We had our 1st hawaii meal here. Didn't disappoint. Deep fried musubi is a must try. The Hawaiian combo gave us a taste of local Hawaiian dishes. Definitely worth a visit. Very friendly staffs.
lambert leong
guy tried to sell me a breakfast sandwich that was sitting in a glass case(not refrigerated) for $5!... it was 2pm. be careful what you order because most things are pre made then microwaved to order. yup plastic container and all. One would think the med school would offer healthier food
Carol L.
I agree with Sharon A (scroll down for her review). The food is tasty, but customer service leaves a lot to be desired! I'm at JABSOM twice weekly, so was a potential regular customer. I know lunch service starts at 11, but I was there at 10:57. I asked about lunch bento, which were already packed though not covered. I was told "I'm still writing it (on the whiteboard)" and that I had to wait 10 minutes. I told him my meter was about to expire, but attitude was tough luck. I thanked him and left, went to the food truck outside and bought 2 plates from Cora and Harris. Their plates were simply ono, and customer service spot on. I'm retired from healthcare, and have been thoroughly trained in customer service, which is just as important as clinical competence, so what I've experienced at Da Kitchen more than once turns me off from their food. Bye bye, you guys!
Chelsea S.
Da Kitchen is Da Spot. First time ordering Take Out from here and it was a smooth process. We came to pick up and there is quite a selection in street parking, so that was convenient. Our group ordered the Lasagna, Caesar Salad with Salmon, Da Bento, and To-Go Orange Chicken Bowl. The Lasagna was okay! Really nothing special, but it was pretty good. A little small for us so it was a little unfulfilling. The Caesar Salad with Salmon was filling for my coworkers and had a good amount of salmon pieces, so they really enjoyed that. Da Bento is very filling and very generous in portions. Kalbi is tasty, hamburger steak is yummy, and the sides are very satisfying. I got the To-Go Orange Chicken bowl they offer as a pre-made bowl at the register. It was very good! Tasted like Panda's Express orange chicken but it was very well-portioned and very tasty! Prices are a little higher. But the quality of the food is also high. I appreciated the $5.50 Orange Chicken bowl, for the portions were very good and the taste hit the spot! We can't come here all the time but sometimes you gotta splurge, am I right?! Also, we encountered another customer who ordered through Yelp and their order never went through, so be careful of ordering through Yelp. Your best bet may be to simply call in the order or order directly through their restaurant. It was troubling to hear someone put in an entire order through Yelp and the restaurant never hearing of nor receiving their order. I would definitely come back to try their other menu items, because there are intriguing things I'd love to try. Not the cheapest place to get a meal but it is local, good-quality food made with love and care. Also, the workers are all very nice, and accommodating. You gotta try this place to get some good local food in the area. This is food not trying to be trendy or hipster or anything - real, authentic, homemade food that hits home. It will give you a break from the other "hip" and "trendy" (overpriced) restaurants in the Kaka'ako area.
Sharon A.
Haven't been n here 9n years because of the homeless nearby and forever changing food services. Came here because it la now run by da kitchen. The guy taking orders not friendly at all, meatloaf very salty, I can pass on this the next time. 1 star for the Coke.
Cal A
I ordered the lunch special consisting of short ribs, salad, rice, sweet shredded turnips and carrots.
Lily D.
I was thinking long and hard debating if I should go against the grain, but I technically should be honest. So black sheep I will be for this place! It seemed like this place is all the rave - maybe in Maui? On Oahu it's a little different as it is cafeteria style. I mean it is in the uh medical campus after all. So,if you don't work or go to school around this area then you can do street parking. 50 cents will get you half an hour which is way more than enough for me. Or I guess you could do the park parking lot too? But I heard the area is kinda sketchy so I just did the metered stalls. I originally wanted kalbi and fried rice. When I ordered the uncle behind the register looked at me funny like I was supposed to know it was sold out. Anyway, he eventually explained nicely that it's sold out so kalbi it was. It was about 13$ for a regular and the lid could barely close when I saw people's order coming out. Inside there's a cooler full of ice which is for the patrons of the cafeteria, but I don't know where you would get water as I didn't see any dispenser. The food wasn't all that special to me. It had a bunch of Korean pickles that I didn't care for either. I actually didn't finish the plate and gave it to my dad to eat. Lol. I don't know if I'd be back again. But maybe one day I'll give it another shot.
Glenn T.
First time here. I remembered seeing something on another blog so when I looked it up, there it was. I mentioned it to my coworker and he said they were good since he's gone there in Maui a number of times. That deep fried musubi sounded interesting but when we checked the menu, other stuff sounded better. Had the Teri chicken and Teri beef combo. Coworker had the chicken katsu. We both agreed that it was good and would definitely go back there again. I got the deep fried musubi for my other coworker and she enjoyed it. Think I gotta try that too. Looks big enough for a lunch.
Shelby L.
Deep Fried Spam Musubi!!! That's the only reason I wanted to come here once I found out they opened back up on Oahu! I stalked their Instagram and Yelp but did not see the infamous fried musubi anywhere?! Then, the Frolic article came out saying you can only preorder it. I immediately emailed them inquiring but, hmmm no luck?! I then looked on their online website and at last! I saw it there!! I quickly made my order for pick up the next day! Here's all the deets about the location, the food, and my experience. First off, it's located in UH's Kaka'ako location. I parked at Kaka'ako Park and walked over. The cafeteria has outdoor seating so it's pretty easy to spot the chairs outside. Once inside, the cafeteria is super spacious with lots of seating and rolling chairs. There's a case where the menu and all the ready to eat entrees are. Once at the register, you tell the cashier what you want and he grabs it from the case and microwaves it for a minute or 2 to heat it up! I saw mini chicken katsu curry, pasta, hamburger steak, meatloaf, all for around $7-8! Super reasonable. My order was all ready to go once I got there so I showed the cashier my receipt, grabbed my food and found a seat! Here's what I got: 2 Deep Fried Musubis ($6.50 each): these aren't your normal sized musubis, these were HUGE!! Each musubi is cut into 4 pieces. It's sooo crispy on the outside but the rice is still moist inside. It finished off with some teriyaki sauce and green onions. It was so much I could only eat 3/4 of it! Da Bento ($14.50): this bento was HUGE! It had kalbi, hamburger steak, teriyaki salmon, half of a regular spam musubi, and rice. Everything was super flavorful & juicy! Also didn't come close to finishing. Overall, super clean and nice atmosphere! The cafeteria had lots of glass windows and doors so you could see all the greenery outside, clean tables and comfy chairs. I'd definitely come back but, hours are only Monday-Friday 7:30am-2pm! Booo... I'll have to come back when I get a weekday off!
Rissa K.
This is a hidden gem located inside the UH Medical School in Kakaako. I was always wondering when this restaurant was going to come back to Oahu! This is open to the public too! You can park at the loading zone if you want to order take out. I had to come here today and order their famous deep fried musubi. I'm happy now I don't need to go to Maui to get this!
Stoked to have found this new gem in Kakaako! Tucked away in the John A Burns School of Medicine cafeteria with lots of nice open seating. Tried the Korean braised short ribs (daily special). Super flavorful, tender meat. Full bed of rice to catch all the sauce and another scoop with furikake. Nice green salad, and a Kim chee-like side. Everything was fresh and the flavors were well put together. Very satisfying meal!
Nat S.
Very good food, cooked from the scratch, fresh and delicious. Can find all varieties meats and fish, vegan options and everything is delicious. Located in JABSOM cafeteria with plenty of seats and parking lot nearby. My favorite is Teriyaki Salmo
Tanya Quenko
Tried tofu bowl and it's amazing! I didn't know you can make something that simple so different and extremely delicious! Definitely recommend to try this place out if you get a chance. My only regret is that they don't have Los Angeles location.
Tanya M.
I accidentally found this place and couldn't be happier, finally something in this area that has delicious food and great prices. I tried recommended Kalbi ribs and it was super tasty. It comes with rice and green salad so you get a nice meal with good sides options.
Svetlana D.
Just arrived with my friends for the first time to Hawaii. I was excited to try out local food and decided to visit Da kitchen since my friend have seen this place on a tv show. Personnel was super friendly and food delicious Great Start for our vacation!!!
We had our 1st hawaii meal here. Didn't disappoint. Deep fried musubi is a must try. The Hawaiian combo gave us a taste of local Hawaiian dishes. Definitely worth a visit. Very friendly staffs.
guy tried to sell me a breakfast sandwich that was sitting in a glass case(not refrigerated) for $5!... it was 2pm. be careful what you order because most things are pre made then microwaved to order. yup plastic container and all. One would think the med school would offer healthier food
I agree with Sharon A (scroll down for her review). The food is tasty, but customer service leaves a lot to be desired! I'm at JABSOM twice weekly, so was a potential regular customer. I know lunch service starts at 11, but I was there at 10:57. I asked about lunch bento, which were already packed though not covered. I was told "I'm still writing it (on the whiteboard)" and that I had to wait 10 minutes. I told him my meter was about to expire, but attitude was tough luck. I thanked him and left, went to the food truck outside and bought 2 plates from Cora and Harris. Their plates were simply ono, and customer service spot on. I'm retired from healthcare, and have been thoroughly trained in customer service, which is just as important as clinical competence, so what I've experienced at Da Kitchen more than once turns me off from their food. Bye bye, you guys!
Da Kitchen is Da Spot. First time ordering Take Out from here and it was a smooth process. We came to pick up and there is quite a selection in street parking, so that was convenient. Our group ordered the Lasagna, Caesar Salad with Salmon, Da Bento, and To-Go Orange Chicken Bowl. The Lasagna was okay! Really nothing special, but it was pretty good. A little small for us so it was a little unfulfilling. The Caesar Salad with Salmon was filling for my coworkers and had a good amount of salmon pieces, so they really enjoyed that. Da Bento is very filling and very generous in portions. Kalbi is tasty, hamburger steak is yummy, and the sides are very satisfying. I got the To-Go Orange Chicken bowl they offer as a pre-made bowl at the register. It was very good! Tasted like Panda's Express orange chicken but it was very well-portioned and very tasty! Prices are a little higher. But the quality of the food is also high. I appreciated the $5.50 Orange Chicken bowl, for the portions were very good and the taste hit the spot! We can't come here all the time but sometimes you gotta splurge, am I right?! Also, we encountered another customer who ordered through Yelp and their order never went through, so be careful of ordering through Yelp. Your best bet may be to simply call in the order or order directly through their restaurant. It was troubling to hear someone put in an entire order through Yelp and the restaurant never hearing of nor receiving their order. I would definitely come back to try their other menu items, because there are intriguing things I'd love to try. Not the cheapest place to get a meal but it is local, good-quality food made with love and care. Also, the workers are all very nice, and accommodating. You gotta try this place to get some good local food in the area. This is food not trying to be trendy or hipster or anything - real, authentic, homemade food that hits home. It will give you a break from the other "hip" and "trendy" (overpriced) restaurants in the Kaka'ako area.
Haven't been n here 9n years because of the homeless nearby and forever changing food services. Came here because it la now run by da kitchen. The guy taking orders not friendly at all, meatloaf very salty, I can pass on this the next time. 1 star for the Coke.
I ordered the lunch special consisting of short ribs, salad, rice, sweet shredded turnips and carrots.
I was thinking long and hard debating if I should go against the grain, but I technically should be honest. So black sheep I will be for this place! It seemed like this place is all the rave - maybe in Maui? On Oahu it's a little different as it is cafeteria style. I mean it is in the uh medical campus after all. So,if you don't work or go to school around this area then you can do street parking. 50 cents will get you half an hour which is way more than enough for me. Or I guess you could do the park parking lot too? But I heard the area is kinda sketchy so I just did the metered stalls. I originally wanted kalbi and fried rice. When I ordered the uncle behind the register looked at me funny like I was supposed to know it was sold out. Anyway, he eventually explained nicely that it's sold out so kalbi it was. It was about 13$ for a regular and the lid could barely close when I saw people's order coming out. Inside there's a cooler full of ice which is for the patrons of the cafeteria, but I don't know where you would get water as I didn't see any dispenser. The food wasn't all that special to me. It had a bunch of Korean pickles that I didn't care for either. I actually didn't finish the plate and gave it to my dad to eat. Lol. I don't know if I'd be back again. But maybe one day I'll give it another shot.
First time here. I remembered seeing something on another blog so when I looked it up, there it was. I mentioned it to my coworker and he said they were good since he's gone there in Maui a number of times. That deep fried musubi sounded interesting but when we checked the menu, other stuff sounded better. Had the Teri chicken and Teri beef combo. Coworker had the chicken katsu. We both agreed that it was good and would definitely go back there again. I got the deep fried musubi for my other coworker and she enjoyed it. Think I gotta try that too. Looks big enough for a lunch.
Deep Fried Spam Musubi!!! That's the only reason I wanted to come here once I found out they opened back up on Oahu! I stalked their Instagram and Yelp but did not see the infamous fried musubi anywhere?! Then, the Frolic article came out saying you can only preorder it. I immediately emailed them inquiring but, hmmm no luck?! I then looked on their online website and at last! I saw it there!! I quickly made my order for pick up the next day! Here's all the deets about the location, the food, and my experience. First off, it's located in UH's Kaka'ako location. I parked at Kaka'ako Park and walked over. The cafeteria has outdoor seating so it's pretty easy to spot the chairs outside. Once inside, the cafeteria is super spacious with lots of seating and rolling chairs. There's a case where the menu and all the ready to eat entrees are. Once at the register, you tell the cashier what you want and he grabs it from the case and microwaves it for a minute or 2 to heat it up! I saw mini chicken katsu curry, pasta, hamburger steak, meatloaf, all for around $7-8! Super reasonable. My order was all ready to go once I got there so I showed the cashier my receipt, grabbed my food and found a seat! Here's what I got: 2 Deep Fried Musubis ($6.50 each): these aren't your normal sized musubis, these were HUGE!! Each musubi is cut into 4 pieces. It's sooo crispy on the outside but the rice is still moist inside. It finished off with some teriyaki sauce and green onions. It was so much I could only eat 3/4 of it! Da Bento ($14.50): this bento was HUGE! It had kalbi, hamburger steak, teriyaki salmon, half of a regular spam musubi, and rice. Everything was super flavorful & juicy! Also didn't come close to finishing. Overall, super clean and nice atmosphere! The cafeteria had lots of glass windows and doors so you could see all the greenery outside, clean tables and comfy chairs. I'd definitely come back but, hours are only Monday-Friday 7:30am-2pm! Booo... I'll have to come back when I get a weekday off!
This is a hidden gem located inside the UH Medical School in Kakaako. I was always wondering when this restaurant was going to come back to Oahu! This is open to the public too! You can park at the loading zone if you want to order take out. I had to come here today and order their famous deep fried musubi. I'm happy now I don't need to go to Maui to get this!
Restaurantji Recommends
Stoked to have found this new gem in Kakaako! Tucked away in the John A Burns School of Medicine cafeteria with lots of nice open seating. Tried the Korean braised short ribs (daily special). Super flavorful, tender meat. Full bed of rice to catch all the sauce and another scoop with furikake. Nice green salad, and a Kim chee-like side. Everything was fresh and the flavors were well put together. Very satisfying meal!
Very good food, cooked from the scratch, fresh and delicious. Can find all varieties meats and fish, vegan options and everything is delicious. Located in JABSOM cafeteria with plenty of seats and parking lot nearby. My favorite is Teriyaki Salmo
Tried tofu bowl and it's amazing! I didn't know you can make something that simple so different and extremely delicious! Definitely recommend to try this place out if you get a chance. My only regret is that they don't have Los Angeles location.
I accidentally found this place and couldn't be happier, finally something in this area that has delicious food and great prices. I tried recommended Kalbi ribs and it was super tasty. It comes with rice and green salad so you get a nice meal with good sides options.
Just arrived with my friends for the first time to Hawaii. I was excited to try out local food and decided to visit Da kitchen since my friend have seen this place on a tv show. Personnel was super friendly and food delicious Great Start for our vacation!!!