Jin Joo Korean Restaurant
Waimalu Shopping Centre,98-020 Kamehameha Hwy, Aiea, HI, 96701
Jin Joo Korean Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Aiea for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
Waimalu Shopping Centre,98-020 Kamehameha Hwy
Aiea, HI, 96701 - Phone (808) 488-3355
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Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Jennifer T.
This place is a sort of hole in the wall establishment of the mom and pop type Korean restaurants. The service is good. The ladies are friendly and quick to check on your to see if you want any more of those yummy sides refilled. And keep waters filled. Been here several times now. I almost always get the kalbi ($15 for 2 large bone pieces + 1 piece without a bone) because this is one of my places I go to when I'm craving Korean. Your meal also comes with a broth to start. As you wait for your entree to arrive to the table. Which doesn't take long. Their kalbi is well flavored and in decent portions. It's very tender and yummy. You will definitely leave here full. I've also tried the meat jun which is ok. I prefer Kim Chee 3 for meat jun and chicken katsu. Will be back when the craving strikes.
(4)Cora D.
Maybe it is because my first choice for Korean bbq was closed! I thought of another nearby place on the way home. Jin Joo in Waimalu shopping center. Customer service friendly. I only had been here once and had never done takeout. The quantity for take out was ok. And the taste was just ok. I feel like you get more food if you dine in.
(2)Tisha N.
Great food at reasonable prices. Food has gotten 100% better since the new owners took over. And their staff is so friendly and accommodating. Also, really delicious and unique ban chan. Can't say enough good things about this place. Oh, one more thing...squid stir fry! That is all
(5)Rafal S.
The restaurant was OK, but just OK and nothing more. The restaurant was clean and well lit, but the decor has not changed a bit since the restaurant was founded, I guess. And the restaurant was founded probably in the seventies. The portions were not that tasty, and were not displayed nicely. The kalby beef was awesome, I have to admit that, but the portion was rather small. Too many deep fried food items on the menu. The prices were not too high, and the food was just OK. This restaurant could do better than this.
(3)Jessica-Nicole U.
Why such low stars?? I had an AMAZING experience. I think this place would be a HIT if it changed up it's decor. The prices and quality of the food is just such a STEAL! The waitress was so on point and friendly. I'm used to bad service from Koreans so I wasn't expecting much but she just gave us her undivided attention and our waters were always full. The food came out hot and when we asked for extra rice she didn't even charge us! I got a Kalbi/BBQ chicken combination plate and my bf Derek had the meat jun combo plate. Our total came out to $24. Their complimentary side dishes were awesome and plentiful. And i like the sauce they had. Free tea as wel. I loved my meal. They were able to switch the BBQ chicken to Spicy chicken no problem. Had a great dinner for sure!
(5)Catharine P.
Really enjoyed this place! It looked like a hole in the wall and wasn't sure what to make of it at first. But my husband really wanted Korean so we ended up here. It was delicious! Service was fast and flawless. The lady waiting on us did not hover but checked in with us a time or two to make sure everything was ok. She even brought us extra turnips when my husband asked what they were and requested more. Loved all the little dishes of food in the center of table too. Definitely recommend :)
(5)Ryan I.
Been to this place about 4 times. First three times it was good and now mediocre/ sassy attitude. Man do was hard like rock. Thought I was eating jaw breakers. Don't think will come back. We will go to shiro's. At least the saimin is not hard like rock.
(1)Kim D.
Service sucks and food wasn't that great! The portion u pay could get more else where... Dissapointed
(1)Heidi P.
Loved it from the old to new owner. We come here to get a taste of Korean while away from mom. It definitely satisfies my craving. Hubby tore up his bulgogi and meat chun. I really enjoyed their ojingo bokum (spicy squid stir fry). The chop chae was a bit on the sweet side for my taste. Wish there were more banchan (side dishes), but enjoyed what they did offer. Definitely recommend coming here for a quick fix on Korean food.
(4)Maricor C.
This place is pretty good! Small place. But the food for the most part is on point. What's good (that I've tried): 1. Doenjang Jjiggae (Korean Miso Stew): DELICIOUS! Great balance in the broth and loaded with veggies, seafood, and pork. Definitely a winner! 2. Bi Bim Bap: Legit. Wish they offered it in the stone pot for the crispy rice. But the flavors all went well. Wish they would have given more gochujang to mix however. But still, Jin Joo's version is great. 3. Meat-jhun: OK. Not the best. And a little too thickly sliced for my taste. Last time I went, one side was still pink and undercooked. 4. Ban-chan: AWESOME kimchi! Flavorful. The daikon pickle was great too. Forgot the other one...seaweed? That was good too! Some quick points: 1. Water here tastes very much from the tap. I didn't mind too much, but just something to keep in mind. 2. Customer Service leaves something to be desired. A bit of a smile would help, but otherwise, they are nice people. 3. Place is CLEAN and FOOD is good!
(4)Paul R.
Small cozy korean joint serving up some good lunch plates!! We started coming here a couple of weeks ago. Its a small place, and is usually close to full everyday for lunch. Decor isn't great, but for a cheap lunch place, who really needs it.. And the ladies working here a great!! Very casual and comfortable atmosphere I've never been too big on kimchee so i couldn't tell you how theirs is or the other weird looking things that come out, BUT what i can tell you about and whats great about this place is the meat portions!!! I stick with the lunch plate which is bbq chicken and beef with rice and some veggies, and the bbq beef, chicken, and meat chun served with the same.. The portions are nice!! They don't hold back on the meat, and its cooked very well.. Has a simple but very tasty flavor that is not overpowering and takes away from the meat. Also, its not overcooked and dried out.. And its under $10 so can't go wrong!!
(4)Jeffrey B.
This was my first time here to Jin Joo. The place is nice and clean. We were early so the place was empty. The guy at the counter taking orders did lack some personality(he was kinda stiff) but he was quick to take my order and ring it up. My wife and I waited for at least 15 minutes(maybe, it seemed shorter). Okay now the food, I bought the basic Meat Jun and BBQ chicken. My rule is when trying a new place order the basic plate and if they can't do that one right then what's to say that the rest is good. Well it was good. Tender Meat Jun and great tasting BBQ chicken. I wish they gave me more of their Kim Chee because it was really good. It did not lack flavor and it had enough of a kick. I'm working on that whole shopping plaza at Waimalu. I've already tried the chinese place Wan Kung(?), Jackie's Diner(great, great Hawaiian food and Pateles) Ohana sushi, Ezogiku's and of course Zippy's. But I'm working on trying more.
(4)Christina K.
Parking: Blech, this whole Waimalu Shopping Center is really congested during lunch and dinner hours. Ambience: Old fashioned and outdated, which means I trust it more. :) Service: We had a seemingly local young waitress who was really on it. Friendly, efficient, and fast. But as a general rule, one does not go to Korean restaurants for friendly service. Efficient service, yes. Friendly, uhhh no. Price: About $10/plate. Comes with a starter broth and panchan. Food: I had the mandoo and meat jun plate, hubby got the chicken and mandoo plate, and we shared a kim chi jigae. The plates were great, but the kim chi jigae was outstanding. It had pork, zucchini, rice noodles, carrot, onion, tofu and of course kim chi. As you dig through the soup, you find more and more treasures! The broth was super tasty as well. I loved their kim chi. The waitress said it was house made. For all three items plus tip, it was $32.
(4)Sharon I.
This restaurant is under new management since about 2013. I took a chance and went back when I heard restaurant changed owner. It is sooo much better. The food and customer service is much much better. Yelp should close this since its under new management. The new owner dont deserve a negative review that was left from the previous owner.
(5)James C.
Haven't been there for awhile and was kinda excited it wasn't busy at lunch time and found out different owner with a different taste was probably the reason?
(3)Bryce A.
Jin Joo is located Waimalu Shopping Center and shares the same parking lot with all of the other places there, which means that parking can get really crowded. A lot of people are coming and going so you can probably find one after driving in circles for a bit. I visited on a Saturday evening, and there were plenty of open tables available inside once I was able to find a place to stash my car. I ordered the meat jun and mandoo combination plate. It seemed like the foods were cooked well but the flavors were a little lacking. The meat jun was a little bland but had decent breading and texture, and the mandoo was deep-fried well but had a slightly strange taste. Decent variety of banchan, though I wasn't particularly impressed with any of the dishes. My favorites were probably the tofu and potato ones. I liked the portion sizes - large enough to feel you satisfied, but not so much that you feel stuffed. Pricing seemed pretty good, and service was on top of keeping waters filled and clearing empty dishes. I think that there are better options in the area, but not terrible if you are looking for some decent Korean
(3)Allison S.
Not bad. Meat Jun is good nice and thick. Meat Jun sauce not too flavorful though. The Kalbi was alright. Flavor there but the pieces were small. The Meat Jun Kalbi plate was $14.50. Kinda small portions and they only gave a little lille sauce cup of Kim chee... fulfilled my craving but don't think I would go again. Service ok.
(3)Reggie A.
The Jin Joo Special Combo is friggin Delicious!! Small restaurant and family owned. Gotta pay cash only, convenient ATM right outside! Lolz. Would definitely come again!
(4)H K.
My neighbor came to visit and she brought us food from this place, it was pretty darn good! We had the kal bi, meat juhn, chicken combo and it was very flavorful. I remember going to this restaurant years ago, and recall that the food and service was really good. Got to take the family one day.
(4)Clay Y.
It's been years since I visited this restaurant, ordered the kalbi big bone[15] and the combination plate [10], Chicken not marinated and bbq seemed like it was just reheated. not cooked to order. Priced OK but not what I remembered., Meat jun OK, Food didn't taste fresh. Soup OK. Condiments were good, Takuan kim chee, seaweed, kim chee and a few other dishes. Empty for a Friday night.
(2)Isa R.
I've been coming to Jin Joo since I was a child. I was eating the kalbi plates when I was around... 5 or 6 years old? Back when they used to put the plates in white paper boxes instead of styrofoam containers. I stopped coming here for the most part once I hit the college years, but I decided to stop in today after the gym. Wow, they switched owners. The old owner (and her husband), whom all the negative reviews here are written about are no longer there. They seem a lot more staffed than they used to be, when there would sometimes only be 2 or 3 people working total, including the cook. I always get the kalbi. It's big boned kalbi, not that cheaper short rib stuff. Portions are huge here. The food is even better than I remember from when I was a kid. The total for taking out 3 plates was $35. For the portion size, that's not bad at all. The new owners seem nice, so give them a chance. The food is so good!
(5)Bobby W.
The food reminds me of my mother's cooking. What's even crazier is that the food is cooked by some Hawaiian dude. He is a better chef of Korean food than a lot of Koreans I know. The staff is friendly enough and I highly recommend the soups.
(3)Lisa M.
Parking is bad..especially on weekends. Food is good and service is good. Food is good for price
(4)Joy P.
I don't expect much from hole in the wall eateries.. But good lawd, the Kalbi is to die for. Seriously!! They have the best Kalbi on the island, and I would definitely just go there for that. They serve seaweed soup with all meals, and don't be afraid to ask for more of the side dishes--it's free of charge.
(4)Resti P.
This place has actually decent Korean cuisine but the customer service is the absolute worse. When my wife politely requested to have more vegetables our waitress, identifying herself as the owner, started to raise her voice and practically yell as such an "obscene" petition. Fortunately my wife does not back down from abusive people and lashed back at the owner for treating paying customers as social outcasts. It was obvious that the lady was put into her place because she did not even want to make eye contact with either of us after the exchange. Maybe it was one of the few times someone challenged her tyranny. I hope that the owner can develop a healthier disposition with her customers or better yet the Waimalu Shopping Center add a customer friendly Korean restaurant to the mall.
(1)Amy K.
Ummm. Looks like a keiki plate. Taste ok, sesame oil and salt. If you are hungry, its not the place for you.
(3)Jay C.
Great food, killer portions, and good prices. I got the special which allowed me to try the gyoza and all sorts of meat. I would say that the korean bbq meat selection is decent. The banchan side dishes are generous for hawaii, and the lady was sweet enough to hook me up with a different type of kimchi made from the stems of the cabbage. (probably out of pity for my horrible korean skills) My friend got the spicy pork, and it was solid as well. Would come back if I'm in the area. Parking is a little wonky. It's like a giant one way turnaround. But spots open up, and there are a lot of other places to eat in this plaza including a korean supermarket.
(3)Jacqueline P.
Came here for years, they HAD (past tense) great food, went there after new owners took over and the food sucked, lousy tasting korean bbq, they apprarantely did not get the recipes from the previous owners, won't go back again, guess I have to now pay the price at kim chee
(1)Michael A.
Kalbi! Kalbi! The reason why I'm here after just coming here yesterday. Nice and tender and charred just right. Also price friendly!
(4)Ha'aheo K.
I've been coming here before I was born when it was owned by Aunty Mio still coming here because the new owner kept the old cooks smart move love the big bone kalbi and hot chicken and I always wipe out the seaweed cause it's the only place that makes it this great and don't have to pay extra like other places
(5)Annette C.
The Special plate was a huge disappointment. For $11.95 I expected a lot more food. The Meat Chun was a very small piece and they gave 1 piece of chicken. The kal bi was a decent size but the veggies were also a joke. The food was good but unlike the portion size under the previous owner, this was barely enough food for a normal guy.
(2)Marc M.
When ever I am out in pearl city side I try to make it a point to stop by here and have lunch or dinner . Even tho this year they changed owners they were smart and kept everything the same and did not try to "improve" what is already good and mess it up. I been coming here for 20 years and it has always been on point from last owner to new owner. Kalbi is a must .. Along with the jinjoo special if you want a mixed plate .
(5)Hyun-Chur C.
This restaurant underwent new ownership. The original owner always had a smile on her face, Most Koreans are really loud an proud an she was awesome! Yet her husband needed to be kicked in the balls repeatedly for his crappy service! The new owners are very nice people, Plus they remodeled the place with new chairs an tables. I always get the Short rib plate. It took them awhile to copy the taste of the old owners ribs yet.. Now it tastes the same(yummy!).. The intestine soup is winners too! So Yummy! I give this place 5 stars. Face your self towards the front door if your a single guy an wanna see chix walk by.. = ) Other than that if your married or dating a bi-polar woman, sit faced towards the kitchen so you don't get slapped for lookin! The overall service was good. I always tip them good cause their food is good an the service is very satisfactory!
(5)Candy C.
Parking can be a daunting task at certain times. Best times to get parking are around 10am - 6pm. Jin Joo is my go to place for a quick Korean food fix. It is usually not crowded & the staff is friendly. I usually get Cold Kook Soo (great for those hot summer days) it is refreshing, cooling, and great for vinegar lovers (not to strong). Love all the little sides and the staff always checks up on you.
(4)Edmund G.
Had better Korean food elsewhere. Tried the Kalbi but it wasn't as good as said. Owner is rude and unfriendly. There are much better places to eat on Waimalu Shopping Center.
(1). ..
Sad...sad...sad...Ever since Jin Joo "Aunty Pearl" sold her restaurant, this place has gone DOWNHILL !!!!! We tried to give them another chance but, the friendlyness counter is at an all time LOW. No service or courtesy like before. I think they cater mostly to Korean customers now. BUT.......As for the food! BIG FAT ZERO !!!! I had the BBQ Chicken and Mundoo, my wife had the Kalbi...BTW Jin joo used to have the BEST Kalbi in a 5 mile radius, by far. Not now, my wife said it was the worse she ever had, fatty, gummy and hard to chew. As for my chicken it was dry with no sauce like they had before, it used to be juicy, my Mundoo was as if it was baked, dry and tough, Im sure it was old, like this mornings or yesterdays product. We wont be going here any time soon. I personally predict this place will go out of business in the next few months. I walked over cause parking was terrible, as I did, most ALL business were busy and plenty of customers. I walked into Jin Joo and there was NO ONE except for the back table that had about 5 ladies talking story (the Workers), whom took a few minutes before pulling up my phone order. They are lucky I gave them a 1 star....this place is terrible now!!!!! Try it, youll agree! BTW, my previous review 12-31-2010, I gave aunty Pearl 5 Stars, not now...not this place, they lucky they got 1 Star.
(1)Randa D.
friendly customer service, service is fast
(4)Cheryl G.
I've been coming to Jin Joo since they opened here in Waimalu years ago. I haven't visited since the new owners took over. The atmosphere was nice and clean with new furniture. The service was friendly and great especially with my water being filled by the waitress/owner. Unfortunately, the food is not the same anymore! It's definitely more expensive and to top that off, the portions are also smaller too. Too bad the previous owners sold the business!
(2)Dayna A.
Okay if you look at all the bad reviews this place got its all because of the service now if you're looking for a place to impress a date cough up another 50 bucks and go to town somewhere...Come on people it's an unwritten law of physics somewhere i think it was Newton... BAD ASIAN SERVICE+DINGY WHOLE IN THE WALL LOCATION=AAAWWEEESOME FOOD if you're looking for one of the BEST big bone kalbi places come here.... for 11 BUCKS!!! its almost double the price anywhere else and it comes with soup and sides try the potato and seaweed my favorites also comes with bean sprouts, daikon, cucumber kimchee, anchovy, and tofu.... the soup broth is so simple but sOOooo good... one weekness is the meat jun not my favorite here better at kimchee 7 and youngs Also a must try is the homemade mandoo, any one of her soups, hot chicken, and the jin joo special nothing over 11 bucks and most plates are only 8 with all the soup and sides..
(5)Val D.
Located in Waimalu Shopping Center on Kam Highway, before we didn't care much for this restaurant, but after trying their food again, the food and the panchan was very tasty and reasonable. Duk Mundoo soup - 4 stars - although it didn't come with rice, the soup was tasty with freshly made mundoo and mochi. I liked this soup. Panchan - 4 stars - not your yummy's basic panchan. There were a lot of different types, and one of the few places that also serve dried anchovies. Service - 4 stars - the man and lady were friendly, and they served us pretty quick. Our waters were filled, and they ask for tea early so I don't have to wait so long for it to cool down after my dinner. They were also very accommodating with a large group of kids, and put the tables together in a large booth to have all the kids sit together. Lots of booths to sit in, but the parking can get really crowded with all the other restaurants in this small strip. Can't upload any photos though because the darn battery ran out in my camera.
(4)Shirley W.
I'm from the outer island of Kauai and my friends and I stumbled upon this Korean restaurant after we were done shopping at Palama supermarket. After our order was taken we were served a broth-like soup. It had no taste and I felt I was given soapy water. I ordered the Bi Bim Bap (they spelled it differently than what I'm used to). When it first arrived I was pleasantly surprised at the amount . As usual the side vegetable dishes were served prior to our food. It was nice. The Bap was really, really GOOD...and needless to say I ate the whole thing! The next day we came back for dinner as we were scheduled to fly back. I had the chop chae bap with a side of steamed white rice. Gosh...that dish was awesome! It was cooked well. The only downside of the dish was that it had beef in it (I don't eat beef). I forgot to request for chicken instead of the beef. I just pushed the meat to the side and ate the rest. Overall, I would definitely come back to eat here again! By the way, as we were came back on the second day we read the Yelp reviews and they helped us in choosing what dishes to eat as well as had a few laughs reading the low rated reviews. I do recommend this place as there aren't any good Korean food restaurants on Kauai at all :(
(4)Richard C.
New owners but the food, service, cleanliness and people were excellent! Ate the BBQ Chicken, BBQ Meat, Meat Jhun combo plate - not bad, nothing taste-bud blowing, tastes like other places. My wife had the Spicy Pork - WOW!!! That had to have been one of the best Spicy Pork dishes I have ever eaten! It's more on the oily side, but the taste and flavor was awesome - couldn't stop eating the stuff...and it wasn't even mine! If you love Spicy Pork, give this a try - definitely recommended! Love the "new" restaurant, will be back for more...
(4)Kelly T.
TRUE: This place is kind of a hole-in-the-wall. But I finally found a Korean restaurant close enough to home that serves some pretty authentic mundoo kook soo (with lots of duk). The broth was light, steaming hot, and filled with tons of duk (korean dumplings), egg, wakame, and two very large home-made mandoo. SERVICE: I started to read some of the other Yelp reviews during dinner, and maybe we were lucky, but the service wasn't bad at all here...in fact the man who served us brought out some hot tea in the middle of our meal. I can't say the service was much different than any other mom-and-pop type Korean restaurant and I'm definitely going back there again for the soup.
(3)jason v.
Ive been a regular here for some time and I gotta say there customer service was never that good, but there food was incredible....than they started to get sloppy, cups of water slickish with oil on the top, decreasing sides......BUT THAN new owners, got rid of the 70's booths... AND THEY ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS NOW BIG YES!!!! very friendly probably due to the fact that theres multiple people working now and the food did not drop off because they kept the same cook AWWWEESOOME. With that being said I never disliked the past owners it must have been crazy working 7 days a week for I dont know how many years, its gotta be way before I started going there which was high school days which was 15 years ago. So Happy Retirement, and long live jinjoo
(5)D M.
The food here has always been great but the service was very lacking. In truth it seemed like the previous owners were tried of working and stopped trying. Recently I have been back and pleased to see the new owners are the old employees, so the food hasn't changed but the service is much better. Our server was pleasant, attentive and quick to respond to our requests. Meat Jun, Kook Soo (one of the few places I can get it cold) and Bulgogi are my favorites. They have the best Kim Chee and spicy Tofu.
(4)Gary M.
Wifey n I having our favorite Kal- bi plate...
(3)Kanoe I.
Thanks Yelpers for letting me know about the ownership/management change. Will be open to trying this place again in the future.
(2)Joy P.
It was a family tradition growing up to come here every Sunday after church. We've always loved the food here so it was a treat we got to enjoy every week. I still love coming here when I get the chance and the food hasn't changed. My parents always shared the Jin Joo Special because the portions were huge and I always enjoyed the meat jun. They still bring out the 5 or 6 little side dishes first and I love every single one. The people are great and not much has changed over the years. My kids eat heartily whenever we come here and we always leave happy and full.
(5)Dee K.
Back again. Jin special,bbq chk,spicy pork. Everything was great. Mama even remembered me. She is really friendly.
(5)Janis K.
The clam tofu soup was terrific although, as the owner warned me, I should have gotten it spicy. Once you start digging into the bowl, there were round onions, sliced beef, carrots, tofu and clams. Yum! I got a special and the best part was the mun doo. It was definitely homemade. And, the owner was in a talkative mood again. I used to phone in my order but she'd always say "Too busy" and hang up. Hilarious! But, after awhile, you get used to it and just keep going back for the food.
(4)Mich S.
spicy pork is to die for oyster jun winnas ajumma takes good care of us whenever we eat here
(4)Kuulei B.
Well this is maybe the third time I've eaten at this place, but the first time with new owners and a "New" Remodeled Restaurant. I must say that the set up of the "New" restaurant is a lot more brighter, nicer, relaxing, and cozier, real laid back. While the old restaurant was really snugged and dull. As soon as I walked in to the restaurant, we were immediately greeted with a hello, seated at a table, and offered ice water. That's a plus! The menu came right away, which was very full of variety, as well as a bowl of nice steaming hot seaweed soup. Just right enough to sip on while we wait for our order. The waitress also brought us side veggies which included Kim Chee, Kim Chee daikon, seaweed, ect. I ordered the Jin Joo Special which came with Kalbi, BBQ chicken, BBQ pork, fish jun, fried zucchini, mandoo, plus veggies on the plate. While My husband ordered the Kalbi Meat Jun plate. I really enjoyed my food because it had a lot of flavor and it was nice and tender. My husband didn't care for the Meat Jun but loved everything else. The food was also served in a timely manner. I also loved how the waitress checked on you constantly and refilled our water when it needed to be. She was really awesome! I'd definitely eat there many more times...
(4)Haunani L.
I think This Place Is good sOme what. We seat our self, get menus. Order. Then out comes our food. We didnt really have wait time. The veggies are yummy. There korean soup before the meal is one of the best i have had on the island. But there meat jun is always chewy. but other then that there KALbi IS AWESOME!!
(3)Dayna I.
Really good chop chae.
(4)Seth H.
Ate there today for lunch after years of staying away, and I was pleasantly surprised at the service which was friendly and attentive. The food was good but not great, ordered a side of mandoo which although "homemade" was on the crunchy side instead of chewy which I'd prefer. Ordered a large drink which was packed with ice, hate when they do that, thinking that they're saving on soda. Overall though it was avast improvement from the past Jin Joo experience.
(3)Nam N.
Quick pit stop here when we flew into Honolulu. Our party of 10 grabbed a corner booth and placed our order. The bf and I split the Korean BBQ meat lunch plate that came with soup and banchans for the table. The plate lunch was ok....meat wasn't the best quality nor the tastiest but it wasn't bad at all. I got to sample a few other dishes but found my fav thing was a spicy cold tofu dish that was a free banchan. Service was terrible as we resorted to standing up to get our own waters and to disperse silverware. But I guess at a local spot like this, they're not aiming for seamless customer service but moreso affordable and ok lunch plates. Perhaps I'd stop in again if I'm in the area but it's definitely not a destination point for me.
(2)Jocelyn S.
BF and I were trying to decide where to get food for dinner one night. we ended up at Jin Joo since we were nearby there. i've ordered take-out from there before. i've only tried their kalbi. it was the big bone style type of kalbi, which make theirs very delicious... anyways, i noticed that had a fair amount of customers dining in. we were by the counter waiting for someone to at least acknowledge us so that we could order take-out. a person behind the counter saw us, but didn't even say a word to us. few minutes later, this korean man holding plates of food told us, "we don't do take-out" in such a rude way. i was stunned. i knew they did take-out orders, but i guess they just refused to do it at that time. just felt rejected. we left the restaurant disappointed. after that experience, that made me not wanna step in there ever again... i would have rated this place with 1 star cuz of the poor customer service, but i give it 2 stars since i do like their kalbi.
(2)Zach R.
Nice hole in the wall place. The staff and everyone were pleasant and smiling. Ordered the Chop Chae, and was very happy. The flavors were fresh and delicious. Came with two scoops of really good white rice, and some kimchee. I will definitely go back for the soup; I hear it's amazing.
(4)Larry B.
Maybe my taste buds are messed up, or maybe everyone else just got it wrong. I ate here yesterday after attempting to pick up my car from a closed service center at Cutter Ford across the street. Upon entering, we were greeted warmly by the Korean woman that runs the place. It was about 11:45 on a Sunday, so we got there just as the lunch crowd was beginning to trickle in. She suggested that the kalbi was good today, so I had a kalbi bbq chicken plate, with a side order of bbq meat, and my girl had the mandoo with bbq chicken. A few minutes later, came a cup of seaweed soup which was a very light clear broth with a couple pieces of sea weed, and some rice noodles at the bottom along with the ubiquitous sides of kimchee, takuan, shredded potato, tofu in Korean hot sauce, and my favorite, a bowl of small dried fish. All of the sides were excellent. My girl loved the potato, while I acted like Andrew Zimmer popping tiny dried and salted fish into my mouth which tasted good with diet coke, but I shutter to think of the sublime combination it would make with an ice cold Bud. When the food came, we were both treated to generous servings of FRESHLY and perfectly cooked chicken and beef. The sides on the plates of water cress, cabbage, and sprouts were done to perfection, and all of the meat was tasty. By the end of the meal, the entire restaurant was full, and the poor owner was moving as fast as her mid 50 year old frame could carry her. We took home pretty much a whole plate of food (which I ate for dinner), and our bill came out to about $35 with tip. Jin Joo will always have a special place in my heart and stomach. I've been coming here for over 15 years and when I eat here I'm reminded of high school, my parents, and how it was to grow up in Aiea. As a local, I know I'll be coming here for a lifetime. Everyone else can stay away as far as I'm concerned. I don't think they'll have a problem staying in business. If you're from this side of the island, everyone knows where to come for the good stuff any way. Good reviews or not, this place runs circles around the basic korean plate lunch.
(5)Trish P.
my father likes it here..... A LOT. being an older korean gentleman, he's had his share of korean food. i guess he actually does know where to go, b/c Jin Joo really is not as bad as i remember it...... i don't know what changed - the cook? the quality? the seasonings? but whatever it is, its working. i ate the kalbi again, and it was not a fluke. its pretty good here. and i had some of their home-made mandoo..... this is crispy and delicious - and actually FILLED with filling, not filling and air. so good. plus, the woman behind the counter was nice the last time i went! O_O it must be raining candy sprinkles b/c WOW.....
(4)Skeet A.
My experience was so bad it forced me to right my very first review enjoy... I went there to order take out. Another guy and I were waiting for around 10 minutes with no "hello" or "ill be right there". The owner/waitress a old korean lady past the counter where we were standing 4 times with no eye contact. I finally got fed up and went around the corner to ask her for service. She responded in her bad engerish "cant u see i busy with customer...i be right there!!" Dont get me wrong ive been a waiter and consider myself a pretty patient guy...the problem is there were only 3 tables...if your busy serving 3 tables u have no right being a waiter/waitress imo. The response she gave showed no class or concern for her business. This restaurant must be dependent on "regulars". Ive eaten at jin joo 3-4 times before and believe me when I say the food is not that great 3 stars max...including the "awesome" kalbi ive been reading about lol. The quality of the food is mediocre. The other thing that is sad is the other people giving this place five stars to even all the one stars which imo defeats the purpose of yelp and doesnt help anyone who is honestly looking for a place to eat in the area. Ill say it....those of you rating jin joo 5 stars for the food and price need to seriously get out more. My 1.5 star rating is 3 stars for the food and 0 stars for the service. Price is average for the quality of the establishment. I really dont think the owners of jin joo read yelp....and if they did they obviously dont care. This fact alone makes me boycott this place from now on. The squeeze is not worth the juice here...gonna save u a bad experience...look else where.
(1)Austen I.
*Side dishes come out* Us: "The tofu is good!" Crazy Korean Lady: Veggies good. Main dish better. Jin Joo should get an extra star for having an awesomely crazy old korean lady serving us. I've seen some negative reviews about her service and their service in general, but she was funny and entertaining during my visit. I tried the Spicy Chicken Mandoo combo and the Jin Joo Special. Spicy Chicken Mandoo combo everytime! Tender, a bit spicy, fatty, and oily. Perfect! The mandoo was stuffed fat and very crispy. The Jin Joo Special was ordinary, but tasty. Kalbi, teri beef, bulgogi were good, but nothing super special. The side dishes are good and come with an extra welcomed serving of wittiness. ;) I'll be coming back when I want some decent korean food with large portions. A great option option for BBQs and tailgates. Yum yum.
(3)goodgirlglam Q.
The service was outright bad and almost strange.... I walked in with my family and the lady told us we should order takeout cause it's cheaper. "You eat here? Fine. Wherever you like sit fine." She seemed disappointed that we stayed and I was confused because there was only one other table with people on it so why would u try to talk people out of eating at the restaurant? She shouted our order to the cook several minutes after we ordered then she forgot the side dishes I ordered. I was willing to let it go for great kalbi....I would say the kalbi is pretty good, but I can't say for certain as I had only two pieces and the bone was bigger than the piece of meat. I think there are guys who reviewed this place saying the portions were good? Did we go to the same place? The meat jun was actually pretty good but not good enough to bring me back. The side veggies were just OK, nothing memorable. For $11.95 I'm pretty disappointed. I could have got the same effect with a plate from Yummy's. And two doors down at Palama Market I could have gotten better veggies with a 2-choice plate for 6 bucks.
(2)Michelle T.
I live close by so I eat here at least once or twice a week. Friendly fast and very reasonable price. Never had a negative experience with this place.
(4)Rebecca C.
if u not a regular or don't have children be prepared for some attitude by the mama. papa is more friendly... the banchan was a-ok bf ordered the meat jun and bbq chicken and both seemed bland i was craving soup and was about to order tofu soup (as the menu stated, not chigae) but settled on duk mandoo soup since i haven't had it since my grandma and aunty used leave their yummy cooking in our fridge. since it's korean food i asked if it was possible to make it a lil spicy (not the norm way to prepare). but nope said no can, and all i was expecting was maybe put some chili pepper or kochujang. maybe i should of just ask for some and threw it in myself. the soup was just how i like it with only 3 mandoo but they did look homemade. the overall experience sucked. the service something you would expect from a korean the food comparable or maybe less to the quantity/quality you could get from yummys.
(3)Bow C.
Korean food how I like it. The best kalbi in my opinion. The sauces are all good, really like their ko choo jang. The mandoo is homemade, meat chun fantastic, fried pork is broke da mouth... And everything else is all good. Not the most cleanest place, a hole in da wall joint. Love this place, hope u enjoy it to.
(4)W.M. H.
Flat out, Jin Joo can kiss my hairy samoan ass! Aside from the most unfriendly service I have ever encountered, I witnessed two roaches crawling behind the wife-from-hell/cook/dragon lady, whom I can only assume were exiting, being as fed up with the terrible service as I was. I'd rather rest my nose against a public urinal for the same amount of time it'd take me to order my food, wait, get it, then throw it away in a fit of disgust since they enjoy serving insects. Aikae!
(1)Reuben R.
Okay, I'm gonna try to write this again... My buddy and I headed here before class because we wanted to get some Korean food. When we arrived we we seated ourselves and had menus and utensils and napkins brought which seemed to have been "plopped" on the table. We both ordered combos which came with soup and a sides of kimchee which we shared family style. She had a bbq plate with meat chun, and I had the same except mandoo with meat chun. The mandoo was great because it was crisp and fresh out of the fryer. On the table there was sauce that was dark and a bit cloudy in a red bottle that was pretty good. I'm not quite sure what it is but it had a sweet taste to it. They didn't have tobasco, so I asked if they had any other hot sauce so the guy tending to us grabbed a bottle from another table. The cap indicated that the bottle had been left open for quite some time, but I tried it out anyway. After that one squirt of loose, viscous sauce, I didn't really wanna use it after. Also the water kind of tasted like a certain type of plastic, but I couldn't get my finger on how it tasted. It certainly wasn't regular tap, because it had a sort of basic taste to it, rather than slightly acidic. After we were finished eating, we wondered if we were supposed to go up to the register to pay, but there really was no place to stand in front of the register, so we waited for the guy to go to the counter and I brought up my cash and the bill (I noticed a cash only sign under the take out menu on the wall) and asked for a box. We got a plate and some foil and a plastic bag. I wish he gave us two plates, but they need to save money I guess. I asked for a receipt just to see if I would get one from the register, but instead he looked at me weird and picked up the bill order and handed slid it across the counter back to me. Does that count as a receipt? I don't think so...! but oh well, if they took cards before, they don't now. JJ: It was alright. I don't go for Korean food too often, so it was nice to have that taste again. Loved the mandoo, everything else was just alright.
(2)Brian H.
Good food at a good price! The Kalbi and meat jun/chun (how ever you want to spell it) was one of the better ones I've had!
(4)Steve N.
Bad service, poor people skills, rude... bordering on racist. I am never going here again after the way the owner spoke to my mother. After that treatment, we stood up and walked out without even ordering.
(1)Seda-Vae F.
My husband and I went here because we wanted to eat korean food. I must say the Kalbi is portioned much bigger than we expected. It was delicious and it came with sides, and a broth soup. The price is affordable but yes, the service ain't all that. But it makes sense 'cause it's like a mom and pops kind of place. Pop came out to set our table and don't speak. Mom comes out and talks about what is good and what we should eat. I was trying to order my coke...while she insisted I NEED tea. Lmao...of course I ordered the soda and the dang tea. But it was okay.
(3)Norm G.
Wife and I were Christmas shopping at the Pearl Ridge Shopping Center for the kids today when I suddenly grew faint in a toy store. It was about 1:30 pm. Me: Sweetie, we have to leave! My brain has just shut down, my blood sugar has dropped, and I need to eat! Wife: Where do you want to eat? Me: I don't know, let's just get out of this noisy mall and find something. We drive down Kamehameha Highway, and soon arrive at Waimalu Shopping Center, which is an old strip mall on the mauka (towards the mountains) side of the highway. We get out of the car, and start walking...choices, choices...there's saimin, Hawaiian... Me: Oh, there's Kabuki restaurant...I went there once with... (at just that moment a hand inside the glass door turns the sign around to "CLOSED") Oh, never mind. Let's go into this Korean restaurant. So, we walk into Jin Joo restaurant. Nobody comes to greet us, so we just settle into one of the old pink booths, like the ones in Kim Chee II in Kaimuki, only older. There's a menu on the wall, which we study. I decide on bi bim bap, which this restaurant spells "pi beem bup." My wife decides on Hot kook soo. About 10 minutes later, a grumpy lady (GL) comes and gives us some utensils, napkins, and menus. Wife: Excuse me, we are ready to order now. GL: I working on a big order now. Going take awhile, you know. Me: How long will it take after we order? GL: (guttural) Whatchu want? Me: I'd like the bi bim bap, and my wife will have the hot kook soo. GL: Okay. We get the side dishes that come with every meal (kim chee, daikon, seaweed, spicy tofu) quickly, and start digging into that. By that time, I have a mean headache, because I'm used to eating at 12 noon and it's nearly 2 pm by now. The bi bim bap was actually very good. I was so hungry, though, I forgot to take a picture of it to upload onto Yelp, sorry! Basically it's a bowl with rice on the bottom, and several things topping the rice, with a fried egg on the very top. My wife said her kook soo was "okay," which in her rating system could mean edible to good. So, I really don't know how good the kook soo is. Kook soo is a noodle soup with vegetables. The corn tea that they have available here is not as good as that served at Kim Chee II. This one had hardly any flavor. I would have given Jin Joo four stars, if it weren't for the GL's demeanor. She was very gruff, and practically threw the dishes on our table. But if you grew up with a mom or grandma who acted like this every day, it probably won't bother you, in fact it might make you feel wistful for the good ol' days at home. And again, the food was pretty good. Bring cash, because they don't accept credit cards.
(3)Scott K.
For as long as I can remember, Jin Joo has been open in Aiea. Ive seen the prices increase...then decrease and now are priced right for the quality of food. My favorite is the Bi Bim Kook Soo with Beef. Along with your order you get a nice cup of soup, plenty of namool (side dishes). Dont forget to ask for the Kochu Jang to spicy it up.
(4)Geoff B.
Good food......
(4)Christine D.
Tried their side Kimchee Tofu from a friend of mines and i fell in love with it! decided to go eat there and the first time went well. Had the Jin Joo special and it was pretty good. But the second time which end up being the last time I went there... I told myself never again unless they have a new waitress or if I'm absolutely craving for the Kimchee Tofu. I'm a waitress myself and I know how important it is to give good customer service. But from the service I got from that korean lady... I'm just shocked! She makes waitresses look bad! This will be long but this must be told! Since the last time I went there I told myself NEVER AGAIN! That korean lady was just straight up RUDE!!! My blood still boils just thinking about her and how absolutely mean she was! My friend and I walked in and the korean man greets the both of us Hello from behind the counter and we said Hello in return. He walks away with a smile then a minute later... "SHE" comes walking out from the back. So we're smiling at her waiting to be seated but she just looks at us like we're dummies and tells us... (with a bad attitude) If eat here just sit down! (pointing the tables) Anywhere! So Me and my friend looked at eachother like... what's her problem? That was STRIKE 1! So we sit down then here "SHE" comes with no Hello what so ever and just puts our water on the table. She walk away but she forgot to give us the menus so she walked back halfway to our table and literally tosses the menus on the table. My friend and I looked at each other again and I said she has a attitude problem and its making me really mad! but my friend said just let it go and lets just eat. So I did. But that was STRIKE 2! Okay now my friend is "holding" and looking up at his menu and i'm looking down at my menu because its on the table. 3 minutes later "SHE" comes with our napkins and utensils. so she's placing the napkins and utensils on my friend's side of the table then... with me still looking "down" at my menu she had the nerve to put my napkins and utensils ON MY MENU!! I was ready to just say something right then and there but held my cool because I was just hungry already. So she stands there and says... Okay what going order. So my friend asks what is tofu skillet? ans she answers sassy and out loud... ITS TOFU!! then my friend asks do you have the Kimchee Tofu here? then AGAIN she answers sassy and out loud... YAH! WE DO! ITS PART OF SIDE! YOU ORDER MAIN DISH IT COMES TOGETHER! I looked at my friend again and said OH MY G... then my friend tells her we need a few more minutes. So she walks away. and im telling my friend STRIKE 3!!! im not eating here! so she comes walking back but we both stood up and started walking towards the door. the korean man is asking is there something wrong? and I answer pointing at her... SHE HAS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM! SHE'S VERY RUDE AND NEEDS TO LEARN TO BE NICE!! so we reached outside they seen me take a picture of their sign JinJoo and opened their door and told them Im gonna let everyone know that this place has the worse customer sevice ever! then walked away.
(1)Kiri H.
Great food. Family has gone here for years. Love the Big Boned Kal Bi and Meat Jun. The great food out beats the OLD DRAGON MAN AND WOMAN that owns the place. If you can ignore that, you'll be fine. Yes, they can be rude, and pushy.
(4)Kellen I.
This place would actually be more like a 2.75 star, but giving Jin Joo the benefit of the doubt, I up it to a 3 star. The food is actually pretty good. Its standard local Korean fare with BBQ, Jun, Kook Soos, etc. The Mandoo is made in house, so that's a minor plus. Your meal comes with seaweed soup (which actually seems like their soup base, because mine had some free noodles in it) and depending on what you order, a number of side dishes like kim chee and wakame. The gripe I have with this restaurant, that really takes away from the food, is the cleanliness. The table felt sticky and the bowls and plates did not seem entirely "clean." While this kind of thing is a bit of an expectation with a "hole-in-the-wall" kind of restaurant like this one, but it goes a little bit too far towards unsanitary. I agree with some of the others who have written reviews, the staff seem kind of inhospitable towards the customers. I think if they were a little warmer it would have made the experience a bit better. I would honestly have to say that this place is a forgettable. There are much better places than here. Also, there are many other places at the Waimalu Shopping Center that are far superior than Jin Joo. But if you must go, the Mandoo is good.
(3)O G.
I always thought that Godzilla was a Japanese creation. It turns out that they stole the concept of Godzilla from the Koreans...more specifically they patterned Godzilla after the lady who runs the front of this restaurant! We decided to check out this restaurant since we were shopping at Waimalu, and upon entering and sitting down we found ourselves facing the person who will from now on be referred to as, "MA" (Mad Ajumma). MA got in my wife's face (literally 3 inches away) and asked her, "eh, so what you want?" She never said thank you or any other pleasantries that usually accompany restaurant service, even though we were nice to her. MA also brought out the ban chan *after* the main plates! (That's like watching Karate Kid 2 before Karate Kid 1!) The BBQ chicken was as bland as a McCain speech, the meat jun with less substance than Obama, the ban chan as tasteful as an "Indians in 7-Eleven" joke by Joe Biden and MA was on a mission like Palin chasing a moose that stole her glasses! Don't be fooled, my friends. The prices on the wall are around 75 cents cheaper than what they charge if you sit in and eat. For bland food at restaurant prices and one rough Ajummazilla, this place gets Franksabunched with 1 star!
(1)Wer D.
I went around these parts to avoid the food court fare at Pearlridge and I was pleasantly surprised. The Korean BBQ was good, not something I'd fly from California for, but good given the venue. The real gem for me was the beef intestine soup and the yook gae jang.
(4)Miss P.
The KRAZY KOREAN lady was mean but comical. The husband was the worst... Mr. Personality; not welcoming at all, no smile or even a "hello". He looked irritated and bothered that people came in. He took our order with a sigh. We should of walked out then. We ordered BBQ Chicken, Kalbi, Oyster Jun. It was nothing spectacular. Their food is not worth the crappy service they give you. Do yourself a favor and spend your money somewhere that appreciates your business.
(2)Nori M.
On the lookout for good Korean restaurants on the west side, we stopped at Jin Joo and see what they had to offer. Let's eat. BBQ Chicken The flavor of the BBQ chicken is spot on SPICY PORK Spicy pork has great flavor but is not spicy-- at all. Thinly sliced with lots of meat mixed with onions. FRIED MAN DOO Fried mandoo has good texture, but is a bit bland. Also, the mandoo sauce is rather vinegary. Some may like this, but I was not used to it. BANCHAN Sides are all good AMBIANCE/SERVICE Very casual and comfortable feeling. It is a small restaurant and we were right across from the cash register and saw many regulars coming in and ordering from memory. The owner lady was nice and personable.
(3)Chantal D.
GOOD kal bi. But at $11.50 for lunch and $9.25 for a la carte (2-3 pieces), prices are kinda high for the kal bi. First time here I ordered the regular beef BBQ for lunch only because the kal bi was so pricey. My family of four sat down and munched on the usual Korean side dishes that come with the meals. (Weak point: They didn't have the POTATO!) We placed our orders with the funny lady and received ice waters without asking! I'm not sure if she's the owner but she was there the second time we came around, so I made my assumptions of course. Ownership or plain ol' worker aside, she served us and everyone else with the typical, family-owned local hospitality. Food came, water refills came, and she'd check up occasionally. Nothing out of the ordinary. Second time here, we just dropped in for a take-out order of 2 a la carte orders of kal bi. I guess the to-go order people take a seat at their "counter" while ordering and waiting. Same lady, and she wasn't exactly polite but was hospitable at the same time? (If that makes sense... Um.. No, it doesn't huh? Haha.) We brought our food back to the house and shared our food findings with the family. =] GREAT kal bi. Wait. I started this review by saying that huh? Oh well. For reiteration purposes: Great kal bi here. (Oh my bad, I said "good" earlier. Good, great, same thing.)
(3)Kristen C.
Came here for lunch because i was craving some korean food and since this was the nearest sit down type i thought i'd give it a try. Bad idea. The service is bad and unfriendly like Jon K. said. Upon sitting the guy behind the counter just looked at us with no welcome and when we sat down just handed us the menus and plopped down our napkins and utensils like "argh, who are these new people." Our water was also brought and it tasted a bit off but still drinkable. Anyway, I knew what i wanted going in so I got their meat chun/bbq chicken comb while my friend got the meat chun/mandoo combo which comes with sides, and soup and of course rice both for $7.95. The soup was good and very comforting on a cold day. Then the sides came and they were just eh-ok. The kim chee was fresh but thats not really a good thing for kim chee because its better the more it ferments so it didnt have much flavor going on. The dikon was the same but a little better. There was also cold spicy tofu that was pretty good, some shredded potato thing that tasted a bit sweet, seaweed that was good, and some fishcake thing. When our food came it also came with additional sides such as cabbage and bean sprouts so thats nice, but again, no flavor. The meat chun was eh, no flavor going there really needed the sauce and the chicken was ok, nothing special. Overall, i wouldnt come again, the food was just ok and the service just brings it way down.
(2)Lesterbator M.
I love this restaurant! The owners are always so nice & friendly. The food is delicious & there's never a long wait. I especially love the fish jun, perfectly eggy outside & moist flakey inside. You cannot go wrong with their decent pricing & home like atmosphere. I'm always sure to stop here when I'm home for a visit.
(5)Jon K.
Service was terrible with unfriendly workers.
(1)Lisa D.
Very rude wait staff/owners. Very unfriendly. Dirty place, saw meat soaking in big buckets on the floor uncovered. Food was ok, but gave us dirty utensils, lucky I had chopsticks. I will not be going back, go next door to the pho place.
(1)Yushin K.
I'm sad. I used to eat here when they first opened up. And we used to go there pretty regularly. It was very good. Good food, good service. After being away for several years, I had dinner there this week. I'm sad because when I went in, no one seemed happy. I didn't get overtly bad service, but no one seemed happy. And it was reflected in the food. It wasn't good. I had the Jin Joo Special. Bulgogi, kalbi, bbq chicken and meat jun. Bulgogi was dry and tough. And cold. Kalbi was tasty, but rubbery. Chicken was okay though. I wonder what happened?
(2)Dong T.
Good fast Korean BBQ. Generous portions.
(3)Carol L.
Yes people there is a dragon lady behind the counter. For the most part I think she is quite harmless...except when she wrong(ed).....the usual policy where the customer is always right...doesn't aplpy here. I actually heard her get fired up twice (but not at us) The food is good here. The Kalbi is worth the price. Its the big boned Kalbi! MmMm guud. The chicken and the bbq beef is yummy! Just about anything is good here. So are "the goodies" =P Yes I do go back, she is quite harmless.
(5)Tamiko S.
Horrible experience after looking forward to this place after a friend recommended it. As I walked in to the almost empty restaurant (1 table filled) at 2:30 p.m., I felt like I was bothering the owners' lunch. I told the female owner that I wanted to eat there but she pointed to the takeout menu and told me takeout was cheaper. So, I ordered takeout, thinking I could eat some food there and take the rest home. When my order arrived, I asked the male owner for a cup of water to have with my meal. He told me that I could not eat takeout in the restaurant and would have to pay $2 to eat my meal in the restaurant, which I begrudgingly did. As his wife muttered something about "misunderstanding", she brought me a cup of water, tea, soup, and side dishes. I was very unhappy and lost my appetite, but was determined to have my meal there. The owners did not say one other word to me after that. The food was nothing special and the place was rundown. Add rude service, and you can bet that I will tell all my friends not to eat there. Leave a tip? Forget it! Moral: inform your customers about your takeout policy and make sure they don't leave angry, otherwise they will post a negative review on Yelp!
(1)Ryan S.
I've eaten here a number of times over the years. The service was always bad but the food was pretty good so I let it slide but I won't be back after my last experience. Franksamuch thinks the wife is bad, I think the husband is worse. What a no personality, bad attitude d!ck. You would think they would have better attitudes toward their customers. This last time I needed a larger take-out order. First there was no take-out menu but they tell me to look at the wall. Then when we want the meat separated from the vegatables in different pans, they say no and only agree to do it when we say we'll just go somewhere else. When I go to pick up the order, the husband gives me some snide remark about "what order you picking up, the one that had to be separated?". And they don't take credit! In this economy, there are plenty of places grateful to have your business, give you a great product and do it with a smile. I won't be back.
(2)Susan W.
I remember coming here as a kid when I visited my grandparents in Pearl City many years ago. The atmosphere is very basic with pink booths and a counter. I ordered the mundoo/ bbq beef combo. Overall the meal was good, lots of sides and a huge portion. Boiling hot tea. The only thing bad was that the meat was lukewarm, which was weird because the sounds of sizzling food and bbq odors wafted thru the dining area while I waited. As another yelper mentioned previously, the older gentleman (the husband?) who served us was also not very pleasant. He seemed impatient and unfriendly - No aloha spirit!
(3)