CONTRIBUTED BY KELLYERACE
Have you gone to the Cactus Eatrip bagel shop on 58? If you haven’t, you’ve gotta hustle on down because there is some yummy, chewy, bagel-y goodness to be had. Actually, I should be getting down on my knees in thanks to Melissa for giving me a heads up about this joint. It took me a while to finally make it there, but after I did, I came back like three times that very week.
My favorite item at Cactus Eatrip is the avocado-tomato-lettuce-cream cheese sandwich made on their very own fresh-baked basil bagel. It’s a messy affair; always the sign of excellence in a sandwich. And while I pretty much always order the same thing, I have sampled a few other menu items off of friends’ plates and been impressed enough to consider straying from my avocado tomato loyalty. The roasted chicken bagel sandwich was quite scrumptious. As is the bacon one, a BLT, I think, built around a thick Canadian bacon-like slab of meat. Good stuff. If you are a major avocado lover like me, no worries, you can add it onto any of the sandwiches.
In addition to bagel sandwiches there’s a whole mess of caffeinated beverage options, to include both coffee and tea. I even had mate once, just to give myself a dose of South America. But usually I stick to plain old java.
Seating tip: The beat-up armchairs in the back are most comfy! (Although, if you see a blond chick walk in and glare at you resentfully for actually sitting in one of them – that’s probably me…Feel free to make way!)
After you order your bagel, kick up your feet and check out the hipness of your surroundings. And be prepared to kick up your feet for quite a long time too, ’cause at Cactus Eatrip, they take their sweet ‘ole time creating perfection. Bring a snack or bring a friend, or use your wait to ponder the strange anatomy of the plastic penguin hanging from the ceiling. Or perhaps the stained glass deer-head sculpture near the cash register. It’s worth a gander. Or the guy who works there. He is Japanese and has green eyes. Which, you know, is quite hot. Don’t stare too long though, ’cause his wife works there too. They’re both from mainland Japan and just set up shop here a few months ago. My stomach and I hope they are very very successful and never ever go out of business…
When you’ve had your fill of bagel, go ahead and pick up a few for the road. Flavors include:
basil, pepper, salt, cheese-curry, blueberry, the intriguing OREO flavor, and a couple of other ones that I forget. Oh, and plain.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Wednesdays
Phone: 098-890-6601
Address: 3 Chome-3-7 Oyama, Ginowan
Google Maps Coordinates: 26.2840505607, 127.753749288
Directions:
- You’re on 58 going South (most of you, I imagine)
- You pass Camp Foster
- You go through the HWY 81 intersection (that’s the House of 66 Cents road)
- Right after the 81 intersection keep an eye out for two things a) that bright orange Leon Eri Dance Studio on your right and b) a right hand turn arrow
- At the right hand turn arrow (that’s the 1st one after the intersection/Leon Eri) MAKE A U-TURN.
- Keep an eye out on your left for a sign with a cartoon bagel on it. That’s Cactus Eatrip. It’s after the dance studio.
- If you miss it (I did the first time), do another U-turn and try again.
Parking Note: The parking sucks. I think there are only two spaces, so you might find that they ask for your car keys and do a little fancy valet maneuvering to accommodate other customers. Besides being embarrassed that my car is so dirty, I’ve never had a problem with this.
Website: https://cactus-eatrip.jp
Good bagels. Slow service. Horrible parking! I would only go in weekends when not pressed for time during lunch hour.
PASTE THE BELOW
“Japan, Okinawa Prefecture, Ginowan, Oyama, 3丁目3−7”
INTO GOOGLE MAPS AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE THE STREET VIEW FUNCTION, NAVIGATE FROM THERE. THE BUILDING IS DARK PINK, I GUESS THEY PAINTED IT SINCE THE PICTURE ABOVE WAS POSTED AND PARKING IS BAD ANYWHERE YOU GO THESE DAYS. MAKE SURE YOU PARK IN FRONT OF OR TO THE LEFT AS YOU LOOK AT THE FRONT OF THE STORE, ALL OTHER PARKING BELONGS TO THE OTHER STORE’S.
Went on a Saturday around 9 AM and didn’t get food until 11:30. I only wish they could get food out faster but one dude runs the cash register while the other one is mixing dough and assisting with parking the cars outside. There was only one other table of people and one take out order. The bagels were good once we got them but, you have to be kidding me on the wait.
They have a new smaller location on the American Village end of Sunabe sea wall. The menu is more limited, but the bagels are just as good. Yummy humus and you can still add Avacado to anything. They also have coffee. Very nice for a to-go bagel and a stroll along the sea wall.
Definitely should have thought of Golden Week! I’ll give them a try next week when things settle down! Thanks
Is this place still open? Tried to go for lunch today (monday) during the hours they are supposed to be open and it was closed.
Today is a Japanese holiday, so a lot of places are closed today. 🙂
Correction the sign they post on their doors says their ours are for 9am to 5pm closed wednesdays
Hours* from*
Thanks Dom! I updated the post to reflect the changed hours.
Islandmanager, can you update the post one more time, the hours are from 9am-5pm everyday except Wednesdays. On the post, it still says 11am. Thank you!!
Whoops! Apparently it didn’t save the first time around. It’s updated now. Thanks Kris!
Just tried this place last week and now I’ve been three times. I love it! I was afraid I’d never get a good bagel here in Oki, and now I am so happy. Best bagels ever. I get a plain bagel with smoked salmon, cream cheese, and avocado with a tall glass of mango juice on the side. The place is great. Sometimes the food takes a while, but who cares. It’s fresh and delicious. I will be frequenting this place for the rest of my time here in Okinawa, I highly recommend it. I LOVE IT!
Loooove this place! Just got back from trying it (seeing as I have been craving bagels for over a month now). I had the cranberry bagel with rum raisin cream cheese and my hub had a cheese, salmon, egg, and bacon sandwich on a cheese curry bagel. We loved it!
The prices were great too! The cream cheese is 250 yen for regular, and 300 yen for flavors. The bagels are 180 – 200 yen. The sandwich was about 400 yen, as our total order was 780 yen.
We also bought some chocolate chip cookies they had for sale. 150 yen a piece and they were big cookies!
We plan to try some of the drinks, as I saw an interesting looking rosemary tea on the menu.
The official posted hours on the door were 9am – 5pm, closed on Wednesdays.
Love Cactus Eatrip! The Oreo bagel with raspberry cream cheese is my guilty pleasure. Their hummus is great, and the sundried tomato & garlic herb is to die for! Yum!
As of my last trip there (Saturday morning) their posted hours are 9-5, closed Wednesday.
Try the black pepper bagel – it’s subtle and delicious.
Go left out the Kitamae gate (as Joelle said), go through the Isa intersection (3rd light?) then make a u-turn at the next light. Cactus Eatrip will be on the left just before you get back to the Isa light.
Is there a little better directions like which gate out of camp foster to turn out of? Some of us do not know the roads at all so any pointers would help. Thanks
Katie, I just dropped a pin for you on the map. Hope that helps. But you would turn left out of the Commissary gate on Foster. It’s very close to there.
Went about 2 weeks ago & will be going back today. The banana caramel smoothie is SOOOO good!
STILL OPEN and SOOOO amazing. Checked this out today with some girlfriends and I’m totally in love :] It’s a bit tucked away off 58 so a little hard to find if you’re not looking for the sign.
I heard they closed down. Does anyone know for sure?
I forgot I had this, but if you are interested, I had once upon a time posted a photo of their menu on my flickr account. Click “All Sizes” above the photo to see a larger size, if you can’t make out the regular size. The bagels and sandwiches are yummy!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32015022@N04/3709290387/
We tried this place over the weekend – and it was amazing! I’d like to clarify though, they are not open 11 am to 11 pm. The sign and menu say 1100-2100, so they’re open until 9 pm.
They have painted the outside of the building EggPlant for easier identification!
OMG. Seriously good bagels. I got the curry cheese bagel with hummus and vegs. Delightful. Funky little place. A must eat for bagel lovers!
My youngest fell asleep on the way there and I laid him out on their wonderful cushion bench and he slept through our whole meal. My older one had mango juice and a cinnamon raisin bagel with blueberry cream cheese. He was in heaven! After, I have to admit there was a bit of running around by the 3 year old and it seemed to be fine. I would say reasonably kid friendly, though I don’t remember seeing any highchairs.
Was it kid friendly? I wanted to go but was afraid to bring the girls with me.
So I posted my first comment back in NOVEMBER and I finally ate there today!! Where does the time go?? Actually, I’ve tried to go 3 other times, but always manage to be there before noon or on a Wednesday… again and again… sigh.
ANYWAYS, but JUST as described. Fantastic interior, fantasitc bagels, fantastic toppings… just fantastic. WHEW. 🙂
Kids got to watch as the bagels were being made. Neato.
Good thing I brought some home.
Ohhh…didn’t know about the espresso drinks. Muy interesante. Thanks for the heads up!
By the way, the espresso drinks ROCK. I had one of the best lattes I’ve had on the island at Eatrip – bagels are great, I want them to make MORE so I can take them home.
Good call, Kelly!
Wow! Yummy! I read this post this morning and my lunch buddy Janet and I HAD to try it. See, we follow all these restaurant recommendations and try them all the time. So we went this afternoon and it was really, really good. I had the smoked salmon w/ cream cheese and scrambled egg on a plain bagel, and she had the roast chicken on a tomato basil bagel and then she took home a cranberry, blueberry and another tomato basil bagel. I have to tell you, we snarfed these down fast. Another great recommendation!
Gotta say how much we loved this place! We went last Saturday. I now can’t stop thinking about the tomato/basil bagel. I have to get my hands on some more of those. Thanks so much for recommending!
Aviva, stay straight on the main 58 (not the Uniqlo way). It’s not far after Foster. Bambi, good luck finding it! I believe in you, you can do it! (PS – you make bagels? Much admiration.) Hope it’s worth the trek, y’all!
Melissa- What else have you been hiding from us? I am so excited that there is somewhere on island to buy these! I can make plain egg bagels, but looooove blueberry bagels!!!
Thanks for sharing. Hope I can find it!!!
Do you take the main 58 (to the left) or the split to the right past Uniqlo?
OK – LOVE you for this, btw. BAAAAAGELS!
Oops. Forgot this most needed info.
Hours are: 11am to 11pm
Wednesdays closed.
Enjoy!
I am a bagel lover and your favorite sandwich sounds like it would be mine too….I can’t wait to drag a friend out to try it…any recommendation on what the best times to go are and what the hours are?
Drooling here. Had NO idea there were real bagels less than 9k miles away! EXCITED!
Where on 58 is it? I can’t remember from when you told me forever ago.