A small restaurant tucked away next to a lunch counter. Clean. The pancake is the reason to come here. Even with a party of two- we did not finish the pancake. I took half of it home. I wasn't as impressed with the entrees, but I was not mad at it. We took to go boxes, of the entrees. We really enjoyed the experience. I will definitely come back. Perfect for the price point. Plenty of food. read more

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Stopped by recently on a Saturday afternoon. In years prior, you would be greeted nicely by staff. Instead, upon entering we were glanced at so we sat ourselves. The sole waitress was not friendly at all and seemed more preoccupied with leaving work on time than taking our order. Tried to order a couple of items and was told, "I don't think we have that?" The food is not the same quality or quantity as before. The banchan that was served to us was either overcooked or salty. Seafood pancake was flavorless. Spicy pork was not spicy at all. We placed a take-out order while eating our food. We drove all the way home only to find out that we were given someone else's order. Banchan choices for take-out and dine-in are limited. The only positive about our experience at Cham Cham was the shift change with the waitstaff. The waitress who took over was attentive and friendly. I would not recommend this place to anyone who enjoys Korean food or who is expecting the same Cham Cham as years prior. read more

Ever since the first time I came to Cham Cham, I tried the mondoo soup, and I genuinely haven't been able to order anything else whenever I come here It is seriously the BEST mondoo soup I've ever had. The flavor is so comforting and it's become one of those foods I look forward to having every time I visit. I've been coming here for a while now, usually about once a month, and somehow I crave this soup every single time . Cham Cham has honestly become one of my favorite places to eat, and I'm always excited to come back. I'm hoping once I get my license I'll be able to come even more often because I could seriously eat this soup all the time. If you've never tried the mondoo soup here, PLEASE try it!! You will not regret it. 10/10 forever. read more

Cham Cham Korean BBQ - MANDOO SOUP!! - Korean Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

The food is okay, but there's a strong ammonia smell in the restaurant. It really ruins the appetite.

My bf and I were in Hilo for the day and although we've been to the island countless times, this was the first time we ate here. The restaurant itself is on the smaller side with only about 8 tables, but they do offer takeout as well. There was only 1 women working the front when we came, but she was very friendly and was handling both dine in and take out customers at the same time. We ordered relatively fast and received some banchans while we waited for our food. Every dish we had tasted amazing and we had to force ourselves to save some to eat with our main meal. But it turned out we didn't really have to as our server gave us our food and then returned moments later with more banchans for us to eat with our meals. I had the kimchee stew and my bf had the mixed plate with the kalbi and meat jun. we also decided to share the kimchee pancake as we saw another table order it and it looked really yummy. Portions were relatively big and we ended up taking most of the pancake home as there was so much food. Price was average for Korean food in my opinion, but worth it. Definitely coming back here the next time we're back so we can try some of their other dishes. read more

Cham Cham Korean BBQ - Kimchee pancake, kimchee stew, 2 choice plate with Kalbi and meat Jun, and banchan. - Korean Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Korean combo plate was tasty! The chicken and kalbi rib was tasty and hot! Serving size was generous, and even got to take home some bbq chicken. The Korean appetizers were delicious and plentiful! The restaurant was small in size but filled with customers enjoying themselves! Thanks again! read more

The portions are a good size and love the sides. The kimchee has flavor compared to other Korean places I've been to on the island. This is my new favorite Korean spot on Hawai'i island. read more

One of our favorite Korean food spots on the island. Every thing we ordered was filled with flavor and absolutely perfect.

Cham Cham is our favorite Korean food in Hilo. We always end up getting the 2-choice combination plates and it never disappoints. They also give so much food it's usually enough for two whole meals, so the higher price point is definitely worth it to me. I usually get their spicy chicken or pork and meat jun. I also loooove their selection of banchan and love that they let us choose four items, then I'm able to get everything I want. read more

Authenticlly made and great fresh ingredients. Food came out quick and wait was short. read more

Cham Cham Korean BBQ - Best fresh sides with great food. I got the fish Jun. So glad I stopped here. On the side of Hilo lunch shop - Korean Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Best Korean spot in Hilo! They are my go-to for Kimchee Stew. And their sides are top-tier. Quality food. Pricey, but worth it.

A little hole-in-the-wall in Hilo town with great authentic Korean bbq food. The staff is attentive and greets you as soon as you walk in. There are a couple of tables available to dine in. The bi bim bap is the best! Packed with veggies, just enough meat, perfectly done egg and full of flavor. Will definitely be back for that. read more

Cham Cham Korean BBQ - Bi Bim Bap with an over easy egg. Meat jun sauce on the side. - Korean Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

My girlfriend and I ordered Bi Bim Kook Su yesterday. It was pricey at $23 and definitely not worth it. There were hardly any vegetables on top and the lettuce was wilted because there was too much sauce. We also had to wait awhile when were the only patrons there. The waitress didn't ask us what spice level we wanted and it was too spicy for both of us. We asked her if she could do something about it but she said "No". She didn't even try to make things better but told us next time we should order the sauce on the side. Unfortunately, this was my first time there and I will not be returning. It was a disappointing experience. read more

This is my go to for Korean food. Not the best I've had, but the food is decent. Wait staff is always polite and very nice. read more

We had two excellent entrees a couple of nights ago - Bi bim bop and Bulgogi. Serving sizes were large and the food was really tasty. I've had better bi bim bop at Nori's Saimin but they are no longer open. The bulgogi was tender and the banchan side dishes were very good. There were a lot of choices too. We will go back and try some other entrees soon. read more

Server was really nice and helpful. Quiet but attentive. Got in right before it got busy but even as it got busy she was working hard. Food was decent. Not the best meat jun I ever had. Banchan was good, a little salty but it had flavor lol. Wife got the seafood pancake which she thought was alright but also not the best she had. Overall good experience, food was alright. Nothing to brag about. read more

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Food is a solid 4 stars. Long hour wait to get it is a bit of a buzz kill. Kimchi pancake was pretty rock star. No alcohol here which is off for a Korean place. But if you want Korean, this is a good option filled with locals. read more

Stood at the front door for minutes while the server expected us to sit at a dirty table with dishes piled up. Then we waited...Service was extremely slow. We sat for half an hour before our order was taken. Server was more worried about getting other tables their takeout containers and everything else other than taking our order. Not efficient at all. read more

The calamari dish was small thin slices of calamari fried in flour batter. So this dish was mostly batter. It was not tasty. You will get full half way through because of the batter. The mix plate was tasty. Service was good and friendly. Comfortable setting. Menu is pricey. read more

Cham Cham Korean BBQ - Deep fried calamari plate, calamari slices and fried in flour batter, not panko. A mixed plate with meat jun and bbq kalbi with sides. - Korean Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Service and price. The wait to be served is like 40 to 45 minutes. The price for two is ridiculous. read more

I expected it to be good from the positive reviews but this was a HUGE disappointment. $87 for three 2 choice meals. The fish jun was made with cheap swai and tasted VERY fishy and old, the chicken katsu was tough like rubber, I've never had chicken so terrible and hard. Plus each 2 choice set was supposed to come with veggie ban chan but no, we all had to share a few small side dishes between the 3 of us. Never ever going back. read more

The freshest and one of the best banchans ever tasted! I wonder if you would consider doing just a Ban Chan lunch special! Great server! Very attentive and was there to refill the Ban Chan when it was getting low! read more

Very friendly and helpful front. Lots of options to choose from, Big portions worth the money. Nice little chill spot right in a nearby area. Authentic Korean Food with a little bit of a wait, nice and quaint. Only thing missing is some soju to go with! read more

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Best Korean food in Hilo. Love the little appetizers that they give. And everything just taste fresh. The kimchi pancake is my favorite!

My wife stopped in after visiting Pu Nalu u (Black Sand Beach) and Volcanoes National Park. We were starving, and Yelp reviews led us to this gem. The place was in an industrial area across from the Hilo International Airport, and is located on a corner of a strip mall. Please do not let the appearance of the place fool you, they serve some seriously good Korean food. My wife had the Grilled Chicken and Pork plate, which included two Madoo's (Korean Potsticker). I had the Kalbi Ribs and the Madoo appetizers. I only took a pic of vegetables on small plates, because once the dishes arrived, we started eating and didn't think of capturing the delicious food! The Madoo's came with the outside crunchy and the insides moist and flavorful. All the proteins were grilled to perfection, with the Kalbi being marinated perfectly. We didn't see the awards until after we ordered our meals that these folks had been winning local food awards for almost a decade! This restaurant is really worth a visit, just don't let the exterior effect your appetite! read more

I ordered fish, I got beef, I ordered chicken, I got pork. Server couldn't operate her digital device. We waited while carry out customers came in and left. Phone calls also came ahead of people at our table. The prices are way too high. The service was confused. I ate the dish despite it being wrong for the benefit of the others at my table. The pork made my gout flare up. I will never go back. read more

Where to start. We were severely misled by another Yelper below who insisted this place was good having eaten Korean food in NY and LA. This place was horrible. It was the worst food we've had and the worst Korean restaurant ever. Let's start with service: 1. No acknowledgement of your existence 2. Servers working there look like they hate life 3. No ambiance and no one spoke during their meal - it was dead quiet Let's get to the most important part - Food! I don't think this place knows what Korean food is. There was coleslaw ingredients (red cabbage and lettuce items) in the bibimbap, dressing was like a salad dressing and the beef was like shredded dry beef or jerky. Super weird. Kalbi - we had pieces that were entirely pure fat and no meat on them. Why even serve this?? Chicken Katsu - I have never seen katsu pounded so thin that the breading is thicker than the chicken itself. Oxtail soup - not sure why this is called oxtail soup when the meat slices were from a poor quality beef shank. Pretty sure they used a powder mix with water to make this. Ban Chan (side dishes) - extremely salty, inedible and some tables got more variety than we did but they were all poor I would be ok if the prices were reasonable but this was for $22 a dish.. wtf. Overall, save your money and run from this horrible place. We discovered Hawaiian style cafe and it is amaaaaaaaaazing. Epic portions, flavor and service. Everyone was super chatty with their table and servers smiled and enjoyed their jobs/life in general. Stay far away from this place. read more

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Very authentic. Off the beaten path but so worth it. Come hungry they really feed you. The waitress was so nice. I highly recommend Cham Cham read more

Came on a Monday evening - we were the only ones there, which we didn't mind because of COVID. Staff was so friendly! She gave us a refill on the side dishes. Food came out pretty quick, and was all really good. My only complaint was that my BBQ meat was very thin and charred. But the squid, beef, and stew were all delicious. The place gave off very home-y vibes. We appreciate that while on vacation for 2 weeks! read more

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So when researching places to eat for mine and my hubby's little getaway I looked for Korean restaurants. I came across this place on Yelp and booked marked it out of all the other ones I found. When talking to our friend who is local he said this is his and his wife's favorite restaurant. So we all went out to dinner here. Let me tell you don't let the outside stop you. Some of the best places to eat are home in the wall places. The food was absolutely delicious and prices were fair for the amount of food you are given. The rice is all you can eat and so are all the sides they give you. Korean side dishes are my favorite and I can just eat those alone. We shared the kimchee pancake which was so good. I loves how some of the green onion was charred. And I got the kimchee soup which was hot and spicy. My husband got the meat jun and that was delicious as well. My husband and I both agree when we visit Hilo again we are so coming back here. read more

Cham Cham Korean BBQ - Kimchee Soup - Korean Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Amazing food and service in this quaint local place. After you enter, you can see that they have won 5 "Best Of" Awards during the past six years. The Korean barbecue and the kimchi as well as all their sides were amazing. Highly recommend that you come in and enjoy the food and culture. read more

Food was very good!! Will come back because it was so good. Food can take a while to come out but it definitely explains the level of freshness and flavor. They do not have much seating and get busy after 5pm. So keep that in mind. read more

Delicious and tasty! Best Korean bbq in Hilo town! Mandoo on point, kalbi so Ono, and meat jun so good! Veggies fresh and full of flavor! read more

Very good authentic Korean food! We enjoyed the Bulgogi, the spicy pork kimchi pancake the yuggaejang, and bibimbop!!

Kim chee stew and bbq pork is good as well as the Bandhan. The spicy pork is spicy if you like spicy. I do like spicy but it is too spicy for me. read more

Food was so tasty and fresh! It took a bit of time to get our food, but what I appreciated is that it taste like they made it from scratch and not just made in bulk and reheated. Worth the wait! I got my Spicy seafood noodles extra spicy and it definitely hit the spot. The seafood pancake was also very yummy! read more

Cham Cham Korean BBQ - Seafood pancake - Korean Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Why is it so hard to find Korean food on this island? I hate it. So we thirstily settle in here. Worth a go for the large portion sizes, plus the menu is vast. The soups are good, especially the kimchi stews. I like the one with soft tofu or soft tofu PLUS seafood. Yum. Bibim kooksoo is my dad's favorite; I think the sauce is a little sweet but still very good. He also enjoys the bibimbap with tofu. Lots of vegetarian options or items easily made veg. The Jajangmyeon was okay--the sauce flavor reminded me of instant packets but not super sweet so it was better than Yoons (RIP). Would not advise the bbq meats even if it is a Korean bbq place. It would usually be my man's go to but too many times the meats were burnt, thin and lacking in depth. However my mom says the meat & fish jun are thick and tasty. Complimentary Ban Chan makes it worth it: you can ask for more. read more

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Delicious food and I especially love the sides very tasty I would recommend going there

As you know, Hilo is NOT food capital and it's really hard to find good place to eat. After pandemic most place raised price and portion gets smaller. I understand it's hard to keep business but getting worse... I always looking for any authentic good food but I was wondering can't find it. Several Korean restaurants around Hilo area but still not authentic. Americanized and sometimes I feel embarrassed. Because I know authentic Korean food even I can make myself better. Anyway, Cham Cham is much better than other Korean place but very pricey. Meat dish is way too high, even no meat dish still pricey. It's too sad read more

Excellent Korean food in Hilo! I've had Korean food in NYC, LA, and in Korea and Cham Cham did not disappoint. We Ordered combo plate of kalbi and bbq chicken, and tofu bibimbop. They were both very fresh and delicious. The side dishes were plentiful and yummy. Service was good, prices were fair. Easy parking in the front. Highly recommend read more