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Let's get to the chase...where do I purchase Hong Kong style Chinese roast duck, char siu, char siu ribs, roast pork, and shoyu chicken? Mei Mei Chinese Bbq, of course! The Chinese translation for "mei mei" is little sister. But in this case, Mei Mei is the name of the wife of the husband-and-wife team that owns this nondescript small vendor space in the Maunakea Marketplace Food Court in the heart of Chinatown. Owner Guan Qiang Ruan and his wife Mei Mei emigrated to HI from China in 1993 with his brother, Ju Wei Ruan. They worked as chefs at Panda Cuisine on Keeaumoku Street for more than two decades before taking over Hung Won Chinese Restaurant in Kaimuki. Ju Wei Ruan is presently a chef at Asian Mix, while Guan Qiang Ruan and his wife, Mei Mei, elected to open Mei Mei Chinee Bbq around 2020. Mei Mei Chinese Bbq specializes in offering ready-to-eat roasted meats - roast duck, char siu, ribs, roast pork, and shoyu chicken. In addition to these roasted meats, they also prepare cold ginger chicken, honeycomb tripe, braised beef shanks, and duck noodle soup. Mei Mei was my go-to if I had a craving for roast duck, char siu, ribs, roast pork, or shoyu chicken. They also have cold ginger chicken, tripe, pig stomach/ear/tongue, and chicken feet. Then, whenever we went to Maui to babysit our granddaughter, my daughter would always request one of the roasted bbq meats to be brought up to Maui because they lack good Chinese restaurants in Maui. Yes, Mei Mei to the rescue for my Maui daughter! In recent years, Mei Mei BBQ saw the popularity of offering plate lunches with a mix-and-match of their various meats and adding a starch of rice or egg noodles and parboiled choy sum. Plus, plate lunches were discounted with lower cuts or end cuts of roasted meats. Roasted meats and veggies over the starch were nicely lined up on the plate, making its savory presentation so mouth-watering to customers. You could order mini plates, or regular plates of 1, 2 or 3 choices with so many different combos. Mei Mei and her husband speak and understand some English and are the nicest people to deal with. Both are very friendly, with Mei Mei taking your orders and payment, as well as arranging the meats in the containers, while her husband does the chopping of the meats. Mei Mei will try to accommodate your requests, as she will ask if you want a little fat in your meats or lean meat. I tend to request a little fat so that the meat is tender and juicy. If the roast pork slab they have in front is not what you want, Mei Mei will go in the back to get another slab. Then she'll ask if you want sauce for the char siu. When I noted that the meats would be going to Maui, she reinforced the takeout boxes by lining them with foil. When Nam Fong, a major roast meat vendor fronting Maunakea St closed a few years ago, I asked Mei Mei if they wanted to move to that high traffic spot with lots of visible frontage to the public. Nope, they were satisfied where they were, knowing that they would not be able to handle the additional workload. They know what their limitations are. Hours of operation are daily 7:30a to 3:30p. Early bird gets the worm here if you want a big duck/chicken or choice cut of meat. Once the better cuts are sold, you're left with what's left. Located on the Diamondhead side of the food court across from Papa's Café take-out booth, Mei Mei is the corner stall. One cannot see the food court from the street. Municipal parking lots nearby or metered street parking is available. Or, if the driver can drop you off and wait on the side, which is even better. The vendor space is very small, as most of the space is used to display hanging roasted meats or shoyu chicken lined up or char siu piled high on front shelf space. Paper products take up a lot of the space, as well as an oven housed in the back to roast their meats. They have adequate signage and price list of their food offerings. Yes, Mei Mei Chinese Bbq for my craving of roasted meats or when wanting to gift someone with delicious savory meats! Wishing Mei Mei and her husband many more years with their successful Chinese bbq meat business!
Today had the most moist roast pork this morning. This is about 1.5 lb ,chopped perfectly . They also gave excellent duck,shoyu chicken and other items. Try their plate lunch 8 to 15 dollars. With rice and choy sum.
. Was in China town to get some sundries& happen to go into the food court in Maunakea Market Place.We parked in the private parking lot on Maunakea St. Meter takes only credit card & cost is $5.17 per 1 hour.Read on yelp the good reviews Mei Mei Chinese BBQ had for their BBQ meats. The husband & wife team speak limited english, but understand what you are ordering, The husband cut me a slab of pork char sui from the stack of meat in the display case. Roast Duck & pork looked so good! The sauce put on the Char sui was so good. This place is legit, since Nam Fong closed.Support them for you Chinese BBQ cravings! They have shared tables in the food court to dine in.
Update on Mei Mei Chinese since today is Father's Day decided to buy some roast duck and Char Siu . I purchased 1 pound Roast Duck and 1 pound Char Siu . Surprisingly Chinatown wasn't as crowded as I thought around 12:30pm . I guess all the Fathers is BBQ at the beach already or at home . Happy Fathers Day all you Fathers out there .
Best charsiu, roast pork and juicy fatty pork in town, hands down. Consistent quality and taste. They offer rice plates, straight meat or noodles in soup. Served with steamed bok choy and the meat of your choice. Combination plates also available. Introduced to me by Paul C the King of Chinatown years ago, this is still my favorite place for Charsiu. Park in a nearby municipal lot. This location is located in Maunakea market place.
Our usual spot was closed early so we decided to follow the lines and try something new, and boy I'm glad we did. Got a half pound of roast pork and half of a Peking duck and we demolished it outside on chairs like animals. The five spice infused shoyu sauce is fire as well, really good blend of sweet and salty. Maybe my favorite new Chinese style BBQ on island!
Had the Roast Duck and Pork Belly plate. Great flavor and huge portion for $15. The Duck was super flavorful and the Pork Belly was delicious and had a great crunch for the skin. Served on a bed of rice, we felt that this was an outstanding value and really prepared wonderfully.
Was craving a roast duck plate and this place satisfied that for me! It's located in the Maunakea marketplace with other food stalls. The prices here are so reasonable and you can also get their lunch special plate for just $8! The lunch special included some duck and char siu. I was a big fan of their ginger scallion chicken as well. There are plenty of seats inside and other yummy places to try too so it's a great place to go with friends or family!
This place is not visible from the street. It is inside the food court at Maunakea Marketplace. It's a hole in the wall with other food stands which you can order and eat the food inside or outside. Ordered the roast duck and roast pig rice plate as well as 1/2 pound bbq pork. The bbq pork was a solid 4 out of 5 for me. Tender and juicy since they slather the honey bbq sauce on it. The roast pork was around also around a 4 out of 5. Had a nice crisp airy skin and tender meat but just lacked a little flavor. The roast duck was a disappointment. Very salty and not much meat. A 2 out of 5 at best. The rice was a little softer and stickier which I liked so that was a 4.5 out of 5. Overall I would rate this place a 4 star. Price is reasonable but not cheap. I guess everything isn't cheap these days.
Dont miss out on Me Mei Chinese BBQ. Located in the Maunakea Marketplace in Downtown Chinatown. It is always on my list when I'm in town. Today, I picked up the Holy Trinity of Chinese BBQfrom Mei Mei Chinese Bbq located in Maunakea Marketplace. Roast Pork, Roast Duck and Char Siu served on a bed of Jasmine Rice with sautéed Gai Lan. Generous portion, enough to share for two people.
Tasty Chinese bbq Stop here at Mei Mei Chinese BBQ in the Maunakea Marketplace for great Chinese bbq. Learned of Mei Mei from Paul C, the unofficial mayor of Chinatown. You can order one-, two-, or three-choice plate, with rice or soft noodle, and side of choy sum. There are $8 plates available for a great bargain. Soup noodles (duck, char siu) are also available. We ordered the roast duck, char siu, roast pork, and char siu ribs on two-choice plates with soft noodle: all were very tasty and totally satisfying! A great value for $17! Definitely returning for more bbq!! Tables are available inside or outside in the courtyard. Today there was live entertainment in the courtyard. Give Mei Mei BBQ a try - you'll be glad you did!
The deals are here... Located in the food court area of Maunakea Marketplace there's so many varieties of food vendors and Mei Mei Chinese BBQ has been on my mind with all the post from Paul it just looks so yummy! Always a crowd at this corner of the market I arrived early as my was being serviced I spent the day with Nadine C as we checked out a place to have some breakfast and I instantly noticed through the plexi a couple of plates with lunch special price of $7...sold! Those plates weren't display obviously as I made my choice she grabs it and chops more shoyu chicken and add it to the plate along with a sauce which also came with some roast pork and fried rice it all was nice and can't really complain for the price though if I had to it I'm not about to say it as it was more than enough to fill my happy belly. Thank you!
Still on the search for a good roast duck place since Nam Fong closed a while ago. Decided to give this place a try after work in the morning. I saw a $7 lunch plate with one choice of protein, what a deal! I got the $14 roast duck and roast pork combo plate since I wanted to try both. Comes with rice & choy sum. The roast pork was good! Crispy skin but some of the cuts had a little bit too much fat for me. Other cuts had a good balance of meat and fat. Very good flavor; not too salty and such a rice thief! The duck was also good! I wish I got a whole duck though because I got mostly bones with not much meaty pieces. The sauce and duck had slightly too much star anise flavor but still good! Love that they drizzle sauce on the duck so that it seeps into the generous portion of rice. Also comes with choy sum that is cooked well and still crunchy. Service is fast; someone takes the order while the other is chopping and plating. They do accept card, probably over $10 purchase but I see most people pay with cash. Next time I'll probably get a pound of roast pork & a whole duck to see if there's any difference than getting a plate.
I really liked this place. The duck was flavorful and I can tell it was made fresh. The noodles in the dish were really tasty and had a good chewiness to it. I enjoyed the sauce as well and brought the whole dish together. read more
1 year ago
I have seen so many positive reviews on Mei Mei so I thought it gotta be good! Hmmm I wasn't sure if it was just a bad day for the chef or the quality has gotten worse? But we were so disappointed with the quality of the food we couldn't even finish everything. So I got 2 lunch orders: rice with char siu and roast pork, and rice with roast duck and chicken. I also ordered half pound of beef trip to try. So this way we got to sample everything. At the end the only thing we enjoyed was the roast pork. The skin was crispy and meat had good flavor. The duck had too much fat. There was not much meat left after getting rid of the bones and the fat. The chicken was quite mushy. The texture just was not right probably because it wasn't too fresh? The char siu was probably one of the worst I have even had. It had so much tendon that there was not a single piece that we could even chew through it. And the beef tripe was soooooo salty. It was just very disappointing. It was relatively cheap though compared to other restaurants and they gave us a very big portion but I don't think I will go back given that there are places that sell better roast duck and char siu. read more
A group of co-workers and I trek up to Maunakea Marketplace when we want to buy seafood and pick up lunch from one of the spots there. One of our favorite places is Mei Mei, where I always get noodles with char siu and roast pork and sometimes a lunch plate to take home for dinner. A couple run the place; the husband usually cuts the meats while the wife preps each plate with rice or noodles. The char siu and roast pork are consistently good. The ginger chicken is fine and the duck can be great or okay, depending on how much meat you get (and which part of the duck is in your order). I like the roast chicken that comes in the lunch plate. It used to be "the deal" at $5, I think it's now $8. read more
Let's get to the chase...where do I purchase Hong Kong style Chinese roast duck, char siu, char siu ribs, roast pork, and shoyu chicken? Mei Mei Chinese Bbq, of course! The Chinese translation for "mei mei" is little sister. But in this case, Mei Mei is the name of the wife of the husband-and-wife team that owns this nondescript small vendor space in the Maunakea Marketplace Food Court in the heart of Chinatown. Owner Guan Qiang Ruan and his wife Mei Mei emigrated to HI from China in 1993 with his brother, Ju Wei Ruan. They worked as chefs at Panda Cuisine on Keeaumoku Street for more than two decades before taking over Hung Won Chinese Restaurant in Kaimuki. Ju Wei Ruan is presently a chef at Asian Mix, while Guan Qiang Ruan and his wife, Mei Mei, elected to open Mei Mei Chinee Bbq around 2020. Mei Mei Chinese Bbq specializes in offering ready-to-eat roasted meats - roast duck, char siu, ribs, roast pork, and shoyu chicken. In addition to these roasted meats, they also prepare cold ginger chicken, honeycomb tripe, braised beef shanks, and duck noodle soup. Mei Mei was my go-to if I had a craving for roast duck, char siu, ribs, roast pork, or shoyu chicken. They also have cold ginger chicken, tripe, pig stomach/ear/tongue, and chicken feet. Then, whenever we went to Maui to babysit our granddaughter, my daughter would always request one of the roasted bbq meats to be brought up to Maui because they lack good Chinese restaurants in Maui. Yes, Mei Mei to the rescue for my Maui daughter! In recent years, Mei Mei BBQ saw the popularity of offering plate lunches with a mix-and-match of their various meats and adding a starch of rice or egg noodles and parboiled choy sum. Plus, plate lunches were discounted with lower cuts or end cuts of roasted meats. Roasted meats and veggies over the starch were nicely lined up on the plate, making its savory presentation so mouth-watering to customers. You could order mini plates, or regular plates of 1, 2 or 3 choices with so many different combos. Mei Mei and her husband speak and understand some English and are the nicest people to deal with. Both are very friendly, with Mei Mei taking your orders and payment, as well as arranging the meats in the containers, while her husband does the chopping of the meats. Mei Mei will try to accommodate your requests, as she will ask if you want a little fat in your meats or lean meat. I tend to request a little fat so that the meat is tender and juicy. If the roast pork slab they have in front is not what you want, Mei Mei will go in the back to get another slab. Then she'll ask if you want sauce for the char siu. When I noted that the meats would be going to Maui, she reinforced the takeout boxes by lining them with foil. When Nam Fong, a major roast meat vendor fronting Maunakea St closed a few years ago, I asked Mei Mei if they wanted to move to that high traffic spot with lots of visible frontage to the public. Nope, they were satisfied where they were, knowing that they would not be able to handle the additional workload. They know what their limitations are. Hours of operation are daily 7:30a to 3:30p. Early bird gets the worm here if you want a big duck/chicken or choice cut of meat. Once the better cuts are sold, you're left with what's left. Located on the Diamondhead side of the food court across from Papa's Café take-out booth, Mei Mei is the corner stall. One cannot see the food court from the street. Municipal parking lots nearby or metered street parking is available. Or, if the driver can drop you off and wait on the side, which is even better. The vendor space is very small, as most of the space is used to display hanging roasted meats or shoyu chicken lined up or char siu piled high on front shelf space. Paper products take up a lot of the space, as well as an oven housed in the back to roast their meats. They have adequate signage and price list of their food offerings. Yes, Mei Mei Chinese Bbq for my craving of roasted meats or when wanting to gift someone with delicious savory meats! Wishing Mei Mei and her husband many more years with their successful Chinese bbq meat business! read more
. Was in China town to get some sundries& happen to go into the food court in Maunakea Market Place.We parked in the private parking lot on Maunakea St. Meter takes only credit card & cost is $5.17 per 1 hour.Read on yelp the good reviews Mei Mei Chinese BBQ had for their BBQ meats. The husband & wife team speak limited english, but understand what you are ordering, The husband cut me a slab of pork char sui from the stack of meat in the display case. Roast Duck & pork looked so good! The sauce put on the Char sui was so good. This place is legit, since Nam Fong closed.Support them for you Chinese BBQ cravings! They have shared tables in the food court to dine in. read more
Update on Mei Mei Chinese since today is Father's Day decided to buy some roast duck and Char Siu . I purchased 1 pound Roast Duck and 1 pound Char Siu . Surprisingly Chinatown wasn't as crowded as I thought around 12:30pm . I guess all the Fathers is BBQ at the beach already or at home . Happy Fathers Day all you Fathers out there . read more
10 months ago
Best charsiu, roast pork and juicy fatty pork in town, hands down. Consistent quality and taste. They offer rice plates, straight meat or noodles in soup. Served with steamed bok choy and the meat of your choice. Combination plates also available. Introduced to me by Paul C the King of Chinatown years ago, this is still my favorite place for Charsiu. Park in a nearby municipal lot. This location is located in Maunakea market place. read more
Our usual spot was closed early so we decided to follow the lines and try something new, and boy I'm glad we did. Got a half pound of roast pork and half of a Peking duck and we demolished it outside on chairs like animals. The five spice infused shoyu sauce is fire as well, really good blend of sweet and salty. Maybe my favorite new Chinese style BBQ on island! read more
Had the Roast Duck and Pork Belly plate. Great flavor and huge portion for $15. The Duck was super flavorful and the Pork Belly was delicious and had a great crunch for the skin. Served on a bed of rice, we felt that this was an outstanding value and really prepared wonderfully. read more
Was craving a roast duck plate and this place satisfied that for me! It's located in the Maunakea marketplace with other food stalls. The prices here are so reasonable and you can also get their lunch special plate for just $8! The lunch special included some duck and char siu. I was a big fan of their ginger scallion chicken as well. There are plenty of seats inside and other yummy places to try too so it's a great place to go with friends or family! read more
9 months ago
This place is not visible from the street. It is inside the food court at Maunakea Marketplace. It's a hole in the wall with other food stands which you can order and eat the food inside or outside. Ordered the roast duck and roast pig rice plate as well as 1/2 pound bbq pork. The bbq pork was a solid 4 out of 5 for me. Tender and juicy since they slather the honey bbq sauce on it. The roast pork was around also around a 4 out of 5. Had a nice crisp airy skin and tender meat but just lacked a little flavor. The roast duck was a disappointment. Very salty and not much meat. A 2 out of 5 at best. The rice was a little softer and stickier which I liked so that was a 4.5 out of 5. Overall I would rate this place a 4 star. Price is reasonable but not cheap. I guess everything isn't cheap these days. read more
Dont miss out on Me Mei Chinese BBQ. Located in the Maunakea Marketplace in Downtown Chinatown. It is always on my list when I'm in town. Today, I picked up the Holy Trinity of Chinese BBQfrom Mei Mei Chinese Bbq located in Maunakea Marketplace. Roast Pork, Roast Duck and Char Siu served on a bed of Jasmine Rice with sautéed Gai Lan. Generous portion, enough to share for two people. read more
Tasty Chinese bbq Stop here at Mei Mei Chinese BBQ in the Maunakea Marketplace for great Chinese bbq. Learned of Mei Mei from Paul C, the unofficial mayor of Chinatown. You can order one-, two-, or three-choice plate, with rice or soft noodle, and side of choy sum. There are $8 plates available for a great bargain. Soup noodles (duck, char siu) are also available. We ordered the roast duck, char siu, roast pork, and char siu ribs on two-choice plates with soft noodle: all were very tasty and totally satisfying! A great value for $17! Definitely returning for more bbq!! Tables are available inside or outside in the courtyard. Today there was live entertainment in the courtyard. Give Mei Mei BBQ a try - you'll be glad you did! read more
The deals are here... Located in the food court area of Maunakea Marketplace there's so many varieties of food vendors and Mei Mei Chinese BBQ has been on my mind with all the post from Paul it just looks so yummy! Always a crowd at this corner of the market I arrived early as my was being serviced I spent the day with Nadine C as we checked out a place to have some breakfast and I instantly noticed through the plexi a couple of plates with lunch special price of $7...sold! Those plates weren't display obviously as I made my choice she grabs it and chops more shoyu chicken and add it to the plate along with a sauce which also came with some roast pork and fried rice it all was nice and can't really complain for the price though if I had to it I'm not about to say it as it was more than enough to fill my happy belly. Thank you! read more
2 years ago
Still on the search for a good roast duck place since Nam Fong closed a while ago. Decided to give this place a try after work in the morning. I saw a $7 lunch plate with one choice of protein, what a deal! I got the $14 roast duck and roast pork combo plate since I wanted to try both. Comes with rice & choy sum. The roast pork was good! Crispy skin but some of the cuts had a little bit too much fat for me. Other cuts had a good balance of meat and fat. Very good flavor; not too salty and such a rice thief! The duck was also good! I wish I got a whole duck though because I got mostly bones with not much meaty pieces. The sauce and duck had slightly too much star anise flavor but still good! Love that they drizzle sauce on the duck so that it seeps into the generous portion of rice. Also comes with choy sum that is cooked well and still crunchy. Service is fast; someone takes the order while the other is chopping and plating. They do accept card, probably over $10 purchase but I see most people pay with cash. Next time I'll probably get a pound of roast pork & a whole duck to see if there's any difference than getting a plate. read more
I am a true fan of Mei Mei Chinese BBQ, I usually stick to my favorite places out west side but after visits to Mei Mei, this is my new addiction. Thank you to Paul C. ( mayor of Chinatown) hehe. His social media post and reviews made curious to try and now LOVED the meats @ Mei Mei so much! Since location is out of the way for me, I try to make a stop here every time I am in the area, or if I am off for an appointment for my roasted meats fixed. They also close at 3 pm and sell out at certain times. Few times I was too late and they are out roast pork/duck & even the lunch specials, I have to remember to call ahead to place my order next time. Not only the lunch meats are OMG, super good, the prices! Wow, way cheaper than at my usual places that I go to. Lets talk about the $7. lunch special, that is a super great deal, comes with either fried rice or white rice, choy sum, shoyu chicken and either roast pork or char siu. Can't beat that! The roasted meat lunch plates ( one choice) @$10. mini, $14.00 for regular. I recommend getting the regular plate for just $4. more. I picked up the lunch special and treated my coworkers during the school break and they really enjoyed it. One of my coworker mentioned it is such a treat, since she normally doesn't get to eat this type of food. I recently brought a roast pork plate for my brother and he text me, asking about the roast pork, " The roast pork was delicious, where you get it?" The very first time my husband tried the roasted meat plates I brought for our dinner, shoyu chicken, roast duck, and roast pork. He even asked where is this from, its really good! Wow. I love all the compliments and brownie points! hehe. Lets talk about the roast pork, when I first took a bite of that roast pork, I fell in love. WOW. It was the perfect roast pork, crispiness, fat to meat racial and the right amount of salt. I really need rice, along with my chili pepper and pickled veggies. Perfect combination! The duck is nice and juicy, but I just don't like their duck sauce. The char siu is tender and I love that it is not too sweet, bonus if I get the burnt ends. I love when there are leftovers roasted meats, I cook jook with it or freeze them to cook later. Mei Mei is a Gem here at Maunakea Marketplace, it is tucked behind the shops in front, look for the hanging ducks and the long line. Junk part is having to find parking but trust me it is so worth it! Kudos to the husband and wife team, who works works very hard! I totally recommend this hole in the wall. five stars! Recommend. I can't wait for my next roast meat fix which will be next week! read more
2 months ago
Guys, where can you get a $7 plate these days? It's such a rare thing to find! For a plate of roast pork, duck, Choi sum and rice, I had such a yummy lunch. Despite all the options, this really caught my eye and I'm glad I was able to try it! Also they take tap which is amazing considering many places there are cash only. read more
Parked in the Chinatown Municipal Parking garage (along Maunakea St. before N.King St. intersection). A block away is Maunakea Marketplace where you'll find Mei Mei Chinese Style BBQ. We ordered roast pork, char-siu and a whole roast duck. Service was quick - chopped and packed to go in take-out containers and bagged. We enjoyed everything at home for dinner. read more
This place is located inside a market/food court area. There is nearby seating in the market. Also note that is you pay with card there is a 0.90 cent extra charge. The three meat plate I got came out to 19.90 since I paid with card. There is a good amount of food here. I shared my plate with my girlfriend and we were both content afterwards. The rice is well seasoned and the meat juicy and tender. I want to add that the roast duck and pig is not as fatty as some of the other places I've been. I love this! If you have a plus 1, you can come here and share a meal! Better deal than eating somewhere in Waikiki. read more
This was my first time coming here and they've been at this spot for a while! I must be living under a rock!! The couple that works here is very sweet and I felt like I was at an aunty and uncle's for lunch. I ordered the char siu and roast duck...both soooooo delicious and flavorful! It came on a bed of rice with some fresh choi sum. This was a great way to start the day! Yes, I had it for breakfast! This is a hidden gem! Definitely worth coming to! Mahalo Mei Mei! read more
7 months ago
3 months ago
2 years ago
This is the best duck I've had anywhere in the United States! This food stand, located in a food court in Chinatown, serves incredibly flavorful dishes at an amazing value. I tried the duck soup, which had fresh noodles and a rich, savory broth. The duck was so tender, and every bite was delicious. We also ordered the lunch special, which, at just $7 per plate, includes roasted chicken, barbecue pork, rice, and a small serving of vegetables. The portion size is generous, making it an unbeatable deal. After spending so much on food in Waikiki, I found myself wanting to Uber here daily just to try different menu options. If you're in Chinatown, this spot is a must-try! read more
2 years ago
Our first visit to Mei Mei Chinese BBQ was five years ago, and we didn't have a favorable experience with their crispy skin roasted pork belly or siu yuk 燒肉. However, because our favorite Chinese meat roasters recently closed, we've reconsidered returning to Mei Mei Chinese BBQ because they have been steadily holding its high ratings, mainly for their roasted duck, among Yelpers. We walked into Chinatown with plans to stop at Mei Mei Chinese BBQ along with a couple of produce vendors before having lunch. As we approached this food stall in the Maunakea Marketplace, we looked at the variety of Chinese BBQ hanging in their glass display case. Peering into the display case, I mentioned getting a juicy whole roasted duck to my husband, but he balked at having to carry it along with the fresh produce we had already picked up and then into a restaurant. He suggested getting just a pound of crispy skin roasted pork since it wouldn't add much more bulk to the packages he was carrying. However, I thought about our previous experience and nudged him to reconsider just as he approached the order counter. He ordered the crispy skin roasted pork belly while ignoring me and concentrating on the slab of pork, which the butcher removed from the display case. The butcher offered my husband a lean or fat pork belly cut. I liked that she provided the choice because, unlike at our Chinese BBQ places, Mei Mei Chinse BBQ hangs their roasted meats on hooks instead of laying them out on sheet pans for customers to view the marbling or grain. My husband asked for a more even balance between lean and fat. As the butcher chopped the pork belly slab, I could see how crisp the pork skin was, and there appeared to be a good ratio of fat to lean meat. We returned home after being out in Chinatown and Downtown Honolulu for two hours and opened the container while washing and storing our produce. The pork belly was tender, juicy, mildly seasoned, and showed a good balance of fat to lean meat. There weren't any dry or tough spots in our cut. I did wish that there would have been a little bit more seasoning flavor from Shaoxing wine, white pepper, and five-spices, but that's my tastebuds. I split the roasted pork belly to make two meals: 1- stir-fried with bittermelon and black bean sauce and 2- reheated to maintain its crispy skin and enveloped in homemade steamed buns or mantou 馒头 with a light smear of hoisin sauce. We liked the crispy skin roasted pork belly from Mei Mei Chinese BBQ and would return for more. read more
Plate lunches are getting expensive, but Mei Mei Chinese BBQ in the Maunakea Marketplace is still delivering huge portions of delicious, filling food for reasonabl prices. For $13 we got their roast pork and char siu plate which came with a dipping sauce, a large portion of rice, and stir-fried choy sum. It was definitely enough for 2 people for a quick lunch. The roast pork had a nicely crispy, salty skin and tender meat (both fatty and lean parts). The char siu had a not-too-sweet red glaze and the meat itself was well cooked, not too fatty (I like mostly lean for the flavor), and came drizzled with extra sauce to make it ultra juicy. The rice and veggies were perfect complements. Will definitely return! read more
1 year ago
10 months ago
Located in Maunakea Marketplace, I always order the duck noodle soup because it is so good. The price raised by two dollars, from $12 to $14 after covid, but it's still very reasonable and flavorful. I will always buy their duck noodle whenever I am able to visit chinatown. This is one of the few places that serves whole roast duck, char siu, chicken and roast pork, and plates/soup noodles with your choice of roast meat. Lots of noodles, and delicious duck sauce added. Service - only one lady serves. She makes your meal and chops the duck right in front of you. I think it's cash only. Parking - Street parking or can park at any maunakea parking lot or other metered parking lots. read more
3 years ago
We happened to be in the marketplace and decided to stop by Mei Mei Chinese BBQ because the food looked good. They display their lunch specials in one of the windows, and my friend pointed to the one she wanted. To her surprise, the woman pulled the one she pointed to off the display and that's the one she got. I honestly don't even know what we ordered but it was all very good. The lunch special was only $6 and it was a very healthy portion, so great value! It came with BBQ pork (cha siu) and roasted chicken. The cha siu had a nice char and was very tasty. They also gave a generous portion of rice and some veggies to go along with the meal, which provided a good complement to the flavors of the meat. The chicken was also good, and not dry at all. I'd recommend stopping by if you're in the mood for good Chinese BBQ! read more
Nam Fong is my go to for roast duck. When I got there they were sold out. So I headed to Mei Mei instead. Luckily, they had two left. I bought the whole duck. I told them to put half in a box and the other half in another box. They also had shoyu braised duck wings. I love duck wings, so I got a box of that also. The roast duck was awesome. It wasn't too fatty and the meat was juicy and tender. The seasoning was nice and not overpowering. The best part was the dipping sauce. Some people don't like it with sauce, but I do. Their sauce is on the heavier side and I could totally taste the five spice. The duck wings were also good. I've found a new place to get roast duck. read more
5 months ago
3 years ago
We always pass by this place after walking in chinatown and finally tried it. I ordered a roast duck & roast pork plate which costs me $12, a good deal ! The skin of the roast pork was really crisp. Some of the pieces were really fatty. The duck tasted good but most pieces had very little meat on it. I would buy from then again and try some of the other meat. I'm hoping this was just an off day for the duck. read more
2 years ago
Can't go to Chinatown and not get roast duck and char sui! I love their roast duck and char sui combo plate that comes with rice and choy sum. Portion size seems smaller then before and pricier too now. Still hidden gem though. read more
11 months ago
1 year ago
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More info about Mei Mei Chinese BBQ
1120 Maunakea St
Ste 123
Honolulu, HI 96817
Chinatown
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(808) 308-9991
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