I am ashamed and astonished that I have yet to review Bali Hai. As my husband's favorite restaurant, I've had the opportunity to visit on multiple occasions. You start by choosing how many bowls of food you will prepare. Standard- one. Hungry- twp. Then you choose the sauce (I'm a low-sodium Q kind of girl), type of rice (steamed or fried, brown for an extra charge) and whether you'd like any add-ons (noodles, tofu, shrimp, etc). Of note, rice portions are currently unlimited at this location. However, don't take more food than you will eat- they don't give out carry out boxes. Proceed to the buffet station where your artwork will commence! You can observe the Bali Hai masters carefully outlining the perimeters of their bowls with turkey or eggplant triangles to maximize the bowl's yumminess capacity or stacking their towers higher than seems possible. Many of my friends insist that you must start with a potato base. My meal of choice? Bean sprouts, mushrooms, zucchini and green onions on the bottom, topped with a substantial tower (usually 4-6 inches) of bean sprouts. (Lately I've been getting shrimp as an add-on instead of the beef that's at the buffet.) It's always fun to see who can get the tallest stack of food. Of course, if you have two bowls, you can create a bridge between the two, resulting in a mega-masterpiece. Don't forget your Dum-Dum at the end of the meal. The large wicker urns near the front of the store will gladly accept your wrapper as you leave. Reasonably priced, good service, nice atmosphere (frequently with Yanni piano music). Now only one question remains: One bowl or two? read more

More of a 3.5! You already know I did some hefty research on the reviews before trying it out. So I constantly kept in mind about the whole no take-out, extra cost for certain meats + noodles, no over-stacking to the point of getting kicked out, somehow still mastering the stacking, and the sometimes inconsistent level of spiciness (which I understand because of the way it's cooked). I didn't get the deal about the place because Mongolian BBQ at the food court is so much simpler and more filling. But it the survival of the fittest approach when stacking was fun. Rice was nice and flaky and as other reviewers have mentioned, their specialty is the sauce. D-9 wasn't spicy enough for me but the warmth was there so no complaints. They have red pepper on the tables! Only tips would be to know of their policies, watch out for any stray veggies or meats from other bowls that might've been cooked with yours (if you're allergic to anything), and watch for any stray hairs (which only happened to one plate at our table...so we'll let it slide). Our server checked on us well with the waters and etc. but it's pretty hectic around dinner so cut them some slack when they're not able to hear you well or not overly enthusiastic. They're human :) read more

Got togo, the food was great however they try to get you with the price! They fill the entire container with rice because they charge togo by weight but when you dine in you get a small bowl of rice! Ask for the rice on the side!! Other than that the selection of food is great. Fresh veggies and meats, i went with D-7 and it was perfect. Not too hot but full of flavor. Its my go to place for mongolian food! read more

A fun place to take friends and first-timers to the Durham food scene, especially when you know the tricks to stacking your bowl extra high with ingredients. Nothing to write home about, but the food is dependably good and I always get the combination sauce. Affordable and decently delicious. read more

The more often you come, the better you will get at stacking the ingredients. I like to come here with friends because it's really fun to stack food and squish the frozen meat pieces with another bowl (to make the stack higher of course) while trying to hide from the angry owners glaring over, making sure we're not 'cheating the system'. I usually stack my favorite veggies with beef, tomatoes and pineapples, along with spicy or combination sauce. They do have add-ons like noodles, shrimps and scallions - I tried the noodle add-on one time and I did quite like it. People sometimes complain about the portions but I have never had any problem with that - I had not eaten anything today before going to Bali Hai, and I could barely finish my dish! Bali Hai is a nice place, but if I were a Durham resident, I wouldn't visit here too often. The quality of food is nothing too spectacular and I get sometimes annoyed by how rude the owner gets sometimes at the workers at her restaurant. I know I'll be coming here from time to time though to take a break from limited on-campus dining options at Duke. read more

An unassuming no frills restaurant run by koreans, Bali Hai, unlike its name suggests, is not a Mongolian Restaurant. Rather, it is, joint that gives you the option of making your own stir fry with the added challenge of packing as much(or as little) food as you want. Like many asian Duke students, my first Bali Hai experience came only a few weeks after arriving at Duke. The food itself is not exceptional, but it offers consistent, decent food at a non outrageous price. Essentially, you get to choose how many bowls you want(bowls of toppings), what sauce you want(and how spicy you want it), what kind of rice you want, and any premium items(shrimp, noodles, better quality meat). With each bowl, you are challenged with filling it with as much meat and vegetables as you can. I have seen many a hungry college student work diligently in stacking, arranging, and placing as much food as possible in their bowls. The process has almost become systematized as people create towers out of their food. The stir fry comes out rather quickly with some rice and usually tastes pretty decent. Cons: -The rice is very very average(usually dry/old) -The owners are erratic as hell(sometimes they are really mean, sometimes they are very nice) they also make it very obvious when they want you to leave. -There is nothing that will wow you. All in all, as a person who has come here multiple times, I have nothing against this restaurant. It's a solid dining option and will hit the spot on a hungry night. read more

The dining experience is interesting and fun. You pick the spice style you want and spiciness(heat) level on a 0-10 scale. You then pick up your vegetables and meats on a salad bar type table. Your food is then cooked on a concave grill. The grill is central to the restaurant and it is interesting to watch the cook work. The service is fast, friendly. A true Durham gem! read more

Standard flat top grill experience, although made unnecessarily confusing. You can order one "bowl" or two. To be clear (since our server wasn't with us), that's not two DISHES, that's two bowls worth of ingredients, which will then be combined into one stir-fry. If you fill up only one bowl, you will get the most diet-friendly tiny portion of food, filling up roughly a quarter of the plate. None of the ingredients, including the meats, are labeled. This lead to a great deal of confusion - is that pineapple or potato? Pork or turkey? Premium meats (like... chicken?) are hidden from view, presumably to be added at a later time. Food itself was fine, stir-fried properly and with well-flavored sauce. If you're looking for a quick healthy meal as you pass through, sure. But I'm sure there must be better food in the area. read more

This Bali Hai in Durham was my first experience in this type of cuisine a few years ago, but then I tried the one in Raleigh which is SOO much better. Despite the Durham one looking like an actual restaurant where you can sit down and have a server, the fact that you barely receive any service defeats the purpose. In my most recent visit in quite a while, our server never explained to us what to do, she just pointed us at a table to sit. The whole process of this Bali Hai is a bit confusing (and much different than the other one); was I supposed to just know what to do? Her service just consisted of gestures, no smiles, and a few words that, at a few times, confused us. If you can spare an extra 30 minutes, I HIGHLY suggest driving over to the one in Raleigh. Although it looks extremely run down (I think it was flooded some time ago), the service to the food beats Durham's by a long shot. The Raleigh restaurant doesn't really have servers taking your order; you do that at the front. The food buffet area in Durham is an island so you're able to go around as you please and stack your bowl. But in Raleigh, theirs is like a bar, so if people are behind you, you can't wander back and stack on the ingredients you've passed already. However, the owners/employees are sooo cool; you can chat with them while you're waiting to hand over your creation of stacked goodness, and the flavors of the sauces are sooo much tastier. Let's just say, I leave Bali Hai in Raleigh a much happier person than at this place. read more

The concept of this place is what attracts me time and time again. 1.Get a bowl (or two). Pick your sauce. 2. Head to food bar. Pile as much food as you can into said bowl(s). Really this is where all the fun is. 3. Let them do their magic and grill your food into perfection 4. Enjoy It's so simple, so sweet. I always get 1 bowl, combination 7 sauce (D7), fried rice, and have more than food than I can handle. Like I said earlier, the best part is the stacking. If you've got good technique you can get an amazing portion of food from just 1 bowl. If you're not so great at this, maybe just get 2 bowls and cut out the fuss. If you're good at this but have crazy appetite, get 2 bowls and create a "bridge" between your two bowls for maximum effect. Here's how I stack: -build wall of meat on the edges of your bowl - this will create extra height for bowl -in center add some flat veggies like sprouts, or onions. W/E your little heart desires -keep adding more and more things and compressing it by squishing down with your hands -make sure you add tons of pineapple -somewhere in there add in some more meat -finally just toss whatever else you can possibly muster at the top, I usually do carrots and bell pepper up top -marvel at your 7 inch+ high bowl The food is tasty. It's not out of the world, but for $7 it is so worth it. HOWEVER, no takeout possible. So don't get a ton of food and then hope you can just take it to go. I do hear the Raleigh location allows takeout though. read more

I drove two hours today to eat at my favourite restaurant in the world. When I got to Raleigh I checked the website for the restaurant. It showed the Garner location was not open for lunch on Saturday. The website showed that the Durham location was open from 11:30 to 9. We decided to drive another 21 miles arriving at 1:47. Sign showed that they closed at 2. We were refused seating as the snowflake didn't seat anyone after 1:45. More people were refused seating. Peter Tsing started the Bali Hai restaurants in 1980. Peter would never turn away a customer. But then again, Peter was a restauranteur, not a snowflake. It seems there are several Bali Hai websites and not all are kept updated. read more

Bali Hai is good for the food and great for the experience. 5 years ago I found this place and it was my first experience with Mongolian food. I wasn't sure what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. The menu is very short but there are so many different combinations that can be made. I always choose 1 bowl with the sweet and sour sauce. It's delicious! I always add pineapple in my bowl with this sauce and it really brings the flavor out. I really like that I can choose what vegetables I want as well as what meats. Every different combination I have made always turns out yummy! Part of the experience of Bali Hai is the stacking. Whatever you can fit in your bowl is what they cook. The more you go and practice the better you get. If the turkey is frozen enough I like to put them around the edges of the bowl to add more height. It's amazing how high some people can stack their bowls! This is a place that can be quick if you want it to be. They cook your food as soon as you put if on the bar for them. All meals come with rice and you can also add noodles if you like. I would recommend this place especially if you're looking for something new and different. read more

Always a fun place to eat at because of the stacking competition. To get the most bang for your buck, I recommend getting 2 bowls and placing them side by side on the tray to provide a larger surface area for the base of the tower. However, only do that if you have a large appetite because boxes aren't provided for leftovers. That is a pet peeve of mine because food will still be wasted. I paid extra for brown rice that was cooked a bit too dry for my liking. The stir fry itself was pretty tasty. I ordered it with the house sauce, no spicy. The workers aren't the friendliest bunch. read more

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

I wouldn't come here unless I had to. This place is your typical Mongolian BBQ grill. The premise is the same: you choose how many bowls you want; pile as much frozen chunks of meat and vegetables as you can in them. Everything is then stir-fried on a circular grill and served with your choice of white or fried rice. For me, the best part of Mongolian BBQ is the privilege of choosing your own ingredients. Because you get to fill your own bowl(s), it can also be pretty amusing to go with friends and engage in some food stacking war. When I went for the first time, I ordered one bowl and managed to fill it up to the brim with pork, beef, green onions, cabbage, tomatoes, and mushrooms without making a mess in the buffet line. I thought I did a great job stacking my frozen meats and vegetables, but it was only after everything was cooked that I realized how deceptively large my food portions appeared. Simply put, one bowl of comfortably stacked food was not enough to remedy my starving pains. To get your money's worth, either order two bowls or be ready to craft some creative scheme to stack your bowl high and tight. My stacking skills have plenty of room for improvement, but what disappointed me about my experience was the quality of the food itself. I did not feel like I was eating a nutritious meal at all, and the food overall reminded me of something I would eat at a mall's food court. The house sauce was flavorful, but the extreme saltiness of it all was enough dissatisfaction to keep me away. The quality of customer service is also pretty unpredictable. Sometimes, the waiter/waitress is just not a friendly face - which can be pretty unpleasant. During my most recent visit, however, the waiter was much more personable - though perhaps, that was because it was 7 pm on a Monday night, and only one other table in the restaurant was occupied. Bali Hai is on 9th street, which is near the periphery of Duke's East Campus, so the restaurant is pretty accessible for students living nearby. It's convenient, casual, and fast but look elsewhere for a more wholesome dining experience. read more

It was okay. I am a very picky eater. There wasn't much to choose from. The things that I did get into my bowl didn't all cook all the way. And I hate crunchy potatoes and carrots. You can get different meats added to it but they don't give you enough for the cost for the add on. I will say that the employees were nice. Especially after reading what other reviews said about the staff. I was impressed. read more

Service can be a hit or miss, more often it's been a miss for me. The interior is pretty dim, and seems a bit dingy, but I think that's alright as well, but it doesn't give the impression of impeccable cleanliness or something. BUT. the food has been pretty tasty. If you're diggin some Mongolian BBQ, i'd say that this is the place to go (from what I've explored of Durham thus far). The key (and the fun part) is to arrange your ingredients in the bowl in a way so as to stack it as high as you can and fit as much as you can. You can get noodles mixed in with your meal for extra, and they serve it with a side of rice. Also! make sure not to rip up or crumple the receipt they give you becuase that's what you use to pay for it. I made the mistake of doing that the first time. read more

This was a popular place to go for group meals as a student, and the prospect of putting as much food as you possibly can into one or two bowls (now there's THREE?!?! according to the website) for a reasonable price sounded like a pretty good deal--until you realize that the selection isn't great. There's perhaps around 16 different non-meat options ranging from bean sprouts to tomatoes, and you're limited to beef, pork and turkey without paying extra (there should never be an extra charge for chicken or imitation crab IMO). You also pick one of 4 or so sauces before making your bowl that the chef adds when cooking, and select the spiciness level from 1-10. Now I don't really tolerate anything with more than a medium level of spiciness, but even an 8 is still not that spicy to me--until I heard that the scale actually goes up to 20 even though it's 10 on the menu. I thought the selection wasn't bad when I first went there, but after experiencing some Mongolian grill restaurants back home (with more seafood options, eggs, nuts, and the option to create combinations of sauces), Bali Hai really falls short. And there's also the issue with service--I always felt there was pressure to finish quickly, and the manager (an older Asian lady) is QUITE strict while you make your bowl. Try to avoid touching any of the food with your bare hands as much as you can, because she can become quite annoyed if she catches you. And don't dawdle! She also got somewhat angry whenever someone took slightly too long in paying at the cash register. However, I noticed that she was much more mellow during my most recent visits--I wouldn't be surprised if there were complaints filed about her attitude. Some advice: always put in more than you think is enough to feed you when making your bowl(s)--things shrink a lot after they're cooked (this is mostly for the undergrads out there who have never cooked once in their life of course) Pros: intriguing dining option close to East Campus, unique DIY style, food usually tastes pretty good after it's cooked Cons: dictator service, could use some more options read more

I've been coming here for the last 10 years or so, ever since high school. It hasn't changed at all but it's exactly what you want it to be. It's a great value, and if you feel particularly hungry, a fun competition for everyone to build the highest stacked bowl. I just like how you can customize what you want to eat and pick the sauce, it's super easy, cheap, and tastes good. I haven't done spicy too high in awhile, but recall it can get pretty hot! Only con: sometimes one guy on the wait staff can be a little rude, I saw this around lunch and he was pretty slammed, but no need to take it out on customers. read more

I love Bali hai and their amazing food. I have been going for years and love the ability to personalize meals with a wide selection of options read more

The food here was decent, with good seasoning and a healthy balance of spices. The waiting time is nuts and the food can shrink a lot from what you originally choose. Overall, recommended read more

Bali Hai is a fun twist on Mongolian barbecue where you are given a bowl or two to fill (to the brim or higher) with your choices of meats and veggies which are then grilled right in front of your eyes. The self-service bar has about twenty or so different choices. Obviously being the carnivore that I am (...I literally don't eat vegetables) I went for the beef, pork, & potatoes, but they have a lot of good fresh looking vegetables and also pineapple. You also choose your choice of sauce (I always had the house sauce, but you can go spicy too) and add-ons such as tofu, noodles, or shrimp. Prices are very reasonable (without alcohol you can usually get out for under $10 including tip) and service is friendly / fast. Depending on your bowl-filling skills you can get a ton of food for your money. Meals also come with a side of fried or white rice. It's not a giant place but Bali Hai can handle groups pretty well, at least up to 12 or so. Each person pays individually which is nice if you're part of a large party since it allows you to avoid the check-splitting clusterf**k altogether. The decor and general atmosphere is pretty boring / unassuming; you come for the food. Minus 1 star because you can't box up your leftovers to take home (so be prepared to either stuff yourself or not get your money's worth). read more

The lady who works behind the counter is very mean and unfriendly. If you stack too high or beat the system in another way, she will probably yell at you as I have seen her do many times (to both myself and others). Although, I must admit I do get angry when I see a ten person line form at the buffet because some kid who is getting his Ph.D. in "food stacking" is busy recreating the Eiffel Tower out of sprouts. In the end, the lady behind the counter will probably be nice to you to try to coax you into tipping more. Probably don't be fooled by that? But help yourself to one of those lollipops. Anyway, this is a good place to eat, probably even better when a lot of other dinner options have already been exhausted. read more

First, food itself deserves 3-4 star rating. However, it's very unpleasant place for a family. So many rules and I felt that we were watched. Silent, groomy and depressing place. I like sharing dishes with my husband and my son when we eat out. One rule is no sharing. No fun. No joy. I also felt like that employees being stressed out as if the owner must have been watching them every moment. Stressful place. They better lighten up and make the place more enjoyable. the rules and stressful atmosphere ruin all. read more

I'm a Duke student who's been coming here fore ages and I love this place! It's a fun way to eat stir fry. For those who aren't familiar, you play a game called "stacking" where you try to pack as many veggies and meats into a bowl which they will then cook in front of you. Very fun to come here with friends and family and watch fresh food get made! Very tasty too. I love to add noodles to my order too. read more

Bali Hai is a great spot for big appetites and small budgets. The restaurant itself is one of many on Durham's famed 9th Street. It's atmosphere is very casual, good for families and local college students alike. The staff is youthful, helpful, and accommodating. The dining process is rather involved. You select the number of bowls you'd like, then take the bowls to a bar and select what you'd like to have prepared. The bar contains a wide variety of meats, veggies and fruits. Then you drop it all off at the grill with your sauce selection for it to be prepared. The sauces are Delicious, and really make the meal. You choose them on scale based on how spicy you prefer the food to be. I'd encourage all to venture beyond a 5, as the spice adds a much needed kick. For those scared of too much, I'm told an 8 is the cut-off between spicy and not. I ventured all the way to an 8, though and really enjoyed it. This is a super place to take the whole family without breaking the budget, a quick stop on a college budget, or even a casual date. read more

Haven't even ate the food but I was horrified by the condescending tone I was met by their staff. The sort of tone people use to make themselves feel smarter than you, while they're working their boring minimum wage job that they hate. Don't tell me it's not a Chinese restaurant when I ask if you have duck sauce. Just say no. Try being nice, you might get a tip. read more

The food at Bali Hai was delicious! The place was very COVID-19 safe, masks required and sanitizer offered. The owner was very friendly and aware. He disinfected the buffet table and asked guests to wear gloves prior to serving their food, they sanitize the table too after every use. They have dine-in available, bring the food to you and respectfully ask if it's okay to approach with your food for the guest's safety. The amount of food you can get for the price was an awesome deal. I loved the variety of veggies they offered. There was plenty of meat choices for meat lovers and you can choose your sauce (if any) to go with your food. Those who like spicy sauce can customize their amount of spice with a 1-10 scale. Will definitely be coming back! read more

This was definitely my go-to restaurant in Durham. Not only does the restaurant have all you can eat rice with the meal, you can get a surprisingly large amount of food on a bowl. Some people will bring two bowls and stack a large amount of food between the two bowls, but I always find that I could stack about as much as them in just one bowl. The owner who worked there a few years ago was discouragingly rude sometimes, but she isn't usually the person waiting on the tables so it's not that bid a deal. The way I do it is by lining the bowl neatly with the frozen meats. Then you put some of the more compact veggies in the middle of the bowl (I think tomatoes, eggplant, and potatoes always make for a very good mix), and then top it all off with the looser vegetables (cabbage, bean sprouts, etc). I think the "bowl" ends up usually being a 1.5 foot mountain of food. Don't ask for any add-ons, and if you like spicy, their spicy sauce is very delicious (I always go for a 6). Finally, be prepared to eat until you can barely walk. At least that's how I always felt upon leaving the store. Before leaving though, finish off with one or two nostalgic dum-dums from the jar at the cash register. read more

Mongolian grill. If you've never had it before, basically you get a bowl to fill up with nice cuts of raw meats(pork, beef, turkey), and vegetables, bean sprouts, carrots, cucumbers, mushrooms, etc. There are strategies to try to fit as much meat in the bowl as you possibly can. They then stir fry the bowl's contents for you, along with a selection of sauce (house special, soy sauce, spicy, and some others), and serve it to you with rice. Decent price, probably 10-14 dollars for dinner. Service is good, although your order takes awhile if it's busy. And food is fresh. I go there occasionally. read more

After being pressured to try a Mongolian Grill restaurant in Durham, we arrived very early, and I'm very glad that we did. The sheer crush of people that showed up for the lunch rush after we had taken care of preparing our orders was overwhelming. While being fairly familiar with the Mongolian Grill restaurant style, I will note that the selection of food available at their bar is fairly limited when compared to places like Crazy fire, but I don't necessarily consider this a drawback; the essentials were there, and none of the ridiculous items were available. The meat looked a bit questionable at first - certainly not from a spoilage perspective - but it consisted of very thinly slices pieces of frozen beef, pork and turkey. There were other meats or selections available (such as noodles, lamb and chicken) for an additional charge, and I found that somewhat disappointing. Rather than seasoning and oiling your bowl yourself, the waitress wrote an order to the cooks for a particular selection of sauce/seasoning and the cook would apply it as the meal was cooking. The actual quality of the food was very good, and it was delivered back to our table, which was nice as it seemed to better justify the place actually having a wait staff (as opposed to Crazy Fire where the waiters are basically there only to refill drinks and collect a tip). As with any other Mongolian Grill, any problem with your meal is probably your fault, as you literally have mostly made it yourself. However, Bali Hai makes it very difficult to have a bad experience. The one issue we did have was attempting to pay and leave. The woman who took our payment (I assume either an owner or manager) was very short and borderline rude. She also appeared to be somewhat frantic, which was understandable with the massive queue of people who had suddenly appeared around noon. In away, this had its own charm. If you enjoy Mongolian Grill restaurants, this one is worth trying. I believe that I prefer it to Crazy Fire. read more

My favorite restaurant in the world. I went there (either here or Raleigh) once or twice a week, every week, from 1999-2004. Then, I moved to Virginia and subsequently Minnesota. Bali Hai's magic formula is the bar and the chef. Take two bowls. Fill one bowl heaping high with veggies and the other with meat or poultry. Order your choice of sauce and spice (scale of 1-10 for heat) and the chef cooks it to your liking. I ate at Bali Hai on July 21, 2015,and it was even better than I remembered. D-9. All other Mongolian bbqs have fallen shot. read more

Bali Hai Restaurant - D-9 with fried rice and a Heineken. FANTASTIC! - Mongolian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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My husband and I love Mongolian food and we're really excited about trying this location. Let me start out by saying that the food was very good. Unfortunately, the selection process was odd and it was not a relaxing environment because we weren't sure if we were doing it correctly. The meat was frozen and in order to have chicken; which is a very common meat, you had to pay extra. Noodles were extra. Lots of add-ons. The rice had been sitting out and was very dry. As a whole the food really was acceptable but the dining experience was really less than desirable. read more

Ome of the better Mongolian restaurants. Could use a better selection of meats and veggies, but quality is great and service is quick. Tip: Definitely stack as much as you can on your bowl. I don't realize how much people were stacking until I got mine. Overflowing veggies/meat is the norm! read more

We went here for lunch because our local Mongolian place shut down and have been driving to Cary to eat Crazy Fire, which we love but is not convenient. This place charges you for what seemed to be everything and only has 10 options for vegetables on their bar. They were not very accommodating for our two year old and when we showed our dissatisfaction to our waiter, he brushed us off and said "It's not the first time I've heard this." Poor service all around. We will happily drive the hour plus to Crazy Fire to get our Mongolian fix from now on. read more

Service was probably the worst I've ever seen in my life. I ordered take-out but saw some friends in the restaurant, so I stopped to chat for a couple minutes. The manager started yelling at me in Korean (I'm not Korean) and ordered two of the larger male waiters to "escort" me out. Apparently take-out customers are not allowed to stay in the restaurant for any length of time after paying. She then attempted to take my food from my hands and throw it in the garbage. I tried to be as courteous as possible, but I just couldn't see the reasoning behind these rules, as the restaurant was nearly empty. The manager simply became louder and louder as she yelled, making a big scene, and seems to have anger issues. I left the place and never came back since. read more

Having been a Mongolian BBQ fan for the past twenty years living in different parts of the US, we have tried multiple other triangle locations as they popped up in the area until recently experiencing Bali Hai. Hands down, this is the best for quality ingredients that taste good at an optimal price. While the setup and structure is a bit different than others, two recent visits within a week prove that it is a consistent formula that works to maintain cleanliness and taste. A few items to note: - The wait staff writes your order on a ticket (1 or 2 bowls, type of sauce and spice level from 1 not to 10 flaming, add ons include chicken, tofu, noodles, etc), you go to the bar and fill your bowl/s with veggies and protein (chicken, noodles, and tofu are add ons only that is added by cooking staff), drop it off and the wait staff will bring to the table when cooked - The taste can get quite spicy if you go above 5 on the scale - Stack as much as will fit in the bowl (it's fun to watch local Duke students such as engineers at this location ;) - White or fried rice is an add on with the order brought separately - Wine, beer and standard refreshments available - Free Parking in side lot - Takeout is priced by the pound - This is not an upscale dining experience, but good quality During a recent visit, my wife and I got a total of three bowls to eat there, 1 wine, 1 beer, and 2 bowls of takeout for $42. Pros: Good taste, price, quality, clean, and nice people Cons: Could use a little better communication on how things work, add some touches to make the experience more personal (decor and etc), and they don't have tortillas as an add on read more

Well i would like to start by saying I got a very bad reception by the lady owner who would not listen to my request as to where I would like to seat. She was out right rude and was even yelling at her stuff infront of all the customers. I have never seen such kind of behaviour and when it went to the food. Folks were touching food and pressing it down with their dirty hands prior to it being stir fried on a huge grill. The food is not fully cooked and contamination is highly likely to happen. That is a disaster waiting to take place & I wonder why the health Dept hasn't done anything about it. If you can stand a rude owner and folks coming from scratching their crouches coming in and touching food with those dirty hands which is going to be cooked together with yours, then you will have a great meal. read more

Service sucks. End of story. However, food tastes okay. It's really all about the sauce you get. Rice is bland and tastes like it's a day old. However, the meats and vegetables seem pretty fresh. Come here if you are desperate for Mongolian grille but don't expect to get any kind of service. This place can get super crowded on Fridays and Saturdays so plan accordingly. read more

There are a lot of mixed reviews here, but let me make it simple for you: food is AMAZING, relatively cheap, and costumer service (the female owner) is terrible. The food is the only thing that is giving it a four star rating, and if it weren't for the female owner, it would get five stars in my book. Pros: I've been coming here since high school (over 6 years) with friends, on dates, etc. and I LOVE the food! Like everyone else says, you can choose 1 or 2 bowls and try to stack as many veggies and meats as you can (I choose two bowls because I like to eat a lot and I also build a bridge across the bowls to optimize the food stacking lol). I also get rice noodles added for a extra buck, then always get the spicy sauce, which is the DELICIOUS house sauce, just spicy. As another review said, spiciness varies based on who's cooking, but typically on a scale of 1-10 I get a 15 because it's really not spicy at all regardless. You also get a bowl of fried or steamed rice, I usually just mix it in with the food. You aren't allowed to box up any left overs, so be mindful of how much you can eat! Never had other people's food mixed into mine, like some of these reviews are suggesting, but I may not have ever noticed since I get a wide variety of the veggies anyway. Now for the cons: literally the only bad thing to say about this place is the ownership. For a long time I tried to let it slide that the female owner seemed grumpy sometimes, I would even make excuses for her behavior, as some of my friends would just break a few minor rules or do things that I'm sure were very annoying to the owners if all you do is deal with the same problems at the same restaurant everyday, like mashing the food down with your hands, etc. I get that, it's kind of gross, it could transfer contagious illnesses and other bacteria, etc. and was understanding of it. But no longer, I'm done doing mental gymnastics to justify her behavior. I've witnessed and been victim to too many very rude glares from her, even a few rude verbal barbs, and I've always been VERY careful to follow ALL of the rules she has posted all over the food bar. She simply gives me this very rude and uncomfortable glare on occasion when she feels I've consistently stacked my food incredibly high (gonna toot my own horn, but I've been coming here for over 6 years, I'm bound to get pretty good at it, and there's no limit on how much you can stack, sorry). Then when you go to pay, she's very short with you, especially if you've already made the mistake of taking advantage of the restaurants theme of stacking food, and even snatches your ticket out of your hand(!)....EXCUSE ME, WHY TF ARE YOU IN SERVICES INDUSTRY IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE SO TERRIBLE AT SERVING CUSTOMERS?! If you don't like people stacking food high, then don't own a business where you advertise that people can stack food as high as they can! It's like owning a buffet and seeing someone get their third plate then getting mad because everyone else only eats two....this is your business model, don't be pissed at customers because they know how to get their money's worth. The thing is, sometimes she's completely fine, doesn't say anything at all or take a second glance at you....but, I'm not trying to go into a restaurant guessing whether or not I'm going to be verbally accosted for simply enjoying what the place boasts they offer! They need to ask her to just step aside or at least manage from a distance. They're VERY lucky their food is so damned good, because I think she would have driven most of her customers off by now if it weren't. Other than that, the only other bad things are that they are pushy about you leaving around their close times (2 and 9) and that you can't take any leftovers home, which means you better stack appropriately(which can be difficult for some to judge, especially new people), stuff yourself, or be prepared to waste food, and I HATE seeing food be wasted. I used to be understanding of this, but as long as people aren't being abusive of it, why does it matter? Are you going to make less money either way, because you sure as hell aren't going to reuse it? Just seems kind of messed up to me, like they feel taken advantage of if you make two meals out of the food you've already payed for, God forbid. Anyway, rant aside, all in all, this place is so good, but just try not to have too much contact with the owner. read more

The challenge of stacking the highest plate always gets me excited to come to Bali Hai. The food is great and is a profound attraction in the city of Durham, especially for those who attend Duke University of NCSSM. The vegetables served there are always fresh and the meat is consistently savory. The place is relatively clean and the dining area is very large if anyone is considering to bring large parties. The one complaint I have about the place is the service. Again, service to me makes or breaks a lot of restaurants because it's a shame if a place with good food repels customers because of it. I often hesitate in coming to this Bali Hai because of a couple of employees who are always impatient and blatantly, quite rude to myself and my church group who come after a community service project every month. Personally, I like to give these persons the benefit of the doubt and leave it alone. But when other people in the group feel the hostility as well, I know it's something that needs to be addressed. Again, the food is delicious and I am always inclined to come here for a great, filling meal. If management could address this issue, Bali Hai is easily a four or five star rating in my book. As for now, I'd much rather go to Ms. Mong for the much better service and employees there. read more