Considering the mountains of yumminess this place serves per plate lunch, it's a total bargain! I first tried the mochiko chicken at a catered party, & that's all I've ordered here ever since. Weird that's it's cut into such tiny little pieces--so don't order this if you need a high chicken to batter ratio--but I'm not complaining bc it's absolutely addicting! The bf loves their chicken katsu, which is moist, tasty, and completely sans fat (that's a HUGE factor for him). Unlike some other Korean places, the chicken's not pre-marinated, so it's just straight chicken & crispiness...basically "Japanese-style" katsu (if Japan had chicken katsu). Oh! I did try their tonkatsu once, & it was a tad over-cooked, but still pretty good, & I'd try it again to see if that was just a one-time mistake. Other than that, we love all the veggie options, and again...the portions!! read more

Sam's Delicatessen - Mountains of tonkatsu! - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Posted a picture of my food.... Ordered takeout Mochiko Chicken, loved it but I wish they weren't stingy with the sides ! read more

Sam's Delicatessen - Take Out! Mochiko Chicken was yummy! Wish they packed the sides (veggies) like other places tho :/ - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

OH-EM-GEE!! When I am ono for Korean plate lunch, Sam's is the place to go. Sam's has the best Chicken Wings...EVER!! I don't know how they do it, but their wings are crispy and flaky on the outside and juicy on the inside. So delicious! I actually dream about their chicken wings. Sam's has an awesome menu of Korean plate favorites such as Meat Jun, BBQ Chicken, and Kalbi. The Tofu Katsu is also to die for here! The vegetable sides are one of the best. I love the cucumber kim chee, long rice, and bean sprouts. Many people in my office love the macaroni salad and shoyu potatoes. There's such a great variety that you can mix-and-match and never repeat. Sam's is located on Nuuanu Avenue in-between Bangkok Chef and the laundrymat, so parking is pretty limited. Our office always practice "tag team pick-up" when we order food from here. Ordering by phone is always recommended for larger groups. Man, writing about Sam's is asking me hungry again! read more

Sam's Delicatessen - Chicken Wings Plate with four choices of vegetable sides. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I guess it was just one of my unlucky days... I thought an hour and a half is enough time for my lunch hour today before the conference meeting at 1pm. First, I drove to a nearby Thai restaurant (many yelpers stated their Pad Tai and Devil curry are the best in town) and found the entrance door was chained to lock after I put the money on the meter parking. Then I drove around and found Sam's BBQ nearby. The parking was terrible. The inside restaurant was so small and filled with many people (shoulder to shoulder). After I ordered a lunch plate, I found that kitchen staff was so busy to make bulk order of bento for a lady. After I paid though, a man next to me said he was waiting for his plate for over 30 minutes. Obviously my plate was ready about 30 minutes later, and I had to rush to leave to go the conference at Queen's Medical Center. Guess what then.... there was raining and a car accident on Vineyard Avenue right before Queens. The traffic was horrible, and I knew I could not have time to even eat my lunch. So... I opened the lunch box to try some while I was seating on the driver seat in my car (I do not recommend though~). I ordered Kalbi and Chicken Katsu combo. Chicken Katus was very smelly like overcooked rock with old oil. Kalbi was just awful. It was dry and no taste. Their Kalbi was just a piece of meat without a bone. Veggie was just similar other Korean BBQ and nothing special. No Daegu though... Anyway It was $9.75. One good thing that I could think of was... at least I was able to fill my hungry stomach with finger food like lunch plate (pieces of Chicken Katsu and Little Kalbi) today while I was driving. Obviously I could not do it with Thai curry... read more

Sam's Delicatessen - Limited parking~* - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Called to place a catering order and was told by a man that I could place an order for Sunday (they are technically closed, but will come in for catering orders), since they had an order to fill. He took my name and number and said someone would call me back. Now go forward one day and still no phone call. I just called and spoke to a lady and told her no one called. She then says someone tried to call me twice, which is a lie. She must think she's clever, but in this day and age everyone has a cell phone and there is such thing as a phone log. Duh! So they should be careful on how they answer, because lying to a customer is an absolute no-no... Anyway, I placed my order and she said they couldn't do it, the order had to be $200.00 or more. I said that wasn't mentioned when I called. I told her that wouldn't it be okay to order since the man that I spoke to said that there was another order pending for Sunday. She then proceeded to say that there was no catering order placed for Sunday and that I wouldn't be able to place my order. Hmm, I wonder who's lying here, the man that I spoke to yesterday, or this lady who I already caught in a lie? I guess at this point it doesn't matter, I will be taking my business elsewhere. I really wish Yelp would have a half a star rating, because some businesses truly deserve a zero to half star rating. read more

First time at this place. Ordered the Mochiko Chiken plate , it came with four sides. The sides have a unique sweet taste to them including the potatoes. Their Mochiko chicken comes with a special honey dipping sauce . The large is worth the money, Couldn't finish it so lunch became dinner. The downside is the parking very limited and cramped read more

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If you're looking for some great crispy Korean chicken wings that are also great size pieces this is the place! I'm not too crazy about their sides, but I recommend doing a phone order and then crunch away because they are sooooo good! read more

Gotta change this to 5 stars. Just had their Kalbi and it is amazing. No bone, thin, not fatty....perfect. I guess some people like the fatty oily kind with the bone on but I really really prefer mine as stated above. Kalbi / Mochiko chicken combo is a winner. So is the tofu katsu, meat Jun, and chicken wings (make it crispy), and their tofu soup. read more

Sam's Delicatessen - Kalbi / Mochiko - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Don't buy food here! My friends who are local went to get take out and the woman who worked there didn't give them a choice of vegetables and they were stuck with all cabbage. When they asked to get choice of vegetables, they wouldn't do it. What was worse was that there were only a few pieces of cabbage per order. Awful customer service too! Thank goodness there's other better choices. read more

Sam's Delicatessen - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Ordered the meat jun w/side mandoo (4pc for $1.35 more), mochiko chicken and a side of chicken wings. Everything was good. Sides were decent. Tried mac salad, choi sum, chop chae noodles, cabbage, shoyu potato, daikon. Everything was good and cooked fresh to order so my food was hot, just how I like it. I did take out but they have a few tables to eat on. Lots of people ordered take out and pans on chicken wings, pupu platters and spicy pork while I waited for my food. My fave has to be the chicken wings. I ate 2 on my way home. They were so tasty, moist and crispy. They even have brown rice as an option, which I did not opt for. I thought the prices were reasonable and the portions were plenty, especially the mochiko chicken. I'll be back for more wings. Tip: call in your order or be prepared to wait. read more

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Maybe I ordered their least talented meal-bimbimbap & yukaejang, because they were both unflavored. But the real reason why I'm confident w 1 star on this is because the place is just nasty. The outside printing of menu and name is cleaner than the inside. You'll find boxes and things stacked around inside and as you move to the side dish bar, you can literally find a fruit fly pestering around. I mean, just imagine what's going on in the back. Never going back here again. I hope they close just to clean up and reboot. read more

Overall impression: Personally, one of my top 2 "fast food" Korean plate lunch places. Average price: ~$10/plate, $8 for mini My choices: -fried tofu, bbq chicken, Kal bi -vegetable choices: cabbage, shoyu potatoes (the brown ones), Choi sum, jap chae, (Taegu is the best value, though) Positives: -the vegetables are the best I've had for a pick up Korean plate lunch place -free brown rice -large portions (1 regular plate can make two small meals) Negatives: -parking difficult -often crowded -closed in Sundays I like this place a LOT better than yummys. The food is better, there are more variety of vegetables, and the value is much much better. Not many places let you choose Tae Gu as a vegetable option but this place does! Reasonable price for what you get. Worse thing is the parking. Also, it's not the cleanest looking place and probably better to takeout rather than eat there. But overall, food is good. Solid place to go if you get tired of Bangkok chef next door. read more

This is my 2nd time here. I came here the 2nd week my boyfriend and I moved to this area. It is walking distance from our apartment, but... who wants to do that. Lol. They have dedicated stalls to this store but...... I'm not good at maneuvering into it. I park at Walgreens and walk over. I've seen cars get stuck in here before lol. Just a warning. The place is small and quaint. I think it has like 3 or 4 tables. But their food is good and prices are much better than Pearl's or Yummy's. We got 3 plates for around $27.00! Score. AND they give lots of food, so I had left overs. My sister complained that her Bi Bam Bop (sp???) Wasn't spicy (she says that about every place). I tried the tofu Katsu this time. It was good but I don't think I'd order it again because it was such a simple meal. I think I can make it on my own. My bf for the broiled salmon plate, which he says was yummyy. They also do platters for big parties. I would just take a platter of those bean sprouts, please ^_^. A lot of people who were buying lunch at the time, ALL ordered their Korean chicken wings, so those must be good. I will try them next time. read more

Sam's Delicatessen - Tofu Katsu w/ Potato salad, choy sum, cabbage & bean sprouts. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Came here 2 days In a row, very friendly cashier. And the Meat Jun plate was cooked well to my liking! Portions also big! You definatley get your monies worth. Will be coming back when on this side of the island. read more

This is a typical Korean plate lunch place with great meat jun. They have a lot of items, combos and mixes to choose from for a nice lunch or dinner plate. They are also great for grabbing a tray for a large party or gathering. The sides are pretty standard and the food comes out fresh and made to order. The staff is friendly. Parking is limited out front or on the street. There are a few seats to sit at if you wanted to eat there. read more

Cheap good Korean! Cant go wrong with a $10 meat jun plate.

They do what they do best! I've been here too many times to count. I usually come here to grab a quick plate especially when I'm on a time crunch. Atmosphere: Nothing too spectacular really bare bones. It's right off of Nuuanu sandwiched between a thai place and laundry mat. There is a TV and couple tables but this place really isn't for dining in. Grab your food and get out! Service: The owner and the nice lady who's always there are very kind. They get so many customers during the dinner rush they don't really engage in small talk but get the job done. Satisfied. Food: Korean food. It's probably one of the few places in the US that does fast serve Korean. Like the chipotle of Korean food. Me's BBQ in waikiki is a close second. I only rate this one better because its so close to me. ;) I've tried almost every plate dish here and love it. I'd stay away from the soups though. Intangibles: Best quality food/cost ratio in town. I'd come here everyday if possible just cause I need Korean food regularly. You'll see me here if you come around dinner time. read more

Sam's Delicatessen - Spicy bbq chicken! - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We ordered a kalbi and meat jun plate. The kalbi was kind of burnt. The meat jun was good. The sides were ok. We're used to larger portions of sides. The cashier wasn't really friendly. read more

This place provides a very good korean food and their prices are reasonable. We ordered a family pack which comes with 6 side orders, rice, Mandoos, Meatjun, Kalbi, and Chicken. It stated that it's good for 4 people but infact 5 of us could not even finish all of them. The service is very good and fast. The ladies at the counter were very nice and very patient with me while I was selection side dishes. Everything is so yummy and I am sure to go back again. read more

Sam's Delicatessen - Yummy Family pack - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Really good mom and pop korean place. Meat jun, mochiko chicken, and chicken Katsu are amazing!

Food was not impressive. Bbq chicken was flat and tough. Meat jhun needs to be fried a little more it was too spongy. And seriously put 2 ball rice. Korean food needs rice with all bites of food. And lastly, mandu was cold in the middle..needed more deep frying. read more

If I gave stars only for food taste it would be a 4 or 5. I've been coming here for years and always order the family pack. You really can't go wrong with that. The only reason why I give them 3 stars is the owner is so not friendly! She always had such a sour face when I go in and my order is fairly easy. I have to admit that the Taegu is very good and they are normally very generous with the sides. read more

Best fried korean wings in town. They also have all the basics as well but you will think it's a dive and it is, but the food is ono. Try um. read more

Looking for a place to eat near work and a co-worker mentioned this place, so I tried it on a whim. The atmosphere is a mom and pop type place with order then choose sides type system. There are no lunches under $11, most are $13-16. I ordered the mini bulgogi and got kimchee and some other veggie side. After taking it back the office I started to dig in and was immediately disappointed at how sweet the bulgogi was... blah like nothing I've ever had in Korea. The sides were mediocre at best and the rice wasn't that great either. Disappointing, not appetizing, and expensive... the worst combo of thoughts for a restaurant! At least the food was somewhat edible hence the 2 stars. Save your money and your taste buds and try elsewhere. I won't be going back. read more

They became stingy with the side vegetables. When I chose my vegetables for my kalbi plate, she barely put anything, especially my tae gyu (sp?). The side dishes were packed high back in the days. That was what I loved about Sam's. It's the same with the rice. Now, I'm kind of sad. I took out a star because even though the price is cheap and the food is good, the quantity lessened. Tsk Tsk. I remember they offered 99cent drinks too (the biggest size they had). read more

I've noticed this place for the LONGEST time... But never once have I bothered to stop by. It was a blessing in disguise that Bangkok Chef was closed on Independence Day because now I've fallen in love with this little Korean place! A friend had posted a picture of their meatjun on Instagram a few days prior so I was already craving their meatjun. Prices are very fair for the portions they give. Service was really quick so that's a plus! I was busy talking to my friend while we waited for the food to come out but the wait wasn't bad at all. The total for a regular plate of meatjun + 4 sides = $9.37. There were three layers of delicious meatjun, cooked perfectly. For sides, we got mac salad (just okay imo but I'm not a huge mac salad person), long rice (yum!), potatoes (coated with sauce and mayo(?)), and pickled cucumbers. One plate is easily two meals -- perfectly satisfying!... Or one really big meal that'll have you super full and ready to KO for a nap. Can't wait to come back and try other stuff! read more

Sam's Delicatessen - Meatjun - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Meat Jun ok I wish had the sweet sauce, Chicken Katsu pretty good, sides were the best, rice was terrible and soggy

Thought this place was a deli but i was wrong.... They did have delicious food though. I ordered the mochiko chicken and it was delicious! The lady behind the counter was really friendly as well read more

Sam's Delicatessen - First timer. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

One of my favorite Korean restaurants in Hawaii. I love their BBQ chicken & meat jun. And their side vegetables are delicious as well. Will always go here when I'm in the area. read more

Great food. Absolutely no ambiance, but I always get this food to go. BBQ beef is great, and the mandoo is wonderful. Portions are enormous.

Ordered $160+couple plate lunches, Oahu special and meat jun. very small portions and very small sides (kim chee, bean sprouts etc. Order was really late, so I asked complementary Kim chee, napkins, chop sticks. She said "no". None on big orders. No Aloha for the Christmas Holidays. Never Again read more

It could be the nostalgia hitting me but I grew up in Nu'uanu from 4th grade-11th grade before moving down into Kalihi in 2014. I lived 3 minutes from Sam's on foot. So it's safe to say that I had a lot of plates from here! It is sooo good. Just like L&L or Rainbow Drive Inn, you got your local faves like chicken katsu and meat jun if I recall correctly. It was just a nice spot to get a $20 plate, worth the money bc of portions. I remember always watching the game on their little TV and it was just cozy & nice. I would say it's Nu'uanu's best kept secret (but honestly it probably attracted even more customers!) I'm glad to see they're still here after the pandemic. I hope to visit again! read more

Great food. Efficient service. You don't have to eat a heavy plate lunch/dinner. Bibim bop has veggies and you can get it with brown rice. They do have the meaty fare as well. read more

I've been here many times and every time I get bad customer service. The owner is VERY RUDE and has NO personality. I always leave with a lingering feeling that I'd never return and I returned there this evening hoping to give it another try but same lady, same BAD ATTITUDE I don't think I'll go back there for the chicken wings. There's a place further down the street In Nuuanu that specializes in chicken wings which has an attitude of gratitude when you go there. read more

Well its take out. If you go back more than 10 times it must be good right? yes, Sams deli for Korean take out is fast, convenient and good value. We like to make our own combos and share a plate between my wife and I. Mochi-ko chicken and Meat Jun combo. More than enough food for two. So don't let the $12 price tag scare you it is feeding two of you for under $15 bucks. We also each the Sams plate with Costco extra-large korean nori and boy, we are satisfied! try it, wrap every bite with korean nori. read more

Let's start this off with the best tasting Korean food to take out it's Sam's. I normally would order the same thing but my wife bought the family packs 1 & 2 with orders of chicken wings and fried mon doo with all the side dishes. The family packs include (4)Kalbi, (4)meat jun, (4)fish jun, (8)bbq chicken, (24)mon doo, (12)chicken wings with all the veggie side dishes. The food was onolisious everyone enjoyed it generous portions and for the price it was well worth it. Parking is tight and it could be busy when you get there but if you know what you want order ahead that's the only way to go and bring a co pilot in case there's no parking. read more

Went to grab dinner from here last night. I had the meat jun and was pretty fantastic. I've had meat jun at quite a few places and sams is definitely up there. What makes there meat jun so delicious is the consistency of the meat and just the right amount of egg batter. Oh I also like that they have corn. Not really a Korean side but an awesome vegetable. The portions are awesome and not only that but you can substitute for brown rice no extra charge..for those of you healthy people. Only thing I wish they gave a bit more Taegu. Love it here read more

Sam's Delicatessen - Good meat jun mmmm - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I like this place! I usually order their mini Meat Jun without rice, extra side and I like that they give good portions. Prices are cheaper than other places like Yummy's. Getting into and out of their parking can be a hassle too as they are by a busy road. read more

Parking can be a hassle as there are only a few stalls in front of the place. I usually just park by Walgreens and it's just a few minutes walk to the restaurant. I only come here to buy their fried chicken wings. It is the best chicken wings! Nice and crispy on the outside and juicy and flavorful meat on the inside. It's always cooked to perfection each time I make an order. read more

Sam's Delicatessen - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

M E A T J U N! This is my neighborhood Korean spot and not mad about it. I love their meat jun. They offer a Mandoo add on to any plate and I usually go for it. They take phone orders and are pretty quick. You can usually find parking behind the building. read more