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    Gama

    3.7 (49 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    Enough food to fill this big guy up.

    Gama at HMart Kakaʻako is one of those spots you stumble on and immediately think, "Oh... this is the real deal." The name Gama means clay cooking pot in Korean, and honestly, that's exactly how the food tastes--slow‑cooked, comforting, and full of the kind of depth you only get from a halmeoni (할머니) or imo fussing over a stove. Everything here feels like it came straight out of a Korean grandma's kitchen or a tiny street stall in Seoul. The Sot Bap Hansang is the star for me--fresh‑cooked rice in a pressure pot with your choice of main and a handful of banchan. It's simple, but it hits in that "you're definitely getting seconds" kind of way. Their bulgogi (beef or pork) is tender and full of flavor, the samgyupsal has that perfect balance of richness and char, and the kimchi jjigae tastes like it's been simmering all day. If you're a noodle person, the mul naengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon are spot‑on--chewy, refreshing, and exactly what you want on a hot Honolulu day. And the soondubu? Cozy, silky, and just spicy enough to wake you up. Nothing here feels watered down or "Hawaiʻi‑style Korean." It's unapologetically Korean in the best way--bold flavors, generous portions, and that unmistakable home‑cooked warmth. You can almost picture Imo in the back telling you to eat more. If you're craving something authentic, comforting, and made with real care, Gama is absolutely worth the stop. Already planning my next round of food.

    I had an amazing experience at this restaurant! The seafood pajeon, bulgogi, and sundubu-jjigae were all delicious, and I also loved their jajangmyeon. The flavors are authentic, and the portions are generous. 既製品じゃないと聞いて、納得のお味です。 ハワイで1番美味しい韓国料理はココ

    Seafood Pancake
    Elizabeth L.

    Located upstairs of Hmart in their food court, there's free parking up to the first hour I believe. There's plenty of seating in the food court, and different dining options if you want variety. Seafood Pancake: - Pros: Nice and crispy, comes out within a couple of minutes. - Cons: Not the best value for the size (~$16) and didn't have many pieces of seafood. Also very oily.

    Jajang myeon and kimchi pancake
    Tiffany C.

    My go-to place at Hmart food hall will always be Gama. I absolutely love cold noodles but wanted to try something different. Jajang myeon is my comfort food and I like it here. It's not too oily or heavy. And siding it with the kimchi pancake is so ono.

    Seafood pancake and bibingnangmyyn
    Rebecca C.

    Traditional Korean food in the HMART food court! Great tucked away food court with upstairs seating. (The whole food court is upstairs). It looks newly renovated because it's so clean. Many restaurants to choose from! This spot is definitely the best noodles, super generous portion sizes. Amazing service. Server was really kind and pleasant, super polite. Parking is a bit difficult here, there is a garage with validated parking but it can get very crowded.

    Cute adornments on cash register
    Jackie K.

    This was a welcomed surprise! We weren't sure what to eat. We walked up to the food hall above H Mart. My hubby came upon Gama, looked at the menu, and he wanted to try the Sot Bap Han Seng, Street Style Pork Bulgogi menu item for $22.99. I was game! While we waited for our meal, I picked up a drink next door at Giovanni's. Our number was called and I walked up to pick up our order. Here comes the wow part. As I approached the counter, I was warned to be careful as the rice pot is steaming hot and the pork is sizzling in its plate! The presentation of this dish was amazing, especially for a take out / food hall type business. Please see video and Live Photos. The ban chan was broccoli, fish cake and Choi sum. All perfectly cooked and seasoned. It was tasty and not salty, which we enjoy. They removed the top of the rice pot and a burst of steam was released. The rice remained very hot throughout our meal. We were impressed. Ordering was fast and food preparation was fresh. The food presentation was awesome. Service: 4/5 stars. The pork bulgogi was hot, sizzling, and very savory and not overly spicy. We consumed all of our meal. Food: 4/5 stars The ambiance is a food court. Relatively clean. Tables and chairs abound. Noise level is high as the ceilings are high and there are many vendors and people in the food hall. 3/5 stars.

    Kin chee jigae piping hot!
    Kelly M.

    I didn't realize HMart has its own food court upstairs. Walked up to check it out and was surprised by the variety of options. Not all of them were open at 4:15pm on a Tuesday, but that still leaves 5 options. Surprisingly 2 of the options are Korean restaurants right next to each other. I looked at Ireh first and was surprised at the prices of their dishes. I would pay those prices if I was dining in somewhere nice, but definitely not for a food court experience. Right next to it is Gama. Being a lousy half-Asian I thought it was a Japanese place and was just glanced at the menu out of curiosity as I was leaving. I saw Kim Chee Jigae and stopped. Taking a closer look it was a Korean place and the prices were more in line with what I would expect. Still on the high side but not outrageously so. I figured worth a try. I ordered the Kim chee jigae from a very happy person at the counter. Her smile was infectious! It was ready fairly quickly. The presentation was far nicer than expected, it was something I could see in a restaurant. In the soup there was a layer of meat under the tofu and it was really hot and decently spicy. Definitely Kim chee! The banchan was seasoned extremely well too. Definitely a solid meal, I found it worth the stop.

    Rebecca C.

    Annyeonghasimnikka. Gabsida Hello. Let's go. Craving a hearty, warm soup on a cold night? Get in, drive and hop out to Gama! It is located on the 2nd floor of H-Mart in Kakaako. It is one of my go to for my soon dubu jjigae or tofu soup. For tonight's dinner, I had Buk Chan Dong Soon Dubu Jjigae. It was seafood mixed with ground chicken, soft tofu, zucchini, onions and mixed in a spicy stew. It was served with seasoned spinach, kim chee and rice. I came 30 minutes before closing but the ahjumma or lady was nice and friendly from taking my order. I like coming here because it's like a little food court that provides different places to choose from. You can have your meal and then dessert right after. For me, it's a one stop shop also since you can do grocery shopping, which is on the 1st floor. You can eat first then shop. This will help prevent from over buying or shopping for things you may not need. It really is true when they say that you shouldn't shop when you're hungry or you'll buy things you'll end up regretting lol

    Pork Bulgogi
    Kekoa L.

    Well I paid $18 for this meal and... they're really skimpy on the portions! Nothing about the food was great tbh. The bulgolgi had good flavor but I thought it was nothing special. I'd pay $14 max for what I got.... I also did get takeout, so maybe they give more if you dine-in? I'm just a little disappointed because for something that costs around the same price as Yummy's but gives 1/2 the amount, I assumed it would've been of better quality.

    Samgyeopsal meal set with pressure cooked rice
    Jannet L.

    Pleasantly surprised by this food court restaurant. Wandered up here just wanting small snack dishes but decided to get the full meal. The set for $22 comes with special pressure cooked rice, barley tea in a cute teapot, 3 banchans and the main dish. You cannot substitute noodles for the rice even though the menu confusingly reads noodles instead of rice. Those are separate dishes. The food isn't fast food so wait patiently. The person at the counter was helpful and patient and friendly. I'm a fan of rice that is on the drier side and this rice was perfect for me. Plenty of food and enjoyed the samgyeopsal (pork belly). The barley tea was so good I went downstairs to look for it but couldn't find it. Don't need to order a separate drink. The jjajangmyeon was pretty decent too. Noodles are a different kind less floury. Overall a good meal and will eat here again when o come to h mart.

    David L.

    This restaurant is located in a food court on the second floor of the HMart Kakaako. So it was an easy choice when we decided to grab lunch after shopping. Menu is clear and service is quick, around 10 minutes to get our order. I ended up getting the jja jang myun and bu dae chigaei, both of which were actually pretty good. It's not always easy to find decent Korean food, but the offerings here were actually pretty decent. Both dishes were hot and seasoned well. The chigae came with rice and banchan so you get a full Korean style meal. Just be aware, if you park for over an hour you'll end up paying for parking. So plan your trip accordingly! But if you're looking for a decent serving of Korean food that's quick, this might hit the spot for you.

    Soondubu
    Arushi D.

    Small portion sizes for the price but flavor is great! Love the presentation. Spice level is usually a 3/5 for most dishes but you can ask for more spice. Service is fine, you're at a food court/hall. Cater expectations. Ambiance is meh because of the frequent announcements of peoples order numbers for the whole food hall.

    Budechigae
    Steven S H C.

    We are in Hawaii. Not in Cali nor NJ, etc. Please do not expect the same quality of Korean dishes as the mainland. Decided to have dinner at the food court while visiting H mart. I wanted something hearty, spicy and budechigae caught my eyes. My other half decided on the sogongdong soondooboo per owner recommendation. It took good 10 minutes for the food to come out. Piping hot. Dooboo had one raw egg cracked in. Very legit. Overall, it was good. Soondooboo was very good! Definitely worth coming back for more.

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    Gama Reviews in Other Languages

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    Hangang

    Hangang

    4.4(353 reviews)
    1.0 miAla Moana
    $$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Certified professionals

    Want some authentic Korean BBQ? This is the place to be, a hole in the wall but with all that you…read moreneed to enjoy a fantastic authentic Korean BBQ feast. Walking in, it was dark, cozy, smelling delicious and it was Full House. We were seated quickly with servers that were friendly & fast. We picked the menu option on page 1, $77 per person lunch set menu that includes 4 types of meat, steam eggs, kimchi pancake, different dipping sauces; including bean paste dipping sauce and raw garlic slices and abundant Banchan little appetizer dishes. The meats were fresh and tasty. The spicy cold noodles were refreshing, and all the Banchan little dishes offered lots of varieties and refillable. You know this place is authentic when you have bean paste dipping sauce and raw garlic slices. They are not trying to tailor to westerners. The grill was hot, the meat was sizzling and the food kept coming. We ate as much as we can, and there were so much food, at the end. We were about to explode. This place is so good and we can't wait to come back.

    10/10 experience both times I came. Food is sooooooo good and flavorful here. I love that it's not…read moresmoky inside this restaurant despite the grilling and it's very clean. It feels high end. Prices are definitely a little more than some other Korean restaurants but I think it's worth it for the quality of the meat and food as well as the service and inside area. All servers have been so kind and attentive, which I appreciate appreciated. What sets Hangang apart from other Korean restaurants is the quality of their meats. Their Kimchee soup is amazing too, I highly recommend getting that! Japchae was yummy but not a standout. You're going to spend about $50 a head here. I'll be back!

    Photos
    Hangang
    Hangang - Our lunch side dishes

    Our lunch side dishes

    Hangang - Combination B -- $95.95

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    Combination B -- $95.95

    Jagalchi - Complete makeover. Pocha   Not the old school place anymore.

    Jagalchi

    4.0(508 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    For her birthday, my daughter wanted to eat tteokbokki- her favorite Korean dish. We would be in…read morethe university area so | did a quick yelp search and found Jagalchi. Located on Young Street, this Korean restaurant has a young, casual, and fun vibe. Definitely a good time. We were greeted by friendliest server and quickly seated. Ordering is done via ipad at the table. There are a lot of great menu choices, but we narrowed it down to tteokbokki, chicken wings, and bi bim bap. Our food came with a plate of banchan. Everything was very yummy and | look forward to returning. The only tricky thing is that parking fills up quickly in the lot and they only take reservations for parties of 6 or more.

    Jagalchi resembles a noraebang without the rooms or singing haha…read more My coworker decided we need to have lunch, so we arrive to ample parking and a near empty restaurant. There's sharpie graffiti everywhere, soju bottles lined up the wall and a sticker wall filled with so many stickers, you have no idea where to look. I could tell we're in for a good meal. We ordered a spicy squid with kimbab, chive jeon, and an extra bowl of rice to share. The spicy squid was not spicy, but had a smokey depth. I drenched the kimbab in that sauce and it was easily the best thing I tried here. The chive jeon was extra crispy and packed with veggies. We easily agreed that we need to come back with a few more people, so we can either share the army stew or joxxam dish. Thanks for reading my reviews! Let me know what I should try next!

    Photos
    Jagalchi - Pork Kimchi Soondubu , Spicy Squid & Pork

    Pork Kimchi Soondubu , Spicy Squid & Pork

    Jagalchi
    Jagalchi - Seafood jun

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    Seafood jun

    So Gong Dong Restaurant - Sundubu and meatchun combo (spicy)

    So Gong Dong Restaurant

    3.9(765 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Food: The food was good. I had no complaints. I ended up…read moregetting Meat Jun and Seafood Pancake (sharing the pancake). In total it was about $39. Taste wise the meat jun with the sauce was not sweet. But I enjoyed it regardless. The quantity was great! Along with the unlimited banchan I was a happy camper that got to take extras home. Service: Great! I called 2 hours beforehand on a Friday for a reservation for a party of 8 + a baby stroller and they accommodated us wonderfully. They also allowed us to split the check at the register by items. They gave e water as needed as well. Atmosphere/Ambiance: Casual. Where you feel you can go into after a long day and have a good meal. Would I go back again? Yes. :) My only regret was that I ate my food and enjoyed the company I was with, forgetting about taking photos for this review.

    So Who is So Gong Dong? hehe. So Gong Dong Restaurant has…read morebeen my favorite lately for my SoonDuBu fix, ever since having lunch here with a Yelp friend, I've been back with the hubby, momma, sister and other friends. I really enjoy the Korean comfort foods! 4 stars for the food, soups, and ban chan, 5 stars if the service was great. Typical service you will get at a Korean spot but no complaints. Just gotta be patient for ban chan refills or if you need anything else, I don't expect much just happy that I get to have my Korean food. During this recent Saturday visit, I decided to go here for our late lunch, after hiking Koko Head Trail & Makapuu. It was about 4:30 pm, we were the only ones there, but it filled up pretty quick an and they do have many take out and Uber/Door Dash orders. My favorites here are the combo set, choice of soondubu (combination, kim chee, spam, beef, sausage, clam,) & either meat jun, fried mandoo, bulgogi, yellow corvina, seafood jun, or BBQ chicken. The combo use to be $20.55 my first time but now went up to $23.55, hence the increase, it is still a great deal, this meal comes with rice and 5 different ban chan. This combo was more than enough for the both of us. My favorite is the spam soondubu ( yes. who picks Spam right?! hehe) & the seafood Jun. Although it so hard to decide since all the choices are good, I will have to visit again for the other selection. The other half and I cannot eat an entire combo set by ourselves. I love the ban chan, especially the daikon & kim chee, so fresh and crispy! When I first dined here, I was surprise to see they give you a fresh egg to crack in your soondubu soup, I am use to the egg already in there. We always have leftover soondu soup which I take home and add to my Korean ramen the next day, so good! Support this local mom & pop restaurant, So Gong Dong has been around for the longest time just only recently I've discovered it. I will be back for the next Korean soondubu, ban chan fix!

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    So Gong Dong Restaurant
    So Gong Dong Restaurant - Meat jung

    Meat jung

    So Gong Dong Restaurant

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    Seoul Cook - My lunchtime special

    Seoul Cook

    3.3(58 reviews)
    0.1 miDowntown
    $$

    Right next to H-Mart is Seoul Cook in Kaka'ako. I was starving after taking two back-to-back…read moreworkout 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.

    Came in for the tofu soondubu lunch set and it totally hit the spot. The soup was rich, deeply…read moresavory, 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.

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    Seoul Cook - Interior of restaurant

    Interior of restaurant

    Seoul Cook - Banchan (sides)

    Banchan (sides)

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    Inside

    ‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant

    ‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant

    3.9(176 reviews)
    2.5 miWaikiki
    $$$

    The food was delicious and was brought out to us quickly…read moreAnthony and the other service staff were awesome always checking in to see if we needed anything and if everything was ok

    I came for the AYCE lunch special ($24.95) and we were seated really quickly. Overall, the service…read morewas fine, but it definitely could've been better. For the meats, the beef brisket and beef toro were the stars, but the beef chuck was slightly tough and dry. They were also out of bulgogi, which was disappointing. The pork had a really strong boar taint smell/taste, which completely turned me off from ordering any of the pork. We had to ask for more meat and banchan refills multiple times. There was usually a pretty noticeable lag before anything came out, which was frustrating for an AYCE spot. They also seemed to be selective about which banchans they would refill. They would bring more of the dishes like kimchi and cucumber, but when we asked for more tuna mac, they wouldn't give us any. It also looked like there were only two people working while there were probably around 10 tables during the Tuesday lunch rush, so I do think they were understaffed. If you're offering AYCE, the refills and service should flow a lot more smoothly. It felt like they were paying more attention the tables that selected a higher tier of AYCE. Not a terrible experience, but definitely not as seamless or enjoyable as I was hoping for.

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    ‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant
    ‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant - Very marbled beef (I can't remember the name)

    Very marbled beef (I can't remember the name)

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    Pork belly and Kalbi

    Gama - korean - Updated May 2026

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