The Curb

Great Staff, Ousome coffee… what else you need for a good morning start. Every now and then, you also get to taste some exotic flavors for free.

coffee was sooo good. so sad they aint there anymore.

Great coffee joint. Wish it wasn’t a temp location! Maybe consider a cart in the nearby vicinity? Coffee is great, but what keeps me coming back are Julie’s AMAZING scones! Honestly, they make any rough morning instantly better. I’ll miss you, The Curb!

Attn: The Curb Pop Up at Ala Moana is NO LONGER in Existence.
Its end has come sooner than expected.
If you need your Curb fix, Go to the UH Location!
(at the corner of Maile Way & East-​West Road inside Paradise Palms Café)

Finally coffee that is made right and made with love. The Curb is definitely hidden in Ala Moana as it isn’t in the center stage like most of the cafes. I’ve tried most of the other cafes in Ala moana, but this one does coffee the best by far. The first thing I instantly noticed when coming here was that they ground the coffee beans to order which many places often fail to do. This made for a great cup of coffee that was smooth, potent, and didn’t require me to add any sugar (I only add sugar to crappy coffee). Employees are also very friendly and knowledgeable.
*Having tried Blue Bottle Coffee from SF, and a bunch of other smaller coffee shops. This place is one of the better ones in Hawaii.

Have you ever walked into Starbucks and asked a barista as to how something tastes or for a recommendation and they respond with «I don’t drink coffee» or «I don’t know.» Its so irritating when I get those responses.
You’re not going to get that response at The Curb. After I spent the start of my morning sitting in my dentists office being drilled I wanted a really good coffee as I hadn’t had caffeine yet! So I head towards Starbucks by Macy’s and I’m about to head upstairs but I notice a waxing place… or a coffee joint… or a waxing place that serves coffee while you wax… now I have to investigate.
It’s a coffee place and a non operational waxing joint. The barista explains to me that the waxing area is moving and that they are only there for one more month then going back to UH campus. They are only temporarily renting the front space.
I decide to order a Japanese Iced Coffee. I’ve never had one before and I’m asked if I want Costa Rican or Ethiopian… I dunno? I ask of what she likes best and she says Costa Rican is best w cream… Ethiopian is best black… awesome I’m going with the one with cream! I watch as the coffee bar attendant painstakingly pours hot water onto coffee grinds which is strained by a filter sitting in a carafe with ice in it. It took him a while (5 min)…I guess this is where Starbucks has the upper hand of being able to do high volume. I couldn’t imagine of what thus guy would do if there was a line!
You also get to pour and taste the amount of cream you like before your iced coffee is topped off with more ice. For $ 3.75 that was a pretty strong coffee and better tasting than what Starbucks does.
Next time I’m gonna get a hot coffee so I can have coffee art drawn into the foam!

Hmm whats a Toddy and what is it doing at Beyond Bare Waxing you might ask?
EXACTLY what i was thinking on my search for iced coffee! A Toddy is a coffee made by soaking coarsely grounded coffee beans in room temperature or cold temperature water over a long period of time, then filtering out the grinds using coffee filter paper or a metal sieve. A coffee lingo newbie like myself has to go about confiding the barista on these matters. After all cup of coffee is an important meal of the day.
According to Webmd coffee brewed too strong may cause you to become a restless, agitated, insomniac with an upset stomach. Unless your planning on going out to a dance club that’s probably not what you want. On the other hand, a decafe or weak coffee just never does the trick for me, and i usually end up feeling half asleep walking around like a mindless zombie.
Great thing i didn’t have either problem here at the curb, since im normally a restless, hyper, (and sometimes i may come off as agitated) person. All i really had to worry about was the falling asleep while walking part.
Anyway. The coffee was way smoooth. Not to give starbucks a bad rap, but the Curb’s Japanese Iced Coffee kicks butt! It makes starbucks coffee taste murky. The Curb’s iced coffee could be compared to drinking an icey purified glass of water, a tincture of coffee, with the perfect caffeine potency. Starbucks coffee when compared, would be like getting having a nice transparent cup filling it with a scoop of mud and throwing some ice cubes and sugar flakes on top.
All in all, the curb is located in Ala Moana Center temporarily. They will be there for a month according to the barista/​owner. They are located in the front half of Beyond Bare Waxing downstairs of Shirokiya. The establishment is a bit small since its a popup and seating is limited. The coffees are a bit pricey, but completely worth it in my opinion!

Japanese Japanese Japanese Coffee!!! HAI!
I was on a date with my Unilocal son Thomas O and he suggested we visit The Curb for a coffee. We were lucky enough to be greeted by the lovely Chelsea! So much spunk and panache that you can’t help but smile. The Curb has a temporary pop-​up in Ala Moana and Chelsea explained that they are babysitting the space for Beyond Bare Waxing. I don’t really understand what that means, but I’m glad that you can’t wax your nether regions while getting a coffee. Caffeine plus waxing just don’t go together.
Although the digs are shabby, because it is a pop-​up, you can find a DAMN SOLID coffee drink at The Curb. We ordered the Japanese Coffee and watched as Chelsea got out what I can only describe as a decanter and filters the hot coffee onto the ice to chill it. So darn good and very very smooth! If you’re in the area, skip the Starbucks folks and grab some Stubtown Coffee at The Curb. Not sure how long it will be there, but it’s worth the trip down the stairs to what I only describe as the PITS of Ala Moana Center. Tell Chelsea we said hello and give her a high five for having such a wonderful smile!

The second place i have found that serves stump town coffee. i have only tried the japanese ice coffee. It was fresh brewed and not premade in pitchers like other coffee shops.
I am by no means a coffee expert but i really enjoyed the drink i had and plan to come back to try more blends and brewing styles.
I heard this is only a pop-​up from other reviewers and it will only be here to august:(I will definitely try and make it back as often as i can before they close up

I love coffee. I pretty much rely on the smell and the warmth to get me through my morning. I also love iced coffee in the afternoon and no shopping trip with me is complete without one. The Curb is located on the first floor under Macy’s/Shirokiya, on the Barnes and Nobles side.
After reading the reviews here, I knew I wanted to try the Japanese Iced Coffee brewed through the Chemex process. When I stopped in, I was fortunate that the customer before me was asking a lot of questions and the barista was so nice and genuine that I enjoyed listening to his explanations.
As for the taste? I’m not a very reliable source. My husband has been trying for years to get me to drink my coffee black so that my taste in coffee would become more discerning. But, I like my coffee to taste like candy (coffee candy!) so I pile in the cream and sugar. Still, I enjoy my coffee shop stops because: 1. I can’t brew a cup of coffee without the help of my keurig and 2. see number 1.
I hear the Curb is here in Ala Moana only until August, so be sure to check them out!

I dislike coffee, as evident on my profile. So why would I come here and why would I even give this place 5 stars?
They made me appreciate a well made and properly brewed cup coffee. I wouldn’t say they made me a total coffee convert, but the art of brewing a proper coffee is paramount here. The total opposite of a standard coffee joint like Starbucks.
What drew me in originally was the teas, but we got a chance to sample a coffee brewed black through the Chemex filter process. Sumner introduced this coarse filter process to us and we enjoyed listening to the vast knowledge he had about coffee. Eventually, we decided to order a tea since that was what we were here for. Sumner recommended us something off menu, a lemonade tea with berries and mint. This handmade concoction was deliciously light and refreshing.
If you’re here and don’t know what to get, don’t hesitate to say that and get a recommendation. Who knows, you might get that off the menu drink that is sure to surprise you and your taste buds.

Every now and then you see that review that catches your eye on the old Unilocal feed.
Elite Unilocaler Justin S. gave this place straight up 5 stars.
Justin knows his coffee! So wife and I had to make a special trip here.
If you get a weird feeling you are walking into a waxing salon you are in the right place.
Nothing fancy. Just two ladies and fancy coffee machine.
Wife ordered the Japanese Ice Coffee and I ordered the French Press.
Then the magic happens…
«What kind of coffee do you want French pressed?» They had Ethiopian, House and Ka’u.
Of course I am going to go local! Ka’u it is.
First, they ground the beans freshly to the order.
Then, the lady made both of our coffees from hot water out of what looked like a watering can you would use on your plants.
She poured it with the same care that a prize gardener would water her award winning tulips.
After she was done «watering» the coffees, she put wife’s in a special container with ice and mine in the french press.
The whole process takes a few minutes, so don’t get all futless. If you are in a hurry, go to McDonalds.
Wife and I sipped our coffees and all of our chakras were instantly opened.
I looked at the top of my coffee cup and you can see all the little coffee oils giving the liquid that «body» you get with a good cup of joe.
Wife did not need to add sweetener to her’s as the beans took on their own «sweetness» due the preparation method.
I asked the barrista if she had a lot of experience. She said she had been in coffee for years. «Submerged in coffee?» I asked. No as a coffee roaster.
This place is a pop up, so it may not last in this location for long. I however expect it will outlast the waxing salon

I’ve been trying, desperately, to find a coffee place that can provide a black coffee that is not burnt. I have found it — The Curb.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Starbucks fan, through and through. However, I have not met a barista like the barista that was working at The Curb this afternoon. He was passionate, knowledgeable, and genuinely enthusiastic about coffee. My husband and I had a nice time talking and getting to know the barista, all the while learning about coffee and espresso. I think I learned the most about coffee, brewing, and being a barista in those 10 – 15 minutes than I’ve ever learned before.
I was a little sad to find such a gem then find out that it is a pop-​up, so they will be closing the Ala Moana location on August 1. They will still have their UH location though (next to Hamilton Library).
I got their Japanese iced coffee. Pretty much, the difference is in the way they brew it. I believe the barista said I had the Costa Rica coffee. I’m not a coffee master or taster, so I probably won’t do the coffee justice in describing it, however I can tell you it was a really good coffee. It had the strong coffee flavor, but it leaves no bitter after taste. It was very refreshing.

Latte Art!
The Curb, A NEW addition to Ala Moana Shopping Center until August 1^st, brings high end coffees and an expert staff to the mall! It is located where Arby’s used to be, Arby’s will be missed! I was just thinking the other day, I can’t believe Arby’s has survived all this time and I guess I spoke too soon… However, I love this coffee place!
Walking in to The Curb, like others have said, it is confusing because it is half coffee house and half waxing company. Don’t worry you aren’t going to find a misplaced waxing strip in your coffee, only quality ingredients that have been handled with care! No joke! I know it’s further than going to Starbucks, but it is well worth the walk down stairs, passed Barns and Noble to receive the best cup of coffee you can get in the mall or even the island!
To be honest, it wasn’t the quality coffee that drew me in, it was the latte art! But the quality will keep me coming back! My first experience was with Summoner (Spelling?) and he was Awesome!!! Even though he doesn’t like to make cute latte art, he made my day and made me a winking bear for my coffee. I drank it down slow to watch the bear disappear even though it was so smooth I could have downed it in one go!
*All In All*
–These people know good coffee and how to manipulate it to give you what you want
–Great and friendly people work here and they LOVE coffee!
–They Also have Awesome teas! Black tea Lemonade is Yum! Fresh Lemons and mint
–Pretty Latte art = OMG!
–Only here until Aug. 1^st! Get it while it’s Hot!

Hearing about this spot via an UYE, I thought I’d pop in and get my daily caffeine fix. I’m not a coffee connoisseur, per say, but I do home brew my espresso and enjoy the beauty of a good crema. The place is pretty easy to find, sandwiched right between Barnes & Noble and Macy’s. It truly is a tiny hole-​in-​the-​wall with room enough for their counter, machines and a bar style counter with 4 stools. The beverages are crafted with such personality and care, I think they are best enjoyed on location. Not sure if the mall would allow, but some seats or a bench right out front would be a wonderful addition. Or possibly after gaining in popularity, the space shared with beauty products could eventually be filled with more seating and even a baked goods display? :)
The menu is simple to navigate, not an overabundance of choices, just good coffee and teas. I ordered a classic vanilla cappuccino which was served promptly and with a lovely heart rosette design that I hesitated to destroy but after one sip, it was all I could do not to gulp down the entire mug. YUM It had a delicious flavor. I did like that they followed up on my order by asking if I was enjoying it. I did so much so, that I returned after a few hours of mall shopping for another drink! :) This time an iced tea for the drive home. They have some yummy sounding teas on the menu and upon asking the cashier for her suggestions, she offered a tea lemonade, not usually on the menu. It was a very nice blend and very refreshing!
I will be returning here, no hesitation!

For a couple more months, you can get a truly great cup of coffee or demitasse of espresso without having to brave the UH Campus.
This popup is something you don’t really see in Hawaii — a coffee shop that’s bare-​bones, but fully equipped to provide something amazing to you at prices that are beyond fair.
I had an espresso, masterfully produced by Sumner while he brewed up a «Japanese Iced Coffee» (I’m sure they explain it over and over all day, but it’s a specific weight of coffee brewed in a chemex with a heavy filter, over a specific weight of ice to produce a rich brew of iced coffee that truly features its origin) of an Ethiopian coffee (there were also Latin American and Southeast Asian coffees available).
Avid coffee-​at-​home drinkers are likely aware of the brewing method, but chemex isn’t a huge deal in Hawaii yet. But it should be. Drop by and give it a try — it’s worth your while. You might even end up picking yourself up a chemex for home after tasting what comes out of it.
Anyway, The Curb has always been on my radar, and I’m glad that it’s finally within reach for me. I hope that more attention comes to the business, because it’s one that provides only the best to its customers and chooses not to allow anything but quality determine its practices.
Humble, informed, and legit. This is a café at its best.

The Curb has a new location in the Ala Moana Mall. Same location as Arby’s (which Closed).
The coffee is fantastic in Chemex and French Press. Speciality drinks also available including Tea
Sumner (the owner) really knows his stuff and has great people skills.