Palace Saimin — Restaurant in Honolulu

his place is the spot for saimin, hands down, no contest. Every time I'm on the mainland hunting for good ramen, this is what I'm craving but can never find. Too bad they don't have a location up there they'd absolutely kill it in the winter. This is one of the last true old school saimin spots standing and has been a cornerstone of the Kalihi food scene for generations.

There aren't many places I actually remember eating at as a little kid, but this is one of them. And honestly it hasn't changed in decades, and that's a good thing. Still the same layout, same menu on the wall, still only about eight tables and five parking spots, and the aunties working here? Still rocking those warm smiles while making sure tables turn over fast.

The saimin? Still legendary. The noodles have that perfect chewiness, the broth and diced char siu are magic, and the beef sticks? They got better over time and thicker....just tender, flavorful beef with zero fat nonsense. But this is one of those places where the saimin is best eaten fresh at the table. Something about the steam, freshness of the noodles, and the broth just hits different when you're sitting there.

Pro tip - go past lunch (2-3 pm) or early because parking is a battle (with only five spots) and seating is super limited. But it's worth the effort. My husband declared his won ton min the best ever, and honestly, I can't argue with him. And let's talk price, $8 for a large saimin? In this economy with this inflation? Seems like a steal. I'm just grateful this place has survived until now, serving up the same Saimin...

Palace Saimin has been open since 1946, which is remarkable for any restaurant. Like many big cities, Honolulu isn't for the faint of heart if you're a restauranteur. Lots of businesses, lots of different food trends, lots of competition for customers. When you've been open for over 70 years, that says it all. The menu may be small and simple, but everything they make, they do it very well. There's so many long time customers, they literally sit and order immediately without looking at the menu. My favourite is the Extra large Won Ton Min with a side of Barbeque Beef Sticks. So ono! This tiny hole in the wall restaurant is hard to find, or rather easy to miss if it's your first visit. It's sort of across the street from the Kapalama Post Office. There's a small parking lot in front of the restaurant for several cars. This is good for people who are driving here. However it can be bad because the restaurant is set back from the road so you literally would drive past it before you realized you just missed the driveway. Seeing cars make a U-turn is not uncommon! If you are one of those people who did a U-turn, no shame because I've done it myself 😉 Okay this review is getting long for a restaurant with a small menu, so I'll wrap it up by saying this place is super highly recommended if you want a sample of a classic, humble, and tasty dish...

Found this place last minute when I was around the area. I'm so glad I did! Hole in the wall, local gem, mom and pop shop. The food was so delicious! I got the Wongton min, that one comes with noodles. The wonton soup just comes with wonton only FYI. I also got a bbq beef stick. The day I went, it was really hot, humid I was craving for something cool but stumbled on this place cuz I was craving noodles. The broth was so good and really just soothed my soul. Everything was amazing and I wish I got the larger bowl. The follow day I took my friend and she said this was the best wonton soup she had in a very long time (since her mom passed). We both really enjoyed this place and recommend, will be going again next time we visit Oahu!

This place is small and parking is limited but ppl don't stay long. The ppl who work are really nice and this place is always busy so be patient if they don't sit you right away, even if a table is open. They got you, they know what they are going if they have been in business for...