I went with my daughter and my wife to have our 1st real sit down meal at Kam Bowl. We came in here about a week earlier and arranged a party to be held in a side room I'd room for a meeting at dinner for a small group. That is when we met the very charming Irene. She took very good care of my wife and showed us the menu and the area that she would be using when the group met.. I looked at the menu and I was intrigued enough to want to come back and try the food. And we did just that. The restaurant isn't fancy and it's been around for a while but sometimes it's not about where you eat it's more about what you eat. And what you get here is a nice dining experience. This is the kind of place that you really want to take family to so they can eat to their hearts content arts content and just relaxing enjoy the companionship. At times the music can be a bit loud because they're streaming a radio station with pop music. But if it bothers you like some people have problems with hearing aids, just let one of the people that work there know, and they'll turn it down during your dining experience. I found them very agreeable to the during my visit. When we came in we were immediately greeted by Irene again, and made comfortable as we were directed to our table. It's interesting that as I look around I noticed that everyone that's there looked like they were locals and they were all enjoying really beautiful presentations in front of themselves. As usual everyone at my table ordered their favorite but I ordered one of the house's favorites. I had the very famous oxtail soup. My wife had the Loco Moco, and our daughter had the Egg Donburi. I was very curious about how good my soup would be, based on the fact that I also make a wonderful version of oxtail soup and I've only known it to have the flavors and textures that I was so used to. So it was going to be fun to try someone else's. All our food arrived and the presentation was very very nice. I liked the colors that popped in the soup bowl. There was lots of cilantro floating on top of the broth. It had a very distinctive flavor to it and the oxtails were so tender and meat almost falling off the bone. A lot of times when soups are made, they're usually a onenote soup there's not a lot of layers of flavor because the broth is the star. But I could taste the deliscious meat this seasoning, the spices, and the colors. Everything was vibrant and fresh looking. As I deep dove into my experience trying to figure out what I was tasting it immediately came to me that the star of the broth was actually a star... star anise. It's delicate balance of flavors just letting that star anise float out into the broth with the cilentro, and the onion was a delight. And yes the meat did fall right off the bone and it was so tender and tasty it was truly the star of the soup... The other star of the soup. Lol. We were all thoroughly happy with the size of the portions the presentation on the plate and the exceptional flavors with every different plate we ordered. read more

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So disappointed in the service and food. I had to wait 35 minutes for the food to arrive!!! I heard the Ox Tail Soup was good and it arrived COLD!!! It also had a LOT OF FAT, MORE FAT THAN MEAT!!! Never again!!! read more

Came to Kam Bowl for a brunch meeting with friends, and chose this spot out of sheer convenience and nostalgia. I grew up behind this shopping center and would come down the hill to eat at Kam Bowl growing up. So with the first opportunity to return, I took that chance right away! Honestly, the place needs an update badly. I think the carpet and furniture have not changed, at least for the last 20+ years since I visited last. It's a true diner-style restaurant with tons of bar seating, and booth seating for your party. The bathrooms are clean enough and spacious. The staff was ok - not as personable but I wasn't expecting fine dining accommodation. The menu is very much what you can expect a diner to offer as well - normal breakfast staples and local lunch plate options. Unfortunately, I didn't go with the usual oxtail soup this time. Instead, I chose the combination combo 1 - choice of any 2 proteins listed including kalbi - for $25.95. I chose chicken katsu as my 2nd protein. The plate came with 2 scoops of white rice, a scoop of macaroni salad, a large portion of chicken katsu with sauce, and a healthy serving of kalbi. The mac salad was standard and tasted nice, the rice was cooked well, and the chicken katsu was for me, the star of the show. Super flaky, well coated, crispy, and seasoned well! Unfortunately, the kalbi was a bit of a miss for me. The marinade had too much ginger so instead of tasting a kalbi flavor, I tasted ginger more than anything. The meat was fatty as well, and not the vibe for me that day. It was still nice to return to such a nostalgic restaurant. Because it's such a neighborhood staple, I plan on returning when I have the opportunity again - next time, I'll stick to the katsu and the oxtail soup! read more

Kam Bowl - Combo 1 for $25.95 with chicken katsu and Kalbi - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

You're in the middle of Kalihi and you've got Oxtail Soup craving.... Well you're either going Zippys, or Kam Bowl. It's been years since coming to this great little diner in Kam Shopping Center but I'm happy to find myself in the diner again awaiting my bowl of Oxtail Soup. No disappointments here with a hearty side of ginger and extra veggies on the side. Served in Small, Reg, or even XL serving sizes. We stayed for dessert and enjoyed the pumpkin crunch with whipped cream all over, ice cream (vanilla only) , on the side with coffee. Usually too full for dessert, but it was definitely a great end to a satisfying meal. Server was very accommodating to our preference in seating and menu special order requests. read more

Kam Bowl - Hamburger Steak with Mac Salad - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Old school diners in Hawaii are da best. The boss waitress', the all day menus of local, hawaiian and american food, the familiar, slightly sticky booths and menus, the struggling AC... Thats Kam Bowl. We love it. Food is good -the garlic shrimp, whole shrimp, lots of garlic, 2 scoops rice and mac salad. Sandwiches are standard diner club, blts, good fries. Just what we expected. If you're in a hurry, this isn't the place to be. Patience required. read more

Kam Bowl - Generous portion of garlic shrimp- messy, ono. - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Went to Kam Bowl when I visited Oahu. Haven't gone there since I moved to the mainland 20 years ago. Brought back so much memories and nostalgia. The aunties were as sweet as ever. The ambience as homely as ever. And the food, so iconic and delicious, as if I've never left. Made me question why I ever left the islands in the first place. Kam Bowl, mahalo for being there. It won't be 20 years before I come back again. read more

Chicken Papaya Soup so soothing for the soul! Made me so full and happy! I will be back again!

I've been on a quest for oxtail soup. Kam Bowl just happened to be one of my questing sites. About the oxtail soup= regular order is $21.95 and comes with about 6 SMALL pieces of oxtail, a scoop of rice and that's about it. The broth was tasty but lukewarm. (I'm not sure what it is but almost every bowl of oxtail soup brought me lukewarm broth- is that the way its supposed to be) If you are not a fan of Chinese parsley (cilantro) be sure you mention to your wait help to have it omitted. About Kam Bowl= It is the former Kenny's Burger House and the interior is the same as it was 20 years ago (including the ceiling lights) so be prepared for nostalgia. The servers were there from 20 years ago (so be prepared for that as well) They were surprisingly busy which I'm glad to know that some places survive the ups and downs of life as a restaurant. read more

Kam Bowl - I'm search of a good bowl of oxtail soup - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Questioning the name of this establishment are you? Ok, the name - Kam Bowl was at one time, a bowling center with a coffee shop; which served local island style food. It became popular for the Oxtail soup. Anyway's, here we are today eating breakfast. Loco moco: I ordered the mini plate. Thick gravy lacking ... umami?? (depth of flavor) Hamburger patty lacked ... flavor?? (see umami) Rice was pretty dry. (Probably makes good fried rice) Mac salad ..... Ok, I should've ordered the Oxtail soup. No sense describing the other dishes. It was our first time here and we should've inquired about their popular dishes. It must be really good because this place was packed on a Saturday morning. I would come back here to try their dinners. Service is great and parking was no problem. read more

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As we entered the restaurant we were greeted and seated. Our water and menus arrived instantly. This was our first time here so we took awhile to decide. The waitress was really nice and helpful. She shared what her favorite was between the two items I was considering. We ordered the oxtail soup mini, the special of the day which was corned beef cabbage and Korean style bbq chicken. The food was delicious and served hot however my friend would have wanted more oxtail for the price she paid. You can see the steam coming from my friend's corned beef cabbage! The restaurant brought me back to the good ole days! It was clean considering how long they have been there. read more

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Service is quick and efficient. Will definitely return later on in the week!!! Thanks read more

Kam Bowl - Fried Saimin - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Service: from the time we were seated till we were visted from a server was about 15 minutes. It then took another 5 minutes for her to bring us water. So we sat for a total of 20 minutes before even getting water. During our whole meal, she never came to refill our drinks or check up on us, this meant we all ended up finishing our meals and just sat waiting. Because we were in the side room it wasn't easy flagging someone to help us either. Ambiance: we were put in a side dining room (originally closed, there was a sign) where it was pretty dim as most of the lights were off. At no time did they turn on any of the lights or the fan. It was pretty warm in the room, so the hostest turned on the portable AC that was in the corner of the room. It was set at a toasty 81 degrees. Outside was cooler than inside this room. We ended up eating in a warm, poor lit room while the rest of the restaurant had lights and fans on. Food: food was just okay. One dish came out a little cold. Not worth the wait or experience read more

Kam Bowl - No fan on, portable AC set to 81 degrees. Outside was cooler than inside. - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This was not their best night. The service was poor and the food was cold. Our food sat on the counter for over ten minutes and when we got it, the rice was cold and so was the gravy. I asked for them to bring me hot rice and gravy. They forgot my friend's salad and her boyfriend's coffee. She eventually got her salad, but the coffee never came. I asked for the ketchup three times and finally got it. BTW we all ordered hamburger steak which is usually really good, but today not even the gravy was good. This had to be an off day so I'll come back another time. Interestingly, the menu prices are different than when they put in the bill. If you pay with cash or card, the price is listed, but when it said $14.50 for the hamburger steak, the bill was a charge of $14.65 plus tax for the credit card purchase. Why are the prices different from what is listed on the menu? read more

Kam Bowl - Here is the bill. The menu said $14.50 for hamburger steak purchased with a credit card. - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I've lived in Honolulu nearly 20, and had never tried Kam Bowl. I'd more accurately give it 3.5 star rating, but it's New Year's Day, so why not be generous. I took delivery of the short ribs (kalbi), BBQ Mix Plate, and an order of crispy gau gee, which is not really on my diet but I can get away with it every now and then, as long as I eat them over the course of a few days. The gau gee was uneven. It seemed the filling had not been mixed thoroughly. Some were bland, while others were seasoned well. Also, they had not been allowed to drain well before they were tossed in a paper bag, judging by how oily the paper bag became. (At least they didn't strangle them by putting them in a plastic bag or Styrofoam container.) Unfortunately they didn't hold up after being reheated. I could taste fish and some had an unpleasant flavor that I'm at a loss to describe. The kalbi looked burnt, but actually were not. I got the regular size, which came with the standard three ribs. They were surprisingly tasty. Appearances were indeed deceiving here. I asked for all toss salad with no dressing instead of the usual two scoops rice and one scoop mac salad. Kudos to the staff for actually reading my request, honoring it, and doing so accurately. But I laughed when I saw the "salad." It was the same makeshift job used by some branches of another well-known plate lunch joint. It consisted of the iceberg lettuce and tomatoes they use for burgers and sandwiches. At least they were fresh, and at least they offered this option. I ate the salad. The BBQ mix plate was also a bit uneven. The teri beef also had a bit of a fishy taste. The chicken was okay, but nothing to write home about (or rave about on Yelp). The kalbi, not surprisingly, was the best of the bunch. read more

Kam Bowl - Regular kalbi plate with "toss salad" - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Kam Bowl still has the food that feeds the soul!! If you crave local food and you've got a big appetite, this is the spot!! They're known for their oxtail soup but honestly everything is good and the food is served quick!! Finally the Menu went paperless adjusting to a QR code to provide you a contactless menu!! Customer service by all the ladies are really friendly and fast!! Don't be fooled by the look of this establishment, yes the tables, chairs, carpet and especially the restroom are older. But, I would choose eating here over anywhere else any day!! read more

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Tried Kam bowl for the first time and was honestly pretty disappointed.. It wasn't busy around 7pm, the waitress was nice and efficient, food came out fast, I ordered the beef stew, my husband ordered a cheeseburger with fries and got the tan tan ramen, The beef stew came with either mac salad or tossed salad and white rice. I ordered the oriental dressing for the tossed salad, the dressing was good, The beef stew on the other hand was so bland, i usually never add extra salt on my food but it was really needed... Tasted like it had no seasoning whatsoever. My husband said the burger was a 4/10. The burger wasn't a frozen patty at least. He said the tan tan ramen was mediocre, really no flavor to the broth and the meat tasted cold. Overall, dinner wasn't great but I'd definitely be back to try their breakfast for sure. All of that sounds good so I might just give it another try for that reason along with the good service. read more

Brother flew in from Cali and the first thing he wanted was ox tail soup. Heard about Kam bowl's famous ox tail soup so we all drove down on a rainy Tuesday- perfect oxtail soup weather. It's located in the Kam shopping center that used to be Kenny's. Got confused at first because I was thinking of the old location which is now Walgreens. Typical diner style. They serve breakfast all day in addition to the regular menu. So brother and cousin got the oxtail soup which came in 2 sizes- small or regular. The regular wasn't very big so get this size. Also the price was like a $1 cheaper if you paid cash. The soup got a thumbs up from brother and cousin. Oxtail was tender and the soup was tasty. I got the garlic chicken which was deep fried and then tossed in a sweet sauce. Didn't get much of any garlic flavor but the chicken was soft and not over fried. I would prefer it not being so saucy. The teri chicken and katsu combo 2 had choice of 2 except the kalbi. Both plates had choice of white or brown rice and tossed or Mac salad. The teri chicken was pretty good- very tender. Mac salad was okay, little bland. Everyone enjoyed the lup cheong fried rice. Service was good- I think the server had the whole section. She was impressive taking our orders without writing it down- and got it to right person! Yes, very impressive. She did check in on us couple of times even though she looked busy. Prices are a little high for just diner food but these are inflation times so get used to it. All in all, my brother had his oxtail soup fix and was pretty happy read more

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Used to go to a the old kam bowl back when it was where the Walgreens used to be so I was a little intrigued. Cousin and I came around 1pm for lunch and was sat right away. Menu was a little dated but had a very 90's diner feel that felt kinda homely. The dinner round is quiet big but the area just need to be dusted a little and it would be a lot more pleasing. I got the Korean chicken which was super tender, crispy on the outside and plentiful, would totally go back to taste they infamous oxtail. read more

Kam Bowl - Crispy Korean chicken - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Waited about five minutes to be seated for one at the counter. Waited another 10 minutes and no service. Another guy sat on the opposite side of the counter, and was promptly serviced and order. After another minute with no recognition by servers, I left. TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND NOT EVEN RECOGNIZED BY ANY STAFF. read more

4-18-21 Seems that the furniture and layout has remained from yesteryear though there has been a name change. Ahh, childhood memories coming here a few times with my parents. My eggs Benedict were good but their Golden, crispy done right hash browns is reason enough for me to come again. Super enjoyable, thin, not greasy and delicate texture- thumbs up. Hubs had pork adobo fried rice and eggs. The portion was so generous that he's taking home leftovers with a smile saying this is for my lunch. He is very excited to return to try their famous oxtail soup. If you like fancy or pretty or cute you need to be forewarned- this is not it. However, IF nostalgia, yummy food that comes out quickly with perhaps hearing local dialect(pidgin) or even bits of Ilocanos amidst laughter or just old fashioned grub, simple, unpretentious, you might want to give this place a try. Flashback to the 80's. Tshirt, shorts, hat and mask on, good enough attire for dining here. Since it's Sunday, a party of 3 being seated as we were gearing up to leave must have just come from church in their Sunday best. Enjoy this bright and sunny day. Take care, keep safe. read more

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Kam Bowl was my family's restaurant of choice for lunch. We stopped by on a quiet weekend afternoon to scope it to host a small gathering. When we arrived we were greeted by the hostess and sat at a nearby table. Altogether our experience here was fine but nothing phenomenal. The restaurant reminds me of a spacious old-school diner with booths, tables, and a private room in the back. It's patronized by locals as it serves local-style comfort food. The menu is pretty big as they serve breakfast items as well as Asian, American, Hawaiian, and local-style diner dishes. My family wanted to get dishes they normally can't on the mainland. My Stepdad got The "Famous" Oxtail Soup and my Mom got a mini Loco Moco. I tried some of the broth of the soup and it was light and savory. My Stepdad was pleasantly surprised with his meal and my Mom ate all of her Loco Moco. I got the Oyako Don which holds nostalgic memories for me. The Oyako Don was on the saltier side and I could only eat some of it. It still had the sweet and savory balance to it with broth, onions, and eggs. I wish the chicken was juicier though. One thing to note is the portion size here, we left very full and with leftovers! Service was friendly but not much more. Our orders were taken quickly and our food and checks were brought out fast--not many interactions other than that. The thing I found funny was the music that they played (which can get pretty loud). It was the top hits of the decade which I loved but didn't match the vibe of the restaurant. Kam Bowl is a spacious and casual restaurant serving decent local-style diner food. The restaurant is located in the Kamehameha Shopping Center with ample free parking throughout the shopping center. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner items and are known for their Oxtail Soup. It was nice to check out our meeting but I don't think I'll be coming back. read more

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Horrible service. I placed a Grubhub order for pickup here and when I arrived, after allowing for well after the recommended pickup time, waited at the front counter for anyone to even acknowledge my presence. I long line of people formed behind me waiting to be seated, and an elderly gentleman got up from his booth and went to the the desk next to me to pay his bill. We all waited there for ten minutes for the wait staff, who kept glancing at us, to even say a word. Finally, one yells over to the elderly gentleman asking him if he needed change. Why would he be standing around waiting interminably for you people if he wanted you to keep the change? They process his bill and he moves on. Another five minutes pass before finally one waitress asks me "how many". "Take out order", I tell her. So, then she looks over at the lady behind me who says "we have nine". After more minutes pass, the waitress begins casually wiping down the tables in the side room next to us and bringing water and place settings there. "The party of nine," she says, and they start filing in. I followed them in and reminded her that my order came in BEFORE the party of nine came in. She finally asks for my name and can't find the order. I tell her it was a Grubhub order, and she can't find it. She tells me they have no Grubhub orders. Shocked, I walked out at that point. Grubhub calls me as I'm walking out and informs me that the restaurant did not acknowledge my order and wanted to know if I wanted to continue waiting or cancel the order. Unbelievable. The restaurant couldn't be bothered to take my order, and the staff, while not rude, certainly did not care enough to acknowledge anyone or apologize for lack of any attentiveness. They just don't give a damn. read more

I just ate at Kam Bowl today. There food was delicious, but service was given begrudingly as if they were doing you are a favor rather than treating you nicely. No smile nothing. They handled the spoon and fork the side you put in your mouth with their handles after touching the cloth they used to wipe the counter with- not very sanitary. Then they used bleach while we were eating and that made me feel noxious that we didn't finish our meal. I don't think I will go there any more. It;s to bad because I liked that place, I never felt before that it was almost like they were doing me a favor, when customer should be treated with courtesy, may be a pleasant smile, and it should be pleasant clean atmosphere. Not a feeling of hostility. read more

This place serves okay food for the price. The servers were nice and worked quickly. It's comfort food and if you don't want to spend too much. Good value for the prices. read more

The Kenny's is now Kam Bowl but still has great local flair and of course great food. Lately I've been on a Hamburger steak kinda mood and theirs was by far one of the best. Such a simple dish that had so much flavor. No processed hamburger patties but homemade. Mash potatoes and gravy, yummy Parking wasn't too bad too there was such a rotation of shoppers coming in and out that you will have no problem. read more

Let me just say my experience here from the service to food was amazing. Their "Famous Oxtail Soup" is amazing. Loved it!! read more

Kam Bowl - Famous Oxtail Soup - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Very flavorful. Reasonably priced. One of the few sit down restaurants serving this type of food in the area. read more

Kam Bowl - Pork Pork Mung Bean with Kalamongay - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Solid place for some hearty eats. This place has the old school diner vibe to it. We ordered a few items to share and were please with the food. The oxtail soup with a side of adobo fried rice, kalbi, and lap cheong fried rice were all pretty good. The portions are pretty generous and the service is good. The food also came out pretty quick. read more

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I can't say I had full experience here. I was passing by and was recommended to try the oxtail soup. Ordered take-out which took only about 10 minutes. Oxtail soup $17 - came with a mini size box of rice. Noticed the picture I took, the soup wasn't oily. There were big chunks of oxtail that had meat. Some were pretty fatty. The soup was delicious, not overly salted. Leftover would be really good with noodles! Hoping to get a dining experience someday. The set up was like an old fashioned diner. read more

Kam Bowl - Oxtail soup $17~ - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Recently went to Kam Bowl for the first time in a long time. They still have the best oxtail soup on the island. I had the extra large oxtail and it came with 4 scoops of rice. Perfect size for me since I was starving. The meat was very tender and just fell of the bone. My wife and daughter had the Loco moco and beef stew and they both really enjoyed it. The server was very nice too. Great service even though they were pretty busy on a Friday night. read more

Kam Bowl - Extra large oxtail soup - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is my second time here and I'm still very happy with my meal and service! Today I had the Japanese breakfast with Saba sooo good. This is a excellent choice for dining. The server staff are very attentive and friendly. read more

Kam Bowl - Saba and kimchee fried rice - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Kam Bowl used to be Denny's, then Kenny's, now Kam Bowl. We went for breakfast - entrees are between $5-$15 and service was good, food was delivered quickly, but the kitchen is right in the restaurant and you walk out smelling like grease. We ordered the mini breakfast and got it very quickly. read more

Every time I come to Hawaii I come here either with my sis or as a family. This is the best little local food place in the closest shopping center to my sister's house. They have the best of the best of everything I think. The adobo fried rice, the oxtail soup, the fried shrimp. There are so many options on the menu. I feel like you could pick anything and it would be delicious. The only negative is the service is not the best but they do what they can. Always come here for some authentic diner food. I should let Guy Fieri know about this place. read more

Great local food served at great prices. Good for family to gather and enjoy a great meal together. We've tried these dishes, and they're ALL YUMMY. Give any of their food a try. We love going there every once in a while. Chinese chicken salad Loco Moco Salmon plate Garlic Mahi plate Ayako Don Bori Hawaiian Plate It is located in Kalihi in the Kam shoppping center. Nothing fancy, just GOOD homestyle and great tasting food. read more

I don't know about you, but the bowling alleys around the parts where I live serve up some rubbery chicken fingers, oily fries, and leather hamburgers. But at least they have PBR on tap. I don't know how these bowling alleys in Hawaii can make such ono food. Ya you. Talking about Kam and Aiea. When I used to live there, I don't ever remember bowling at Kam. Now it's just a diner, but oh man it so lovely. I wish we could have dined here, but covid started to creep in again and decided to just take home and enjoy. Did some fried rice, chicken katsu, mahi, and some fried saimin on this visit. I gotta say, Hawaiian/Chinese fried rice is some of the best in the world. I dunno what it is, maybe it just hits the spot and brings me back to the good ole days when I played ball down the street. But these guys fried rice is so nice. Pair it with the staple of chicken katsu and you got a winnah. The katsu is decent, not the best, but hey, it's a good mix. The fried saimin was perfect too. I dunno if they use S&S, but sure tasted like heaven in a bowl. Just to be clear, we don't get this in Cali, so I may be a bit over dramatic here. Ima dine in and get some oxtail next time I'm in town. Aloha. read more

Guys watch out they will take money out off your account. It just happen to me. I payed with my card on 09/26/23 total of $20.63 and I just got notification on my account that they toke more than what they was suppose to. it came out to $41.26. Bad shit I tell you. read more

Kam Bowl - The transition that made today. 1 hour ago. It's 1:41 AM - Diners Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Food was excellent, although severely overpriced. Service was not the best, barely acceptable. The one thing that I took away from the experience was "they certainly must think very highly of themselves to charge such exorbitant amounts for something I could have gotten for half the amount at Dennys." read more

Tasty Food. Ox Tail ramen ONO!! Service fast and friendly. Nice family place to eat. I recommend eating here

We came with a really large party (19). They were super accommodating and gave us a place to sit all together. The food was really good and flavorful! We had the ox tail soup, Korean fried chicken, katsu donburi, lapchurn, kimchi fried rice, and more! Everyone loved what they ordered. I even had leftovers. I'd come again read more

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Food is excellent and service as well! Must go try! I went to eat there with my kids on several occasions and I always have the greatest experience! read more