I'm not that hard a sell on Hawaiian plate lunches, but I can tell the difference between exceptional ones from the ones that just cut the mustard. Actually mustard might be a helpful condiment to offer to address the blandness of the food here. I'm not saying it's bad here because it clearly satisfies the student populace who obviously need sustenance to make it through their midterms and finals. For me as someone many years from my undergrad days, however, my point of reference relates to the plate lunches I could find on Oahu. Using that point of comparison, I suggested to Jamie W that we give it a try during one of our weekend Berkeley walks. Jamie ordered the $14.99 BBQ Chicken & Beef Combo Meal. It was a hefty portion suitable for a growing post-adolescent. The meal came with the requisite two scoops of rice, one scoop of macaroni salad, and steamed cabbage underneath the meat (Photo 5). He pronounced it middling when it came to flavor satisfaction. I went for the $13.99 Hawaiian BBQ Beef Bowl. It came with the same sides, and the satisfaction level was comparable (Photo 6). Listen, if I was young and running late to my study group, I'd be so in. FOOD - 3 stars...exceptional portion-wise but middling when it comes to satisfaction [[HIGHLIGHT]]AMBIANCE - 3 stars...not much character[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] SERVICE - 3 stars...automatic TOTAL - 3 stars...give me a real plate lunch RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's my collection of places l've patronized and reviewed: https://yelp.to/3SznGCCx-X read more

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A reliably tasty Hawaiian bbq spot, this location has quickly become one of my favorite dinner spots in downtown Berkeley. I would definitely recommend the chicken combo- it comes with two types: deliciously crunchy panko-crusted chicken (meat tastes fresher than L&L Hawaiian) and teriyaki chicken. Meat portions are generous, and can easily be enough for two whole meals. Food also comes really quickly (~10 min) and the staff have always been nice when I've visited. All in all, a great spot for yummy protein at a reasonable price. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]This is their second location and it definitely feels like a step up in terms of modern touches.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] As soon as you walk in, you'll see a couple of kiosk ordering stations that make things super convenient, especially when it gets busy. One of my favorite features is how they display your name and estimated wait time on a screen next to the digital menus. It's a small thing, but it makes the whole process feel smooth and organized. [[HIGHLIGHT]]There are a few tables inside, so you can sit down and enjoy your food fresh and hot.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My order took about 10 to 15 minutes, which was totally reasonable considering there was a steady flow of people coming in every few minutes. The staff kept up with everything without missing a beat, which says a lot about how well this place is run. I didn't see a bathroom inside during my visit, and parking is mostly metered street parking, so keep that in mind if you're driving over. Food-wise, it's just as good as the San Pablo location that I always recommend to friends. You get great value for the price, generous portions, and flavors that hit the spot. The loco moco here is a standout. The meat patties are thick and fresh, covered in a rich peppery gravy that's full of flavor. The eggs on top were cooked just the way I like them, with yolks that mix in perfectly with the rice and gravy. I really enjoy the whole Moku experience and only wish they had a spot in the city. Until then, I don't mind crossing the bridge because I know I'll always leave full and happy. Moku will always be one of my go-to favorites when I'm craving something hearty and comforting. read more

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I got this chicken katsu curry, just call it as it is, chicken katsu with curry dipping sauce. They'll charge an additional .65 cents for another one. Ah... now it makes sense why they don't show a picture of their chicken katsu curry on their menu. read more

Moku Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken Katsu with curry dipping sauce - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

This place is amazing. I was traveling from out of town and stumbled onto this Hawaiian BBQ place. The staff was friendly and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the interior, from what I could see, was very clean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I placed a large order, but the food came out in a very reasonable period of time. The portions were MASSIVE, and super high quality. I wish I lived in the area, because this would be in my rotation. I would highly recommend this place. I'd even go slightly out of my way if I found myself near by to go back. read more

Ordered take out and enjoyed the food. Loved the katsu chicken, it was crispy, fresh and yummy. Very filling!! It's very affordable and portions are large. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very casual place here and I would go back for the katsu to eat fresh there.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was good for take out. read more

Great comfort food! A little on the pricier end, but the portion size was great. I got the chicken katsu plate, but the star of it was the mac! Had more flavor than most Mac's you get from a Hawaiian spot. The katsu was decent, but not consistent with the amount of breading. read more

Comforting Hawaiian food in Berkeley's Southside! Moku Hawaiian BBQ is my favorite Hawaiian spot in Berkeley due to it's good portions at good prices. I've ordered their Chicken Katsu for takeout on Snackpass ahead of time multiple times before, and enjoyed my experience each time I've ordered. They give enough food for me to last 2 meals, and the katsu has the perfect amount of breading to chicken! I like their scoop of mac salad you can get alongside their rice as well as their vinegary yet teriyaki-infused katsu sauce they give to accompany this dish. There can be more vegetables (only a little cabbage + broccoli are included in the plate) but overall would definitely recommend their chicken katsu plate! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Service is always fast, and though the restaurant is small, it's a nice place to sit and eat a quick meal.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I would love to try their other food items such as their spam musubis or loco moco next time. With that said, I will definitely be back! read more

Wow. Cheap eats for the win. This fast casual place is next to my son's school and it's taken me this long to visit. I shake my head in disappointment. A 4, but value and price brings this spot up to that five stars, for sure. It's a seemingly mom and pop spot serving up Hawaiian bbq. Bbq chicken, beef, katsu and a teriyaki. They also sell musubis. I went with the chicken teriyaki and granted it was covered in sauce and I'm sure a lot of sugary oil, it was damn good. And it was a heaping portion for $12. It came with rice, mac salad (I opted for 2 rice) and a few pieces of broccoli and cabbage (the greens could use a little more love). This was like 2 meals. And it was good and fresh. Bonus: my son loved the chicken. Next time I'll try something else! read more

Moku Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken teriyaki - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Had a great experience ordering from here. The online ordering and kiosk ordering are very straightforward, including customizations. The one ding I would give them is for their mac salad. It wasn't quite up to par with the rest of the meal, and if I'm being honest, it tasted and smelled a little bad. We've eaten quite a bit of mac salad in our lives, so this is in comparison to other places we've been to. The one other knock is that the sauce they gave with the meal was more of a teriyaki sauce vs. the more traditional sauce I'm used to eating with my katsu. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Moku is optimized for takeout, though there are a handful of tables for those who would like to dine in.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] While waiting for our food, there was a good amount of orders to go and for food delivery. Like all Hawaiian places, the portions were generous. We ordered all plates for our entrees. * Katsu w/ 2 scoops of mac salad (2 orders) * BBQ chicken with fried fish w/ 2 scoops of mac salad * Lumpia Overall, the meal was great, we all enjoyed it very much. The katsu was well fried and very tender. The BBQ chicken had really good taste, and like the katsu, it was very moist as well. The fried fish was the biggest (pleasant) surprise of the bunch. It was so flaky and moist. The lumpia was good, but I'm not sure I've ever had bad lumpia. :) If you're craving Hawaiian and up for a more casual spot at a fair price point, Moku's the spot for you! The best part is that you get an hour of free parking in the garage across the street, so even parking is easy! read more

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i ordered for pickup and it was finished pretty quickly (less than 10 mins) although it was pretty busy inside. the katsu portion is huge and the mac salad is one of the better ones i've tried. the woman who handed off the food to me had a welcoming smile but i didn't have too much of a conversation with her since i was in and out. the katsu has a generous breaded coating which i personally love for the balance. the sauce that accompanies it is perfect without being overly sweet but gives a nice flavor boost to the overall meal read more

Moku Hawaiian BBQ - chicken katsu & double mac, no rice - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

Amazing portions for this Chicken Katsu! There were two rows of the katsu that I was able to save as another full meal the next day. Crispy and proportionate breading to chicken ratio. Ordering was quick and easy and will definitely be coming back to try other meals. read more

Moku Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken Katsu - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

Moku is a solid Hawaiian place in Berkeley with very good value, large portions, and quick service! The red sauce they give is not traditional tonkatsu sauce, it's more vinegary and sweet but it still tastes great with their katsu. I also thought the mac salad could use more flavor but overall I am satisfied with my meal! read more

Moku Hawaiian BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

If you're ever in a hurry but craving some Hawaiian food at a reasonable price, head to Moku! I ordered on Snackpass ahead of time but there are also ordering kiosks there. They have always been quick and the curry chicken Katsu and white fish have always been fried to perfection. A mini plate is enough for me so I appreciate how much they put into it - entree, one scoop macaroni, one scoop rice, cabbage and a broccoli. For the white fish, there are two perfectly fried pieces of fish and two packets of tartar sauce. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant itself only has a few tables but since they are quick to process orders, there tend to still be an open table or two.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Street parking but a parking complex nearby. I definitely will be back whenever I have a craving! read more

Moku Hawaiian BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

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This is a newer Hawaiian BBQ place that opened up on south side of campus. I ordered ahead via snackpass on a Saturday night and the food was ready in less than 10 minutes. It was decently busy inside, so I was surprised that the food was ready so quick! There are snackpass kiosks for ordering in person. Your food is called out when ready. I got the Moku chicken combo which is half chicken katsu and half Hawaiian BBQ chicken. Overall, I was quite satisfied and it fulfilled my cravings for Hawaiian BBQ. There were 6 pieces of katsu and two pieces of regular BBQ chicken. The katsu was crispy (even after a 10 minute car ride with the box closed) and juicy. The katsu sauce was a bit watery and I wasn't a fan of the other sauce. It had a really heavy soy sauce flavor. If I'm really being nit picky, the vegetables could've been steamed a little longer and the mac salad was a little soft. Still a very solid option. Great portion sizes and tasted great. read more

Moku Hawaiian BBQ - Moku Chicken Combo - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Another Hawaiian barbecue restaurant in Berkeley opened up (where Chinese Express was, still miss them) and I'm a fan. Their main ordering interface is through SnackPass, but it makes the pickup process all the easier. The main thing that sticks out to me is their portions. Some places really skimp out on meats and load up on fillers like rice/Mac salad, but they make sure to give you healthy helpings of both. I will say there wasn't much veggies included, but the main star is the meats anyway. The loco moco, short rib, and bbq beef had plenty of flavor but they still give soy sauce & hot sauce if needed. You're able to get a full meal for under $15 and possibly with leftovers. They also have some appetizers I might try in the future like lumpia & malasadas. The inside is pretty basic (stark white walls/table/counters with limited single color seats), so this place is better for takeout in my opinion. read more

Moku Hawaiian BBQ - BBQ Beef & Short Rib Plate - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I ordered the spam musubi, mozzarella sticks, and beef short rib platter. [[HIGHLIGHT]]As for the ambiance I walked in and there was one other customer in the building and no worker at the front, it looked like they were busy in the back. Nothing wrong with that, just felt a little awkward walking into an establishment with no employees actively in the front.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The wait was about 12 minutes and the food was fresh. The spam musubi was underwhelming and had an awkward rice to spam ratio and could have used more sauce. The mozzarella sticks were good and the short ribs were soft, juicy and tender. I would totally come back for the short ribs. read more

So glad that another Hawaiian BBQ place opened up in Berkeley. Situated in a small storefront on Telegraph and Channing, you'd probably miss this spot if you weren't looking for it. They have a little bit of indoor seating, so we Snackpassed our order and dined in. They have a $5 off your first $20+ order on Snackpass, so be sure to take advantage of that. Service is quick and friendly, no frills (for a takeout and dine-in experience). We ordered an Aloha BBQ Combo plate and a BBQ Chicken BBQ Beef plate. Portions are massive for the price. For around $15-16, you get 2 scoops of rice, 1 scoop of mac salad, and a heaping amount of your protein choice that sits on top of a small portion of steamed cabbage/broccoli. For me, the BBQ chicken was better than both the BBQ beef and kalbi. BBQ beef was a tad dry and kalbi was too fatty for my liking. The chicken was cooked to perfection, betterrrrrr than panda in my opinion. read more

Moku Hawaiian BBQ - Bbq chicken beef plate - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

Not bad for a chain. This is the perfect place for a college campus, lots of food at a decent price. Whenever I get a hankering for Hawaiian food, they will be on my list . BB read more

I took one bite and opened yelp. I cannot believe how much better this is than L&L! The katsu was fried perfectly, not too crunchy not too soft, the rice was well done and the mac tasted exactly like I wanted. Great place to takeout from read more

Moku Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken Katsu - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

The regular meal portions are quite generous, so I'd recommend ordering the mini meals if you don't want to eat too much. Food is decent in my opinion. Mini Chicken katsu and spam musubi were my go to meal. I always get it to go and they have been on time with my order so far. read more

Hawaiian BBQ near UC Berkeley! This is a family owned business. Expect generous portions of food so come hungry. You can't go wrong with Hawaiian at Moku! read more

Very convenient takeout spot and reasonably priced. I got the BBQ Chicken and Katsu Combo and it was pretty good. Service was fast. Would come back here 8/10 read more

Best Hawaiian BBQ in the area! Better than L&L, better than Ohana, Better than Ono... The best part is that the prices are reasonable! Don't change Moku!!! And from coming off a recent trip to Maui and dining at local Hawaiian bbq restaurants, we were not disappointed to come back home to the East Bay and discovering this little gem. The worst part... is the parking. There is none. Being two blocks away from the UC Berkeley campus, their market is the college student who attend and live near by. But for the resident who don't attend UCB and who live across town, you just have to get lucky and find parking up to a block away. Oh well. read more

So so happy this place opened in Berkeley!! The pricing is reasonable for the portions and everything is fresh, crispy, and yummy. I love their chicken katsu and malasadas - some might find a bit oily but they are fried to perfection. Plates come with broccoli that adds a bright refresh to the palate. The macaroni salad was also very fresh but had way too much mayo for my taste. Still no complaints overall and will be back:) read more

Grabbed lunch here with some of my work buddies. Got the combo meal with bbq beef and bbq chicken. It comes with rice and macaroni salad and a few steamed cabbage leaves. The price is a bit eye popping if you haven't eaten out in a while. You ask yourself if you're eating at a sit down but nope it's a pretty bare fast food style where you order at a tablet kiosk and the food magically appears. There's a few small tables with chairs if you have to eat there but one gets the impression they want you to take your food and leave. The meats were pretty good. You do get two meals worth of food for your money unless you're mega hungry. Surprised there was no pineapple in a Hawaiian bbq combo. But eh. The macaroni salad brought some tears of nostalgia. I think this place is solid. Not my top ten or bottom ten. Squarely in the middle so three stars. If they'd bump up the ambiance then maybe four. But three for now. read more

Located in the old Chinese Express spot (RIP) -- this place is clean and fast! Generous portions, and they have mini plates if you want less food. I imagine it's great for students living around there. Tried it on a whim, as I was really craving some chicken katsu. The only reason I am giving four stars and not five is because the chicken katsu sauce was lose money.... a total miss. It was watery, and didn't taste at all like the ketchup + worcestershire sauce mixture that katsu sauce is supposed to taste like. It was just weird. No big deal -- I just made my own -- but this is a critical part of a chicken katsu plate! Please fix this, Moku BBQ, so that people can properly enjoy chicken katsu. Otherwise, I was satisfied (as satisfied as I can reasonably expect to be, eating "Hawaiian BBQ" anywhere outside of Hawaii). If you're from Hawaii and want to eat katsu, you can get some passable katsu here -- but be prepared to make your own sauce. read more

Moku Hawaiian BBQ - The sauces that came with our food. Neither sauce embodied the correct consistency or flavor of katsu sauce. - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

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My first time trying Moku after Chinese Express went out of business. I got the popcorn chicken takeout, so I can't comment broadly, but it was a decent portion and delicious. Order was ready on schedule. Happy to see a Hawaiian BBQ in this place. Welcome! read more

Moku Hawaiian BBQ - Popcorn, chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

this is hands down the best hawaiian bbq in berkeley. def gotta try it for a quick lunch

Everything but rice was kinda cold... I ate in the restaurant right when I got my order I opened and started to eat. At least microwave it for me lol. Definitely will not waste my time or money coming back here! [[HIGHLIGHT]]GOOD MUSIC TERRIBLE EATS[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Moku Hawaiian BBQ - Chicken Katsu and BBQ Beef which isn't bbq at all - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

The family meal is a KILLER deal! We order the family meal and we got three huge meat portions, 4 scoops of a perfect Mac salad, and 6 scoops of fluffy rice. Steamed veggies are nicely nestled with the meats to make them extra tasty. Our whole family is stuffed and there's enough for two adult meals tomorrow. $44 is the family meal base price, a small upcharge for ribs. Well worth it. My favorite was the khalua pork, super lean and flavorful. Teriyaki chicken is a kid pleaser. Hubby loved the short ribs. I also like that they provided extra sauce. Lots of options. Park in the parking lot across the street which gives an hour of free parking. Looking forward to ordering again soon! read more

Delicious Hawaiian food and great portion sizes. Picked up takeout here on the recommendation of a neighbor and glad I did! Teriyaki chicken and kalua pork were delicious. I was lukewarm on the malasadas which didn't compare to what you can get in Hawaii but would definitely come again for everything else I tried. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is tucked into a busy street and not a lot of tables inside but the food itself was amazing.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

First time ordering through Uber eats... I got two plates of the chicken teriyaki combos. I have to say that I have not had a chicken teriyaki that good in a very long time!!! The rice was steamed fresh, I loved that they laid the chicken on steamed cabbage and broccoli and the crunch remained. Plenty of teriyaki on the chicken and it was very juicy. Macaroni salad was so creamy! Great sized portions at a great price. Ratio of meat to veggie, rice and macaroni was. I only ate half and I'll save the rest for tomorrow. I'll be back for sure! read more

Good fresh food & even better service!! Will be coming back. Thanks for the great lunch

Such a great find! Family owned and run... delicious food and a lot of choices. You get your moneys worth... the lumpia is delicious and crispy! All the musubis are so good! Great food for all and close to campus! read more

I ordered the Moku chicken combo. The katsu is super crispy and tender. I love the sauce options too. Currently eating it all before my linear algebra study session. Life is good. read more

Biggest bang for your buck Hawaiian bbq wise in the area. I always get the bbq mixed plate and it's just delicious. Hits the spot every single time. read more

10/10 love the chicken katsu plate. It's big enough to share between two and the katsu is crispy too! And it's very quick and fast! I will be back. read more

Moku Hawaiian BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

Ran across this hidden gem today (7/3/24). So glad i stumbled in because the food was GREAT! The young lady behind the counter was super polite, i asked for a substitution with the musubi and the cook did them with no issues!!! [[HIGHLIGHT]]I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE, it's a cute little hole in wall with workers that have great energy![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I will definitely be returning!!! read more

Pros: location Cons: bad food--may be we went on a bad day. The food was too salty. The meat was very tough and smelled funky Service staff was very indifferent read more