I enjoy getting their duk ramen but they didn't have it at this time! So I got meat jun and shrimp tempura! Yum! I like the banchan that they provide, the radish one is my favorite! They were understaffed (beginning of April) so due to that reason their menu was limited. Atmosphere - Old school no frills type of place and I like it! Service - Everyone is super friendly here and works hard! Cost - Around $15 for the meat jun and shrimp tempura, which came with veggies, without tip and tax. I went with a group so this was my estimate. Parking - There's a parking lot for all these restaurants, it's a paid one but it's not so much. I think whenever we're there, it's like around $3. You can do street parking as well, it's mostly metered street parking. Location - It's in a plaza of restaurants - there's a thai place, Moke's is in the same area. A go to! read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Meat jun and shrimp tempura - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Came here twice and the first time they were doing take out only. We managed to get a sit down table the second time and enjoyed our food. We got the kalbi and meat Jun. Portions were big and it was tasty. It's a decent place if you're in the area but I probably wouldn't make a trip just to eat here read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My buddy had the day off and was free for lunch, and we were both super hungry. I suggested Kim Chee II in Kaimuki, which is known for their generous food portions. I hadn't eaten there for years, and my buddy had never tried it, and we wanted to support a local family owned eatery. Once inside , I was pleasantly surprised to find a very clean, well-lit, nicely decorated room lined with comfortable booths. The booths looked newly reupholstered to me. The early weekday lunch vibe was mellow and relaxed. I ordered the lunch trio (3 choices) with BBQ Pork, Fish Jun, and fried Man Doo. My Buddy had BBQ Pork, Meat Jun, and Fried Man Doo. Everything was super delicious! We are big eaters, but we still had leftovers from our plates to take home. Thank you, Kim Chee II. We are so happy that you're still in business. We'll be coming back soon! read more

Overall, it was a 3.5/5. This is definitely a local spot for a with a good lunch special. The portions are larger and you will most likely have leftovers but it's a really good size for what you're paying. Looking for some quick and good priced Korean food during the day, this is the spot! The vibe is definitely casual so come as you are and be ready to eat! read more

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This place has been around forever, and yet I've always told myself I'll try it out.. but I keep forgetting LOL. Well, today, I finally got to try this place out We went for dinner on a Friday night and the place was quite packed.. we waited for about 5-10 min which wasn't bad. When we got seated, I really liked the nostalgic old school local diner feel this place had :) the big booths were comfortable and we have 2 young kids so it was nice that they had room to sprawl out in the booth When ordering, I asked if I could order sides of seaweed soup since my kids love it, but the sweet waitress said it's free and to make it easier, she will bring the seaweed soup out in a huge bowl so I can keep serving them some :) I got the Small Bone Special which included 2 pieces of kalbi, and 2 other entrees of your choice (from the choices listed on the menu) - I chose the fish Jun and meat jun BANCHAN: we had pickled kimchi cabbage, burdock Kim chi, Mac salad (that had purple sweet potato in it), regular pickled cabbage, bean sprouts, and seaweed. All were good (though if they had the shoyu potatoes or fish cake, that would have really been the icing on the cake!) SMALL BONE SPECIAL: ($23): the kalbi was tender and delicious! Perfectly marinated :) I was sure to eat that up first lol. Upon looking at my plate, I was surprised to see how thick the meat jun and fish jun were! The fish Jun was meaty and delicious, and their meat jun sauce is yummy. While my first meat jun was okay, unfortunately, the others were not only thick, but extremely chewy where I had to spit a lot of it out. The meat jun was the only downside of our meal (which is a shame because meat jun is usually my favorite) I did get to try some of my husband's food (he got a combo of shrimp tempura, chicken katsu, and fish jun) - and his chicken katsu was perfectly cooked and tender Although their meat jun was disappointing and service was a bit slow, service was friendly and the portions are extremely generous considering the prices (especially with how everything is usually crazy expensive nowadays) - so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and giving them 5 stars anyways. We will definitely be back as the portions and prices are very good! read more

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After immigrating to HI, Henry and Rose Chun opened Kim Chee 2 Restaurant in 1977. The prominent Chun family opened a series of Korean restaurants named Kim Chee and differentiated by a number. The four Kim Chee restaurants still operating today are Kim Chee I in Kaneohe, Kim Chee 2 in Kaimuki, Kim Chee 7 in Aiea, and Kim Chee 9 on Kauai. This review is for Kim Chee 2 in Kaimuki. With Henry Chun's passing in 2014, son Jimmy Chun took over Kim Chee 2 until his passing in 2021. Jimmy's three children, Nick, Faith, and Leila took over the restaurant after growing up working in the restaurant, just like their dad, Jimmy. Nick is the overall manager. Kim Chee 2 offers the typical Korean bbq meats (LA short rib, big bone short rib, bulgogi, bbq pork), chicken, fried mandoo, fried rice, tonkatsu, meat jun, bi bim bap, bi bim kook soo, chap chae, chicken tofu, fish jun, spicy pork, and shrimp tempura. Lunch/dinner specials and combos use a variation of these dishes. The restaurant, known for its bbq items, also serves butterfish, squid, zucchini jun, and soups. The dishes are served with veggies (bean sprouts, bean sprouts, and pickled cabbage) and rice. Banchan of kim chee and pickled turnip are also served. Original family recipes are used. Note that their menu offerings are not authentic Korean cuisine, but instead adapted to local tastes; so, you won't find any Korean nationals here speaking Korean, but instead generational local folks who have grown up with this restaurant. There's also a good chance that meat jun was invented here, as you will not find this dish in Korea. We ordered the following: * Mixed plate. This consisted of a large bone bbq short rib, bulgogi, bbq chicken, fried mandoo. This was a nice assortment of their meats, and all were tasty from the different marinades that were used prior to grilling. Loved the charring, and the tenderness of the meats. I especially loved the big bone kalbi with its perfect yummy taste after grilling! * Combo of shrimp tempura and meat jun. The shrimp tempura is the bready style, but yet there was crispiness on the outside. The meat jun's egg batter was very soft and fluffy that did not separate from the meat. Perfectly done. Interestingly, there is only the gochujang sauce that is used for dipping for all meats, including the shrimp, and I did not have any problems with that. We shared the banchan of kimchee and kimchee turnip. Both dishes had beansprouts, seaweed, and pickled cabbage. We each had seaweed soup, which was piping hot and lots of seaweed in it. Portions were generous, and we had leftovers to last another meal. As we were there during off-peak hours, like about 4p, there were only a few people dining. As such, customer service was excellent with prompt efficient service by friendly family members. The restaurant interior is like time has stood still. Yes, it's very dated and would not be surprised if it looked the same when it first opened. You never see an entire restaurant with entirely bluish-green vinyl booths anymore, but you'll find them here. Korean art adorns the walls, and Korean vases are displayed alongside the booths. Hours of operation are Wed to Mon 10:30a to 7:45p, closed Tues. Located up on the hill in Kaimuki next to Happy Days Chinese Restaurant, a large municipal lot is located in the back, and metered parking on Waialae Ave and surrounding streets. This family-run old-school restaurant is likely to continue its legacy in offering tasty Korean comfort food to locals in generous portions at reasonable prices. We look forward in returning whenever we have a craving our local Korean favorites! Support local! read more

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Usually everything is awesome however today 3/29/2026 I had the lunch special take out the portion of the rice was very little maybe one scoop or less but the portion of meat was great. The only bad thing was it was to salty, 1st time ever. I come from Nanakuli to eat at this great place but today was to salty. Service is always great tho. Attached is a copy of the update prices. read more

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We can always count on Kim Chee II to cure that Korean food crave. You can find a table most anytime outside of peak weekend dinner hours. Service is quick and food quality and portions are always consistently good. Remember that they are closed on tuesdays. read more

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I used to be a regular going here. 1-2x a week ordering their Lunch Special because I live in the Kaimuki area. The few times I've gone the meat that they use for their meat jun for some reason is tough, chewy and not edible. The bbq chicken I had was really burnt and sometimes undercooked with some pink in the middle. I understand this place really has had tough times with the loss of family members and Jimmy and I feel for them but If they are going to keep the restaurant running into the future they need to do some serious revamping. The service and food quality has gone way down from their hay days of the past and continues to decline. I really want to support their business since they have been a staple in the Kaimuki community but it's hard to when it's so bad. read more

Kim Chee 2 one of the Top rated Korean food restaurants on Oahu. Family owned and operated. We've been patronizing them when "Uncle" was still running the register to his son Jimmy then on to Jimmy's family now running the restaurant. The quality of the food and service has always been consistently outstanding. We've sampled pretty much everything on the menu and have never been disappointed. A definite favorite and must try are their Big Bone Kalbi and BBQ Pork. Totally cravable food . Dine in or Take Out or Delivery service available. read more

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Always a yummy spot for Korean food cravings. Huge servings and enjoy the kalbi and meatjun Lots of booths great for family gatherings and menu specials to choose from Parking paid lot or if you find street parking Can't wait to return again read more

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The new servers are kinda junk. We were there for nearly 2 hours and it wasn't even that full. We had to remind them twice to give us WATER, we didn't even get it until about 40 mins into our wait. The couple they sat next to us got their food and water right away. The food is so nostalgic and consistent so we keep coming back. If it's your first time you might not be into it but I'll always love the food there. It never changes. read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - 3 choice katsu, kalbi and mandoo - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The 2024 update. Bedrock of Kaimuki town. Every neighborhood business district has businesses that have been there seemingly forever. These are the businesses that usually come to mind when one does a word (business) association for the area. Local, being what it is, usually has restaurants or food establishments that come to mind. Kaimuki old timers will think about food establishment ghosts like the Pottery Steak House, Kwon On or Ed & Dons and more recently, Big City Diner and Azteca. Some casualties of the pandemic fallout, some just disappearing with the passage of time. But every community has those businesses which are bedrocks- seemingly having been their forever- and are still there today. Kim Chee 2 is one such restaurant. Owned by the same family for 3 generations, they have been there since 1977. They are survivors. As has been pointed out, this is more of a local style Korean restaurant, not authentic style, neighborhood Korean comfort food. Dining in is always fun, but can be hectic and the wait longer than one would want. Much of the seating along the walls are the half circle well padded vinyl type reminiscent of the 70s. Favorites include Kal bi, bbq chicken and meat jun. The meat can be tough at times but the bbq chicken is quite consistent. The side veggies that cone with your meal is nothing to write home about and the Kim Chee is among the mildest I've ever tasted. On a recent Friday night at about 5:30, I did take out and the place was packed. The take out order was ready as promised, the Korean style comfort food a hit- as always. Nothing special, but oh, so satisfying. read more

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I like the old style restaurant with frayed green cover chairs and paintings from many years ago. The food is tasty and the fried batter yummy. But the chicken is raw inside. I don't mind the barbecue beef being raw although it shouldn't be raw. But the chicken being red and raw inside the Katsu is not so good. I love to feel of this old restaurant, but the quality has gone down a bit. But the price and quantity are great. Still wanna support local restaurant as much as possible, but may be out go less, since there are other options in the same area that don't serve raw chicken. read more

Unprofessional and not dependable. Hours change at the drop of the hat. Food has also gone downhill. A sinking ship. Find other options.

Our family was craving Korean BBQ and immediately thought of our go-to spot in Kaimuki--Kim Chee II. It had been a while since our last visit, so we decided to head back and give it another try. We were not disappointed! The food came out hot and fresh, and the Dinner Specials were fantastic with very generous portions. Everything was delicious, from the Mandoo and Fish Jun to the Kalbi, Shrimp Tempura, and BBQ meat. We ate our fill and still had leftovers to take home. The servers were attentive and friendly, and the food was just as amazing as we remembered. We'll definitely be back when the Korean BBQ bug hits us again. read more

This place to me is the best Kim Chee of all. Best meat Jun and Kalbi. The tempura is sometimes little too battery. Today was on point. Veggies always fresh and their sauce is #1. Better than that shoyu type they have at other Korean places. The owner's kids are really doing a good job carrying on the reputation of this place. Aloha read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Combo plate and shrimp tempura combo plate. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Saturday March 22, 2025 we eat here every now and then. The food is still good. But, when the dad and the son Jimmy was there the food seemed to be better back then. Maybe, different cooks back then till now. The service was good. The ambiance was casual and comfortable. Parking is paid by credit card when leaving the parking lot. There is no parking attendant anymore to take cash. read more

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I was craving korean and heard about this place through co-workers. Went and got it and was super impressed! So much food! Definitely a good lunch special. The bbq chicken was cooked well, the mandoo were also tasty, and the meat jun had a good flavor. The kim chee was just ok for me, but I liked that I could eat it with the meat. Their sauce was also delicious and complemented the meats and mandoo well. Glad they gave a big cup! Will be back again for lunch! read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Lunch special - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The food at Kim Chee II has been consistent for so many years. I remember coming here during high school and having platters of their catering items at family dinners. The meat jun and fried mandoo is unlike any other!!! Sometimes I forget about this gem, but should have it saved for days I don't know where I want to eat. The food here is amazing, but sometimes can be a bit slow if the restaurant is busy! I think they also ran out of the radish side dish and soup this week when I visited. read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We gathered here for the final night family dinner with the relatives. This place serves up local casual Korean food. Since we decided late we didn't make reservations for our large group but they were very accommodating since it was still a little early. We sat in the long table across from the stuffed birds and set of bull horns display. Not the typical decor expected but something different! We had a couple show up later due to traffic delays but there was no pressure from the staff. We received an assortment banchan and our drinks while we waited. When the last ones showed up we did place our order quickly. I tried the bi bim kook soo with chicken for the first time. Serving was generous and too much just for one person. Lots of grilled chicken and veggies with noodles. The mandoo soup was filled with lots of thinly sliced beef, dumplings, noodles and carrots. Service was very good for our group. All dishes came out together. Will come back again due to the good food, large portions and value for what we paid. read more

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What' a wonderful evening with family, awesome food, and outstanding service. The first thing that was obvious is the family owned, everyone knows your name when you walk in feel. Technically they didn't know our names as we haven't really been here in ages, but still had that feel and obvious by the other customers a talking story with the staff as they came in or left. It's refreshing to see such young people who take pride in their business which is obvious by the great service. The food....two words....kanak attack. We had big bone kalbi, shrimp tempura, fish katsu, meat Jim, and Mando. Oh man everything was delicious. I love their dipping sauce and the Mac salad. The mac salad was awesome, one of my new favorites ~ creamy and slight peppery. They then ended our meal with a surprise otter pop for my son, he loved them haha. We definitely need to come back here more often. Also they are BYOB, so go on with your bad selves without breaking the bank, haha. read more

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Trying Kim Chee II for the first time. Easy paid parking in the back of the restaurant. Very inexpensive. We paid 75 cents! Debit or credit cards only. We were greeted and provided a table immediately after entering the restaurant. Our server asked if we had any drink orders and brought us large cups of iced water. We ordered the $17.90 lunch special "The Trio" with 3 choices of protein. We picked meat Jun, Ton Katsu and BBQ chicken. We shared the plate. It came with one bowl of rice. Banchan was pickled daikon and cabbage. Additional bean sprouts and pickled cabbage also came with the plate. The banchan was not spicy or salty. But the flavor was somewhat plain and without taste. 3/5 stars. Seaweed soup was first served before the plate was brought to us. I didn't try the soup so I'm unable to review the soup. The sauce provided for dipping the meat Jun was very thin and okay to taste. I was expecting a thicker type sauce. 3/5 stars. The proteins were good and meaty. The breading was crispy for the ton Katsu and eggy for the meat Jun. The BBQ chicken was seasoned just right. Overall 4/5 stars. Service was attentive and friendly. 5/5 stars. The restaurant was clean with the exception of the women's bathroom. Not sure about all those boxes of soybean oil in the bathroom. Interesting number of mirrors in the bathroom as well. See pictures and you decide if you would use the women's bathroom. Overall experience 3.5 out of 5 stars. read more

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I ordered the Special Dinner plate from here. Everything was packed so neatly in the bag. I was amazed that it was in a reusable container. That is a plus for me and the Service was Excellent. My food was the right temperature and Everything was very tasty. I also was amazed that my food had three Mandoo in it. The mandoo was the good kind too. I really enjoyed the Big bone Kal-be too. The Teri Steak was good too and even the BBQ Chicken was tasty. I highly recommend trying this Restaurant. I will definitely return to this Restaurant. read more

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Came here for the first time on a Saturday at 11:30 am and was surprised it was pretty empty. Just a few tables taken, but it filled up before we left. The booth was comfy, and the service was prompt. It's weird I haven't been here before although I live kind of close by. I got there a bit after the rest of my party, and they got some sort of seaweed soup to start. I didn't get any but that's ok. I was brought water and a menu quickly upon arrival. After ordering, they brought us some banchan of kimchi and something else that's in the picture. It's the only picture I took because I was hungry and concentrated on eating as soon as my plate arrived. I got the fish katsu and chicken katsu plate. I think it was $14.90 - a good deal! Originally I ordered the fish jun but they were out. Fish katsu sounded good too but wasn't in the menu? The plate came with rice, seaweed, sprouts, and cabbage. Banchan staples and all quite good. They also brought out a big plate of complimentary purple potato mac salad, which was really really yummy! I hope they have this all the time! The katsus were perfectly crispy and the dipping sauce went perfectly with all of it. I had tons of leftovers too and they were nice enough to bring takeout containers of the dipping sauce. I really enjoyed the meal, definitely worth the price. My family would like it here. I will be back!! read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Kimchee and something - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I've lived in this neighborhood for years but I think I've only been here once or twice ages ago. The friend who suggested we go here couldn't believe it and honestly neither could I. Serving generous reasonably priced portions of Korean food that caters to the Local palate, , it's no wonder this has been a long time local favorite! I'm not sure how all the other Kim Chee restaurants compare but I'm sure they must be quite similar. You feel like you've stepped back into the 90's with the vinyl seats and OG Korean decor. Do not expect traditional Korean ban chan. There are only 2 dishes: a pickled vegetable (not sure what it's called) but good, and a very mild, watered down kimchee more like a salted cabbage. You also get a clear seaweed broth that we both liked. I had the bi bim kook soo which I enjoyed and my friend had the lunch special which comes with bbq chicken, mandoo, and meat jun. Their meat jun is nicely marinated and thick and fluffier than most others which are thin. Delicious! . It hit the spot after a hot, hard day of work. We were ravenous and still had leftovers! Service was friendly and efficient. Will definitely have to come back more often! Food: 4 stars Ambiance: 4 stars Value: 5 stars Service: 5 stars Total: 4.5 read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Bi bim kook soo - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Haven't been to this place in years! Decided to give them a try after seeing a YT video review. We got there between lunch and dinner so the place was empty. We were greeted by a friendly server showing us to our table. I had the lunch special consisting of bbq chicken, meat jun & mandoo. The food was good and plentiful. The meat Jun was a little overcooked but ok. Will I be back? Not sure but if you haven't been there give it a try! read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Lunch special meat Jun, bbq chicken & mandoo. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Still a very good neighborhood Korean restaurant which I believe is longtime family owned business. Good food and good service and strongly suggest you order family style to get the best combination of flavors to share off their menu. Been there many times and will be back again. read more

If you're looking for a Korean-Hawaiian fusion place that gives generous portions, value for money, this place is for you! It was extremely popular on Sunday, Father's Day for dinner time, there were multiple parties waiting. For the local fathers to choose this place to dine for their special day, i'd say that's already a good sign. I'd recommend calling ahead for a reservation especially if you have a big party. All the servers were very friendly and attentive throughout our dining experience. Comfortable booth seating. Bathrooms available. Street parking or paid parking lot in back. Pay upfront with cashier. FOOD: Specials served anytime Lunch Special: $13.90 Meat Jun, Bbq Chicken, Mandoo, Veggies, Rice Dinner Special: $22 Big Bone Kalbi, Meat Jun, Mandoo, Shrimp Tempura, Veggies, Rice We were given Seaweed Soup as a starter, 2 sides of banchan, a side of sauce, rice, and veggies with each dish. Very large portions, enough for 2 meals. Pretty balanced meal with all the sides. Every dish was flavorful, juicy, and delicious. One thing I wish would have been better would be the kimchi. It was okay, but for a restaurant named it, I was expecting much better. Other than that, everything was good! We will definitely be back. This place is a keeper! read more

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On a 5-star scale Food: 2.5- Food was local style Korean if you will. Portion size was good but the food was mediocre at best. Meat jun was thick and tough to chew. Tofu soup...don't get me started. Service: 2- It took 30 minutes to get our food, and it was just the soup and meat jun that we ordered. The restaurant wasn't even busy when we got there. Also there was no attentiveness to anything.... except to take my husband's credit card that was on the table to pay the bill that never showed up. Ambiance: 3 read more

Delicious food and fast service. The only problem is that they close so early now. They have a good selection and the Kim Chee and daikon side dishes are always great. I love the vegetable sides so plentiful and tasty. This is my go to fast Korean food place. read more

Quick service, tasty food, fair prices. Convenient parking. Thank you for surviving the tough economic times.

One of the best meat juns on the island. The dipping sauce is fire. Almost everything is delicious here. And so cheap with monstrous portions read more

Excellent food. Large quantities. No reservations needed. We continue to to support local businesses.

I love their food but their Take Out services has been very disappointing. Pretty much this whole year everytime I try to order take out after 4:30pm they don't accept take out orders and only dine in. Sad you can't enjoy a good Kimchee 2 plate for dinner on the go anymore...... read more

One of the few OG Kim Chee Restaurants left. You can't beat the Lunch Special with BBQ chicken, Meat Jun, and a Mandoo with rice and banchan for that price. So fricking ono. read more

Went for an early dinner at 4:30, seating was easy as it was no crowded. We lucked out and found street parking out front. We were able to find any table and was soon served with water and the menus. We were informed right from the beginning that some items were out but that didn't deter us from ordering. Had the lunch combo and took home enough for tomorrow's dinner. Part of the dinner included meat jun and they gave us dipping sauce, this was the best, it's flavorful and not too spicy. Staff is always diligent to ones needs. read more

Great service and large portions, but it took too long for the food come out. I don't remember when we were seated, but I think it took 30+ minutes. I got the beef bibimbap and there was a big puddle of oil or some other liquid at the bottom of the bowl. It tasted fine, but probably wouldn't order it again because there was too much liquid (I think it was oil). read more

Did is excellent couldn't wait to eat here!! Food is always ono!! Service was great!!! read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I eat out a lot. This is one of my top 3 favorite places to eat. Great food, fantastic prices, terrific service, lots of parking. It's always a struggle deciding whether to eat the dinner special (only $23 for the big bone kalbi, meat jun, shrimp tempura, mandoo), a 3 choice plate for $17 (I always choose chicken katsu, meat jun, fish jun), or a $19 shrimp tempura 2-choice combo (with meat jun and katsu). I dont know how, but best chicken katsu and meat jun on the island! The bbq chicken is yummy too. It just never makes it to my combo, but if my sis joins me, we get 2 combos so we can get all the meats! Such a fantastic deal since each plate is good for 2 meals. Don't forget to pack extra sauce--good on everything! read more

Kim Chee II Restaurant - Shrimp tempura 2 choice combo with meat jun and chicken katsu - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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