We saved this place for our last meal in Hilo and are sure glad that we did. Saimin is a part of their name so duh, of course we had to get saimin! Although, they do have a ton of different items on their menu. I love that they have different types of noodles to choose from for their saimin! I really liked their Hilo style saimin with thin egg noodles. The broth has a nice light konbu flavor. Saimin is topped with char siu, green onions, egg and kamaboko (fish cake)! You can get a small ($6.75) or large ($7.75). The small is a pretty good size and a great deal. You can add a side of bbq stick meat or chicken stick to complete your meal and still be under $10! It's so hard to find these old fashioned saimin places unless you go neighbor islands. Definite must stop in Hilo! ******** You should go Nori's Must try the saimin for' sure Hilo comfort food read more

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This is a hole in the wall restaurant that serves quick meals at decent prices. The decor is a bit everywhere but kids would probably love it. I had the deluxe Saimin with the chicken stick. The chicken stick was all right, a little lacking in flavor for me but the Saimin hot the spot on a rainy day. I would recommend coming here if you're passing by and looking for something comforting to eat that's low key. read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Deluxe Saimin with wontons and a chicken stick - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

No doubt they have their fans because the place was packed the entire time we were there. But upon analysis, part of the reason for the crowd was the slow service. I ordered the Super Min which was a HUGE bowl of saimin with won ton and all the trimmings. I could have dumped out 1/2 the soup, added water and it still would have been too salty. It's unfortunate because I was looking forward to a kick-butt bowl of noodles. Instead, I ate the wonton, veg and some Cha Siu. The rest stayed behind. Saving grace, while I was writing this in the car, wife told the cashier that I couldn't eat mine so he credited her for her regular sized saimin. Better service skills with servers checking on tables could have fixed this problem before I walked out. And yes, I did try to flag her down a few times but she wasn't looking around so never saw me. read more

My friend recommended this place and I'm so glad she did! I had saimin but with curly ramen noodles and an added chicken stick (chicken teriyaki skewer). Perfect noodles, simple umami broth. I got a small but couldn't finish the whole thing. Everyone was super friendly. Definitely a locals place and the menu covers the gamut from noodles, plate lunch, fish etc. desserts sounded good but I was sooo full! It's kinda tucked away so just turn into the parking lot when the map app says you have arrived and it's in the middle of a long building. read more

This place doesn't ever seem to be open. Thursday afternoon. 12:30 pm. Door unlocked but sign says closed. This has happened the past 3 times I have tried to eat hear. A complete joke. Stay away. read more

Nori's used to be our go-to place if we couldn't decide on where to eat, mainly because no matter what we order we'd be happy. For the last year or so their service has been so bad and the food has changed as well. Service: + Seated promptly - Waited 25 minutes to order. - I asked a young blond female server if we could order and she said "No sorry, I have to take that other table's order because they came before you,"....and then she left! WHAT???! - She still left the table, who was seated about 5 minutes after us, to wait another 15 minutes to order. + The young local male server finally came to take our order and apologized for the wait. He was quick, attentive, and seemed much more competent at food service than the female server. - I saw a table sitting in the corner who were waiting for about half an hour to order while a table who got seated AFTER them got their food and beer really quickly. The servers seemed to be extra attentive to that table...maybe they are the owner's friends? Not sure, but the lady at the table waiting looked miserable. Food: We all ordered ramen and the broth was SO SALTY. The last time we came it was extremely salty, so I was hoping this time it would be different, I was wrong. I love salt, and this was too salty for me too. I'm wondering if they leave the broth boiling all day long and it ends up reducing down and they're not adding water?? I'm not sure, but it's really strong. Hoping their service gets better and the cooks start tasting their food before serving :( read more

I gots da Hawaiian Saimen w/wontons. Da broth and noodles were good. Simple but tasty. Now, this soup comes with solid cuts of Char Sui pork. I'm not a big fan of it but at least it was there. I was shocked however, that I only received two teenie-weenie slices of fishcake. Would've been nice if I was given more or at least thicker cuts like the char sui pork. I did like the grilled hamachi Kama. Simple and delicious! But it was too small. I want to come back at this place to try dishes on the menu. I did hear that the fried rice is really good. Next time... read more

I used to like this place but not anymore. I had couple times BAD experience food here last few years and one more time give a shot but totally bad idea. Last few times, Saimin was extremely salty and never had BAD nasty Stuffed cabbage ( the special of the day ) entire my life. Anyway, I ordered Korean hot pot bibimbap at this time with extra beef skewer. It was too greasy rice and not even close to real Bibimbap. My husband ordered "Tonkatsu" and he said " never had bad Tonkatsu before" and I tried little piece and totally agreed. Saw another table the lady ordered Roast Pork ( special on board ) and she returned it. Because pork was cold. Another table the lady ordered Korean short rib and also returned it because over cooked and look like burned charcoal. What is going on this place... Anyway, I'm sorry but I don't want to go back this place anymore. read more

We ordered the original small saimin, loco moco, and Bi bim kook soo. The saimin didn't have the typical saimin umami flavor that we're crave in the broth. It was just salty and my daughter was adding her water into the broth to make it more palatable. Eck. The meat in the bi bim kook soo was really tough and lacked the Korean full taste that we're used to. The one good thing we experienced was the delicious char broiled flavor of the burger patty in the loco moco. That was good. The rest, we can't recommend. read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Too salty - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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I was kind of disappointed. I wanted to try the Hilo style saimin. The waitress said they were already out (at 12:15pm). So I went with the regular saimin. For a place with the word saimin in its name, you would expect it to be fantastic. For me, it was just ok...I do agree with other posters, the soup was a little salty. My daughter ordered the garlic shrimp. It was tasty but a little expensive for what we got. I noticed a lot of the locals ordering a sizzling meat dish with onions. Must be popular. We didn't try. If we are in the area, we might stop by...but in my opinion, its not a place to make a trip out of your way. read more

This is the second I've been there with my family, the service isn't so great depending on who you have. The food on the other hand is really good. The Kalbi they made was the best I've ever had! Seasoned well, the meat soft. I don't like Teri beef at all because a lot of people don't know how to make it. some business don't know how to make good Teri beef, but this place makes the best Teri beef, the seasoning is on point, its tender and juicy. we ordered Big Plate for 2-4 people: $23.95 Battered fish, fried noodles, Teri beef, BBQ Chicken, Kalbi Ribs, Mac salad and musubi. Bi Bim Kook Soo: $9.95 Somen noodles, cold vegetables, kimchee & Nori's hot sauce. The chocolate mochi cake was bomb! I would go back for that. It tastes like a chocolate cake and mochi fused as one, but it's not like the butter mochi taste, it's not overly sweet or bland but a very good balance The only issue we had was the service. read more

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The special Saimin was delicious and flavorful. Portions are ample. Love the garlic fry Saimin with teriyaki beef, it was seasoned very well and the meat is tender but chewy enough so you get to taste the beef juice. Will recommend ! read more

They are still not open for dine in but they do have take out. Their family meal is the way to go! A little bit of everything (bbq beef, noodles, rice, fish) feeds about 4. read more

I'm kind of obsessed with this place. I was in starvation mode before a movie and only had 30 minutes. I found this place on Yelp and rushed over here. Plenty of parking in the private lot. This place is straight out of the 80's ambience wise. It's set up looking a bit like a grocery store, but don't be fooled. Lots of booths and old table, harsh fluorescent lighting, but it doesn't matter. Food here is legit. Menu is extensive. I got the Unagi, which is eel, over rice. It had a sunny side up egg on top. Delicious. It also came with sides of cold Japanese noodles and macaroni salad. Really great deal. My friend got the kimchi fried rice, which was also delicious. We ended the meal with a mochi cupcake, which is very interesting. We thought there would be a mochi inside the cupcake, but it's really mochi texture integrated INTO the cupcake. Great service, although it can get busy at certain times. read more

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Yelp Challenge 365 # 81/365 I'm giving Nori's 4 stars because of their expanded menu of "saimin" and "ramen". I never realized (other than Shiro's in Aiea) that saimin or ramen can come is so many different names. 4 stars also because the broth is tasty (somewhat salty for my tastebuds) but tasty none the less. I wondered what "Hilo's special saimin" was..... its regular ramen with vegetables, charsiu, boiled cabbage and kamabuko.... I'm still wondering why it's "special" and maybe will never get the answer. Their LOCO MOCO is excellent. Hamburger patty HOME MADE, not one of those pressed burgers... covered with an egg, prepared to your liking and then, smothered with their homemade gravy. Again, little salty for my taste, but tasty none the less. DO NOT have their Bi Bim Cook So..... go to an authentic korean restaurant if you want korean food. Their order was somen noodles, surrounded by cucumber slices, topped with bbq meat (the meat was dry- I think it was a piece sitting on the side) and the sauce in a little container on the side. Nope! Not the best for korean food. Nori's should stick to their saimin and ramen; oh, and their loco mocos. read more

Mom n' popping it in Hilo The last meal of our vacation and it was excellent! We did the zipline at the World Botanical Gardens and when our guides heard about my husband's quest for the best loco moco and saimin, they both said "Nori's!" We're sure glad we listened to them! A little bit hard to find, but hidden treasures are always the best, right? We walked in, looked around and thought, "We're hooooome!" Too many tempting items to choose from...... Even a board where they updated the available specials for the day. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/an0kMzAbqPxoBtAuvgwqiA?select=rR2Qx8v2ADoC396loEaGBg#rR2Qx8v2ADoC396loEaGBg Of course the hubby chose saimin. He ordered the New Hilo Style. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/an0kMzAbqPxoBtAuvgwqiA?select=IVq4qmyjH3_rzLNKW7I8pg#FCbiTRBVNIysp88i7U2pBQ Comes with LOTS of noodles, won tons, veggies, chasiu and a chicken yakitori stick.. I needed to eat something that wouldn't upset my stomach while on the flight home. They had the perfect meal for me. Ochazuke. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/an0kMzAbqPxoBtAuvgwqiA?select=nZkapqZyCIN4_RRNlclnXg It's a satisfying simple Japanese meal of rice (with green tea poured into the bowl), fish and picklings. True homestyle. Also bought some chocolate mochi cake and a bread pudding loaf to take home as part of our gift haul. I regret not buying more. Very friendly folks working here. Made us feel very welcome. Note: My husband mostly ate loco moco & saimin on our vacation because he was on a quest for the best. The hubby has concluded that this New Hilo Style saimin and the one he had at New China Restaurant (also in Hilo) were the best two he had on his vacation. He couldn't decide which was #1 because they're both different in presentation. Both had extra items which brought them up to a higher level. He came home content. Mission accomplished! read more

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Decided to stop here to pick up dinner before going home. I got the double chix stix plate with all tossed salad and my fiancé got the Kim Chee fried rice which came with a over easy egg and Teri chicken on the side. The girl who took my order was very pleasant, smiling and very helpful with answering the questions I had about their menu. While we waited for our food we sat at a table which had ants crawling on it... grosssssss! And overheard one of the staff complaining about another staff member using the bathroom quite frequently. This is something customers really don't need to hear or know. Food.. my tossed salad was by far the best tossed salad I have seen in a lunch plate. There was chopped tomatoes and cucumbers with purple and green lettuce. My chix stix were cooked perfect and the sauce was very tasty. There was one stix that had fat and cartilage on it but other than that it was good. The Kim chee fried rice was good.. I'm guessing the egg yolk broke when the plate was made because we didn't get to pop the yolk. The side chicken was sad.. it was completely worthless.. such a small portion. Other than hearing the staff.. the food was worth what we paid for it. Based on my past experience experience here.. don't ask for cups of water.. my water had oily crap in it .. looked like the cups weren't cleaned well prior to it being served to us. read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Double chix stix takeout with all tossed salad - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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saimin was massive and had good flavor. you actually have a choice here with saimin Hilo style (thinner than ramen), curly, or regular (like ramen). but the loco moco - pan fried local beef burger with eggs over easy on rice smothered in brown gravy was da BOMB! very divey and homey at the same time. if your home is divey, then you're in heaven. also you get a lot of food for the money. worth the stop if you're in Hilo. read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - wontons and saimin - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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After years of visiting family on the big island and going to Hilo I've finally tried Nori's saimin. First off not the best saimin I've ever had but not bad. They give you fairly large portions, I got a small and didn't even finish half. The service left much to be desired unfortunately. They were understaffed when we arrived so it was a little crazy, had to wait for a table for 2 and then it took awhile to even place our order But once we did our food came out quickly. It just seemed like the stuff was a little flustered and overwhelmed. We also got some snacks to go, the manju, mochi chocolate cookies and mochi chocolate bread I love the cookies, haven't tried the bread yet, the manju was ok. I don't know if I'd go back as the food was only just ok but I will say you at least get your money's worth and the staff was friendly even if overwhelmed. read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Won ton min - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Visited here wanting to get a taste of the local Saimin. I ordered the Hilo-style Saimin Special and my husband got the Korean Plate. I got the "special" with vegetables(Napa cabbage) and a "Chicken Stix" which is just Chicken Skewers. The only other Saimin I've had is from L&L in LA so I'm not sure what its exactly supposed to taste like but the soup here was so salty it was inedible for me even after asking for hot water to dilute the broth. I wondered if it was because we came at the end of the night and the broth had been simmering all day (?). The noodles looked like ramen noodle but softer. I wasn't too impressed with the saimin. The Korean Plate came with the Chicken Stix, thin cut beef, and a fairly thick piece of bone-less galbi. It came with a side of Saimin broth with a piece of wonton, rice and salad. The galbi was very well marinated and grilled. The middle was still pink which kept the meat tender and he really enjoyed it. He wasn't too impressed with the thinly sliced beef which was a bland and a bit tough. We were sitting in the back corner which made it difficult to get the server's attention but everyone was super nice and friendly. read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Hilo style Saimin Sp and Korean Plate. - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

This is a must-have pit-stop my friends and family make every time we're on the Big Island. It's tucked away, hidden in a strip mall with a small sign, but it is packed every time we go in. The highlight is the broth and noodles in the saimin- It's just that home and hearth saimin you love. read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Hilo Saimin, Special upgrade. - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Been going back and forth to the Big Island, specifically Hilo and Volcano, throughout my life and NEVER heard of Nori's Saimin & Snacks until yesterday. A co-worker raved about the chocolate mochi cookies but lamented the fact that ordering over the phone was sketchy at best... Not to be daunted, I called and spoke with the owner, Beth, and she was very helpful in putting my order together, following up with me several times as we played phone tag, and went so far as to arrange for her husband to bring the cookies to Honolulu because we live in the same neighborhood and thus I won't incur shipping charges! Woo hoo! Now THAT'S customer service - going above and beyond tbe normal to satisfy the customer, ME! Can't wait to try these raved about cookies! And if they're as wonderful as my co-worker says, I'll be a loyal customer on my annual trips to Hilo and Volcano! Winner! Stay tuned... read more

Excellent food. No matter which saimin you get they are all good. The chicken sticks are really good.

Yelp, why did you fail me?!?!? Previous reviewer folk, I doubt your food tastes... :-/ Were you playing a trick on me because I'm a tourist?? I love ramen, but this? It made me so sad. I hate to give a negative review because the woman who runs this place was curt and efficient and sort of nice and reminded me of my grandma (in a good way) and it seems like a family-run business, but I really have to. I'm sorry... This place is in a strip mall in the middle of nowhere and hard to find, and aptly so. It's very hole in the wall, and in need of some renovation inside. Run down wooden benches, laminate (not fake wood) tables, and blank white walls. It looks kind of like an old cafeteria... We ordered the New Hilo Style Saimin, mustard cabbage, and some musubi. **Mustard cabbage was pretty good. Apparently they usually mix the soy sauce with the mustard...makes sense, good thing I like things spicy anyway. **Saimin...ok, is saimin different from ramen? Because being from California and having been to Japan, I've had great ramen, and this is really about some of the blandest I've ever had. The cha siu on it had a lot of fat and was more like Chinese red bbq pork than regular pork I see on ramen. I've had better instant ramen (Myojo Chukazanmai for example)... The wontons added insult to injury, because they tasted really old and the meat was really hard. **Musubi? Can't review-- they forgot and never brought it, and I'm kind of glad they didn't, because just after the above two I felt kind of sick. The service was decent, but they never noticed we finished eating and we had to go up to the counter and wait to get our bill forever even though the place wasn't that busy. And there were at least two servers in addition to the woman who reminded me of my grandma! Maybe this is a good dessert place, but it's *not* a good dinner place. It took a lot of effort to get here, then we were sorely disappointed. It took some ice cream from the KTA to make up for the experience. Like I said, I hate to give this place a bad review...but really I have to warn people that this is *not* worth 4 stars. Maybe the other, non-saimin stuff is good, but I dunno. read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Saimin! They have really good homemade saimin noodles. We were heading to the airport but decided to stop by here for lunch. The restaurant itself is old but I don't care. My family and I had the saimin--small. The small was more than enough to feed us. Others around us ordered plate lunches and they were ginormous. The staff were friendly and quick to take our order (but not too fast). I recommend the saimin here. My daughter commented that it's better than Hamura's on Kauai! Prices are fair. We were so hungry, I forgot to take pics! Next time!!! read more

A lot of the time the food is either a hit or a miss, not good on consistency. The best value for ur buck is the big platter for two. Chocolate mochi is sooo ono. read more

They have some really good local food for a reasonable price. It is a really laid back local place that puts you in the feel for old school Hawaii. I would recommend the Nori burger! read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Nori regular burger - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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UUUBERLICIOUS!!! their mochi chocolate cake is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO uuberlicious, i love it! their thin cookie thing is so yummy too! their portions are HUGE, for family style dining. me & my friends stuffed ourselves silly. and our server was the MOST AWESOME SERVER EVER!!! read more

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This place is known for its saimin and noodles. However, my favorite dish is their loco moco special with Teri sauce. Their Teri sauce is very tasty and their homemade patty is very good. They serve a variety of other local dishes and their Teri chicken sticks is also very good. This place can get very busy so you might need to wait to get seated and to get your food. In the end it is worth the wait! read more

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I love this place!! The broth is amazing!! I have hitting the Saimin and burger combo 3 times now lol! All the food I smell and see walking but smells and looks yummy! The combo is $12 bucks which is was awesome! The staff is always nice! I like that the stay open later than most places! read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Samin burger combo w/ Mac salad - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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This restaurant was clearly a neighborhood gem at some point. But time has not been kind to it. Nori is probably spinning in his grave right now. When my wife and I first entered, the waitress gestured toward the back of the restaurant and said "just go to the table over there". I put on my waiter hat and grabbed a couple of menus for ourselves. Ok, so service isn't the best so far, but as long as the food's good... My wife ordered the saimin with wontons, thinking that if there was saimin in the restaurant name it must be good. I ordered the hamachi kama special. ...we were both terribly disappointed. The saimin was ruined by a flavorless brine that was almost as salty as the one I use for my Thanksgiving turkey. The wontons may as well have been from the frozen aisle at Costco. On the side was their "fresh made daily" spicy mustard: it tasted like someone had stirred in some fresh vomit. Mustard can keep for months at room temperature so I'm not sure how they managed this one. My hamachi kama was made from a small piece of fish that had been sitting around too long, and gave off a slightly putrid odor even after it had been cooked. Apparently, "specials" here are borderline foods about to go bad, not the freshest & best items of the day. And somehow they also managed to overcook this fatty, typically very juicy piece of fish until it was quite dry. Don't take my word for the food--just take a glance at their kitchen, which you can see from the dining room when you walk in. When we visited, it looked like a bomb had gone off in there...dirty cups and dishes stacked high with no space for food prep. Maybe whoever was in charge was out for the day, but no restaurant serving real food looks like this--no matter if you're a mom-and-pop hole-in-the-wall or a fine dining establishment. If you want real saimin and are visiting the Kona side, you might want to check out Fumi's. Just as mom-and-pop but a world of difference. read more

We ate here after arriving into Hilo at about 8:30pm. I ordered the buttered scallops in a hot plate and it came with Mac salad and strips of Teri beef! I was happy with this dish! My daughter ordered the own ton udon and loved the broth, noodles, and won ton. BF ordered the Korean Combo plate and left satisfied and full. We also bought a loaf of their famous chocolate kochi which was chocolatey and delicious. All of the employees were friendly and grateful for our business. A definite restaurant to visit anytime you are in Hilo. read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Buttered scallops served with the Korean Drama Spoon - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

When you have visitors visiting, this is the place to eat. Great menu selections of local, Asian, and American food. Especially their Saimin choices. This visit, we had my mom visiting from Maui. Because we can, we ordered dessert first and had their Mochi Ala Mode! It's very filling. We didn't realize how big their serving was. But we still managed to make room for dinner. My mother and I shared the Seafood Platter enough for two. It was ono and filling! We took the left overs home. Most of their desserts are homemade. This is a very busy establishment with limited seatings if you have a party of 3 or more. It's a small environment with a feel of little air conditioning. It's locally owned and they are very friendly. Don't expect your food to arrive fast when they're busy. read more

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I'm on the fence with this place. it's tucked in an office building so you really have to look for it. My husband got the beef sukiyaki and to him it was just beef, veggies and tofu in chicken broth. My husbands experience with beef sukiyaki is beef in a dark, rich beefy soup and it was none of that here. I got the large wonton saimin which I though it was OK. The wrapper on the wonton was really thick and there was a lot of noodles, I mean a lot of noodles where I felt like I was just eating starch. We shared a Kim Chee Fried rice, however it had peas and carrots. My kids each got teri chicken skewer and they liked it. Unfortunately this place will be removed from our HI itinerary. read more

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Since I live on Oahu, this is such a treat when I get to eat here. I go to Hilo about 4 to 5 times a year and you will almost always see me here when i'm in town. Nori's has very cozy food. I usually get the saimin and teri stick combo. Their saimin is soooo good! You can tell that it's great quality. The teri stick has great flavor and it's perfect with the saimin. Great on those rainy nights in Hilo (So almost every night). Lol read more

It's a nice neighborhood place where it looks like a lot of locals go. My friend, who's going to school in Hilo, brought us here. I had steak and onions that came on a sizzling cast iron plate (the kind they put fajitas on). It came with rice and macaroni salad. The steak was sliced and nice and tender. It was just hearty good food! I loved it! My friend had the saimin and that was super tasty also. Would definitely come back here if I visited Hilo again (for a 3rd time)! read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Steak and onions - yum! - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Went here for dinner one night. I ordered the Bi Bam Kook Soo and that was delicious. I absolutely loved the meat! However, the customer service wasn't the best. We were placed in the side room because they were very busy. We waited a long time for our food and were barely checked up upon. There were also multiple ants on our table. Besides this, the food was good, it was just the service I was disappointed in. read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Bi Bam Kook Soo - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

When I want to change it up a bit, I like to come to this local spot. The inside of the restaurant is super kawaii because of their cherry blossom walls! To add an old school vibe, they also have this gum all machine on every table. I've ordered an array of food items on their menu and have never been let down. Their food is always delish and fresh! This time I ordered their kalbi ribs entree with their salad that comes with their homemade thousand island dressing. Honestly, I think that this was hands down the best kalbi ribs I have ever tried in my life. Forreal! Besides their usual items, you can also try their special which they always have lit up in the restaurant. Literally! You won't regret!! read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Strawpia Pie - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Service is okay. The food is good. I love that they're open late! Not too many Hilo restaurants are open after 8, so this is a too go late dinner option. My 2 favorites are the nori burger and the curly ramen. read more

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I've been a long time customer at Nori's and regardless of the time of day, I've had excellent customer service. My aunty just moved to the Big Island and I was showing her some of my favorite spots to eat. Little did I know that it was a mistake. Now by me rating them 2 stars, I am being lenient. Today's experience was the absolute worse and I don't expect myself coming back here ever again. Before I start, I want to say that I kept my patience with the waitress knowing that she was a new employee. I came in around 3 pm with my mom and aunty for a late lunch. We saw that only 2 tables were taken and there were less than 10 people total dining in. We were sat right away. When we ordered and showed our KauKau cards to receive a free drink with our purchase of an entree, the waitress look at us confused and so, us being puzzled, we asked if KauKau cards are still valid here. She replied "I don't know" and walked away taking the card with her. She came back saying it was ok. Her attitude was abrupt and mom was not happy about how she replied. However, I reminded my mom that she was new and to cut some slack. Now when our food came, as the waitress placed the bowls from the serving tray to the table, she spilt hot soup all over my mom. Fortunately, she did not get any burns but nonetheless the soup was very hot. As my mom went to the bathroom, the girl turned to me and my aunty and apologized to US, not my mom as she cleaned the table. She did not check up on us after to see if we were okay. When my mom returned to the table, an employee named Tita came to check if everything was fine, but at that point, since the girl walked away and never came back, I simply expressed my concern and went on with our meal. My aunty ordered the Korean combo which included kalbi, Korean chicken, Teri beef and mundoo soup. The plate itself was very good. However, the mundoo in the soup, the meat was pink and looked undercooked. I called another waitress over, since our waitress was no where to be found. Her employees refer to her as Let. Now she came over and I told her the mundoo was undercooked and she came back at me saying "Actually it's not, it's actually FULLY cooked." I replied by asking her what was in the meat that made it so pink and she told me that it was a combination of pork, beef, kimchee, bean sprouts, and the "seasonings"--which included garlic power and salt--made it pink. Let was very condescending and I felt that she was not speaking to me with respect when I was just asking her about the ingredients. I was also confused since I am very well aware that BEEF and PORK should NOT be PINK after cooking. She told us that she would back the soup and bring a fresh one out but the meat will look the same. I obliged and took pictures of the undercooked meat the second time it was brought out to us. I was very unsatisfied with this experience and I didn't even finish my meal. I felt that the new employees at Nori's should be trained and informed about offers like the KauKau card and be watched when handling food, ESPECIALLY hot Saimin, if they do not have experience handling hot items. Let gave my aunty a free chocolate mochi as if it was a favor from her. I'm sorry, but I don't remember Let apologizing to me for her condescending attitude. And just because you give a free chocolate mochi does not mean it is okay to speak to customers the way she did. Just because there are a few tables to be waited on, doesn't mean you can treat the tables that are dining in terribly. The only reason as to why I hadn't given just one star was because of the employee Tita who did apologize for everything and was very sincere about it. She even explained that the mundoo's meat is frozen after preparation and stored, which is why the color is the way it is, not because of the "seasonings." The reason I am ok with this was that Tita was sincere about how she was talking to me knowing how flustered I was. She also informed me that we are not the only customers that complained about Let and her attitude toward us. Overall, Nori's was very unprofessional. I didn't even get started on how dirty the tables were and how the ground was so sticky that my slippers stuck to the floor. My mom and I got the Saimin and it was mediocre to say the least. Broth was too salty that it was almost unpalatable. Who knows, maybe it was a bad day for them but please fix it and your attitude! read more

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Japanese Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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