Nex Commissary

First stop after touchdown Honolulu
December 30, 2015
This commissary is located at the Navy Exchange Mall at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu. Soon after we landed in Oahu and got our rental vans squared away my family and I headed here. There were 13 of us in our party and will not be able to afford the expenses of eating out everyday for the next seven days so we purchased our groceries, sundries and everything else we could think of at the commissary. Unfortunately for the rest of us only my niece (US Army) and sister-​in-​law (my late brother was in the US Army) were the only ones able to get in. Guests were not allowed inside. While waiting this gave us a chance to discover the other food vendors around (Pop Pop Donuts and Bee’s Boba Express). There was a food court upstairs between the Navy Exchange and the Commissary where some 15 or so local food vendors were open to the public.
The parking lot is huge! Plenty of parking for everyone! We almost spent the whole day here.

I hate this damn place! Always super crowded and line is wrapped around the dang store. The meat selection sucks ass they do not let guest in for some odd damn reason! It’s nice and big that’s about it the ppl are rude if you can find someone working there that’s not a vendor. This place sucks!

This was a larger commissary and had plenty of the normal items and a decent size section of the touristy items. The price for the Hawaiian coffee, macadamias and macadamia nut chocolate is the best on the Island. We always come to the Commissary on any visit to Honolulu to get some personal treats and gifts for friends.
They had fresh Poke in the seafood section an older gentlemen recommended the spicy Ahi. We decided since it was close to lunch to get several flavors since the quality looked good and the price was way better than out in town. We got the Ahi Kimchee, Spicy Ahi, Spicy Ahi Shoyu, and Ahi Limu. All were fresh and delicious. The Spicy Ahi was my favorite.
We of course bought the gift items started above as compared to the ABC stores they were 30−50% cheaper which is awesome. More money to eat at my favorite places in Waikiki. I always look forward to making the mandatory Commisary stop. Just with the Nellis AFB commissary was half as nice as the Navy commissary. Go Navy!

Well first of all I want to say that management or at least the manager I dealt with tonight (Philippino lady) was so very unhelpful.
We left not purchasing all we needed. I’m 9 and a half months pregnant and am using the WIC program and a couple items were wrong. My cashier Anthony (great cashier btw, excellent customer service, so polite and helpful) asked for assistance because we could not find the correct item but the manager ignored him the first time and when she was called again, she very rudely told us they can’t give us whatever item it was, they were out or she would have to go check in the back.
She took so long that it made us uncomfortable and the customers behind us as well.
We opted to leave that item simply to leave.
This should not be how management handle situations.
I want to say thank you to Anthony our cashier because he truly tried his best, he even ran to the back to make sure we received all our items however they were unavailable outside and management was not very willing to do her job and simply collect them.
The only reason I’m not giving one star is per his excellent customer service. Thank you Anthony.
& I hope management is followed up with or taught how to handle situations like these.

The NEX Commissary is located across from Pearl Harbor. It is open to the Armed Forces only and does not allow civilian guests (unlike mcbh and scholfield).
They are open seven days a week and offer amongst other things a deli, meat, seafood and produce department.
PROS:
They offer groceries at a tax free rate (armed services discount).
Also the items they offer are cheaper than normal grocery stores.
The quality and selection of their meats and produce are really good. They carry some different items like rhubarb and even uncommon meats like Boston pork butt
WORKS IN PROGRESS
Because it is located near JBPHH and Ft. Shafter, the The NEX Commissary is always busy. Be prepared to wait in line.
If you use the manned registers, there are baggers that bag and escort you to your car. Just be ready to tip them. If you choose to self check out, the computers are rather slow.

My step dad is retired military, and when the fam came for a vacation on Oahu, this was our first stop to stock up the frig. To our surprise, they DO NOT let guests in. SUPER LAME!!!
I’ve been to a couple different commissary’s in my life, always a guest with him, never any problems. My mom and step dad got to go in, and we had to wait outside while they shopped. We didn’t get to select items we wanted or needed because we just figured we would see what we wanted while we were shopping… So needless to say I had to stop at a Foodland after.
Now I know not to waste vacation time on this spot.

The Nex commissary at Pearl Harbor is the best that they have on the island. I went to the other commissaries and they just don’t compare. They are cleaner with more selection than the rest.
When you go there you have to make sure that you tip your baggers or you will get some dirty looks. They are very good in getting the most groceries in those brown plastic bags. You might want to bring some reusable bags so that you can save the environment.
I wish that their poke selection was a little bigger but it was made for mainland people. The fish and produce is really fresh. The meat is not as good as Costco but it can be bought in smaller quantities so if you don’t have a big family you won’t waste the food.
You’re not going to find better deals than here. Cereal is sometimes just 2 bucks. Can’t beat that. I do hope that they expand the Asian section a bit more. Lots of local people shop here too.
Not much negatives and lots of positives for this commissary.

I love the prices here and the produce man is very helpful. I managed to get here before rush hour and leave too before it became crazy. Most stuff is sold out so it’s a bargain but sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you dont. Ughhh

Even though we live up on Wheeler, this is our preferred place to shop. A wide selection and cleanliness compared to Schofield really makes all the difference. It is also nice to have the NEX connected in case you need to purchase items before going to the commissary.
The prices are great compared to going to grocery stores off base. Not much has seemed to change with the store since the last time we were stationed on the island in 2009.
I have heard Costco has cheaper prices on some items. I have not purchased a membership to be able to compare.
A few rules:
You cannot bring guests in that do not have a military ID like the one on Schofield.
You also cannot bring any food or drink items inside. So be sure to drink all of your tasty Starbucks or energy drinks before entering :)

HUGE commissary with lots of good shopping options. They always seem to have what I need except the lines to check out can be pretty intense!

The best commissary on the island. It has a large produce selection and of course the affordable goods. They also have a discount fish and meat section which is nice if you’re going to cook that night. A downside is that you can’t bring guests if they don’t have a military or dependent ID. Tell the in-​laws they’ll just have to stay at home.
I went on a Saturday morning and there was no wait. It’s hands down the best choice on the island.

**Exclusive to DoD employees and dependents.
Prices are much cheaper than local super markets (Safeway or food land, etc) Particularly staple items, such as meat, diary, eggs are significantly discounted.
The produce section is larger than Schofield’s commissary. But everything else is comparable to Schofield’s commissary.
Negative: towards the end of the day, especially late on a Sunday, food begins to run out and the shelves won’t be re-​stocked, at times. Also, the seafood section isn’t the best. The selection is typically limited, and many of the items are previously frozen without a fresh alternative.

I’ve been shopping here on/​off over the past 3 years. They stopped carrying even more of the few real food items they had. (They did not have 5 out of 6 things I came for tonight — all products I’ve purchased here previously) The organic/​natural type products they do carry are nearly, if not completely, out of stock EVERY time I shop here. One would think they’d get the hint that these are in high demand.
I always notice other items out of stock as well because the grime on the empty shelves/​freezer cases draws my attention.
Can’t say I’ve ever had more than sub-​par experience as far as customer service goes.
Gave them one star for location, hours, size, and prices — if you don’t have a problem with feeding chemicals to your self & family.

I have a mixed feeling about this place.
First of all, customer service isn’t great. They are super strict about ID check. One time I almost stepped out of the store and realized I forgot to buy something so I started going back to the aisles and they wanted to see my ID again. Really? I mean I was still inside the store with grocery bags… It seems a bit excessive and unneccesary.
The check out lines could be a caos sometimes. The self-​check out registers are inaccurate as always and takes forever.
They do carry a good selection and prices are cheaper than regular supermarkets. But remember not everything is cheaper at NEX. Some products are about the same price or more expensive actually. So if I need only a few stuff, I don’t bother going all the way to NEX. But this place is surely a big help if i am stuffing my fridge.

Compared to the Hickam Commissary, i’m not a fan of this one! Parking is always such a hassle, and the lines are always long. There are even times when there is a line to just show your mil id. The only thing I really like about this commissary is the bakery. I’ve always ordered cakes here, and have been very pleased. The employees at the bakery are probably the only friendly employees in the store. Everyone else is rude, in my experiences anyway. And you can never find a employee to help if you need to find something. Self-​check out machines here are kind of screwy. If it weren’t for the bakery, I’d never come here!

Absolutely love this commissary better than any other on the island. Freshest produce, meats and seafood in my opinion.
Parking: It can be awful, but you have to keep in mind that the food court is open to the public and so many people with ID privileges (civilians, retired, active duty. etc) DO bring their guests to the Exchange, A LOT. But that’s a whole other topic.
Check out: we’ve waited in a long line before, all the way by the milk, but we’ve never experienced a long wait, the line always moves fairly quickly when we go, which is often :(
…lol
Seafood Counter: they are always friendly, helpful, not always rushing us when we sometimes don’t know what we want.
Layout: It has changed, didn’t know what there plan was as far as that project, but doesn’t matter, I never follow my list… lol
Will always shop here.

Cheapest place to buy anything to do with food on the island. If you want cheap your best bet is here.
The only thing about it is the lines can get pretty long and you have to tip the person bagging your items I mean you don’t HAVE to, but I find it rude if you don’t. Sometimes I’ll scan my items myself but man that self checkout machine does not listen sometimes. Oh well. If you don’t go on pay days no lines and things you want are usually there if not some stuff does run out.
Well simple convinces to give up for cheaper groceries. It’s worth it.

It’s always crowded here, unless you come on a weekday and it’s during the early opening hours (0900 – 2100 hours are the hours they are open everyday). Even so, you will be blocked in an aisle by an old World War II veteran and his wife’s huge ass cart. And because you are the courteous person you are, you say excuse me, but they don’t move anyway. Then you try to hide your irritation and go around through the other aisle… It’s really best to avoid the commissary on pay days, which are the 1^st and 15^th of the month if you hate crowds.
Besides the crowds, this commissary has the freshest produce amongst all of the choices on Oahu. They have a pretty good seafood section compared to Hickam and Schofield. There is also a pretty good deli counter.
Parking will be crowded as well, despite the huge parking lot. If you don’t mind walking, it’s best to just park nearest the stalls by Pearl Harbor Elementary school and hoof it over. It’s not that far…
The lines move fairly quickly even though there may be a lot of people in line.
Unfortunately, to come here you need a military ID or dependent ID and you cannot bring any guests inside.

Selection wise I would give this place a 5 star, but as Adrienne said…
oh my Gawd… between getting ID checked several times by some of the rudest people I’ve ever encountered and the craziness of the produce section, then checkouts from hell I feel like I need Xanax to even shop here. I come super late now to avoid other people with their uncontrollable children. Trust me, I understand. I have a child. But she also knows how to act in a store. I am glad that I am privileged to shop here. Way cheaper than most places on the island.
I do have to share my story of the day I almost lost my cool. My husband is away on orders, I have my daughter with me, we just moved here, I’m sick, she’s sick, I need in and out. (Keep in mind she’s only two at this point) We walk to the front and I show the employee my ID. She looks at my daughter’s sippy cup (which has pedialyte not like it’s vodka) and says, «no drinks in the store.»
Me: «yeah well she’s two.»
Employee: «still no drinks in the store. You have to take that out to your car.»
Me: «are you serious???»
I leave and go to Hickam commissary AND they are OUT of what I needed. I’m about to scream. I drive back to the Navy Exchange commissary and leave the sippy in the car. I go back in and the lady literally looks around my cart. She might as well strip searched me. By the time I got home I thought I was about to collapse. So learn from my mistakes and don’t you dare bring your baby a bottle or sippy cup or you have to play find your car and deal with that mess.

Why am I reviewing a commissary? Because of a cake.
A turkey of a cake!
My family is small. There are only three of us here in Hawaii, and we are picky eaters. We give our thanks for one another and for the life we are able to lead every day. Thanksgiving is not «just another day» for us, but it is «just another dinner.» We don’t eat turkey, aren’t big fans of cranberry sauce or stuffing, and gravy has no place on my table.
Dessert, though… Ah, dessert. Who would pass up the excuse to eat pie and cake and ice cream and blintzes and all of the other goodies that have been on my family table for generation after generation. The small problem here is that I don’t bake. Thankfully, the NEX Commissary has a great, creative bakery to help me in my moment of need.
At the end of the day, I did not bother to take photos of my Thanksgiving dinner. My cake, though? Oh yes! And my mainland family was amazed at the photos and suggested that I order another one for the next holiday feast. Because really, did you see that cake?
Other things of note–
The NEX Commissary has just about everything a family could need in a grocery store. I shop there often, especially around the holidays. I love their selection of international brands, and thank them dearly for German curry ketchup, Swiss chocolate, and Korean instant coffee. These are staples in my kitchen, and without the commissary they would be so much harder to find.
Avoid payday, and the end-​of-​the-​workday rush.
Don’t bring a friend, unless that friend is also an ID card holder. They have a strict «no guests» policy. When I have needed to stop in at times when I have a friend along, I’ve sent the friend up to the food court to wait in comfort. No need for an ID card at the food court, and they are used to people hanging out for a bit.
The veggies are fresher here than at some of the other commissaries on the island, simply because of their volume. Still, I often skip their fresh vegetables. Their frozen vegetable selection is extensive, and keeps my freezer stocked.
Don’t forget to tip your bagger. It is a luxury to not have to load your bags, and a dollar or two is the best way to say thanks. You can also skip them by going through the self check out line, but honestly, what fun is that?
Be thankful every day that you are able to make use of this wonderful military resource. We are so lucky, not just to live Hawaii, but to be able to live Hawaii with so many extra benefits. This is one of the most basic, but most important benefits we have.