Honolulu: Great Thai and Korean Restaurants
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 773
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Honolulu: Great Thai and Korean Restaurants
Would appreciate rants, raves and additions to this old list.
Thai
Keo's. Thai, Waikiki, 2028 Kuhio Ave. 951-9355.
Mekong II; Thai, 1726 S. King St. 941-6184.
Singha: Thai, 1910 Ala Moana Blvd. 941-2898.
Ba-Le Sandwich Shop: Thai and Vietnamese Restaurant, Manoa Marketplace, 2855 E. Manoa Road
Korean
Sorabol: Korean, 805 Ke'eaumoku St. 947-3113.
GINA’s BBQ: Korean, 2919 Kapi'olani Blvd. 735-7964.
SIS KITCHEN: Korean, 1137 11th Ave. 732-0902.
The Mandarin: Chinese. But will serve Korean, 725 Kapi'olani Blvd., C123. 593-1188.
Kiawe Grill: Korean, 2334 S. King St. 955-5500. Fast food/Take away place.
Thai
Keo's. Thai, Waikiki, 2028 Kuhio Ave. 951-9355.
Mekong II; Thai, 1726 S. King St. 941-6184.
Singha: Thai, 1910 Ala Moana Blvd. 941-2898.
Ba-Le Sandwich Shop: Thai and Vietnamese Restaurant, Manoa Marketplace, 2855 E. Manoa Road
Korean
Sorabol: Korean, 805 Ke'eaumoku St. 947-3113.
GINA’s BBQ: Korean, 2919 Kapi'olani Blvd. 735-7964.
SIS KITCHEN: Korean, 1137 11th Ave. 732-0902.
The Mandarin: Chinese. But will serve Korean, 725 Kapi'olani Blvd., C123. 593-1188.
Kiawe Grill: Korean, 2334 S. King St. 955-5500. Fast food/Take away place.
#2
Original Poster
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 773
Likes: 0
A couple of more Korean places.
CAMELLIA BUFFET, 930 McCully Street, Makiki Area, 951-0511, Yakinuku-style (cook your own food) buffet. $$
CHOI'S YAKINIKU, 805 Keeaumoku Street, Ala Moana Area, 947-6861, cook yourself. $
KIM CHEE II, 3569 Waialae Avenue, Kaimuki Area, 737-7733 (4 locations),voted favorite Korean restaurant by Honolulu Magazine readers. $
OK CHO KOREAN RESTAURANT, McCully Shopping Center, 2nd Floor, 1960 Kapiolani Boulevard, McCully Area, 947-2922, yakiniku-style cooking over live coals. $$
SHILLAWON, 747 Amana Street, McCully Area, 944-8700, Korean favorites plus fabulous Mandarin Chinese food. Very popular with local Koreans. $$
YAKINIKU CAMELLIA, 2494 South Beretania Street, Moiliili Area, 944-0449, cook-it-yourself buffet - very popular with Asian tourists. $$
CAMELLIA BUFFET, 930 McCully Street, Makiki Area, 951-0511, Yakinuku-style (cook your own food) buffet. $$
CHOI'S YAKINIKU, 805 Keeaumoku Street, Ala Moana Area, 947-6861, cook yourself. $
KIM CHEE II, 3569 Waialae Avenue, Kaimuki Area, 737-7733 (4 locations),voted favorite Korean restaurant by Honolulu Magazine readers. $
OK CHO KOREAN RESTAURANT, McCully Shopping Center, 2nd Floor, 1960 Kapiolani Boulevard, McCully Area, 947-2922, yakiniku-style cooking over live coals. $$
SHILLAWON, 747 Amana Street, McCully Area, 944-8700, Korean favorites plus fabulous Mandarin Chinese food. Very popular with local Koreans. $$
YAKINIKU CAMELLIA, 2494 South Beretania Street, Moiliili Area, 944-0449, cook-it-yourself buffet - very popular with Asian tourists. $$
#7
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,158
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You already have a complete list, which is probably why not many people answered.
Where Koreans go to eat Korean:
http://www.midweek.com/extra1/extra1010505.html
I should add two along King Street, across the street from each other. I don't have the exact address, but they are both near the First Interstate Building, which is at 1314 South King Street before Keeaumoku:
Pae Thai--good Thai food and one of my faves for lunch, but you should go in a big group (4+) so that you can try everything. I've never had a bad meal there and I think we've tried just about everything on the menu!
Choi's (Korean)--my Korean friends say Choi's is not as authentic family food as Sorabol is, but they have a spinach tofu salad that is just wonderful! The dressing looks like it's killer hot, but it's not. We like to take the dressing and spoon it over everything else we've ordered, like the chicken, meat jun, mandoo, and just rice.
Re: Ba-Le Sandwich. They are actually everywhere, not just in Manoa Marketplace. Kind of like a Vietnamese McDonald's, if you will.
Where Koreans go to eat Korean:
http://www.midweek.com/extra1/extra1010505.html
I should add two along King Street, across the street from each other. I don't have the exact address, but they are both near the First Interstate Building, which is at 1314 South King Street before Keeaumoku:
Pae Thai--good Thai food and one of my faves for lunch, but you should go in a big group (4+) so that you can try everything. I've never had a bad meal there and I think we've tried just about everything on the menu!
Choi's (Korean)--my Korean friends say Choi's is not as authentic family food as Sorabol is, but they have a spinach tofu salad that is just wonderful! The dressing looks like it's killer hot, but it's not. We like to take the dressing and spoon it over everything else we've ordered, like the chicken, meat jun, mandoo, and just rice.
Re: Ba-Le Sandwich. They are actually everywhere, not just in Manoa Marketplace. Kind of like a Vietnamese McDonald's, if you will.
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#11

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,725
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My favorites - Korean and Thai food.
Sorabol - very good, a little pricier than some others I like. Although I don't think you can smoke in restaurants anymore, those groups of Korean businessmen huddled together tend to ignore this.
Camellia - also good. When you leave, your clothes reek, though.
My favorite Korean place is So Dong Gong that's off of Kapiolani. I'm not sure if that's how you spell it - I tried looking it up in the phone book, but couldn't find it. Always crowded.
I really like Payao Thai at Restaurant Row. Their lunch specials are great, and my sister and I have developed a tradition over the years - anytime either of us go on a trip, we meet there for lunch the last day of work before the trip. Chiang Mai is good, too.
Sorabol - very good, a little pricier than some others I like. Although I don't think you can smoke in restaurants anymore, those groups of Korean businessmen huddled together tend to ignore this.
Camellia - also good. When you leave, your clothes reek, though.
My favorite Korean place is So Dong Gong that's off of Kapiolani. I'm not sure if that's how you spell it - I tried looking it up in the phone book, but couldn't find it. Always crowded.
I really like Payao Thai at Restaurant Row. Their lunch specials are great, and my sister and I have developed a tradition over the years - anytime either of us go on a trip, we meet there for lunch the last day of work before the trip. Chiang Mai is good, too.
#16
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 426
Likes: 0
Little Corner of Bangkok, 829 Kapahulu Avenue at Paliuli, Honolulu 808 735-6338
Haven't tried it yet. Here's a review.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../en/en10a.html
Haven't tried it yet. Here's a review.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../en/en10a.html
#17

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,943
Likes: 0
Sorry to say that Manoa Ba-le closed without notice about a month ago.
I have not liked Sorabol since they remodelled. My new favorite korean is Seoul Garden, on kapiolani before the convention center (next to club Femme=-Nu, but they are separate!!) there is a valet at night when the lot looks full. Had excellent dinners and lunches here.
Kim Chee II has great food. Sort of a dress up kind of Korean place, if that makes sense.
Mekong on Beretania is my favorite Thai. I much prefer it to Mekong II on King Street. Food seems tastier, atmosphere is more fun and prettier flowers.
I also like Chiang Mai on King..great selection of interesting Thai dishes.
Pae Thai is also great...first place I ever had Thai food and still great. Love their mee krup!
I have not liked Sorabol since they remodelled. My new favorite korean is Seoul Garden, on kapiolani before the convention center (next to club Femme=-Nu, but they are separate!!) there is a valet at night when the lot looks full. Had excellent dinners and lunches here.
Kim Chee II has great food. Sort of a dress up kind of Korean place, if that makes sense.
Mekong on Beretania is my favorite Thai. I much prefer it to Mekong II on King Street. Food seems tastier, atmosphere is more fun and prettier flowers.
I also like Chiang Mai on King..great selection of interesting Thai dishes.
Pae Thai is also great...first place I ever had Thai food and still great. Love their mee krup!

