Kim Chee II Restaurant

Always a yummy spot for Korean food cravings. Huge servings and enjoy the kalbi and meatjun Lots of booths great for family gatherings and menu specials to choose from Parking paid lot or if you find street parking Can't wait to return again

I recently dropped by Kim Chee 2 in Kaimuki on a whim, drawn by its reputation as a quintessential local spot. Nestled right on the main street, this unpretentious eatery carries the nostalgic air of simpler times.I opted for the dinner special, a hearty offering that included a strip of big bone kalbi, some mandu, shrimp tempura, and meat jun. The kalbi was the standout--perfectly marinated and grilled, it was a flavorful delight. The mandu was decent, while the shrimp tempura didn't quite hit the mark, lacking in crispiness. The meat jun was acceptable, and the accompanying banchan was quite satisfying, adding a nice touch to the meal.However, the service was notably slow, and our initial server seemed less than thrilled to be there, which dampened the experience somewhat. Thankfully, another server noticed our need and stepped in to assist, ensuring we could enjoy our meal and handle the bill without further issues.Overall, Kim Chee 2 offers solid value for money with its generous portions and reasonable prices. It's a good choice if you're dining on a budget. But if you're after exceptional service or culinary excellence, you might want to explore other options. This place does the job for a casual, no-frills meal reflecting local flavors.

The 2024 update. Bedrock of Kaimuki town. Every neighborhood business district has businesses that have been there seemingly forever. These are the businesses that usually come to mind when one does a word (business) association for the area. Local, being what it is, usually has restaurants or food establishments that come to mind. Kaimuki old timers will think about food establishment ghosts like the Pottery Steak House, Kwon On or Ed & Dons and more recently, Big City Diner and Azteca. Some casualties of the pandemic fallout, some just disappearing with the passage of time. But every community has those businesses which are bedrocks- seemingly having been their forever- and are still there today. Kim Chee 2 is one such restaurant. Owned by the same family for 3 generations, they have been there since 1977. They are survivors. As has been pointed out, this is more of a local style Korean restaurant, not authentic style, neighborhood Korean comfort food. Dining in is always fun, but can be hectic and the wait longer than one would want. Much of the seating along the walls are the half circle well padded vinyl type reminiscent of the 70s. Favorites include Kal bi, bbq chicken and meat jun. The meat can be tough at times but the bbq chicken is quite consistent. The side veggies that cone with your meal is nothing to write home about and the Kim Chee is among the mildest I've ever tasted. On a recent Friday night at about 5:30, I did take out and the place was packed. The take out order was ready as promised, the Korean style comfort food a hit- as always. Nothing special, but oh, so satisfying.

The new servers are kinda junk. We were there for nearly 2 hours and it wasn't even that full. We had to remind them twice to give us WATER, we didn't even get it until about 40 mins into our wait. The couple they sat next to us got their food and water right away. The food is so nostalgic and consistent so we keep coming back. If it's your first time you might not be into it but I'll always love the food there. It never changes.

I ordered the Special Dinner plate from here. Everything was packed so neatly in the bag. I was amazed that it was in a reusable container. That is a plus for me and the Service was Excellent. My food was the right temperature and Everything was very tasty. I also was amazed that my food had three Mandoo in it. The mandoo was the good kind too. I really enjoyed the Big bone Kal-be too. The Teri Steak was good too and even the BBQ Chicken was tasty. I highly recommend trying this Restaurant. I will definitely return to this Restaurant.

I was craving korean and heard about this place through co-workers. Went and got it and was super impressed! So much food! Definitely a good lunch special. The bbq chicken was cooked well, the mandoo were also tasty, and the meat jun had a good flavor. The kim chee was just ok for me, but I liked that I could eat it with the meat. Their sauce was also delicious and complemented the meats and mandoo well. Glad they gave a big cup! Will be back again for lunch!

We gathered here for the final night family dinner with the relatives. This place serves up local casual Korean food.Since we decided late we didn't make reservations for our large group but they were very accommodating since it was still a little early. We sat in the long table across from the stuffed birds and set of bull horns display. Not the typical decor expected but something different!We had a couple show up later due to traffic delays but there was no pressure from the staff. We received an assortment banchan and our drinks while we waited. When the last ones showed up we did place our order quickly.I tried the bi bim kook soo with chicken for the first time. Serving was generous and too much just for one person. Lots of grilled chicken and veggies with noodles.The mandoo soup was filled with lots of thinly sliced beef, dumplings, noodles and carrots. Service was very good for our group. All dishes came out together.Will come back again due to the good food, large portions and value for what we paid.

The food at Kim Chee II has been consistent for so many years. I remember coming here during high school and having platters of their catering items at family dinners. The meat jun and fried mandoo is unlike any other!!! Sometimes I forget about this gem, but should have it saved for days I don't know where I want to eat.The food here is amazing, but sometimes can be a bit slow if the restaurant is busy! I think they also ran out of the radish side dish and soup this week when I visited.

What' a wonderful evening with family, awesome food, and outstanding service. The first thing that was obvious is the family owned, everyone knows your name when you walk in feel. Technically they didn't know our names as we haven't really been here in ages, but still had that feel and obvious by the other customers a talking story with the staff as they came in or left. It's refreshing to see such young people who take pride in their business which is obvious by the great service. The food....two words....kanak attack. We had big bone kalbi, shrimp tempura, fish katsu, meat Jim, and Mando. Oh man everything was delicious. I love their dipping sauce and the Mac salad. The mac salad was awesome, one of my new favorites ~ creamy and slight peppery. They then ended our meal with a surprise otter pop for my son, he loved them haha. We definitely need to come back here more often. Also they are BYOB, so go on with your bad selves without breaking the bank, haha.

Trying Kim Chee II for the first time. Easy paid parking in the back of the restaurant. Very inexpensive. We paid 75 cents! Debit or credit cards only. We were greeted and provided a table immediately after entering the restaurant. Our server asked if we had any drink orders and brought us large cups of iced water. We ordered the $17.90 lunch special "The Trio" with 3 choices of protein. We picked meat Jun, Ton Katsu and BBQ chicken. We shared the plate. It came with one bowl of rice. Banchan was pickled daikon and cabbage. Additional bean sprouts and pickled cabbage also came with the plate. The banchan was not spicy or salty. But the flavor was somewhat plain and without taste. 3/5 stars. Seaweed soup was first served before the plate was brought to us. I didn't try the soup so I'm unable to review the soup. The sauce provided for dipping the meat Jun was very thin and okay to taste. I was expecting a thicker type sauce. 3/5 stars. The proteins were good and meaty. The breading was crispy for the ton Katsu and eggy for the meat Jun. The BBQ chicken was seasoned just right. Overall 4/5 stars. Service was attentive and friendly. 5/5 stars. The restaurant was clean with the exception of the women's bathroom. Not sure about all those boxes of soybean oil in the bathroom. Interesting number of mirrors in the bathroom as well. See pictures and you decide if you would use the women's bathroom. Overall experience 3.5 out of 5 stars.