Korean snack bar. The owner is not very friendly. The taste is worth eating.Parking: You can park on the 3rd floor.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Melvin Dizon
I had the pleasure of dining at Ireh Kitchen, a charming little Korean eatery nestled in the vibrant streets of Honolulu. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with warm hospitality, setting the tone for a pleasant dining experience.Ambience:The restaurant boasts a cozy and inviting atmosphere, perfect for casual lunches and intimate dinners. The decor is simple yet elegant, with touches of Korean culture subtly woven throughout.Service:The staff at Ireh Kitchen were attentive and friendly. They were quick to offer recommendations, ensuring that we had a delightful dining experience. Their knowledge of the menu and the ingredients used in each dish was impressive.Food:The menu offered a diverse range of Korean dishes, each prepared with a blend of traditional flavors and a hint of modern flair. I tried the Bibimbap and the Kimchi Jjigae, both of which were delightful. The Bibimbap was a colorful array of fresh vegetables, perfectly cooked rice, and savory beef, all topped with a beautifully fried egg. The Kimchi Jjigae had just the right balance of spiciness and tanginess, making it a comforting dish.Price:The pricing was reasonable, considering the quality and portion sizes of the dishes. It's a good value for money, especially in a city like Honolulu.Conclusion:Ireh Kitchen is a delightful spot for anyone seeking authentic Korean cuisine. The combination of great food, a cozy atmosphere, and excellent service makes it a must-visit for locals and tourists alike. While there's a little room for improvement in terms of variety in side dishes, it still stands out as a gem in Honolulu's culinary scene.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Danny Ovryn
One of our favorite regular spots. Ireh chicken, al bap, bi bim bap, kim chee scallion pancake are some of my favorites but the shave ice is also worth trying.Staff is super nice. Good for take out or eating in. Parking in the Azure residential parking lot up the ramp.
Great service and the food is so ono! I wish they had Soju! I will definitely come back and try different items.
Moana T.
I am totally biased because this has been my go to place for years. The service is quick and efficient. The food is always great and I would definitely recommend bringing friends to share different dishes. It's also a good spot to come alone, but you'll probably have some left overs. There are take out options and the side dishes are delicious too. The restaurant is definitely cozy and comfortable.
Hanako H.
Try everything. It's so good. From the jook to the jeon and even their banchan! It's so easy to call in an order and their service is so quick!I keep coming back for more!
Jennifer V.
Amazing! Even the banchan was really good. I got the Cold Bean Noodle Soup (Kongguksu). It was a hot day and I wanted something to cool down. It was my very first time trying this dish anywhere. I've seen it on a Korean TV show and it looked hella good. The white soup/broth is a chilled soybean milk broth. It's nutty....literally, the flavor of the broth has like peanuts or some sort of nuts blended in it. A little creamy, but not thick. It's not sweet or neither salty. It's really good if you want something cold, refreshing, and filling. My son had the chicken katsu and it was really really good too. Ratio of batter/breading to chicken was perfect. The katsu sauce isn't like other katsu sauces that are ketchupy and tangy. The katsu sauce hit different, but in a really good way. The other dish we ordered was the meat jun. the flavor on it was so good....probably cause it's made from ribeye. It wasn't overly eggy and had great flavor. My husband said it was a little sweet for him, but just right for me. The jun sauce was delicious too, a teeny bit sweet, but just right. The final thing we ordered was the fried chicken wings. It looks spicy, but it wasn't. Like, sometimes spicy wings can be hard to enjoy cause it's too spicy, but this one wasn't. It was really tasty and crunchy, even with it sauced up. Man, everything was 10/10 in my opinion. Now, they forgot to put in our order for the chicken wings. We ended up reminding them when we were just about done with our food. They made it right away and was apologetic. Instead of making up excuses about why it hasn't come out, she just took accountability and said sorry they forgot. She apologized a few times. It was fine. We weren't in a rush anyways. I didn't take pictures though. I only posted videos on my IG story...so the photos of the food I'm sharing here on Yelp are screenshots of my IG story.Free parking is located in Azure building. The parking garage entrance is located on Keeamoku. When you park and take the elevator down to the first floor, it'll take you right to Ireh. You'll literally see Ireh when that elevator door opens.All the people who were taking orders were Ajummas. The language barrier wasn't horrible either. It was obvious that English isn't their first language, they spoke and understood English just fine.Even though the prices are a bit on the higher side, the portions are bigger. I can't wait to go back!
Jihwa Seo
It was so delicious. It's nice to hear from Walmart.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lauren C.
We were pleasently surprised by this spot! We usually can't find many good Korean restaurants in the area but this was hit the spot and had a good variety on the menu. It was very clean, the service was great, the only thing is that they don't have a restroom in the same unit, you have to go outside and upstairs to use a shared bathroom. Other than that, everything was good!
Kinga H.
I was first introduced to Ireh at their other location at H-Mart by my Korean boyfriend when we first started dating. I thought it was yum, I especially oved their Meat Jeon. My knowledge and expertise on Korean food has since expanded a lot though Ireh is still one of my faves and this location being the best! Parking is easy... off Ke'eaumoku in the Azure condo building. Service is quick and efficient, friendly and polite. Never have to ask for refills and they check on you often. The place is small but clean. Also love the semi open kitchen concept (epsecislly noticeable when walking out form the elevator). The barley complimentary tea is also a nice touch.The menu look recently changed. Seems to be more English reader friendly with many photos... probably helpful to those that don't bring their own native to dine with, haha. Their Fried Mandoo is a must! As is the Cheese Tteokboki (extra cheesy, just the way I like it). The soft tofu soup is devious as is the Kimchi Stew. Also love the Bulgogi bipbimbap. Though I don't think you can go wrong with most anything on the menu. Perfect easy no frills yumm food casual meal. Fyi no alcohol served. But their ginger honey tea is delicious!
Tried this place when they were still at McCully shopping center so thought it was time to try it again! Located underneath Azure. There's free parking in the building on the 3rd floor right when you go up the ramp. My husband and I always order with our eyes so we were stuffed and still had so much leftovers. All of the portions are HUGE! We ordered the Seafood chive pancake and Omg! This was the best thing we ordered! The pancake is so flavorful and the sauce tastes like a light shoyu with mirin & vinegar. Great addition to the pancake. I can't rave about this enough! The Tteokbboki we ordered was with Chet noodle and cheese. Lots of cheese and the chewy noodles were okay. Maybe next time I'll order the udon noodles with it. You can tell the tteok was homemade because it was soooo soft and chewy. There was a good amount of veggies and fish cake in it. Sauce was great and had a little kick to it from the gochugaru. I ordered the baby summer buckwheat noodles. It was so refreshing! I wish I asked for a scissor to cut the noodles haha they were so long. These noodles didn't come with the typical slices of meat or vinegar on the side like I'm used to so I had to pair it with the meat jun, which tasted really good together. Must try combo!! Next time maybe I'll try the spicy buckwheat noodles cause it was a lot of soup that I didn't drink much of. My husband ordered the meat jun. I usually am not a fan of meat Jun but this one I loved! The meat was tender and it was seasoned so well. A little on the sweeter side but was really good with the sauce they provided. Very clean place and fast service! Ambiance is casual & theres enough room between tables to be comfortably sitting.
Michelle H.
My boyfriend and I LOVEEEE coming here, it's pretty much our go to spot already. PORTIONS ARE HUGE. We also have to get leftover boxes every time. I have been trying to try everything on their menu but every time I go the meat jun is calling my name !!! It's soooo good. In my opinion it's made a little different than local places, it's a bit more sweet which makes its so damn good. I've also tried their cold buckwheat noodles which is so refreshing. I have a hard eating the noodles but I think it's suppose to be like that lol. i've seen people cut their noodles but i'm always scared to ask for scissors haha. But I 10/10 recommended!We've recently tried their chicken katsu which came out so good!! I believe if you like your katsu more soft like some other local restaurants i suggest ordering something else. I liked the texture because it had a more crunchy outside. but my boyfriend wished it was softer, so it's definitely a preference. All in all, I love this place. Restaurant serves big portions for the prices and it's SOOOO GOOOD
Cynthia C.
I love this place so I visit each time I come. The food is always consistently delicious. They moved recently to under a hotel which was surprising. Took us a while to find it and figure out where to park for it. It's inside azure hotel. They offer the Korean porridge (jook) which is so rare to find anywhere! I love how it's so flavorful yet light tasting. They also have a bunch of handmade noodles that I haven't seen on menus.I also really liked the ladies that work here. They're always polite and nice. Service is super speedy.I took one star off today because they only had one chair. Doesn't make it that family friendly since there can be multiple families who need it.
Sylvia T.
Food is good, service is good, ambiance is casual. The price is little high. It's in a new building of Azure.
Mika O.
Love the new shop in the Azure condo! I've visited twice since they moved. They have free parking in the Azure building and there is also a bunch of open stalls. I appreciate that you don't have to fight for parking. The restaurant looks new and has a bit more upscale then their previous mom and pop vibe. Some of my favorites include the fried mandoo, meat jun, and tteokbokki. They are known for their jook which I tried once too. It was delicious but I think I prefer the other dishes better. They have a good range of options to choose from.Also, this location is BYOB! Would have been nice to know before we got there. Will keep it in mind for next time.
Korean snack bar. The owner is not very friendly. The taste is worth eating.Parking: You can park on the 3rd floor.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
I had the pleasure of dining at Ireh Kitchen, a charming little Korean eatery nestled in the vibrant streets of Honolulu. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with warm hospitality, setting the tone for a pleasant dining experience.Ambience:The restaurant boasts a cozy and inviting atmosphere, perfect for casual lunches and intimate dinners. The decor is simple yet elegant, with touches of Korean culture subtly woven throughout.Service:The staff at Ireh Kitchen were attentive and friendly. They were quick to offer recommendations, ensuring that we had a delightful dining experience. Their knowledge of the menu and the ingredients used in each dish was impressive.Food:The menu offered a diverse range of Korean dishes, each prepared with a blend of traditional flavors and a hint of modern flair. I tried the Bibimbap and the Kimchi Jjigae, both of which were delightful. The Bibimbap was a colorful array of fresh vegetables, perfectly cooked rice, and savory beef, all topped with a beautifully fried egg. The Kimchi Jjigae had just the right balance of spiciness and tanginess, making it a comforting dish.Price:The pricing was reasonable, considering the quality and portion sizes of the dishes. It's a good value for money, especially in a city like Honolulu.Conclusion:Ireh Kitchen is a delightful spot for anyone seeking authentic Korean cuisine. The combination of great food, a cozy atmosphere, and excellent service makes it a must-visit for locals and tourists alike. While there's a little room for improvement in terms of variety in side dishes, it still stands out as a gem in Honolulu's culinary scene.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
One of our favorite regular spots. Ireh chicken, al bap, bi bim bap, kim chee scallion pancake are some of my favorites but the shave ice is also worth trying.Staff is super nice. Good for take out or eating in. Parking in the Azure residential parking lot up the ramp.
Recommended dishes: Tteokbokki, Cheese Tteokbokki, Beef Vegetable Bibimbob, Seafood Chive Pancake
Great service and the food is so ono! I wish they had Soju! I will definitely come back and try different items.
I am totally biased because this has been my go to place for years. The service is quick and efficient. The food is always great and I would definitely recommend bringing friends to share different dishes. It's also a good spot to come alone, but you'll probably have some left overs. There are take out options and the side dishes are delicious too. The restaurant is definitely cozy and comfortable.
Try everything. It's so good. From the jook to the jeon and even their banchan! It's so easy to call in an order and their service is so quick!I keep coming back for more!
Amazing! Even the banchan was really good. I got the Cold Bean Noodle Soup (Kongguksu). It was a hot day and I wanted something to cool down. It was my very first time trying this dish anywhere. I've seen it on a Korean TV show and it looked hella good. The white soup/broth is a chilled soybean milk broth. It's nutty....literally, the flavor of the broth has like peanuts or some sort of nuts blended in it. A little creamy, but not thick. It's not sweet or neither salty. It's really good if you want something cold, refreshing, and filling. My son had the chicken katsu and it was really really good too. Ratio of batter/breading to chicken was perfect. The katsu sauce isn't like other katsu sauces that are ketchupy and tangy. The katsu sauce hit different, but in a really good way. The other dish we ordered was the meat jun. the flavor on it was so good....probably cause it's made from ribeye. It wasn't overly eggy and had great flavor. My husband said it was a little sweet for him, but just right for me. The jun sauce was delicious too, a teeny bit sweet, but just right. The final thing we ordered was the fried chicken wings. It looks spicy, but it wasn't. Like, sometimes spicy wings can be hard to enjoy cause it's too spicy, but this one wasn't. It was really tasty and crunchy, even with it sauced up. Man, everything was 10/10 in my opinion. Now, they forgot to put in our order for the chicken wings. We ended up reminding them when we were just about done with our food. They made it right away and was apologetic. Instead of making up excuses about why it hasn't come out, she just took accountability and said sorry they forgot. She apologized a few times. It was fine. We weren't in a rush anyways. I didn't take pictures though. I only posted videos on my IG story...so the photos of the food I'm sharing here on Yelp are screenshots of my IG story.Free parking is located in Azure building. The parking garage entrance is located on Keeamoku. When you park and take the elevator down to the first floor, it'll take you right to Ireh. You'll literally see Ireh when that elevator door opens.All the people who were taking orders were Ajummas. The language barrier wasn't horrible either. It was obvious that English isn't their first language, they spoke and understood English just fine.Even though the prices are a bit on the higher side, the portions are bigger. I can't wait to go back!
It was so delicious. It's nice to hear from Walmart.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We were pleasently surprised by this spot! We usually can't find many good Korean restaurants in the area but this was hit the spot and had a good variety on the menu. It was very clean, the service was great, the only thing is that they don't have a restroom in the same unit, you have to go outside and upstairs to use a shared bathroom. Other than that, everything was good!
I was first introduced to Ireh at their other location at H-Mart by my Korean boyfriend when we first started dating. I thought it was yum, I especially oved their Meat Jeon. My knowledge and expertise on Korean food has since expanded a lot though Ireh is still one of my faves and this location being the best! Parking is easy... off Ke'eaumoku in the Azure condo building. Service is quick and efficient, friendly and polite. Never have to ask for refills and they check on you often. The place is small but clean. Also love the semi open kitchen concept (epsecislly noticeable when walking out form the elevator). The barley complimentary tea is also a nice touch.The menu look recently changed. Seems to be more English reader friendly with many photos... probably helpful to those that don't bring their own native to dine with, haha. Their Fried Mandoo is a must! As is the Cheese Tteokboki (extra cheesy, just the way I like it). The soft tofu soup is devious as is the Kimchi Stew. Also love the Bulgogi bipbimbap. Though I don't think you can go wrong with most anything on the menu. Perfect easy no frills yumm food casual meal. Fyi no alcohol served. But their ginger honey tea is delicious!
Restaurantji Recommends
Tried this place when they were still at McCully shopping center so thought it was time to try it again! Located underneath Azure. There's free parking in the building on the 3rd floor right when you go up the ramp. My husband and I always order with our eyes so we were stuffed and still had so much leftovers. All of the portions are HUGE! We ordered the Seafood chive pancake and Omg! This was the best thing we ordered! The pancake is so flavorful and the sauce tastes like a light shoyu with mirin & vinegar. Great addition to the pancake. I can't rave about this enough! The Tteokbboki we ordered was with Chet noodle and cheese. Lots of cheese and the chewy noodles were okay. Maybe next time I'll order the udon noodles with it. You can tell the tteok was homemade because it was soooo soft and chewy. There was a good amount of veggies and fish cake in it. Sauce was great and had a little kick to it from the gochugaru. I ordered the baby summer buckwheat noodles. It was so refreshing! I wish I asked for a scissor to cut the noodles haha they were so long. These noodles didn't come with the typical slices of meat or vinegar on the side like I'm used to so I had to pair it with the meat jun, which tasted really good together. Must try combo!! Next time maybe I'll try the spicy buckwheat noodles cause it was a lot of soup that I didn't drink much of. My husband ordered the meat jun. I usually am not a fan of meat Jun but this one I loved! The meat was tender and it was seasoned so well. A little on the sweeter side but was really good with the sauce they provided. Very clean place and fast service! Ambiance is casual & theres enough room between tables to be comfortably sitting.
My boyfriend and I LOVEEEE coming here, it's pretty much our go to spot already. PORTIONS ARE HUGE. We also have to get leftover boxes every time. I have been trying to try everything on their menu but every time I go the meat jun is calling my name !!! It's soooo good. In my opinion it's made a little different than local places, it's a bit more sweet which makes its so damn good. I've also tried their cold buckwheat noodles which is so refreshing. I have a hard eating the noodles but I think it's suppose to be like that lol. i've seen people cut their noodles but i'm always scared to ask for scissors haha. But I 10/10 recommended!We've recently tried their chicken katsu which came out so good!! I believe if you like your katsu more soft like some other local restaurants i suggest ordering something else. I liked the texture because it had a more crunchy outside. but my boyfriend wished it was softer, so it's definitely a preference. All in all, I love this place. Restaurant serves big portions for the prices and it's SOOOO GOOOD
I love this place so I visit each time I come. The food is always consistently delicious. They moved recently to under a hotel which was surprising. Took us a while to find it and figure out where to park for it. It's inside azure hotel. They offer the Korean porridge (jook) which is so rare to find anywhere! I love how it's so flavorful yet light tasting. They also have a bunch of handmade noodles that I haven't seen on menus.I also really liked the ladies that work here. They're always polite and nice. Service is super speedy.I took one star off today because they only had one chair. Doesn't make it that family friendly since there can be multiple families who need it.
Food is good, service is good, ambiance is casual. The price is little high. It's in a new building of Azure.
Love the new shop in the Azure condo! I've visited twice since they moved. They have free parking in the Azure building and there is also a bunch of open stalls. I appreciate that you don't have to fight for parking. The restaurant looks new and has a bit more upscale then their previous mom and pop vibe. Some of my favorites include the fried mandoo, meat jun, and tteokbokki. They are known for their jook which I tried once too. It was delicious but I think I prefer the other dishes better. They have a good range of options to choose from.Also, this location is BYOB! Would have been nice to know before we got there. Will keep it in mind for next time.