I visited this place about 10 years ago, and the food and service were absolutely incredible! The ramen there is still better than I remember from a decade ago. read more

The service was slow this evening, even when there were just two other tables. The server just walked right past us.

Discovered Lucky Belly while walking Chinatown and needing somewhere to eat for dinner. Street parking was easy around 5pm and lots of surface lots/garages within a block or two. Outside the restaurant is very unsuspecting and I even tried to get into the restaurant using the wrong door. Note, entrance is not on hotel street but on Smith street. Inside was very simple and clean and had a cool modern aesthetic. Service was amazing. We arrived just as they opened at 5pm on a Tuesday and the host/waitress and bartender (I also think he was manager or owner) were very welcoming and attentive. Note, I made a reservation just in case but we definitely did not need it at this time of day! Menu was extremely creative and the plating was gorgeous. However, the food was just okay. If I ate with my eyes this would have been 10/10 but the food was lacking in flavor. Ordered the appetizer sampler special which came with the lobster shu mai, pork belly bao and oxtail dumplings. Lobster was cooked well but the sauce and shu mai itself were not very flavorful. The noodle wrapper was good! Pork belly bao and oxtail dumplings also lacked flavor and were overcooked but again the bao and the noodle for the dumpling were perfection. For our mains we ordered the snapper special (snapper and garlic rice) and the ramen beast bowl. Again, plating was perfect and all the components of a perfect dish were there but everything tasted a bit bland. Overall, would recommend for a cute bite out, great for photos on the gram, good drinks and nice service but if you want to die for tasting food I might skip this one. read more

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First night in Waileia and we were too worn out to join our group for dinner. Pulled up Uber Eats to find something and Lucky Belly popped up. I had marked it earlier on Yelp as a place I'd like to try. Ordering was easy but I guess 6:30 is a really busy time. Poor driver waited about an hour for our food, but it was nice and hot when he delivered. We both had the Ono Fish Sandwich. It's almost served like sliders on one long roll that can be pulled apart into 3 neat little sandies. Really yummy and the fish was cooked nicely and we liked the fries and their special sauce. I would definitely be interested in going there in the future to try them again. read more

We love going to Lucky Belly! The food combinations are amazing and so many to choose from . Last visit, we decided to make it fun and order 4 appetizers (pupu's) and share as our main course. They were more than enough. Very very creative and delicious. We had the lamb lumpia, duck tacos, lobster and Octopus Shu Mai. Going there is like home and if you want something You get it! We also ordered a small side of ramen (not on the menu) and it complimented everything. Drinks are always creative because Ken is a superb mixologist! Everything that goes into his drinks are super fresh ingredients. Even their ice is a statement. Looking forward to our next visit. read more

Just recently revisited the restaurant. We had the appetizer trio which included the oxtail dumpling, pork belly Bao, and lobster shu mai. All items were very good. We then moved onto a miso braised lamb shank in a congee. We were getting kinda full by the time the main course came around. We did eat some, but opted to take it home. It was a bit too spicy for our tasting, and a bit heavy overall. We decided to take it back, just in case we got hungry later. When packaging the food, it was soupy and the server put the food in a clamshell container and then gave us a plastic bag. The entire item was dripping and a soggy mess by the time we got back (20 minutes). We threw the whole thing out. read more

Lucky Belly - Sampler - on 10/2/21 I think it was $30 - Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I came in an hour before closing. The restaurant was pretty packed. Waiting for a very short time til we got seated. Our server was also the host and the bartender, it was very impressive how he was able to multitask as well as he did. I was surprised to hear how limited they were on opening hours for lunch since I felt the place was doing so well. The food was delicious. The oxtail wonton has tons of flavor. The broth was also tasty. The bao was soft and fresh. I wish they served desserts though. The place was cute, the artwork was a nice touch. read more

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Service was nice and courteous. The food was amazing. The company was great. What more can one ask for on a date night? * Lobster Shu Mai 5/5 - The shu mai was an explosion of flavors of warm lobster goodness. The lobster filling was so good. The sauce was a white lemon butter sauce with hints of seafood. * Wafu Steak 5/5 - The steak was tender though not a lot of flavors on its own. The sweet, citrusy light soy sauce was what made this dish amazing. * Beast Ramen 4/5 - This ramen came with 3 types of meat - tender brisket, melt-in-your-mouth short ribs, and meh wontons (they were oxtail wontons but tasted like sugary kalua pork wontons...). The noodles and broth were good though not special. The soft egg was a yummy poached egg. Would be even better if it was seasoned. * Li Hing Lemonade 5/5 - Tasty salted plum lemonade drink. read more

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It's not easy to find a place that is open late at night especially on a weeknight our plane didn't arrive until evening after we got settled at the hotel and went swimming before the pool closed we were able to still have a very nice meal before hitting the hay sack. We were the only ones there but our host did not make us feel as though she had had a long day and was ready to get home. My husband said that the interior felt like he was in New York again. He op's and awed at each delectable bite which but I had succeeded in my plot to please him because I picked the spot. read more

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This restaurant was really clean. The service was fast. The food was okay. The duck tacos were a 10/10. I recommend. It was juicy and the sauce on top was so good.also recommend the hibiscus lemonade $7, but 10/10. I also got the beast ramen, but I truly did not care for it. There was no flavor to it. I saw the brisket and wontons, but the menu also described it to have short ribs and I didn't have any. read more

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The pictures are from two separate visits but both times I ordered the Belly Bowl which was the ramen. The Belly Bowl was packed because it includes three types of pork: bacon, charsiu, and sausage. It also comes with loads of bean sprouts and wakame. The duck tacos were also yummy and the scallop cone sushi was also quite interesting. Service is very attentive and offered good information of items we were thinking of getting. Lunch time is quiet - I don't even think you need to make a reservation, but dinner is busier especially when there things going on downtown. read more

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The food has absolutely no flavor or seasoning I got the Wafu Steak, Shrimp Dumplings, and Octopus. First, the portion size was too damn small and despite having sauces for each one, they were all severely lacking any flavor No item has any flavor I leave confused and empty as to why people say they "love the flavor", I have no clue wtf they are talking about read more

Food 10/10 - Everything was ono. The Happy Hour Omakase is the way to go. You need to be there before 5:30p though, but worth $35 for 13 dishes! By 6pm, it started to get crowded. Service 10/10 - She was very attentive and thorough with her explanation. She was training someone but I could tell she would have done the same if she wasn't. There were other people delivering the food, they talked fast to explain what was what they when they dropped off the food, but our server always came by to check in on us. Ambience 10/10 - You can't tell how nice it looks from the outside, which is cool. When you walk in, on the right there's bar seating "Yakitori" bar. They have a smoke hood but some of the smoke does linger in the restaurant. We didn't come out smelling like smoke though, LOL. There are tables in the middle and "booth" chairs and tables on the left. Location 10/10 - It's easy to find in downtown. We parked at Mark's garage. The bathroom is outside in the back of the restaurant, but bathroom was clean. Looks like there were more restaurants and other stores but I didn't look around. read more

Food was so good. The lobster appetizer was our favorite! Small space but was able to get in with a reservation read more

Lucky Belly - Beast bowl and oriental chicken salad - Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I cannot wait for Dusty to open another location on island!! Lucky Belly is one of my favorite spots in China town to pop in for their appetizer menu and cocktails. It's almost always busy, so if I begin to crave their Duck Tacos, Bao Buns or incredibly unique Beet Salad, I start hunting for a table on open-table. Often, I can walk by on First Fridays or after an art show down town and see if there's seating at the bar. Regardless of if you sit at the bar, or a table, your service will be excellent! Just writing this review is making me want those duck tacos.... read more

Lucky Belly - Beet & Spicy Greens Salad - Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We ordered the pork buns, chicken salad and fish daily special and shared amongst 3 people. The food was good but a little pricey compared to other local restaurants. The service was very good and the waiters were kind. The restaurant was very clean and had a nice ambiance to meet with friends and family! read more

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Came here to catch up with my bestie for dinner on a weekday evening. Devoured the Lobster Shu Mai and Lucky Bowls and had leftover for my lunch the next day. Quality service that was quick, attentitve, and not overbearing. The atmosphere is calm and quiet, being that located in the middle of Downtown, most people would think otherwise. Can't wait to come back again :) read more

Came here for an early dinner and it didn't disappoint! The place is very low key, brought out 2 kids who both got ramen and loved it! Oxtail dumplings are 100/10! Service was very quick and the portions are very large. read more

Lucky Belly - Oxtail Dumplings - Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Ambiance and staff were great! The beet salad was delicious, but my Lucky ramen was tasteless. Drinks were decent but nothing to write home about. Been here twice now, seems it's hit or miss depending on the dish. read more

I love this place. From the ramen to the shrimp gyoza to the char siu lamb leg. All very tasty dishes. Everyone I've taken here loves it.

Good pork belly baos! This was our first stop on the island since we love pork belly baos. The restaurant is cute, but only 1 server/host/bartender made everything very slow. Took forever to get our drinks and food. We ordered the pork belly baos which are delicious and shared a salad which was ok. Overall, it's good and would return just for the appetizers or ramen since that looked really good read more

Lucky Belly - Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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So nice inside and outside the gentleman who took care of me was super. My only problem is I went since some reviews said they had gluten free options. Unfortunately only the steak appetizer could be made gluten free without the ponzu sauce. Luckily he also hooked me up with a bow of plain rice. The steak was amazing and so was my cocktail. Would've been 5 stars if they had a few other options of hinge I could eat. read more

Been coming to Lucky Belly for years and it's one of those Chinatown spots you end up at sooner or later if you live in town. The ramen is solid and comforting, the dumplings and bao are decent. The vibe: dim, a little loud, usually busy, mostly local with a few rando. Staff is usually friendly. Not cheapest bowl of ramen in Honolulu and probably not the most traditional either, but it's consistently good for a fun for pau hana. read more

Came here for one menu item in particular and they were out? This is understandable for a restaurant such as cheesecake factory or BJ's where the menu is 100 items, but in a place where there's 10 items on the menu to be out of something is unacceptable. As someone who works and manages restaurants I'm able to identify poor management and planning and that's all this was. The one and only star left is for the server who did her job gracefully and had to be the bearer of bad news for the manager who was hiding while he sent her out to explain that there were 3 items out of the 10 menu item removed from the menu. The management of this establishment should be embarrassed, it is peak tourist season in Oahu and a food capital of the Western states, and without care is driving away customers due to poor plans. Do better, this is a restaurant in Honolulu, a food epicenter and destination for foodies, and the ball was dropped tremendously. read more

I've had lucky belly on my list for a while but I was waiting for the right occasion to make a visit. We had made dinner reservations at 7 on a Saturday. While it didn't take us long to get seated, service was a little slow since it was a Saturday night. The restaurant has a dim lighting almost intimate vibe. There are high chairs as well as long tables to accommodate larger groups. They have a fun and interesting drink menu. My party started off by ordering drinks and appetizers. I ordered the Alice in Borderland, I'm a mezcal fan and very much enjoyed this drink (I ordered 2). My friends ordered the sake and kirin special, and the restaurant's version a whiskey sour. We all enjoyed our drinks Appetizers: crispy duck tacos. These tacos were delicious and a favorite of the table Smoked octopus. Octopus when cooked correctly is very tasty. This was my favorite appetizer. The octopus was cooked perfectly and had a nice spicy kick. I would definitely order this again. I had the shrimp kimchee ramen. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my shrimp were crispy. The crunch was a nice textural difference to the soft noodles and seaweed. I do think that maybe there was too much seaweed. I was sad to only find 3 shrimp in my large bowl of ramen. The broth itself had a lovely spicy flavor. All of the men in my party ordered the beast bowl. They seemed to enjoy it and finished it before I got the opportunity to snag a taste. I would come back to try more drinks and appetizers read more

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The lighting was dim so hard to get clear photos but the food was 10/10. It was a great choice for an open-late chinatown meal with friends, and our server gave us great recommendations too. We got two ramen bowls (which seem pretty much the same base, just changing out protein options), two appetizers and an entrée with some drinks. The prices are definitely on the higher end but super delicious and filling too. The duck tacos, which I'd known as being the must-order, did not disappoint. Super crispy light shell and a saucy tender duck filling. Totally drool worthy. The server recommended we try the bone marrow risotto filled Inari, which at first looked amusingly underwhelming, but was an absolute flavor bomb of creamy, savory risotto that had us all exclaiming "oh my god' in unison. The ramen was great- noodles were springy, a flavorful broth that wasn't too salty, and my favorite bite was the oxtail dumpling swimming inside. The lamb with rice porridge was also decadent while feeling cozy- rice porridge always brings me back to childhood. So good! Next time I'll try out the takeout window spot too :) read more

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Had to come here after hearing so many good things about Lucky Belly and I felt like it didn't disappoint, but also wasn't the best ramen or noodle bowl I've ever had. We came here as a group after getting drinks nearby and had a reservation because it was a larger group, so was happy to be seated right away. Surprisingly, it was not super busy on a Friday night and quite empty in fact. We got our orders in right away and had some appetizers which were pretty good. Overall I think food flavor wise, most of the flavor is there. There is just nothing super AMAZING about it, but its a super solid bowl of noodles. The appetizers were great and the servers were friendly. Definitely not a place I'd wait in line for, but would come back! read more

It's been awhile since I've been here and it was even more AWESOME than I remembered!! Some friends and I were celebrating, and not only was the food excellent (we had sandwiches, salads, and bowls) - the y were so accommodating of our group and the service was outstanding (thanks Dean!) Make a point to eat here, convenient parking on the street and the corner lot, and Chinatown is vibrant! read more

Lucky Belly - Spicy brisket - Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Amazing food presentation, modern gastro pub with beautiful food with Asian and Hawaiian roots. I really liked the concept. The part we got was a bit too rich and less fresh than I wanted. May be it was because we went in close to closing. I thought the food wasn't as tasty as in other reviews. The staff was super nice. We tried a variety of things and sat on the bar stools. Overall it was less than optimal experience for me. But I could see others having a good time and the food looked fantastic in the photos. read more

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I like to go to restaurants on slow nights. I want to see what the "slow night" crew can do, sure, but I also want the team to be able to put their best foot forward. Anyone that's worked a kitchen knows busy nights can cause some problems to slip through the cracks. That being said, on a Monday: Crispy Duck Tacos: I should end with these, but they were the first thing I ate. Wow. Wow. Wow. Texture, perfect. You can easily pick up each one and bit into them and they are surprisingly not messy at all, unlike traditional tacos. The tortilla was PERFECT. You could hear the crunch but it was so subtle, you almost couldn't feel it. The filling was insane. Nothing was overpowered and you're instantly punched in the face by the duck, cilantro, and honey. You can taste all three distinctly, showcasing expertise on all levels. These are easily one of the best dishes I've EVER eaten. Lobster Moco: Beautiful presentation, awesome riff on a classic, local staple. I prefer it to the actual. I'd order it again, but since I went so hard on the tacos, I have to nitpick: the rice and gravy was the star of the show here, not the lobster croquette. Perfectly cooked, creamy yet firm, almost risotto-ish. The gravy was perfectly seasoned and meshed well with the rice (and was lobster-flavored as well I believe). The croquette, I tried by itself and the texture was spot on, but seemed underseasoned a bit. I almost couldn't tell there was lobster in it, despite there being A LOT of lobster in it. BUT..you get a bite with the croquette, rice, and gravy, and you're in heaven. Not pictured but noteworthy: I got some of the oxtail dumplings, the lobster shu mai, and scallop cone sushi (to go). The lobster shu mai was okay compared to everything else (it would blow away your general shu mai at any other restaurant), and the oxtail and scallop were great, although I need to go back and get them hot so I can judge them at temp without driving home in traffic only to have them all mixed together. If you take one thing away from this review: if you are on Oahu, go to Lucky Belly and get the Crispy Duck Tacos!!!!!!! read more

Lucky Belly - Crispy Duck Tacos - Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We came to the Lucky Belly after looking for a late dinner spot and this was absolutely perfect! We got the trio appetizer special with the pork belly bao, lobster dumplings, and the oxtail dumplings. These were all so delicious! We got the Samurai X and One Man Punch for our drinks and they were super tasty. Finally, we got the Beast ramen bowl and it was absolutely amazing! Highly recommend and the service was fantastic. Had a wonderful and intimate dinner! read more

Lucky Belly - Appetizer trio special, Samurai X and One Man Punch drinks and Beast Ramen Bowl - Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Love love love. Easily the best bowl of ramen I've ever had and the pork boa buns. So soft, so delicious, and that sauce had such great umami I don't know why but the ladle they gave with the ramen was awesome and I enjoyed it so much. Don't know why but you'll understand I got the belly ramen which had three different types of pork. They kid next to me asked for it but just all pork belly and I wish I did that because the pork belly was cooked perfectly. Not too much brine and flavorful. The broth is could drink gallons of Our waitress was a doll as well. It was dimly lit and a great date spot If you're visiting and staying in Waikiki make sure to head over here !! read more

Lucky Belly - Belly Bowl - Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Very friendly and attentive staff. Located walking distance from hotel. Quaint cute place. Pork belly bao was tasty. Crispy duck tacos amazing. Oxtail dumplings were so good. Lobster shumai okay. Li Hi mui lemonade was also good. read more

Lucky Belly - Pork bao lobster shumai oxtail dumpling - Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Overall it was a great experience. We did arrive before our reservation and were not promptly greeted but that's ok. The fungi bowl was good, but the broth lacked character, but that could just be the style of it. The chili sauce provided at the table enhanced it and added an additional dimension to the dish. Overall I really enjoyed it. Everyone was really nice. It was very clean. I would come back. We also had the oxtail dumplings. It was disappointing to only get three of them and then have to figure out who got the last one in a party of two lol. read more

Lucky Belly - Fungi Bowl - Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Pretty bad for the price. Automatic "merchant fee" and 20% gratuity for what? Barely serviced us at all. Ask for higher AC and that request was denied. read more

Bring a sweater, it's cold in here. I had to order a hot tea to try to warm up. It would.have helped if the teapot had done a better job at straining the tea leaves though. The food was good, though. I enjoyed the bao, and the salad had the right amount of crunch. read more

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I'd say 3.5 but I'll around it up to 4. Love the ambiance. Great hang out spot! The menu is quite interesting and as a group of 5 we got to sample a lot of different items. Their crispy duck tacos were good. Spring rolls were tasty too. We had the jook (asian congee) and it was very subpar, not worth the money either. My mom makes it better. The other dishes were on the salty side, a bit too much flavor. The dumplings were not good at all. They fell apart easily and the filling inside was meh. So I'd say the dishes were hit or miss. However their menu changes from time to time so it's worth to check back and try again! read more

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We we're so excited to try Lucky Belly based off other reviews. We went on a Tuesday but all the tables at the restaurant were full, which was a good sign to us! The staff were knowledgeable about the menu and had great drink recommendations. We went with the Li Hing Lemonade and Lilikoi Fizz which were both delicious. We started with the pork belly baos which were the perfect amount of meat to bun ratio and our food arrived shortly after. My husband loved the bibimbap and it was the right amount of spicy. The meat completely fell apart in your mouth and had so much flavor. My lobster moco did come out cold but the flavor of the entire dish was so rich and creamy, that it didn't matter too much. The lobster croquette had so much lobster in it, which I appreciated because sometimes they can have too much breading. Overall, we're excited to come back with some friends and enjoy the cool vibes of this small location and hopefully try some of the alcoholic drinks next time! read more

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Went to lucky belly for the first time! My husband and I enjoyed the portions! Staff was nice and we were able to reserve a spot before arriving! Ambiance was dim lighting, good music, and yummy food! Glad we were able to visit on our trip! read more

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Some of the best ramen I've ever had! Friendly staff and great portion sizes. They also sell my favorite sake!