Mahalo to my wonderful server, Kayla, for making my experience great. She was very attentive and gave me a ton of the awesome chefs specials that they had today. Chef Kale runs an awesome place. All the meats were delicious and the banchan were all great. This is my third time here but first time leaving a review, this place is one of the best, if not THE BEST value you can find for AYCE dining on island BY A LONGSHOT. Thank you for the great experience again. :) read more

Kale’s Hale - Meats on the grill - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great experience! Food was delicious. I loved the local twist on Korean bbq. I appreciated that the banchan was all given in small portions in the beginning which allowed to order more of the ones that you liked the most. The specials came to the table at the beginning, which was great! Miso salmon belly was delish. We loved the Swai salad as well. Employees were very welcoming and friendly. Would recommend to our friends for sure! read more

Aloha, First question...What went well? Answer...Everything! We made reservations late for a late time slot,my flight arrived at 8 pm and didn't get to the restaurant until 845ish and we were greeted with smiles and seated! AYCE was no joke! Great menu items and a lot of it! Everything was so Ono! Luau soup,banchan,sauces,protein choices,sushi! And let's not forget to mention Leila,she has a great smile and service etiquette that sets an industry standard that I thought was long forgotten! I'm very grateful for the experience! Mahalo to Kale's Hale for an amazing dinner service! read more

Not sure why this place is rated so high. The meat is ok, idk why some of the meats come in a giant ball and it's so hard to undo it to get it on the grill. The meat choices are ok. They ran out of Kim chee which was disappointing because it was actually good. They gave us this weird bulgogi ball appetizer, that was the equivalent to a giant scoop of rice. I get it, you want us to get full fast to eat less meat. The staff is nice, but I guess because they were super busy, we had to keep asking people for more water. We would run out, and a good 5 minutes would go by and we'd have to ask again. The parking here is absolutely diabolical. If you can't find parking in the lot, which is limited, good luck finding street parking. We ended up parking in the grass behind the stream. If I'm being completely honest, you're better off going to Gyu-Kaku. To clarify, we were only given the bulgogi ball and salmon belly appetizer. No mention of the other appetizer specials. The salmon was good, but the bulgogi ball seemed under fried so when you cut it open it seemed soggy not crispy. read more

My first time dining at Kale's Hale after it was recommended to me, and I'm so glad I finally went. The service was friendly, quick, and attentive. The atmosphere is welcoming and spacious enough where you don't feel cramped to the table next to you. Food is KBBQ with Hawaiian fusion menu items. They have different tiers that come with different meat choices. We went with the gold experience to get a starter experience but we'll definitely be back to try their premium tiers. You get some banchan that's typical KBBQ plus some Hawaii local favorites like Mac salad and lomi salmon. You also start off with some appetizers that rotate daily. Highlights of the meal was the luau soup and guava pork. I loved how the guava pork was first of all thin sliced, and the taste was just subtle enough where you got a nice guava sweetness without it being overpowering. Highly recommend Kale's Hale! read more

Kale’s Hale - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Came back one last time before flying back to Texas. Met up with an old friend who wanted to eat somewhere so I recommended this restaurant again. We ordered the Value again and food was so good that my friend said he'll be back with friends or family. Finally got a chance to meet Chef Kale and he is literally like his videos. Very cool and super friendly braddah. I didn't see him originally and had to leave, but he literally came out to call out to me in the parking lot to let me sample an amazing Japanese A5 cut. Definitely a big marbleized difference between the cuts. Please go support this braddahs restaurant if you're in my hometown, Kaliheeeeee! read more

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We loved the specials again!! They always rotate, so we do miss the lau lau and jook, but we were so happy with the other surprise specials, especially the crispy fried fish with spicy Asian sauce. Loved the flavors and textures of that one, asked for it again and again, even had it as my dessert! We were also super into the pipikaula, so tasty and tender! Plus the new kupuna special for only $20 makes this an extra awesome place to visit with my mom, who still cooks my bbq food (so I can focus on eating!!). We loved the refreshing mango ice cream after, too! We always know it's gonna be a great time at this place with the very friendly and cheerful service and the owner always coming by to make sure we're all happy and well fed - happy first year anniversary!! read more

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The online standby system isn't active yet. I found out when we arrived and were asked if we had a reservation. We waited about 5-10 mins at the front & we're seated past the kitchen towards the left at a booth. My husband, being a tall and muscular guy, had difficulty fitting as the distance between table and bench was minimal on both sides. Our server was friendly & helpful, answered all our questions, provided us with samples of dishes. While some of the things we ordered very super tasty, others lacked flavor. Portions were decent. I'd be willing to try them again & take our time next round as they had some interesting selections! read more

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By far the best kbbq place on island! The quality of the meat and the unique local side dishes really set this place apart from every other all you can eat places. I've been here 3 times and each time there were different sides that were all delicious and made with super fresh local ingredients. All the meat we've tried have all been so flavorful and high quality. The chef also came out to personally talk to our table and thank us for coming all 3 times i've been here which was so personal and nice. On wednesdays they also have ayce sushi for the same price which is an insane deal. read more

Kale’s Hale - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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My partner has been cooking all week, and I also recently lost a bet on a TV show... so I decided it was only right to take him out for his favorite type of food: meat. I've had Kale Hale on my "places to try" list for a while, and since they have a lot of meat options, it felt like the perfect choice. I made a same-day reservation and we went for it. First off, the ambiance is super chill and the service was great. Our server was really friendly; I think her name was Rylan (sorry if I spelled it wrong!). She had the prettiest Sakura nails and definitely made the experience even better. They offer three different tiers: * Gold - $32.99 * Value - $59.99 * Popular - $149.99 And listen... I'm a Taurus, so you can probably guess which one I picked. I went with the Popular tier because I wanted the best option. It includes all-you-can-eat Wagyu, and that night they even had specials like lobster.Everything was perfect. We went a couple rounds with the Wagyu and tried some of the regular meats too. Everything was on point. I'd definitely come back to try the other tiers in the future. Most importantly, my partner was happy, which made the money well spent. read more

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Late Valentine's Day celebration. Went on a Thursday.....$1 beers and 1/2 off the price of cocktails! What a deal!!!! We thought it was $1 off the price of a beer but noooo.......the beers were $1. Service and food were predictably and consistently great as usual! read more

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First timer at Kale's Hale and wowww i'm impressed! The layout, food and service were great during lunch. This restaurant is a mix of Hawaiian, Japanese and Chinese flavors and it's the best of all worlds. I love how there's a huge variety of sides! Everything tasted ono. Usually i would down two rice bowls but didn't even finish my rice because the sides is where it's at! Ordered all sorts of meat forgot what was what but my favorite meat was the boneless kalbi and spicy pork(which is my all time fave at other kbbq restaurants). What most stands out to me is how flavorful and tender the meats are even without the sauces. The 4 sauces are flavorful but I liked the green colored sauce and the one with sesame seeds in it, tastes kinda like sweet chili but I forgot what it was. We got malasadas and the strawberry ice cup as our dessert. Both were good, the ice cup reminded me back in elementary days eating it as a kid, nostalgic. Service was great. It was during lunch time so it wasn't that busy but it's nice to not have to flag down our waitress unlike other places. I usually go to Sikdorak for kbbq but this is by far my favorite! So sad it has to be so far though. They need to open one on the west side. It should've been Kale's Hale that opened up in Kamaz not Gens. Will be back again. read more

Kale’s Hale - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Kale's Hale is good value for KBBQ on the island. They have a wide selection of meats with good quality cuts, and a variety of side dishes to pair with. There's plenty of parking, and they utilize the nice grills that have the ventilation alongside the fire area, so it soaks up most of the smell. Our server was attentive and friendly, so we felt well taken care of! Personal favorites: - Meats: brisket and jowl - Cooked Foods: agedashi tofu and luau soup - Side dishes: I love the inclusion of seaweed salad and taegu, big fan read more

We went on a Wednesday night, which ended up being perfect since that's the only night they serve sushi with the AYCE KBBQ menu. We were seated right away, but the first thing we noticed was how oily the seats were. Even napkins didn't help much -- we had to use Wet Ones wipes to clean them off ourselves. Definitely something they should pay more attention to, it'd be greatly appreciated. The food itself was amazing though, especially the guava pork, which was our favorite item of the night. We also appreciated that our server stayed attentive despite handling a lot of tables. Overall, we wouldn't mind coming back again to give it another try. read more

Kale’s Hale - The spread! - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Haven't done a review on Yelp in years but after today's killer lunch, I just had to. I came here, just thinking we'd be getting various meats and banchan, but boy was I wrong. The waitress came out with various "chef specials" like salmon belly, two types of salad with one having poke, some birria toasted rice and everything was ONO!!! This includes the various marinated meats (although the Teri beef was a little too strong on flavor). The regular meats were great with the various sauces. Everything was of good quality and had good local flavors. Choke banchan too and their Taegu was LEGIT. To top it off, desert was included! and we had unlimited strawberry li HING ice cakes and banana lumpia. I left definitely full and satisfied for sure. The pricing was reasonable as well. Definitely our go to for AYCE for my family and I. We already talking about coming back next month and bringing more family! If you're reading this and haven't gone yet, make the trip, no matter you near or far. This place is unique for AYCE and it's legit, you won't be disappointed. read more

Where do I start? I live barely a block from this place and only got around to visiting yesterday. Bummed it took me so long to visit, but glad I finally did! 1. Customer service was awesome! Seated quickly, got our orders taken quickly, got everything we asked for very fast. Our server, went over and beyond. Met Kale and his wife, sweet people. Honestly wanted to know how our lunch was. Also bought one of his knives, and his wife was so helpful. 2. Food was ono! And no can complain about $5/oz wagyu special!! So many banchan options and they all were good! My 1.5yo liked the luau soup, tuna salad and the wakame. We did the gold option for lunch + the wagyu special. Glad there are pricing options now, we couldn't do $60/p with 4 kids. Now this pricing is more doable, we'll be back with our kids! read more

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The service was excellent. Our waitress was super. It was a very noisy place, and fairly hot. The quality of meat was good, however, everything was sooo sweet!!! Advise to the chef, less sugar, more salt and vinegar read more

10/10 this place was amazing! I went with two of my friends who eat beef/pork/etc who loved it. I personally am pescatarian (the only meat I eat is fish) and was very happy to just order vegetables and eat them with rice, since this is what I always do at bbq places and I wanted my friends to enjoy Hawaiian bbq. However, once the chef learned I was pescatarian, he went above and beyond and made a special salmon salad with a salmon side dish just for our table! It was absolutely delicious and the extra care he put in really made our evening. Mahalo!!! Note: I'm making this review to show appreciation for the extra effort, but definitely don't want to set a new expectation for customers. Please don't come expecting the restaurant to make special dishes like this without calling ahead first/being prepared for them to not be able to accommodate every time. When we were there it seemed like it was a quieter evening and I definitely wouldn't expect to be able to get the same dish on a very busy night. It is definitely understandable if the restaurant can't do it every time! read more

Kale’s Hale - Special salmon salad :) - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

AYCE yakiniku plus a big variety of banchan? I'm there! Today we chose the basic "gold" package for $32.99. Such a good value! The banchan was all delicious, I loved the luau soup, and the Chinese style fish as a chef special appetizer. MEATS: For the meats, we tried: boneless short rib (cut really thin and served rolled up), brisket, hanging tender, boneless kalbi, and the guava pork My fav was definitely the hanging tender, boneless short rib, and the guava pork! The guava pork tasted like bacon cooked with brown sugar.. so good! My husband loved this as well. SAUCES: they give you 4 different sauces: a red chili house sauce, some kind of teriyaki wasabi sauce, a green sauce (that was closer to an aioli and had cilantro in it) , and a simple sesame and salt one. Surprisingly, the red chili one was our favorite! I was worried it would be spicy, but it wasn't at all! SERVICE: our waitress was friendly and I appreciated how she recommended the most popular meats without me having to even ask AMBIANCE: this restaurant is clean, and it wasn't too smokey or loud. It's a good place to come with friends, or in my case, with your kids, but in all honesty, I would recommend coming as a date night without the kids because it was difficult to eat and enjoy within the 90 minute time limit while also tending to your kids lol Speaking of kids, kids 4 and under are free! The only thing I wish I got to have was that lihing ice cake I read about, but it wasn't offered to us so I'm not sure if that's for a higher tier of their menu? Overall though, I definitely recommend coming here! I'll be back on Wednesday to try some sushi and to try their wagyu options too :) read more

Kale’s Hale - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This is where Kale's Hale separates itself from other Yakiniku spots. Yes, you're grilling meats and loading your plate like you're on a mission... but what makes it special is the Hawaiian fusion twist. It's local flavor, comfort, and creativity mixed into the AYCE experience -- the kind of menu that makes you stop mid-bite like, "Wait... why is this so good?" ‍ The Chef & The Heart Behind It and the servers treat you like family. You can tell there's real intention behind the food here. It doesn't feel mass-produced or cookie-cutter. It feels like a local spot where the chef is truly at the heart of the restaurant, and that matters. With so many places feeling the same lately, I love supporting a restaurant that's actually doing something different -- and doing it well. Final Thoughts Kale's Hale is unique, local, and straight-up satisfying. With the new lower price, it's one of the best reasons to pull up, eat good, and support a Hawai'i-only concept you won't find anywhere else. If you've been meaning to try it... this is your sign. Note: plenty free parking in the lot below read more

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The food was so good that I have NO pictures! We ordered so much that the food just kept dropping down on the table and we were so excited to try everything that we didn't stop to take pictures. This location is on the corner of Houghtailing and North School St near Damien Memorial School. There are some parking stalls on the property. However, there's an adjacent parking lot with more stalls. There are three ways into the restaurant which is on the second floor: two sets of stairs (front and rear) or the elevator (in the middle). When you enter the establishment there is a host stand and restrooms. Lots of seating! They can host large groups as well. We had a reservation, so we were seated quickly for their lunch special. We ordered the AYCE Value menu. Did I mention it is a yakiniku place? It came with one ounce of Waygu beef, two different cuts... soooooo ʻono! We ordered the usual suspects: brisket, thin pork belly, Kalbi, cow tongue. However, the banchan... was OVAH the TOP! PERIOD! All the fusion things... you just gotta go because it's on a rotation, but everything was so good. Very tasty. Lots of flavor. We also ordered sushi which is only offered on Wednesdays. The highlight was a squid lūʻau sushi roll! WINNAH! The servers were great! Super nice and friendly. The price of all the food is worth it. --so you know the drill... if you're in the area. Check em out. And even if you're not in the area-- plan to go! :) #supportlocalbusinesses read more

My husband and I came here for dinner on Friday night. We both love yakiniku and wanted to give this place a try! The restaurant was decorated with Christmas and holiday decorations. Once we were seated, our server, Natasha, brought us some beef stew to taste. We ordered the meats and then started to try all the banchans. I love that there were Hawaiian-inspired banchan dishes such as lomi lomi salmon, tuna mac/potato salad, and an imitation crab meat potato salad. Everything was very tasty! Natasha also brought us some luau-style soup and a chicken jook. The side dishes were all good, but my favorite was the beef stew! I ordered quite a few bowls of it. All of the meats were good, and I especially liked the guava pork and kalbi. For dessert, we were served banana lumpia with coconut sauce and mini malasadas, also with coconut sauce on top. I liked the malasadas the best! Overall, I loved the concept of a Hawaiian-inspired yakiniku restaurant that uses locally sourced produce. I'm not sure if the side dishes are on a rotation of whatever is in season, since they are not listed on the menu. I thought it was fun for us to be served different side dishes without knowing what they were! Happy Eating! read more

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First time here. Came for lunch - 32.99 AYCE? Yes please. Bonus - Sushi Wednesday's! I came around 11am and parked in the small lot out back. Prob 6-8 spots. Should have taken some pics and I didn't pay attention to the parking situation off School St. Walked in solo as I had some time to burn for a lunch break. Was greeted with a friendly smile and got my table set up and seated right away. My server Natasha was awesome. Helpful and perfectly attentive w/o being overbearing or anything. I grabbed a couple rolls (the surf and turf was interesting but reallly good!) along with a bunch of different meats as expected. It was on the quieter side but probably bc I came earlier before any lunch rush. Overall, everything was great. I'll definitely come back again. Much aloha! read more

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Good food? Yes AYCE? Yes Great service? Yes Affordable prices? Yes It's hard to find a place that has me, my husband, and my son all in agreement, but Kale's Hale did just that. It's all AYCE Hawaiian Fusion Yakiniku. You can order from 3 different options, Gold, Value, or Premium. We ordered the Gold Option which comes with all meat on the menu except wagyu, AYCE banchan, rice, luau soup and banana lumpia for dessert. AND since we went on a Wendesday it also included AYCE sushi rolls!!!! Yes! You can bet my son ate his fill of California rolls, and my husband had 4 shrimp tempura rolls. I had the spicy ahi roll, and the heat kind creeps up in you. Banchan, the have a good variety of it. My husband who doesn't like spicy heat actually ate some of the kim chee because the spice level was mild. Just FYI though the servings are small so you will order a lot. But I prefer smaller servings and having to end up ordering more rather than the other way. There is a lot less waste. Also, I love the food is locally sourced. Food is really good. I was very surprised with the luau soup. It's a spin on the Korean seaweed soup, but it works and it was so good. My husband and son love the teriyaki chicken. It is perfectly marinated. It does come on a bamboo skewer, but we ended up taking it off the skewer and cooking it on the grill. I prefer the non marinated meats to dip in the sauces. Service is also great. Our server was attentive and very welcoming. She always checked on us, made sure our food and drinks were never empty. She was very kind to my son who can be a little loud. Overall Kale's Hale is a must. I think we found our favorite yakiniku place. read more

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Kale's Hale is one of those places that makes you forget you're eating AYCE because the quality is that good. I ordered the Gold set (no Wagyu) and honestly didn't feel like I missed anything -- every cut was fresh, well-marbled, and super flavorful once it hit the grill. The pork belly, kalbi, and brisket were the standouts for me. Everything cooked evenly, the marinades weren't overly sweet, and the meat actually tasted clean -- which is rare for AYCE. The sides were also a huge win: fresh kimchi, crisp salad, and those little fusion touches that make the meal feel more Hawai'i than standard yakiniku. Service was fast, friendly, and super helpful without being overbearing. They checked in just enough to keep things moving, and the vibe of the restaurant is relaxed but still feels nice enough for a dinner date or a night out with friends. If you want a spot in Honolulu that gives you great quality without the Wagyu upcharge, the Gold set at Kale's Hale is a 10/10. I'd absolutely come back! read more

Kale’s Hale - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Tired of the same old yakiniku spots? Try Kale's Hale for a little local twist! * Parking: A few stalls available in the first parking lot, but there's another parking lot just behind it with a good amount of stalls! Just drive by slowly as you might miss the entrances to either lot. * Ambiance: Such a fun atmosphere! Very clean and not smoky unlike many other yakiniku restaurants. * Service: The staff was very accommodating to our party of 11. Our waitress did a fantastic job of running our orders back and forth, re-upping banchan, & refilling drinks. I also admire the strong team work of the staff here--even the chef/owner was bussing tables & seating guests! * Food/Drink: Loved how unique this yakiniku spot was! Our party thoroughly enjoyed the variety of both traditional and non-traditional banchan & side dishes, such as the lau lau & lomi salmon, as well as the different dipping sauces. Definitely coming back!! read more

Kale’s Hale - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Kale's Hale is different. It's quality. We came in for the 2nd time last night after seeing that the menu had changed slightly. Had a great experience the first time for my mom's birthday, so we were excited to return. You'll find it upstairs, there is an elevator. Parking is free - 2 adjacent lots. Restaurant is spacious, well ventilated. Very important for yakiniku-style. Restrooms are clean and right by the entrance. Kitchen looks open and clean as well. And as you've probably read in a lot of other reviews, chef Kale is on site a lot. He was working away in the kitchen and making contact w/ the guests as well. Was not disappointed the second time around. You can taste the quality. Don't sleep on that luau soup. I could have like 6 of those bowls. Banchan is good - different - don't expect Korean-style. It's Hawaiian fusion. Meats are good quality. Flavors of the sauces/marinades are tasty. 4 sauces - sesame + salt, green sauce, wasabi ginger, and house special. The service is great. Everyone is super friendly and helpful. The only thing is they are being slammed. I hope there are some tweaks happening efficiency wise. I wouldn't go as far as to say service is slow, but there were a couple of times the grill was empty and we were waiting on meats or a grill change. They did apologize and mention the kitchen was busy. But the taste of the food makes up for the kinks in a new restaurant. My favorite for the night was the boneless short ribs. Super tender, high quality meat. Not-marinated, so nothing to hide behind. But the kalbi and pipikaula are great too! I'll definitely be back! read more

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Last night my partner took me to Kale's Hale as a surprise date and we decided to go with their "popular" option of the AYCE. The table was set up when we arrived with a bunch of side dishes and 4 sauces for the meat the moment we sat down. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive and explained they have items that are off the menu. Right off the bat, she was bringing us appetizers and some soft hanger steak to start off. She then continued to bring us the A5 beef and suggested we try the premium beef first then decide to order the other standard meat. With that we did about 4 orders each of A5 along with 4 lobster tails by the end of the day. It's a little pricey, however I felt like we ate enough of the premium orders to make up for it. Highly recommend and would go back for sure. Need to try their other items in the menu and possibly on Wed nights when they serve sushi rolls. Just noting parking is limited at the building lot, however, noticed they also have an adjacent lot before the building and parking ain't an issue here. If u missed the initial lot, you'll need to circle around the entire block so suggest slowing down to look for the first parking lot. read more

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I haven't started cooking yet and already... I'm impressed! From their banchan options to their Laulau soup as a starter.... already I had to write a review. We came for my sister's birthday on a Wednesday night and she had already raved about this place. It wasn't too busy and they served us our rice, water and soup right away. The Banchan was already set at the table - extra points since the kids and I arrived hungry. The meats came in quick and apparently they have a lot of specials to offer daily. Also their sushis are AYCE on Wednesdays. The vibe in here is fun! A little loud but fun for the family including the kids. I was told it's a little chilly but it wasn't that cold. Just bring a jacket and prepare to shower afterwards or you'll go to bed smelling like food. Kudos to the waitress for complimenting my sister's bday lei po'o that I made. That made my day! Speaking of waitresses... our waitress was so kind and came to check on our group often and got us our orders so quickly. I say lots of points for amazing service! Good job! read more

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I have been wanting to try this place for a fat minute now and it definitely did NOT disappoint! This was probably one of my favorite AYCE yakiniku experiences hands down! Looks can definitely be deceiving, you would never expect how quality this restaurant is from its exterior! Kale's Hale is located in Kalihi and they have free parking (one lot right in front of the restaurant and one lot below that one as well) available and there is street parking as well if you're not able to find parking for some reason. The ambiance of the restaurant itself was great, it gave more of an upscale vibe but not to the point where you couldn't dress casually here. I'd also like to say the grill on the table cooked very fast, probably the fastest that I've experienced at yakiniku. Even though we kind of wished we had another grill since there was six of us, the fast-cooking grill made up for it! I will say the service was absolutely phenomenal! Shout-out to Jayden because our party of six definitely asked for so many things but he never once showed any annoyance (I know it's the server's job but we're all human and can't help it sometimes) and always kept a smile on his face as well as such a friendly demeanor! He was probably one of the best servers I've ever had dining in at a restaurant! Despite the countless things we ordered through him, he got every single item and didn't forget a single thing. Our orders also came out so quick, I want to say our food items took less than five minutes to come out. Any drinks that were ordered came out between 5-10 minutes which to me was pretty quick! Food itself was fantastic! I unfortunately forgot to take a picture of the menu but there is one available on their website if you're interested in looking! My party decided to go with their cheapest AYCE option which was the gold which included their entire menu of meats excluding the wagyu at $32.99. They have a good variety of high quality cuts of meats to choose from with your typical yakiniku cuts as well as some local twists on meats like guava pork or charsiu chicken! Their banchan spread is also pretty crazy with so many options to choose from. Their dipping sauces were also so yummy with the four of them being their house sauce which was a sweet & savory sauce, a green cilantro sauce (their take on a crème fraiche), a teri-wasabi sauce, and the OG sesame oil w/ salt. Included in the AYCE is their luau soup which literally tastes like lau lau in soup form, sooo yummy! There was also a dessert included in the gold option which was their li hing ice cup, which was the perfect refreshing sweet treat for post-yakiniku! I also ordered two cocktails while I was there which I don't normally do at AYCE but they looked too good to resist! I got their mango sticky rice cocktail which was delicious! Its base was a coconut rum if I recall correctly with some other mixers in it and a toasted coconut flake rim. It was definitely on the sweeter side and you couldn't taste too much of the alcohol which makes sense for what they used as the liquor base but definitely perfect if you're one who doesn't like a really strong cocktail! I also ordered their strawberry hibiscus tea-tini which was also fantastic! It was stronger than the other cocktail but not overly-powering by any means, you could still taste the strawberry hibiscus tea! I have been in a bit of yelp reviewing rut but this was too good to not leave a review! It was genuinely one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in a while, from the quality of food & drinks to the service! I will definitely be back with more of my friends to share this hidden gem with everybody :) read more

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We absolutely loved this place! Food was delicious and service was exceptional. We were presented with a variety of salads/sides to start with and any that we liked, we got a big bowl of. The waitress patiently explained all the different meats and we loved the variety and cooking experience. The value is great too and my family agreed it was overall way better than Gen. The owner Kale even came to each table to see how we were doing. Top notch place that I'd highly recommend and can't wait to come back. read more

We really enjoyed the all you can eat option! The banchan were all very tasty. The meat selection is long and the serving size is fit for our local appetites. I love good rice! I mean GOOD rice! Went well with good quality meats. Wear loose clothing or be prepared to unbuckle in the middle of your feast! Our server was Twig and he ensured our dining experience would leave us coming back for more. He prepared the table beautifully with the array of banchan. Service was excellent! Restaurant is clean. Free parking on site. I felt good just walking into the restaurant. Good vibes for sure. The restaurant is spacious and the ambiance made for a comfortable dining experience. Chef Kale came to our table, which was such a blessing. He took time out of his busy schedule to chat with customers. He's so down to earth, humble, and a man of God. We thoroughly enjoyed the conversations and left the restaurant feeling so good. We plan on returning again and AGAIN! We all need to support local businesses like Kale's Hale. Let's keep this restaurant busy for generations to come! read more

Kale’s Hale - Menu - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Every other month my fiancé and I fly from Kauai to Oahu literally just to eat. We have a longggg list of new places we want to try and Kale's Hale has been on our list for a while now. Just touched down in HNL and boom we in an Uber to Kalihi with hungry bellies. We loveddd our first visit to Kale's Hale! Caleb gave us the most amazing service. I can tell he loves his job, he truly enjoys working there, and Kale takes great care of his team. My fiancé loved the pork luau soup, I loved the garlic stems, and we both loved the hanger steak soooo good! We will def be back again. Goodbye Gen KBBQ, HELLO KALE's HALE! One thing I wish they had was rice paper :) Pro tip: Tues and Thurs is $1 beers!!!! Not a typo. ONE DOLLAR. What a stealllll! locals, do not sleep on this incredible deal. read more

Absolutely blown away by our experience at Kale's Hale! From the moment we walked in, we were seated right away and treated with such amazing hospitality. The staff was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and always had the biggest smiles on their faces Our server was on top of everything and made sure we had everything we needed without ever having to ask twice. The bartender also went above and beyond by creating custom drinks for us and they were absolutely fabulous! The food specials were truly unforgettable. I've honestly never tasted flavors like this before , the meat was unbelievably tender, the sauces were perfectly balanced, and every bite literally melted in my mouth. Everything was packed with flavor and cooked to perfection. On top of all that, the prices were more than reasonable for the quality and experience you get here. Highly, highly recommend Kale's Hale to anyone looking for amazing food, drinks, and service. We will definitely be back again soon! read more

Kale's Hale honestly surprised me! Came here for a friend's birthday and had no idea this place was AYCE. For their soft opening special it was $40/per person. I believe normal price is $60. This is not your typical AYCE K Bqq. It's a local/Hawaiian fusion so they offer dishes like wagyu laulau and lomi lomi salmon as part of their banchan. The sides were so good!! They give you your typical korean banchan but I really enjoyed their mac salad and waguyu laulau. The meat quality was also pretty good and I loved the beef brisket and pork belly (my go-to meats for kbqq). Staff was attentive and friendly. Only thing is they don't serve alcohol and it's not byob. Not a big deal to me since I barely drink but for people who enjoy drinking with their meal, that might be a downfall. They have a parking lot but it can get full pretty fast. I believe the lot next to it is parking as well. For $40/per person, I thought it was so worth it. $60 is a little steep but food is good so I'd probably be back. read more

Kale’s Hale - Meat was good quality! - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Everything was Onolious ! From the food, to the drinks, service & hospitality. Everyone was 100% moving with urgency. Very friendly & helpful staff. They accommodated us with the last-minute add-on reservations of five and we were very gracious for that. We were celebrating my nieces graduation for aesthetician school, and the owner came on by & introduce himself , table touching seeing how we were all doing . He even came back & gave something special to her. The music was perfect about of volume good music. Everyone around was having a good time eating having fun. If you wanna be part of the family come on down to Kale's Hale I highly recommend it. They were all welcoming there. We left full to our bellies & love the special li hu mui shave ice at the end it was light & juicy amount of dessert. read more

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Went to Kale's Hale for Lunch and we got the $32.99 AYCE special the meats were on small plates but we were able to double up on them which made it pretty decent and good when you are getting full so you don't have to eat a huge tray of meat the seasonings on the meat were ok though the Spicy beef was seasoned really good as well as the teriyaki meat. The four dips they give on the seasoning tray were good and were pretty tasty and I love the Banchan selection they gave three of the most notable ones were the garlic stems, the opae lomi salmon and the Taegu. Service was pretty quick and they filled our water glasses quite regularly I would definitely come back again! read more

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All You Can Eat lunch in Kalihi, Honolulu, Hawaii... For the price (they gave us the Grand Opening special), flavors, presentation, creativity, and quantity of food, I thought that we got a good deal. Kale's Hale is located on the upper level of the building. The Kalihi location of Rainbow Drive-In is on the lower level... on the corner of School Street and Houghtailing Street. There are two free parking lots. Both entrances are on Houghtailing Street. Find the elevator and go directly up to the restaurant! There were so many banchan (side dishes), including several types of kimchi! Then, our server gave us three kinds of potato or macaroni salad. One was like a California roll, with imitation crab. One had sweet potato in it. The last one had peas and tuna. Yum! We also received a bonus of cabbage salad, wagyu laulau, Luau soup, and wagyu meat to grill. By the time it came, we were already full from the 8 plates of meat that we ordered! We're not sure if our server was new because we had to ask her what the dipping sauces were and what was in the various salads. She was pleasant overall. I think we got our money's worth! The beef dishes seemed better than the marinated meats which had maybe too much flavor? I had a great meal in a clean, modern, air-conditioned environment with a convenient restroom! Thank you! read more

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Flavor overload... You need to experience the twists that Kale has at his Hale in Kalihi as there's no categorize this place where you're the chef to cook you're own proteins though they already have it all marinated and seasoned ready for you to enjoy in this really cool and spacious vibe. Your palate will surely dance with joy as mine sure did and luckily we're here as they're still celebrating their soft opening price for their AYCE as my partner Nadine chose the "Beef" items and I chose the "Marinated Meats" section which was quite the adventure. Teri Chicken came in chunks on a skewer while the other meats came in quite a generous portions. If you order the AYCE it comes with banchan and there are 14 types which is quite crazy and quite a few are kimchi which only I was able to eat so it was a bit much that I couldn't do though it wasn't spicy at all for those that do enjoy them it's just a bit much for me personally and I felt it was quite wasteful, you also get a bowl of Luau soup a twist they put on the Korean seaweed soup was very nice and refreshingly perfect to pair along with our meal. As we got grilling we were surprised to have three macaroni salad as well (Potato Crab, Sweet Potato, and tuna macaroni salad) along with a bowl of rice and wished that we had that verus some the banchan seriously as I wasted half of it because I felt forced not to waste and it came half way through our meal and as we continued to eat then comes some sort of laulau...REALLY! OH and cabbage salad came after it all as well after majority of the meat were cooked. The staff was very nice and kept checking on us and ask if we wanted any meats but after bringing out more and more sides AFTER we placed our meat order there was no room for me personally and really wished it was all brought out before we started as I didn't touch the rice, couple sips of the soup all was wasted, didn't finish four banchan, several slices of meats and didn't touch the laulau and just half of the cabbage salad...all very generous and loved it don't get me wrong but this is not how you should bring out foods after we placed our order as I didn't really get enjoy the wagyu sampler as it came out later as well so my taste buds was saying no. Side note: What I assume was the lomi salmon (part of the banchan) had shrimp in it which is a huge NO NO for this allergic person and I agree I didn't say that upfront but is very dangerous to present items that has it so be aware as they do have many crafted items to bring that Hawaiian twist that I absolutely love but tell them your allergies. Thank you! read more

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Our replacement for Gen/Sikdorak, especially on Wednesday. Host/Hostess are always patient and nice. Love the reservation system and the free included sushi on Wednesdays. Meats are very good quality. Will be returning in a regular basis. read more

Kale’s Hale - Barbeque Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii