38 Best Korean Restaurants in Honolulu

“Wonderful kind people and great food.“

“Delicious healthy charming garden deck in back. yummy 💖“

“Literally the best chicken, rice, salad, and mac salad I’ve ever had in my entire life, I even got to try kimchi for the first time. If i had to eat something everyday for the rest of my life it would be this and I would still look forward to it. Absolutely no complaints about anything food wise and the guy taking the orders was so nice and friendly.“

“A tiny shack in Waikiki that specializes in Korean food. The place sort of sticks out between the buildings with distinctive emerald-colored exterior. But what's even more distinctive about this spot is the fact that they serve poached eggs with their rice bowl as opposed to typical fried egg, which is very common in Korean rice bowls. I ordered kimchi fried rice, fried dumplings and beef/butter rice to-go. I must say, I was extremely pleased with my selection. My palate can be described as somewhat bland, as I don't like to blast my food with salt. That's what I really liked about this spot, as they helped in keeping my sodium intake on the low side without having to ask about reducing the salt input.

Only downside was the service. The owner can become a little more receptive/welcoming towards the customers and it wouldn't hurt to smile a little more 😊. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a quick Korean-bite in Honolulu!“

“We are visiting Hawaii from Washington DC for fun after retired 6 yrs ago with 6-8 of us pre much all of the world. Every place we go at least every three days we like to eat korean food that why we went Korea Garden .. one of the best Korean food even better than LA or east coast. I am very strongly recommend when you visit to Hawaii,,,Before we leave today we are facing to there now on the way to cruise pier 2 , 주인께서 직접 써빙도 해주시고 감사합니다“

“Food & service were exceptional!“

“We had the squid and beef stir fry and the galbi. If it was socially acceptable to lick the plates, we would have. The meat was so tender and flavorful, each bite better than the last. However, what made it an overall excellent dining experience was the care and warmth of Pia and the staff. We will definitely return!“

“The best Korean on the island hands down!!! First stop when we get off the plane from Georgia!!!“

“One of my favorite places in Downtown to grab a quick lunch. The owners are really sweet and provide quick service. They have the food prepped and out on the counter for easy-grab and go. I love going on Tuesdays and Thursdays because they have Kimchi soup. It is so good and the pork belly in it is so so soft and melts in your mouth. All of the other food are really tasty as well. When we have work potlucks, I always come by here to grab a couple of kimbaps. It always gets devoured. If you are in the area, definitely check them out and support them.“

“Pretty good Korean food, good kalbi and other bbq items, Also many of the plates comes with multiple choices of vegetables and the vegetables are quiet decent too so it feels somewhat healthy which is a plus and the taste has remained pretty consistent. Prices have gone up quite a bit since Covid though.“

“As a Korean (born and raised), I can assure anyone this is the most authentic Korean restaurant in Hawaii. Most of the people who come here are Koreans living in Hawaii that are old enough to recognize the original, authentic dish. Not some fusion, watered down, americanized and overpriced other restaurants that claim they are authentic. I grew up eating lots of country style dish from my grandma and this place is the closest place I could find that has the same style of foods (strong spices, lots of salted banchans, namul, various soup, etc.).“

“Excellent Korean BBQ! It was recommended by a local- great service and delicious food, great quality, decent portions at a decent price! Need reservations by calling restaurant.“

“Excellent food! Tried the Korean, Spicy Garlic and fried chicken bowl. Just make sure you ask if there are peanuts in the sauce if allergic.“

“Helpful tips for foodies:

Manu has maintained a very consistent flavor profile over the years, which is something I really appreciate. They even make their own gochujang sauce — and it’s excellent.

The seafood pancake is my favorite dish. I highly recommend asking for it extra crispy, since this dish can be hit or miss depending on who’s cooking. I’ve noticed the dinner-time cook tends to use more batter, which sometimes makes it soggier with fewer visible vegetables and seafood.

In my experience, lunch and early dinner are the best times to visit. The kitchen doesn’t feel as rushed, and the food seems to be prepared with more care and better balance.

There is definitely a noticeable difference in taste depending on which cook is on duty.“

“10/10 recommend!!! Went there tonight and tried a whole bunch of things. From the bossam, to the budae jjigae, everything was great! Service was fast, atmosphere was very chill and the place was very well kept. Thank you Jagachi for the awesome food and awesome service!“

“This place offers great grab and go or made to order Korean food in the Lanai food court in the Ala Moana Center. Normally, I'm not impressed with mall food and especially ethnic foods in the mall, but this place does a good job. It is a more contemporary take on Korean food, but it tastes great and reasonably priced for being in a mall. Their Bibimbap is my favorite made to order dish. It is packed with lots of the usual goodies and they offer brown rice for an healthy option. You can also get the japji noodles instead which I prefer since it adds more contrast and extra flavors that match well to the mix. The grab and go selection offers a wide selection of Korean favorites. Their triangle Korean flavors musubi are and excellent quick bite if you don't want much, but got a hunger you need to calm. There are both spicy and mild assorted fillings. A real winner in their grab and go selection is the KFC rice bowl. Piece of Korean fried chicken that are sauced up on hot rice. I recommend the spicy. It isn't that spicy, but just the right kick. The dish is small, but very filling. Probably would be good for a hangover.“

“I am Korean, and was looking for some good kimchi. I was told h Mart's kimchi is okay but banton House is best. So I went there and was pleasantly surprised at some of the offerings they had. This is not a sit-in restaurant. It's simply just a grab-and-go grocer. All different kinds of Korean side dishes and wonderful kimchi. The kimchi is amazing and i would recommend it. Parking is a little tight. The owner is super sweet. Lot of Korean people shop here so that means it's authentic and it's good. They sell large quantities of kimchi in a plastic bag so be prepared, you need a container to put it in.“

“Kimchi fry rice is amazing and the poke is fire, definitely on my list of top grinds.“

“I actually wanted to write this review for the Waikiki location, but since it wasn’t on the list, I chose the Kahala one that I’ve also been to before. Either way, their chicken is the best in Hawaii! The restaurant is always clean, the portions are generous for the price, and I think it’s a great value. Whenever I bring it to a potluck, it disappears right away!“

“Great service. Great food. Great atmosphere. Overall a wonderful experience for our first time there“

“Decent food, great for takeout, the combo plate feeds two, especially if you make your own rice. The meat is tasty, the bbq chicken is pretty good, same with the banchan. There’s room for improvement but overall fast service and decent flavor, generous portions. Meat jun and bbq chicken combo is $23.55. It would be nice if they updated their menu and prices online.“

“REAL HOMEMADE Mandoo 😍 delicious and fresh! Highly recommend 💯my korean 🇰🇷 husband love it and me too!! They saved me from cooking lunch today. We will comeback for more 🥟 are amazing 😻 the ladys at the store so friendly and kind.“

“Good Korean food, large portions, quick service. I had meat jun (omelet with beef inside), and the wife had BBQ beef. Both were tasty. The sides are good too; I particularly recommend the cucumber kimchi. This place is best for to-go orders, as the seating is minimal and there are no restrooms.“

“Absolutely incredible and delicious! This is the best Korean BBQ I’ve ever tasted. The sides are all homemade, and Yuna (Yunis) was incredibly helpful and kind. She made sure we were well taken care of and was genuinely friendly and attentive throughout our visit. I highly recommend this place if you’re looking to indulge in truly delicious food! I will always make it a point to stop by when visiting in the area:)“

“A very underrated Korean spot! The owner was incredibly kind and mentioned how nice it was to see my happy family, saying it reminded her of her own kids. I’m not Korean, but the food was clearly made with love and it felt like a Korean grandma had cooked a comforting meal for her grandchildren. The hospitality truly made the experience special.“

“For Korean BBQ this is a nice place and we requested a quiet spot, they gave us a private room which is very nice. We are able to discuss some business ideas in a private space. Meat quality is good, unfortunately they sold out the premium set at 6 pm which is kind of early. Service is good over all. I will come again“

“I found my favorite snack HOTTEOK the ones with seeds, and a new one i will try a mozzarella and cream cheese filling. Also bought some milk tea and random drinks cause I like to try something new when shopping. 4 stars only cause I realized there is a second floor so maybe I'll find more of the bath and body essentials on the next trip. Will update pics of what I bought.“

“We had chicken wings & a garlic chicken plate. Both were great! They gave us a lot of food. I could not finish my plate. The price was very affordable for those doing Hawaii on a budget. Nat was our server and she was super amazing. 10 stars for her!!! I will eat here again.“

“The quality of the meat is perfect. Seriously the best I’ve had on O’ahu. This is my family & I’s go-to Korean bbq restaurant for May years now & for good reason!
I recommend making a reservation for dinner because the seats fill up pretty quickly.
Parking is a bit small but there’s always a couple open when I go.“

“Skip the overpriced AYCE places that represent 1/16 of what Koreans eat and come here. The menu is broad and covers (darn near) everything: jjigaes, mandu kuk, dok mandu kuk, soon toobu, kalbi, etc, etc. This is Korean food that a Korean mom would make, assuming she is a great cook. There is plenty of parking and the prices are great. The service was great, she went out of her way to painstakingly give us directions. Hands down the best meal we had while in Oahu.

Parking: You can either park in front of the restaurant or in the Ala Moana Shopping Center“

“The best Korean fried Chicken on Oahu

I love crispy and snow flavor that's awesome.

Small bar for dine-in for 3 people. By the way, I do

Only take out. If you want to pick up please call to

Order in advance they take 15 minutes to prepare.“

“It was ok. Got a mochiko chicken plate since a lot of people seem to have good things to say about it. It was pretty average. The portion size was decent for the price, but the taste wasn’t very memorable. The sides were as expected, except for the kimchee. It was very watery tasting. I tried my friend’s meat jun and that one tasted pretty good. If I ever return again, I would get the meat jun.“

“Cheaper korean plate lunches but no choice on side veggies, they will give whatever veggies was cooked that day.
Today, I didn't really enjoy the kalbi and BBQ chicken. My partner said the grilled fished tasted fried instead.“

“BEST FRIED CHICKEN IN THE AREA!!!

Korean chicken is the best and I’m so grateful they have this awesome restaurant here.

You can dine in or pickup to go.

If you’re going to Halona cove, stop here, grab a box of delicious chicken and eat it when you go there.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!“

“Very good food. We had a party of 11 people and ordered a large variety of dishes and meats. The service was quick and the food was super delicious. I would love to come back and order raw meats to cook myself at the table. Would recommend.“

“We were seated right away and our food selection was brought out quickly. The servers followed up right on time and made sure we were done. The samurai blue vanilla ice cream was a great way to top off the meal. It is BYOB so plan accordingly!“

“Chicken is very crispy ,light, not too oily and sauce is not strong special taste. So I think this store chicken is veey healthy soul food!“