Close your eyes and your back in Seoul. Sometimes local Korean food here in Hawaii can be a bit overwhelming in terms of seasoning. Choi's Garden on the other hand is much more like what you would find in Korea. The food is a well balanced, and flavorful without being too salty. Case in point, was their seafood pancake. The batter was light and savory with chunks of shrimp, squid, some green onions and other goodies. And Pang fried too perfection. We also ordered the Kalbi and spicy pork and both were so delicious. Service was excellent. This place would also be good for large parties. We have to come back and try their barbecue. read more

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small-ish menu but a good variety to satisfy anyone that comes in! their lunch specials are honored on the weekend so that's even better. their tofu stew is solid, although the spice levels can be increased. between the mild and medium that we ordered, it didn't seem to have much difference. the spicy pork was a generous portion, so was the kalbi. the bibimbap in hot stone pot was really big and stayed hot through the whole meal! literally steaming to the last bite. they seem to be empty around lunch time but does fill up for dinner. we'll have to come back again to try new things! read more

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The special mul nangmyeon, while a good value, is usually served with a good amount of stink eye as the Korean servers are probably calculating their tips and appear to hate you for ordering a $5.99 dish. Some days it is good, other days not as good, but the overall bad vibe is always present even though we always leave 40% tips if we order this lunch special. So, if the special is on, it is a pretty decent deal, but don't say you weren't warned. lol. read more

This was our second time coming. The first time we got impeccable service which is why we wanted to come back. This time around we felt rushed and almost like they were trying to get us to spend more. The food is really good. The meat jun is some of the best I've had. The location isn't bad but the parking isn't that big. They did let us block in some of the employees so we didn't have to park farther away. read more

Choi's Garden - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great intimate bbq and other Korean specials. Place had great service and provided food to order. From Wagyu to flank steak they have all options. $$-$$$ pricing, and plenty of seats. Parking is on the smaller side. read more

Choi's Garden - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

What a deal... After much adulting it's time for a treat and it's not just an ordinary treat but my favorite Naengmyeon! A Korean cold noodle dish that just perfect for the summer heat and at $5.99 that will keep your pocketbook chilling with happiness. We arrived right at opening of 11am and with lots of their own personal parking lot finding one won't be an issue along with the clean and spacious restaurant the service here is very efficient including the kitchen as it all came out so fast but all on point. Though before could snap a pic aunty came out with the scissors knocked my egg over and snip snip the noodles lol...woah! So I had to put it back together this stunning dish garnished with pickled daikon and cucumber with a thin slice of apple and half a boiled egg. The noodles are very thin, firm and chewy the broth so light and refreshing I did add some mustard for that slight kick. We also ordered friend mandoo which was probably the best of how it was cooked so nice and crispy without being over fried but the filling was yet to be desired along with some banchans it was a feast without paying the price for it all and is highly suggested to take advantage of the great deals during weekdays for lunch. Thank you! read more

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Arriving right when they opened on a Saturday was the right decision because their lunch rush started immediately and the restaurant and parking lot filled up quickly. We tried their cold noodles and steamed egg. I was surprised that the cold noodles came with a huge ball of noodles. The broth was delicious and refreshing. The steamed egg came much later and sadly, it was oversteamed and deflated but the flavor was still there and it tasted hearty. savory, and satisfying. We noticed how much of a variety of classic Korean dishes they had on their menu and there is something for everyone whether it be refreshing cold noodles on a hot day, kbbq, or lunch specials, and more. I'll definitely be back to order the cold noodles again and try more dishes! read more

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Cold noddles were fine, seafood jun under cooked. The worst experience was "Flies" 2 landed on our jun ...appetite killer One of wait help very personable read more

Tried Choi's Garden for lunch and really enjoyed it! We ordered the Dakgalbi and the lunch special Mul Naengmyeon, and the combination was perfect -- the spicy, flavorful chicken with the cold, refreshing noodles is such a good match. The marinade on the dakgalbi was especially delicious. The atmosphere was nice, the side dishes were fresh and tasty, and the staff was very friendly. Would definitely come back for this combo again! read more

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I came here with my mother for lunch. We ordered 2 of the $5.99 Naengmyeon and the LA Kalbi. It's pretty obvious that the staff don't want you ordering the $5.99 Naengmyeon. The service was bad. I'm also pretty sure they freeze the hard boiled eggs they use for the naengmyeon because the whites of the egg i received were dried out and peeled off in layers. The Kalbi was pretty good. The service is good if you order expensive items. read more

Choi's Garden - Kalbi - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Their $5.99 cold noodle deal caught my eye on instagram. It seems they change the special monthly but it's a super cheap price, dine in only. Choi's Garden is off Sheridan near Walmart and Sam's club. They have a private lot with maybe a dozen parking spots but there's surrounding metered and street parking too. Came for lunch when they opened and was seated promptly. I liked the interior, it was modern and had the ceiling vents. Ordered the cold noodle deal and bulgogi. Banchan sides were brought out promptly. I love shoyu potato! The cold noodle was a good serving and cold but the broth missed flavor depth. It was borderline watery. I did like the chewiness of the noodles though and the addition of thinly sliced apple added a nice crunch and sweetness. The bulgogi was disappointing. Served on a hot plate it was kind of just chopped up pieces that was marinated but dry. Nothings worse than dried beef! They didn't even give me a bowl of rice. Service I would describe as neglectful. Not rude but also not attentive. Example once again my missing rice and needing to flag down waitress for refill water and check. Doubt I'll be back because there's quite a saturation of good Korean restaurants now. read more

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My friend and I went for their $5.99 cold noodles today. Parking was real tight as it's a popular lunch time deal for November. We lucked out as people were leaving so we got a stall. The food was good until we found an unwanted friend in our Kim chee. We notified the server and she was shocked and mortified. She took the dish away right away and brought us new ones. Kind of a junk thing to happen during our otherwise enjoyable and yummy lunch. I get that kitchens can have that but today, we were the unfortunate recipients of this. They comped our noodles and apologized many times. The noodles were yummy and the kal bi was good too. It was soft and easy to eat. read more

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We came for dinner previously and then again to try their cold noodle special. They have parking in the front but a little limited. Service and ambiance seem pretty typical. The food is ok but a little expensive. I do like that they seem to have specials for lunch. I tried the cold noodle for $5.99. I think that was fair. I don't think it would be worth its normal price though. And if you don't ask about the special, I don't think they'll tell you about it. This month is the soft tofu soup without egg for $5.99. read more

Choi's Garden - Banchan - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Came here the other day to try out the $5.99 cold noodle soup deal for lunch time. It was ok, but worth the price. It wasn't anything amazing but it did satisfy my cravings for something refreshing. There was not much noodles and also it would have been nice if the soup was slushy. We opted to get some meat jun as well since the noodles were not enough. It was tasty, but the meat was very thin and it was pretty expensive at around $17 for a small piece. With that being said, the banchan was mostly tasty, with the exception of the greens that were not seasoned enough. I think for the price point, the cold noodles were worth it, other wise I would probably not make the trip here again. read more

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I came to Choi's Garden for their $6 naengmyeon, and it really hit the spot. Is it the best cold noodle ever? No, I don't think so. But with the high cost of dining out--and considering that Choi's Garden is usually pretty expensive--it was definitely worth it. There are two options: the spicy bibim naengmyeon or the regular naengmyeon. I tried both and I gotta say, the regular naengmyeon was my favorite. The flavor was light and refreshing, perfect during this hot weather. It helps that they also blast the AC in there. The spicy bibim naengmyeon was good, but was inconsistent with the sauce. The first time I tried it, there was too little sauce. The second time, there was way too much, and it ended up being too salty and sweet. I wish they gave more banchan since there were only 4 and kimchi wasn't even one of them, but I suppose we can't ask for too much when it was only $6. We also ordered spicy pork though. read more

Choi's Garden - Naengmyeon - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Choi's Garden is one of my to go places for Korean bbq. I normally come for dinner where the prices are higher and a better selection of banchan. The meats are marinated to my liking and the soups are satisfying to my belly. I can eat an endless supply of their banchan, but will get angry looks from the servers. Service is good with no smiles. They are attentive and wanting to do the cooking for you. Parking is available out front. read more

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Called about picking up a gift certificate only to arrive and be told they only give $50 or $100 GC! It would have been considerate and thoughtful to tell me in advance. Nevertheless I took my business happily elsewhere! read more

Dec.28, celebrate a birthday, we go look 1 place... CROWDED! Then we come to Choi's Garden, on Rycroft St. took the last parking space. We get seated, quickly. Wanted to experience Yakiniku, but decided on. Regular menu items. Our wait help was so nice to explain what is what.. being that it was our 1st time at the restaurant. and we decided on... these items: Seaweed soup, (had to ask for 3 bowls) Kalbi meat was soft.. and generous, the Japchae ( my favorite) & BBQ chix. Banchan was flavorful. Rice was good too. The place was busy, kinda smoky, but good ventilation. I sat by the door and didn't know it was open... Loud, but that's good. "Press the button" on the table to get the wait help for assistance. Will be back again. While seated, My "new" shoes were slipping on the floor.. greasy. Oh well., it's NOT the 1at time. Other places were like that too. read more

Choi's Garden - Kalbi, chix, seaweed soup, japchae, banchan - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

SUPER friendly and efficient staff. I would give them 5 stars just for that. The dine-in yakiniku experience is also great with nice cuts, nice portions, a modern interior, and the price is pretty on par with other KBBQ joints. Plus a sizable private parking lot. However, what keeps me coming back is the beef soondubu. I order it for takeout 3-4 times a month. Excellent flavor and huge serving portion, securely enclosed in a bowl with a sealed plastic cover like a giant boba cup. Also a side of rice and an entire full plate lunch size takeout container filled with a rotating menu of 5 banchan sides. This leaves me FULL, and half the time I can stretch this into 2 meals. All for less than $20. Love, love, love this place! read more

Choi's Garden - Beef Soondubu - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Incredible service !!!! All staff on high alert and friendly Will come back for sure! read more

This is my second time at a Korean Restaurant inappropriate services this time we were ask to leave after we finished our meals server hurriedly started to take the left over dishes off the table so I thought at first was a nice gesture to have our hot tea but it wasn't. They weren't busy except a large party in the back and a couple . We (3) ordered several dishes the tab totaled two hundred dollars plus tip. The restaurant was not full to capacity except the party in the back of their restaurant. The hostess gesturing to us pointing to our car to move! At first I smiled out of courtesy to move our car as an incoming BMW just drove in! Hey! In their site in YELP.. private parking, (10 stalls about) and valet parking. Theres no valet! If none take it off from the Yelp site! Their food is exceptionally well prepared. They have that best Korean dishes. But ! Unfortunately we won't go back no matter how great their food is we will find elsewhere hopefully we won't be asked to leave! read more

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Naengmyun was delicious!!! Perfectly seasoned cold broth. Service was very quick we were seated as soon as we walked in. The lady gave us five minutes to decide and took our order promptly. The waitresses were really pleasant too. Food came out super quick but we did go during lunch time at around 12:30 so we weren't expecting it to be packed. We ordered a seafood pancake because they ran out of the chives pancake. My favorite was the non spicy naengmyun. My friend ordered regular soondubu. And the pictures show our spread. Will definitely come back soon for the naengmyun! :) read more

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Unfortunately, my visit here was not that great of an experience. I came for the hyped up $5.99 cold noodle special. The cold noodle special was a great for both the regular and spicy... no complaints for that dish, but the meat jun was not good at all. Not worth the $16.95- The meat Jun sauce was way too salty. The meat Jun itself did not taste good, was too thin and very dry. We were asked if we wanted a take out box, but said no and we let the staff know the reason why was because we didn't like it and it was dry. They apologized. I was kind of hoping they would refund or give discount on it because it was a disappointment but they didn't. I paid and gave a 18% tip still. I don't think I'll be back. read more

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I'm a bit on the fence about my experience here. Like many others, we came in to try their advertised $5.99 cold noodle special. We tried both the original and spicy versions, and while I thought both varieties of the dish were nice, they just didn't have a lot going on. The broth was cold and pleasantly mild flavored without being bland, but the toppings were just some slices of fruit and half a hard boiled egg. A nice dish for $6, but personally I'd have a much harder time enjoying this at its regular price of $16+. We also tried the meat jun which tasted fine, but did come out paper thin. While it looks like two fairly sized pieces of meat jun in an order, the thickness (or lack thereof) cancels out its apparent size. Again, I have a hard time for this at its price ($17). All in all, because of the promo, two bowls of noodles and a meat jun ran $30 - a reasonable price for a sit-down lunch for 2 these days (especially since banchan was included). The service was efficient - not overly friendly, but we had no problem ordering, getting our food, and paying the bill. I would come back in the future if they have other deals that can keep it around this price point. I think my feelings towards this experience would be much different without the promo pricing. They do have a modest sized parking lot right in front of the restaurant but it does fill up. It was completely full by the time we finished our meal. Street parking nearby can be challenging. read more

Okay, first thing to say is that this goes on my list of Go-To's for dinner date, lunch date, any date really. The consistency needs to be recognized. Parking is on site. And there is always an open one. The ambiance is mellow. Reminds me of an actual Asian restaurant overseas. It's relaxing. Service is great! Super warm feeling. As if the waitress and hostess make you feel like they're mothering you not in a creepy way lol just very personable. Always order the LA Kalbi it's a must. Juicy, flavorful. Subtle sweetness and savory but not too much saltiness Meat Jun is delicious. Batter was more on the egg side but the thin meat just works. The dipping sauce was more on the salty side but the meat Jun needed that balance. Seafood pancake: ample seafood! And the pancake itself was soft and oily in a good balanced way. Love the bites of green onion. Every time I come here and bring friends or a date, the experience is great. I always get the comment that this restaurant is a good choice and my date always leaves satisfied and happy. Will always recommend. Planning to come back and eat good food and get drunk and be happy. read more

Choi's Garden has become one of my go-to spots. The $5.99 spicy cold noodles are one of the best deals around, full of flavor with just the right level of spice. It hits the spot, especially on a warm day in Honolulu. I believe the deal is 11-3pm. The dining area is clean, cool, and comfortable, which makes it easy to enjoy the food. Service is consistently great as well. Jenny has helped me on my last five visits and she always makes me feel welcome. That kind of genuine service really makes a difference. Between the quality of the food, the relaxed environment, and the unbeatable prices, Choi's Garden continues to deliver every time. Thank you! read more

Choi's Garden - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Food: 5/5. I haven't had a bad meal here. Service: 5/5. Employees are friendly. And diligent about refilling water and checking in on the customers. And....they have their own private parking lot. read more

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Friendly ajummas, the food was nice for the price. Left a $50 tip take that as my review of this place.

Fantastic food, service and ambiance combine to make for a memorable meal! The only thing that isn't pleasant is their small parking lot and limited parking spaces in the neighborhood. Highly recommend if you love Korean barbecue! read more

One of the best butterfish dishes on the island and I couldn't miss trying the beef bone broth soup. We loved it. So full. read more

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Clean spacious solid authentic flavors Good service Parking lot in front Ordered lunch combos: Kal bi with cold noodle soup (nangmyun). Noodles were perfect. Broth was not very cold. Spicy pork with cold noodle soup. Pork was juicy, not too fatty or too sweet. Dried pollack fish soup- clean good flavor Spicy marinated raw crabs (only available in the summer I think) Had the right amount of sweet and spice. So good. Enjoyed our meal here a lot! Will be adding Choi's to our Oahu meal routine. read more

Wanted to eat some Korean food in town and we ended up coming to Choi's garden! We came here before they changed something (I think it was management?). ***What we ordered ~ **Spicy Cold Noodle Soup (10/10) ~ I HIGHLY recommend getting this. It's super refreshing and it compliments all the KBBQ meats! I like that they leave the gochujang on the side for you to add in just so you can make it the perfect spicy for yourself. Get this! **Beef Combo (6/10) ~ This came with brisket, sirloin, and outside skirt. I'm personally not a fan of beef but this was okay. The brisket was enjoyable! Although, it was sad that they don't serve cow tongue here (honestly I would have rated it higher if they did). **Marinated Short Ribs (8/10) ~ This was my favorite! While the meat was REALLY soft the marination was surprising really sweet. Personally I love sweet and savory, but I thought it was just a tad bit too sweet, but still it was good out of all the meats we ordered. Overall, I'd come back to try the Pork Combo and will be back for the Spicy Cold Noodle soup forsure. Staff was okay and service was fast! read more

Choi's Garden - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The food is above average and my best experience from this place is the take out. Yes. The take out. How many people rate take out? You will need to order and pick up to understand what I'm sharing. I don't want to spoil it for you but it's the most delightful take out food experience I've ever had. For lunch i usually order the meat Jun or bibimbap. Ready in 10 minutes. Theres parking in front. So worth it. Comment and let me know how you love the take out. The food the presentation and how quickly they have it ready are all five stars. read more

Did not deliver the food ordered and when I called, they said sorry but refused to reimburse the food they did not deliver.

We decided to go to try the cold noodle lunch special for $5.99. We had to wait for parking, no big deal. We managed to get a table after waiting about 15 minutes. Most of us ordered the naengmyun combo either with chicken or bulgogi. I ordered the naengmyun alone. I also ordered a bunch of food to go for dinner along with our dine in order. Our food arrived. The naengmyun was the most basic I think I've ever had at a restaurant. Basically noodles, broth (not cold, more lukewarm) slices of cucumbers and apples, half an egg. No meat. There was no mustard or kochujang or vinegar. Broth was very watery and lacked flavor. But we chalked it up to it being only $5.99. When it came time to pay, she brought the handheld machine where you can use your card. The problem was the tip option. You only had a choice between 18, 20, 22%, there was no custom option. I wanted to tip on the food we ate in. I was not planning to tip on my takeout portion. It would've added another $20 to my bill. I told her one moment while I wanted to check my wallet to leave tip in cash. She left the handheld device with me at the table and walked away leaving me to figure out how to use it lol. Which I did. I left the device at the table and we got up to leave. I told her I left it on the table. She opened up another device she had to double check if I paid. But then she paused really checking the bill, I definitely got the feeling she was looking for the tip. I told her I left the tip in cash at the table. Then she said ok. Bottom line, the food was disappointing. It used to be so good. The service was lacking and I don't want to be forced to tip a certain amount. That should be left up to the customer for the service and food provided. read more

I've heard good things but was very disappointed. There was the standard Korean food. We ordered the stone pot rice which was good. We also had the tofu soup with seafood. This was ok. We also ordered meat jun and this was the worst meat jun that we ever had. The meat was so thin and tough. I make meat jun often and you couldn't quite tell that there was a batter. We normally say that you need to try a restaurant twice to be fair but how can a Korean restaurant not do a decent meat Jun. We will not be back. read more

Food was really good! I had the soft tofu stew, my friends got the pork combo, the hot stone bibimbap, and we shared a seafood pancake. They said everything was delicious, and on my end the stew was tasty, warm and filling. The service was nice, but they were a bit busy due to the dinner rush. Would recommend getting there a little earlier than normal dinner time or during lunch to get a seat. read more

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We came here with friends- service was excellent and very helpful plus they have a call button at each table just in case you need something which is a awesome idea. We got the beef comb for the grill - seafood pancake and octopus stir fry it was all good and the sides delish Prices are a bit high but what isn't these days in Hawaii- parking was available and it really helps in this area - read more

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We went kinda late on a Friday night, around 8pm. The parking lot is small, but I think they have valet, so not to worry. We didn't have to wait for a table, even though the place was nearly packed. We found out we were just in time for their Happy Hour menu: daily 8-11pm. I really wanted Rice Cake & Mandu Soup (떡만두국), so I ordered that, & we also ordered the Kalbi Patties (딴날비?) from the Happy Hour menu. The side dishes/banchan (반찬) were pretty authentic-tasting, & the kimchi is some of the best on the island! My soup was good, & the Kalbi Patties were good (just a little sweet for my taste.) And the service was very good. This may be our new go-to for Korean food. read more

Choi's Garden - Rice Cake & Mandu Soup - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

They closed for a bit and then reopened back up again in the same location. Same valet parking with attendant and I'm assuming the same staff, layout, setup as before. Though when we went (late night about 1.5 hours before closing) they were completely empty. The workers looked like they were ready to go home. Nevertheless, the food came to us hot and quickly, still the same taste as before. The banchan was just as good as I remember it. Though the tofu stew was pasty for me, like it needed to be strained, mixed well or boiled longer, something. But other than that, the servers were very kind and thanked us many times before we left for the evening. read more

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