I am a little sad to see that this place doesn't have more positive reviews. This is one of my favorite spots in Durham! I have eaten here many times and I have never left unsatisfied and full beyond my means. I always opt to get the two bowls; I believe the price difference is just a dollar. I pack one bowl full of veggies and the other full of meat. The meat is frozen but shaved finely so it is very tasty and soft once cooked. The veggies always seem fresh and they have quite a nice selection; I typically find at least seven types to put in my bowl. I like the buffet-style stir-fry aspect of Mongolian grills but I am horrible at combining seasonings and making sauces (not just here, I have trouble with this at home too :P). At other Mongolian establishments, I have made a number of uneatable plates when left to do this on my own and it has been a pretty disappointing experience. This place makes it easy. You just give them the type of sauce you want and the level of spiciness. Don't worry, they will run you through the choices it if it is your first time. My favorite is the "combination" sauce at spice level "5." read more

I am so disappointed to give Bali Hai such a bad rating! First I would like to say I loved this restaurant! I went to the one in Raleigh for the last 7 years and was sad that it burnt down. My husband and I decided to go the one in Durham last night so I could get my fix. The food was great! I couldn't eat anymore, I asked the server for a to go box and she stated they didn't give those out. I said what? I've always gotten a to go box. She looked and goes Oh you must be from the Raleigh location? Well we don't do that here. I'm dumb struck aren't you the same restaurant? Yes but we don't do that here. Ok can I pay for a to go? She goes I don't know you'll have to ask that lady over there as she points to a person that looks like a manager. I'm thinking really as a server your not even going to take the initiative to go grab the manager or even say let me see what I can do... As I'm sitting staring at my heavenly food that's going to be wasted, I'm fuming, so my husband walks next door to the Indian restaurant and they give him 2 to go boxes which we then put our food in and we pay and leave! I will never be back to this location! I hope the other Bali Hai will be built soon. They had great customer service and plated my food in to go boxes for us! On a side note Durham, why not compromise on to go boxes. Charged $1 if your customer wants a to go box! For the love of money I can come in make my food and ask for it to go and there is no issue with the to go box! Why is it an issue when someone wants to dine in' Absolutely ridiculous! read more

Food is decent. It is overpriced. the quality of ingredients are not good enough for the price you pay. Rice seems to be always ALWAYS undercooked. Food is not the reason I gave 1 star for this restaurant. I have been there multiple times and without fail their service is ALWAYS the worst. It doesn't really matter if the food is decent if you are walking out angry. First time I went there were total of 6 people in the restaurant. I remember because there was a group of 2 and a family of 4 in the whole restaurant. The waitress sat us next to the exit and the hallway into the bathroom. Seeing as how it was fairly empty, my friend and I decided to move back a table and the manager came yelling at us that we cannot move. MAYBE there was a secret reason behind their phenomenally successfully restaurant and seating arrangement. I will never understand. Today I went and everything was ok until I went to pay. My friend paid first with a credit card. She swiped the card and then turns to me and says "hurry hurry next' So I gave her cash to pay and while I was still standing there she gets the change and puts it away from the table for me to pick up so I would get out of the way. If that was not rude enough, she turns to the friend who paid with credit and yells at him for giving her the receipt without signing it. The problem is, SHE NEVER GAVE IT TO HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE. I hate this place, Daniel read more

I'm at a loss as to what to say about Bali Hai Restaurant. Our experience started with a quite abrasive server, who was nasty right from the beginning. I had never been to a Mongolian Restaurant before, and needed some guidance on what to do. She abrubtly barked, "Hold on a minute," and seemed very annoyed by newcomers. I picked the spicy sauce #4, and added my ingredients to the bowl. The cooked sauce had absolutely no flavor, the fried rice was the blandest I've ever had, and it was really difficult to get refills. The place closed at 9, but they closed the buffet table by 8:45, a late coming group was turned away by the curt waitress at 8:50. The only plus of this place is that they're really cheap. read more

I decided to taste the menu after the nail bar across the street. The dining area and restroom are fairly clean. There's an alcoholic option for the menu too! It's like a Mongolian grill, where you put your meats/vegetables in a bowl & watch it be prepared for you. Some sauces have a "heat scale" so be mindful when picking for intensity. Nice meal for under $15. read more

Food-5 stars Promptness-5 stars Price- 5stars Service- NO stars. The concept is great, you get a bowl and fill it with food (using the turkey triangles to make the bowl bigger), then tell the cooks which type of sauce and rice and they cook it and bring it to you in five minutes. Until you are stopped by the um, witch by the cash register who scolds you for the unwritten rules- a.) you must use a tray, even if you don't need one b.) don't pack down your food c.) don't let her catch you making your bowl bigger with the turkey triangles (but do this anyways), and d.) NO TAKEOUT BOXES (but they do have this one written). Don't look offended when she scolds you for any and all of these. She does it to anyone The price is great, about $8 for one bowl plus rice (fried or steamed). But oh my gosh, the witch is going to kill me one day, because I break pretty much every rule there is every time I go. I'd say they just need to raise the price by like 2 dollars and then be nice. Just get off my case. But I'm addicted to the food, so it gets 4 stars. A bit generous, I guess, but its good. read more

This place is easy, cheap, relaxed and really good! I like the combo sauce: sweet and sour and spicy # 4. I usually can't eat more than one bowl but you can order as many as you want. Try it with the noodles, only an extra dollar but worth it!! read more

This was our 1st experience at the Durham location and was 100% disappointed!! The food was ok- it was drier than normal and could only get 2 bowls and NO take out boxes!!! We have been going to Raleigh Bali Hai for over 25 years and NEVER been disappointed!! We and Many others are SO ready for them to rebuild and open back up!!!! This was a HUGE let down!!! I can promise you I will spread the word and we won't be back to eat inside maybe take out!! It is really SAD at the difference between the Durham and Raleigh restaurants!! There are MANY other places to eat around there!!!!!' Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else!! And wait for Raleigh to reopen!!! Like we will!!' read more

Place is OK for me. I don't think the food is that bad,but the prices seem kind of high for the quality of food you get. I like to refer to the woman that several people have commented about as "Dragon Lady". She can be a real nasty woman read more

I can't believe I'm doing this but I have to let the people of the Triad know. Before I start, let me state that I've been going to the Raleigh Bali Hai for 20 years and if anyone asks me what's my favorite restaurant ever, I am quick to say Bali Hai in Raleigh. But if this restaurant is not being operated as that in Raleigh, then please change your name to something else. ATMOSPHERE: Nothing fancy, looks like an Asian restaurant. FOOD: I always order the Combination 7 and also mention well done. This way the sauces do cook well in with the meats and veggies. I love the pineapple, celery, and eggplants with a small amount of pork and lots of triangle turkey! Yes Triangle! Haha! Here comes the first mockup - the food came to me in 2 minutes, just perfect enough for the ice to melt of the turkey. This was not well done. When I asked my server if this is well done, she was hesitant to say it, but said "Yes, this is well done". I wanted to send it back but I've read a few reviews of the poor service so swallowed my pride and I opted out. The taste was there enough to remind me of the Raleigh place but it was surely missing something. When I usually go to the Raleigh place I use my NC State Engineering skills well and stack the food up real high! But since I was on a road trip to Richmond and was making this a pit stop, I decided to just get 2 bowls and not stack it high. I still got a good amount of food on the plate which leads me into my second whammy. I asked the lady for a to-go box and she said "No to-go box"!!! I wanted throw down like a little boy on the floor and start crying! Are you serious, you are not going to let me take my food home? That's totally unfair! I paid for it, so let me take it home. You're not an all you can eat Chinese buffet or Ryan's, so why won't you let me take it home? I don't like wasting food, so what did I do? I sat there and ate all of it! OMG it was a lot! For a hot minute I thought about walking out the door with the food and the plate! Haha! SERVICE: The lady was sweet and polite at first but you could tell she was trying to avoid me after I asked for the to-go box. The owner was being upset to the other server so I'm thinking the workplace could be a little hostile. Overall, I won't come back unless I bring someone else and we can share the 2 bowls, which I'm sure is another rule they may have. I can't wait for the Raleigh place to open! Please hurry and open back up, your greatest fan awaits! read more

I was first exposed to Bali Hai about 6 years ago when I started school in the area, and I was instantly hooked. I continued to visit this Bali Hai frequently--sometimes as frequent once a week until very recently when I vowed never to eat here again. Bali is a typical Mongolian grill restaurant (similar to Crazy Fire) where you pick what meats and vegetables you want and they cook it for you after you pick the sauce, add-ons (shrimp, tofu, noodles, etc.) and spiciness level. Their combination sauce is absolutely amazing--when the chef can get the correct ratio. Sometimes ordering a "6" on the spiciness scale equals a "8", sometimes a "3". I've always been happy with the food portions here, which once you figure out your bowl stacking strategy, is simply a ridiculous amount for the price they charge (~$10). So with that being said, I haven't had many complaints as it was always the good sauce ratio days balanced out the bad sauce days. The last time I visited was a very bad sauce ratio day. In fact, I am quite certain the chef forgot the sauce. I ordered my usual combination with spiciness level 5. At this level, there is some color on the food, usually a light dusting of red. When my plate was placed in front of me, it was all shades of a very unappetizing beige. I tried a small bite, confirming there was absolutely no flavor. I flagged down our waitress, who quickly got the manager. The first words out of her mouth were, "Add soy sauce." I was quite shocked. She told me as I tasted a bite of the food, they would be unable to recook it for me so I should just add some soy sauce. I am still shocked. That is the worst attitude I have ever encountered at a restaurant, especially since a few months ago, they had overdone the spiciness on one of my friend's food and offered to let her get more and recook it for her. I suspect it may have to do with how busy they were the night I was there that she wanted us up and out for the next group. As I was paying for my beige foodstuffs, the manager spoke something to me in Korean. I suppose she assumed I was Korean because: 1. I was with a group of my Korean friends, 2. I am Asian, but my friend quickly explained to her I could not understand her. She did not try to repeat what she told me in Korean, but my friend later explained to me she was apologizing for my food. It would certainly have been more effective had she made sure I was aware of her apology attempt. It is sad that my 6 years of Bali Hai had to end on such a sour note, but I will have to just wait for the Raleigh Bali Hai to reopen! read more

I have had many wonderful memories associated with Bali High. As a Duke student, I didn't come to Bali High necessarily for the food, but it was a convenient place big enough for group dinners and quite affordable for students. Come try your skills at building a food tower for the experience of stacking your own bowls and have a good time. read more

The only fun part about eating here is trying to stack bowls with veggies and meat as high as possible. Other than that, the food isn't good. Rice is too dry. Everything is always stir fried together and just tastes like the sauce you order, which do not taste that different among each other. I get sick of eating a huge dish of veggies and meat that taste the same. read more

Awful service. Terrible value for money. The food is not even good. Mass stir fried to smitherins. We asked for an extra pair of chopsticks and the lady at the counter grumbled under her breath in Korean for 5 mins. I would avoid this place if I'm you! read more

Great food with great value! Make sure you practice up your LEGO stacking skills before coming!

Worst service and stupid rules or store policies. Can't take it to go if you can't finish it. But you can take it to go if you haven't start eating?! Doesn't make any sense ! read more

For an $8 dinner, this place is as great as it gets, although it gets better and better the more you go. I think the owners put addiction in the sauce. It's my favorite restaurant. The first time I went, I was sort of mreh, because I was still hungry afterwards -- I was a noob when it came to stacking my food in the bowl. The second time I went, I ogled all of the bowls from the Duke physics and engineering majors, and the bowls from the kids at the NC School of Science and Math. It was like watching the Sphinx being built for the first time. I made a vow to myself that I'd get that good. It's true that I toppled a couple of bowls in the process, and that I had a couple of failed experiments with green peppers and zucchini, but now I've got my bowl down and people point and stare at my bowl when I give it to the cooks because IT'S JUST SO IMPRESSIVELY AMAZING. Sometimes I hear "Sphinx" and "eighth wonder of the world" muttered in awe as I present my bowl. (WHO'S THE MASTA NOW, SUCKAS?????) Yeah, the carpet is sort of dingy, and yes, the Korean owners get upset when you smush the meat with your hands (BUT COME ON, THAT'S DISGUSTING, IT'S HANDS FREE, SHMEEPLE), and yes, the add ons are totally not worth it (except the noodles, the noodles are great), and yes you don't get a leftovers box, but the veggies are always fresh and the meat is always DELICIOUS and the sauce is always AWESOME and the servers are always super friendly. I really love this place. Sometimes I vow that I'm going to try a different place in Durham, that this Friday night, it's going to be different. I'm going to take my hard-earned $8 to a different Durham establishment. Maybe I'll go to Bull City Burger and Brewery, or Bull McCabes, or Dain's, or Dales, or Chicken and Waffles, or Beyu Caffe. But inevitably, I can't help myself. I slow down on my way past Bali Hai, and I crack the windows. I pass the first entrance. The tantalizing smells arrest my forward movement, and I slam on the brakes. I look hopefully at my husband. He looks hopefully back. I turn in to the Bali Hai parking lot, overcome with giddiness. It's an addiction. Some people might call it a problem. But I call it My Favorite Thing To Do in Durham. read more

I am a long time customer of the Raleigh location. I have watched the owner's children grow up to be wonderful adults. I have eaten at Bali Hai at least once a week until the restaurant burned down about a year and half ago. We live about 35 miles east of Raleigh but the drive has always been worth it........ UNTIL..... last Saturday night, we decided to drive to the Durham location for dinner. It is a 75 mile drive one way. My son has been begging me for months so off we went. We arrived at 8:45 and were seated. We placed our orders and the waitress informed us that they do not give take out containers for your leftovers so keep this in mind when ordering..... keep in mind, they charge "by the bowl" and I pay "by the bowl"....... my leftovers are mine!! I've paid for the meal and I should be given a container to take my leftovers! They wouldn't want me to only pay for what I ate right??? So with this in mind, my son asked for an extra dinner to go so that he could have a plate for lunch the next day. My daughter has always preferred her's cold right out of the fridge so she told them to make her's to go. There were 6 people in our group and we went up to the bar to fix our bowls. Keep in mind, we have 7 orders total..... While making our bowls, the waitress actually came up behind the girls and told them to keep in mind that we can't take our leftovers so only take what we can eat....... REALLY?? They are charging me by the bowl, not how much is in the bowl...... Obviously the reasoning behind all of this is to prevent people from taking more than they can eat. If you have a problem with what people put in their bowls, you should start charging by the weight not by the bowl...... this is the only place I know of that doesn't allow you to take your leftovers home but the system must be working for them.... We carried our trays to the cook's counter and set them down. The owner was the cook tonight. He placed all 7 plates onto the grill and we sat back down at our table. The waitress then comes over to our table and informs us that they only have enough rice for 2 of our plates!! Are you kidding me??? REALLY??? At this point I'm really starting to get angry and she informs us that we can only have the rice for 2 plates and we can either go without the rice or she can give us plain steamed rice. I expained to her that we had driven 75 miles one way to eat dinner and were very loyal customers at the Raleigh location and would she please go and ask the owner if he would make enough rice for all of our plates. She did..... and the owner started shaking his head no. She went on to explain to him how far we had driven and his answer?? He yelled "I said NO" Well then..... my solution to this problem?? I calmly stood up and told my kids and their friends to load up!! If I had to waste my time and my gas then he needed to share in the waste of time and money as well........ We walked out and left him with 7 dinner plates and no paying customers!! My daughter felt compelled to go back inside and at least offer an explantion for why we walked out. I didn't feel like I owed him an explanation but told her to go ahead. We would wait in the car. Less than a minute later she came back to the car and said that when she walked back in the door, he yelled at her "to get OUT and DON'T come back"!! My answer...... Don't worry..... WE WON'T EVER give him a moment of my time or a penny of my money!! This truly breaks our hearts because we love Issac and Esther (the owner's children) and this has been my all time favorite meal for more than 30 years!! Moral to the story..... if you are okay with paying for something you can't have, and IF, you don't mind being treated rudely, this might be your place. Otherwise, don't waste your time or money! read more

I went to Bali Hai all the time when I was an undergrad and I've never had a bad meal here! While the veggie and meat selection is not as wide as some other Mongolian grill places I'e been to, their Special Combination Sauce (a mix of Sweet & Sour and Spicy Sauces) is absolutely delicious. This definitely helps for those who are usually overwhelmed by the sauces and spices of other similar Mongolian grill places. And it's always fun to see who can build the tallest mound of veggies and meats. Price and service is pretty average. read more

It's close to campus and a cool concept. And supposedly fun but more stressful to me when there are a ton of people in line behind me. I guess there's some kind of strategy to all of this like putting your vegetables into the meat curls but it's just too much effort and annoys the people behind you in line. Good for groups because seating is flexible and everyone pays for themselves but the owner lady is super scary and the waiters and waitresses don't seem to like her either. Really scares me. read more

A really cool restaurant, because you select your own food from a buffet and then they cook it in front of you. You pick your veggies and meat that you want to put in your bowl, and then you choose your sauce and any add-ins that you want (things like tofu and chicken cost more), then they cook if for you and serve it with rice. Food was good, but not great. Also, the options are somewhat limited. If you order two bowls, you can't have different food in each bowl. Also, why does tofu cost more? Tofu is not expensive... We went on a Monday evening around 7 pm and it was completely empty, so service was fast. read more

I've come here a few more times and have to admit, it's grown on me. The initial visit was a little abrupt but now that I know "how to do it" I've decided I really like it. :) read more

Concept and Experience: 4 Food: 3 Price: 3-5 The concept and experience of this place are its strong points. It's fun to go with a group, order a bowl or two and fill it up with whatever you want. But if you're looking for more than a fun experience, look elsewhere. The food isn't bad, but not great either -- the taste of course depends on what vegetables/fruits and meats you choose to make your bowl out of, but there are only a limited choice of sauces and vegetables (although I do love how pineapple is an option for fruit). The only meats that come free are Beef, Turkey and...Pork? I think. Chicken, Shrimp, Noodles, and Tofu are an add-on that cost. I ordered the tofu which was extremely sub-par and bland. The meal also comes with white or fried rice for free or brown rice for price. I ordered the fried and was expecting what we normally think of when we hear fried rice..but all this was was rice that had been fried, nothing more, nothing else. The price is variable depending on how well you stack. If you fill your bowl methodically, you can get a lot in, if you just haphazardly throw things in and don't eat meat, it's on the more expensive side for what you're getting. The service was good. They brought water around at appropriate times and asked if everything and gave us the right amount of attention. TL;DR come here to have fun / for the experience, not for the taste of the food. read more

I ate here for the first time today. It was amazing!!! I wasn't sure what to expect but I can say that I'll definitely be back. I got two bowls stacked as high as I could with veggies, turkey, and steak. I got the medium sauce. This is a must of you like this type of food! read more

Lunch is overpriced, noodles and chicken are extra. Go to the Mongolian place on 55 & Sedwick . $9 all you can eat and more items to choose from. read more

The secret is in the sauce. The ingredients are not necessarily fresh. The amount of food you get depends on your ability to stack meat and vegetables. But somewhere between the counter where you stack your bowl full of food and the dining table some sort of voodoo happens and your messy pile of ingredients is infused with the culinary equivalent of cocaine. My wife and I have been known to drive 2.5 hours from Richmond, VA to have a meal here on a whim. 1 star off for having the worst music of any restaurant in the solar system. read more

We visit this place a couple of times a year. Went for dinner tonight. The waiter was nice explained us and gave us the ticket. For a change the food was very well cooked and was very tasty. The water glasses smelled bad like fish or something. Pricing: when the bill came the charges were much higher than what they have online. They have 6.50 for a single bowl and 8.50 for two bowls noodles .50cents online. The charges were 8,10 and 1dollar for noodles. The waiter says that is very old pricing. If that be the case they should change online pricing. Spend some money in changing the contents on web site. Service was good. The manager/owner?? Was grumpy as usual. read more

There Raleigh location is WAAAY better than Durham location ,even though it's ran by the owner's kids still great environment. You have to try the Raleigh location at least once , they still have the same choices of veggies and meats . Trust when I say once you go you would never go back to 9th ST. again read more

I miss the Raleigh location and will NEVER come here again...the management is absolutely AWFUL and they have deceptive practices. As someone who has been a customer for over 20 years at this establishment, I will NOT recommended this Durham location to anyone and I will absolutely not ever spend another 50 dollars again. read more

Service can be hit or miss... the servers are generally pretty nice. The interior is a bit overrun and worn-out and the tables are sticky at times. The food is good though. Ingredients are fresh. However, depending on who's cooking, the dish taste differently. I wish they had more consistency in their dishes because sometimes it tastes amazing and sometimes it's lacking in flavor. read more

This is one of those places that is guaranteed to always be a great meal. It's unique in its setup & menu choice. Servers are always friendly & if you are a first timer they explain how the order process goes. It's pretty fun listening & watching the other diners talk about how they pack the food bowls to get the most. The only drawback would be the small parking lot, other than that everything is 5/5. read more

3 stars(supposed to be 2 stars) because the lady that was in charge moved locations to the one in Garner. She was so rude. They don't do let you pack leftovers and when my brother bought his to-go and sat with my mom and I to eat his, the lady basically kicked him out. The waitress there is sort of obnoxious and yells frequently-you'll know who I'm talking about if you've been. read more

We enjoy going there once in a while. The food is good and deserves a 4 star rating however, the person that runs it is very unpleasant and that goes for the one in Garner as well. The wait staff has always been nice to us. I think that their rule that you cannot get a doggie bag is awful! When you fix your plate and you think you will eat it all but you can't and then to say you can't take the rest home when you have paid for it is just not right and now they have started charging you for another bowl of rice if you run out which they did not used to do. I would go more if it were not for the unpleasant woman running the place. read more

Love this place! You select your own veggies and meat and can choose additions add ons to your plate. It's a casual laid back environment. Gets busy but food always comes out perfect. Try the combination sauce. I do a 6 which is not too spicy but has a good kick. read more

This place is so much fun because you get to pile your bowl with meat and veggies and compete with your friends to get the most. The combination sauce is my favorite and it's also pretty cheap and the stir fry is good. read more

My family used to frequent the raleigh location for the past 20 years so we were bummed when it burned down. Then I found out about this one in Durham and read so many bad reviews and was reluctant to try my luck. My dad and I ALWAYS have left overs and never had a problem getting a to go box from the raleigh location but after telling my dad that a lot of people mentioned having issues with the staff not giving them one, he didn't even want to bother with it. But I finally gave it a shot one day when I was in town. I did get mine to go because of time constraints so idk if there would have been any issues with getting a box but the food was excellent and service was quick and no one was rude. But I found out that day they were actually having the grand re-opening at the one in raleigh! read more

Pretty great. I thought the food was terrific and the service was good. I wish they still had a place in Raleigh. It sounds like they have a place for the south side of Raleigh and maybe north Raleigh. read more

Ahhhh good ole' Bali-High.... I have been going to Bali High in raleigh for years i mean years and when it burnt down things have never been the same.. Issac who ran the raleigh one is amazing go check out his resturant Ms. Mongs in chapel Hill it is a classic modern twist on bali-high. Durham Bali High food is good.. I get the combination D8 or 10 depending on the cook that is there that day... the spiciness varies... all in all this mongolian bbq is delicious and I will be awaiting the Garner Opening of Bali High read more

Bali Hai has been one of my favorite restaurants in this area ever since high school, and I just can't understand the less than stellar reviews, particularly since many of them reference small portion sizes (what??) and poor service. I usually get one bowl, stack it up, and once cooked mix the rice in and it's an absolutely HUGE portion for me (to the point where I many times leave uncomfortably full- what a problem to have!). What really makes Bali Hai stand out for me compared to other Mongolian-style stir fry restaurants is the quality of the flavor in the sauces. I was astounded to see people comparing Bali Hai unfavorably to Crazy Fire - I was NOT impressed by Crazy Fire because the meat was not the same quality and the food was bland! Bali Hai knocks it out of the park on flavor, and that's something I'm not willing to compromise on. My only feedback would be that the spicy levels can sometimes be inconsistent and subject to whomever is cooking that day- would like to see a little more reliability so that I know what I'll be getting in terms of heat. They have a great variety of veggies on the raw bar, the add-ins are very affordable (my husband frequently gets the noodles), and the service is always quick and efficient. I have been coming here for over ten years at this point and I have never been treated rudely by anyone on the wait staff or management. They must be doing something right to keep their customers coming back over the years, which is fortunate for me because I think I would die if they closed down! read more

The food is delicious, the ingredients are fresh. And I don't understand comments about the owner. She is always friendly and welcoming to me and my family. The servers are also fast and attentive. Just because the woman works hard to ensure good business doesn't make her unpleasant. read more