Authentic Taiwanese food. Great family run business with reasonable prices
Erica Conway
Great food, friendly staff, would highly recommend! Best 飯糰 (rice roll) I've had in the U.S.! I will eat here every time I'm in Honolulu!
Nadine C.
Taiwanese cuisine in Honolulu, Hawaii... A while back, my friend, Rissa, told me about this place at Cultural Plaza in Chinatown. I was actually going to a different restaurant, but they're closed every Sunday. Wandering around, I walked along the canal and found Old K C Kitchen between Royal Kitchen and Hong Kong Noodle Shop. The door facing the canal didn't look like it worked, so, I walked around to the Open Market, went inside, and found another door to Old KC Kitchen. ATMOSPHERE: like a hole in the wall diner SERVICE: cheerful and efficient. The young lady pointed out the self service water (with lemon wedges) and hot tea dispensers FOOD: the menu was near the cash register. I ordered at the counter and stated that I don't want anything spicy. I was reassured that the Beef Noodle Soup wasn't spicy. I also ordered Potstickers. When the Beef Noodle Soup arrived at my table, I could see the flecks of chili pepper. I took a couple of bites until it hit me. Yes - it was spicy for me. However, the noodles were thick and enjoyably chewy. The thinly sliced beef was just okay. The potstickers were outstanding - especially with the garlic-vinegar- shoyu dipping sauce! Yum! After I finished off the potstickers, I took a few more bites of the noodles until I couldn't handle anymore... LOL! I would return again for other menu items! Onion pancake, wonton soup, and soybean milk sound good! Note: street parking is free on Sundays and Holidays. Covered parking at the Open Market is free with validation for the first half hour - enter from Kukui Street.
Randy F.
Taiwanese Food in Paradise?We definitely wanted to make a stop in Oahu’s Chinatown and a weekend breakfast presented the perfect opportunityRather than Chinese food like won ton or rice porridge that the SF Bay Area does fairly well, we decided to hit a cuisine not well represented in the Bay: Taiwanese breakfastOld K C Kitchen serves all the classics including salty and sweet soybean milk, fresh fried Chinese donuts and sticky rice fantuan that all hit the spotThe restaurant couple have also carved out a niche serving smoked duck and smoked chicken that is super popular and which accounts for much of their takeout business (besides the popular Chinese fried donuts that sold out)? Smoked Duo on Rice $12.50 / Salty Soybean Milk Sticky $5 / Rice Roll $3 / Bread Stick $3 / Boiled Seasonal Vegetable $8?Old K C Kitchen (Chinatown, HI)
Randy F.
Taiwanese Food in Paradise? We definitely wanted to make a stop in Oahu's Chinatown and a weekend breakfast presented the perfect opportunity Rather than Chinese food like won ton or rice porridge that the SF Bay Area does fairly well, we decided to hit a cuisine not well represented in the Bay: Taiwanese breakfast Old K C Kitchen serves all the classics including salty and sweet soybean milk, fresh fried Chinese donuts and sticky rice fantuan that all hit the spot . The restaurant couple have also carved out a niche serving smoked duck and smoked chicken that is super popular and which accounts for much of their takeout business (besides the popular Chinese fried donuts that sold out) Smoked Duo on Rice $12.50 / Salty Soybean Milk Sticky $5 / Rice Roll $3 / Bread Stick $3 / Boiled Seasonal Vegetable $8 Old K C Kitchen (Chinatown, HI) Old K C Kitchen accepts credit cards including AmEx and has indoor dining only.
Cindy L.
I ordered chop pork on rice and garlic shrimp on the rice,it's tasty and the serving size just enough to me,I think I will go back for trying some others,it's great to have some good Taiwanese food near me!!
Stephanie L.
I have never dined in but my mom regularly picks up tea-smoked chicken for dinner from here. The chicken is so soft and flavorful, always a hit with the family and definitely a must-try in my book!! One of these days, I'll have to try their other foods as well.
Mr C.
I happened to get there early and gotten a sneak peak of what goes down in the kitchen. Not sure if the guy is owner or not, but he was rubbing his nose with bare hands and working on the food. Most of these places dont practice health guidelines. Place looked extremely dirty, who knows what else he does inside kitchen during prep.. most likely sneezing , no hand washing Disappointed My friends decided give it a try still. They told me they werent impressed. The people that worked there arent Taiwanese, they spoke cantonese. Wouldnt waste my time on this fake Tw dirty shop
Human R.
What's going on with the bad attitude? Is it because this Cantonese owner knows he's the only one with tw breakfast? Anyways bad service caused us to eat at a better place next door Lee ho cook and sandys cafe way better quality in terms of everything!
Authentic and delicious food. Friendly service in a neighborhood atmosphere!
Jonathan W.
We enjoyed Old K C so much that we went 3 times during our 9 day stay on Oahu. We are from Dallas and don't have much access to good Taiwanese food, so we really appreciated this place. We ordered a lot of different dishes and enjoined all of them. Some favorites were the green onion pancakes, beef noodle soup, garlic wontons, mapo tofu rice, and fan tuan. It's a small hole in the wall place but not too packed so seating wasn't ever a problem for our family, which was a nice change of pace compared to all the long waits for Waikiki restaurants.
Kat Y.
5/5 stars for food, 2/5 stars for cleanliness. First off, food was great! I haven't had an authentic Taiwanese breakfast in forever, and I can say this place definitely hit the spot. I ordered an assortment of traditional Taiwanese breakfast items and I have no complaints. Flavor was authentic and spot-on! The workers were nice and friendly. The only reason I don't think I'll be returning anytime soon is the several incidents of questionable cleanliness I witnessed within the ~10 mins I was in there to pick up my takeout order. I've read some other reviews about how this place is not the cleanest. To an extent, I understand - this is a small hole-in-the-wall spot and you go for the food, not the atmosphere. However, there were several things I witnessed that I couldn't really get past. When I entered to ask to place a takeout order, the man behind the counter was doing something with the food behind the counter without a mask on, and when we asked to place a takeout order, he didn't put his mask back on while talking to us at first, but eventually put it back on. I was a little uneasy since I am definitely not used to interacting with strangers without a mask yet, and he was also handling food. Then, when I went back to pick up the order, most of the items were not ready yet, so I witnessed all of the food being packaged. The worker packing the food was talking to a different customer at the same time, handling that customer's cash and placing the cash on the same surface that my food was being prepared on. She then proceeded to handle my food (which wasn't completely sealed/packaged) without washing or sanitizing her hands at all. The worker also asked the other customer to help her open the bottle for the soymilk that I had ordered. The customer reached over the counter and opened the bottle, which she then used to fill my cup of soymilk, again without cleaning hands. Under normal circumstances, this might not be that noteworthy, but during COVID times, witnessing all of this made me slightly lose my appetite. I get that this place is a small, hole-in-the-wall business. I love supporting these types of places, but I have to admit I felt a little uncomfortable seeing the lack of attention towards cleanliness, especially knowing that many other establishments have been following a long list of COVID precautions. I would love to return for the food some time in the future, but maybe not until after COVID.
Yisha B.
Legit one of the best spots we hit so far on this trip - absolutely delicious and authentic food and some of the best smoked chicken I've ever had. Also they make their hot sauce in house and it's made fresh, you can taste the difference, AND it actually has a kick. We loved everything we ordered, I don't think they can make anything bad. Makes me wish I lived here. The smoked duck noodle soup gave me life and is exactly what I wish I could have every time I've had a hangover.
Joanne E.
If you like juicy duck, their smoked duck is the best! Super juicy and tasty, with a light smoky flavor. I buy the whole duck because half is devoured during the drive home! Haha. Their Jung is also good, and their chive pancakes a perfect accompaniment for the duck. Their noodles are also good, I'd like to try more of their dishes soon!
Delicious food. Smoke duck, gyoza, noodle, pig ears & steam vegetables. Everything was ono.
Authentic Taiwanese food. Great family run business with reasonable prices
Great food, friendly staff, would highly recommend! Best 飯糰 (rice roll) I've had in the U.S.! I will eat here every time I'm in Honolulu!
Taiwanese cuisine in Honolulu, Hawaii... A while back, my friend, Rissa, told me about this place at Cultural Plaza in Chinatown. I was actually going to a different restaurant, but they're closed every Sunday. Wandering around, I walked along the canal and found Old K C Kitchen between Royal Kitchen and Hong Kong Noodle Shop. The door facing the canal didn't look like it worked, so, I walked around to the Open Market, went inside, and found another door to Old KC Kitchen. ATMOSPHERE: like a hole in the wall diner SERVICE: cheerful and efficient. The young lady pointed out the self service water (with lemon wedges) and hot tea dispensers FOOD: the menu was near the cash register. I ordered at the counter and stated that I don't want anything spicy. I was reassured that the Beef Noodle Soup wasn't spicy. I also ordered Potstickers. When the Beef Noodle Soup arrived at my table, I could see the flecks of chili pepper. I took a couple of bites until it hit me. Yes - it was spicy for me. However, the noodles were thick and enjoyably chewy. The thinly sliced beef was just okay. The potstickers were outstanding - especially with the garlic-vinegar- shoyu dipping sauce! Yum! After I finished off the potstickers, I took a few more bites of the noodles until I couldn't handle anymore... LOL! I would return again for other menu items! Onion pancake, wonton soup, and soybean milk sound good! Note: street parking is free on Sundays and Holidays. Covered parking at the Open Market is free with validation for the first half hour - enter from Kukui Street.
Taiwanese Food in Paradise?We definitely wanted to make a stop in Oahu’s Chinatown and a weekend breakfast presented the perfect opportunityRather than Chinese food like won ton or rice porridge that the SF Bay Area does fairly well, we decided to hit a cuisine not well represented in the Bay: Taiwanese breakfastOld K C Kitchen serves all the classics including salty and sweet soybean milk, fresh fried Chinese donuts and sticky rice fantuan that all hit the spotThe restaurant couple have also carved out a niche serving smoked duck and smoked chicken that is super popular and which accounts for much of their takeout business (besides the popular Chinese fried donuts that sold out)? Smoked Duo on Rice $12.50 / Salty Soybean Milk Sticky $5 / Rice Roll $3 / Bread Stick $3 / Boiled Seasonal Vegetable $8?Old K C Kitchen (Chinatown, HI)
Taiwanese Food in Paradise? We definitely wanted to make a stop in Oahu's Chinatown and a weekend breakfast presented the perfect opportunity Rather than Chinese food like won ton or rice porridge that the SF Bay Area does fairly well, we decided to hit a cuisine not well represented in the Bay: Taiwanese breakfast Old K C Kitchen serves all the classics including salty and sweet soybean milk, fresh fried Chinese donuts and sticky rice fantuan that all hit the spot . The restaurant couple have also carved out a niche serving smoked duck and smoked chicken that is super popular and which accounts for much of their takeout business (besides the popular Chinese fried donuts that sold out) Smoked Duo on Rice $12.50 / Salty Soybean Milk Sticky $5 / Rice Roll $3 / Bread Stick $3 / Boiled Seasonal Vegetable $8 Old K C Kitchen (Chinatown, HI) Old K C Kitchen accepts credit cards including AmEx and has indoor dining only.
I ordered chop pork on rice and garlic shrimp on the rice,it's tasty and the serving size just enough to me,I think I will go back for trying some others,it's great to have some good Taiwanese food near me!!
I have never dined in but my mom regularly picks up tea-smoked chicken for dinner from here. The chicken is so soft and flavorful, always a hit with the family and definitely a must-try in my book!! One of these days, I'll have to try their other foods as well.
I happened to get there early and gotten a sneak peak of what goes down in the kitchen. Not sure if the guy is owner or not, but he was rubbing his nose with bare hands and working on the food. Most of these places dont practice health guidelines. Place looked extremely dirty, who knows what else he does inside kitchen during prep.. most likely sneezing , no hand washing Disappointed My friends decided give it a try still. They told me they werent impressed. The people that worked there arent Taiwanese, they spoke cantonese. Wouldnt waste my time on this fake Tw dirty shop
What's going on with the bad attitude? Is it because this Cantonese owner knows he's the only one with tw breakfast? Anyways bad service caused us to eat at a better place next door Lee ho cook and sandys cafe way better quality in terms of everything!
Restaurantji Recommends
Authentic and delicious food. Friendly service in a neighborhood atmosphere!
We enjoyed Old K C so much that we went 3 times during our 9 day stay on Oahu. We are from Dallas and don't have much access to good Taiwanese food, so we really appreciated this place. We ordered a lot of different dishes and enjoined all of them. Some favorites were the green onion pancakes, beef noodle soup, garlic wontons, mapo tofu rice, and fan tuan. It's a small hole in the wall place but not too packed so seating wasn't ever a problem for our family, which was a nice change of pace compared to all the long waits for Waikiki restaurants.
5/5 stars for food, 2/5 stars for cleanliness. First off, food was great! I haven't had an authentic Taiwanese breakfast in forever, and I can say this place definitely hit the spot. I ordered an assortment of traditional Taiwanese breakfast items and I have no complaints. Flavor was authentic and spot-on! The workers were nice and friendly. The only reason I don't think I'll be returning anytime soon is the several incidents of questionable cleanliness I witnessed within the ~10 mins I was in there to pick up my takeout order. I've read some other reviews about how this place is not the cleanest. To an extent, I understand - this is a small hole-in-the-wall spot and you go for the food, not the atmosphere. However, there were several things I witnessed that I couldn't really get past. When I entered to ask to place a takeout order, the man behind the counter was doing something with the food behind the counter without a mask on, and when we asked to place a takeout order, he didn't put his mask back on while talking to us at first, but eventually put it back on. I was a little uneasy since I am definitely not used to interacting with strangers without a mask yet, and he was also handling food. Then, when I went back to pick up the order, most of the items were not ready yet, so I witnessed all of the food being packaged. The worker packing the food was talking to a different customer at the same time, handling that customer's cash and placing the cash on the same surface that my food was being prepared on. She then proceeded to handle my food (which wasn't completely sealed/packaged) without washing or sanitizing her hands at all. The worker also asked the other customer to help her open the bottle for the soymilk that I had ordered. The customer reached over the counter and opened the bottle, which she then used to fill my cup of soymilk, again without cleaning hands. Under normal circumstances, this might not be that noteworthy, but during COVID times, witnessing all of this made me slightly lose my appetite. I get that this place is a small, hole-in-the-wall business. I love supporting these types of places, but I have to admit I felt a little uncomfortable seeing the lack of attention towards cleanliness, especially knowing that many other establishments have been following a long list of COVID precautions. I would love to return for the food some time in the future, but maybe not until after COVID.
Legit one of the best spots we hit so far on this trip - absolutely delicious and authentic food and some of the best smoked chicken I've ever had. Also they make their hot sauce in house and it's made fresh, you can taste the difference, AND it actually has a kick. We loved everything we ordered, I don't think they can make anything bad. Makes me wish I lived here. The smoked duck noodle soup gave me life and is exactly what I wish I could have every time I've had a hangover.
If you like juicy duck, their smoked duck is the best! Super juicy and tasty, with a light smoky flavor. I buy the whole duck because half is devoured during the drive home! Haha. Their Jung is also good, and their chive pancakes a perfect accompaniment for the duck. Their noodles are also good, I'd like to try more of their dishes soon!