If there’s one thing to know about me, I love coffee of any kind; although one can usually find me drinking it bare and black. It’s become a staple of my daily routine and I can’t tell if I’ve grown to like straight drip coffee because I actually like it or if I’ve learned to like it for the sake of my wallet! Nevertheless, once in a while, I’ll spoil myself and try a latte or a frappe when I explore new digs around town. And that’s exactly what I did when I decided to check out Gorilla in The Café. This is a place I would often see as I passed through Waikiki, but would never have the time to stop by. However, my curiosity eventually got the better of me and on a Friday night, I parked my car at Ala Moana Shopping Center and braved the chaos as I headed into Waikiki on foot to try Gorilla in the Café. If you’re not staying in Waikiki, I’d suggest doing the same because, as with most businesses in Waikiki, the only free parking available is on the street and you would need to drive like something out of Mad Max to score a spot. 

They’re located on 2155 Kalakaua Avenue, on the ground level of the same building Planet Hollywood used to occupy. If you don’t know where that is, it may be helpful to find the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center and walk in a westward direction until you find it. It took about 15 minutes at a semi-brisk pace to walk from Ala Moana Shopping Center to get to Gorilla in The Café. They’re open from 6:30am to 10pm on the weekdays and 7am to 10pm on the weekends, so all around pretty flexible hours. I arrived at the destination around 8:30pm ready to try whatever awesomeness-in-a-cup they had in store for me. To my surprise, I was the only one in there as I walked in and was warmly greeted by two young baristas. I glazed over the drink menu 

for a minute as I scanned their options, not knowing what to get. I noticed they had drip coffee, acai bowls, and other delicious options. It wasn’t long before I gave up and asked one of the baristas for a recommendation. She suggested I try their signature Gorilla Frappe, which was a mocha-flavored frappe with bananas mixed into it. Of the three sizes offered, I ordered a medium Gorilla Frappe and paid just under $6 for it. Objectively, it may be seem a little pricey but relative to other coffee shops, I found their prices on par with the likes of Coffee Bean &Tea Leaf or Starbucks. As I waited for my order, I noticed the décor worked well with the overall feel of the store. It was well lit with wood paneling accenting white, black, and gray overtones all around the store. It felt very industrial to me, but not as corporate as a Starbucks. 

It took just a few minutes to wait for my drink, which is no time at all. Another thing to mention is that the floor space for Gorilla in The Café is fairly small, enough for a line of people but not big enough for seats or counters. However, there are plenty of tables and chairs outside which are reserved specifically for customers of Gorilla in The Café. I took a seat and tried my Gorilla Frappe for the first time. I have to say, the taste was pretty unique. It was topped with whipped cream and looked like any other frappe you might buy. I could really taste the banana in it as it was prominent in the beverage but not overpoweringly so, since I could taste the mocha just fine. The consistency was smooth and cold, and I didn’t find it to have any ice crystals or slush-like texture to it. It was similar to a smoothie in the way it went down. I can’t quite recall if it took longer to make the drink or to actually drink it, since I drank it rather quickly. Overall, the taste 

was something I hadn’t come across before, but I wouldn’t say it was outstanding or game-changing. I would recommend this place if you’re in the area of Waikiki and looking for a new place to try with friends or family. However, this isn’t a place I would recommend if it requires you to jump through hoops and tackle obstacles to get to. If you’re interested in checking this place out and have more questions I haven’t covered here, you can give them a call at (808) 922-2055 or check out their Facebook page here or their parent website here (just a note, their parent site is mainly written in Japanese, so it may be a little difficult to navigate).