Right next to H-Mart is Seoul Cook in Kaka'ako. I was starving after taking two back-to-back workout classes nearby and my friend recommended we get food here and I'm so glad we did. First off, all the complimentary banchan (Korean side dishes). From the classic kimchi, fishcake, cucumber kimchi, and radish. And if you're dining in, just ask and you can get refills of whatever you want more of. If you're doing take out, they still give you all of the banchan!v We did dine-in but take out / online orders seemed popular. But I loved dining in because of the Ajumma here! She was so sweet and funny, and even made the perfect bite (radish kimchi on top of the meat jun, so the acid offsets the oily fried jun) and fed it to my boyfriend LOL. We got a ton of food! The seafood soondabu soup, seafood korean pancake, seafood bibimbap, meat jun, and zucchini jun. We had a lot of leftovers that we took home. The food was good but it's really the service and love that makes this a 5-star experience. read more

Came in for the tofu soondubu lunch set and it totally hit the spot. The soup was rich, deeply savory, and comforting, with that perfect spicy kick you can adjust to your liking. The tofu was silky soft and fresh, soaking up all the flavor from the broth. The lunch set is a great value--you get soondubu bubbling hot, rice, and banchan that were all solid and well-seasoned. Portions were filling without being heavy, which makes it an ideal lunch option. Service was friendly and efficient, and the food came out fast even during lunch hours. This is definitely one of those places you crave when you want something warm, satisfying, and comforting. I'll absolutely be back for this again. read more

Seoul Cook - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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My boyfriend and I stopped by this spot yesterday, thinking it would be one of those casual places where you order at the counter and seat yourself. Instead, the moment we walked in, we were warmly greeted by the sweetest lady who invited us to sit and made us feel instantly welcomed. Even though it was semi busy, she still took the time to walk us through the menu, ask a little bit about us, and even check if we were visiting or local. Once we mentioned we live here in Hawaiʻi, she explained the different spice levels of the soondubu and helped us choose exactly what we would enjoy. Her kindness truly set the tone for the whole experience. We went around 11 AM, just before their lunch special, but the pricing--especially considering the generous portions, fresh banchan, and really good rice (coming from someone who's super picky about rice!)--is honestly such a deal. The food was comforting, flavorful, and tasted like something made with care. But the real standout was the service. She found the perfect balance: attentive without ever making us feel rushed. She checked in just enough to make sure we were enjoying our meal, gave us space to talk story, and made us feel genuinely cared for. It honestly felt like being welcomed into a friend's home for a homemade meal--something that, being born and raised in Hawaiʻi, I truly appreciated. While we were eating, we watched her give the same warm, thoughtful service to everyone who came in. When it was time to pay, she shared a bit about their recent opening, their hopes for the neighborhood, and other menu options we should try next time. Her sincerity and hospitality were the cherry on top of an already amazing experience. This place is so underrated and absolutely worth checking out. I truly hope more people discover them because they deserve all the support. We'll definitely be back soon -- not just for the delicious food, but for the feeling of home they created for us read more

Seoul Cook - Seafood soondubu and Meat Jun plate - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I've been coming here quite frequently since they first opened. The food is decent and the service used to be good. Lately, with the change of staff, the rudeness is surreal. I was literally yelled at by the staff. Sadly, I've decided that I won't be coming back. read more

Quick. Easy. Good. When I'm on the go, I am always looking for a satifying, quick meal to fuel me up. Here in the islands...sometimes there are factors that can hurt this journey....price, parking, personality are the "Three P's" that help me on my quest for meals on the move. Seoul Cook meets all three criteria. The lady that works here is nice. She quickly decifers whether you are taking out or if you are dining in. She is efficient about spending time with customers and prepping your meal and drink. The large cold water is a huge plus for me! In addition, she is pleasant, which is always important. This is a fairly inexpensive restaurant, especially for Kakaako, which is a spot known for a younger and hipper crowd. I had bibimbap that I couldnt finish and it was delicious. It came with a few small dishes of banchan and was served fairly quickly and prepared well. The ingredients seemed fresh enough and had a great taste. I witnessed a customer order the kalbi lunch special and it looked absolutely delicious. Total plate envy... Being located near HMart is a big positive for me...mostly because of parking. I can shop and pick up all my Korean grocery needs, and then pop over to Seoul Cook and satisfy my craving for something quick. A few extra benefits of this restaurant are that they have decent a/c and their own bathroom I will be back here to try more dishes. read more

Seoul Cook - Bibimbap - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Dec 2025. This tiny Korean spot is still turning out great basic korean comfort food! Had the kimchee jigae and bibimbap and both were very good! The sides of kimchee and cumber and bean sprouts were fresh and tasted like mom's cooking! Fellow yelpers, this is a mom and pop spot and their English isn't the best but the food and reasonable prices more than make up. read more

Seoul Cook - The bibim gooksoo was so damn good! Was huge and could easily share with another person or one hungry dude. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Pretty good food. Very reasonable prices. Great service. Seoul cook is our go to and I often stop in just to pick up lunch. The tofu soup is really good and they have good combos. My favorite thing to order is the bbq chicken. It's usually not super crowded and easy to stop in without a reservation on a weekday night. read more

Seoul Cook - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Lunch deals... Something I just wanted to try is their lunch special and available from 11am to 2pm there is quite an impressive list of items they offer ten different dishes to be exact at $11.99 with a few more to choose from at $20.99 the deals is really decent in this part of Kaka'ako. Walking in I walked up to the service counter to place my order and the lady asked if I was dining in to which I said yes and asked to take the table behind this female and just politely says oh you know the tables that's available to which she responds that some folks of two would take the four seating table and when a crowd comes in they don't have seating for them and walk away...hmmm there was just two single ladies dining and was quite surprise to hear her say this. Nevertheless I sat where she wanted me to to which she brought out a few banchan and a carafe of water which was very nice, I ordered Yukkyejang which is a spicy beef soup and it came out nice and hot. Flavor was nice and mellow not really spicy with decent amount of items in the soup the banchan was okay I just didn't want to offend as it wasn't my favorite items but as I was about to leave a couple came in and sat at a large table to which she said nothing gave me a bad taste. It feels like she treats each type differently and that's not a great greeting I received in comparison to others but then again the vibe wasn't as welcoming to start so I'm not surprised at all. Thanks... read more

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This was the worst service I've ever experienced in my life. I could not believe this. I am never coming back here even if you attempted to get my services back here you would never ever have me step foot in this location ever again. This lady at the register was taking my order then stopped in the middle of taking my order and told me to move so she could cash out another customer. After I decided to give the lady the benefit of a doubt that she must've been having a bad day I ordered my food. When she finished with taking my order she threw my receipt at my face.I am so unhappy I wish I could leave a -100 star review. read more

I had lunch here and really enjoyed the meat jeon, which my friend told me was popular in Honolulu Korean food and new to me. I loved it! Perfectly cooked. I also had the mandu, which were huge and definitely shareable. All of the portions were quite large, actually. I also ordered dolsot bibimbap, but I think that the person taking our order forgot to put in the order because I didn't receive it; however, I was so full from the meat jeon and mandu that I ended up not asking for it. It ended up working out fine and I wasn't upset that the order was missed. My friend ordered the standard bibimbap (not dolsot/hot bowl), and it looked delicious. Good portion of beef to veggies and rice. The service was friendly and the food was great, I would stop here regularly for Korean food if I was local! read more

Seoul Cook - mandu - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Rude staff, slow service, and no respect for customers. Very disappointing visit. bad

New favorite go-to for Korean food! Came here on a random Thursday for lunch with a friend and I was craving Korean food. Best decision ever! It's only been a day or two and I'm already begging my husband to bring me back! The inside is clean and simple. You have a great view outside on Kaka'ako, it's not a beach or mountain view, but it's in a great neighborhood! I also really love the convenience of the location because right after dinner we went to H-Mart for some dessert (I was craving Melona). Service is quick a easy. The aunty who runs the front lets you sit wherever and even accommodates dogs! Which makes sense since this is a very pet-friendly complex. There's also more seating in the back so feel free to bring a group here. And of course, the food is bomb! I don't know what authentic Korean food is so I can't speak from that perspective, but is the food good? No....IT'S GREAT! We ordered the basic kimchi pancake, spicy pork, tteokbokki, and meatjun. All of it went so well together and aunty even helped us remember which sauce goes with which dish. At the end of the meal, I went up to go pay and aunty was so sweet and genuine. She really wanted to know how we felt about her food and she was so excited that we loved it all. Dear friends, please don't be surprised if I start suggesting this place for dinner...all the time. read more

Seoul Cook - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Delicious, fast and excellent! The lady welcomes you with such energy. Great food selection! read more

Seoul Cook - Soon dubu, spicy pork and banchan - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Just tried Seoul Cook for lunch Food was ono, service was great, price was reasonable. If you hungry for Korean food, this is the place read more

Seoul Cook - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We came here on a Sunday night and the place was pretty packed! There was no wait but tables were full and most people did a takeout. We got their kalbi and meat jun and it was pretty good! Their kalbi is very tasty and soft, but their meat jun might need a little more flavors. The texture was good though! They also gave us pretty decent amount read more

Seoul Cook - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Hospitality was on point and they allowed my dog inside. The lady serving us was so sweet and welcoming. The food was delicious and the gave plenty of sides. 10/10 would recommend. read more

Was craving meat jun and kalbi so we stopped by Seoul Cook. The menu is expansive and I'd definitely like to come back to try the soup. They have chicken + meat jun on the menu, and she was able to sub the chicken for kalbi (came out to be ~$26, and I def got my moneys worth). I saw a few other pictures with mac salad, and wish I had knew to ask for some. Overall the food was good, but I wouldn't say it's been my fave lunch plate. read more

Seoul Cook - Meat Jun & kalbi plate - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

So delicious! Lunch Special: soft tofu soup and Yellow Corvina $20.99. The Yellow Corvina is available only in the lunch special. We also had a Bibimbap if desired, you may ask for more banchan (side dishes like Kim chee). They have a TV monitor w KPop video playing softly. I hope to get the table closer to the monitor next time. Luckily, we found street parking since we plan to go to HMart after lunch. Their menu is quite extensive as they even offer Chicken w Ginseng soup! Street parking or 1-hour parking validation from Seoul Cook for the at H Mart garage located at 440 Keawe Street. What a score! Friendly and fast service!!! I'll be back! read more

Seoul Cook - Bibimbap and lunch special- soft tofu soup with yellow corvina. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I am giving Seoul Cook 5/5 stars, not because it is the best Korean food I have ever eaten, but because it is everything you could want when ur craving Korean soups. First of all let me say, the lunch special is amazing! I got there 5 min before 2 pm so it was still available. I got 4 banchans, Soondubu, and a bowl of rice for $11.99!! This is a deal. Food came out quick and soup was boiling in its stone pot when it got to me and it was a good Soondubu. The reason I am giving this restaurant 5 stars and not 4, is because of the service. Aunty was the only server for the whole restaurant but she was on top of things. When I came in she grabbed me by the arm, literally, and led me to my table. She was fast with the banchans and the water and the soup followed soon after. She was great! read more

Seoul Cook - Soondubu Lunch Special $11.99 - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Rainy day! My walking buddy and I were looking for a warming up lunch! We walked by Seoul Cook and we decided to try here. A lady was taking the orders and serving the dishes. There were two tables already occupied at the time. Others came in for take out orders. She nicely asked if we could wait, while she took care of the orders. The place was well lit and had a television playing Korean music and shows. We ordered the meat Jun lunch special and Beef soon du bu. We were provided ice cold water and a pitcher of water. After taking our order, ban chan was brought out with a hot bowl of rice. Soon after the meat jun came out and then the beef soup. The soup was steaming hot The ban chan was okay. I didn't recognize all of them lol. Kim chee, bean sprouts, pickled vegetables with seaweed and another unknown breaded fish cake? The ban Chan was mild in flavor. The meat jun was a bit chewy and bready. I really couldn't taste the meat lol. I asked for the spicy sauce to assist with the flavor. It was a large serving size so I shared it with my walking buddy. Unfortunately, my buddy's order had very little meat to it. Hence the sharing of my meat jun. it was served piping hot but she had to do a search and recovery for tiny pieces of meat. Tofu and mushrooms were abundant. We needed to walk up to pay as the lady was busy with orders. While exiting the restaurant, we noticed a colored placard that explained the rating. Food: 3/5 stars Ambiance: 4/5 stars Service: 3.5/5 stars read more

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I got takeout this time (I've dined in in the past) and the service was quick and kind and the inside is clean. This was my first time ordering the japchae and I unfortunately was disappointed. The portions were good (but should have been hefty considering the Japchae was $19) but there were barely any vegetables in the noodles. The beef itself in it was seasoned well (a bit chewy) but there were only a few carrot and onion pieces! I definitely expected more vegetables. The flavoring of the japchae was milder than what I've heard before, which I don't prefer but depends on personal choice. The banchan were ok--the kimchi was sadly bland. Overall a bit disappointed by my visit this time when I've had good experiences in the past. I'll stick to ordering the soondubu next time. read more

Seoul Cook - Japchae - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Food was awful. The chicken was dry and tasteless. Noodles tasted like soap, shoyu potatoes was way too sweet. Everything about it was very disappointing. The cashier asked for a tip. And I asked her how much are u asking for,. She replied, 18% after I told her. I dont have cash on me. She literally said OMG. Asked me if I wanted to buy a soda so can could give her a tip. I spent over 100 dollars on a shitty food and shitty service..why should she get a tip. I dont recommend this place to eat at all. read more

Whenever in the mood for Korean, this type of cuisine brings the heat. My lips and seoul of my stomach were absolutely on fire. Quality service and quality ingredients with leftovers to look forward to the next day. I highly recommend getting dinner mid week because this place is literally SO ONO! Can't wait to come back to this peaceful spot again :) read more

Portion, taste, and quality - 100% Parking is in nearby structures. Or go to HMart. Validation is free for first hour. Came here for lunch specials because I thought they were too good to be true however, I was proven wrong. We ordered the yukgaejang and meat jun. The Yukgaejang was very well-portioned and delicious! It wasn't very strong in flavor but the beef cut through and made it so perfect after a night of drinking. The meat jun was plentiful and the egg batter-to-meat ratio was perfect. They used good cuts of meat where it wasn't fatty or tough. The banchan were also very delicious. It came with about 4 banchan and all of them went perfectly with the meal - especially the kimchi! Both dishes were $11.99 - what a steal! Its near impossible to find Korean food at these prices, with this level of quality and taste. Not sure if we came on a good day, but we didn't experience any negativity in regard to customer service. The woman working was very pleasant and attentive to us. She was working FOH alone, and I expect that to be the case on other days, so we surely didn't (and don't) expect her to wait on us hand and foot. Anyways, we had a great experience dining here and I'm so glad I got to finally eat their delicious food at such affordable prices. We will definitely be back! Also, they do take out, even for lunch specials so if you're in a hurry, order ahead maybe 15-20 minutes (we noticed it does take a little bit for takeout orders to be processed). read more

We went at 2:24 pm just missing lunch special. That was a bummer because the reg menu is kind of expensive. The lunch special is 12.99. All in all food has good taste, service is good and it's clean in there. read more

I am writing this review because the lady that took my order was so rude to us. And the way she treated her workers was rude also

I love soft tofu soup, so much. I've tried it from so many restaurants, and so I had to try it from here a bit ago. It's on the blander side. Not much depth in the soup. Very little protein, had the seafood soondubu. I hate when restaurants are skimpy on the proteins. Would not try again but it wasn't terrible. read more

Went here with a co-worker for lunch and we both had a wonderful time. We got there, grabbed some menus and table and started gabbing. A few minutes go by and we were wondering if we had to place our order at the counter. We get up and the (very nice) person behind the counter apologized and said that they would take our order at our table. We weren't in any rush, and it looked like they were the only one up front and got a little busy. She followed up with our drinks and an assortment of banchan. I ordered the bibim gooksu, which is this cold, assorted noodle bowl. They gave me a ton, and every bite was full of flavor and texture. I ate so much and still had plenty for leftovers. I will definitely return here. read more

Thank you! Nice lovely representatives, great tasting meals, sides, fixins and affordable prices! read more

Seoul Cook - Thank you! Soondubu (Original Tofu Soup Only) - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

First time here and we WILL be back! Taylor was craving yuk gae jang and the place upstairs of H Mart was closed, so I remembered this place was right outside! Unfortunately lunch ended at 2pm but the dinner prices weren't that bad. The banchan was delicious (green onion kim chee, pajun, bean sprouts, and wakame) and the gochujang was sweet and flavorful. His dish came out quick and piping hot. I got bi bim kook soo. It was nicely mixed for me with a nice slow heat which went well with the cool noodles. read more

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Good Korean food. Good cook. That's about it. If you are looking for a place that treats you like SH*T for dining in, Seoul Cook is the perfect place for you! Customer service is non existent. read more

Seoul Cook - bastos talaga - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Good food and lousy service. The staff goes out of the way to be difficult on taking your order and berates you if you leave an insufficient tip. They give you the authentic Seoul rudeness with every meal. read more

Terrible service and rude treatment from start to end. Don't waste your time or money at this restaurant. The food is decent but not worth all the hassle of getting tracked down out of the restaurant just to be askrdfor more tip on a takeout order. read more

Husband: Since you've been binge-watching Asian television dramas or movies and home cooking during our water damage remediation and renovation, do you want to step out for lunch? But, hey, understand that I'm not complaining about your home cooking, but I thought about giving you a break. Me: 먹자! Moegja! Oops, I guess my answer came out in Korean because, at the time, I was streaming several Korean historicals or period piece dramas, otherwise known as "sageuk," along with a realistic, no fantasy, please, Chinese historical drama since I enjoy learning about different cultures and histories. We roamed further into our Kaka'ako neighborhood when we came upon Seoul Cook restaurant in the space formerly occupied by Chodang. Our eyes and appetites were drawn into this newly opened (November 2023) restaurant by the colorful menu board and the overcast, breezy day. We wanted steaming hot meals or spicy food to warm our bodies, so we deemed Korean cuisine to satisfy our taste buds and appetites. Upon entry, the female worker behind the counter greeted us and asked if we were ordering takeout or dining in. We chose dine-in, and she told us to sit anywhere within the clean and bright dining room with views and sounds of a female K-Pop group playing on a monitor. The worker brought us menus, a carafe of iced water with insulated metal cups, and eating utensils. Since we had perused the menu outside, we made our lunch order quickly. After placing our order, she brought us assorted housemade banchan, which we snacked on while waiting for our meals. FOOD: - My husband ordered the Combination soondubu-jjigae (soft tofu soup/stew), which was served bubbling hot in a ttukbaegi 뚝배기 (Korean earthenware cook/serve vessel). The server mentioned the kitchen cracked an egg into the sizzling soup and recommended stirring the soup to further cook the egg before eating. I reminded my husband to wait before scooping the hot soup into his mouth since tofu tends to retain heat from the cooking liquid while absorbing flavor. But did he listen to me? Nope! He shoveled a spoonful into his mouth and quickly guzzled iced water to cool down while claiming how hungry and cold he was. The soondubu-jjigae was full of chopped meat (beef and pork?) and seafood (fish, shrimp, and Manila clams). He ate the soondubu-jjigae with a spoonful of rice instead of dumping the rice into the soup bowl. The soondubu-jjigae was fiery hot from its boiling temperature and chili spice, which the steamed rice seemed to dampen. - I ordered the seolleongtang/sollongtang or oxbone soup. The steaming hot, rich, milky white bone broth had several slices of beef brisket, chunks of beef tendon, and chopped scallions. As per tradition, this soup is unseasoned, and the server brought salt and pepper shakers for me to season to my taste. I asked for raw garlic slices, which I stirred into the soup to further enhance the flavors before dumping in my bowl of rice. The rice absorbed some of the rich broth, and my stomach felt satiated by the rice-thickened soup. The kitchen could have cooked the beef tendon longer because I thought the pieces were chewy and tough. My husband said I looked like I was chewing gum. Still, I enjoyed the warmth and flavors (after seasoning) of this soup. We are happy to see this Korean restaurant in the Kaka'ako neighborhood and will look forward to returning for their japchae/chapchae (stir-fried glass noodles), haemul-pajeon (seafood green onion pancake), kalbi/galbi (grilled short ribs) and bulgogi (grilled thin sliced beef). read more

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The service is not good but not too bad. But we found two strands of hair in our food. One was in our side dishes, thin and light which was nothing like our own hair. The second strand was in our bibimbap. read more

Seoul Cook - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Located 100 feet Makai of H-Mart, the new owner took over this old Korean restaurant in Nov. 2022 and charged up the menu. We try it last night and we like it a lot better than the other restaurant. It is a small restaurant with just a few tables, it is very convenient for us since we live in the area. The girl who works there is very polite and friendly. My wife love the beef intestine stew which is not easy to find, not all Korean restaurants offer that and it is usually cost almost double of the regular stew. The hot pot rice I ordered was just the right touch and yummy. We need to continue to support the small local business, recommended! Go check it out. read more

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The owner was nice and helpful with our order. Our food tasted great and the place was neat. The only thing is the parking. You can find street parking or pay parking. read more

I'm quite disappointed with the service I got today. I go here quite regularly. I normally order my food by going up to the cashier, where I let her know that I'll be eating inside of the restaurant. However, I was shocked today when I got yelled at in front of all the customers by the Korean lady who was working in the front. She told me that I needed to sit down and order and mocked me saying this is Korean restaurant and that you don't order like that. Then when I went to find a seat she scolded me and told me I couldn't sit there and told me that I needed to sit at a bigger table. This was more than enough to make me feel embarrassed and I decided to take my business elsewhere. I think you should be more kind to your customers. I don't think I will be coming back after today. read more

Came in to look what type of food get and we decided to do dine in. But later when we finished eating and went paid the bill at the counter and walked out of the restaurant. Then the lady that works there came out and stopped us to tells us saying " tipping isn't included in the bill". So we were thinking tipping isn't a requirement by law (in our heads). So we were forced to give a tip since she was wanting a tip from us. So we gave her $5 tip because we were low on cash. After that we walked away from the establishment. Will be our first and last time of coming to this restaurant ever again..... read more

Food was great! Especially the lunch specials. Its such a great deal. BUT... Service was horrible!! Went to pay for our food at the counter after we had finished eat. I left cash tip on the table so I did not leave a tip from my card. After the transaction, I asked for validation but she denied me because I didnt tip on my card. She told me "you did not tip". I told her "I left cash tip on the table". She then proceeded to hand me a validation after I had told her that. I was so shocked that she was not going to give me a validation for not tipping. Tipping isnt mandatory and shouldnt be forced but of course I always leave a tip. Just because of this service I wont be coming here again. *also read that the same thing happened to other customers. The lady behind the counter is just going to ruin their business forcing people to tip. read more