Govinda's Vegetarian Buffet

I suffer from a disease. Treatment tends to get expensive so I don't get it as often as I need it. Maybe you've heard of it? Maybe you suffer from it too? Yup, I have Wanderlust. I can tell my symptoms are getting bad when the only channel I watch is the travel channel, when I'm poring over articles of my travel magazines, and drooling over pictures of exotic and foreign locales on pinterest. Luckily I have found a place I can go to curb my wanderlust itch for only $10 and I don't even need to leave the island. Govinda's Vegetarian Buffet.

Govinda's is such an exotic, out-of-the-ordinary experience for me living in Hawaii. Located in an old Nu'uanu mansion is a Hare Krishna temple serving the most delicious and spiritually refreshing food on the island. You can tell just by stepping in the door that this will not be your average dining experience, because not only are shoes not required, you are expected to leave them at the door (like any local household- but not restaurant!). Entering the house you are greeted by Hindu art and the sounds of Indian music coming from the gift shop where you pay ($10 for all you can eat). I came at about 1pm on a Wednesday and the buffet had 8 choices of hot items and a salad station. Some of the food (fried cauliflower and lasagna) was running low but it was quickly replaced. I loaded my plate with salad, saffron rice, dal (lentil soup), mild veggie curry, fried cauliflower, steamed veggies, and of course the lasagna. Poured myself a cup of the fresh ginger lemonade and my mother and I went outside to sit beneath the massive banyan tree.

The surreal experience continued as we ate, as each bite brought exotic spices, flavors and delicious new tastes into my mouth. There was no dish I did not love (my mom thought the lasagna was a little spicy). The garden/yard area was so serene and soothing and feeling the grass between my toes as I ate was great. We even had a little friend (black and white cat) visit us and share some love. After I finished my plate I went back for the dessert of halva. I had never had it before and it was like a sweet polenta textured pudding flavored with cinnamon and cardamom with raisins and coconut. It was so delicious! I ate my fill but did not feel overly stuffed, just satisfied, and my mother and I walked through the gift shop looking at jewelry and skirts and sari type clothing.

I had such a great time here I felt so removed from the hustle and bustle of Honolulu and got a great dose of culture and spirituality I was not familiar with. It almost felt like I was experiencing part of an ashram type lifestyle, the gardens would be perfect for meditation and quiet reading. I picked up a Krishna brochure on my way out to try and learn more about this interesting culture, so different from my own religious beliefs, and as a bald Krishna devotee sitting on the stairs said goodbye to us, I knew it wouldn't be long before I would be back to satiate the urges of my wanderlust disease.

In Nuuanu, hidden amongst residences, the buffet kitchen and dining area - inside and outside on a large lawn - is situated within the Hare Krishna Temple. Once you take off your footwear and enter - just take a left and a gift store fronts the kitchen and dining room.

What was clearly a former residence, it is quite a large facility. I did not explore elsewhere but helped myself to a plate. There is a restroom available for use and it was quite clean.

I took only hot foods, curried stew and roasted veggies, which were nicely flavored. The ginger mint lemonade was nice...not sweet but balanced. The star of the buffet was the Farina dessert. The gentleman who greeted me at the entrance and took my payment explained Farina as similar to semolina. It was quite sweet but very good, containing cashews and raisins.

The dining room had a few tables but I decided to eat in the backyard...and was joined briefly by a cat. Apparently, pets can be brought into the lawn even if not a service animal, as someone brought their dog.

Govinda's is the best vegetarian restaurant I've been to in Honolulu. Not only is Govinda's an all-you-can-eat buffet for $13, but the food is actually homemade, delicious, and healthy. Govinda's is located at Hare Krishna Temple in the natural serenity of Nuuanu Valley.

There is a seating area inside next to the gift shop, or you can eat your meal in the backyard under beautiful old banyan trees. The cash register is inside the gift shop as you enter into the restaurant. You can choose to pay before or after eating.

Next to the buffet line is this refreshing ginger mint lemonade made from fresh pressed ginger, fresh mint, lemon juice, and organic cane sugar. The salad is so fresh and colorful. I recommend adding homemade vegan spicy jalapeno & cilantro salad dressing for an extra kick. It goes so well with the ginger mint lemonade.

Some of my other favorites were the chickpea spinach curry, the kitchri loaded with tasty cumin seeds, and the halava that had a slightly sweet but mostly savory peanut butter flavor. So good! As an omnivore, I am looking forward to returning for more delicious vegetarian dishes, and wish there was a restaurant like this closer to town.

I live so close to Govinda's I always wonder why I never venture here more often. It's tucked away on a corner residential street off the Pali in Nuuanu. It's hard to explain the location so I recommend google mapping it. They have a private lot with about 15 stalls for parking, but at peak lunch hours it can be full. However, there's ample street parking available.

Before you enter be sure to remove your shoes and slippahs since the buffet is located in a Hare Krishna temple. The buffet is completely vegetarian and filled with delicious curries and daily specials. For $13 the quality of the food is a steal. They accept credit card now too!

On this particular day we visited there was a quiche for the special. It was unlike most quiches I ever had as it didn't taste egg or cheese heavy, it was very tasty. They also had three different curries with various vegetables like eggplant and potatoes. Homemade papadum, which is a cracker like crisp flavored with indian spices, super good! They also offer a nice salad bar and this refreshing ginger minty water. They had two desserts as well, one that was kind of like a cream of wheat baked fruit thing that was tasty despite my poor description of it lol. Also they had a noodle dessert, which was not as good unfortunately.

You can enjoy your food on a few small tables next to the buffet line inside the building or take it outside to the outdoor tables and benches. The only junk thing about eating outside is there are thirsty mosquitoes seeking blood filled prey. But overall, Govinda's makes very delicious vegetarian food for an unbelievable price! It's random when they make their samosas but I highly recommend them. The buffet is open from 11:00am-2:00pm and they close promptly at 2:00pm (meaning you have to be done eating by then).

One of my fave places. I feel at ease and if I am in need of some spiritual healing, I come here. It is adjacent to the Hare Krishna temple and ran by the people. The hosts, cooks, music, ambience and food are so delicate and sweet, and unassuming. The food is vegetarian and some parts are consistent like the bread crackers, mint lemon tea, but there are some different varieties every day. They are now also open on Saturdays for lunch which is nice. I absolutely love it here and to go take pics by the Banyan tree and Ganesha up front are priceless. The taste of the food is unique, and feels like you are transported to a different land and culture, which is so amazing. Highly recommend !!!

[Location]
This place is sorta hard to find. But, if you have GPS helping you, you'll eventually find it. At first, you'll question the GPS for taking you into the neighborhood along the Pali, but have faith in your GPS and it'll lead you to the Hare Krishna Temple. Once you're there, it's free parking but the parking lot is small.

[Ambiance]
When you walk in, be sure to remove your shoes. You may hear prayer going on but there should be someone in the front and let them know you're here for the buffet. Once you walk to the dining area, it's small and cozy. Although, you're located in the dining room, there's something about being in the temple that feels relaxing and serene.

[Food]
This is a vegetarian buffet but don't let this scare you away. Everyday, they usually have a special dish. I came on a Thursday so their special was qiche. The food is tasteful but I really wish they had labels so I know what I'm eating. So sorry guys, I can't really give you a good review of the food. All I can say is everything tasted good.

[Overall]
Considering this to be a vegetarian buffet, it's pretty good. Not bad for $13. Only downside to this is their hours of operation which is the weekday during 11am-2pm. This place can be kind of hard to find but trust your GPS (I didn't and ended up getting more lost) and it'll lead you to the temple.

I love meat and the thought of vegetarian food is weird but govindas vegetarian buffet is pretty damm good. I have been here multiple times and definitely left happy and full. Its Indian vegetarian food which makes it extra awesome cuz I love Indian food! It used to be $10 but they raised it to $13. Its still a decent price for an AYCE buffet

Each day they have a special entree. My favorite day is thursdays which is quiche day! Its so delicious and love it. They usually have different vegetables cooked with different sauces. I love the curried potatoes and their salad dressings are so yummy! Their usually dessert is halva which is kind of like a porridge or polenta consistency. Its just enough sweetness

I admit this place is kind of hard to find since its in the middle of a residential area and you might just miss the street to turn on and might have to go around (haha). Google maps does a decent job of getting you there. If you see the sign for the Hare Krishna temple then you are in the right place! You have to take off your shoes and go right in. So you can either eat inside or outside. Its a really peaceful place to eat lunch

If you like vegetarian food or of you are willing to give it a try then check this place out! I recommend coming early since they are only open from 11am to 2pm.

Eat to live or live to eat?

Who says it has to be black and white?

I've got fresh stitches in my hand, so I'm typing this with eight fingers and pain meds. So what are we waiting for? This'll be fun!

Govinda's is food for the body and soul. This is one of my very favorite places to eat, no doubt about it. That's just based on the food. Add the reasonable price and the overall experience, it's tough to beat.

Quiz time. I will answer your questions by asking you questions.

1. Govinda's is located at a Hare Krishna temple, therefore you are expected to removed your:
A. shoes before entering.
B. shirt, because they do not have AC.
C. stick from your rear end.
D. A and C.

2. It is $10 all you can eat, buffet style! You can also fill a to-go container for $10. That's what I usually do since it's easily enough for two meals. Wow, that's totally ______!
A. All of the below.
B. Mathematical!
C. Geometrical!
D. Awesome!

3. You can eat free here if you are a super hero.
A. False, but if you really were, then probably true.
B. True.
C. False. (Just false).

4. The food here is vegetarian. That means:
A. No meat is used! But it's still very hearty, flavorful, and satisfying.
B. It comes from the region of Vegeter.
C. This was pointless. But the answer is A.

If you are freaking out right now because you are getting all A's and that never happens, guess what? Boom. It just happened.

So basically, I needed to update my last review to say, this place continues to be amazing.

First timers take note! When you're on your way there, driving down Wiley St., go slow! The right turn onto Burbank St. really sneaks up on you. Once on Burbank, it's smooth sailing.

Random stuff... If you like good incense, they sell little packs of maybe a dozen sticks for $1. They also have some cookbooks and tons of other Hare Krishna stuff - I guess you could call it. You'd do well to wonder out into the back yard, maybe have your meal out there if it's a nice day. If you're curious and you have to time, you can even ask to see the temple. I'm not a Hare Krishna, but it's still interesting and beautiful.

Okay that's it. I don't blame you if you report this review to be totally useless.

I'm surprised that there's a "restaurant" less than 5 minutes away from my house. I drove by this area many times and never thought a Hare Krishna temple would be here.

I came here on a Thursday and the entrees they serving were Mixed Greens Salad, Eggless Quiche, Tofu Yam Curry, Yellow Split Pea Soup, Fresh Homemade Rolls, Brown Rice, Tofu Bean Chili, and Banana Halawa Dessert. There are also different types of sauce such as Sunflower Soy Sauce, Toasted Sesame, Creamy French, and Hot Green Sauce. As for drinks there's water and some ginger tea juice.

As for the food, the best one had to be the Tofu Yam Curry. I'm so used to eating regular yellow curry, but this one wasn't oily or salty. The yams goes well with the curry. The quiche tasted like it has eggs, but it was really rich and I could not eat a second serving. The Fresh Homemade Rolls is warm, soft, and tasty. The Banana Halawa Dessert was really good. Texture is soft, but slightly creamy and not overly sweet. The Yellow Split Pea soup and Tofu Bean Chili didn't have much flavor in them, but I didn't mind eating it. Just add that special green sauce, it makes everything spicy. Although it might be too spicy for some people.

What I like about this place is the atmosphere. It's like walking into someone's really nice home with a really big backyard. I loved eating outside because it felt peaceful.

For $9.99, it's a good deal. It may not look like a lot but the food really fills you up. I did get seconds but I had a hard time finishing it. This place opens from 11am-2pm.

So my friend Gary N. was trying to sell me on this barefoot vegetarian buffet at the Hare Krishna Temple in Nuuanu. Healthy and delicious? Sure!

The chef at Govinda's, John, is really nice. He gave us a brief tour of the temple and spoke with us for a bit. He explained that he only uses fresh organic produce and the food is prepared each morning. Leftovers from the buffet are given to the homeless rather than saved and reheated for the next day, which was really cool to hear. John said the menu changes daily, and he's hoping to add some Asian peanut sauce dishes soon. Nifty.

As for the food - Honestly, I don't know what everything was called. I couldn't even identify some of the dishes, but everything was really good!

Salad - OMG, I loved the all different salad dressings! I'm not sure what some of them were, but I just put them on my salad and ate it like a happy fat panda. The cilantro one was my favorite; I would go back just for that.

Lasagna - Wow. I never would have imagined that I'd enjoy lasagna with tofu, spinach, zucchini, and lots of ricotta cheese, but it was wonderful! Surprisingly, it was really hefty and filling. I was pretty full after eating one piece. Beware.

Mashed Potatoes - Nice! I only had a tiny bit but it was smooth and creamy.

Cauliflower Curry (?) and Turmeric Rice - Seriously, the lasagna took me down, so I only tried a tiny bite-sized bit of both, and they were good.

Soup - I think it was lentil soup? It had a nice spicy kick. Well, whatever kind of soup it was, it was yummy. It would give Covenant Books and Coffee a good run for its money.

Dessert - Once again, I really don't know what this was. John explained it to us but I forgot the name. It was some kind of warm fruit dish. The texture reminded me of polenta, but tasted like sweet apples and cinnamon.

Ginger Lemonade - Made with fresh cane juice! It was on the sweeter side and you can really taste the spice from the ginger. I mixed mine with a bit of water and it was just right for me.

For $10, lunch was a great deal. I barely finished a plateful of food and a small cup of soup and I was full. Gary had a heaping first plate, went for seconds, then thirds, and then another cup of soup with rice. Unfair. I noticed most of the other diners were lean and thin. So does vegetarianism = skinny? Hmm, now I'm curious...

Yikes, this place was so hard to find. I suggest driving slowly, since the street sign for Burbank is hard to see and it's a tight turn, and look for the green sign on Coelho Street. They have about a dozen stalls for parking, and the temple grounds are lovely.

Oh, and the Yelp link to Govinda's Vegetarian Buffet and Menu is wrong - it's for a restaurant of the same name in Eugene, OR.

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.