Guieb Cafe (which I think is pronounced "geb" with a hard "G") opened its first location right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Through perseverance and excellent food, this family-run business now has three locations. Aiea is the newest spot, opening last fall.
From 7 AM to 3 PM daily, the entire breakfast and lunch menu is available. Signature dishes include the Ube Mascarpone Pancakes ($16) and 10 oz Prime Rib ($18).
My parents and I stopped in around 11 AM to celebrate my birthday (panda is getting older, folks).
I ordered the Loco Moco Fried Rice ($16) and chose the Adobo Fried Rice. Hamburger patty cooked medium and eggs overeasy.
Amazing meal here. Patty cooked wonderfully, not too dense so it felt handmade. Eggs cooked how I liked it. But the two stars were the fried rice - plus a nice portion of pork adobo - and the thick, rich brown gravy. Both were full of flavor, and I could devour another large bowl of that.
I'm not sold on the flowers that are put on each dish (to me, I'd rather have everything on the plate be edible except the meat bones), but that's just me.
My dad enjoyed the Honey Acai French Toast ($15): acai sorbet, granola, fresh berries, bananas, and honey drizzle on a thick (yet soft/fluffy) piece of French toast.
My mom raved about the GC's Island Mix ($17): grilled mahi, fried chicken, spam, and teriyaki ribeye. She chose white rice and sauteed vegetables for her sides. Perfectly cooked mahi and sauteed veggies.
The spam was extra crispy on the outside. Fried chicken also perfectly cooked, with the crispy skin and juicy meat. I've never had teriyaki ribeye, but such a soft piece of meat, unlike the usual stringy or beef jerky-like pieces one might find elsewhere.
Outstanding service. Our server always made sure our water glasses were filled and gave us recommendations when we didn't know what to pick. Those Ube Mascarpone Pancakes are on the list for a future visit.
Guieb Cafe seems to have everything down to a science, with seemingly the perfect number of seats to match the average ticket time and dine-in experience. I'd guess around 25-30 people can dine in at once. The tables were constantly filled, and just when the next patrons come in, there's usually a table or a couple seats at the counter. I assume there may be a wait on the weekends, but to me, it would be well worth it.
The more impressive part: there were multiple call-in takeout orders coming in at the same time, so that kitchen was getting hit hard and still kept up.
Guieb Cafe is exactly the type of place I want to see more of in Hawaii. Basically an all-day breakfast or lunch spot serving quality dishes at a reasonable price. 9.5/10
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