Kalbi, a Korean barbeque dish. Beef short ribs marinated then grilled. Caramelized, savory,…read moredelicious. Is using this highly recognizable food item in a business name a great strategy? Can a business deliver exceptionally on the food item mentioned in its name? Does it make it simple for customers like myself to pivot to another food item other than kalbi? Let's take a closer look at an East Hawai'i counter service eatery on the Big Island of Hawai'i. Located in the Waiākea Center Food Court. Kalbi Express. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Kalbi. By using the most popular and highly desirable Korean dish in their business name, it instantly tells me what's served, what type of dishes would follow on their menu. I knew what to expect from day one years ago and still do till today. Express. When a craving arises for quick and convenient Korean takeout, this part of the business name speaks louder than most. I always order in-person vs a phone call and the wait is minimal even when it's busy. They're also conveniently located with ample parking, entry into Waiākea Center is quick and easy. Kalbi Express. Great name strategy? Indeed. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I had a craving for Korean barbecue so one day, I decided to head to Kalbi Express. For Kalbi. A Combo Plate with Kalbi was ordered along with an actual BBQ Kalbi Plate. Yes, two plates for myself because my craving for Korean barbecue was off-the-charts. Thin sliced BBQ Beef, glossy + charred BBQ Kalbi, juicy boneless BBQ Chicken and crispy Mandoo all packed tightly over steamed white rice with four chilled Korean banchan. That aroma of caramelized soy, garlic and sesame oil hit me as I opened the lid of my Kalbi Express Combo Plate. An inviting and playful mix of hot and cold items, a perfect taste of everything. Kalbi Express BBQ Kalbi Plate, a delightful balance of smoky char and complex aromatics. Each marbled short rib piece was juicy and marinated to perfection before flame-grilled. Caramelized sweetness is subtle, cutting through the richness of the tender meat. An indulgent moment with my take-out plate, my craving fully satisfied. BBQ Kalbi from Kalbi Express. Was it enjoyable, flavorful and memorable? Indeed. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Yang Nyum Chicken. A coworker introduced me to this plate and now it's become my "go-to" favorite. I'm indulging in a lacquered layer of glossy sweetness, as a spicy kick slowly builds without being overwhelming. Crisp small pieces of deep fried boneless chicken, the center is juicy yet the exterior crunchy. Tossed in a sticky sweet 'n spicy sauce. A sensory-rich experience with bold flavors, delightfully messy. The BBQ Beef and the BBQ Chicken have the same care of preparation as the Kalbi, where deep flavors come through in a flavorful way due to their marinating process. Meat & Fish Jun are moist and flaky with a fluffy egg exterior, crisp edges. Their Spicy Pork makes my rice disappear before I even notice and macaroni salad is a banchan must. Plates here are a harmonious blend of different ingredients, textures and colors. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Order most items as a 2-choice Combo Plate or as a Full Plate with housemade Korean banchan. Let's talk about the highly desirable banchan at Kalbi Express. The freshness is always at its best, the flavors are fine-tuned and personalized in small batches. Deliciously done. My plain white rice and marinated Korean proteins pair well with these flavorful banchan bites. I can taste the care, the heritage that's passed down as it brings me dining comfort in a take-out plate. Have fun choosing your sides from a select twelve. Order a Veggie Plate (4 choices w/ rice, 5 w/o rice) or Vegetable Side Bowls. I've done both. Kalbi Express offers a diverse menu. No room for disappointment on choices, only pure delight once you take your first bite. I've enjoyed everything ordered for lunch or dinner and there's so much more I still need to try. Kalbi+. Simple to pivot to other menu items? Indeed. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Charbroiled and grilled marinated meats to-perfection. Banchan sides, loyalty driven by freshness. Service with attention and gratitude. Leak-proof, heat resistant containers. Delicious and satisfying plates, generous portions and always visually plated with care. Do they deliver exceptionally in all areas? In my eyes they do. I've been coming here for years well before being on Yelp. Their name says it all. Order your favorites, try some of mine. Kalbi Express at Waiākea Center. Highly recognizable, highly recommended.

I love coming here for the food. For years it had always been my go to when I'm home and want some…read morereally good banchan. This visit was different as I had my grandmother with me, she is hard of hearing. So imagine my surprise and complete disappointment when there was a miscommunication when my grandmother tried to order. The cashier stood there with an "idgaf" face. Didn't ask for clarification or smile once. Just stood there. When I worked out on my grandmothers end what she was trying to order I relayed that to the cashier who did not look at me once. Didn't say anything to confirm. I love the food here. I hate that there is no aloha.

One of my go-to places in Hilo to pick up a bento. Located next door to KTA Puainako, Hiro's has…read morebeen a staple of mine and I've been coming here since I was a child! The place operates like a lunch counter where you can either order from the food they already have out in the warmers or a plate off the menu. In addition to the hot food line, they keep a variety of bentos out so you can grab and go. I love how affordable this place is. I typically come here to grab a breakfast bento when I'm on my way to work and the breakfast bento costs $5.95 plus tax at the time of this review (February 2025). The breakfast bento comes with a choice of breakfast meat (including spam, bacon, and sausage), one egg, kamaboko, and rice. Location is also fantastic. With Hiro's being next door to KTA, there is so much parking available and it's so easy to get to as it's on the corner of two major roads in Hilo. Service is also great every time I come, and the staff working the counter are always nice. There's a seating area just outside with plenty of tables and chairs, as well as any condiments you need.

Service was great and fast. It's a little hole in the wall kind of a place with plenty of options…read more We both ordered mini breakfast plates and we were both disappointed when we got our plates. We both ordered over easy eggs and were very disappointed when we got sunny side up eggs instead. They are similar but they are not the same. Because they were sunny side up the whites were not fully cooked. The corn beef hash patties were small with large chunks of potatoes so not much actual meat.

Korean sushi is the best there! Never disappoints Always…read morefresh and the rice is never hard

The staff was not rude, but they allowed the next 5 people to "steamroll" over my food order!…read moreI'm a Kupuna, and showed my patience but to add insult to injury, for four items x 2 each they broke my Legs, not my Mout'. by charging $36.28, I shit you not bruh!!

Stopped at this takeout counter for the first time after working up an appetite in the mall today…read more The menu looks like there's a great variety of things to try. We got a chicken katsu loco to split between the two of us. At first glance the price seemed a little steep, but the portion size was worth it. There are a few tables within the restaurant area as well as a few tables out in the mall's main walking path to sit and eat at. It did take a while for the food to come out but food was delish! The katsu was fried perfectly and not too heavy or soaked in oil. The chicken was also flavorful and juicy. I was also glad they gave two eggs to maintain a good meat-to-eggs ratio since they gave so much chicken! So glad we stopped by and we'll definitely be back for more. We also saw signs advertising their online ordering, which would also be very convenient for future orders.

Excellent! Did not know this place was here since sears closed I never walk over here. Today hubby…read morewas hungry so I said let's see if they put anything over yet. Well they been here 2 years and I've been missing out!! We tried their Loco Moco it had two nice crispy burgers in it too! The cashier was super nice! Plenty of seating to enjoy your meal.

Just off the plane, hungry with no wait, this is the place to go!…read more Went here on a Friday, about 8 am. First time back home in years; my parents were hungry, so we stopped in here for breakfast. Our order: Mushroom & Swiss Cheeseburger -- ONO - highly recommended, one of their top sellers! Pastele Special with Gondule Rice - ono! Food was onoliscious and filling. I wasn't hungry, but I had a couple bites of each, and it was delish. I would order the mushroom Swiss burger again! I just ordered a black coffee because I didn't get to sleep on the plane and needed a pick-me-up. Auntie at the counter gave us another cup of coffee because she says it just goes to waste at the end of day. Auntie was so sweet and had amazing aloha service, mahalo auntie!! Currently living in the mainland, this is what I miss the most. Aloha everywhere :) We will be back next time we're in town! And to try the other recommended dishes. A previous customer's order came out when we got there, and it looked so good, one of the breakfast plates with fried rice! love their famous sign - If no can, no can, if can... VERNA'S! Mahalo nui and aloha!!! Chelle

5 Stars We were…read moregetting gas in Hilo when we noticed something that always catches our attention: a parking lot full of locals and a steady line of people waiting next door at Verna's Drive In. We figured that many locals couldn't all be wrong, so we decided to give it a try. I'm glad we did. I had the cheeseburger, and my wife ordered the Swiss mushroom burger. Both were excellent. The buns were nicely toasted, the burgers were hot and juicy, and everything tasted fresh. The French fries were exactly what you hope for: crispy, hot, and perfectly cooked. The surprise star of the meal was the corn chowder. I'll admit it wasn't something I expected to order, but it ended up being one of the best things we ate. It was creamy, slightly sweet, had just the right amount of seasoning, and was packed with flavor. An unexpected find at a burger spot, but absolutely delicious. The food alone would have earned a great review, but the staff took things to another level. After we left, we realized we had accidentally thrown something important away. We called the restaurant nearly 40 minutes later, and the staff actually went through the trash looking for it. Who does that anymore? That level of customer service is almost unheard of and speaks volumes about the people who work there. Now we completely understand why the locals love this place. Great food, friendly people, and service that goes far beyond what anyone could reasonably expect. If Google allowed it, we'd give Verna's 7 stars.

This is my new favorite Drive Inn in Hilo. Food is homemade and delicious! Nothing fancy, just…read moregood! Service is very friendly and efficient. Prices are better than other drive-inn restaurants. They even have frozen food portions for sale that are reasonably priced! I got the Oxtail Stew & Spareribs. The Oxtail stew was a bit salty but still tender & filling. I've had the Beef Tomato and their Beef Teriyaki Sandwich/Burger! I have never had a sandwich loaded with so much meat. I also love their Mac Salad! I'll be back to sample their other menu items.

kandi's came through again. supah awesome counter service food was excellent. had da chicken…read moretenders wit fries fo $8.00 awesome price. also da loco bowl waz superb az usual.... fo awesome welcome home feeling and pleni aloha & yummies. kandi's izz da place. mahalo pleni u guys

My family & I come here often. Great service, food is yummy & we definitely recommend Osakas 100%!read more

Went here mostly because other japanese restaurants were closed at the time but hoped its 4 stars…read moremight mean it was really good? Sadly, it was just meh. Just had a bowl of saimin for $15, very average. Noodles were overcooked, broth just ok, and skimpy toppings. Glad I didn't order anything more expensive because everything seemed very overpriced. For high quality food, its ok but to pay a lot for mediocre food, pass. Don't recommend.

Aloha I pickup lunch here every week.I love the fish Katsu &…read moreKorean chicken as a combo. The sides are delicious and you can pick four to sample. The food is Ono. I especially like the purple sweet potato. One of my goto spots.

The sides were delicious and not the standard for Korean sides such as Gobo. We got the meat Jun,…read morebbq chicken and chicken katsu and it was all really good! The only thing is the portions. You can usually get 2 meals out of each plate at other Korean bbq places even with the minis but everyone ate everything and honestly still a bit hungry after