Govinda’s Prasadam Cart

We were vacationing from the mainland and read about this little gem. We are vegans and wanted to find a good place to eat! We ate the temple location. $ 10 all you can eat and it includes the beverage.
The staff is super friendly. We went 2 times. The first day we went on «nut loaf» day and the second time on «quiche» day. The salad is super fresh. The potatoes are delicious! Even the drink is great, a sweet spicy green beverage. I will definitely come back when come again to Oahu.

I’m freaaaaaking obsessed with this place. I’m not a vegetarian but I’m convinced! If vegetarian food could ALWAYS taste like this, I’d kiss meat goodbye. (Maybe…I think…)
I would just like to start off by saying that the staff is REALLY friendly. I love that they remember faces and they like to chat with the customers. I mean, it feels really «homey». And the vibe is just so chill that I love getting food here.
From what I understand the entrees vary daily but they’re the same every week.
Mondays: Spaghetti
Tuesdays: Nut Loaf
Wednesdays: Lasagna
Thursday: Quiche
Friday: ??? Not sure cus I’m not on campus on fridays… (sorry)
Spaghetti is actually really good. Tastes like spaghetti but the real gem is the MEATBALL. Don’t know what it’s made of… but it kind of tastes like meat. Regardless of what it is, it’s delicious. The nutloaf kind of reminds me of a lasagna/​meatloaf hybrid. It’s pretty good and the portions are huuuuuge. THE LASAGNA IS MY FAVORITE. I’m sold sold sold. I could be a vegetarian and eat their lasagna everyday. It is soooo good. Not to mention, I’m like a cheese monster and the lasagna definitely satisfies my cravings. It’s meatless, so it’s a spinach lasagna (i think). But it’s really good and now I’m only ever going to eat spinach lasagnas even when I go out to italian places. The quiche was okay but it’s not my favorite.
The Hallava? Halava? is really good too. I’m not really sure what it is but the sweetness of it balances out the meal really well. A single scoop is usually enough to satisfy my post meal sweet tooth. The salad is always fresh and I like their spicy cilantro dressing. And I respect the fact that the dressings are homemade.
OH and the BEST PART is the price. It’s cheap. Probably the cheapest thing you’ll find on campus. It’s a little over $ 5 for the mini plate, which includes an entrée, salad, and halava (spelling?). It’s like a full sized plate lunch. And if you’re a first timer, you get a free drink. The berry tea drink is really really good, I love it.
I feel like they really enjoy what they do. I don’t feel like I’m getting ripped off and their main intention is just to make money. The quality of the food is really good and the price is cheap. I think I eat here 2 – 3 times a week… and I’m not even vegetarian.

This is the only place on the UH campus where you don’t feel as if you’re getting ripped off. While all the other lunch wagons (and installations like Paradise Palms) have raised their prices to $ 8 and more for a plate lunch, or $ 6 for a hot dog — yes, a hot dog — $ 6. (where’s the University oversight on this?) Govinda’s has held price increases to match inflation only. No greed factor here. Gopal is a friendly, cool guy and helps keep things cheery.

If your on UHM campus and are craving something delicious and healthy then this is the place to go. Hidden in the depths of campus, Govindas, located in the hippie courtyard goes above and beyond to provide hungry clientele with nothing but the best vegetarian food on campus. For around $ 5 you get a heaping plate of food (entrée, rice, salad, and halava). Maharad is so nice and welcoming and always hooks it up. There’s a different kind of curry and entrée everyday of the week and you can ask to do half and half on mini plates. I crave this food all the time and it never fails!

Okay, where is my classmate because he needs a big fat hug from me!!! Lol. Okay so it’s my first semester at UH and food here isn’t that cheap! Plus being a vegetarian limits my choices. I eat seafood occasionally but that can get pricey. Anyway, my classmate told me about this hidden gem. I got out of class early today so I decided to venture out and find this place without getting too lost.
I magically found it! Thank you Jesus! I was greeted by a guy at the register. He asked me if its my first time since he caught me staring at the menu for about 5 minutes. I said yes it is and he’s like awesome you get a free drink!!! I’m like really??? Lol. So I ended up getting the mini yellow curry plate which is HUGE. It’s made with tofu and veggies. It also comes with rice, salad (you get to pick one of their 6 homemade dressings) & a dessert!
Um woah. Ok so these people who run this place are super down to earth, definitely enjoy what they do & are real vegetarians! Not just ordinary people who want a profit.
Go check them out! Just walk straight down the right side of Bilger… all the way down till you see 2 food trucks and a bunch of places to sit! It gets rather crowded at lunch time. I found the perfect spot until these two foreign exchange students stole my table. Haha okay. Check it out! Photo added to Unilocal

Anything you can find at a restaurant they can have it and it’s way better.
Warmest smiles.
Zen attitude.
Large portions.
Cheapest prices.
Best condiment options.
Positive attitude that helps with performance in school.
Menu with variety.
Fresh ingredients.
Efficient service.
Healthy.
Tasty.
Something for everyone.
Interesting people.
Local.
Sometimes free drinks.
Takes card.
Eco friendly.
Delicious.
Cute female clientele that you can flirt with in line, easy to make a «friend» every you go.
Just all around the best gig on campus.

Cheap, healthy vegetarian food — the lemonade and veggie burgers are particularly good.

I was elated to find myself on campus during the operating hours of Govinda’s because last time I had just missed them. Truth be told, I was bummed that they didn’t have any samosas, but was still intrigued enough to get back in line and order lunch.
The entrees for that day were Red Thai Curry & Quiche. I was having a hard timing deciding which entrée to try when I overheard the regulars in front of me order a mixed plate. So I asked if I could mix my mini plate. To my delight, I could.
For $ 5.10 (mini), you get 1 entrée, rice, salad, dessert or for $ 8.10 (large) you can get 2 entrees, rice, salad, and dessert.
They had run out of salad so a drink was comped to everyone who ordered a plate. I tried the Ginger Lemonade which was VERY gingery. While the flavor was verging on gross to me, it felt great for my sore throat.
Even though I had ordered a mini plate, it was a very generous portion. I easily had left overs. I saw a girl pouring sunflower seeds over her food and decided to pour some onto my rice (yum)! Raisins were also a great thing to add to the rice!
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the Red Thai Curry. It wasn’t overly coconutty. It was very flavorful and I really liked how the vegetables were seasoned. The Quiche was very good! I was surprised at how good the crust at the bottom was. As for the Halava, I initially thought it was some sort of sweet taro. It was so good that I went back up and asked them for an a la carte order of it. The guy giggled when I mentioned the taro thing. He informed me that Halava is similar to cream of wheat with strawberries and bananas mixed in. I was floored because I am not usually a fan of cream of wheat.
At the end of the day, I spent approximately $ 10 at Govinda’s and got a ton of food (mini plate, drink, 2 cookies, lentil soup, and an extra order of Halava). The cookie was okay. It tasted like any other vegan cookie. I was not a fan of the green lentil soup, which was very watery.

The other month, I was having a not so great day on campus. It was just «one of those days, when you wanna be alone, just one of them days…» I was sleep deprived, and my brain was overloaded with equations.
Anyway, having had a crazy week, I didn’t have time to pack my normal lunch, and I didn’t have any cash in my wallet. BUT, I did have a little Govinda’s card with ten hole punches (you get a punch for every small or regular plate you purchase). After the tenth hole, you get a free plate.
The guy who was at the register said, «It’s your lucky day!» with a ginormous smile. Dahhhh! It scared me out of my zombie state, and said «Really?» And he said, «Yeah, you get a free mini plate, a cookie, and a drink.» Cookie and drink, too!!! Wow!
It was the first time trying their cookie and drink, but I was blown away by their oatmeal chocolate raisin cookie and GINGER MINT LEMONADE!!! SO delicious!!! It turned my day right around, as I enjoyed my freebies while sitting in the sun and listening to the hare krishna music in the sustainability court at UH. :-D
Oh yeah, and correction… it’s $ 5.10 for a mini plate if you order it ‘for here,’ instead of to go. Enjoy the sustainability courtyard and ditch the long lines at the Campus Center. I highly recommend it.

Maybe it’s not a good idea to write 5 star food review when you are hungry.
Just thinking of Govinda’s makes my mouth water… the memories of coming here after class (or instead of class) and sitting on the grass with my plate lunch in hand, is making my stomach GROWL. I never had a bad meal here … oh wait, WAIT. One time I put a dressing that had nuts in it on my salad and I had an allergic reaction, however, my fault ‚.. . i should have asked. Yes if you have nut allergies, MAKE SURE YOU LET THEM KNOW. They do put nuts in some of their dishes and desserts. So it’s good to always ask. But if you DO have food allergies, I probably do not NEED to remind you, b/​c you all are, most likely, a lot more attentive than I am.
I have this kind of naïve report with food. .. for example, someone hands me a cookie.
me: «hmmm this looks goood»
you: «um don’t you have a nut allergy, I don’t know what ingredients are in this cookie»
me: : cookie already in mouth: «nah, it’s probably fine»
you: oh uh ok
me: :choking on cookie: «benadryl… get the benadryl !!! «
the next day …
(same situation)
«same dialog as above»
opps, got a bit sidetracked … Govinda’s … when I came to Govinda’s, I always ordered a plate lunch or combo lunch (I forget what they call it) it was around $ 5 and it consists of a choice of cooked vegetable concoction (usually a type of curry) rice, salad and a dessert. For me this is the type of lunch I could eat everyday. Plus I love Indian food, in particularly curry. The dessert is usually a little spongey fruit bar. One day it would be a berry bar one day coconut. .. it was insanely delicious. But for the life of me I can not remember what it is called. .. what is that dessert bar called? I want to try to make it …
ok your homework … go to Govinda’s, order a dessert bar! Report back to me Subito ! ;) That’s ALL

I come here during the mad rush between classes in a sort of I-​Just-​Want-​My-​$ 1-​Cookie mentality, and always wonder why the dude at the cashier is so. chill. It’s like life moves at a different time here: «Ahhh cookie. Let me pick out which one for you… Hmmmm.» When every other vendor is all about «Next! Next! Next!», this place is kind of relaxing. Unless of course, I’m really late for class and I have no time… except WHEN IS THERE NO TIME FOR A COOKIE?
Anyway, this place serves the best cookies on campus, although that might be a bit unfair because this isn’t your standard cookie. It’s different. It’s made with oatmeal, raisins and chocolate, and tastes vegan (not sure if it is completely vegan, but for sure it’s vegetarian.) And it’s healthy. At least, I tell myself it is, ‘cos it’s from Govindas. It’s also a good size and worth the $ 1. Good to munch on during class in Kuykendall.
Tastes like hippie.

Spurred on by the positive Unilocal reviews and wanting to try some more vegetarian restaurants, my vegetarian wife and I came here with high expectations. We came away from our experience slightly disappointing if only because of the rave reviews we read before-​hand.
We were greeted by a small group of enthusiastic that let us know the buffet set-​up, gave us a bit of history, and showed us the dining area. We loaded up our paper plates and brought our lunch outside to enjoy the nice weather. Sitting outside, bare-​foot, eating out of paper plates, it felt a lot like an outdoor barbeque at Aunties.
The buffet items ranged from surprisingly yummy (the lasagna, fried potatoes, dessert) to not good (the salad and the bread). I noticed a lot of carrots in the salad and other items, leading me to think that the spread was very uninspired and half-​heartedly put together.
We really wanted to like this place but unfortunately, didn’t feel like there was enough here to warrant a second trip any time soon.

Tip: get lasagna ala cart & hallava for $ 3.65! so cheap!
4.5 stars, really. It’s in the Sustainability Court next to Kuykendall, and yes, they take card. If you’re not keen on the veggies, I dare you (yes, that’s a challenge) to go here and tell me that you don’t like their lasagna. After introducing three of my guy friends to it, we come back time and time again, and they definitely prefer buffalo wings to brussel sprouts if you know what I mean.
So here’s the scoop:
$ 5 and change Mini plate to change (harhar) the way you think abt vegetarian food: 1 scoop awesome seasoned rice, entrée, overflowing salad, and dessert.
Entrée: I’m not such a fan of their curries, I find that they’re kinda tasteless, but their lasagna is delicious, I get it every time they have it!
Salad: pretty standard, I like their sesame dressing.
Dessert: Hallava (wheat grain) is DELICIOUS. It tastes like some kind of homemade baked good made by tiny little grandmothers in a happy vegetarian kitchen who sprinkle it with love and butter. Sometimes I stop by just to get dessert for $ 0.55. It’s that good.
Also, the thing I like about this place is that their mini is just the right size – it’s huge for a mini, but da Spot gives too much food and I sadly end up throwing some of it away ;(

This place is a great vegetarian place. Even if your not a vegetarian you’ll like this place because it’s just tasty!
My favorite thing here are the smoothies. They are healthier than jamba juice and they have more choices than jamba juice. They offer three sizes but because of the pricing it’s worth it to get the biggest size.
The only bad thing about this place are the people who work here. Both times I’ve been here this year the slow has been super slow or rude. It took the booth 20 minutes just to make one smoothie and when it was done they didn’t even tell me and looked at me like I was stupid when I asked where it was. The next time they forgot my order and they had to ask again what I was waiting for. Their lucky I like their smoothies so much or I wouldn’t be back!
But if your on campus looking for a healthy lunch or a quick snack Govinda’s is the place!

I like Govinda’s. In the myriad of food trucks now available during lunch hour on campus, this seems to be my second go-​to after Da Spot and sometimes the Aja plates in the cafeteria (those are neck and neck for #1). I’ve had a couple of awful experience here that makes me hesitant to give them the full five, so let me summarize everything in some simple bullet points.
1. The portions are great for the price. Unlike Da Spot, the mini plate isn’t some over generous portioning, but it’s probably better and healthier that way. Roughly $ 5.
2. Considering that it’s vegan/​vegetarian, the food is always really well seasoned and prepared. I think it’s fair to say that there are a lot of restaurants that attempt to go meat-​less and do so unsuccessfully because of lack of seasoning. I’m glad that isn’t a problem here.
3. Because the dressings sit out, they sometimes go bad. I would not recommend using any of the creamy labeled ones (French, Sesame). Even though both are vegetarian/​vegan, they still taste unusually sour on hotter, humid days. Stay away.
4. Baklava. F**king. God! Amazing.
5. I had an enchilada here once and it tasted bad. Like, rotten. Like, not edible. I’m still a little upset about this and have avoided that particular entrée since.
There’s a few bummers about this place, though. The tables are almost always taken by students studying. While it’s easy to just share tables with them, it’s still annoyingly hard to find a place to sit in this courtyard. They’re not open late, but none of the carts are. Oh, and several of the guys that work here talk to me in a cutesy voice like I’m some kind of child, which I know is supposed to be because they think I’m cute, but it’s honestly really annoying and belittling.

Hell has frozen over … Pigs were flyin’ in the sky today …
WHY?
I patronized a vegetarian eatery today. You may be asking yourself «what’s the big flippin deal?» If you knew me like my besties know me, your jaw would have dropped to the ground by now. As much as I cringe and tear when I read about the despicable conditions that animals live in before they are slaughtered and delivered to our markets and restaurants, I can’t help but consume meat, chicken, pork, fish. I can’t help it! I need meat.
But, I’m on a mission to shed 10 lbs in a month, and so part of my path to reaching my goal is trying to eat healthier foods. There is a great debate on whether going vegetarian is actually healthier for you and will help you lose weight, but, just humor me for the next minute as you read this.
I received an email announcement today about a UYE Purification event at Govinda’s restaurant in Liliha. Unfortunately today is one of those rare instances where I was not able to leave campus for lunch, so I felt like I’d still be able to «participate» by patronizing Govinda’s kiosk at the Sustainability Courtyard at UH Manoa. Throughout the 4+ years that I’ve worked at UH, I’ve NEVER even considered buying lunch at this place. No meat? Forget it!
Well, it pains me to admit that Govinda’s is now my new go-​to place when I need to buy lunch on campus (which occurs only a few times a year).
For $ 5.10 ($ 5.37 with tax), I got a generous portion of their lasagne, a big scoop of rice (the rice was yellow in color but had the texture of brown rice), a smaller scoop of strawberry flavored halava (apparently the flavor changes daily and I missed yesterday’s flavor which was peanut butter!). And, since their mini plates normally come with salad but they were out of salad, I got a cup of split pea soup instead, which was heaven-​sent because it just so happens that I’ve been constipated lately and split-​pea soup is supposed to have a lot of fiber in it!!! T.M.I.
Everything on my plate, including the soup, was delicious and very flavorful!
I’m still not ever turning vegetarian, but, a few vegetarian meals here and there won’t hurt. :)

YUMMERS in the tummers.
Goldilocks found herself at UH Manoa and man was she hungry. Goldilocks had worked up quite the appetite after running away from the 3 bears she pissed off back in the valley. Being blonde, and not one to learn lessons the easy way, Goldilocks went off in search of something to eat.
First Goldilocks went to Campus Center, but it was tooooooooooo noisy! (will the renovations ever end?)
Then Goldilocks went to Paradise Palms, but it was tooooooooooo quiet! (I know it’s summer, but if the only food available is the hot line of crappy Chinese or pre-​made sandwiches… Goldilocks is not gonna be a happy camper!)
Finally, Goldilocks came upon the Sustainability Courtyard and it was juuuuuuuust right! Nice atmosphere. Govindas kiosk. No bears.
A $ 5 mini included the following:
Vegetarian curry — A nice mixture of red peppers, cauliflower, potatoes and peas in a thick yellow curry. Totally ono and a hefty serving! Goldilocks could have chosen the vegetarian lasagna, but vegan sounded like a good way to counteract the 3 Bear’s Portuguese sausage and 12-​pack of Miller Light that accidentally worked it’s way into Goldilocks’ belly. Oops ;)
Saffron rice with mustard seeds — Goldilocks loved how the mustard seeds popped in her teeth!
Green salad — Goldilocks got to choose her own dressing and top it with sunflower seeds and raisins. That’s right, free stuff here. 4 dressings to choose from: sunflower soy and the spicy green were pretty good!
Dessert — This was a scoop of something that looked like puke, but given her hair color, Goldilocks ate it anyways!!! And it was GOOD! It seemed to be some kind of sweetened ancient grain like amaranth or something. Nice and light.
The $ 5 mini ain’t so mini. They were not manini with their mini. In fact it was Juuuuuuuuuuuust right!
The moral of the story is eat at Govindas. Its the best bang for your buck on campus. Don’t be like Goldilocks and waste your time trying out other options. Eat healthy under the trees and enjoy the day!
NOTE: Govindas tends to sell out of the good stuffs early (like their veggie burgers). Dessert may not be vegan cuz Goldilocks tasted some buttah, might want to ask! Skip Da Spot cuz they cook with ROTTEN vegetables (I no lie!) Govindas serves in earth friendly containers with biodegradable utensils. You can bring your own plate or Tupperware if you like be more green den dat.

Govinda’s is one of the few healthy & tasty options on campus at UH Manoa. The food here is not only tasty & filling, but also incredibly affordable! Their mini plate is an ample size yet only $ 5, & the daily soups & samosas, as well as the yummy halava are all well under $ 3. Their drinks are also delicious & refreshing.
Note: I believe it is cash only

I liked it! Good food at a fair price. The courtyard is the best part, you can relax between classes.

I eat Govinda’s on UH’s campus every single week! No kidding. It’s my staple lunch already. I love pretty much everything– thai curry, stews, brocolli potato, dumplings, this kofta ball thingys, pastas, etc. I love their halava desserts (its soooo good!), there Berry drink is one of the best drinks ever. Also, there tofu burgers are good too, but I think they are kinda expensive. I do wish they could come up with a few new interesting dishes though, just to change up the menu a bit.
Mini plates are $ 5 with 1 scoop brown rice, about a scoop of the entrée, a small serving of salad greens, and 1 square of the halava dessert.
P. S. I think all there food is organic, local, home-​made, ie: salad dressings are all made in house.