I love Korean food.
You name it, I’ll probably eat it.
And it’s not because I watch Korean dramas. (I don’t.) And it’s not because I love spicy foods. (I do, but my stomach doesn’t.)
It’s the big, robust, no-shame flavors of this cuisine that make it one of my favorites.
So I’m always looking for the restaurant that’s going to serve me the best.
I’ve asked my friends — virtual and real-life ones — what Korean restaurants rank in their Top 3. Consistently, Sorabol Korean Restaurant on Keeaumoku Street make the list. Sometimes at the top, sometimes rounding out the three.
The thing is — and I can already hear the hush of shock — I have never been there. Never. I’ve wanted to — and I’ve been asked to go, especially by my girlfriend, Luana, who can’t seem to live without Korean food — but I just never went. Mostly because I have hole-in-the-wall mainstays that I’m loyal to. And mostly because I didn’t buy the hype.
So the other day, I caved. (Well, and I was craving meat juhn.) So I went.
Here’s what our recent visit looked like:
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Agree? Or got a better Korean place for me to try? Post your favorites here. I’m all ears!
Sorabol Korean Restaurant,, 805 Keeaumoku St. Phone: 808-947-3113.
805 Keeaumoku St
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 947-3113
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27 Comments
Love eating there… Food is a 10! Service though… well, let’s just say it’s not the friendliest.
And you’re right about the cost, it is on the higher side.
Hmm I’ve never been to Sorabol either, just never got around to it for some reason! Went to the website and the menu sounds appealing but the prices do seem on the high side especially for the BBQ items. From what I heard people seem to like the non-BBQ items more, like the soups. Also I keep hearing the Kalbi jjimi (steamed kalbi ribs) over there is supposed to be da bomb so I’d like to try that one day.
Hmm I’ve never been to Sorabol either, just never got around to it for some reason! Went to the website and the menu sounds appealing but the prices do seem on the high side especially for the BBQ items. From what I heard people seem to like the non-BBQ items more, like the soups. Also I keep hearing the Kalbi jjim (steamed kalbi ribs) over there is supposed to be da bomb so I’d like to try that one day.
funny thing about living in cali…no meat jun. that’s almost a deal breaker for me. one good thing, though, is the colder weather we have. I complain about the cold a lot, but it gives me an excuse to eat soondubu jigae and other hot brothy goodness.
at home, though, when i think korean, i think bbq and meat-fest.
I like Chuns in Kaneohe, but it’s not real Korean. more a local, plate lunch style, korean inspired place. meat-fest, though.
Is that Bi Bim Kook So?
We don’t have many sit down Korean places. Mostly Take out. But I don’t mind. I like to try different bansan but they all seem to serve the same stuff. I’ve always wondered why they serve corn niblets and potato. I enjoy the Wakame (seaweed) but it tend to “slip” through my system 🙂
I’m not too picky when it comes to Korean Food. Main thing I get to eat some.
My Wife said that’s bi bim nan myong (sp). Korean cold noodles. You don’t watch Korean dramas? My Wife used to be a cook so I get to eat Korean food everyday, but I keep telling her I’m American, give me hamburger steak!
@joekalihi No, I don’t watch K-dramas. My mom does, though. She thinks she’s part Korean now.
I am Korean and all my foodie Koreans think Sorabol is not that good at all. They prefer Choi’s Garden on Rycroft, so do I. And no, my last name is not Choi. 🙂
My Wife said that’s Bi Bim Nan Myong, (sp) Korean cold noodles. She used to be a Korean food cook so I get to eat Korean food everyday, I keep telling her I’m American, I want my hamburger steak. You no watch Korean dramas?
I’ve been to Sorabol a few times and agree that it is over-hyped. I would much rather go to O-Bok Restaurant in Manoa Marketplace.
Went once, thought it was good but expensive. There are a lot of places I like as well that are less expensive. I’d go there again if she was really good looking and insisted. But I’d pick the movie. Seem to remember a place in Kaneohe that was pretty good for the money, near the Valley of the Temples. Small place, cheap, good portions, but it has been so long I forgot the name. The BBQ was superb.
@dbjack Lee’s
Your mystery dish is bibim naengmyung (spicy cold noodles) although I’ve never seen fish in it or those type of noodles…. I go to Sorabol only because it’s always open and has a huge menu of dishes, but is it the best? I think not. And it’s way overpriced. I’m still on the journey to find the best Korean food. So far I love Yakiniku Koryowon off Kapiolani and behind Pho One. I think they have the best banchan for dinner, but unfortunately, they don’t do a great job with my most favorite dish — soondubu chigae. And their “customer service” is not as on par as Sorabol, but I expect that with Korean restaurants. I always like it the best when you have to holler at them to come serve you 🙂
@Melissa_Kim Thanks for the ID on the dish! Never been to Yakiniku Koryowon, but it’s on the list!
@Cat @Melissa_Kim Have you folks tried Shilawon near Makaloa? One of my favs!
My bad, not bibim naengmyung — it’s bibim gooksoo
Cat, at those prices, I’m surprised you’d go back. My take on your article is you thought the place was just ok. Ultimately, isn’t it mostly about the quality and taste of the food? Expensive or cheap, I’ll regularly frequent the places that have the best tasting food, sometimes in spite of the service (or lack of visual appeal!) But I wouldn’t go back to a place to eat if I knew I could get the same food that was tastier and more reasonably priced elsewhere. Unless maybe I was starving and it was the only place open. 🙂
@hawaii2000 I’d go back because there’s a lot on the menu I hadn’t tried — and hadn’t seen on other menus. That would be the only reason. The food wasn’t terrible — but pricey.
@Cat That makes sense. There may be other dishes that are better. And identifiable too. 🙂
Hello Cat!
I went once and didn’t think it was that good and over priced. I won’t be going back anytime soon. I like Choi’s Garden, Yakiniku Seoul, Million restaurant, Seoul Garden Yakiniku.
i like sorabol bc it’s 24 hrs, but it does seem to have gotten pricier pretty fast in recent yrs. it’s a good stand-by. in the neighborhood i like better choi’s garden, millions, ireh.
Sorabol has some of the most authentic Korean food on the island. Some Korean visitors do not bother to go anywhere else for food.
However, since most locals visiting a Korean restaurant would be puzzled if it didn’t offer local-style meat jun, Sorabol seems to offer it, grudgingly. Hence your so-so assessment. The flattened meat jun is not just a Korean dish… what can you do.
Service is typically excellent for me, but it’s possible that quality of service may be affected by what you order or how you order it…
Yes, it is expensive, especially compared to Korea, but authentic Korean food is labor intensive, and labor is expensive in Hawaii. If you aren’t looking for things that are only found at Sorabol, it probably makes sense to look elsewhere.
Sorabol is my go-to place for two things in particular:
1) 육회돌솥비빔밥 (yukhoe dolsot bibimbap): Rice + mixed veggies + raw beef + raw egg, but it all cooks together in a blazing hot stone pot. YUM! I haven’t even found a go-to place in Seoul for this dish yet. I should get on that.
2. 갈비 + 냉면 (kalbi + naengmyeon): Cross-cut kalbi is not Korean. Order the real, “unwrapped” kalbi at Sorabol (~$20 if I remember correctly) plus a bowl of naengmyeon (cold noodles). Naengmyeon comes in a soupy (물, mul) or spicy (비빔, bibim) form, I prefer spicy.
@aaronnamba Great comment, Aaron! It’s sad that all I know when I go to Korean restaurants are Kalbi and Meat Jun. I really should try some of the hot pot dishes! Thanks for your two cents!
My top Korean eats in town: Jagalchi on Young St. (between Keeamokou and Piikoi) for their awesome chungukjang (the Korean version of natto in a tasty tasty stew); Orine Sarangchae (under the big tree in the parking lot behind Ireh restaurant) for their lettuce wrap + concentrated doenjangjjigae; Shillawon (Amana St) for their hot pot; and Ah-lang (entrance on Cooke St) for their soondubu. I moved to Honolulu from Seoul back in Jan 2010, so my stomach was spoiled by all the incredible options in the motherland but I don’t cook much Korean food myself so had to find my replacement restaurants asap! Will give a shout out to my aunt and uncle who introduced me to Jagalchi and Shillawon ^_^ thanks for hooking a girl up.
Chodang! They have really good hot tofu soup that comes out sizzling hot and the service is fast.
Its on Piikoi in the plaza where Payless Shoes is.
The trick to getting into authentic Korean food is to find a Korean friend that wants to show you the good dishes. Getting meat juhn from Sorabol will be OK but not any better than the plate lunch places. It’s like asking Ruth Chris to improve on a hamburger. To sample their good stuff you have to order their soups or stews. Kal-bi soup is a nice gateway dish if you haven’t acquired a taste for soft tofu soup or the spicy dishes in general. Stone pot dishes are the most exciting.
Oh yeah, if you can go to Sorabol for their lunch specials, it is a much better way to sample good korean food on the cheap(er). I think they have 2 lunch special menus, one that runs from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and another than runs from 10 – 2 p.m.
I have to give a shout out to a local Korean place in the Pioneer Plaza food court. Well’s not a Korean place but it’s run by Korean women (great home made style bibimbap and cheap too):
https://www.yelp.com/biz/little-hong-kong-honolulu#query:hong%20kong%20pioneer%20plaz