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    Soon's Kal Bi BBQ

    3.8 (873 reviews)
    ModerateKorean, Barbeque
    Closed 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Soon's Kal Bi BBQ Photos

    SOON'S KAL BI BBQ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Bbq Chicken and Meat jun plate
    Karen T.

    Always get a great bang for your buck and the foods consistently good! If you're familiar with Salt Lake Shopping Center you've probably been here.

    Anthony A.

    This was my go to spot when I was living in Hawaii in the 80's. Going back 40 years later and still having the same flavor and food was marvelous!! The food is amazing! There is nothing on the meu that is a bad choice. The service level is as expected frpm a takeout window. Friendly and polite service. I was on the island for 3 days and had 3 meals there at the tables. It's a perfect place to sit and eat while smelling the smoke of the teriyaki chicken. I would fly back just to go here! Not the beach!

    I had heard a lot of good things about Soons Meat Jun, so while I was in the area I decided to give it a try. I ended up spending about $21 for a plate, which I didn't mind as long as the quality matched. Unfortunately, the meat jun didn't taste like traditional meat jun at all. The texture was really off , it was hard instead of the usual light, fluffy consistency you expect. It just wasn't enjoyable. I was pretty disappointed, especially after hearing such good reviews. Personally, I won't be going back.

    Ordering and pick-up windows
    Lizzy Z.

    I couldn't decide what to get at this classic kbbq spot, so I picked the Kalbi Combo so I could try a little of many things! The Kalbi Combo comes with kalbi, BBQ chicken, bulgogi (BBQ beef), meat jun, and mandoo. The portion is generous and could definitely be shared between 2 people. Overall, the meats are AMAZING. The kalbi, chicken, and bulgogi were all so flavorful, juicy, tender, and perfectly cooked, with that slightly charred barbecue flavor. The seasoning is well-balanced - just the right blend of savory, sweet, umami. The meat jun has a crisp, light batter and tender meat, and it comes with an amazing sauce that complements it really well. It's not too greasy, and the sauce is the perfect level of acidity to balance it out. Also tastes really good with the fried mandoo. The highlight is really the meat - the banchan is just so-so, and the rice was a little too wet for my liking. The kimchi is not the most flavorful, and they use regular cabbage instead of napa cabbage, which was a little odd to me. The bean sprouts were okay - they had a light, slightly acidic dressing on it. I love banchan so I was a little bummed they don't have other options to choose from, but I don't mind too much, because everything else was seriously amazing. There is a dining area with a few booths for customers to sit at around the corner of the order/pick-up windows, which are covered by an awning. Last thing to keep in mind about Soon's is that they are cash only!

    Meat Jun plate with my 2 favs only found in Hawaii, and this version at Soon's is perfect
    Pam A.

    Food and serve always good! I've visited Soons since the eighties and the food tastes the same, served hot, fresh and original sauces are perfect. I got the meat Jun plate combo the best of both worlds. Please don't go anywhere, I'll be back every time!

    Family Pack
    Tiffany H.

    Used to come here often growing up but haven't been for years. Got their family pack. It has a decent amount of food for the price which includes mandoo, bulgogi, Kalbi, bbq chicken and meat jun. All the meats have good flavor but the meat jun were super thin slices of meat. Young's has much better meat jun. You have to order the veggies and rice separately and pay more for it. Prices have increased quite a bit since I last visited but it is a decent Korean place for the area.

    My shared lunch
    Elisa M.

    Simple, no frills dining but the food is always great. No trip to the island is complete for me if it doesn't include a stop at Soon's. Make sure you bring cash as it's cash only!

    Kal Bi Mix

    Husband and I went to Soon's for lunch We got Kal Bi Mix and Mandu Combo we sat down to eat my plate Kal Bi mix the Kal Bi had no taste seems it's from already made from Mays box and was tuff to chew The Meat Chun had a bland taste you would have to soak the meat Chun in their shoyu sauce to have taste I only enjoyed the vegetables which was fresh tasting even the kimchee was fresh I feel they have lost their touch will seek another Korean Kal Bi establishment Service was fast not to friendly seating area was okay but to much flies

    Kal Bi and Meat Jhun.
    Patricia S.

    Food-still amazing, brings me back to my 8/9th grade time attending Aliamanu Intermediate School, still the same taste. Service-the service was a bit standoffish- They got the order wrong and my bf was very disappointed and forced himself to eat what was given, my meal was what I ordered just his one was wrong. Ambiance-same ol. Outdoor, clean, hot and no bathroom for emergency.

    Soon's Special
    Kevin W.

    Soon's Kal Bi BBQ a long time tenant at the Salt Lake Shopping Center. Locally owned and operated. Staff are very friendly and efficient. Outside dining and take out only. Well known for their Meat Jun and Kalbi. We had the Soon's Special and a Meat Jun BBQ Chicken Combo. Delicious food at reasonable prices. A definite must visit if you're looking for some delicious Korean food.

    Meat Jhun Combo

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    Great food. Cash only so dont forget to get cash. Also easy parking and right off Salt lake Blvd.

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    3 months ago

    This place has the best fried mandoo.!!! Been going here for decades . Their bbq deluxe sandwiches are the bomb & the kalbi is onolisious

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    4 months ago

    I have been going here since 1986. I can't find anything like it on the mainland. Love love love it.

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    Page 1 of 22

    Soon's Kal Bi BBQ Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Soon's Kal Bi BBQ

    Is this cash only?

    Yes

    Prices are not accurate on the pictures. What year are these prices?

    If you click on the picture it says how long ago they were posted by other Yelpers. The one I clicked on said 4 months ago.

    Closed and under renovation?

    Yes until 3/1

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    Hangang

    Hangang

    4.4(353 reviews)
    5.6 miAla Moana
    $$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Certified professionals

    Want some authentic Korean BBQ? This is the place to be, a hole in the wall but with all that you…read moreneed to enjoy a fantastic authentic Korean BBQ feast. Walking in, it was dark, cozy, smelling delicious and it was Full House. We were seated quickly with servers that were friendly & fast. We picked the menu option on page 1, $77 per person lunch set menu that includes 4 types of meat, steam eggs, kimchi pancake, different dipping sauces; including bean paste dipping sauce and raw garlic slices and abundant Banchan little appetizer dishes. The meats were fresh and tasty. The spicy cold noodles were refreshing, and all the Banchan little dishes offered lots of varieties and refillable. You know this place is authentic when you have bean paste dipping sauce and raw garlic slices. They are not trying to tailor to westerners. The grill was hot, the meat was sizzling and the food kept coming. We ate as much as we can, and there were so much food, at the end. We were about to explode. This place is so good and we can't wait to come back.

    10/10 experience both times I came. Food is sooooooo good and flavorful here. I love that it's not…read moresmoky inside this restaurant despite the grilling and it's very clean. It feels high end. Prices are definitely a little more than some other Korean restaurants but I think it's worth it for the quality of the meat and food as well as the service and inside area. All servers have been so kind and attentive, which I appreciate appreciated. What sets Hangang apart from other Korean restaurants is the quality of their meats. Their Kimchee soup is amazing too, I highly recommend getting that! Japchae was yummy but not a standout. You're going to spend about $50 a head here. I'll be back!

    Photos
    Hangang
    Hangang - Our lunch side dishes

    Our lunch side dishes

    Hangang - Combination B -- $95.95

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    Combination B -- $95.95

    Jagalchi - Complete makeover. Pocha   Not the old school place anymore.

    Jagalchi

    4.0(508 reviews)
    5.7 mi
    $$

    For her birthday, my daughter wanted to eat tteokbokki- her favorite Korean dish. We would be in…read morethe university area so | did a quick yelp search and found Jagalchi. Located on Young Street, this Korean restaurant has a young, casual, and fun vibe. Definitely a good time. We were greeted by friendliest server and quickly seated. Ordering is done via ipad at the table. There are a lot of great menu choices, but we narrowed it down to tteokbokki, chicken wings, and bi bim bap. Our food came with a plate of banchan. Everything was very yummy and | look forward to returning. The only tricky thing is that parking fills up quickly in the lot and they only take reservations for parties of 6 or more.

    Jagalchi resembles a noraebang without the rooms or singing haha…read more My coworker decided we need to have lunch, so we arrive to ample parking and a near empty restaurant. There's sharpie graffiti everywhere, soju bottles lined up the wall and a sticker wall filled with so many stickers, you have no idea where to look. I could tell we're in for a good meal. We ordered a spicy squid with kimbab, chive jeon, and an extra bowl of rice to share. The spicy squid was not spicy, but had a smokey depth. I drenched the kimbab in that sauce and it was easily the best thing I tried here. The chive jeon was extra crispy and packed with veggies. We easily agreed that we need to come back with a few more people, so we can either share the army stew or joxxam dish. Thanks for reading my reviews! Let me know what I should try next!

    Photos
    Jagalchi - Pork Kimchi Soondubu , Spicy Squid & Pork

    Pork Kimchi Soondubu , Spicy Squid & Pork

    Jagalchi
    Jagalchi - Seafood jun

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    Seafood jun

    So Gong Dong Restaurant - Sundubu and meatchun combo (spicy)

    So Gong Dong Restaurant

    3.9(766 reviews)
    5.8 mi
    $$

    Food: The food was good. I had no complaints. I ended up…read moregetting Meat Jun and Seafood Pancake (sharing the pancake). In total it was about $39. Taste wise the meat jun with the sauce was not sweet. But I enjoyed it regardless. The quantity was great! Along with the unlimited banchan I was a happy camper that got to take extras home. Service: Great! I called 2 hours beforehand on a Friday for a reservation for a party of 8 + a baby stroller and they accommodated us wonderfully. They also allowed us to split the check at the register by items. They gave e water as needed as well. Atmosphere/Ambiance: Casual. Where you feel you can go into after a long day and have a good meal. Would I go back again? Yes. :) My only regret was that I ate my food and enjoyed the company I was with, forgetting about taking photos for this review.

    So Who is So Gong Dong? hehe. So Gong Dong Restaurant has…read morebeen my favorite lately for my SoonDuBu fix, ever since having lunch here with a Yelp friend, I've been back with the hubby, momma, sister and other friends. I really enjoy the Korean comfort foods! 4 stars for the food, soups, and ban chan, 5 stars if the service was great. Typical service you will get at a Korean spot but no complaints. Just gotta be patient for ban chan refills or if you need anything else, I don't expect much just happy that I get to have my Korean food. During this recent Saturday visit, I decided to go here for our late lunch, after hiking Koko Head Trail & Makapuu. It was about 4:30 pm, we were the only ones there, but it filled up pretty quick an and they do have many take out and Uber/Door Dash orders. My favorites here are the combo set, choice of soondubu (combination, kim chee, spam, beef, sausage, clam,) & either meat jun, fried mandoo, bulgogi, yellow corvina, seafood jun, or BBQ chicken. The combo use to be $20.55 my first time but now went up to $23.55, hence the increase, it is still a great deal, this meal comes with rice and 5 different ban chan. This combo was more than enough for the both of us. My favorite is the spam soondubu ( yes. who picks Spam right?! hehe) & the seafood Jun. Although it so hard to decide since all the choices are good, I will have to visit again for the other selection. The other half and I cannot eat an entire combo set by ourselves. I love the ban chan, especially the daikon & kim chee, so fresh and crispy! When I first dined here, I was surprise to see they give you a fresh egg to crack in your soondubu soup, I am use to the egg already in there. We always have leftover soondu soup which I take home and add to my Korean ramen the next day, so good! Support this local mom & pop restaurant, So Gong Dong has been around for the longest time just only recently I've discovered it. I will be back for the next Korean soondubu, ban chan fix!

    Photos
    So Gong Dong Restaurant - Inside

    Inside

    So Gong Dong Restaurant - Meat jung

    Meat jung

    So Gong Dong Restaurant

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    Seoul Cook - My lunchtime special

    Seoul Cook

    3.3(59 reviews)
    4.6 miDowntown
    $$

    Right next to H-Mart is Seoul Cook in Kaka'ako. I was starving after taking two back-to-back…read moreworkout classes nearby and my friend recommended we get food here and I'm so glad we did. First off, all the complimentary banchan (Korean side dishes). From the classic kimchi, fishcake, cucumber kimchi, and radish. And if you're dining in, just ask and you can get refills of whatever you want more of. If you're doing take out, they still give you all of the banchan!v We did dine-in but take out / online orders seemed popular. But I loved dining in because of the Ajumma here! She was so sweet and funny, and even made the perfect bite (radish kimchi on top of the meat jun, so the acid offsets the oily fried jun) and fed it to my boyfriend LOL. We got a ton of food! The seafood soondabu soup, seafood korean pancake, seafood bibimbap, meat jun, and zucchini jun. We had a lot of leftovers that we took home. The food was good but it's really the service and love that makes this a 5-star experience.

    Came in for the tofu soondubu lunch set and it totally hit the spot. The soup was rich, deeply…read moresavory, and comforting, with that perfect spicy kick you can adjust to your liking. The tofu was silky soft and fresh, soaking up all the flavor from the broth. The lunch set is a great value--you get soondubu bubbling hot, rice, and banchan that were all solid and well-seasoned. Portions were filling without being heavy, which makes it an ideal lunch option. Service was friendly and efficient, and the food came out fast even during lunch hours. This is definitely one of those places you crave when you want something warm, satisfying, and comforting. I'll absolutely be back for this again.

    Photos
    Seoul Cook - Interior of restaurant

    Interior of restaurant

    Seoul Cook - Banchan (sides)

    Banchan (sides)

    Seoul Cook - Inside

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    Inside

    ‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant

    ‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant

    3.9(176 reviews)
    7.1 miWaikiki
    $$$

    The food was delicious and was brought out to us quickly…read moreAnthony and the other service staff were awesome always checking in to see if we needed anything and if everything was ok

    I came for the AYCE lunch special ($24.95) and we were seated really quickly. Overall, the service…read morewas fine, but it definitely could've been better. For the meats, the beef brisket and beef toro were the stars, but the beef chuck was slightly tough and dry. They were also out of bulgogi, which was disappointing. The pork had a really strong boar taint smell/taste, which completely turned me off from ordering any of the pork. We had to ask for more meat and banchan refills multiple times. There was usually a pretty noticeable lag before anything came out, which was frustrating for an AYCE spot. They also seemed to be selective about which banchans they would refill. They would bring more of the dishes like kimchi and cucumber, but when we asked for more tuna mac, they wouldn't give us any. It also looked like there were only two people working while there were probably around 10 tables during the Tuesday lunch rush, so I do think they were understaffed. If you're offering AYCE, the refills and service should flow a lot more smoothly. It felt like they were paying more attention the tables that selected a higher tier of AYCE. Not a terrible experience, but definitely not as seamless or enjoyable as I was hoping for.

    Photos
    ‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant
    ‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant - Very marbled beef (I can't remember the name)

    Very marbled beef (I can't remember the name)

    ‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant - Pork belly and Kalbi

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    Pork belly and Kalbi

    Soon's Kal Bi BBQ - korean - Updated May 2026

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