Cancel

Open app

Search

Kale’s Hale

4.8 (245 reviews)
Closed 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 2 weeks ago

Waitlist - Kale’s Hale

Waitlist closed

The restaurant is not taking waitlist parties right now

Order Kale’s Hale Takeout or Delivery

Kale’s Hale Photos

Business Info

KALE’S HALE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for groups

More like Kale’s Hale

Recommended Reviews - Kale’s Hale

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

April Wagyu Special $5/oz
Arley N.

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!

The best fish!!! We were so lucky to get to try this!
Shayna R.

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!!

Chicken
Rayne U.

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!

Michelle D.

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.

Special salmon salad :)
Sachi Y.

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!

Starting banchan.
Sheila A.

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!

Kimberly B.

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.

Gerald A.

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.

Kira K.

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 :)

Meats on the grill
Maddie_uwu

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. :)

Luau Soup is the Best
Joe W.

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

Dessert - malasada with coconut cream sauce and banana lumpia
Kimberly C.

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!

Menu as of 12/24/25
Jeanette S.

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.

See all

Photo of Jo C.
676
555
5251

6 months ago

Helpful 14
Thanks 7
Love this 7
Oh no 0

11 months ago

Helpful 9
Thanks 5
Love this 7
Oh no 1

5 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of S W.
142
33
19

3 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 2
Thanks 2
Love this 3
Oh no 0
Photo of S Y.
0
31
125

27 days ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 2
Thanks 2
Love this 3
Oh no 2

1 year ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 17
Thanks 4
Love this 14
Oh no 1
Photo of Paul C.
146
429
2605

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 8
Thanks 1
Love this 5
Oh no 1

4 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

21 days ago

Food amazing customer service on point. Sweet spot. Great local experience Tell all your ohana to stop by

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

mahalo so much for the support!!!!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 3
Oh no 1

9 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Lily F.
154
565
9209

5 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1
Photo of Bo K.
0
14
3

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Melvin D.
219
652
1012

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Kory W.
1
45
87

5 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

haha! yessssah! love that you loved it! mahalo for the support!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

mahalo so much for the review! we really appreciate you!!!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Js C.
0
92
0

20 days ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

big mahalo!!!!! we appreciate you so much!!!

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Queenie S.
348
269
730

11 months ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 0

11 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0
Photo of Jas M.
117
8
1

4 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

28 days ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of P J.
0
40
12

1 year ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Kale A.

Kale A.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 2 of 7

Ask the Community - Kale’s Hale

Aloha! We are a party mix of meat eaters and non-meat eaters. Is it possible to order AYCE gold and the Wagyu platter, or is that only for higher tiers AYCE? Thank you in advanced!

Yes, can! wagyu platter is ala carte. so, you can order with any of the ayce tiers. mahalo!!!

Didn't see ayce prices on the website. Anyone know what they are? Didn't see alcohol or daily specials on the website menu either. Where can I find this info?

Aloha, AYCE starts at $32.99 Yes, alcohol. Lots of great cocktails, beers on draught and a really… Read more

Do I need a reservation on Monday around 6 pm?

You should make a reservation as you don't want to be disappointed if you cannot get in. Better safe than sorry!

Is the popular come with AYCE Wagyu?

Aloha, Yes! Popular is for all you can eat wagyu.

Is the 32.99 price as of 12/2025 good for dinner as well for the Gold option...or is that for lunch only?

Aloha! The $32.99 Gold option is available all day for both lunch and dinner. Hope to see you soon. Mahalo!

Is it BYOB?

Aloha! We have our liquor license and serve alcohol at the restaurant. We do allow wine, sake, champagne with a corkage fee of $25/bottle. Hope to see you soon! Mahalo!

View All 7 Questions

Guava Smoked - Smoked Butterfish Collars grilled to perfection...you can't get this anywhere else!!

Guava Smoked

4.5(600 reviews)
5.0 miKaimuki
$$

I loved it here. Truly a hole in the wall. Parking is really tough so street parking is usually…read moregonna be the norm unless you get lucky in their tiny shared parking lot. The guava bar was delicious and flavorful and just crumbles in your mouth! Definitely one of the better guava bars I've tried. Love how crumbly it is. The salmon belly was delicious OMFG. It looks so simple and straightforward but that sht is so flavorful. It is crispy and yet soft on the inside. The salmon belly is cut into bite-sized pieces so I didn't have to worry about using a knife to cut it. I usually try salmon belly where it is usually seasoned lightly to bring out the natural flavor of the salmon, but Guava Smoked's salmon belly is just grilled in a way that makes the salmon sweet/crispy and still get traces of the salmon taste as well. It's definitely not your traditional Japanese-style way of cooking salmon belly but really just their own. I'd go back and get this again. Another thing too. I'd get this with beer. This would hit very hard with alcohol but because I don't drink I need a kombucha. The grilled salmon belly would go perfect with it. Cheers! Uncle was very helpful and kind when serving and if you dine-in he brings it to your table.

TL;DR The spicy pork…read moreis good. ----- I had Guava Smoked on my radar for quite a while, so when I found myself nearby and craving a protein-packed plate lunch, I decided to drop in. There is a dedicated parking lot behind the restaurant that is shared with the other businesses in the same building. When I walked into the restaurant at about 1pm on a Wednesday, I was surprised to find it almost empty. It's a pretty large space, so the lack of patrons was rather glaring. There was one person sitting at the counter facing the kitchen and one employee working. This was my very first visit to Guava Smoked so I asked the person at the counter what he recommends. He said the two most popular meats are the kalbi and the spicy pork. "Perfect!" I thought, because those were the two options I was eyeing. Unfortunately, they were out of kalbi that day. Bummer... Nothing else on the menu caught my eye, so I ordered a smoked spicy pork plate to go. The spicy pork was good. Did it blow my mind? I wouldn't say it did. But it was satisfying enough. Honestly, I really wish they had kalbi available when I went. Hopefully next time I stop in they will.

Photos
Guava Smoked
Guava Smoked - Smoked Pork Smoked Loco Moco

Smoked Pork Smoked Loco Moco

Guava Smoked - Kalbi and Spicy Pork Combo

See all

Kalbi and Spicy Pork Combo

Moobongri Soup & Yakiniku - Bibimbap

Moobongri Soup & Yakiniku

4.4(101 reviews)
3.5 miMo'ili'ili
$$

Still my favorite place to come for my soondae fix! Since we live on an island, soondae soup is…read moresuper limited. This place makes their soondae in house as I can tell the difference with frozen soondae and non-frozen ones. Until I go to Korea to try the real thing, this is the best I can get. I definitely think they improved their recipe from the first time I tried it. The aunties here are still very nice but as always give grace because it does get busy here and one aunty would have to take care of multiple tables and party size as well. Overall I'll be coming here whenever I need my soondae fix!! If you haven't tried, definitely come and try! I still need to try the acye here with friends one day!

Lowk wanted to gatekeep this place, but dropping the review is a must, I wanna see this place…read morethrive but hopefully I can still walk in and grab a seat. The food is good, I love AYCE BBQ and all of the meat they provide is EXCELLENT, especially the pork/samgyupsal. The only thing they can beat at is the beef tongue, while it is still very good, Gyu Kaku has better beef tongue but it's just expensive so not worth it at all. Their banchan is great, I am a fan of the Kim Chi they serve here, it has a nice funk to it and a subtle sourness that cuts through the well marbled meat you'll be eating. The Kim Chi soup is also great as well, just as a warning, if you rarely eat kimchi you WILL have increased bowel movements which is not food poisoning but it's the probiotic gut health nature of Kim Chi that flushes you out. So eat it in moderation. My favorite picks are the Pork Jowl/Brisket/Bulgogi/Beef Belly, you literally cannot miss with whatever you pick, it's all very tasty and easy to eat. The service is awesome and feels homy, all the auntys walk around and do their own thing and sometimes check up on you/restock your banchan/soup if you want them to. They have a button you can press to ring them up but you rarely need to do it. If you're not used to how asian auntys talk or behave please don't take it negatively, they express themselves in a brusque manner but they really mean the best. Overall, great meat, great service, great parking space and convenient. The last time I found an awesome tasty spot and wanted to gatekeep it was Seasons Taiwanese Eatery.

Photos
Moobongri Soup & Yakiniku - Inside

Inside

Moobongri Soup & Yakiniku - Banchan

Banchan

Moobongri Soup & Yakiniku - Bibimbap

See all

Bibimbap

Kale’s Hale - bbq - Updated May 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...