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Rice Burger & Cafe

4.9 (41 reviews)
Closed Closed
Updated 2 months ago

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RICE BURGER & CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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Casual
Dogs allowed

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Maple garlic salmon
Craig T.

Always been on my Radar finally got chance today to stopped by . Rice Burger Cafe located next to Times Kaimuki next door to Higoto's. Nice lady at the counter she recommend their already made bentos on the counter so took her advice their Maple Garlic Salmon. It was ok cane with a tofu cake, some side bachan, along with Japchae and asparagus tips . I also ordered a spicy pork bowl for my wife . Consist of rice on the bottom with lettuce salad and Japchae with the spicy pork on top . Short fall of 5 stars only because I found a small bone in their spicy pork bowl . Literally whenever your eating something fast because your hungry than all of a sudden you hear a crack . Bit into a pork bone which it was not a big deal although be-careful when eating their spicy pork bowl . So overall service friendly 5 Stars Quality of food 4 Stars Overall 4 stars . Next time I'll probably try their Bim bap Korean sushi the lady said they sell out quickly. Support local when you can

April K.

We came, we ordered to go, we ate, we loved! Everything we ordered was made fresh and tasted delicious. Service was friendly and timely. The space was small but welcoming. I wish they had another location closer to me because I would be a regular for sure. Looking forward to trying more items.

Inside seating
Andrea M.

I was looking for a small lunch, not too hungry and this newish spot sounded really interesting. It's a Korean style cafe that focuses on Korean rice burgers, where the bun is replaced with seasoned grilled rice patties. I thought it may be a little dry or fall apart but it was so delicious! I got the egg cheese and kimchi and the mix was perfect! A little bit of spice from the kimchee, the umami from the seaweed seasoned rice, and egg and cheese pulled it all together. I didn't think it would work so well together but it really hit the spot. There are two tables but I think it's mostly a takeaway focused place. K pop music in the background completed the atmosphere. It's very cute and although small they have made the space welcoming. The cashier was sweet and my order was fresh and ready in just a couple of minutes. Parking is easy, this is located in the Times Kaimuki shopping center on the bottom level. Will definitely be back.

Kimchi Bulgogi burger
Glenn N.

Super nice people, dishing out a great rice burger. Located in the trendy neighborhood of Kaimuki. Rice Burger and Cafe's fresh take on a burger, is simply just good food. We ordered the kimchi and Bulgogi burger as well as the spam. The Bulgogi Kimchi burger was just the right amount of spicy and savory. The meat was very tender and the kimchi tasted like my halmoni neighbor makes for me. Biting into the spam burger a surprise to find a spicy tuna mayo in it along with the spam was a great combination. My pro tip would be go early. They run out fast.

Salmon tartare
Wina G.

Small little shop located below Longs Drugs in the Kaimuki Shopping Center. It's next to Times supermarket and Higoto's bento. Had 2 tables inside-most people take out. So we got the salmon tartare rice burger and the kim chee bulgogi rice burger ($7.98) which the girl said was one of the popular items. Both came out wrapped in foil and hot. Size wise it was about the size of a kid's MacDonald's burger but tall and fat. We were told to press down and smash the rice burger down and then open it up to eat. You're supposed to be able to hold the foil and just eat like a regular burger but it was too soft to hold the shape. We ended up using our forks and eating out of the foil. I was expecting the rice to be crispy and firm like a bun would be but it was soft rice. No matter-it was tasty! Glad we took the girl's advice and got the bulgogi with the kim chee instead of just bulgogi. The kim chee added extra flavor. We really liked the salmon too- there was some sort of seasoned mayo sauce on it. I think it was our favorite. The salmon one is only available on Wednesday and Thursdays. I saw they had bento displayed too- the maple garlic salmon one looked really good as did the beef one. Next time! Overall it was a tasty lunch- size was just right for us but maybe not enough for big eaters. If you're on a salt restricted diet, this may be a bit too salty for you. We really liked it and will come back to try the bento.

Storefront
Nadine C.

Lunch in Kaimuki, Honolulu, Hawai'i... Located on the lower level of Kaimuki Shopping Center is a cute, new business with cheerful service! The interior is very clean and bright! The owner is so cheerful and welcoming! She's very kind, pleasant, and easy-going! She said she will be adding more chairs and tables for dining-in. That's wonderful because outside, it's humid and hot! Thank goodness for free, shared parking and air-conditioning! We got the kimbap which was beautiful and delicious! We sat down and enjoyed it thoroughly! We'll be back!

Storefront
Irene M.

Rice rice and everything nice... What a cute concept along with their Rice Burger logo this newbie just opened about a month ago and is located in the lower level of Kaimuki Shopping Center so you know that parking isn't the issue of getting here it's a matter of what do you want between the rice. Walking up to the cafe it's very cute and cozy though with just one single seat not sure it's welcoming in that way as I think it's spacious enough to add a few more seats there is quite of options to choose from and with some wall art posing as some yummy options that describes what's in it it did help in the decision though I asked and the staff suggested the Mayo Tonkatsu which is exactly that tuna mayo with tonkatsu between rice. The image pictured shows something mixed in the rice but my rice was plain so I'm not sure if that's an option that you're able to do so as well but having plain rice was nice and it was interesting for sure. I noticed another picture of how they suggest you enjoy it by giving it a little squish that seems to compact it all and was surprised to see that it basically held together quite well the rice was cooked perfectly it wasn't hot but room temp and plain not salted which is nice but did start to fall apart half way through but the heavy duty foil it was wrapped in held it all and was pretty good which makes it a great option to the beloved musubi. Thank you!

Kimbap
Jannet L.

Wasn't sure what to expect from rice burger but it was so incredibly delicious!!! Their kimchi is sautéed so it's not sharp but a little sweet and so good!! Also had their bibimbop which was the perfect amount and of course their kimbop which has the perfect ratio of rice. Service is friendly and this might start being my go to place for when I need simple Korean food. They have two small tables with two chairs each so perfect to eat and run! Food comes out super fast.

kimchi bulgolgi. they want you to smash it before you eat it
Shay Y.

I don't usually give 5 stars, but I literally have no reason not to give Rice Burger & Cafe 5 stars. The concept is simple - 2 seasoned rice balls (musubis for us locals) with various fillings between them. I ordered a kimchi bulgogi rice burger. It is well seasoned, the rice is cooked well (I saw a Cuckoo in the back). The kimchi and bulgogi go well together of course. They also sell bentos ($15.99 ea and changes every day). The rice burger was only $6.99. If that fills you up, what a great lunch option. The store is located by Times Kaimuki, on the lower level. There's always some parking in that lot, and the store front is bright and clean. Will be coming back. Don't forget to smash your burger before you unwrap it.

Kim bap & tteokbokki!
Darilyn M.

A lil hidden gem of a eatery! Beautiful vibes. We will be frequent customers. The tteokbokki was simple yet perfect as it is. Nice spice. And you can't eat one without the other!

Front of bag
Michelle L.

We have been waiting for Rice Burger & Cafe to open for so long. It's right across from where I work. Today we were walking past , and discovered they were having their soft opening today 3/5/25. Please make sure to check them out. The food is absolutely delicious, and well worth the wait. I had the Bibimbap and my daughter had the spam burger . I give a 10/10 delicious. Affordable, and you get your money's worth. The customer service is excellent . The owner is so sweet and nice. We were talking with the owner as we waited for our food. We didn't have to wait long at all . Please make sure to visit this wonderful cafe located in the Kaimuki shopping center right next to Higoto's on the bottom level of Kaimuki shopping center. I love the design inside of the cafe . It's so cute . I forgot to take pictures inside. I'll update once I visit again. I'm hoping they will be open on Monday's and Tuesday's since Higoto is closed on those days.

Maple garlic salmon
Hanna N.

What a pleasant surprise! I was in the area and needed something QUICK and saw this cute little Korean cafe. A rice burger? What's that?! Instead of bread for buns, it's, you guessed it, seasoned rice! Although the standard and best seller is the bulgogi rice burger, I opted for the salmon tartare, since it was on special that day. And let me tell you, it was delicious! Messy, but so yummy! The salmon is seasoned well and is generous in portion size. It also comes with a tarter sauce that honestly, almost stole the show. Holy delicious. And it had crunchy onions in it tool, and I MOPPED this burger. For my mom, I got the ready-made maple garlic salmon bento, and again, it was delicious. The various banchans in it were all solid and fresh, and the salmon was juicy and plump. It was easy to tell that whoever is cooking and making the food makes the banchan fresh and authentically Korean. The service was also very friendly and efficient. I definitely recommend stopping by here if you're in a hurry and want something that will satisfy your taste buds. Can't wait to be back to try the other rice burgers and bentos.

Front entrance
Kevin W.

A hidden gem next to Times Kaimuki. Serving wonderful Korean cuisine. Good variety of dishes all are delicious. Stopped by for a light snack. The Gilbap was perfectly prepared and delicious . Cozy shop mostly take out. Locally owned and operated. They're so friendly and accommodating. Great place for quick Korean Take Out

patty rice burger and salmon rice burger

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3 months ago

I love the bowls here, but the rice burgers and tteokbokki are also good! And very speedy service too.

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1 year ago

CUPBOP!! Bulgogi!! So Good. A hefty portion too. Rice, lettuce, chapchae, bulgogi and a mandoo. And so delicious. You gotta try it.

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1 year ago

Fantastic little fast food Korean inspired take-out spot. The cuperinos are amazing! You can't go wrong with their rice burgers as well.

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1 year ago

Cute little cafe serves fresh rice "burgers" with generous fillings. Clever take on a bento.

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Rice Burger & Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Rice Burger & Cafe

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4.6
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As always this place delivers not only great food, but the service is great with a combination of…read morefriendly aunties and young servers greeting each customer and making sure that your dining in experience is excellent. So many of the Korean restaurants in Honolulu have servers who are actually mean to the customers and we now refuse to give them our dining dollars. The more modern Korean restaurants are providing much better customer experiences so that a customer becomes a life-long customer who spreads the word to family and friends and who keeps coming back for life. Does anyone remember the "Angry Korean Auntie" who used to run her restaurant like Seinfeld's "Soup Nazi'? That is the kind of service that we try to avoid now regardless of food quality. The atmosphere here is elegant and welcoming and the food is excellent and the ban chans served here are better than any other Korean restaurant in Honolulu. We enjoy coming here and never smell like BBQ when we leave, LOL, due to efficient fans and AC's. Their marinated Kalbi is some of the best I have every had, way better than any LA Kalbi and we recommend it. All the soups are good and generous.

Service was AMAZING as usual!! No one takes care of you the way the Korean aunties here do We came…read morefor my boyfriend's birthday and had a great time! The restaurant was clean, bright, and not too noisy. My new favorite Korean restaurant on Oahu!!! They even have uncles in the lot to help you park

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Kyung's Seafood

Kyung's Seafood

4.4
(1.1k reviews)
2.4 mi
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I honestly hadn't been back to this place in a long time because of the lingering fish smell it…read moreused to have. However, since I was in the area, my partner and I decided to give it another shot...and now I'm hooked In fact, I went three times last month. Not only is the food amazing, but the service is on another level. Everyone is incredibly friendly and welcoming. I highly recommend calling ahead for reservations. My go-to order is always the poke and kalbi, and the third dish depends on whatever my partner is craving that day. Parking can be a little challenging, but I promise it's worth it. Everything we've tried has been absolutely delicious. If I could, I'd eat here once a week! It's currently my partner's and my favorite spot. 10/10, highly recommend!

We are extremely disappointed with our recent experience…read more We've been loyal customers and typically eat here twice a week whenever we're on assignment on the island in the last five years. We have also left two previous positive reviews because we've genuinely enjoyed the food and wanted to support this small business. Earlier this week, we ordered the bulgogi for our kids, but the meat was too chewy and tough making it inedible. Wanting to give the restaurant the benefit of the doubt, we ordered the bulgogi again the following day and even requested it be cooked well done. Unfortunately, it had the same too chewy and tough texture, and again, could not be eaten. After feeding the kids something else, bathing them, and putting them to bed, I called the restaurant around 10:00 p.m., but they had already closed. I called the next day, and the owner (a lady with glasses) returned my call. Instead of listening to my concerns, she repeatedly interrupted me and spoke in a passive-aggressive, dismissive manner. I was on speakerphone with four other adults in the car, and everyone commented on how unhelpful and condescending the conversation felt. I explained that I wasn't calling simply to complain - I wanted to share feedback because we genuinely care about the restaurant and have supported it for a long time. I even mentioned that I had previously provided constructive feedback about the takeout bowls, which the restaurant later improved. Before I could finish, she cut me off and said, "We're not talking about the to-go bowls right now, are we? We're talking about your bulgogi." She insisted that if I wanted a refund, I needed to return to the restaurant in person, and that if something was wrong in the future, I should come back immediately so they could remake it. Unfortunately, that's simply not realistic for us. We're staying in a hotel with two young children, and the restaurant is about 40 minutes away. By the time we discovered the problem, got the kids settled, and called, making another round trip would have meant roughly 80 minutes of additional driving with tired, hungry children. I understand that mistakes happen, and I wasn't expecting perfection. What disappointed me most was how the concern was handled. This business does not value customer feedback and will never first listen respectfully, even from repeat customers who have consistently supported and recommended them. Sadly, based on this experience with both the food quality and the customer service, we won't be returning.

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Interior.
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Choi's Garden

Choi's Garden

3.7
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We came around 11:30am on the weekend and there was a little bit of a wait. Proabaly because…read moreeveryone is here for the $6 cold noodle specials. I personally enjoyed the noodles, it was very refreshing and chewy. The seafood pancake on the other hand was a little undercooked, wished it had a little bit more crunch/ crust. Be careful of the glass door, it's heavy and swings wildly. Some people were hit while waiting for a table.

We stopped by Choi's Garden around 11:20 a.m., shortly after they opened at 11. There were already…read moretwo tables seated when we arrived. One thing we noticed right away was that it was pretty warm inside. I'm not sure if the A/C wasn't on yet or if it was having issues, but it's something to keep in mind if you're visiting during the day. We waited about 5 minutes at the front without seeing any staff or receiving a greeting. Eventually, a server rushed in through the door and was clearly scrambling to get everything set up. After another 5 minutes, she finally seated us. She apologized and explained that the person who was supposed to open didn't show up, so she had to cover everything herself. Throughout our visit, several parties who arrived after us also ended up waiting 10 minutes or more to be seated. That was really the only downside of our experience. The server was doing her best under the circumstances, and it seemed like an unfortunate staffing issue rather than the norm. Now for the food--it was excellent! We originally came for the $5.99 naengmyeon special, and it was absolutely worth it. We also shared the spicy pork and the meat jun, and both dishes were surprisingly delicious. Everything was flavorful, and the portions were satisfying. Overall, I'd definitely come back. Despite the rough start, the food made up for it, and I'm hopeful the staffing situation was just a one-off. Hopefully they'll also get the A/C situation sorted out because that would make the dining experience even better.

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‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant

‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant

3.9
(183 reviews)
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I tried their $29 lunch special and it was sooo worth it. The quality of the meat was honestly…read moreimpressive for the price. The brisket and beef belly (toro) were my favorites, super flavorful and cooked perfectly. It doesn't come with salad, egg, or soup, but you still get a solid KBBQ experience with just meat and banchan. If you're looking for something simple and satisfying, this is a great deal. Also, the restaurant is really spacious, which makes the whole experience feel more relaxed and comfortable. Would definitely come back for a quick KBBQ fix.

Sorry, but this place feels like a tourist trap. They're clearly benefiting from being in a prime…read morelocation with very few Korean BBQ options nearby. The premium AYCE option is around $60 per person, which would be reasonable if the quality matched the price. Unfortunately, it doesn't. We're from the Bay Area and have been to countless Korean BBQ restaurants with significantly better meat quality for the same price or less. To make matters worse, even at the highest-priced AYCE tier, fountain drinks aren't included. What really left a bad impression was the automatic 20% gratuity. Our group consisted of two separate parties of three people each. We were seated together at one large table with two grills, but we had separate bills, ordered different AYCE meats option, didn't share food, and made that CLEAR before ordering. The menu states that automatic gratuity applies to parties of five or more, yet we were still charged because we happened to sit together. Had we known this was their policy, we would have chosen another restaurant or sat at different areas of the restaurant. The reason I'm giving two stars instead of one is because our servers were friendly, patient, and knowledgeable. They answered all of our questions about the menu and provided excellent service throughout the meal. Unfortunately, when we brought the gratuity issue to the manager, he insisted we were one large party despite us being separate parties with separate orders and separate checks. At the end of the day, the only difference was that we happened to be sitting at the same table. Overall, the service from the staff was great, but the overpriced food, disappointing meat quality, and questionable gratuity policy make it hard for me to recommend this place.

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Rice Burger & Cafe - korean - Updated July 2026

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