This is wayyy better than the one i went in Bayside, NY. Im not talking about taste, they both are awesome. This honolulu location deserves my 5 stars is because: 1. You can reserve online directly on their website via Resy. 2. Has more type of dishes. See photos. 3. Since we ate super fast as is 35min, there's an opening for walk in. They let walk in ppl sit in even though no spot on online Reservations. By the way, this one is located behind Renaissance Hotel Resort & Spa. Parking: street parking or Uber We ordered: Dweji Gomtang Naeng Jutuk - honolulu only Cup mandoo- honolulu only Burdock root fried -honolulu only Mini pork dupbob - honolulu only If I have more ppl with me, I will definitely order kimchi cold noddle - honolulu only and lard donkatsu - honolulu only. Restroom: 2 individual gender neutral restroom Ps: they will open one in Los Angeles in dec 2026. Congratulations, cali. read more

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This was one of the few places we really wanted to try in Hawaii. Unfortunately it was a bit overhyped as we felt the dweji gomtangs were a bit ordinary. The dweji gomtangs had a clean taste and the lard donkatsu was crispy with nice flakes. The two dishes that stood out to us were the cup mandu and kimchi cold noodle. The mandu was flavorful and the cold noodles had a mild flavor with the perfect bite to the noodles. While the food quality, service, and ambiance was well done I don't think I'd come back again. None of the standout dishes were anything special you couldn't get anywhere else in my opinion. LA Ktown definitely has something of similar quality and taste. read more

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Here's my take on Okdongsik in Oahu. Sorry I'm a few weeks late on this review. Food (3 stars) + The pork cutlet katsu was crispy, simple, and well-executed, though nothing extraordinary. ~ An appetizer that seemed like a fried root vegetable had a nice texture but was just okay in flavor. ~ The dumpling was like a reverse XLB. It had a subtle, clean taste--pleasant but not a standout. - We had two of their specialty soups. One was a cold kimchi broth, and another a clear pork-based soup. Both were simple, clean, but lacked bold flavor. They offer a kids' portion of the soup, which is half the price and allowed us to order other dishes. Service/Ambiance (4.5 stars) + The staff was accommodating, especially for a party of seven in a small, bar-style space. + The minimalist, modern feel--bar seating, close interaction--made the experience comfortable. If you go, plan a reservation due to its reputation. The food didn't blow me away, but if you enjoy simple, clean flavors, you may appreciate it more than I did. read more

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TL;DR Korean comfort food in a refined setting. The Dweji-Gomtang, their signature dish, is lacking the depth of flavor I usually enjoy. ----- Let me caveat my review by stating that I do believe Okdongsik is worthy of a 5-star rating. All of the dishes offered here are of the utmost quality. However, I personally found the Dweji-Gomtang to be rather bland, which is why I don't see myself returning to Okdongsik often (or at all). Hence, the 4-star review. Okdongsik is located in Sky Ala Moana. There is dedicated, validated parking in the building. My wife and I found the layout of the parking garage to be confusing, so take that into consideration and plan to arrive a few minutes earlier than anticipated. Since this was our first time visiting Okdongsik, we ordered almost everything on the menu. I had the La-yu Dweji-Gomtang and the Lard Donkatsu, while my wife ordered the Kimchi Cold Noodles, the Ok Donggeurangttaeng, and the Shrimp Katsu. The katsu dishes were delicious, and my wife loved her noodles. My favorite dish was the seafood cake. They prepare it in a cast iron mold directly behind the counter so the sizzling and the aroma catch your attention when the batter hits the griddle. It's got great texture and flavor. The Dweji-Gomtang is described "clean and savory," which I feel like is a little misleading. It's definitely a clean and light flavor, but I wouldn't describe it as savory. There is a lack of salt and umami, which I believe would elevate and round out the dish. I will say that I was impressed with the volume of slice pork that was included in the broth. And I loved the intensity of the gochuji; it complimented the pork slices perfectly. read more

Okdongsik - Lard Donkatsu - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The store gave a modern homey vibe with the wood, raw concrete, and white paint. The kitchen was very neat and well kept. We did walk in but I recommend having a reservation if you want to be seated together. It's bar seating so everyone is seated side-by-side. We had the gomtangs and the broth was very clean. The la-yu's spice level was very tolerable. The kimchi was superb! I added it into my soup after having half the bowl:) The Maesil Aide was the right amount of sweetness and paired perfectly with the broth. Will definitely come back and try the lard donkatsu!!! read more

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Date of Visit: 5/26/2026 OKDONGSIK is one of the newly rising Korean restaurant in Honolulu. Highly recommend for tourist to visit if carving for Korean food! OKDONGSIK started in Seoul back in 2017, and has been listed on the Michelin guide for Bib Gourmand restaurant starting from 2018. Opened in New York in 2022, and gradually opening up in Honolulu, LA, etc. Dweji-Gomtang $18 Highly recommend the beef meat and bone broth with thin sliced pork. Added rice, green onion for flavoring, and with kimchi and gochujang on the side. The soup was clean and clear, and the rice and pork was cooked just on point. Lard Donkatsu $21 We also got the pork loin cutlet with cabbage salad, soup, and rice. The crispy pork cutlet was very delicious. Ok Donggeurangttaeng $5 The meaty seafood cake was a must try too! Lightly seasoned with soy sauce. Shrimp Katsu $7 We also got the deep fried shrimp cutlet with tartar sauce. A nice side to add on. read more

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If you're a fan of the show Culinary Class Wars, you're probably familiar with the chef that opened this place. The NYC location has been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand and it does in fact live up to the hype. The restaurant only has bar seating, and it's pretty limited so reservations are a must. We've tried almost all of the dishes at this point and all are good. The famous Dweji Gomtang is pork-based soup that is simple but comforting. The Ok Donggeurangttaeng (seafood patty) is our fave among the small dishes and the lard donkatsu is also delicious. read more

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Stopped by Okdongsik and ordered the pork bone soup, then shared the pork katsu and seafood pancake. Everything tasted fresh and clean without feeling too heavy. The soup was simple but really flavorful, and the portion was more filling than I expected. The pork katsu was crispy and the seafood pancake was a good one to share. The restaurant itself isn't very big, so seating is pretty limited. If you go during peak hours, expect a wait or make a reservation ahead of time. Overall, a solid meal, and I'd come back to try more of the menu. read more

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My partner and I were very pleased by our experience at Okdongsik! We were immediately seated despite being a couple minutes late (kind of hard finding this place). I was surprised when what I drank wasn't water, but I really liked the barley tea? Not sure what it was haha but also snacked on the kimchi since I was hungry. We shared the gomtang, kimchi cold noodles, meaty seafood cake, and the burdock root fries. I was expecting a seafood pancake, but the seafood cake was pretty good. We were told to wait for the gomtang to eat the burdock root fries, so I feel like they could make them so they come out together. No worries, because they were good by themself! The kimchi cold noodles were delicious, and the noodles were very chewy. The meat in the gomtang was delicious with the chili sauce, but I found the broth to be a bit bland. Although there's a sign telling you not to put the chili sauce in the soup, I loved the taste when I finally mixed it in. Very comforting and satisfying. The restaurant is a bit small, and all the seats are bar seats, but it's pretty cool to be able to watch your food being made. Everyone was super nice, and the food is very reasonably priced. The menu isn't very extensive so I probably won't come often, but I will definitely be back. read more

Okdongsik - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

What an experience here! Very very light soup, and made a certain way where there are no additional toppings you can add, except salt. Many pieces of thinly sliced pork in the rice soup, and you don't feel heavy walking out. Would recommend all to try it out. read more

Okdongsik - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Love this place. Heartwarming broth - clean and simple taste. Get the large size. Little tricky to find as it is on the back side of the hotel building. But there is street parking in front. The host said they are expanding to So Cal - we can't wait! read more

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I had Okdongsik bookmarked ever since we watched Culinary Class Wars Season 2 and knew we'd be going to Hawaii this year. Their menu is very simple, they specialize in pork gomtang. Gomtang is traditionally made by slowly simmering various beef cuts for many hours. It's a comfort food for Koreans, and Chef Ok Dongsik gained popularity for using pork instead - it's a clear, light pork broth - not heavy or too "pork-y". As a Korean, I always need Korean food when I'm away from home. We ate here at just about the time that I was starting to crave Korean food, and it did the job. My husband and I shared - we got one regular gomtang and one la-yu, which comes with chili oil. Surprisingly, the chili oil one was very subtle while still adding a nice kick. We also got the seafood cake, which was delicious. Their kimchi was okay, not great. I enjoyed the gochu-ji that they serve on the side, it's their signature fermented pepper paste that pairs very well with the pork (not meant to be added to the broth but rather enjoyed with the meat slices). The inside is very clean and minimal, countertop only and probably seats about 20 people. The servers weren't overly friendly, they were focused more on the food and presentation, which I can respect. Overall, it was great to try, the food was good, and the prices fair. Nothing spectacular, but if I'm ever in Oahu again, I'd go back for my Korean food fix. read more

Okdongsik - Dweji gomtang - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The broth was very light for me. I'm not sure if that's how it's supposed to be so my review is purely preferential. Kimchi was good . Service was good as we were the only ones there during opening Good spot clean and new looking read more

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My favorite dish that I got here was the kimchi cold noodle soup! I really enjoyed that! Their menu is simple, not too many items so that's great! We almost got every main dish! We got the naeng jeyuk (slow cooked and chilled pork) dweji-gomtang (the pork broth soup that they're known for), lard donkatsu, the kimchi cold noodles, and the ok donggeurangttaeng (meaty seafood cake). Atmosphere - Nicely decorated, gives me earthy but also classy vibes. Service - They're pretty attentive to what you need and can easily ask if you need something. We made reservations for when it opened. It does get full but it wasn't too busy when we went on a Tuesday for dinner. Cost - I believe it was about $90 for two of us but we did get a lot of food. We wanted to try what they had so we had leftovers and took it home with us! Parking - It's street parking or you can park in the building that it's in. It's kind of confusing how that parking worked though because the signs were confusing. Or you can park at Wal-Mart since it's literally right there. Location - It's on the back side of the Sky building, the side closer to Wal-Mart. I want the cold noodles again! read more

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Yes, I am that tourist that visited after watching Culinary Class Wars. But so glad I did!! We were able to get same day reservations on Resy. Park in the validated hotel lot (spaces are kind of small!) and enter from Makaloa Street. The interior is small and simple, with counter seating only. There is no room for a stroller, so make sure to include your baby in reservations. We made the mistake of not doing that and had to hold him the entire time. No biggie! The food: I went in with somewhat elevated expectations, given the praise the chef got during the show. And wow, it delivered. My husband and I each got the regular size gomtang. The broth tasted clean, flavorful, and was so so comforting. The only side served is kimchi, which is all you need. There is a red pepper paste sauce that is used for dipping the meat also. We got the seafood cake and mini dupbop. The seafood cake was excellent but the dupbop stole the show. Layered with rice, flavorful pork pieces, furikake mix and torched to give it a smoky flavor, it was such a pleasant treat at only $5. Definitely will be adding Okdongsik to our future Honolulu best hits list. 5/5 recommend! read more

Okdongsik - Regular size gomtang, mini pork dupbob. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Okdongsik was already on my list, but seeing the owner-chef featured on Netflix's Chef War definitely sealed the deal. Any place confident enough to showcase something as minimal and traditional as pork bone broth on a global stage instantly earns my curiosity. The first sip of the soup was unforgettable--clean, deeply comforting, and quietly complex. You can taste the discipline and restraint behind it, with no heavy seasoning masking the quality of the broth. It's the kind of flavor that immediately tells you this was made with care and intention. That said, as the meal goes on, the broth can start to feel a bit one-note. This is where Okdongsik really shines in a different way: the house hot sauce. Adding even a small amount completely transforms the bowl, bringing warmth, depth, and just enough spice to reawaken the palate. It enriches the experience without overpowering the broth's original character. This is clearly a restaurant that respects tradition and trusts simplicity--something that won't be for everyone, but will absolutely resonate with those who appreciate subtlety and technique. For me, the combination of that pristine broth and the customizable heat made the meal both thoughtful and satisfying. read more

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Wow my favorite meal on my recent Hawaii trip. It totally lived up to the hype. I am not a fan of pork but the pork gukbap was very good. So clean and refreshing. And the side pepper paste was the show stopper. I loved the dish because of this. You can choose to add how much you want with the thinly sliced pork. Makes the dish 1000x better. We also got the mini pork dupbob which is good. The dish is well seasoned. & delicious. We also got the seafood pancake that was just ok. & the Lard Donkatsu was just ok too... there's better donkatsu places in Oahu. I would skip these two. Okdongsik is definitely worth checking out! I will be back! read more

I stopped by Okdongsik for lunch and tried their signature gomtang, which is exactly what they're known for--clean, simple, and really comforting. I usually prefer richer, more flavor-packed dishes, but this was a nice change of pace and felt refreshing in its own way. The broth is very light yet still satisfying, and you can tell the focus is on quality and balance. The space is on the smaller side, so I'd definitely recommend making a reservation online ahead of time to avoid waiting. Also, don't skip the add-ons--the shrimp katsu and the meaty seafood cake were both excellent and added a bit more depth and variety to the meal. Overall, a solid spot if you're in the mood for something minimal but well-executed. read more

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We were lucky to be able to walk in and get seats as soon as they opened for lunch. We were able to find parking on Makaloa street right out front. The menu is small and the seating area small but a very bustling place. We tried one of everything. I wasn't a fan of the pork because it was a bit tough for me personally. My favorite was the spicy kimchee cold noodles. I do get this dish from a lot of Korean restaurants and this one was more simplistic in the flavor profile. But the icy broth was nice to have as some places don't do that. My kids enjoyed the shrimp katsu the most. Service was quick for the most part. We had to ask multiple times for water since my youngest wasn't a fan of the only provided tea drink. read more

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I was really excited to try Okdongsik, especially after seeing the owner on Culinary Class Wars. We made a reservation in advanced and were seated promptly upon our arrival. The restaurant features bar style seating. We were seated at the main bench right in front of the fryer, which wasn't ideal. By the end of the meal, our clothes had a very strong lingering smell of oil. Additionally, I noticed several flies near the food areas, which made me wish the staff were a bit more diligent about the overall cleanliness of the space. My husband and I ordered the pork gomtang, cold kimchi noodles, and pork dopbap. The cold kimchi noodles were my favorite and they satisfied my cravings. I personally did not care for the pork that came with the meal, so I passed that over to my husband. I tried some of the pork gomtang my husband ordered, and I was not a fan. The pork flavor was a bit too strong and overwhelming for my palate. I preferred the pork dopbap more than the soup. It was flavorful and didn't have the heavy pork taste. read more

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The food was amazing. The pork was not too oily. The broth was very clean. The food comes very quickly. Insid it look and feels very homee and has a very nice atmosphere. read more

Okdongsik - soup with rice and sliced pork on top - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The service was impeccable but the food was nothing I would need to come back for. The spicy beef soup was bland but the kimchi noodles were refreshing. The pork belly had great texture and flavor. We got tonkatsu also, and that was very good, though again, a little bland - that's ok. We don't expect huge flavor from tonkatsu. It was nicely crispy and well fried. Just ok, though. Loved the focus and dedication from staff. 4 stars in service, kindness, and attentiveness. read more

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As a Korean who literally just visited Korea, ngl fam I was a lil skeptical bout the hype around this chain. At the same time, I was hella excited to try it out bc of that one dude on culinary wars who runs this branch in NY. Now for those of ya who aren't Korean, in theory, this is a very simple meal. And look at the picture, it looks super straightforward yeah? The thing that got me and proved to be true is that it is so gd clean! That broth. I can't explain it. Even tho that's pork in that picture, the broth itself is so clean and palatable. Like I could just scoop rice and eat it with that broth all day. With that said, I am still kinda surprised at how much hype this place has gotten, but I'm not mad about it! Glad more people are getting to try other types of Korean cuisine and not just kbbq or kalbi or bibimbap hahaha. read more

Okdongsik - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We decided to try out Okdongsik so I ordered the La-yu Dweji-Gomitang which has a some Chili oil added to the soup the broth was very light and refreshing and the thinly sliced pork was light and tasty. The service was pretty quick as most of the ingredients were already prepared. If you want a light refreshing meal this is a great place to go, I'm looking forward to visiting again! read more

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Wait: We came when it was sprinkling hoping that there weren't too many people, but it seems to always be busy here haha. We were told the wait was going to be 45 minutes, so I left my number and we ventured to Don Quixote. We shopped a little, then came back to check if it was our turn to be seated. Unfortunately, they randomly took our name off of the waitlist. We were told we would get a text when our seats were ready, but we never received the text besides the original "you're on the waitlist." Afterwards, we waited about 15-20 more minutes before being seated. The interior was nice, simple, not too much space for waiting. It seated about 18 people I believe? I think we ended up counting because the sign on the window mentioned the new york location only has 13 seats Food: we ordered gomtang x2, spicy gomtang, and a small pork rice bowl. The pork flavor really shone through in the gomtang, it's definitely a tamer soup. The spicy paste to dip your meat in was really yummy, wish I had more. The kimchi wasn't my favorite, wasn't fermented well, tasted like bland cabbage. Our highlight was probably the pork rice bowl, had so much flavor and packed a punch! overall, it was cool to try this place since we're huge culinary class war fans and foodies, but I wouldn't go out of my way to wait over an hour to eat this. read more

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I first came to Okdongsik when they opened because I had heard so many great things about their pork gomtang. I recently came back, and I honestly think it's better than it was during the opening weeks. The broth is clean, light, and comforting without feeling greasy. My only complaints are that the pork portion is on the small side, and a few pieces had a slight porky smell. The kimchi was just okay. I think it would complement the soup much better if it had a little more depth and umami. Overall, I had a good experience and can definitely see the improvement since they first opened. I'd happily come back, and next time I'm planning to try the tonkatsu. read more

Okdongsik - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Made rez as soon as the 2-week window for reservations opened up and it was easy to get. It's bar seating, but can fit about 20 people, I think. Our server/cook was nice and gave me tips on how to eat various dishes. For example, the fried burdock roots are to be eaten in the soup like tempura udon. I don't particularly like tempura udon, but I tried it that way. It was fine, but not necessary. Plus, it comes in one tangled piece and it was hard to separate in my soup. I got the roots to eat with my beer, but it's light on salt so it didn't go that well with the beer. I'd say skip it. Oh, but the pork soup. So good! Clean and simple. The pork is sliced extra thin and when you dip it in the red chili sauce, it tastes just like bossam. Yum! I never wanted to try pork soup in Busan cuz I'm a beef broth kind of girl. But this didn't have that porky taste so it was easy to eat. Worth the hype. We also ordered the kimchee cold noodles. Again, so simple, but so good! Not too sweet and with the slushy broth. I will say, it's hard to get back to the pork soup if you eat the noodles in the middle. Because it's more flavorful, when you return to the pork soup, it tastes bland. I ended up leaving half of my soup and rice uneaten. We also had the shrimp katsu - delicious! I will order this to accompany my beer next time. It's big chunks of shrimp - no fillers. I will definitely be back when in town. read more

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Hot. Satisfying. Simple. Affordable. A lot of good things coming from Okdongsik! Located in the back of the new Sky Ala Moana and Renaissance Condotels, along Makaloa St, the back of Wal-Mart. Metered or street parking only. Small restaurant with bar/counter style seating only. Walk-in okay, but it filled up super quick after we sat down. Inside is clean and neat with high ceilings. The kitchen is right in front of you, so you can see your order being made. All your napkins and utensils, and chilled Korean barley tea/water are within an arm's reach. The barley tea was very good. Refreshing! The menu only has SEVEN food items - 1 appetizer (chilled pork), 3 mains (sliced pork with broth, pork loin cutlet, kimchi cold noodles), and 3 add-ons (shrimp katsu, mini pork over rice, seafood cake). Gotta love the simplicity and pork-centric menu. You can see the extra focus in each dish compared to if you had fifty food items. Didn't order everything, but 5/7 ain't bad :). Complimentary Kimchee was solid! Bright, savory, fermented with a nice spice. The Dweji-Gomtang was very good--as described! The pork broth was clean, light, warm, and delicious with soft, tender pork that went very well with their signature Gochuji. Instructions on the napkin box--basically tells you to NOT put it in the broth lol. Some folks need guidance. The Lard Donkatsu was excellent. It's supposedly a limited amount of 40 per day, but seems like they get plenty. Pork loin was thick and deep fried very well! Crispy outside, tender meat inside, and cooked to the perfect light pink. The sauce was tasty and flavorful with a nice tanginess. Cabbage salad was crisp with tasty dressing. The surprise was the pickled radish, which was really good with a nice mix of savory, sweet, and sour. Radish had a nice firm texture. Very well prepared! The Ok Donggeurangttaeng is the meaty seafood cake. This was good. Like a meat and seafood patty with chives. Soft and airy. The pickled onions on top were very good and went well with the cake. The Mini Pork Dupbob was very good. You really can't go wrong with torched pork with garlic and ganjang on rice topped with roasted seaweed flakes. The char was amazing! Pork with seaweed was flavorful. Shrimp Katsu was excellent! A nice portion of shrimp. Uses the same coating as the pork for an Uber crispy delight. Tartar sauce was tasty. Overall, an excellent meal. It's awesome to have everything being made to order and right in front of you with each dish coming in hot and fresh. All the dishes were very well prepared and the pickled items were exceptional. Service was excellent. Everyone was friendly and attentive. Affordable prices. Will definitely come back to try the other two items and everything else again. read more

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We went for a weekday dinner and it was easy to make a reservation online. Service was fast and the chef let us know to use the chili sauce for only the meat. The broth wasn't as flavorful as I thought it was going to be, but still good and I can see eating here on cold, rainy night. The donkatsu was tender and crispy. I think next time, I wouldn't get the pork rice bowl. It was chopped up pork pieces over rice and had a smokey flavor. Overall the experience was good and the price for the two of us was a little over $50 with tip. read more

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Simplistic elegance. Excellent service. Amazing food. Went for breakfast. $9.99 complete with gomtang and pouched egg. read more

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It was a surprise to find this restaurant in Honolulu as we had watched Culinary Wars 2 and knew that the restaurant was in NYC. Our family of 4 ordered 4 soups, pork cutlet, 1 add-on shrimp cutlet, 1 appetizer of pork plate, and green plum ade. And we devoured it all. It was so delicious! Definitely worth the hype. Servers were friendly and welcoming. Refilled our kimchi and gochuji-pepper paste dip quickly. The restaurant is small but clean and nicely organized with wooden bar for seating. We would definitely come back here the next time we are in Honolulu! read more

Okdongsik - Pork beef soup - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

If you ever want a good comfort meal I highly recommend coming to Okdongsik. They do a really good job using the natural flavors of the pork and broth to make a comforting soup. Also the donkatsu and the pork bowl is amazing. The donkatsu is juicy and not dry, it pairs really with the cabbage that's dressed with this sweet/tangy sauce. The pork bowl improves every-time we go and I feel like this time they scorched it, but added the nori. The nori adds a nice aroma to the bowl and flavor! It was really good. Overall, I'm coming back. This is my favorite comfort meal! read more

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First time trying Okdongsik. I ordered the Lard Donkatsu (Pork Tonkatsu). It was good and comparable to what you would get in a Japanese restaurant. I should have ordered their Dweji-Gomtang, which they were known for. The restaurant was clean with Minimum styling. The only negative is that we drained the water pitcher and they took it to refill it but never brought it back. Their way of passively-aggressive telling us to leave? Prices were reasonable. Will probably come again to get the Dweji-Gomtang. read more

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I ordered the cold kimchi noodle soup and it was delicious and not overly salty. The noodles were cooked perfectly. It came with a side of kimchi which also was not too salty. The broth was refreshing and I enjoyed the complimentary tea. I highly recommend you make reservations through Resy. We showed up early to see if we could get seats early since we had reservations mid day but it was still packed. Food came out quick. read more

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Korean comfort food Traditional dishes similar to a Japanese izakaya but Korean In the back of the mariott. Street parking is easy read more

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It's 8 days into 2026 and I have not posted a review. The shame. It's unbearable! Kidding. Like Raising Cane's, Okdongsik has a limited menu, but unlike Raising Cane's, is actually good. We've eaten almost everything on the menu except for the shrimp katsu and Kimichi cold noodles. The slow cooked and chilled pork over pickles appetizer sets you up for the dweji-gomtang, offering a primer of what's to come. Pickles are balanced and the pork is sort of like how Kat's Deli in NYC offers you a sample of what's coming in your pastrami sandwich. Their famous dweji-gomtang is a seemingly simplistic dish that's much harder to create than you'd imagine. Getting that pork broth that clean, clear, and flavorful isn't easy, which is probably why their parent company was recognized with a Michelin Bib Gourmand award. The pork is sliced thin and is quite tender. Protip: Avoid mixing in the hot pepper paste into the broth as you'll ruin hours of work that went into the broth. Dip your meat into the hot pepper paste and then eat it. The lard donkatsu is tonkatsu fried presumably in lard. Tastes delicious and is better than most places selling tonkatsu. Semi-thick, meat, tender, and balanced seasoning, fried to golden brown perfect, you can't go wrong with this unless you're deliberately trying to limit fried food exposure (to which you have my deepest sympathies). As for add ons, the mini pork dupbob is fatty, meaty, over very tasty rice. A good swap to get some variety from any of the entrées. Don't forget the meaty seafood cake though, that's a real winner despite looking relatively mundane. A good balance of seafood, vegetables and starch, it's grilled to golden brown perfection. Bathroom is clean, staff are polite and efficient, and the restaurant is well kept and well lit. It is recommended to get a reservation, but they do take walk ins. Parking is whatever is in the area on the street, but they do validate for an hour in the Sky Ala Moana hotel parking. read more

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I'm so pleased by the whole experience at Okdongsik! The food, service, and restaurant aesthetics all exceeded my expectations. Of course, we started off by ordering the famous Dweji-Gomtang. I've had beef variations of this soup at other restaurants in the past, and have never been a huge fan due to the typical blandness. However, I actually found this soup to be super aromatic and delicious here! It's a super cozy meal with rice, topped with thinly sliced pork that you can dip in a flavorful gochuji. The lard donkatsu was phenomenal too. It was crispy and moist, paired with a tangy sauce, lightly dressed salad, rice, and peppery version of the pork broth. Truly 10/10. Great paired with the complimentary barley tea too. We ended up ordering the seafood pancake to our order since we enjoyed our meal so much. Their unique version is so soft, fluffy, and savory! The pickled onions on top add a touch of acidity to balance it out. I highly recommend a reservation since seating is limited. Our table was ready right on time. While we had issues updating our party size (Resy's fault) and our calls didn't go through, our server kindly accommodated us with no issues. Every table sees the food prepped live too which is so fun! read more

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We went to Okdongsik on a Wednesday and made a reservation ahead of time (definitely recommend since seating is limited). The owner was on Culinary Class Wars, which made us even more excited to try it. First tip: the entrance was a little tricky to find. It's tucked in an alley behind the hotel, in between Walmart and the surrounding buildings. We weren't sure about parking nearby, so we parked at Ala Moana and walked over. We arrived a few minutes before opening and were promptly let in right when they opened. The space itself has an open-air bar feel, with food prepped right in front of you. It's intimate and immersive. The vibe is very "elevated simplicity" -- lots of wood paneling and natural elements, very zen and organic. The music was chill ambient/white-noise, almost meditative. It felt calm and intentional. We ordered almost everything on the menu: Ok Donggeurangttaeng - This kind of reminded us of a tamagoyaki. Soft, comforting, and simple. Naeng Jeyu - Simple and delicious. It paired perfectly with the pickled onions. Mini Pork Dupop - A little underwhelming compared to the others, but it had a nice smoky flavor from being torched. Kimchi Cold Noodles - Absolutely blew our minds. We still think about this dish. The broth is light, chilled, and incredibly refreshing -- perfect for hot summer days. The noodles had great texture and the flavors were balanced beautifully. Dweji-Gomtang - I didn't understand what they meant by "clean" until I tried this. It was incredibly delicious but light at the same time. Comforting without feeling heavy. You're served barley tea by default (which we loved), but you'll need to ask if you want water. Service was friendly, quick, and efficient. We were in and out in less than 30 minutes -- which honestly makes this a great lunch option if you work nearby. Make a reservation, enjoy a thoughtful meal, and still make it back to the office on time. Overall: minimalist, intentional, and flavor-forward. We'll absolutely be back for those kimchi cold noodles. read more

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The dishes here are amazing, WOW. I've been wanting to try this restaurant because of Culinary Class Wars and I was not disappointed. The 돼지 곰탕 was very balanced, with a subtle punch of flavor. You also eat it with the chili paste they recommend. It's a very healing dish and made me very warm inside. I also tried the pork katsu and it was very good as well. You can see them making the dishes in front of you, and the environment is beautifully modern. read more

Okdongsik - 돼지 곰탕 (Dweji Gomtang) - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I made reservations for 5 of us for 12:30pm on a Thursday , but they didn't seat us till 12:49pm. And when we asked to be seated, they informed us they have a 45-minute eating time limit. I was not aware of that, and saw no signage stating such. Service was not that friendly; they don't really smile here (maybe that's a cultural thing? ‍) Since there are only 20 counter seats, I would recommend no more than 2 people in your party. (I wouldn't recommend it for groups larger than 2.) I think what they do best is the Dweji-gomtang. The dipping sauce and broth were excellent, even if a bit gamey. It's a Korean comfort food. And their kimchi is good, but not that spicy. I also ordered the Okdong gueranttaeng (kind of like a frittata), and it was a bit salty, but otherwise done well; slightly crispy outside, and soft inside. Simplicity is their theme, and I like the minimal decor. read more