Moobongri Soup & Yakiniku — Restaurant in Honolulu

I recently visited Moobongri, a new Korean restaurant that just opened a month ago. The place is very spacious and clean, even the air inside felt fresh, and the distance between tables made the whole dining experience really comfortable!

I went a bit early to avoid the crowd, but just after 5 PM, it filled up quickly. Clearly, people are already catching on to this spot.

The staff were incredibly kind. They took the time to explain the menu, smiled while working, and checked on me often during the meal. They refilled water and side dishes without being asked, which made the service feel warm and attentive.

I ordered the soondae soup. The broth had a deep, rich flavor with just the right amount of spice. The portion for meat and soondae was so generous! The side dishes were also impressive. Everything was well seasoned, especially the kimchi and radish kimchi, which went perfectly with the rice.

One thing I liked about this location is that the menu is much broader than other Moobongri locations in the mainland. Most places only serve soondae soup, but here they also offer hot pots, stews, noodles, and even Korean BBQ. I’m already planning to come back to try their 곱창/막창/대창.

While I was dining, I noticed a lot of people were picking up to-go orders too. It seems pretty popular for takeout. I really hope they add delivery options like DoorDash or Uber Eats in the future because I would definitely order from them again!

The only downside was that the location was a little hard to find! I’d suggest checking the address carefully before you go. Other than that, everything else was great. (My Uber driver took me to a strip club/KBBQ place on Kapiolani instead 😳)

If you enjoy Korean comfort food, especially soondae soup, I’d definitely recommend this place. It’s clean, welcoming, and the food really hits the spot.

잘 먹었습니다, 친절한...

One of our regular go-to spots for authentic Korean eats. Their signature soondae has a creamy, flavorful filling without the usual gummy casing—one of the best I’ve had. The bone broth here is, hands down, the richest and creamiest yet incredibly soothing and full of umami—easily my favorite soup in Hawaii.

You can always judge a good Korean restaurant by its banchans, and theirs are the freshest and highest quality. From poke and various kimchi styles to lightly seasoned vegetables and classic potato or macaroni salad, everything is fresh and generously portioned—with no hesitation if you ask for seconds.

The servers are genuinely warm, welcoming Korean aunties who bring hospitality, making this place feel like home. It’s a comforting spot to enjoy a meal—even when you’re feeling under the weather. Truly, soup...

We had lunch at Moobongri Soup & Yakiniku, the restaurant that replaced McCully Yakiniku.

We opted for the lunch specials, not the yakiniku. Overall, it was an 'okay' experience. The tofu soup was a definite highlight – really good! The chicken katsu was decent but a bit overcooked, burnt, and dry (if not for the katsu sauce). My parents found the kalbi in their lunch special a bit tough. Similarly the kimchi side had a distinct (and perhaps stronger) fish sauce flavor, though it was fresh.

Atmosphere appears to looked similar to the old mcully yakiniku restaurant. They had the same tables and chairs.

Service was friendly, nice, patient and helpful.

All-in-all a good experience. We will...