Classic local Korean BBQ restaurant. Fancy or authentic Korean food, it's not. Find it funny to see one of the reviews mentioning that you rarely expect a Korean speaking their native language here, of course not. Wouldn't expect hearing Cantonese in a Panda Express. My point is about expectations and it's more fair to compare restaurants to it's relative peers. But.... you do get good portions and dishes are reasonably priced. It wouldn't cost a fortune to bring a family here to take a break from cooking and washing dishes. My go to plate is the lunch special and oddly enough, you can order this for dinner. You get a good portion of meat jun and bbq chicken with soup, veggies and rice, all for $14. Not a bad deal at all. Recommended! read more

been coming here for almost 20 years. jimmy & his kids have always been so good to us. we live on the other side of the island so while we are "regulars" it's just a few times a year and they always remember my family & I and our orders. this "Kim Chee" will always be my go-to! meat jun, chicken katsu, shrimp tempura, sides are top tier! & don't forget the sweet potato Mac salad! read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Meat jun/ shrimp tempura combo plates. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

First time here, I can't believe I didn't try this restaurant in Kaimuki. Wanted to eat some Korean food. The food is excellent, customer service too. I order a lot of different dishes to try, the bill came out around $68- for two people. Talking to the owner Nick, they been open since 1977. They have two more restaurants...Kim Chee l & 7. The food is not the same as ll... I would say this is the best Korean restaurant on the East side of Honolulu. Located in Kaimuki. Some parking on Waialae if you're lucky. More parking in the back. They have a side door in the back parking. Not sure why they only had 3.8 Stars on YELP...should be 5 Stars. If you're in the Kaimuki area, Please give this place a try, you'll be surprised. Aloha, Derek read more

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Definitely come here for the food. A 100% family run and family own local business. Very local, dishes take some time to get to your table ( not a complaint, it is what it is ) and it is absolutely worth the wait. We ordered way too much food the last time so we ordered family style sharing plate instead. Highly recommended ! read more

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We've come to Kim Chee II through 3 generations of owners now. The food and service and atmosphere have been the same for decades. Jimmy's kids are still working hard and doing a great job. It's definitely a local's spot in Kaimuki. There's plenty of parking in the municipal lot behind it. The food is pretty good, but it's more about the variety, the value, and that family feeling here. Their space is actually quite large and can fit a lot of parties in here. The menu can be overwhelming in that, basically any combination of your favorites can be made into a plate. There is nothing fancy about this place, but it's cozy and they treat you like long lost family here. read more

So this was actually my first time coming here and I was pleasantly surprised. They have both lunch and dinner specials that are served anytime. Service was quick and courteous. There is a paid parking lot behind the restaurant and it was about $3 for 2 hours of parking. I had the the 3 choice combo with bbq chicken, meat Jun and chicken Katsu for about $17. Everything was good. Ban Chan included Kim chee, sweet potato Mac salad, and a few other veggies. I was really happy with my combo and would definitely return again. Portion sizes were good and I could not finish the plate. It's a super casual place, nothing fancy but definitely hit the spot! read more

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We have not been here for over a year, nice to know that they are still open. The owner Jimmy, passed away a few months ago. I was wondering if the food was going to be the same as before. Jimmy's children got together to take control of the business. The food was good as before and the Kim Chee was even better than before. Good job, we'll be back. read more

I haven't been here in years, but the food was still excellent. I had the small bone kalbi and fish jun. My friend had the meat jun and bbq chicken. Her serving was huge and she was unable to finish the meat jun which had thick pieces of breaded steak as well as the fish Jun which was chunky yet lightly breaded and tasty. With the left overs along with the rice and Korean vegetables, I took home a whole plate for my husband. It took a while before the waitress took our order but it was really busy with big family groups and she was gracious and prompt in delivering water and hot tea. It cost $2. for the parking ticket which must be paid for by credit card at the machines upon exit which was great as there was ample parking in the lot. If you want good, reasonably priced Korean food, this place certainly delivers! read more

I mean cmon $17 for 3 choice + kim chee + soup + turnip Kim chee + mac salad + bean sprouts, seaweed, pickled cabbage If that's not a steal , go some where else ! No joke !!! read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

***2.5 Doesn't really look appealing on the back side but I still popped in coz my tummy is practically growling. It needs food! Located next to the eatery that we suppose to dine-in (they closed the moment we arrived) Kim Chee II is just okay. We popped in from the back side alley and sure enough I am in my second thought the moment I saw the trash bin area. LoL. Don't get me wrong, it's actually not that bad, I guess. But how I wished they put some curtain to hide it maybe? Anyhow, we were greeted with this young guy and immediately assist us on our table. They also prepared a sanitizing table in the corner where you need to sanitize before entering. The available table already has its menu where you can immediately order your kine. While doing that, they will served you a complimentary seaweed soup which I find it comforting while sipping the bowl and waited for my order. Ordered the lunch trio special - BBQ chicken, Meat Jun & Ton Katsu ($15) which comes along with the ban chan. BBQ Chicken is a bit of insipid side, but the side sauce helped the meat elevate its flavor somehow. Meat Jun is just okay. Ton Katsu, its breaded part ain't that crispy anymore and meat is a bit dry but again, the side dipping sauce exalt its texture. The kimchee is way to salty! And it's lack of spices as well I am not Korean but I know that it needs more time to be fermented. Overall, the food is just mediocre. Customer service however is pretty efficient. The young staffs are friendly & attentive by far. Maybe I will proceed to the next Korean eatery & try the same menu with other business. But is still open to come in here if someone out there is willing to treat me. LoL. read more

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Wow that's deep - love the rude note on the window. Funny, I just ate there this past week and to be honest, I didn't see the note bc my wife and I took the back door in. The food was mediocre at best and the ambiance was, well, pretty ghetto. They propped up car tires on their late 1970's decor bench seats to space out seating during the pandemic - understandable but car tires? I felt like I was at my car mechanic's shop instead of at a restaurant. But as a meal delivery driver, I'm sorry, but I'm boycotting this joint - I refuse to do any pickups from here. The audacity and level of disrespect to put up a sign like that (see attached photo) for the very drivers, front-line workers, who have kept them afloat throughout the entire pandemic - they should be ashamed of themselves. Their customers should be ashamed at the way this place treats the front-line workers who are bringing them their food, too. Personally, as their 'former' customer and having done multiple deliveries from here - I'm utterly disgusted. I can tell you that my wife and I have worked together with various gig apps to do grocery deliveries as well as meal deliveries all over Oahu from the very start of the pandemic working with every grocery store and restaurant you can think of to get the food out to people in need who have been stuck in quarantine. We've done thousands of deliveries to homes, to hotels, to hospitals, to businesses, etc. As a simple gesture of courtesy, most of the restaurants we've worked with have treated us like an extension of their own staff and have allowed us to use their restroom bc they understand the pretty basic concept that we don't have access to one on the road, and after all, we're delivering their food to their customer. The other simple gesture we're afforded is to take a seat if the food pickup isn't quite ready yet. Perhaps a little lesson in history with signs posted like this in windows might serve as a wake-up call. Listen, gig drivers are exploited enough in our society, but to have the very restaurant who is dependent on gig drivers to get their food out to their customers - particularly in light of an ongoing pandemic where the entire restaurant industry is dependent on gig drivers - to act with such insulting behavior is downright despicable. Take the sign down, but either way, I won't be coming back as a gig driver, or as a customer. Good luck handling the next lockdown, and if you do manage to stay afloat - work on improving your food quality, and put something else on the bench seats besides automobile tires. read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Self explanatory - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

It serves great food and it's reasonable Best local Korean eatery The family runs the business. Bev Chai read more

Great service, awesome food! Wait staff always friendly and quick. Very busy at sometimes but well worth the wait. Was the first customer's waiting for them to open at 10:30am. read more

My go to place when I want Korean food! The food is delicious and the portions are very generous....I always go home with leftovers! I've also catered with them and the food is always delicious and plentiful! I can't pick a favorite because everything is good but I think they make the best barbecue chicken as compared to other Korean restaurants. They always greet you when you arrive and they're always friendly. They talk to you like they've always known you. Of course we've been going there for years so they do know us but they treat all their customers that way. You want good Korean food with good service....go to Kim Chee II! You won't regret it! read more

For me, this spot has always been a favorite local style Korean restaurant. I came back recently after seeing them on TV and the generosity of the owner during the pandemic. This place is off the strip of Waialae Ave, near Happy Days and Big City Diner. Parking is in the lot behind and only costed us like $0.75 for less than two hours, I believe. It can get tight during dinner time so plan accordingly. The recent visits I got to try the Meat Jun, Chicken Katsu, Bi Bim Kook Soo, L.A. Kal Bee, and Mandoo. -Meat Jun is pretty good. Not too high batter-to-meat ratio. It is soft and fluffy. -The Chicken Katsu was crispy and lean! No fatty parts! -The Bi Bim Kook Soo was very tasty, spicy, and wonderfully diverse. Don't understimate as it is a good amount of spicy and has really delicious kimchi pieces. (It's different kimchi than the side dish they serve.) -L.A Kal Bee was good! Very tasty and great grilled-taste. Not too salty and has a smoky flavor. Like a kalbi, there was a little bit of fat and the texture wasn't fall-off-the-bone but it still was tender. -Mandoo as an appetizer was so big and tasty! These mandoos were huge and they were stuffed with pork, chap chae, cabbage, and other veggies. Ho my goodness - be careful of these as "apps" or "sides" because you might just get filled up! Banchan is served with dishes. We got cabbage kimchi, potato salad, daikon kimchi, and seaweed soup before the meal. They are more on the "local" style of banchan but I like them! Little bit salty but that's Hawaii food for you. Prices are moderate. Maybe on the pricier side but the portions are also big, so I'd say prices are pretty justified. Again, I was inspired by the owner's generosity during the pandemic and I also wanted to come back to support a local, nostalgic (for me) business here in Hawaii. The owner himself is a busy man and he may come off as a little err "rude" but I don't mind. He's what I'd say is a "bada** with a heart of gold". Nothing but respect. I am going to come back and try a new menu item! As much as the owner does his part to support the community, I gotta do my part and support local businesses like his. If you are feeling like eating some real local Korean-kine grindz and are in the Kaimuki area, try this place! read more

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Wanted to have last time done here before we left Oahu. Found this place by Chubbies Burgers which was original plan but there was a long line and needed to get going to the airport. Opening seating. Was given seaweed soup and drink order. Then given daikon and cabbage Kimchee for our entree. Pictures to follow. read more

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I've been trying to come back here for awhile now cause i love their food so much but kept missing them because they close pretty early (8pm). I ordered the Trio with meat jun, fish jun and tonkatsu. We ordered 2 plates and a kimchi tofu soup and we ended up waiting over 40 mins for our food. Nobody came to check on us and it wasn't even that busy either. The food was still good but a couple pieces into eating my meat jun, I noticed one that was really raw read more

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The best Kalbi on the island... Delicious with slight charcoal flavor... Late 70's place now ran by grandson and family. It's local neighborhood style interior so don't expect Halekulani. Michelin Star should be awarded. The flavor... I've never had anything else so can't review. They gave mac salad a few times and so delicious and not shy with mayonnaise... Must try the Kalbi at least once. read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Choice of thin or regular cut, I ordered the thin - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

One of our go to Korean spots in town! Been eating here for over 15 years. This family own business has been open since 1977!! It's a hole in the wall, very spacious, good for large parties, & friendly young staff! We usually get the mandoo, meat jun, chicken katsu, kalbi, but today I tried something different...zucchini jun & it was yummy! Theres never a wait. Street parking in front & paid parking lot in back. read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Meat jun, Zucchini jun, & sides. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Summary: This is THE Korean restaurant of Kaimuki. If you lived anywhere near Waialae Ave, then you have got to know this place. The BEST meat jun in all of Hawaii. I haven't been back to Kim Chee II in a couple years now, but it's just as good as when I last had it. As always, I got the meat jun. It's strips of beef battered in egg and cooked to perfection. The texture ranges from crispy to tender and just broke da mout GOOD! The sauce that accompanies it is just mana from the heavens. There really is no parallel to this dish and any attempt at me trying to explain why it crushes your tastebuds won't do it justice. Seriously just order some. Oh what...you want more? Then try their specials. They have teriyaki beef, bulgogi, kalbi, and then some. All the meat dishes are super delicious! Have I mentioned that their portion sizes are out of control. Ya, if you order any regular dish you'll be stuffed. This review is starting to sound ridiculous because it's just me praising how all of it is just too good. Overall, if you want to eat dish local kine Korean food and want to get put into a food coma, Kim Chee II is where you should go. read more

Food was great but the kimchee tasted junk and the veggies went bad so fast that it stink up the house and couldn't finish our food. Other than that the food was great, didn't take long for a take out but prices need to be updated online because it definitely was not what it showed online from when I paid. It was a bit more expensive. read more

You can't get plates with these prices!!! Great staff and service is always great! My favorite place when I'm craving kimchee soup, so much inside a good size bowl! Love this place! read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We have been going to this restaurant since it first opened. It's always been a favorite of our family. They have da Best Big Rib Kalbi! We love it well done a bit charred! The mandoo kook soo is also delish!They don't have lots of banchan but the 2 types of Kim chee are delicious and the seaweed soup is how you always start the meals there! The service is always friendly with Aloha! read more

That's some good meat Jun! Reminds me of an old Wahiawa place that had meat Jun! Will be back again!

I ordered a dinner plate special using Uber Eats. At first, I was very satisfied with everything and everything was delicious. After getting half way through my food, I noticed a dead and smashed roach in my Kim chee . I was so disgusted, I couldn't eat anymore of it. The food was good, but I will not be ordering from there again as I'm afraid of the sanitation of the kitchen. read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Dead roach in my Kim chee... - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is our go-to spot for kim chee soup and fried rice. The kim chee fried rice is the absolute best tasting we've found on the island. They serve good sized portions so we end up taking the leftovers home and making kim chee fried rice omelet with it the next day. It's a total winner! We found them during COVID-19 and were doing take-out only but they've recently opened for limited dine-in. They are taking COVID-19 precautions and we felt very safe eating there. Great, now I'm hungry for their fried rice again. Maybe we go! read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - They have the hot tea going on! - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We go here often to pick up lunch for the office. Easy to phone our order in it's about 25 minutes wait to pick our oder up. I run in and able to get out of the parking lot without having to pay for parking. This is the best tasting Korean food in my opinion. Their sauce for meat jun, chicken katsu and mandoo is best at this location. A must order is the sweet potato mac salad and daikon kim chee is delicious! I order the lunch special to get a little bbq chicken, meat jun and mandoo for a very reasonable price. i wish they would update their website with a up to date menu with current price. I don't eat in very often so I don't have an up to date review about the ambiance. I remember you get the complimentary seaweed soup, kim chee and daikon kim chee. read more

This is the old Kim chee 2 I remember growing up. For awhile the meat Jun was hit or miss. Sometimes too tough and just hard to eat. So we didn't go back for years. I've gone a few times this past year and each time the meat Jun was on point. Tender, juicy and delicious. Love the meat Jun sauce as well. Glad they're back to their old standards. Will be back time and time again. read more

I don't know of a place on the island to get better-tasting food, at a sit down restaurant, with super-attentive friendly service, with many dishes under $20. The decor is kind of classic diner, it's conveniently attached to that big parking lot off Waialae. The only thing stopping me from eating there even more often is that the food is a little heavy, like many Korean restaurants. It is a place where I like some dishes more than others. I thought the grilled meats (beef, bbq pork) were particularly good, but the fried mandoo was a little bland. A good place for families, a good casual place to grab a meal with friends. read more

A must try local spot! Still the best spot on the island! Several years since I have been back, this place still knocks it out of the park. Mahalo to our generation that continues to make it a local favorite. read more

I LOVE this place. It's a must eat every time I'm on O'ahu. I wish it was in Hilo (where I live) it's THAT good. You also can't beat the prices, it's so reasonably priced & great portions & great ban Chan!! read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - 2 Dinner Specials & 1 Mundoo Plate - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

With take out only, there were 2 customers waiting for orders. I was waiting at counter. Owner came out kitchen and didn't see me waiting. He was only concerned with Bite Squad orders. It took him a 5 minutes than saw me. 20 minutes for order. His daughter was getting orders from kitchen. My order was combination 2 plate with 3 meats and sides for $14.90. Portion of sides is so little and 3 pieces of meat that were tender. Cook should give you a bigger portion of sides. read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Combination 3 with beef, chicken, and pork; rice and kimchee in individual containers - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I think I have been spoiled living in the Bay Area and having really good Korean food with tons of side dishes come directly to your table. So I may be a little biased with higher expectations than I should. My family and I came to eat here and the employees were all super nice and friendly. At the beginning of our meal, they brought out some miso soup, pickled radishes and kimchi. The miso soup had a huge seaweed flavor and it kinda surprised me. I thought I would be good and order something on the healthier side, so I got the bibimbop. Which has a ton of veggies, spicy sauce, and grilled chicken thighs. It actually tasted pretty good, but the tasted fine, but I wish it was more saucy with spicy chili paste and unfortunately my chicken was slight undercooked. There were some pieces that were still cold and I could visibly see pink bits. Next time I should just stick with the short ribs. I had some of my husband's and they were great. read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Mom and Pop shop that specializes in local Korean style plate lunch and meats. If you've ever had Meat Jun before, you'll be delighted to know that it actually started here in the 1970s! For those of you who haven't had it yet, Meat Jun is a Korean-Hawaiian meat dish - beef coated with egg and then fried. The sauce that comes with it is vaguely sweet, and compliments the meat beautifully. It is a hearty and delicious specialty that doesn't exist outside of Hawaii. We've gotten takeout a few times from this place, mostly just the Meat Jun. The portions are solid, and the meat is super flavorful. They also over various other options such as teriyaki beef, kalbi, bulgogi, mandoo, etc. Banchan could be better - the kimchee is pretty weakflavored, but I'm not that bothered since the food itself is doooooope. Support your local small businesses! This place is the BOP! read more

Always a good choice. This has been a go to for decades, and little has changed. The family has continued excellent food and service with huge portions. The big bone kal bi is my favorite. Meat Jun is just the right crispy. read more

I really love Kim Chee restaurant food. My understanding is that all the stores are separate but related. Which brings me to this dilemma. Someone has decided to change the "family" recipe for my favorite BBQ chicken at this store. It was tasty, but now, it's like Peppas, Yummy's and Pearl's. Heavy on the Kikkoman! The secret always seemed to be in the brine and char broil...not the gravy. Gotta drive Kaneohe for the original recipe. read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - In the past you would see very little gravy on the rice. This was overbearing, kinda too sweet. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

GMonkey get plenty favorites, but nothing beats Kim Chee II. GMonkey do: DINNER SPECIAL Meat Jun- thick tender meat in flawless egg batter (i've been told this recipe started here) Big bone Kal Bee- hand cut, marinated grilled perfection Tempura Shrimp- butterflied n battered Man Doo- guard'um while eat. They tend to disappear when not looking Kimchi- grandmother's secret recipe is unmatched Mac Salad- with sweet potato, nothing else like it During quarantine lockdown, Jimmy helped so many. The family continued to work and serve the community. There is nothing more i can say that many of you already know. Kaimuki's favorite family restaurant, by far. Come hungry! read more

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Our 'ohana has been dining at Kim Chee II in Kaimukī since small kid time. I remember when Jimmy's father sat in the chair. His son Jimmy suddenly and shockingly passed away. Jimmy is Pure Korean. He is also Pure Aloha. Jimmy had some of his children help at their family restaurant since they were younger. I feel like it is a huge loss to not only to Kaimukī but also to Humanity. So much so that during the pandemic Jimmy gave away free meals to struggling families. When you walk into Kim Chee II, Jimmy treated you like family so it is shocking that he suddenly passed away. Jimmy also took care of his mother so it hit me so hard when I found out that he passed away. Jimmy is greatly missed by many. They have since re-opened. Three of his five children are continuing the family legacy. Check out their menu here https://kimcheerestaurant2.business.site/ Follow them on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/kimchee2kaimuki Their phone number for take-out is (808) 737-7733. They are currently open from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. I will be back again. I highly highly recommend whether for dine-in or take out. Their banchan is good. I like their kim chee. If you are a tourist try this place out. I think you will like it. Live Aloha. read more

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We had a Christmas party for the office and ordered a whole bunch of dishes from here. The dishes were all flavorful and there give a decent amount of food. I feel that if we're there in person we might get more. However we all enjoyed the food and it was a perfect. We ordered mini meat jun, bbq chicken (not sweeter side which was enjoyed),spicy pork, bi bim kook so with chicken (the only dish maybe better to eat in restaurant) and the kim chee restaurant special. It was so so for the price but I would hope it would be more in the restaurant for the price. Everything thought was tasty and more on the saltier side vs sweet. Mamma san was at the cashier and is very friendly. Unfortunately when I went to pick up the food there wasn't a soul inside. I hope they got busier but I'm sure for Kaimuki area dinner is their busier time. read more

The food is still as good as ever. Wait was kind of long but to be expected for a weekend night. The meat jun and kalbi were winners.