Mad Pie is the kind of neighborhood pizza shop that makes you wonder how a place behind a health-food store ended up slinging some of the most talked-about slices in Honolulu.
This Kakaʻako sourdough slice shop turns out big, East Coast–style pies with naturally leavened dough, lots of char, and toppings that bounce between classic red-sauce comfort and fun, Hawaii-backed specials. 🍕
Why Pizza Nerds Keep Saying Mad Pie Might Be The Best Slice In Hawaii
Owner James Orlando is a self-described “pizza sociopath” who spent years slinging wood-fired pies around Oʻahu before settling into this brick-and-mortar at 516 Keawe Street in Kakaʻako, tucked behind Down to Earth in the old HICraft Kitchen space, with Honolulu Magazine calling it one of the city’s most exciting new pizza projects.
The dough behind all of it has been evolving for more than a decade, naturally leavened, long-fermented, crisp on the bottom, chewy in the middle, and charred enough that pizza hunters who’ve made the trip keep talking about the “perfect cook and crisp undercarriage” as much as they talk about the toppings.
The shop brands itself as “Kakaʻako’s new friendly neighborhood pizza shop,” and the menu backs that up: whole 18-inch pies, big slices at lunch, Italian and Caesar salads, ranch flights, and house-made cookies and cannoli from pastry chef Samantha Fannon.
Mad Pie leans into East Coast–style, naturally leavened sourdough pizza, big pies, big slices, and toppings that range from straight-ahead pepperoni to mushroom béchamel and Buffalo Chicken Ranch, giving it enough range to hit both the “I just want a good slice” crowd and the “I drove here specifically for this pizza” crowd.
At lunch, they run a slice-and-salad combo, big slice plus Caesar or Italian and a drink, that makes it easy for office workers and locals to treat the place as a weekday habit rather than just a night-time splurge.
Food writers and local reviewers have already started calling it a contender for “best pizza in Hawaii,” with folks comparing the crisp, charred undercarriage and topping balance to slices they’ve chased in New York and beyond.
Add in validated parking behind Down to Earth and a bright, casual room, and you get a spot that’s very easy to slide into regular rotation.
Food Highlights
- Pepperoni Playboy: Tomato sauce, whole-milk mozzarella, fresh mozzarella, and roni cups that crisp around the edges and pool with just the right bit of fat make this pie the one that tells you whether a shop has its base game dialed in — and Mad Pie’s answer is a hard yes.
- Fungo Mushroom Pie: Mushroom béchamel, whole-milk and fresh mozzarella, ricotta, braised local mushrooms, and parsley come together in this pie that video reviewers keep scoring over 9 out of 10 for the way the creamy base plays against the sourdough crust. 🍄
- Buffalo Chicken Ranch: Buffalo sauce instead of tomato, fresh and whole-milk mozzarella, roast chicken, red onion, and house buttermilk ranch drizzle make this pie “the perfect buffalo wing on a pizza crust,” scoring it even higher than the Fungo for the way the spicy-creamy mix works with the charred bottom. 🌶️
- Melrose Ave. (Vegan): Tomato sauce, local greens, basil, mushrooms, tomatoes, marinated zucchini, and house cashew cheese come together in this fully plant-based pie that even non-veg guests mention as a surprisingly satisfying option when they want something lighter but still want that sourdough crust experience.
- Italian Salad: Maʻo “sassy” greens with creamy Italian vinaigrette, fresh mozzarella, cannellini beans, red onion, peperoncino, soppressata, and kalamata olives make this salad the best way to pretend you’re being virtuous while still housing a big slice of pepperoni or Fungo alongside it.
- Cannoli Couple: One traditional and one ube-flavored cannoli with crisp shells and sweet, creamy centers make this dessert duo the reason people linger instead of bouncing right after their last slice, with reviewers calling them “crisp, delicious, and not too sweet.” 🍮
Atmosphere
Mad Pie’s space is small but lively, with a counter, a few tables, and an open view of the oven and crew shaping dough and sliding pies in and out.
It sits in the Keawe Street corridor behind Down to Earth in Kakaʻako, a pocket that feels like a mini neighborhood within the neighborhood, with people wandering in from nearby condos, offices, and shops.
Inside, it’s casual and bright with the kind of energy you expect from a slice shop: people grabbing a quick lunch combo, families splitting a whole pie, and pizza nerds clearly there to work through every specialty on the menu.
Validated parking and a simple counter-service flow keep it low-stress, so the focus stays on the pies, the salads, and the cannoli instead of logistics.
Bottom Line
Mad Pie is the Honolulu pizza shop you hit when you want sourdough, East Coast–style slices with real char, thoughtful toppings, and desserts that make you seriously consider ordering “just one more thing.”
Whether you’re chasing pepperoni, mushroom béchamel, Buffalo Chicken Ranch, vegan pies, or ube cannoli, this Kakaʻako neighborhood spot makes a strong case for being Hawaii’s new must-visit pizzeria.
Address:
516 Keawe St, Unit D, Honolulu, HI 96813
📞 +1 808-888‑5252
🕔 Open Tue–Thu & Sun, 11 AM–8 PM; Fri–Sat, 11 AM–9 PM (Closed Mon)