to ward off the crowds and keep it to myself… maybe I should…

«Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche» — Bruce Feirstein, American Author
I heard my husband mutter that phrase when I mentioned that I wanted to return to Govinda’s on Thursday. Fortunately, he said it in jest because I have made quiches before but never vegetable-​based. Being omnivores, it’s pretty obvious that we don’t have any dietary restrictions and our tastebuds run the gamut through ethnic groups.
Govinda’s is a great value ($ 13 pp) for a vegetarian AYCE lunch that leans toward Indian/​Pakistani flavors. They only operate their buffet M-​F during lunch hours, 11:00 AM — 2:00 PM. Their main entrée and sides change daily. There are no alcoholic beverages as this little gem is also an active temple for Krishna devotees. For beverages, they serve an iced ginger-​mint lemonade or filtered water. Quiche Thursday featured a big (hotel) pan of tofu-​based quiche that was filled with chopped spinach and cheese with a pastry-​like crust. Also on the buffet line was tasty, thick, stick-​to-​your-​ribs potato curry, Indian lentil dhal, almond-​cranberry halawah, fresh baked bread rolls and tossed greens.
We arrived around 1:00 PM and apparently, there must have been a crowd ahead of us as the pan of quiche was nearly empty. It was a sunny, hot day so we decided to dine outdoors (which by the way is NOT my favorite). We sat under the beautiful sprawling banyan tree while cool Nu’uanu breezes blew through the backyard of this temple. We did hear some chanting from the temple but it was sort of relaxing to us.
If you’re in the lower Nu’uanu area and have the desire to eat good and tasty Indian/​Pakistani vegetarian cuisine, you should come to check out this hidden gem at 51 Coelho Way. It’s a peaceful lunchtime treat that is just minutes away from busy Downtown Honolulu.
#361

We’ve been here a few different times and I absolutely love it every time. The food is hot and the menu changes daily. Each day there is a new main dish. I’m only off on Mondays so that’s the only day I’ve eaten on.
You can’t go wrong for $ 10 for unlimited amount of amazingly cooked food. I’m not even vegetarian and I love this place like crazy!
The dessert is so good, halva I believe it’s called, and I could eat two scoops of that deliciousness! ;)
The people there are always so nice and friendly. It really makes the difference between a good meal and a great one!
The banyan trees in the backyard are so beautiful and relaxing. There are also some friendly cats back there :)
It’s the best!!!

I never tried vegetarian food before but their food look delicious. So why not give it a try? You need to take off your shoes before going inside since this is a temple. Service was very friendly and made you feel like family. You can choose to eat inside or outside. For me, I prefer to eat my food indoors. The place was pretty packed when we arrived and now I understood why.
They serve different food every day. Today, their main course was spaghetti and kofta but they also had other vegetarian food. Never leave this place without trying the ginger-​mint lemonade. It tasted very refreshing after all that food I ate.
After eating, take a walk around the place. The place was very beautiful and peaceful that I’ll never forget.
I will come back when I’m around the area.

This place features a good array of vegetarian food. Fresh, and delicious this place offers steam vegetables, spaghetti and kofta on Mondays, salad, black olives, green peppers, raw shaved carrots and other legumes.
On the left side of the wall, the proprietors hang a menu list for everyday. Goods include lasagna, quiche, and enchiladas. What a delight to include food from the mainland!
As a vegetarian, I was pleasantly surprised that a temple offered such food! This place obviously has a following. During business hours, people stream in for lunch. I hear some customers say they came here before and loved it.
Outside of the restaurant, there is a little gift shop. They gift shop sells dresses, goddess statutes, books, booklets, and jewelry.
People often go out to the patio. In the back you see this HUGE banyan tree. As time passed, it aged and it probably can tell you stories.

In an attempt to go vegetarian /​pescatarian this year I bookmarked a bunch of places that had vegetarian options. I took fellow Unilocaler Nimai W.‘s recommendations to make this a must stop and eat at place (check his reviews out — pretty awesome and so on point!).
First off, if you’ve tried switching your diet to go this route — vegetarian home cooking is painstakingly hard — not unattainable but just difficult if you’re not creative or ambitious enough to make tasty veggie meals. If I could cook like Govinda… I’d never leave home but fact of the matter is, I’m sometimes lazy and look for that quick fix of an instant go-​to meal with a punch — like that from Govinda’s.
Fellow fave Unilocaler Christa B. and I went here for the first time last week and I was wowed by the simplicity of the place. It’s in a residential area (if you’re driving and wondering, «am I in the right place?» you probably are) in Nuuanu. The actual restaurant is in a Hari Krishna temple /​home and the custom is to remove your shoes before entering. Not a big deal, however I sure wish I had some footwear on when I went to the bathroom. So if you’re opposed to that, use the bathroom elsewhere before coming here or simply hold it.
The buffet is a small spread with daily specials posted for the week. Today’s special was spaghetti with veggie kofta balls. Unfortunately none of the food was «labeled» and I was having a little bit of fear factor. I merely took a really tiny serving onto my plate to taste before loading it up (that way I don’t waste any food if I didn’t like it). The kofta was good but it wasn’t anything familiar to me and although I didn’t know what it was made of… it was good. The curry was also tasty too with cauliflower being the only recognizable veggie (for me) in there. Lentils were ok but just not a preference (vegetarian or not — just not a fan of it).
I’m up for trying new things and I was super happy knowing that my lunch date hadn’t gone there too. We dined in the huge garden behind the restaurant/​house in the shade of a huge banyan tree. It was breezy enough and quite enjoyable. Kids were swinging away on a tree swing while we lunched away. There was a ginger drink that was bit too potent for my liking but also water and punch available. I’d definitely go back on a different day just to try out the rest of the daily specials.

Wow, this place is excellent! Its become my new favourite place for brunch. Keep in mind it is only vegetarian food so if you are a meat lover, give it a try anyway because you will be amazed.
Hidden away in Nuuanu, the kitchen is located in the Hare Krishna temple. While you’re waiting, visit the inside where the prayer room is located because there are interesting statues and paintings! Please be sure to remove your shoes and bring a small offering (flowers, petals, coins, dollar bills) which is required when visiting the rooms.
They serve different main courses every day of the week. Being we arrived on a Monday, it was spaghetti day. There is also lasagna, quiche (YUM), nutloaf, and enchilada days. There was salad, different sauces to choose from, chips, yellow rice, curried potatoes, assorted veggies, and my favourite, their chopped up potatoes which have a crunchy skin but soft inside. There is water, but the juice they have tastes like cayenne pepper with lemonade, good for cleansing your body :)
There’s a nice garden with separate chairs and tables for privacy. Its a peaceful place to have a book to read and eat at the same time. The grass is really soft and the atmosphere gives off a calm yet energetic vibe. p There’s also a cat who likes to roam around the garden and keep you company.
The buffet is $ 10/​person so it’s totally worth the price being you can go back for seconds (or thirds). My favourite days to come here is on Mondays and wednesdays. Spaghetti and lasagna. Thursday’s is quiche which is a must try.

Love love love this place!!! I only went once because we needed a car to get there from Waikiki, but if it had been closer, I would have gone every day!
+1: The woman who greeted us and rang us up was so super friendly and helpful and nice!
+1: The only item in the buffet that wasn’t vegan was this weird jelly thing that I would have passed up anyway.
+1: All-​you-​can-​eat vegan buffet??? Seriously??? Even San Francisco doesn’t have that.
+1: The backyard is gorgeous!!! There are picnic tables to sit at. Don’t sit on the grass unless you’re immune to ant bites (which I unfortunately am not, and therefore got to come with some unwanted souvenirs).
+1: The backyard also has a swing hanging from one of the banyan trees that could support my weight.
Bonus: I’m not sure if this is a good or bad thing, depending who you are, there are cats that roam around the backyard and come and say hi to you while you eat.

In the middle of a quiet residential neighborhood, Govinda’s is located in the Hari Krishna temple.
Buffet lunches during weekdays with the popular lasagna on Wednesdays.
Please be respectful and remove your shoes upon entrance. Many activities may be going on. Prayer, Chants and traditional dance were some we stumbled upon.
My most recent visit was for Dine Out with the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii, check them out at
Great food at a great price in my book!
TIPS:
Parking can be tough if you are here for an event as street is limited.
They have a gorgeous outdoor seating area if you choose to eat outside.