My favorite restaurant! I haven't been back in a while, but it will always have a special place in my heart. Who doesn't love getting to construct your own tower of all of your favorite ingredients without being overwhelmed with too many choices and having to communicate it to another person? I remember being so strategic with my stacking, starting with meats and heavy veggies at the bottom and ending with the light bean sprouts and green onions on top. This has since not been as important since they changed the pricing to per pound. The only thing I wish they would change is the extra charge for tofu and that they could open a little earlier for lunch so I could beat the traffic to get there. read more

I actually haven't been in a while since graduating and moving away from Durham, but in hindsight, this is definitely a 5-star location! It's great bang for buck, close to campus, and most importantly, really kind staff and owners. It's a place that is home to many nostalgic college memories of eating with friends. Just wanted to highlight the last paragraph of my original review, because I think humanizing those who own these local businesses reminds me of why it's important to support them: "The waiting staff is always very nice, and last time I really saw how it's a great locally-owned restaurant! Admittedly, this is a little unconnected to the restaurant experience itself, but I feel it's still a reflection of the owner. My friends and I went to buy groceries after going to Bali Hai, and we ran into the owner in the ice cream aisle. She remembered us because we literally paid for our dinner 20 minutes before. She told us about the buy 2 get 3 free deal on the Breyer's ice cream, but we only wanted one tub. So, she paid for our carton with the four she was already going to buy (for her customer's grandkids)! Such a sweet woman who makes me want to keep supporting her business." read more

My son loves this establishment. It is a place where we bond. The food is fresh, the place is clean and the staff is polite.

Atmosphere: We went to Bali Hai pre-COVID lockdowns. Bali Hai had a large yet simple dining area with a buffet bar where you could stack ingredients onto your bowl. In the back of the restaurant, you would drop off your bowl to the chefs who would grill up your chosen ingredients! Service: The service was always friendly and quick. We never had to wait long for our food to come out, and they brought out your order to the table for you! Food: The customization at Bali Hai was great. We each ordered a bowl (one with house sauce and one with combination sauce level 3) and went to a buffet bar to stack our plates. The selection of meats and vegetables were great, and the cooking was fresh. Both sauces were yummy and had just the right levels of flavor and spice! Overall: For the price, Bali Hai is a must-try especially for Duke students. We will note that our review is based on pre-COVID lockdown conditions when the food was priced by bowl (instead of by weight). Nonetheless, Bali Hai's food is fresh and comes hot in minutes! read more

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Bali Hai Restaurant is designed after the theme where one pays for a specific bowl size, and you stuff it as full and as high as you can; then that food gets tossed and fried on a large hot plate and served to you at your table. You can pick different meats or tofu for an additional cost and pick which type of sauce flavors you want. I've had this type of food before and I've experienced better quality and selection of food. I think that for the price, it's a decent location, especially for those looking for a cheaper food dining option, such as students close to this downtown area. Service is relatively quick. There is nothing special about the design or interior of Bali Hai. There are plenty of tables and seats for larger groups. It has a very simple layout, and isn't trying to be something it's not. Bali Hai is okay for what it is, but I probably would choose something else if I was back in this area. read more

Love this place. It's so good. It's a Mongolian grill. Go fill your bowl with the raw vegetables, fruit, meat and the grill master grills it with the spices to your 1-10 heat level. I do a 6 which is the most heat level I can stand. I fill my bowl with tomatoes, pineapple, eggplant, zucchini, and turkey. You can pay extra and get shrimp or scallops or other tasty options. The service is fast and accurate. Only get what you can eat - no takeouts on the leftovers. read more

Bali Hai Restaurant - Mongolian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I've been here a few times for lunch, and it's pretty good! The combination sauce at a level 5 is perfect for me. You can get one bowl or two for the Mongolian grill...and fill the bowl(s) with veggies/fruit as high as you can! I also like to add chicken and noodles on mine! Service is great! Someone will take your order, and then you put the ticket on your tray so they know how to cook it once you've picked out all your veggies/fruit. Then the waitstaff brings it to your table. It's nothing fancy inside, but they serve nice portions of food, for a good price. There is a small parking lot, or free 2-hour on street parking. read more

Anytime we get even close we are going to Bali Hai. We take our friends. We introduce them to this phenomenon. We have been to California, Crazy Fire, etc. and Bali Hai beats them every time. Why? Because the sauce is consistent. When you ask for a combination 6 you get the same sauce every time. When you go to other places you have to make your own sauce and it can be a disappointment. It's a hole in the wall as far as ambience. But that isn't what you are there for. Personally I get a bowl for meat and a bowl for veggies. You stack them strategically. They won't let you take your extras to go so get what you want. (They do take out) I like a little heat but if you don't you can just get sweet and sour sauce. They have a very limited beer and wine menu. They serve Pepsi products. read more

The service was great and very friendly. Food was prepared quickly and we were able to dine inside. Our food was delicious, though the fried rice was just rice with soy sauce, no vegetables or egg. Put entrees were very good and the combination sauce was perfect with the right amount of heat. I wish they had more protein options, only beef, pork or vegetarian when we were there. I would certainly go back and recommend to friends. read more

Love this place has been a staple on 9th Street forever and has never disappointed. As is standard for Mongolian BBQ, it has something for everyone in the family: you go through and pick what you want, and can watch them cook it. Customizations galore, from tofu to shrimp. Brown rice, white rice, spicy, mild, you got it. People are friendly and helpful, price is reasonable. This place kept us full during covid. Love it! read more

Ah, my go-to place back in undergrad when I'd meet up with dukies. With fond memories aside, I can't give this place more than two stars. For the price you pay, this place is technically a steal. I love the fact that you can add whatever you want and show your competitive side by trying to stack your bowl(s) as high as possible. Yup you have the choice of filling up either 1 or 2 bowls with as much meat and veggies as possible. The spices/sauces they use is something special. It's to the point where you think about it if you haven't had Bali hai for too long! However, they are consistently the worst with customer service. The combo of disrespectful owners and rude servers really can agitate you by the end of your meal. If you stack too well (aka too much food in your bowl), depending on the owners' mood, they'll kick you out, no joke! Also, if you stay even a little past closing, the server will legit tell you he's leaving so you better too! The atmosphere is that of a cafeteria- most definitely not fancy. You can order your dish however spicy you'd like it (on a scale of 1 to 10). The only problem is that the scale seems to vary depending on the cook haha Also, since they cook everyone's dishes on one big grill, I often get pieces of other people's bowls. I.e. I got a few pieces of pineapple in mine this time around when I didn't put any in my bowl. This concerns me because what if I were allergic to pineapples? (Someone call ems!!!) Overall, the reason why people come back is because of their sauce. Whatever it is, it's saving them. read more

Bali Hai Restaurant - One bowl of D-8 with noodles - Mongolian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

So I know that Duke students have a special place in their hearts for Bali Hai, but so can UNC students! I first learned of Bali Hai MANY years ago (way before my yelping days) and loved it from the start: the concept, the food, the sauces, the price, and last but not least, the art of learning to stack your food. Now, I haven't actually been to Bali Hai since my high school years and was very excited to come back with my friend who first introduced it to me almost 8 years ago. Considering it has been so long since I've been, I was anticipating change... and lots of it, but actually the place looked the same. How can that be?!?!? Seriously, everything looks the same aside for the new Bali Hai shirts hanging in the middle of the room. Needless to say, it was literally a blast from the past but I loved it. First off, I felt like such a noob by asking for the menu, but hey, I was anticipating change! After a quick glance over, I found that I really didn't need it and ordered one bowl with white rice and the combo sauce with a spicy level of 6. My friend and I eagerly made our way to the food station where we reminisced on my poor attempts at stacking... seriously though, some people have real skill at this! I am just not one of them. I was quite pleased that the ingredients looked fresh and tried to stack my bowl as best I could. Let's just say I probably came out with a little hill and was alright with that (have to accept I'm just not good at some things...) Next, you bring your bowl and ticket to the grilling station and eagerly wait at your table for the delicious food to find its way. As it wasn't busy yet, our food arrived fairly quickly and we just dug in. And again, I was so happy that the quality and taste of the food was just how I remembered it years ago. It always makes me happy when I can count on my food to be good :) Although I wasn't the stacking champion that day, I will say my meager hill of a bowl still provided me with a decent amount of food to fill me up for dinner. (Good news for those of us who lack those stacking skills) The service was great but a bit much towards the end. What I mean is that my friend and I were catching up for awhile and it just seemed as though the staff continued to try to clear off our table or walk by and see if we were leaving yet, despite the fact that the restaurant still had plenty of tables. No biggie, just a bit annoying towards the end. Other than that, the staff was really friendly! Also, don't forget a dum dum when you pay! Overall, this place is great! I'm excited to be working in the Durham area and have Bali Hai as a cheaper but filling and delicious dinner option in the future. Definitely recommend to those who are interested in the concept (Mongolian grill style) and curious to check out the stacking competition. They don't allow take out, so if you're hungry, make sure to stack your bowl! Also, I just wanted to note that the spicy/heat level may differ each time you go as it all depends on who is making your meal. I thought the 6 had a hint of heat but would definitely go higher if I wanted some real spice. read more

Food: 3.5 Ambiance: 2.5 Food/Price: 5 Pros: Fresh Ingredients, Gustatory Autonomy, Competitive Food Stacking Cons: Mediocre sauces/flavors Hai'd ya kids, Hai'd ya wife.... and Hai'd ya husband, cuz they feedin everybody up in here. Like for real the price:portion ratio is pretty ridiculous, that is if you strategize correctly, let me explain: When you're seated, the only thing you order is the number of bowls 1 or 2 ($6.50/$7.50) the flavor you want (5 choices), and extras (various kinds of meat). Next you travel through the buffet line which has loads of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as some cured beef and pork. The goal here is to fill your bowl(s) with as much food as is cosmically possible, which chiefly involves smashing food into the bowl with your bare hands, but playing vegetable jenga, and apparently even "bridging" (if you have two bowls) are also viable options. You then take your bowls to the grill, where your food is prepared before your very eyes, in what, to my uncultured estimate, could only be described as "hibachi style". Or you can just go sit at your table and someone will bring you your food. With the increased efficiency of two bowls and advanced stacking techniques you can easily fashion a colossal meal of fresh whole food for just shy of 10 dollars. Bottom line: If you're on a budget you simply Khan't miss Bali Hai. read more

Bali Hai is the go to restaurant for casual outings with kids around the Duke area. The 'stacking' concept where you have to pile raw vegetables and meat as high as you can into a small bowl is a fun (and challenging) experience for everybody who goes. Most of the time, I get the combination sauce with spicy level 4-5; I've been ambitious with the spice level a couple of times and have regretted how intensely spicy my food is (and the uncomfortable feeling after my meal...) So if you're not a huge spice lover, don't be ambitions, and stick with the lower levels. The food itself is cooked well and is pretty tasty considering how customizable the restaurant is. My biggest complaint about the restaurant is the staff and owners who are super anal and oftentimes rude. The owners will bark at you if you try to squish down your bowl to maximize the amount of food you can stack. There is absolutely NO sharing or taking leftovers to go, and be prepared to get reprimanded by one of the owners if they catch you sharing your food with another. I've had a waiter one time that seemed so unenthusiastic about being on shift that the blatantly dull and indifferent tone in his voice made me feel unwelcome. The last time that I went, I was standing at the check-out counter, and the owner literally said "Move over" to me because she saw there was another person waiting behind me. I try to be optimistic and hope that the next time I go, the staff will be a little more friendly, but it hasn't happened yet. Overall, pretty decent food but a terrible vibe given from the staff and owners. For some reason though, my friends and I always find ourselves coming back... read more

I wouldn't say its one of the best places i've ate at, but its definitely one of my favorite places to eat at. The thing i like about this place is that you get as much as you can eat. No its not an all you can eat buffet but its kind of like that. The menu is very simple. Pick one or two bowl, pick a sauce and start piling as much food as you can.. I've been going to bali hai for about 4 years and this place has yet to disappoint me. The waiters can be rude at time but thats fine. As you come here more you will begin to understand the art of 'stacking'. The more you stack the more you will get. I usually go with the D6 for medium spiciness. If you are looking for a high protein meal, look no further because you can stack all the meat you can get here. Overall, i say this place is worth trying and eating at every so often. read more

Bali Hai Restaurant - D7 with an assortment of meat and veggies - Mongolian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I had been wanting to try this place for a while, and finally stopped by after a long day of classes. Overall, glad I made the decision to go! They are doing food by the lb now, but it was still a great deal. The veggies were all super fresh, and the wait staff was great about taking me through the process! The house sauce is bomb and just what I needed. Excited to go back! read more

I've been coming to Bali Hai since high school and have come just often enough to remember my same order throughout the years: one bowl, house sauce, white rice, water. The stacking is always a lot of fun and the food has always been delicious! Perhaps I am super nostalgic about Bali Hai after all these years, but I don't think it's really fair to give this place a bad rating just for no to-go boxes. Depending on your stacking skills, you can stack a ridiculous amount of food, and from my experience, the majority of its customers are high-school and college students with master stacking abilities, so I can understand why they don't have to-go boxes. Then again, I guess if you're used to it from the Raleigh location and expecting a to-go box, I can also see why folks have been disappointed. If you really care about a to-go box that much, I'd recommend actually getting your order to-go and not eating in the restaurant. The only downsides to this place are that the manager lady is a little crazy mean (I've seen her yell at her waitresses), and as a result, the waiters/waitresses can get a little flustered. But the food is fantastic, and this will be my go-to place in Durham for many more years! read more

What a terrible experience. The table was smeared and dirty. The waitress was incredibly surly because (as we heard her complain, she had been up til 4 playing video games), and the food was mediocre to begin with. What could have been a pleasant casual dining experience became a bad experience because of an overtly unpleasant waitperson. The meal turn time was short, but we stayed to visit (the place was empty), yet she shifted from unpleasant to completely i attentive and we had to get up twice to ask for water.) Time for her to find a new careerpath. read more

This is the go-to dinner spot for me and my friends in Durham. We've even memorized our orders (for me, it's one bowl, white rice, add chicken, house, spicy 8). You stack your own bowl, and I usually stack the bottom with the heavier ingredients (turkey, zucchini, etc.)then put the other veggies above that. We are always satisfied with our food, and the portions are plentiful. The ambience of the restaurant is nice, and it's usually not too busy when we go on weekend nights. The prices are also reasonable for the food quality, which is why we'll be returning to Bali Hai often! read more

I understand a lot of the negative sentiment going around, but for me Bali Hai was always more about the experience of trying to stack as much food as possible in your bowl and the fun it entails. Granted the manager is somewhat scary and the food selection could be a bit better, but the fun and the rice are both unlimited. In general the amount of food in one bowl (if you stack it right) was always enough for me though the price is a bit high. In terms of general dining format, you come in as a group, sit down, order drinks, and then after deciding on the number of bowls go to the buffet and load up on vegetables and meats (turkey, pork and other meat slices); once you've finished, you leave it on a counter near the grill and they bring it to your table along with your choice of rice. I don't come here to eat often, maybe once or twice a year at most, but it's an interesting experience nonetheless. read more

Bali Hai Restaurant - The grill with multiple orders on it - Mongolian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

So, you select your own raw food (veggies, bean sprouts, thinly sliced meats), put them in a bowl or two (no more stacking contests - as they no longer charge by the bowl) and bring it to the counter. One employee asks you if you'd like add-ons (think tofu/shrimp), what kind of sauce you'd like, and another employee cooks your food on a giant round gas fired grill (you can watch - kids dig this). The cook is graceful and skilled - he makes it look easy! Food is usually tasty and pretty consistent. You pay by the cooked weight - and extra charges for add-ons. My issue with this place is that now ALL meals are served in styrofoam take-out containers. Yuck! I don't want a side of micro-plastics with my hot meal. I feel like I am betraying the Earth and leaving a pile of garbage for my children to clean up every time I visit this place. Please bring back washable plates for those of us who eat there/don't take our food to go! Very simple ambience is okay. read more

Y'all, I got my 2 bowls of food and settled in my chair for a yummy lunch. Got 1/2 way done with my food and my 6 month, smaller than usual, pregnant stomach was full... I had an entire half a plate left...I WAS NOT ALLOWED A TO GO BOX FOR THE FOOD I PAID FOR! Robbery. I literally had to pay full price for 1/2 MY food I was allowed to eat. read more

Do not order take out! They will add rice to the gills. Add rice= more weight= more money charged:( Next time I will tell them no rice. I wouldn't complain but 3/4 of my to go box was filled with rice nor did I ask for extra rice. Lol. Now they want to charge $2 more per lb if you decide to get take out without rice. So if you get take out it's $6.99 per pound and they will throw in tons of rice to weigh it down. But if you don't get rice they want to add $2 more. Wow. The nickel and dime doesn't stop read more

1 bowl, combination sauce spice level 7 ($9+$1 brown - 3 stars The quality of ingredients is sub par but I asked for less sauce and it wasn't too salty. I did down 3 glasses of water after though so I'm sure there's a ton of MSG in it... at least I didn't get a headache! Pile on as much as you want/can. 1 bowl was right for me. Combination sauce was alright, the spice level was just nice for me as well - a touch spicy. read more

First of all let me say "I love Bali Hai" but I feel an obligation to others to share my experience from today. Today was the first time I've been since Covid. Everything is now by the weight, which is fine but plan to pay double. I arrived 25 minutes before closing after lunch. About 5 minutes after my daughter and I got our food the waitress came over and told us they closed at 2:00 and we had to leave. This would have been totally fine had I known this when I got there because I would have gone somewhere else to dine. We ended up moving outside and my daughter froze. I'm sorry to say but I won't return until things are back to normal. read more

"Stacking" at Bali Hai is a tradition for NCSSM students, and I often ate here during high school. Revisiting Bali Hai several years later, I remembered everything being the same. The vegetable/meat space is cleaner but everything else has remained the same! First, we choose 1 or 2 bowls, the flavor (I like combination 8), kind of rice (brown, white, fried) and we "stack" as much vegetables and meat possible on the bowl. Stacking is fun and I always get carried away... getting a lot of food. I always eat rice with my food so I always end up needing another bowl of rice but not wanting to pay for it. You can also add noodles/chicken/other food for extra $. It's also too bad that you can't take leftovers home -- you have to finish your food or it gets thrown out (a complete waste, and I still don't understand why there are no take-outs here). One thing that I would recommend is labeling all the meats/vegetables, especially for first timers and those who have dietary restrictions. I only had good memories with friends here and it was great to be back! read more

I'd definitely rate this better if I was sober at the time of visiting but for the food that I remember tasted was definitely 5/5. The sauce they used put everything (our plates were sort of a mess) together and it was delicious! The place was spacious and you can see your food being cooked on this giant hot pan? I can't judge on their service so that 4/5 will do for their 5/5 food (: until I return again read more

NOTE. This is a review from someone who grew up in the Bay Area, California. First off, Bali Hai is not what you would expect from a typical Mongolian BQQ restaurant. It's not buffet style, so you need to pay per bowl. Wut? You can't get up and have something cooked on demand. This amounts to people spending 5 minutes trying to stack as much food as they can on small dinner bowls. I'm sorry, but this isn't how Mongolian BBQ is supposed to be done. Also, no takeout boxes? What's the point if it's not all you can eat? Secondly, the service is terrible. The waiter did not do a good job of describing how the menu/pricing works and we missed out on the meats that were included. If the appeal to this restaurant is stacking food on a bowl then go for it. But the waiters should at least give new patrons the low down. read more

I wanted to go to this restaurant because I wanted some stir fry. I was thinking it was gonna be like the Crazy Fire Mongolian grill but it was very underwhelming. They didn't have very many sauce options and there were very few vegetables to actually put into the bowl. I didn't like that there was a no left over policy. However the good part of the meal was the server who was very nice and explained everything well. The food I did have was good, however I will go to Crazy Fire for many more options on the types of meat and sauces and just things to put in the bowl in general. read more

"Meh Mongolian Grill on Ninth Street in Durham" At the north end of the Ninth Street shopping area sits this little Mongolian grill. Basically, you prepare a bowl of what you want, tell them the sauce & kind of rice, and they cook it for you and bring it out. I think of this restaurant like someone thinks of a person near the end of the time they're dating. On the first date, you think, "Hey, this is different-- maybe I can get into this. A few kinks to work out, but not that bad overall." After the fifth date, those "kinks" grate on you and make you wonder why you ever continued dating given better options out there. And so it is with Bali Hai... Pros: + Good concept-- you can pick exactly the proportions of food that you want, and be very specific about many of the other parameters (sauce, kind of rice, extras). + The house sauce is quite tasty, and goes well with the foods on the buffet. + Clean restaurant. + The foods on the buffet are always pretty good quality-- I've never seen anything at all wilted or "bad." Cons: - A little too hostile about how we prepare the bowls. Seriously, we pay for a bowl, so of course people will stack it high. Putting a threatening note on the buffet to "not press the food down" & how they can refuse to serve us is way, way over-the-top. - Price isn't that good. One bowl for dinner costs $7.50 before tax & tip and is really not much food. (My 12-year-old daughter was still quite hungry.) Then, if you want brown rice, you pay an extra $1? Really? And five-year-old kids get charged full price? And you can't keep any leftovers? I know their rent must be high, but geez. - Many other reviewers have pointed this out, but the selection of food is a bit lackluster. It's really mostly celery, bean sprouts, potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, and shaved meats. Would be far nicer to include things like broccoli, too. - Service is mixed. Tonight, we had very friendly and attentive service, but we have had other nights where we felt like our presence was a hassle for them. Synopsis: I like Mongolian grills-- been to many such places in other parts of the country. However, combining the small selection of foods with the hostile approach and so-so pricing, I have to say this isn't a place I go eagerly any more. I liked it when it first opened, but now I don't remember why... My advice to the owners-- raise the price to ~$9.50 for dinner. Then, add more veggies and make it "unlimited trips." Drop the hostile attitude and let people eat as much as they want. I bet many people won't eat more than they're already eating. But, they'll actually want to come back. read more

This restaurant has been a staple of my diet for 6 years now. It is only fitting it be the first review I write with Yelp Elite status. As Duke of this restaurant, I declare it the best in all of North Carolina. I couldn't ask for a better place to reign over. There is no way for me to truly explain to you how amazing this restaurant is. It's one of those places you just need to go to for yourself. I have literally only met one person in all 6 years of bringing friends there that didn't absolutely love. The concept is extremely unique and you've probably never had it before so I want to recommend to you the best order you can get: Order one bowl, combination 7 sauce (not too spicy, but still enough to give it a bite), and fried rice. Then take the ticket they give you and a bowl up to the food bar. Start by building a wall of meat around the edge of the bowl; this will let you build up your bowl as high as possible for max ROI. Then, add bean sprouts and potatoes in the middle. After that, take a tong full of pineapple and put it directly in the center and open the tongs a little to pack in more food (one of the most important steps and be generous with the pineapple. It balances out the spice) . Then add another layer of meat. Add cabbage, lettuce and carrots as you see fit. Finally, put as much meat as you can on top (turkey is especially useful for this). The above instructions will give you the best possible meal. Don't be afraid to BUILD IT HIGHHHHHH! The food will shrink. The food is amazing. The restaruant is always clean. Even the owners have gotten nicer over the years. My one and only criticsm is that you CANNOT get take out. Also, check in on Yelp before you get to the restuarant. There is not service in the area. #ProTip read more

I have since been to Bali Hai a couple of times, mostly because some friends like it. The service has subsequently been much better, and the food has been quite tasty at times. I wanted to come here and increase the star rating on my review. However, one incident recently has reminded me of why I am put off by this restaurant. Our group of five came in on a Saturday night and had an enjoyable meal. When it came time to pay, the male owner of the restaurant quoted my ticket as $8.49. I was confused because the menu states that the Dinner 1 (one bowl) is $6.95, and with tax this comes out to $7.49. I expressed this to him, and he said the $8.49 includes tax and tip. I really felt like he was trying to pull one over on us. Why include tip in the bill if our party was 5 people? If I had not asked, he would not have told us tip was included. Also, the "tip" that he included in the bill was only for 13%. I believe he was trying to add a dollar to everyone's bill without us noticing and have us tip on top of this total. This is downright shady business practice, and I am absolutely disgusted read more

TL;DR - This place is 100% worth trying out. Delicious food, low price, quick, and lovely service! I just went to this Bali Hai location tonight for the first time and it was delicious! The staff made sure to meticulously get my orders right and the end result was delicious. Additionally, the delivery was very timely and everyone was very kind. I usually get one bowl piled high when I go in-person so I decided to get two in case the person making the food was a little light-handed. I was pleased to see, however, that it was an incredible amount of food for only $3 more than the single bowl! In summary, I definitely recommend Bali Hai to anyone interested in trying it out. Thank you for the great food! read more

It's healthy, it's fast, it's good. Better than Subway and you still get everything made your way. I love this place. Apparently, I've been out-of-the-know for quite sometime, as I've only heard about this place this year. I do not know what's wrong with me. You should go and try it. Here's my helpful guide to Mongolian BBQ: 1 - It's nothing like southern BBQ. It's either a spicy sauce or curry sauce mixed with your choice of vegetables, meat, rice or noodles and cooked over an open flame. It's grilling more than BBQ. 2 - When you go, you'll order the BBQ dish and you get a choice of 1 or 2 bowls. Just go ahead and pay the extra $1 for the second bowl. That way you can skip the rice (ew, bad, carbs!) 3 - You'll also be asked for a "heat number." This is how spicy on a scale of 1-10 that you want your food. I'm not a heat person and keep it around 3 or 4. My friend always orders a 10 and sometimes says it's not spicy enough. This obviously shows how subjective that can get. 4 - When you take your two bowls to the ingredients area, be sure to stack high. Real high. Stuff cooks down and you want to be full, right? Also, note: You don't get to take home leftovers. So pile as high as you think you can eat, but don't be wasteful. That's it! A great place for vegans and carnivores since you get to make whatever dish you want. It's always fast and whenever I go busy, but it shouldn't take you more than an hour on your lunch break. My friend calls it a "hot salad" since it's all the good stuff you should eat prepared in a way that makes you want to eat it. read more

Hm, have to update after my first dine-in experience... Cons: *No takeout boxes for leftovers awarded. *No hand sanitizer after dealing with frozen meat (which you inevitably touch in order to stack your bowl without toppling). *Wimpy add-ons: the shrimp were the size of a penny. *Lack of green veggies: how about some broccoli or green beans? *Yellow curry sauce is bland as can be. *If you want extra spice after your meal is cooked, it comes in the form of cayenne(?) powder Pros: *The combination sauce packs the most punch. *Our server was exceedingly patient with us, considering I was a build-your-bowl newbie, and my husband and I could not agree on who would order what sauce. *You have the option of wine or beer with your meal. *You have the option of brown or white rice. *it's more than moderately fresh, cooked at once, and reasonably priced. My advice: Do the takeout (and actually be able to keep your leftovers). read more

I was sorely disappointed by this place. The concept is cool: pick your veggies and meat, then it's cooked right in front of you. A similar thing was offered at my undergraduate institution dining hall, but they did it much better. Their selection of veggies is limited and their meats are shaved and frozen! The sauce is not good. The lady at the cash register was not particularly friendly and refused to give me a second set of utensils (I imagine it is to avoid two people sharing one "double", but still...). All-in-all not a good experience and I would never go back. read more

When the food is cooked well here, it's perfect. The problem I have run into here is the inconsistency. It's best to come here really early or really late because during the rush, the chefs dont put much effort into cooking the food, which often comes out either extremely bland or undercooked. Sighs. I love this place to death, but wish they would be more consistent, which I think they are shooting themselves in the foot with. Let's talk about service. Had this review been about service, one star, MAYBE two for the few nice waiters and waitresses' sake. I've seen the owners of the restaurant purposefully undercook the food for customers who stack a little more than their liking. There is a youngish asian waitress who always just seems to be in a bad mood whenever shes working. But again, there are a few really polite people, who can make your experience great. You order by picking a letter for the sauce and a number for spiciness. You stack the bowls with whatever ingredients you prefer and take it to be stir fried. For me, the combination sauce is the most flavorful (D) with 7 as my spiciness. I cant wait for the original bali hai to reopen (it got burned down in a fire about a year ago) where both the food and the service are ALWAYS on point. read more

Bali Hai Restaurant - D7 is perfect for me :) - Mongolian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Great place to get a lot to eat for cheap. Ordering can be tricky for first-timers. You are given the option of ordering one or two bowls. You go through a buffet line of meats and veggies and try to stack as much as you can into your bowl(s). It's amusing to see some of the people try to pile on as much as they can - many of the regulars have their own technique & I am amazed at how high they are able to stack. After going through the line, you drop it off and choose the spicyness level (1-10) and type of sauce. I love that they now offer brown rice. You can do take-out but cannot doggy bag your left overs if you choose to dine-in. I always grab a dum-dum lollipop at the cash register, it reminds me of my childhood. read more

As I mentioned for the Raleigh location: Bali Hai takes all of the best things about food and puts them into one convenient dish. I don't quite know how to describe it, except it is wonderful. If you haven't tried it, I suggest you just do so. The Durham location is good as well, although I prefer Raleigh when I can get there. The only real difference, though, is that Durham is hopelessly less spicy if you order Spicy. I order approximately 150% of the heat I would normally order in Raleigh, though, and it works out. read more

Great value for the money. I'm a regular and have came here probably 15 times now. The quality of the service varies widely, sometimes it is very attentive while other times they are very dismissive. What keeps me coming back is the food - you can really choose what you end up eating. The amount of food is great as long as you are a skilled stacker. I would recommend getting two bowls and cramming as much meat and veggies in there as you can. The $1 noodles is also good. Get in, get full, and get out. Pretty quick. read more