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Sam's Delicatessen

3.4 (316 reviews)
ModerateKorean
Open 9:00 am - 8:00 pm

Sam's Delicatessen Photos

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SAM'S DELICATESSEN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Dogs allowed
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Sam's Delicatessen

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Maybe a little over exaggerated. But you get the idea, the presentation is gone, when I take it to parties now.
GLENN F.

Sam's Delicatessen, yes for the last time, so sad. Been ordering this 1/2 tray of fried chicken wings for the past 30 years. $40 for a high mound 1/2 tray of delicious chicken. The chicken is still delicious, but take a look, it's now $88 and not even over flowing like before. Must be missing at least 25 pcs of chicken now days plus the increase. Thanks for the many years Sam's, but no can anymore. The presentation when I take it to parties is gone. No one says Wow what is that anymore.

Jan K.

Menu and prices as of 06.30.26. Ban chan in regular plate was smaller portions than as in past.

Bbq chicken and Bbq  meat plate
Gabriel P.

Sam's Delicatessen is a few blocks away from my residence I told my wife let's go and pick up lunch and dinnr Now .I wished Sam's was on an outer island. It would of saved me forty-five bucks. I was doing some banking so my wife pre-ordered our lunch and dinner.When I got back to the car she said tha they ttold her It would be ready in fifteen minutes. We got there in ten minutes. She went in and I waited in the car. Fifteen minutes later she came out with our food. I asked her if it was busy, because it took so long. She said she was the only customer. Now as for the food. We shared the BBQ chicken and BBQ meat combo. For dinner we had tofu soup. The banchans which came with the plate lunch had little taste. Our plate lunch fared no better. The tofu soup also disappointed. I normally end my reviews with Enjoy, not this time.

Our combo plate
Deborah P.

Well what can I say about this place. My husband wanted to try this place just up the street from where we live in town so after our errands we made a take out and headed home. The BBQ chicken was good their taste was ok the BBQ beef was lacking some kind of taste the pieces were alittle stringy. The banchan I chose wasnt the greatest in taste I tasted better banchan. The Kim chee was not hot or spicy kinda of bland the shoyu potato was hard and the shoyu taste wasnt there. All in all the banchan I tasted better. Now I'll see how's the tofu soup would taste like. I don't think I'll go back again. Sorry. My honest opinion.The tofu soup was watery and no taste at all. Very disappointed.

Meat Jun plate. Very good and moist not dry.
Wendy Y.

Ordered lunch for the family here. We got the katsu, meat Jun and bibimkoosoo plates. Honestly the best one was the meat Jun. the katsu for my son was kind of burnt or overly cooked. The bibimkoosoo is a tad bit salty. We suggest you call it in as our order took over 30 mins to be ready. Maybe they are understaffed. Also don't forget to ask for utensils or they won't give you any. Overall, we'll be back for the meat Jun only.

Jason M.

Decent food, horrible parking but we go to support sam...lol! Jk I don't even know sam anyway not my first choice for Korean food but we was in the area! Was Ono for shrimp tempura but the don't sell side orders of it, I already asked! lol

Chicken Katsu (recipe has changed for the worse)

I used to be a huge fan of Sam's chicken katsu, it was my favorite chicken katsu. The recipe changed completely. I haven't been here for about a year so I don't know when it changed. The flavor is bland and oily. The fried outer is not really crispy. Banchan was OK. Super sad day. Please change it back to the OG recipe.

Menu options
Jackie K.

First time ordering from Sam's Delicatessen. My sister suggested picking up dinner here. Parking is angled and limited here. Be careful parking here. Interior reminds me of old time mom and pop delicatessen. Small interior. Two ladies were covering the counter area. Many options to order from and it took me a few minutes to look at the options. We ended up ordering three bentos and a plate lunch. The $10.99 bento is small for the price point. The $13.99 bento is large and has more of a variety of meats. Sadly the only vegetable that comes with the bentos is cabbage. The plate lunch was my sister's order, so I am unable to review that plate. This place has catering and many Yelpers report that the prices have skyrocketed here for catering. The food was average. 3/5 stars Ambiance is not much at all. Could be cleaner and more lit. 3/5 stars. Service was minimal and no welcome. 3/5 stars. A good point is that Sam's offers brown rice as an option. Overall, I probably wouldn't return here.

Annie K.

Perfect little take out place for local and korean bbq plate lunch. Portions are mediocre but taste is on point

Outside
S M.

Today I got to try their Yook Gae Jang, Hot Beef Soup, and it turned out good. The worker, seemed like an owner, was very nice.

Kimchee Soup
Janey T.

My parents picked up Korean food for dinner and I decided to stick with Kimchee soup to be safe. My boyfriend got the Fish jun since he's never had it before. He really liked it since the inside was moist and the outside was a little crispy. He enjoyed the banchans as well! My kimchee soup was so yummy and had the perfect kick to it! Sometimes kimchee soup isn't spicy which makes me sad because I love my spicy flavors! This soup had the perfect ratio of tofu, kimchee and meat. My soup came with rice and banchans as well. There isn't too much parking so I recommend if doing take out, have one person driving and another person hop out to grab the food. The inside of the restaurant is giving old school, mom and pop shop. Kind of pricey but if you're really craving korean food and in the area, I'd give this place a try!

December 2021 catering prices
Lori I.

Recently ordered bentos for a small party and everyone enjoyed it. The party platters are getting so expensive that I think the bentos were a better deal this time around. However, the mochiko chicken doesn't taste the same as it used to be, not sure if they changed the recipe but it's not the same mochiko chicken from a few years ago. The fried chicken wings is still excellent. I still like this place but just not as much as before.

Oahu Special - Kalbi, Bbq Chicken, Bbq Beef, Mandoo
Suzie F.

This next to Bangkok Chef with 3-4 angled stalls in front. Small establishment with 3 tables. Not sure if I was greeted by the cashier/order taker, may have been greeted but honestly don't remember...was already looking the menu trying to decide on what to order. Ended up ordering the Oahu Special (1 Kalbi, 1 BBQ Chicken, 1 BBQ Beef (couldn't really tell since it was all bits of meat), 2 Mandoo and 4 choices of side) and Tonkatsu (Pork). The Kalbi was good, bbq chicken was a bit salty for my taste, bbq beef was alright I guess but I really hate/dislike when the meat is kasu (small bits of pieces kind of like you you cut for a baby). Enjoyed the Mandoo with the Mandoo sauce from another Korean restaurant since they didn't give any sauce. The tonkatsu was good, crispy but not burnt. The sauce was good also. The day I decide to carry just my drivers license, 1 credit card and no cash, there would be an issue with the credit card machine. Waited patiently for the Tech to arrive but the owners I presume were talking and then he asked if they could rerun my card which was a success...he said probably internet issue. This wasn't their fault, not in their control. After I paid and just as I was sitting down to wait for my order, the other girl said here's your order. She was lacking in the customer service part....Didn't ask if wanted fork or chopsticks like the other lady did for the other customer. I guess with this girl you'd have to ask instead.

The Chicken Wing Plate

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5 months ago

Used to have the best mochiko chicken, but they changed the recipe. Now it's more like karaage chicken. Not the same. :(

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8 months ago

This was the second time in a row that the food had no taste. We ordered the meat jun and it was bland.

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1 year ago

Family pack is so worth it! All the meats that you like, enough veggies to fill you up. Always order it for family outings.

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Korea Garden

Korea Garden

4.6
(358 reviews)
2.1 mi

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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Nicely decorated
Nicely decorated
Hot stone pot bibimbap
Hot stone pot bibimbap
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Cold noodles in beef broth
Kyung's Seafood

Kyung's Seafood

4.4
(1.1k reviews)
1.5 mi
$$

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.

Photos
Interior.
Interior.
1LB Mama special fresh ahi (my go to) *6/1/24
1LB Mama special fresh ahi (my go to) *6/1/24
1LB each (spicy ahi and fresh ahi mama special) ohh-wee so yummy *6/1/24

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1LB each (spicy ahi and fresh ahi mama special) ohh-wee so yummy *6/1/24
Choi's Garden

Choi's Garden

3.7
(632 reviews)
1.6 mi
$$

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.

Friend suggested here as a centrally located place for several of us to get together…read more Service - male server was accommodating Female, not so much. Had to call and up the count on our reservation twice, female did that well. They put us in the far back corner and it was warm. Female did come and turn the fan on after a little while, explaining the AC was broken. Fan did help, but I was near the fan. I don't think it reached the folks farther in (there were 8 of us). Three of us ordered the stone pot bibimbap with bulgogi. One wanted to sub BBQ chicken, was told, "no." She had to change her order since she doesn't eat beef. Friend later told me she had been accommodated before, but these seemed to be new owners.) Two ordered BBQ Chicken plates, one the stir fried squid, one kimchee fried rice, one meat jun, a fish jun. Ban Chan came - two sets (one per table of four) of bean sprouts, fish cake, Choi sum, potatoes, kimchee. They were good. Cold water was served, and after a while we were given a pitcher so we could refill our cups, which was good. Food didn't take overly long to come out but wasn't really quick. (There were only two servers and the restaurant filled up quickly.) Stone pot bibimbap flavor was a disappointment. Only gochujung sauce to add, no sesame seed oil, so it was bland. Both of us who got it didn't think it was very tasty. Otherwise, it was nice and hot, and there was plenty of crispy rice after mixing it all up, and it included a raw egg which added some flavor, but not much. I will not get it again. Those with the BBQ chicken said it was tasty and juicy. Meat jun and fish jun was ok. Kimchee fried rice and stir fried squid were very spicy. Flavor was ok. Had to ask for our checks, were told they had only two staff working so they were very busy, but they kindly accommodated four separate checks for the eight of us. Not sure if I'll return. Prices are reasonable for the portion size, but no AC, bland stone pot bibimbap, we're not to my liking.

Photos
Cute decor
Cute decor
Stir fried squid
Stir fried squid
Banchan

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Banchan
‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant

‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant

3.9
(182 reviews)
3.1 mi
$$$

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.

Photos
‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant
Very marbled beef (I can't remember the name)
Very marbled beef (I can't remember the name)
Pork belly and Kalbi

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Pork belly and Kalbi

Sam's Delicatessen - korean - Updated July 2026

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