Kailua, to be specific.

Ever heard of Boots & Kimo’s? This was only my second time in Hawaii so I had never heard of the famed food joint. My friend Lauren is out in Hawaii pretty regularly so she knows all the good local spots to eat. When she mentioned Macadamia Nut Pancakes, I didn’t need to hear any more. I’m always up for pancakes. But Lauren explained that these were no ordinary pancakes: Boots & Kimo’s is specifically known for their macadamia nut version for which you’d have to stand in line for hours if you show up too late.

So after a breathtaking drive from the west side of the island over to Kailua, (I thought I’d stepped into Avatar… it’s lush green and exotic forest for miles. It almost didn’t look real!) we arrived at Boots & Kimo’s. The ordering didn’t take long… We knew exactly what we wanted: The house special. When our waiter set down the Macadamia Nut Pancakes in front of me, my jaw dropped and my eyes shot over to Lauren, who was fervently nodding and grinning at me.

Wide-eyed and eager, I took my first bite of these heavenly hotcakes and the rest of the experience is a complete blur from there. All I know is that by the end of breakfast, I had finished most of the plate that Lauren and I were sharing, and then moved on to the plate Celeigh was working on– halfway done– and nearly finished that one off, too. There are just no words for how delicious these pancakes are!!! I could cry just thinking about them. No butter or syrup involved, either. Boots & Kimo’s has a secret recipe for the creamy, divine sauce they pour over their cakes: The only way I could explain how the cream tastes is that it’s a bit like eggnog but without the spices and a hundred times tastier! It’s not a heavy, overly-sweet sauce, either. It’s light, frothy and quite simply perfect!

If you’re ever in Hawaii, do not miss a chance to taste possibly the best pancakes in the world!!

Boots & Kimo’s
131 Hekili St
Kailua, HI 96734