Kirin Restaurant
2518 S Beretania St, Honolulu, HI, 96826
Kirin Restaurant Menu
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Address :
2518 S Beretania St
Honolulu, HI, 96826 - Phone (808) 942-1888
- Website https://kirinhawaii.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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k L.
good food and prompt service.
(4)Andrew L.
I've been to almost all Chinese restaurants in Honolulu, and I'd have to say this one is my favorite. It's a little bit on the higher end, I only know of a few more expensive Chinese restaurants on the Island. Here's what I like about the restaurant: 1) The food is great. One of the dishes was a little salty, but my friends didn't think so. I'm a little more sensitive to salt than others. 2) The service here is great, the waitresses are very nice. I read some reviews saying that the service was rude, which may be, but not the ones that served me. 3) The restaurant is clean. Im a germaphobe, and I can't stand chinese restaurants that are dirty. This is not an issue here.
(5)J T.
I'm only giving this review 3 stars because of the high chair my nephew had to use. It looked like it was from the 1950's with no seat belt. Very unsafe and hard to control the child in the chair. Other than that the food and service were great. We have eaten here many times and have never been disappointed by the food.
(3)Cat P.
Really great food here...dim sum as well as regular Chinese food. It is a bit on the pricey side but the food is good as well as the service. My favorites are some of the typical dim sum items such as sticky rice, har gow, and bbq pork bun. Another unique dish that was another favorite of mine is the shaobing (like a sesame pocket bread thing) stuffed with ground pork and green onions. YUMMM! Pretty much everything we ordered here was great. But like I said, the downside of this place is that it's a little more expensive than other Chinese restaurants or dim sum places. The good thing about this place is that it's fairly clean (for a Chinese restaurant), and the service is good.
(4)Greg K.
The best Chinese I've had in Honolulu. Great seafood dishes including lobster and the honey walnut shrimp is impeccable. The decor and service was also very solid. I haven't been to many Chinese restaurants in Hawaii but on absolute scale, this place was rock solid.
(5)Kainoa S.
Best authentic Chinese food in Hawaii. You won't go to any other Chinese restaurant after eating at Kirin. Service is fast and staff is friendly. Prices are a bit on the high side but it is worth it. A great place to go if you want a relaxing late dinner. Definitely stop by for dim sum! It will be worth your time.
(4)Dwayne Y.
This was a very good Chinese Dinner. We went here since my foodie friend Kim recommended the crab that was not on the menu. So, I was quite curious and wanted to try it. We ordered the Salt and Pepper Crab with Coconut. This was a very unique dish. I never had or thought or pairing crab with coconut. And it worked. The Dungeness Crab was cooked perfectly. It was embedded with pieces of garlic, salt, black pepper, hot peppers, and coconut. This dish was divine. Next we had Stuffed Eggplant in Black Bean sauce. The eggplant was stuffed with generous portions of shrimp. The black bean sauce was very flavorful and did not overpower the eggplant of the shrimp. This dish was a nice contrast to sweet and spicy flavors of the crab. Finally, we had the Crispy Chicken with Special House Sauce. When you dip the crispy chicken into the house sauce, then dip it into hot chili sauce, the mix is great. It is salty, tart, and spicy. What more can I ask for? Overall I really enjoyed this meal. I will go back again.
(4)Jayson L.
I came to kirin few times now and their food flavor consistence. they are good food. i like to eat from here because they have dim sum and regular food at same time. they don't walk with the cart like other location do and they make it when you order it. Some of the dim sum items take a while and it comes out when you finish eating because they steam it fresh. i like this place but it does get little pricey compare to other Chinese restaurant. i only come here when my friends want to come. i like big portion when it comes to chinese food.
(4)Sai C.
Worst customer service ever!! I'm writing about what happened about a year ago. My boyfriend and I wanted to try out this place so we decided to go on his day off from work. We went in and the waiter said that we have to wait since we didn't book a reservation . So we waited as they let in all the Japanese and Chinese tourist sit before us and I don't think all of them made a reservation. The waiters kept two books. One for people with reservations and one for walk-ins. I looked at the one for reservations and there weren't many names and numbers written on it. About 30+ people sat before us and we waited for about 45 minutes. I could be wrong but I felt like they were playing favoritism. Oh, and this place was busy this day. After they sat us down the rude waiter came to ask us what we want. We ordered 3 main dishes and 1 appetizer. OMG I am not kidding, the food took one hour to come!!! I even asked the waiter "what's taking so long?" While my boyfriend and I waited we looked around and everybody was being served (even the people who came after us). We literally were sitting at a table on the corner with no food as we watched everyone eat. I regret not walking out till this day... My bf and I think that we were underserved because we didn't look like we had money. He believes because he looks like a typical local boy and I kinda was underdressed they basically ignored us. I don't recommend giving this place business. They are assholes that only like people that they think that have money. Oh and the food was ok and overpriced! I don't recommend this place at all
(1)Elizabeth N.
Came here tonight for my birthday as I wanted some Chinese seafood; never been here before but Chinese speaking co-workers have been suggesting this place for some time now (for special occasions) so thought it the perfect time to do it. Now the place isn't the best looking of establishments, it's not the belle of the ball compared to let's say how Jade Dynasty at the mall looks, however, Kirin is outstanding in their food and service. Like others have said, Kirin's service mimics those of high end Chinese Restaurants I've been to in CA, Philippines and Hong Kong. They are the first restaurant in HI that I've experienced this with. What makes it different? When you're ordering crab you wet towels and hot tea finger bowls and they change out your plates...or at least give you that opportunity to. I was at a super high end Chinese restaurant in the Philippines and we had a server in between almost all of us at a table of 20 and even if we put a smear of soy sauce on the plate, the server immediately changed it out with a clean plate...with of course sterling silver everything, hot towels, individual ginger ale and martinelli's glass liter bottles. So I do appreciate Kirin's attempt at this service. Here's what we ordered: -Dungeness Crab Taishan style: really fresh crab and the sauce was a bit of meal in itself as you could put it over rice and be done with it! I think I'll try the more "dry" crab next time as this is very saucy...very good tho! -Steamed Uhu: Very good, extremely fresh; not too salty and just enough flavor to keep you wanting to take another bite and spoon the sauce all over. -Pan Fried House Style noodles: I am a "hong kong style" or as they say in the islands, "pan fried" noodle connoisseur and I really enjoyed their preparation of this dish. My picky son ate majority of this dish, actually he hogs up all the crispy portions. -Peking Duck with pancake: YUM! Had to be my favorite, I think they roast it then fry their duck because all of it was that type crispy. Again, my son who has tried peking duck at many different chinese restaurants usually doesn't like it (he'll take one bite and pass) but lil' man devoured it here. I really liked this dish here, it was a very mild but flavorful duck. -Gai lan (chinese broccoli) stir fried in garlic: typical, not too flavored, actually I couldn't taste any garlic. lol. Most chinese spots who prepare this you can see the garlic and taste it. This not so much, but it was very fresh and crunchy, which is nice. And they serve it with fried pork strips? That was different. Vegans beware! Overall, Service was good when we first got there and it wasn't that busy, however as it got busier, we started to be forgotten about. However they were quick when we needed something or flagged someone down. Funny story, so we're waiting at any empty table for like 10 mins. Our food was packed up and there's nothing happening. My husband supposedly was trying to be secret and asked the kitchen to do a birthday thing for me. but again, sitting there for a long while I'm saying, "can we get our bill and go?". My husband is trying to be slick and so when the waiter comes by he just says, "I think we were waiting for something." The waiter straight up says, "Oh you all waiting for the birthday dessert right? I'll get it..." That was birthday surprise fail. lol. The good thing about it is that they just stick a candle into whatever you ask for and they don't sing to you. I would definitely come back to try some other things here and just stick with the seafood as it seems that's what they do best. Why waste your time on lemon chicken here ya know?
(5)Haein P.
Went here recently for a private party, in their enclosed private room, and I must say that "Yay! I'm a fan." Their corkage fee is extremely reasonable at $2/person. We went to town on some of the best wines (thanks to Mark Shishido, Wine Director at Alan Wong's) and beers. This is definitely a plus! FOOD: We started off with a delicious and warming... [[ "Supreme Broth,"]] that consisted of imitation shark fin, abalone, fish maw, dried scallop, crab meat, and Virginia Ham - very tasty way to start off our night, and off set the several glasses of wine that had been had. [[ Peking Duck ]] - we had this as an appetizer, served on traditional Chinese bao buns with plum sauce and scallions. This was delicious, and the duck wasn't too overwhelming or oily, but perfectly cooked, being tender and juicy. [[ Cold Ginger Chicken ]] - a local favorite influenced by the Chinese. This was just as I expected, the nice cold boiled chicken, cut into pieces, served with a savory ginger-garlic-scallion sauce on the side. I've always enjoyed eating this, and Kirin didn't disappoint. [[ Fried Pork Ribs with Sweet & Sour Sauce ]] - one of the waitresses recommended this over the phone, and it was excellent. It was served hot, with a slight crisp on the exterior. The rich pork flavors were nicely contrasted by the tang in the sweet and sour sauce. Finger lickin' good! [[ Heart of Choi Sum with Premium Oyster Sauce ]] - nothing out of the ordinary, and served as expected. It was nice to have some kind of vegetable on the side though, I must say. [[ Thin Rice Noodle, Singapore Style ]] - this was served with pork and shrimp in a curry powder base. This was my least favorite of the night, and judging by the to-go box at the end, others seemed to share the same sentiment. It was too curried, and didn't match the rest of our dishes rotating around the lazy susan. I think the curry overpowered the shrimp and bbq pork that was in the dish. [[ Dungenness Crab ]] - the star of the night! This must be ordered 'Taishan Style' which comes with a special house sauce made up of the crab guts, black bean, minced pork, and egg. It's a thick, stew-like sauce that is poured over the crab, and honestly, I could eat the sauce straight out of the bowl - no accompaniments, and I'd still be happy! It goes great on top of rice, too. Overall, the service is better than what you'd expect from a Chinese restaurant, but it's still better not to go with high expectations. Go for the food, go with a lot of friends, the more the merrier - and it's easier to get a taste of each dish with a larger group. I'm impressed at how the restaurant (over 50 years old) has maintained its food quality, and the bathroom is cleaner than most new restaurants I know! Definitely a plus.
(4)Novan L.
The food taste good but the portion is really small. And the price is higher than the other Chinese restaurant. This was my first time here and last time.
(2)Libo W.
Not greasy and yet quite delicious. Stands out from the milieu of Chinese restaurants in this day and age. We went for dinner, the service was fantastic. Definitely could see this as a great place for large gatherings.
(5)Luke B.
Food was relatively bland in taste and the meat seemed like poor quality for the price you pay. The same quality food can be had at a dollar scoop joint. At least the tea was good. I'm short this is a below average restaurant with a higher price point.
(2)Anh T.
Kirin is a little on the pricier side for dim sum but it's worth it. If my favorite Dim Sum place is in Hong Kong, then Kirin is my second most favorite place! Kirin doesn't have the traditional carts that go around shouting at you to buy their dishes, nor the obnoxious atmosphere we're all used to and love. However, that does not detract from it's execution. I loved all the dishes that was ordered here. Perhaps it was because the people we went with knew exactly what to order, but I just enjoyed everything on the table. The Dan Tat was cooked so well as it just melted with every bite. The fried seaweed shrimp was the pinnacle of the meal. It is hands down my favorite dish. I can't really describe too much since there were so many dishes ordered but one thing's for sure: I will be really sad that this place is not accessible from home. Why are all my favorite restaurants oceans away? =[
(5)Larry P.
Great Dim-Sum and very enjoyable...
(4)David D.
Disappointed. The best was the pork stuffed egg plant and the sauce on the crab was good. I found most of the dishes not that tasty and the rice was mushy. I must grant that the food was not over cooked. Also very noisy the night I was there.
(3)Lori F.
Good place to eat dim sum, although I wish there was more selection. One of my favs is the deep fried taro & I didn't see it anywhere on the menu. :( Also parking is almost non existent. Had to park on King St. metered parking & walk through Long's parking lot to get there. Service was a little slow, even though it wasn't very busy. Had to flag them down a couple times, plus they forgot one of our orders. I still think Royal Garden has the best dim sum & I like their cart service, rather than having to check off items on a piece of paper.
(3)Janet T.
Definitely recommend this place when your going out to eat with a large party that way you can enjoy their assortment of good food. Very popular place for Japanese tourists as well and some of the servers can speak japanese. One thing I noticed is that they're really great sales people so make sure you don't let them control what you want to eat. Service is great but they're great at persuading you to order more. Definitely a place worth trying. Love everything here
(4)Nori S.
I used to go to Kirin restaurant when it was in the Ala Moana Center and it was good and had a very relaxing & serene ambience. This location is the usual Chinese atmosphere and they are polite. However, the dim sum comes out lukewarm so not good. My fave here used to be the wontons in a coconut curry sauce, but now it's just topped with very little sauce..to my disappointment. For 4 plates, the bill was $21+. Considering the food was not hot at all and my fave dish was not good like before, I probably won't go back.
(2)H. H.
The beans this time was burnt and no complimentary dessert - tapioca - although we spent a lot for the meal. Slow service. Not as good as before. Waitress did deduct the beans since they were burnt and stringy. Everything else was tasty.
(3)Sara S.
In honor of Chinese New Year, I'll continue with what is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in town. My family and I have been coming to Kirin for years. Memories of Chinaman's Hat (a must order btw) will forever remind me of home. Embrace that medley of vegetables and pork, smeared with oyster sauce, wrapped in thin pancakes and rolled up like a Chinese burrito. MY FAVORITE! Kirin also makes the best string beans with minced pork (siguwei dao Idk the spelling sryyyy), one of my favorite Chinese dishes. You also can't go wrong with any noodle dish here, as well as kau yook with taro (pork belly). Pretty much anything you order here will be decent, the only thing is that it can be a little pricey. You get what you pay for though! What's great is that you can indeed pre-order & make special requests. I remember one time my grandma ordered a special soup made with fish maw (swim bladder) and it required 24 hours prep prior (Idk something about the soup having to simmer/soak the melon until it becomes super soft???) but they executed it amazingly. The service here is probably the best I've ever received at a Chinese restaurant. We have also celebrated special occasions here and it is nice to get a private room! Although... one time we had a really big party and instead of having a private room we had to take up the tables in the back. Their dim sum is also excellent. If I recall correctly it's not the standard order from the carts-- you have to order off a menu instead, but at least you are guaranteed that it is fresh and hot. Thank goodness they expanded their parking lot. It used to be just that small one in front and it was just chaotic as it was shared with the apartment next to the restaurant. Happy year of the Snake especially to all my fellow snakes out there! ^__^
(4)Jannet L.
Decor awesome like a well maintained kitschy Chinese restaurant you'd see in a movie where a big fight scene breaks out like in MIB or push. Plenty of space, lotsa tables with lazy susans in the middle. Also best feeling when you go to a Chinese restaurant and it's filled with people speaking Chinese - gives it much cred. Didn't order the crab which everyone else seemed to have bc didn't feel like getting messy. But looked delicious. Crispy chicken, dried string beans with pork were outstanding. Their hot sauce both salty and spicy perfection. Service is the best. They have seemingly 200 waiters and always constantly checking ur teapot and bringing u fresh tea without having to be asked. Food came out quickly. All waiters helping our table not jus an assigned person. Prices reasonable for the quality. And parking next to and also in old camellia parking lot. I mentioned to the hub that it was my fave Chinese and them he reminded me of dew drop inn. Different experiences. Kirin bigger and more expensive but somewhere to bring guests or visitors. Dunno both delicious. Oh and they have sesame mochi balls in ginger syrup that we had in shanghai! Terrific! But only two mochi balls. Which is enough but my fat brain was a little disappointed even though really u can't eat that much sweets anyways.
(5)Maryann S.
Food is delish. Had a bacon shrimp scallop thing that was outrageously good. The service is a little nutty. We gave the server our first appetizer and she ran off into the kitchen - didn't see her until that came out and she took the rest of our order.
(4)Kent C.
Pros: - Valet parking - Available party rooms Cons: - Rude manager and staff - Valet parking, the attendant basically moved my car 20 ft. - overpriced - small portions Go to some of the authentic Chinese restaurants in the Cultural Plaza instead.
(2)Marlene M M.
There are few who offer the quality of food, ambience and service that is the signature of high-end Chinese cuisine! Yes, it is expensive. But, the question might be...why? The 'regular' menu is extensive, but as important, their food is consistent and unbelievably great tasting! OMG...so perfectly prepared and served by happy employees, on linen with linen napkins! Oh! Oh! Oh! I must tell you about their home made chili sauce, always on table (available to go)! Five different chilies are combined to make THE BEST condiment found anywhere, at any restaurant! Magic!!!! Funny thing? We haven't even had the Dim Sum for which they are known! Every time we go in we intend to order Dim Sum, but always end up ordering our own favorites: the steamed fish with ginger and onions (or with vegetables) melts in the mouth; their potstickers? Addictive!! Personally, I always order Spicy, Hot, shredded pork, scheswan style! Sigh. The best!
(5)Nat N.
I wouldn't consider this to be my favorite Chinese restaurant, but it's definitely one of the better ones in town. My parents have been ordering take out from this restaurant for many many years, even though it's a 10 minute drive from our house and there are many many other Chinese restaurants closer to home. My dad used to travel to Asia a lot, so I guess it's safe to assume that the food here is similar to what he ate in Asia, otherwise he wouldn't come here. I don't think they've ever renovated so the decor is very dark and old school, but that says nothing about the quality of the food. Last night, instead of getting take out, we actually ate in the restaurant. It was my brother's birthday. My dad was able to secure one of the "private" rooms for us. It was equipped with its own split a/c system and the sliding doors gave us a lot more privacy and cut down the noise level tremendously. My dad had pre-ordered a few special items ahead of time that requires a few days advanced notice - the fried duck with mochi rice and the bitter melon soup. Both were very excellent choices. Definitely not your run of the mill menu items. My other favorite dishes of the evening were the crab with special sauce (it's black bean sauce with other stuff in it - yum!!) and fried rice with salted fish (SALTY!!!). In true Chinese fashion, our plates were rotated out for fresh clean ones periodically and they timed the arrival of each course perfectly, so that we didn't feel rushed. Bottom line - ask for one of the private rooms (if you have a large group) and pre-order some of their off the menu items!
(4)Wanita C.
Kunpao Chicken not authentic. Asked for extra spicy, still had to add 3 tablespoons full of the chili sauce. I had the best Kunpao Chicken from King Tsin. Will keep on searching for the perfect spicy Kunpao dish.
(2)Alfred N.
We are from Vancouver, BC. Traditional authentic Chinese cuisine,Kirin is the restaurant above and beyond my expectation, not limited to Honolulu. "Toyshan" Dungeness Crab prepared with minced pork, beaten egg in soya bean gravy, is one of the must order gem signature dishes. "Soya sauce" Chicken (24 hours special order): whole free range chicken dip-cooked in special prepared soya sauce. Sweet and Sour Pork with sweet and sour sauce on the side is a perfect dish for beer drinker. "Ma Pao Tufu" is one of the best Mandarin dish I ever had. If you have the gut to fire up your taste buds, order "Ma Pao Tufu" with Mexican killer chili, Habanero.(1/2 Habanero will numb your mouth). "Thin Sliced Bacon with Diced Garlic Sauce" is an excellent Mandarin starter dish. All dishes are health friendly: oil, salt, sugar are "doctored" to perfection.
(5)Jack W.
1. Verdict: You're not in Hawaii for good nor authentic Chinese food, so the good service saved the day and earned this place three stars! 2. Food: Meh. The Wu Shi style pork (shredded pork, two types of fungus, shredded cabbage in a flour wrap with too much oyster sauce - like a Chinese burrito) was the highlight. The fried tofu with green beans, two types of mushroom and shredded carrots was ok; one will need a lot of rice to compensate for the sauce. The honey garlic ribs were oversaturated in sauce with too much garlic overpowering the taste. The tong choy vegetable dish was soggy - either overcooked or featured old vegetables. The shredded chicken with hoisin sauce in lettuce wraps would have been good...had they put the lettuce leaves properly (one should use the large green leafy outsides of the lettuce and not 4 small, white inner core pieces of the lettuce). As usual, there is not a choice of tea, and one is provided the standard Western Chinese Restaurant pre-steeped blend of harsh tea (Iron Buddha mixed with Bo-le?). 3. Service: Staff were more polite than the typical Hawaiian Chinese restaurant, spoke English and Cantonese, and diligent in filling the teapot when the cover was off. The food was delivered quickly in a place that was full of patrons. 4. Atmosphere: It was in need of a makeover a decade or two ago and the parking is on the other side of a building, away from the restaurant. 5. Value: It's not as bad as eating at Ala Moana or Waikiki, but it's close considering the only-medium-sized portions. Don't go in expecting to eat well at a reasonable price!
(3)John W.
At suggestion of a friend my wife and I decided to try Kirin for a light lunch. We ordered a bowl of seafood congee to share, a plate of mixed pan fried vegetables and a dish of fried noodles with seafood. The dishes were lacking in flavor and the bill came out to $42--outrageous., The same food could be had at Legends Seafood restaurant for half the price. Stay away
(2)Carson T.
Kirin is the best dim sum restaurant I've visited outside of Asia. Considering the fact that I come from the Silicon Valley in California, which is sprinkled with good dim sum restaurants here and there, I'd consider that high praise. Among my favorite dishes here are a sweetly sauced cucumber appetizer (a cool and refreshing dish), shao mai (better than shao mai I've had in California), and dan tat (freshly baked). If you're in Oahu, and you're craving dim sum, you won't be disappointed with Kirin.
(5)Misty P.
I came here for New Years Day Dinner with my family. My aunt reserved a table for the family and pre ordered the menu. When we were seated the waitress tossed a bunch of menus on the table. When my aunt told them 2 times that she already pre ordered the menu the lady said, "Huh? I check for you..." and walked away. Finally, when that situation settled, the food came out. Maybe it's the food my aunt ordered, but it wasn't all that great. Some dishes were way too salty, or just plain weird. The one dish that stood out was the house crab. That was delish. Also what I found weird was that there was no sides of rice served. So for about 4 courses we ate our food without any rice. When we asked for rice, the server said that in another course there would be fried rice. The fried rice was the 2nd to last course! Doesn't make sense to me... Besides all that, the restaurant appears very clean, which is a rarity for Chinese restaurants in my opinion. I also loved their bathroom. It was decorated very nicely and was very clean. The parking sucks as there is only 4-5 stalls. It was ok, but I don't think I'd ever come back again on my own.
(3)Emily L.
Sometimes on voggy Honolulu days, I get that itch in my throat and reminisce about the foggy days back in my old stomping grounds of SF. Memories of dreary cold summers in the Financial District are best marked by slurping countless bowls of won ton mein from various cheap eats tucked in neighboring Chinatown. Well, mama, you are no longer in SF but when in Paradise, there's Kirin. Not cheap, we're talking $9 shrimp wonton mein soup vs. $6 Bay Area prices. But a substantial bowl nonetheless. Generous meaty shrimp wontons entagled in egg noodles with a handful of bright green choy sum swimming in a clear chicken broth which is not overly gingery but very clean and worthy of slurp to the last drop. With a touch more white pepper thrown in and I can feel my achy throat soothe instantly and my voggy vision lifted!
(4)Vivian H.
Must Order: Dim Sum -- spareribs in black bean sauce, pork in glutinous puff, shrimp dumpling, baked char siu buns, egg custard Sometimes on a lazy weekend morning, you just want to take your time to get to brunch. And in Hawaii with the melting pot of Asian cultures, brunch = dim sum. If I could figure out a way to get dim sum delivered to me in my bed, I would do it every weekend. But, sometimes you just gotta put some pants on and go eat. I would recommend Kirin for dim sum to just about anyone. The thing that stands out the most about Kirin is that they don't have dim sum just sitting around on carts waiting for you to flag down the waitress and enthusiastically gesturing towards your dish of choice. Instead they provide you with a slip of paper with boxes for you to write in the number of orders of each dish. LOVE IT. Not only do you bypass the enthusiastic gesturing, it's just so much more efficient! Better yet, the dishes aren't sitting out for who knows how long. In fact, Kirin brings it out to you piping hot so I'm thinking they steam it up fresh to order. Everyone has their favorite dim sum go to dishes. Mine is always going to be har gau (shrimp dumpling) and baked char siu buns. But for dessert, you MUST order Kirin's egg custards. Something about them being fresh out of the kitchen makes the buttery flaky crust extra delicious. One time, our friend accidentally wrote in (4) orders of egg custards which really meant (8) total mini egg custards came out to us on a huge plate. My BF thought it was the best day of his life. All in all it's not your typical quickie dim sum place so go and take a leisurely brunch. Enjoy the fresh and hot dim sum. Save me some egg custards.
(4)Janel H.
Kirin is one of my two favorite Chinese restaurants (the other is Hee Hing). They are very accommodating and nice there. The food never disappoints, and the price is attractive. Very quaint decor as well. Good hours, good location. The free parking lot is not huge but I get there early. It's been a keeper.
(5)Cj Z.
Came here 3 years ago, and I still remember how bad the food was. Last night I was insane so I decided to give this place a chance, but that was a bad decision. Kirin is a good example to represent a bad Chinese restaurant. I ordered a spicy and sour shrimp to go. And I should have took a picture of the food, the portion is so small! Unreasonable high price with mediocre taste of food. If this is what you want, go for it. For the shrimp I ordered, the portion is tiny and the taste is bad for the 16 dollars you are paying. Never again.
(1)Sean S.
This is Chinese food just FYI. We went with a party of about 20 so we tried pretty much everything. Make sure to get the garlic crab and the duck. Other than that, you can't really go wrong. It's above avg Chinese food for decent prices.
(4)Joan L.
We ordered the dungeness crab , kahuku shrimp and braised tofu with tomatoes & eggs for two persons. The food was good. But two major disappointments to the experience. First is the price for crab and shrimp is listed as "Market". At any point of ordering, the price was never disclosed. It's partially our fault that we didn't ask. Although the final price was not outrageous. It should have been posted or disclosed at the time we ordered. It was $80 for a 2.5 lbs crab. It was a little bit pricey. Secondly, 18% tip was added automatically to the final bill without consent. It was imposing somewhat. We did not feel like arguing but it definitely lessen the experience. Thirdly, the spout of the tea pot was broken which caused dripping while pouring. For a high end restaurant to serve with an obviously defective equipment, shows lack for the attention for the details. I would rate the food four stars, and the experience three stars. We will not go again.
(3)Teresa L.
Everything here is sooo good. From their deep marinated fishy fried chicken (need to order a day in advance), to sesame pockets, to their crab (sauce is amazing). I just can't get enough of this place. The best thing is DESSERT! I love their mango pudding because they pair it with mango sherbet rather than condensed milk or evaporated milk like other places. There was also this very interesting deep fried chicken with corn sauce. Definitely give it a try if you love corn. My sister loved it!
(5)Chad Y.
Can someone explain to me what Kirin means in Chinese? I always knew it to be a Japanese term. Hmm..oh well, it clearly is one of the best Chinese establishments on Oahu and simply put, dishes up some of the best Chinese plates you might have. The menu is far reaching and while it does serve your typical Chinese fare, it does offer some interesting selections that set it apart from the rest. Whether you want the salt and pepper pork which offers the heat of pepper with the saltiness complementing the pork, or something a bit more special such as a steamed monchong, the menu will certainly aim to please. Their noodles, the shrimp, their meats, soups, and much more are all well done and overall well done. The final product are served in a quick orchestration so that you aren't waiting long. While the restaurant itself is large, the tables are spaced rather closely so you might overhear the table right next to you and how the uncle isn't getting along with their neighbor because the kids talk to loud. The ambiance is overall very classic, clean, and bright. Romantic it clearly is not, but fun and lively it most definitely is. It does offer a small parking lot right in front or a little further down the block on Beretania. Note, it can fill up on busy nights so plan a few extra minutes to look for parking nearby or pay at the JCCH.
(4)Nicole M.
Came here for lunch with my aunt and mom and it was cute! Parking is the lot over, not right next to it but before Teddy's. The women's room is adorable btw, make sure you go lol We got stuffed eggplant, honey walnut shrimp, onion pancake, gyoza and it was a lot of food and yummy! I like it I like the little choices. I'm not sure about price tbh but the service was good, on a Wednesday afternoon there was lots of space, a good experience.
(4)Hula G.
If you haven't checked out this Chinese restaurant you should. They have excellent dinner menu...ordered calamari appetizer it was soft and tasty, main dishes: roast duck, oyster with garlic sauce, bok choy & chopped beef soup, they all taste great! Plus the service was great too!
(5)B. V.
Best dim sum ever, fresh and sooo tasty! (We used to go to the Ala Moana location and we were happy to find out that they had another one at Beretania). - Service is always great, staff is very nice and helpful. We met the owner "Vienna" and she was an absolute delight and we could see that she wants her customer to be satisfied with the best food and service - We often go mainly for Dim Sum but the mango pudding and custard pies are creamy and out of this world!. The Dim sum is always fresh and even though I'm a vegetarian I used love their seafood and meat ones. They never got me sick because the seafood is not frozen in chemicals. (I tried twice at Mandelay where I almost wound up at the ER not knowing they were using that technique). They have many vegetarian Dim Sums and my friends find them very good as well as there regular ones. - The decor is ancient Chinese and superb with lots of wood carving panels! You feel like you are somewhere special and escape reality for a while. I love the music too, it is very relaxing,just like the ambiance. Parking is only 2 stalls and 1 handicapped, but you can find lots of street parking like Varsity street and the ones around that. I highly recommend this wonderful restaurant!!
(5)Sarah W.
Kirin is a Chinese restaurant good for lunch or dinner. They're a small to medium sized restaurant good for groups if you are willing to wait. Though they accept reservations they rudely made our party of 7 wait 20 minutes past 7pm for our 7pm reservation. They offer delicious cuisine at high prices ($15/plate on average and $48 for peking duck(!!!)). I thoroughly enjoyed all the cooked porks and vegetables. They really know how to make well-seasoned food with a light hand with oil. I would come here again... ..But my grandpa won't since he can't get enough of Waiola and Lung Fung for their cheaper (and yes mediocre) bites. Go to KIRIN instead if you can help it.
(4)Jenn T.
I came here on a whim for dinner and I was surprised! I'm normally not a huge chinese food person because it's greasy and salty. This place turned out to be neither of those! And not to be racists, because you know you do it to, but you know a GREAT chinese restaurant when all the chinese people are eating there in silence :). The restaurant is not too big, clean and with great service. We were seated immediately. The menu was large and so we had to pick a few dishes. We ordered won ton soup, fried rice, chicken with snow peas (basically a typical order, nothing crazy), and the food was delicious. One of the waiters was extremely helpful because my dad was looking for a specific dish that he heard they served. Turns out they don't really serve it, but the waiter told us that if we called in advance, they would make it for us. AWESOME! I'm not well versed in chinese food, but this place was delicious to me! I would come again.
(4)Kaphen T.
I was born and raised in Hong Kong, my honest opinion is the dimsum is the best by far in Hawaii and same goes to their sister restaurant the the hilton waikoloa. The dim sum is made to order, comes out steaming hot or crispy hot, nothing sits. The entree and dinner isn't the greatest though, for dinner I would prefer on-on or Fook yuen
(4)Tracy M.
Kirin is my GO TO place for dim sum! While i was going to UH, I would come here probably once a week to get my shrimp puffs, cucumbers, veggie puffs, etc. They take a long time to refill your water, though. This was the place where I discovered my love for jasmine tea, though. :)
(4)Pichoudam P.
This place was allright. There were stuff like siu mai and pork sticky rice that were terrible. I expected a dim sum restaurant to produce better dim sums but I experienced better. The restaurant also produced great dishes such as salty fish fried rice, custard bao, and a bunch of other names that I can't remember. The service was bad. The waiter took long to come around and brought my family utensils and ice water. This place is fairly cheap though. It cost about $110 for 9 people during lunch. Everyone's belly was full. This place also had a really decent Chinese theme bathroom. I was literally amazed by how beautiful the bathroom was.
(3)Rachael P.
One of the best Chinese restaurants on the island. Not the typical orange chicken and fried rice places which is a big thumbs up. Also they have marinated jelly fish :) yum.
(5)Ed L.
Located in the University area, Kirin Chinese restaurant tries to be more upscale than it should be. While the food is good, somehow it is lacking somehow. The decor and ambiance of this place is quite homey, cozy, and comfortable. The service speaks for itself and it can get busy on some nights. It certainly is one of the better ones, but it can be a bit better - at least from when I was there. I suppose I shouldn't grumble, since alot of the Chinese restaurants I have been to feel like large cafeterias, whereas Kirin is more of a restaurant anyway. Their staff is quite knowledgeable in what they serve and are friendly. The tables can sit from 2-10 people, with priivate rooms for parties and other functions you may have. The plates were rotated after every 2 dishes - if you are doing that. But, it's cool, if you are just doing family style with a few dishes. I would come here with family and order a seafood dish, a beef, dish, and some sort of noodle dish and that would probably be enough. If not we would order more - just depends on how much people show up and if extended family were involved to. Then it would be double up on everything. They have their usual Chinese classic dishes and some not so much. It would be a good experience to try something just once - especially the seafood dishes. The prices here are trending reasonable to a bit pricey for what you get, but you do get what you pay for. Off the menu items are available, if you know what to ask for. This jewel of a Chinese restaurant is a goo choice for those who love to indulge in the Chinese cuisine, but love the abundance of what is here. Overall, I would recommend this place to anyone and any of their seafood dishes. I probably tried them all, as I love seafood, along with their noodle dishes. B+
(4)Eddie T.
Love their late night menus ! Perfectly hits the spot with the rice soup and the refill for the rice soup is free.. :) :).
(5)Lyn L.
Very disappointing.....Went there for lunch today. Ordered some dim sum and noodles....Waited forever....no service...no water, no condiments. I had to ask for everything. Noodles were listed as crispy...terribly and limp...salty too...no visual appeal...really sad...then they overcharged me! Dim sum was very salty too. mochi balls were tough...terrible. Lunch for one was over $20.....boxed up the left overs and gave them away....Will NOT eat there again!
(1)Ryan R.
Being the only round eyes in the restaurant was a little un-nerving at first as we were watched by everyone (patrons) in the restaurant from the time we entered until the time we were sat. Eff' it we are going to enjoy this food regardless if whether we are "intruding" It was only the guests staring relentlessly at us.....the wait staff were very attentive and courteous. I don't even remember what I had because I was drooling over my wife's honey glazed walnut shrimp. We let our guard down and tried something new. It was worth it! Definitely drop your notions of a chinese restaurant and make this a stop.
(5)Daryle W.
Dim Sum made to order. No need to deal or wait for those metal carts here.
(4)Brian H.
I visited Oahu recently, and being a foodie, I have frequented Ono Seafood, Giovanni's Shrimp Truck, Waiola Shave Ice, KCC Farmers Market, etc. However, Chinese cuisine is still my favorite for dinner, so I looked up Yelp, found Kirin, and decided to give it a try. Wow, I am really impressed with Kirin's authentic Cantonese cuisine! I have been to many Chinese restaurants in Philadelphia and NYC, and Kirin has one of the most sophisticated flavors. I talked to the waiters and found that this restaurant has been around for more than 25 years, and most of the chefs and waiters have been around almost as long!! If a restaurant can survive this long with a stable group of workers, the owners must have done something right. After the first time there for dinner, I loved it so much that my wife and I ended up coming to this restaurant three more times! My top recommendations are Baked Abalone (from the Big Island, so fresh and tasty!), Dungeness Crab salt and pepper style, steamed Dungeness Crab with egg white, ginger scallion lobster with yi-mein (e-fu noodle), salt and pepper calamari, and Soy chicken. I also love their seafood soup, Chinese Okra with Fried Tofu, Bitter Melon with Beef, and Yang-Chow fried rice. We went there for lunch once. While their dim sum menu is not as extensive as other more established Cantonese restaurants back in the east coast, they make it up with quality offerings. Besides the good old reliable shrimp Har Gow (dumpling) and shumai, and Steamed Sparerib, my favorites are the Chinaman's Hat (mixtures of vegetables and pork wrapped in thin pancake), Sticky Rice Wrapped Chicken, egg custard, and Steamed Shrimp Rice Noodle. While delicious food is the highlight of Kirin, I could not help but to marvel at their authentic Chinese style decoration, as well as very upscale, zen-like and clean restroom facility. Finally, in case you don't know, as a Kirin customer, you can park in the parking facility next door (to the left) for free. This should alleviate your parking concern.
(5)Papiloa J.
Total Fan! Easily The Best Chinese Spot in Mccully Neighborhood! *Service: Friendly, Attentive, Quick - Family Owned! *Ambience: Nice - Can Be Dressy, Spacious, Clean *Food: Wonderful Selection of Noodle, Seafood, Pork, Chicken and Beef Dishes *Price: Average *Parking: Parking in Lot or across the stree at Long's (shhh!) Good For: Family Get Togethers, Large Parties, Dinner Recommendations: -Don't be any later than 1030pm. While they are gracious, they are strict on 11pm closing. -Make a reservation :) -Request a 'private room' for a large party or special occassion Kirin Dish To Die For? House Noodle & Crab With Special Sauce! Papi Says: "Kirin? Yes Please!"
(4)Julie-ann O.
Went here due to yelp reviews and thought meh. Had to see what the hype is. Still wondering. I never went here because no one in my family or friends ever mentioned this ancient place, you figure if it was good somebody would say something. All I knew was the real world cast long time ago used to frequent here and anasia, both of which I never been,but now I know don't trust the real world. The dim sum while fresh wasn't a whole big deal the price for four people was 80 bucks. Mei sum dim sum was way better than this and half the price. Plus I think I like it when the carts go wheeling by vs. ordering off a sheet of paper. If I am going to pay this kind of price for Chinese food little village trumps this place any day. Most of the regular dishes on the menu was around 14.95. The worst thing was this sesame seed covered meat patty. The best thing is you can park in the lot next to holo holo grill. But I bet holo holo grill get better food.
(2)Jay K.
Stick to actual Chinese dishes (not Chinese-American) and you will never be dissatisfied! They use quality ingredients, so nothing is ever terrible The dim sum here during the day is the only dim sum place on this island that is good (not just meh or decent). steamed garlic kahuku prawn over noodles, black bean sauce with minced pork on anything really..., their sweet and sour pork or fish (it is SO difficult to find a chinese restaurant that can make a good sweet and sour pork... good fish is even harder to come by), their egg tarts are so fresh!, love their homemade spicy hot sauce, stuffed sesame buns, their duck is pretty darn good, never once been disappointed (even after my mom got food poisoning over 15 years ago--we've never been deterred from returning) PS their restaurant is really clean, the food poisoning had something to do with a bad batch of fresh live crabs that they had that week, more than one person got sick. I don't think they had another incident like that ?
(5)Kimberly C.
My family ate here for dinner to close the year of the rabbit together. The food we got that was memorable and delicious was the fungus soup and lobster. Not only is fungus good for you, but the clear soup tasted delicious. The sauce on the lobster tastes like mapo tofu. It was sooo good! I suggest you try this dish the next time you go there. I also went to Kirin for dim sum at another occasion and their dim sum was also very good. The potstickers were very juicy and plump. Overall, the food is pretty good and I would definitely go back for lunch or dinner.
(4)Stanislava K.
Best Chinese in the neighborhood. Their hot & sour soup is to die for, just as their Mu shu pork. If you, like me, are vegetarian, they have many tasty dishes. My absolute favorite is Buddha delight with glossy rice noodles and five different types of mushrooms. Prices are better during lunch, when they also offer dim sum menu.
(5)Jade K.
Coming from a family that eats chinese food a lot, there are certain things that I look for in a chinese restaurant: 1) How do they make simple dishes (i.e. fried rice) and make it special/memorable? 2) What does this chinese restaurant have to offer that the other does not? Kirin is very popular with the Japanese tourists and it is true that the waiters/waitresses aren't that great with English, but dishes that I would recommend are the Mooshu Wraps, the Pineapple Buns with Char Siu (dim sum), and the Char Siu within the rice noodle roll. They are also open later for lunch (around 3:30 p.m.) and they have a special menu for late night eats (past 9 p.m. I believe)
(4)Doris D.
Just ok Chinese restaurant. I came here for lunch with co-workers and the food was not all that spectacular, should have just stuck to Chinatown! We had some dim sum which was just alright and some regular Chinese dishes like lettuce wraps and chow fun. Meh.
(2)Sherrie C.
Just wanted to come here for a simple breakfast since the food is decent and we've been here before. We made our order very quickly after being seated. The waiter took our order, and promptly came back with tea, then left. Other customers came in and were seated. After 20 minutes of waiting, we realized that other customers were receiving their food before us even though we had gotten there first. We then waited another 20 minutes without any of the waiters giving us the slightest glance. We called over a waitress and she glanced briefly at us before going straight to another table. Absolutely the worst service we have ever received at a restaurant. We told a nearby employee we had waited for 40 minutes without service and received only a brisk apology, so we left. I would not recommend this place to anyone. Even the most mediocre restaurant knows not to leave a customer without care for 40 minutes! A simple "sorry for the wait" would have sufficed. Never coming back here.
(1)Jennifer C.
Ok, BEST Chinese Resto so far! We came here during a weeknight on a recommendation and the place was empty. We thought, hmm.... maybe this isn't the right resto? We sat down and were skeptical but once they brought out the sizzling beef plate and my tomato and egg dish, we were sold! I don't know how they make it but the dishes here remind me of the solid Chinese dishes that you can only get from Hong Kong/China. If you're craving authentic Chinese food (no, not orange chicken), definitely check out Kirin! Oh! And ambiance is nice, typical Chinese sit down resto (think of Dim Sum by day, Seafood by night restos).
(5)Dianna D.
I don't think the food was spectacular. Service was good, but expected since we had our own room. My favorite thing on the menu was the honey walnut shrimp because they didn't overload it with mayo like most restaurants, but kind of fused panko with tempura in this dish. The sesame pocket thing with ground pork wasn't very good. Neither was their tea-cooked duck, so don't order these dishes if you're here. Desserts were also okay. Overall felt gross and greasy when I left, which means they use lots of oil to make their food taste good. Eh.
(3)Hiromichi M.
All these haters be hatin' on this little, quaint Chinese restaurant located in a not-so-exceptional location is unjustified. I don't know about you, but this place has a lasting impression for me. Coming into this place, to be honest, I didn't expect much. There was ongoing construction at the mouth of the restaurant and the place looked below par. However, coming into this place was an eye opener. The decor was absolutely majestic! Very Qing Dynasty themed with a touch of modern electricity brought the best of both worlds. The bathroom was very nice too, you wouldn't expect that from a Chinese restaurant. The food overall, was great. We ordered the black bean sauced dungeness crab, crispy chicken, pop corn fish thing and tapioca for dessert. Good presentation, but the portions were a tad small. Pros: Great ambiance, spectacular food, Chinese waiters! Cons: A bit pricey for what you're getting, but it's ok. You gotta park in Camelia's and walking there at 12 in the morning is not nice
(5)Clifford L.
DEFINITE FLAG FOR NOVEMBER, B'COZ THEY HAVE TARO BASKET AND FRIED BUNS (for chili crab?) AND BEEN IN BIZ 4 30 YRS Danger, W. Robinson, th'olla location is Ala Moana MAKAI =FOOD COURT!
(3)Jenifer G.
Would have given 5-stars but I think they use msg? Every dish I tried was pretty awesome and good! I had a smile on my face for sure. 10 of us with I think 9 dishes. Lettuce cups - OK (rather have the one at Little Village. sorry!) Drunken Chicken - OMG YUM Wintermelon soup - YUM Eggplant (garlic?) - YUM Beef strips w/ green beans - YUM Rice noodle - OK (I'm not a huge fan of fried rice noodles) Mabo tofu - OK (hard to go wrong with this one really) Steamed fish - OK (rather eat whole fish) I can't remember the last dish right now, but I am definitely coming back here. Service & ambiance was also good, they also have 2 small private rooms available (tatami-sized rooms). Parking does suck but they can valet and double park for you. Definitely coming back for more!
(4)Amanda K.
I think I found the best Chinese spot in town!!! Salt and pepper crab was to die for (my favorite dish there) def coming back
(3)n c.
For the first time, I picked a restaurant based on an ad in the Dining Out section of the Star Advertiser. The ad boasted that this was Zagat's best Chinese restaurant of 2010. Gotta be good, right? Service: I must say the service was excellent. I guess that's because there was only 1 other family in the restaurant at the time! The staff were very nice and attentive. I thought our waitress was actually going to wipe my mouth for me. Food: The salt & pepper pork chops were great. Yang Chow Fried Rice was okay. Braised Tofu w/2 kinds of mushrooms was nothing special. Chicken & Cream Corn soup was good. The Honey Walnut Shrimp was very good, UNTIL I GOT THE CHECK! Prices: I didn't notice the price of the Shrimp until the check arrived: $17!!! It was good, but gimme a break. $17?? Portion was average. I was going to order the spinach w/garlic until I saw that was $11!! Sheesh. These prices are just too high. Kirin management: look around. There is a reason your restaurant was empty at dinner time.
(3)Ian C.
My family is familiar with this restaurant from way back but have not been here in a long time until recently. The food is very good, but if you are from out of town, they may not give you everything you are entitled to, like the usual complimentary dessert. Servers were also a bit snooty at times. If you do eat here, the Northern Chinese dishes are good, especially the salt and pepper style dishes. This review would have been A LOT higher as in 4 stars, but for the service issue for my out of town hosts.
(1)Min K.
I'm a fan. It's pricy, but for good Chinese food, I only go to two places. Kirin in itself is an experience, as the place is just like any other Chinese place, but a classy oldworld Chinese restaurant feel if that makes sense. I recommend the Peking duck, as Kirin is the ONLY place I've seen where a crepe is used instead of the bread. It's so much tastier as the flavors are more deliate. The crab is tasty, my personal favorite is the Ginger and green onion, but the salt and pepper is good too. I'm craving Kirin. :)
(4)June K.
Love this place! Would come more often since I live within walking distance, however, I eat a lot and this place is too pricey for a college student. The dim sum is one of the best, but I prefer pointing at bamboo steamers and requesting random dim sum from Chinese ladies pushing carts around. This place does have a menu with limited pictures of some dim sum. I recommend the fresh mushroom dumplings! Best mushroom dumpling ever!!! The xiao long bao is good, but packed too closely together that they stick and will break when you attempt to eat them. Overall, Kirin is nicely decorated and the service is very good for a Chinese restaurant.
(4)Mari N.
I think this is the best Chinese restaurant that I have dined at. The restaurant itself was clean, unlike other restaurants I have eaten at before where the walls are dingy, and dirty with water stains, or wall paper peeling off. The wait-staff were surprising pleasant, and our server was so polite, so different from other Chinese restaurants I have eaten at. She was very patient in taking our orders, and she was very warm. No plates were thrown at us, no rude hand motions, or looks. The food came quick, but we felt like we were not rushed. We ordered a total of 9 dishes not including the individual desserts, and each of them were fantastic. Parking is limited though. Reservations are recommended as it gets really busy.
(4)Carina T.
I was skeptical about going here when a friend suggested we eat here. From the outside, it's seen better days and looks a little run down. On the inside, it looks like a movie scene, in well, you know a Chinese restaurant. Duh. We ordered three dishes--Kung pao chicken, lettuce wraps, and beef choy sum with cake noodle. Other Yelpers raved about the seafood. Will be back to try as the menu has many options from poultry, beef, chicken, seafood. Even sharkfin (!) was on the menu. We brought our own alcohol, with a $2 per person corkage fee. Pretty good deal! Staff is attentive and pleasant. The parking lot is small so plan on going early or finding street parking. There's a valet there too to help you out if all spots are taken.
(4)Ryan Y.
This review is only for the dim sum. They have parking lot, limited street parking. As other reviewers mentioned, limited dim sum selection, photos provided on menu was helpful, little on the pricier side, no cart service which I was looking forward to. Enjoyed some of the dishes (sorry can't remember names) and some were average. Why I gave 3 stars is because restaurant wasn't filled up and maybe had 3 waiters/waitresses and service was slowwww. Good to try once, but not sure if would come back for the dim sum.
(3)Dow L.
Great little Chinese restaurant. When the help staff doesn't speak much english and just nods and points to items on the menu, you know you're at a pretty authentic chinese place. I don't know much about true chinese food so it's nice how their menu tries to describe the dishes. Granted, they all start sounding the same after reading a few of them. I mean, how many different variations of chicken, beef, pork or duck in special house sauce, garlic sauce, special house garlic sauce are there? I enjoyed our dinner there I wouldn't mind going back on my next trip to Oahu.
(4)Winter S.
Terrible service. Subpar food. Could not get water or tea refilled. Got order wrong numerous times. Showed preferential treatment to the tourists, but not the local patrons. Odd considering we have been here numerous times.
(2)Matthew F.
This place along with Panda is my very favorite Chinese Food Restaurant in Honolulu. The Shark Fin soup with Crab is my favorite dish to start off with here. I'm so sad that they are talking about making it illegal when those animals are just vicious killing machines. We invariably get the raw whole lobster, which they bring out to show off to you still kicking. As well as the Peking Duck. I fucking hate the inside of this Duck, I just eat the skin inside of those little crepe things. I don't care if it's a waste, tastes good, leaves room for more.
(4)Ming X.
The crab meat corn chowder is flavorful. The crab with house special sauce is very tasty. Surprisingly the tea smoke duck was meaty and delicious. We pre-ordered the food. Everything was served at once and the staff is very attentive. It was an pleasant experience. Reservation is recommended.
(4)Mako H.
i too was enticed by the "now serving dim sum" sign, wasn't bad, wasn't great, selection wasn't as large as many places and as many others said, no cart but the up side, the menu has pics so easier to tell what's what, we also got chowfun which was kinda bland, was better after adding shoyu. I'd come back again, 2 persons = $30 lunch
(3)Nommie M.
Went here with mom and hubby for dimsum. We totally pigged out. This is the only place I've found so far in Honolulu that has GOOD mango pudding during lunch. Very authentic and much pricier than most dimsum places that we've seen around here. We tried almost everything. I have converted my hubby into a chicken feet eating machine. Well, almost. But the dimsum was so good that he was eating it! We got there just at the start of their lunch. Great service. It's valet parking only because their lot is super small. Get there early or park on the street. It's a little dim inside the restaurant and the exterior definitely needs a makeover but the food was excellent. Will be back.
(5)Chie F.
Wow, I can't believe noone wrote a review yet~! I've been living near Kirin restaurant for almost 30 years and my family has never been here. Thinking it was due for a visit, my mom, my husband, and I went for a late Mother's Day dinner. This was not what I imagined it to be. I was thinking of a HUGE, OLD Chinese restaurant, but no~!! It was very clean, and definitely not old decor. Even if everything in there was old, it is very well kept. EVERYTHING WAS GOOD HERE! From service to food, I was missing out! Take a look at my pictures. We had: - Lettuce wraps with diced chicken - Dungeness Crab with Taishan (Black Bean, Minced Pork, and Egg) sauce - Pan Fried Thin Noodle with Seafood - Buddha something...It's like clear noodles with Vegetables. - Salt & Pepper Pork I wish we got the name of our waitress. She was a very nice lady. We gave her a good tip, and she thanked us for being so generous. I totally recommend it.
(5)roselle s.
Very simple and warm traditional old Chinese restaurant interior. The service was good, they seem to work as a team and that is good to see. We tried about 6 of their dim sum and ordered pan fried seafood noodles that we loved. The baked charsiu bun was a surprise and my children were not fond of it at all. They seem to have used the same bun as with a custard bun which threw them off, too sweet and the texture they did not care for. Will definitely visit and try the other dishes. Considering it is small it did not have any old restaurant smell and seemed very clean, I loved that!
(4)E L.
Dim Sum - 2.5 stars Service - 4 stars Parking is limited. Last year when we went to the Ala Moana location, the dim sum was much better. May be it's a different chef at this location.
(3)Andy D.
Now, don't think that I am one of those people who loves giving one-star reviews. It is rare that I ever do. But my visit to Kirin today warrants it. I was craving dim sum today, and I wanted to try somewhere new. I saw the big banner outside exclaiming "Now Serving Dim Sum" so I knew I was headed here. Parking is very limited but a spot opened up when I got there. As soon as I parked the attendant had asked me to move my car to the small space. I hate that having a small car automatically means I have to park in the small space - I am using the restaurant as much as the person who drives a hummer. And I'm a terrible parker. Minus Star #1! The space was so small that the space between my car and the next was less than six inches on the passenger side. After settling that I headed inside to order some food. I expected to see the push carts, but I had to order from a menu. No problem i didn't mind waiting a little bit. The variety was quite limited, but I ordered the Shanghai soup dumplings, vegetable dumplings, black bean spareribs, and spicy wonton. All around $3.50 to $4. Not terrible, but definitely not appealing to pake-ness. Minus star #2! But I figured, there are some places I will gladly pay that much, so it must be really good. I sat down and waited. And waited. And waited... At around 20 minutes, I got impatient. I started looking at my phone for the time every second. I started looking around the restaurant for signs of my food. I'm a fat guy - I'm hungry, damnit. Five minutes later, the hostess notices my twitching, and she handed me the business card and says "Next time you call it in" After 30 long minutes I finally got my food. It took forever. Minus star #3! She handed it to me and said "Next time call us." No thank you for waiting or anything, just her condescension. Minus star #4 I just thought to myself, "Yeah, I would have been waiting only 20 minutes" I brought the food back to the office and I was starving. I scarfed down my food. Too bad it wasn't very good. The best thing was the spareribs, but there was only garlic flavor and not much black bean flavor. All the dumplings were super bland. I needed to drench them all in the shoyu, vinegar mixture they gave me. The vegetable dumplings tasted like spinach and not much else (I make a similar but so much better version). The spicy wontons had little spice to them and again, needed salt. The shanghai soup dumplings were terrible. There was no broth to be had at all. Gah! Minus star #5. So I'm really being generous with this one star, but only because Yelp! is forcing me to. I don't know about the a la carte menu, but I know I won't be coming here to try it. Do yourself a favor and skip dim sum here.
(1)Mililani M.
My boss is from Taiwan and she loves it here! The food was really tasty and fresh. Wish I spoke Mandarin, you get better service if you do. Try to go before the crowd to get a parking spot, otherwise they have valet. Looks like an employee, rather sketchy looking guy. So if you don't care to valet go early or park across the street, down the road.
(4)Katrice K.
The food here is surprisingly delicious. I came here with my bf's family for his dad's birthday and we ordered the Dungeness crab with black bean sauce (which is absolutely delicious), the salt and pepper shrimp, tofu with mushroom, the mushroom noodles, and this sesame pocket thing where you can put in the ground pork. I absolutely loved almost all of the dishes except the noodles (which were bland and tasteless). The salt and pepper shrimp that crispiness that is much needed to pull it off and the sesame pocket thing was amazing you just stuff it like a pita bread and then bite into the crunchy bread with the meaty filling (yum!) The crab needs a whole separate paragraph to be described. It was the whole crab cooked in this delicious sauce (that tastes great over rice). His parents even took home the sauce after we finished the crab it was that good. I will definitely go back here for the crab on special occasions and even might want to try the lobster tail. (Just cuz it sounds so good!)
(4)Tweedy H.
An outstanding restaurant for a taste of genuine Chinese cuisine presented by a great Chinese chef from China. The kitchen staff are actual Chinese cooks that prepare food without shortcuts. Overall great and real Chinese food that most Americans have never really had before. Great friendly service staff and an elegant Asian atmosphere that's free of any snobbishness.
(5)First Name L.
We came here for the Dim Sum. Good ambience, it definitely felt like a chinese restaurant despite the exterior appearance. In fact, I've driven by this place hundreds of times and never considered eating here. We were seated immediately and ordered. I noticed a few tables were already waiting for food when we arrived. Surprisingly we got our food before others that were waiting. I noticed one table left because the wait was so long, they ate their fried rice and waited and waited until they finally had enough. Eventually, the flow of Dim Sum slowed and we waited around 20 or so minutes and nothing.... they couldn't figure out what we ordered vs what's been served. They asked several times and when they figured it out, we just had it to go. It was just too long. Dim Sum was good overall. I also ordered some Chow Fun which was overcooked... the noodles were way too soft. The restaurant has potential as the food is good. It seems they have a few things to figure out. The staff was very friendly which made the experience bearable.
(3)Ruth F.
This is my favorite Chinese restaurant, and when guests come from out of town, this is one of our first choices if they want Chinese. This is also one of those restaurants that open late, so we often come here at 10:30 p.m. after Symphony concerts. We're always looking for great restaurants that open late where you can have a conversation. This place fits the bill, and it's a plus that this restaurant can accommodate large groups really easily, so we can invite the "gang" all the time. There are a couple servers there who know us and are always welcoming. Some of my favorites: - Eggplant stuffed with shrimp served on sizzling platter - Salt and pepper squid - The seasoning is interesting, with peppers and onions and it also comes with a delicious red sauce. - Steamed sea bass - served with slivers of ginger, onion and other garnishes in shoyu-based sauce. This one is so soft and flavorful and always a hit. - Crispy green beans - Taro Seafood basket Usually if we come with a group and have a family-style dinner, the bill usually comes out to about $15-22 per person. Definitely recommend this one.
(5)Flyboy F.
In my humble opinion an all around good Chinese restaurant is hard to come by. All around meaning quality of food, service and cleanliness. We put up with things at Chinese restaurants that would never be tolerated at other establishments. Kirin is one of the few Chinese restaurants that fits the "all around" moniker. Kitchen and dinning room were clean, plates prior to eating did not have the usual film of grease and the wait staff were pleasant and professional i.e.. no tossing of plates or utensils, no anxious hurry up and order and food came out in the proper order. Why all these things are not the norm and only the exception at Chinese restaurants is perplexing. I have eaten here many times. The dungeness crab with the House sauce is tasty and something you cannot find anywhere else . Chili shrimp, fried rice, ong choy with garlic and chili, singapore noodles are some of my favorites. The Northern Chinese dishes are something to try. I can't recall the proper name but there are little chive pancake things stuffed with, lamb, chicken or beef that are not bad. They have a chef made XO sauce that is a must try. It comes on the side so you have to ask for it. As far as Dim Sum I would go somewhere else. Another plus is they don't close until 3:30 p.m. , open again @ 5:00 p.m. and stay open until 1:00 am. Anyway its one of my favorite Chinese places with lots of good dishes and some exceptional ones.
(4)uilani c.
review is for the DIM SUM: order all you think you'll want at the start because it's made-to-order so it takes a little longer than a "traditional" dim sum experience with the carts rolling past your table. the food quality is very good, food is flavorful. the wait help is that of your typical chinese restaurant...english is their second language, they speak quickly, and are often in a rush. a HUGE plus to this place is that they offer dim sum dishes not typically served at other dim sum places..crispy onion pancake, a dumpling with peanut, pork, and shrimp stuffing, mushroom dumpling, and chicken curry puff. the food really is good. and remember to order the "new and different" stuff! step outside your box!
(3)Norm G.
I agree with Foodlover G., who was first to review Kirin Restaurant. Everything I've had here has been good, too. I've had the Peking Duck, some terrific steamed fish, and so many other well-prepared dishes. I used to pass by this restaurant all the time, thinking it was probably nothing special. However, it is quite nice inside, and many people, from Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, and China know about this place and come here to eat when they are in Honolulu. In fact, my in-laws (who are from Hong Kong) took me here years ago, and I have been hooked ever since. The menu does not feature "local style Chinese food." It is more authentically Chinese, and the food is prepared with care and is very flavorful. It is on the pricey side, so expect to pay for what you get.
(5)Aya T.
I was surprised that some of the dishes were spicy dispite not being marked spicy on the menu. Not a good thing for my Dad who does not like spicy foods :(. I enjoyed the steamed fish with green onions. A red chili pepper, soy- ginger sauce was poured on top to give it a nice flavor. The lemon chicken was not good, the chicken was more like a cutlet cut into little strips. The lemon sauce was nice and tangy but I was expecting nice morsels of chicken, not a fast food version of meat. We had a few other dishes that were sub-par as well. When we got our check I was surpised to see that it was $60 for 2 people, expensive for Chinese. I will say though that the service here was superb so I guess that sorta made up for the food but I don't plan on coming here again.
(3)Shannon C.
Had lunch there with my son and my parents today. We ordered several dfferent kind of dim sum, a noodle dish and a vegetable dish. We usually eat dinner here but we were in town so decided to try their lunch. The lunch was okay, a little on the salty side but I'm giving them four stars for the dinner that they serve. Peking duck with the crepe wrap is a must and so is the bacon wrapped scallops! YUM!
(4)R.G. W.
Went here today for dimsum. It's pretty pricey per dish and they don't have carts... You order off a card and then wait for them to cook it and bring it to you. There's not much variety and the choices aren't too adventerous, but everything is made well enough. My favorite: the char siu look funn.
(3)K H.
This is Northern Chinese food, not Cantonese. One of the few Chinese restaurants still serving fresh, not frozen, chicken & pork, fresh seafood. Yummy jook for after opera. Smoked Tea Duck; pork or chicken chive or fish dumplings; crispy skin roast chicken; lobster e-mien. Quality of food is usually reliable; if not, tell the manager. If you don't like the service, ask for the manager. Private room(s) for special order dinners and parties, when the food is always excellent.
(4)C K.
I really enjoy Kirin. I would go there everytime I want good chinese food. I highly recommended the salt & pepper pork chop and yin yang fried rice. The fried bun was soooo good. love it
(4)Judy And Joe N.
I've been here many times and have never had a bad experience. I take away one star for the occasional slow/surly service and because the dim sum, though superb, is on the pricey side. My first experience with Kirin was at the Ala Moana location before it closed. The dim sum is at least $3+ per plate, but SO worth it. What do I love about it? First, the menu lists the components of each plate, which is important to me because I don't eat beef or pork. I've had dim sum in Chinatown and the wait staff's "it's whatever meat you want it to be" attitude left me too apprehensive to eat anything. At Kirin, each dim sum item tastes different from the last and is always fresh. I know some people prefer the carts, but to me, it's not a huge deal as long as the food is steaming hot when it comes to the table. Their egg tarts... some of the best I've EVER had. They come in the flaky-type shell (rarely found) that's really light and buttery, the egg custard is perfectly set, and to boot, they're served right-out-of-the-oven warm! What a painful reminder of my failed attempts at making these in the past... Our list of favorite sim sum dishes: - shrimp rice flour rolls - scallion pancake - egg custard bun steamed AND baked versions - egg tart - har gau - baked pineapple bun - curry chicken puffs - fried seafood rolls - glutinous rice puff - lotus leaf sticky rice - chicken feet - vegetarian dumplings and much more! Not only do they reign supreme in dim sum, their dinners are exceptional. I grew up eating authentic Chinese food and have dined at countless Chinese restaurants. Kirin serves up some of the best Chinese cuisine I've ever had. J, our roommate, and I usually order "family style" and all but lick the plates clean every time. It's so good that we just never know when to stop! Here is a list of must-trys for dinner: - honey-walnut shrimp - salt and pepper squid - beef chow fun - seafood pan fried noodles - chicken and corn soup - golden skin chicken with house sauce - I could live off of this! - char siu - water spinach sauteed with garlic Prices for dinner are a better value than for dim sum, and is served from 5 PM daily. Parking is kind of scarce, but there is a gentleman in front who will park and maneuver your car into the tight spaces for you while you make your way inside. I don't know why anyone would rate the food here 1 star except that they were probably in no mood to like it.
(4)jenn K.
This is where I go when I'm craving salt peppery crab. Pricey but worth the crave.
(4)Emoh E.
Smoked tea duck, sesame pockets to be stuffed with minced pork, moo shu wraps, chinese long beans, crab with salt and pepper, lettuce cups, and more... I hadn't eaten at Kirin in ages. While still in high school Kirin began catering more to the Japanese and other tourist clientele. It just didn't feel like a family place to go to anymore. And for whatever other reasons I just didn't dine at Kirin. Until last week. Oh did I miss this place! The restaurant that served me my first lettuce cup. The only restaurant that I know of to serve the sesame pocket with minced pork. Even if there are other places that serve it, I'm not sure that I would go anywhere else. Such a treat to go back and have it be exactly what I expected it to be. Why not 5 stars? The prices. Seriously, I know they do well with the tourists but for what you get, I just don't think it's right. But it was really really good food. Once in awhile, it's just worth it.
(4)Aldora K.
one of the best authentic chinese dining places that make you want to come back for more.
(4)H. H.
The beans this time was burnt and no complimentary dessert - tapioca - although we spent a lot for the meal. Slow service. Not as good as before. Waitress did deduct the beans since they were burnt and stringy. Everything else was tasty.
(3)Kent C.
Pros: - Valet parking - Available party rooms Cons: - Rude manager and staff - Valet parking, the attendant basically moved my car 20 ft. - overpriced - small portions Go to some of the authentic Chinese restaurants in the Cultural Plaza instead.
(2)Marlene M M.
There are few who offer the quality of food, ambience and service that is the signature of high-end Chinese cuisine! Yes, it is expensive. But, the question might be...why? The 'regular' menu is extensive, but as important, their food is consistent and unbelievably great tasting! OMG...so perfectly prepared and served by happy employees, on linen with linen napkins! Oh! Oh! Oh! I must tell you about their home made chili sauce, always on table (available to go)! Five different chilies are combined to make THE BEST condiment found anywhere, at any restaurant! Magic!!!! Funny thing? We haven't even had the Dim Sum for which they are known! Every time we go in we intend to order Dim Sum, but always end up ordering our own favorites: the steamed fish with ginger and onions (or with vegetables) melts in the mouth; their potstickers? Addictive!! Personally, I always order Spicy, Hot, shredded pork, scheswan style! Sigh. The best!
(5)Nat N.
I wouldn't consider this to be my favorite Chinese restaurant, but it's definitely one of the better ones in town. My parents have been ordering take out from this restaurant for many many years, even though it's a 10 minute drive from our house and there are many many other Chinese restaurants closer to home. My dad used to travel to Asia a lot, so I guess it's safe to assume that the food here is similar to what he ate in Asia, otherwise he wouldn't come here. I don't think they've ever renovated so the decor is very dark and old school, but that says nothing about the quality of the food. Last night, instead of getting take out, we actually ate in the restaurant. It was my brother's birthday. My dad was able to secure one of the "private" rooms for us. It was equipped with its own split a/c system and the sliding doors gave us a lot more privacy and cut down the noise level tremendously. My dad had pre-ordered a few special items ahead of time that requires a few days advanced notice - the fried duck with mochi rice and the bitter melon soup. Both were very excellent choices. Definitely not your run of the mill menu items. My other favorite dishes of the evening were the crab with special sauce (it's black bean sauce with other stuff in it - yum!!) and fried rice with salted fish (SALTY!!!). In true Chinese fashion, our plates were rotated out for fresh clean ones periodically and they timed the arrival of each course perfectly, so that we didn't feel rushed. Bottom line - ask for one of the private rooms (if you have a large group) and pre-order some of their off the menu items!
(4)Alfred N.
We are from Vancouver, BC. Traditional authentic Chinese cuisine,Kirin is the restaurant above and beyond my expectation, not limited to Honolulu. "Toyshan" Dungeness Crab prepared with minced pork, beaten egg in soya bean gravy, is one of the must order gem signature dishes. "Soya sauce" Chicken (24 hours special order): whole free range chicken dip-cooked in special prepared soya sauce. Sweet and Sour Pork with sweet and sour sauce on the side is a perfect dish for beer drinker. "Ma Pao Tufu" is one of the best Mandarin dish I ever had. If you have the gut to fire up your taste buds, order "Ma Pao Tufu" with Mexican killer chili, Habanero.(1/2 Habanero will numb your mouth). "Thin Sliced Bacon with Diced Garlic Sauce" is an excellent Mandarin starter dish. All dishes are health friendly: oil, salt, sugar are "doctored" to perfection.
(5)Jack W.
1. Verdict: You're not in Hawaii for good nor authentic Chinese food, so the good service saved the day and earned this place three stars! 2. Food: Meh. The Wu Shi style pork (shredded pork, two types of fungus, shredded cabbage in a flour wrap with too much oyster sauce - like a Chinese burrito) was the highlight. The fried tofu with green beans, two types of mushroom and shredded carrots was ok; one will need a lot of rice to compensate for the sauce. The honey garlic ribs were oversaturated in sauce with too much garlic overpowering the taste. The tong choy vegetable dish was soggy - either overcooked or featured old vegetables. The shredded chicken with hoisin sauce in lettuce wraps would have been good...had they put the lettuce leaves properly (one should use the large green leafy outsides of the lettuce and not 4 small, white inner core pieces of the lettuce). As usual, there is not a choice of tea, and one is provided the standard Western Chinese Restaurant pre-steeped blend of harsh tea (Iron Buddha mixed with Bo-le?). 3. Service: Staff were more polite than the typical Hawaiian Chinese restaurant, spoke English and Cantonese, and diligent in filling the teapot when the cover was off. The food was delivered quickly in a place that was full of patrons. 4. Atmosphere: It was in need of a makeover a decade or two ago and the parking is on the other side of a building, away from the restaurant. 5. Value: It's not as bad as eating at Ala Moana or Waikiki, but it's close considering the only-medium-sized portions. Don't go in expecting to eat well at a reasonable price!
(3)John W.
At suggestion of a friend my wife and I decided to try Kirin for a light lunch. We ordered a bowl of seafood congee to share, a plate of mixed pan fried vegetables and a dish of fried noodles with seafood. The dishes were lacking in flavor and the bill came out to $42--outrageous., The same food could be had at Legends Seafood restaurant for half the price. Stay away
(2)Carson T.
Kirin is the best dim sum restaurant I've visited outside of Asia. Considering the fact that I come from the Silicon Valley in California, which is sprinkled with good dim sum restaurants here and there, I'd consider that high praise. Among my favorite dishes here are a sweetly sauced cucumber appetizer (a cool and refreshing dish), shao mai (better than shao mai I've had in California), and dan tat (freshly baked). If you're in Oahu, and you're craving dim sum, you won't be disappointed with Kirin.
(5)Wanita C.
Kunpao Chicken not authentic. Asked for extra spicy, still had to add 3 tablespoons full of the chili sauce. I had the best Kunpao Chicken from King Tsin. Will keep on searching for the perfect spicy Kunpao dish.
(2)Misty P.
I came here for New Years Day Dinner with my family. My aunt reserved a table for the family and pre ordered the menu. When we were seated the waitress tossed a bunch of menus on the table. When my aunt told them 2 times that she already pre ordered the menu the lady said, "Huh? I check for you..." and walked away. Finally, when that situation settled, the food came out. Maybe it's the food my aunt ordered, but it wasn't all that great. Some dishes were way too salty, or just plain weird. The one dish that stood out was the house crab. That was delish. Also what I found weird was that there was no sides of rice served. So for about 4 courses we ate our food without any rice. When we asked for rice, the server said that in another course there would be fried rice. The fried rice was the 2nd to last course! Doesn't make sense to me... Besides all that, the restaurant appears very clean, which is a rarity for Chinese restaurants in my opinion. I also loved their bathroom. It was decorated very nicely and was very clean. The parking sucks as there is only 4-5 stalls. It was ok, but I don't think I'd ever come back again on my own.
(3)Emily L.
Sometimes on voggy Honolulu days, I get that itch in my throat and reminisce about the foggy days back in my old stomping grounds of SF. Memories of dreary cold summers in the Financial District are best marked by slurping countless bowls of won ton mein from various cheap eats tucked in neighboring Chinatown. Well, mama, you are no longer in SF but when in Paradise, there's Kirin. Not cheap, we're talking $9 shrimp wonton mein soup vs. $6 Bay Area prices. But a substantial bowl nonetheless. Generous meaty shrimp wontons entagled in egg noodles with a handful of bright green choy sum swimming in a clear chicken broth which is not overly gingery but very clean and worthy of slurp to the last drop. With a touch more white pepper thrown in and I can feel my achy throat soothe instantly and my voggy vision lifted!
(4)Hula G.
If you haven't checked out this Chinese restaurant you should. They have excellent dinner menu...ordered calamari appetizer it was soft and tasty, main dishes: roast duck, oyster with garlic sauce, bok choy & chopped beef soup, they all taste great! Plus the service was great too!
(5)Tracy M.
Kirin is my GO TO place for dim sum! While i was going to UH, I would come here probably once a week to get my shrimp puffs, cucumbers, veggie puffs, etc. They take a long time to refill your water, though. This was the place where I discovered my love for jasmine tea, though. :)
(4)Vivian H.
Must Order: Dim Sum -- spareribs in black bean sauce, pork in glutinous puff, shrimp dumpling, baked char siu buns, egg custard Sometimes on a lazy weekend morning, you just want to take your time to get to brunch. And in Hawaii with the melting pot of Asian cultures, brunch = dim sum. If I could figure out a way to get dim sum delivered to me in my bed, I would do it every weekend. But, sometimes you just gotta put some pants on and go eat. I would recommend Kirin for dim sum to just about anyone. The thing that stands out the most about Kirin is that they don't have dim sum just sitting around on carts waiting for you to flag down the waitress and enthusiastically gesturing towards your dish of choice. Instead they provide you with a slip of paper with boxes for you to write in the number of orders of each dish. LOVE IT. Not only do you bypass the enthusiastic gesturing, it's just so much more efficient! Better yet, the dishes aren't sitting out for who knows how long. In fact, Kirin brings it out to you piping hot so I'm thinking they steam it up fresh to order. Everyone has their favorite dim sum go to dishes. Mine is always going to be har gau (shrimp dumpling) and baked char siu buns. But for dessert, you MUST order Kirin's egg custards. Something about them being fresh out of the kitchen makes the buttery flaky crust extra delicious. One time, our friend accidentally wrote in (4) orders of egg custards which really meant (8) total mini egg custards came out to us on a huge plate. My BF thought it was the best day of his life. All in all it's not your typical quickie dim sum place so go and take a leisurely brunch. Enjoy the fresh and hot dim sum. Save me some egg custards.
(4)Janel H.
Kirin is one of my two favorite Chinese restaurants (the other is Hee Hing). They are very accommodating and nice there. The food never disappoints, and the price is attractive. Very quaint decor as well. Good hours, good location. The free parking lot is not huge but I get there early. It's been a keeper.
(5)Cj Z.
Came here 3 years ago, and I still remember how bad the food was. Last night I was insane so I decided to give this place a chance, but that was a bad decision. Kirin is a good example to represent a bad Chinese restaurant. I ordered a spicy and sour shrimp to go. And I should have took a picture of the food, the portion is so small! Unreasonable high price with mediocre taste of food. If this is what you want, go for it. For the shrimp I ordered, the portion is tiny and the taste is bad for the 16 dollars you are paying. Never again.
(1)Sean S.
This is Chinese food just FYI. We went with a party of about 20 so we tried pretty much everything. Make sure to get the garlic crab and the duck. Other than that, you can't really go wrong. It's above avg Chinese food for decent prices.
(4)Joan L.
We ordered the dungeness crab , kahuku shrimp and braised tofu with tomatoes & eggs for two persons. The food was good. But two major disappointments to the experience. First is the price for crab and shrimp is listed as "Market". At any point of ordering, the price was never disclosed. It's partially our fault that we didn't ask. Although the final price was not outrageous. It should have been posted or disclosed at the time we ordered. It was $80 for a 2.5 lbs crab. It was a little bit pricey. Secondly, 18% tip was added automatically to the final bill without consent. It was imposing somewhat. We did not feel like arguing but it definitely lessen the experience. Thirdly, the spout of the tea pot was broken which caused dripping while pouring. For a high end restaurant to serve with an obviously defective equipment, shows lack for the attention for the details. I would rate the food four stars, and the experience three stars. We will not go again.
(3)Teresa L.
Everything here is sooo good. From their deep marinated fishy fried chicken (need to order a day in advance), to sesame pockets, to their crab (sauce is amazing). I just can't get enough of this place. The best thing is DESSERT! I love their mango pudding because they pair it with mango sherbet rather than condensed milk or evaporated milk like other places. There was also this very interesting deep fried chicken with corn sauce. Definitely give it a try if you love corn. My sister loved it!
(5)Chad Y.
Can someone explain to me what Kirin means in Chinese? I always knew it to be a Japanese term. Hmm..oh well, it clearly is one of the best Chinese establishments on Oahu and simply put, dishes up some of the best Chinese plates you might have. The menu is far reaching and while it does serve your typical Chinese fare, it does offer some interesting selections that set it apart from the rest. Whether you want the salt and pepper pork which offers the heat of pepper with the saltiness complementing the pork, or something a bit more special such as a steamed monchong, the menu will certainly aim to please. Their noodles, the shrimp, their meats, soups, and much more are all well done and overall well done. The final product are served in a quick orchestration so that you aren't waiting long. While the restaurant itself is large, the tables are spaced rather closely so you might overhear the table right next to you and how the uncle isn't getting along with their neighbor because the kids talk to loud. The ambiance is overall very classic, clean, and bright. Romantic it clearly is not, but fun and lively it most definitely is. It does offer a small parking lot right in front or a little further down the block on Beretania. Note, it can fill up on busy nights so plan a few extra minutes to look for parking nearby or pay at the JCCH.
(4)Nicole M.
Came here for lunch with my aunt and mom and it was cute! Parking is the lot over, not right next to it but before Teddy's. The women's room is adorable btw, make sure you go lol We got stuffed eggplant, honey walnut shrimp, onion pancake, gyoza and it was a lot of food and yummy! I like it I like the little choices. I'm not sure about price tbh but the service was good, on a Wednesday afternoon there was lots of space, a good experience.
(4)B. V.
Best dim sum ever, fresh and sooo tasty! (We used to go to the Ala Moana location and we were happy to find out that they had another one at Beretania). - Service is always great, staff is very nice and helpful. We met the owner "Vienna" and she was an absolute delight and we could see that she wants her customer to be satisfied with the best food and service - We often go mainly for Dim Sum but the mango pudding and custard pies are creamy and out of this world!. The Dim sum is always fresh and even though I'm a vegetarian I used love their seafood and meat ones. They never got me sick because the seafood is not frozen in chemicals. (I tried twice at Mandelay where I almost wound up at the ER not knowing they were using that technique). They have many vegetarian Dim Sums and my friends find them very good as well as there regular ones. - The decor is ancient Chinese and superb with lots of wood carving panels! You feel like you are somewhere special and escape reality for a while. I love the music too, it is very relaxing,just like the ambiance. Parking is only 2 stalls and 1 handicapped, but you can find lots of street parking like Varsity street and the ones around that. I highly recommend this wonderful restaurant!!
(5)Sarah W.
Kirin is a Chinese restaurant good for lunch or dinner. They're a small to medium sized restaurant good for groups if you are willing to wait. Though they accept reservations they rudely made our party of 7 wait 20 minutes past 7pm for our 7pm reservation. They offer delicious cuisine at high prices ($15/plate on average and $48 for peking duck(!!!)). I thoroughly enjoyed all the cooked porks and vegetables. They really know how to make well-seasoned food with a light hand with oil. I would come here again... ..But my grandpa won't since he can't get enough of Waiola and Lung Fung for their cheaper (and yes mediocre) bites. Go to KIRIN instead if you can help it.
(4)Jenn T.
I came here on a whim for dinner and I was surprised! I'm normally not a huge chinese food person because it's greasy and salty. This place turned out to be neither of those! And not to be racists, because you know you do it to, but you know a GREAT chinese restaurant when all the chinese people are eating there in silence :). The restaurant is not too big, clean and with great service. We were seated immediately. The menu was large and so we had to pick a few dishes. We ordered won ton soup, fried rice, chicken with snow peas (basically a typical order, nothing crazy), and the food was delicious. One of the waiters was extremely helpful because my dad was looking for a specific dish that he heard they served. Turns out they don't really serve it, but the waiter told us that if we called in advance, they would make it for us. AWESOME! I'm not well versed in chinese food, but this place was delicious to me! I would come again.
(4)Kaphen T.
I was born and raised in Hong Kong, my honest opinion is the dimsum is the best by far in Hawaii and same goes to their sister restaurant the the hilton waikoloa. The dim sum is made to order, comes out steaming hot or crispy hot, nothing sits. The entree and dinner isn't the greatest though, for dinner I would prefer on-on or Fook yuen
(4)Ed L.
Located in the University area, Kirin Chinese restaurant tries to be more upscale than it should be. While the food is good, somehow it is lacking somehow. The decor and ambiance of this place is quite homey, cozy, and comfortable. The service speaks for itself and it can get busy on some nights. It certainly is one of the better ones, but it can be a bit better - at least from when I was there. I suppose I shouldn't grumble, since alot of the Chinese restaurants I have been to feel like large cafeterias, whereas Kirin is more of a restaurant anyway. Their staff is quite knowledgeable in what they serve and are friendly. The tables can sit from 2-10 people, with priivate rooms for parties and other functions you may have. The plates were rotated after every 2 dishes - if you are doing that. But, it's cool, if you are just doing family style with a few dishes. I would come here with family and order a seafood dish, a beef, dish, and some sort of noodle dish and that would probably be enough. If not we would order more - just depends on how much people show up and if extended family were involved to. Then it would be double up on everything. They have their usual Chinese classic dishes and some not so much. It would be a good experience to try something just once - especially the seafood dishes. The prices here are trending reasonable to a bit pricey for what you get, but you do get what you pay for. Off the menu items are available, if you know what to ask for. This jewel of a Chinese restaurant is a goo choice for those who love to indulge in the Chinese cuisine, but love the abundance of what is here. Overall, I would recommend this place to anyone and any of their seafood dishes. I probably tried them all, as I love seafood, along with their noodle dishes. B+
(4)Eddie T.
Love their late night menus ! Perfectly hits the spot with the rice soup and the refill for the rice soup is free.. :) :).
(5)Lyn L.
Very disappointing.....Went there for lunch today. Ordered some dim sum and noodles....Waited forever....no service...no water, no condiments. I had to ask for everything. Noodles were listed as crispy...terribly and limp...salty too...no visual appeal...really sad...then they overcharged me! Dim sum was very salty too. mochi balls were tough...terrible. Lunch for one was over $20.....boxed up the left overs and gave them away....Will NOT eat there again!
(1)Ryan R.
Being the only round eyes in the restaurant was a little un-nerving at first as we were watched by everyone (patrons) in the restaurant from the time we entered until the time we were sat. Eff' it we are going to enjoy this food regardless if whether we are "intruding" It was only the guests staring relentlessly at us.....the wait staff were very attentive and courteous. I don't even remember what I had because I was drooling over my wife's honey glazed walnut shrimp. We let our guard down and tried something new. It was worth it! Definitely drop your notions of a chinese restaurant and make this a stop.
(5)Daryle W.
Dim Sum made to order. No need to deal or wait for those metal carts here.
(4)Brian H.
I visited Oahu recently, and being a foodie, I have frequented Ono Seafood, Giovanni's Shrimp Truck, Waiola Shave Ice, KCC Farmers Market, etc. However, Chinese cuisine is still my favorite for dinner, so I looked up Yelp, found Kirin, and decided to give it a try. Wow, I am really impressed with Kirin's authentic Cantonese cuisine! I have been to many Chinese restaurants in Philadelphia and NYC, and Kirin has one of the most sophisticated flavors. I talked to the waiters and found that this restaurant has been around for more than 25 years, and most of the chefs and waiters have been around almost as long!! If a restaurant can survive this long with a stable group of workers, the owners must have done something right. After the first time there for dinner, I loved it so much that my wife and I ended up coming to this restaurant three more times! My top recommendations are Baked Abalone (from the Big Island, so fresh and tasty!), Dungeness Crab salt and pepper style, steamed Dungeness Crab with egg white, ginger scallion lobster with yi-mein (e-fu noodle), salt and pepper calamari, and Soy chicken. I also love their seafood soup, Chinese Okra with Fried Tofu, Bitter Melon with Beef, and Yang-Chow fried rice. We went there for lunch once. While their dim sum menu is not as extensive as other more established Cantonese restaurants back in the east coast, they make it up with quality offerings. Besides the good old reliable shrimp Har Gow (dumpling) and shumai, and Steamed Sparerib, my favorites are the Chinaman's Hat (mixtures of vegetables and pork wrapped in thin pancake), Sticky Rice Wrapped Chicken, egg custard, and Steamed Shrimp Rice Noodle. While delicious food is the highlight of Kirin, I could not help but to marvel at their authentic Chinese style decoration, as well as very upscale, zen-like and clean restroom facility. Finally, in case you don't know, as a Kirin customer, you can park in the parking facility next door (to the left) for free. This should alleviate your parking concern.
(5)Papiloa J.
Total Fan! Easily The Best Chinese Spot in Mccully Neighborhood! *Service: Friendly, Attentive, Quick - Family Owned! *Ambience: Nice - Can Be Dressy, Spacious, Clean *Food: Wonderful Selection of Noodle, Seafood, Pork, Chicken and Beef Dishes *Price: Average *Parking: Parking in Lot or across the stree at Long's (shhh!) Good For: Family Get Togethers, Large Parties, Dinner Recommendations: -Don't be any later than 1030pm. While they are gracious, they are strict on 11pm closing. -Make a reservation :) -Request a 'private room' for a large party or special occassion Kirin Dish To Die For? House Noodle & Crab With Special Sauce! Papi Says: "Kirin? Yes Please!"
(4)Julie-ann O.
Went here due to yelp reviews and thought meh. Had to see what the hype is. Still wondering. I never went here because no one in my family or friends ever mentioned this ancient place, you figure if it was good somebody would say something. All I knew was the real world cast long time ago used to frequent here and anasia, both of which I never been,but now I know don't trust the real world. The dim sum while fresh wasn't a whole big deal the price for four people was 80 bucks. Mei sum dim sum was way better than this and half the price. Plus I think I like it when the carts go wheeling by vs. ordering off a sheet of paper. If I am going to pay this kind of price for Chinese food little village trumps this place any day. Most of the regular dishes on the menu was around 14.95. The worst thing was this sesame seed covered meat patty. The best thing is you can park in the lot next to holo holo grill. But I bet holo holo grill get better food.
(2)Jay K.
Stick to actual Chinese dishes (not Chinese-American) and you will never be dissatisfied! They use quality ingredients, so nothing is ever terrible The dim sum here during the day is the only dim sum place on this island that is good (not just meh or decent). steamed garlic kahuku prawn over noodles, black bean sauce with minced pork on anything really..., their sweet and sour pork or fish (it is SO difficult to find a chinese restaurant that can make a good sweet and sour pork... good fish is even harder to come by), their egg tarts are so fresh!, love their homemade spicy hot sauce, stuffed sesame buns, their duck is pretty darn good, never once been disappointed (even after my mom got food poisoning over 15 years ago--we've never been deterred from returning) PS their restaurant is really clean, the food poisoning had something to do with a bad batch of fresh live crabs that they had that week, more than one person got sick. I don't think they had another incident like that ?
(5)Kimberly C.
My family ate here for dinner to close the year of the rabbit together. The food we got that was memorable and delicious was the fungus soup and lobster. Not only is fungus good for you, but the clear soup tasted delicious. The sauce on the lobster tastes like mapo tofu. It was sooo good! I suggest you try this dish the next time you go there. I also went to Kirin for dim sum at another occasion and their dim sum was also very good. The potstickers were very juicy and plump. Overall, the food is pretty good and I would definitely go back for lunch or dinner.
(4)Stanislava K.
Best Chinese in the neighborhood. Their hot & sour soup is to die for, just as their Mu shu pork. If you, like me, are vegetarian, they have many tasty dishes. My absolute favorite is Buddha delight with glossy rice noodles and five different types of mushrooms. Prices are better during lunch, when they also offer dim sum menu.
(5)Jade K.
Coming from a family that eats chinese food a lot, there are certain things that I look for in a chinese restaurant: 1) How do they make simple dishes (i.e. fried rice) and make it special/memorable? 2) What does this chinese restaurant have to offer that the other does not? Kirin is very popular with the Japanese tourists and it is true that the waiters/waitresses aren't that great with English, but dishes that I would recommend are the Mooshu Wraps, the Pineapple Buns with Char Siu (dim sum), and the Char Siu within the rice noodle roll. They are also open later for lunch (around 3:30 p.m.) and they have a special menu for late night eats (past 9 p.m. I believe)
(4)Doris D.
Just ok Chinese restaurant. I came here for lunch with co-workers and the food was not all that spectacular, should have just stuck to Chinatown! We had some dim sum which was just alright and some regular Chinese dishes like lettuce wraps and chow fun. Meh.
(2)Sherrie C.
Just wanted to come here for a simple breakfast since the food is decent and we've been here before. We made our order very quickly after being seated. The waiter took our order, and promptly came back with tea, then left. Other customers came in and were seated. After 20 minutes of waiting, we realized that other customers were receiving their food before us even though we had gotten there first. We then waited another 20 minutes without any of the waiters giving us the slightest glance. We called over a waitress and she glanced briefly at us before going straight to another table. Absolutely the worst service we have ever received at a restaurant. We told a nearby employee we had waited for 40 minutes without service and received only a brisk apology, so we left. I would not recommend this place to anyone. Even the most mediocre restaurant knows not to leave a customer without care for 40 minutes! A simple "sorry for the wait" would have sufficed. Never coming back here.
(1)Jennifer C.
Ok, BEST Chinese Resto so far! We came here during a weeknight on a recommendation and the place was empty. We thought, hmm.... maybe this isn't the right resto? We sat down and were skeptical but once they brought out the sizzling beef plate and my tomato and egg dish, we were sold! I don't know how they make it but the dishes here remind me of the solid Chinese dishes that you can only get from Hong Kong/China. If you're craving authentic Chinese food (no, not orange chicken), definitely check out Kirin! Oh! And ambiance is nice, typical Chinese sit down resto (think of Dim Sum by day, Seafood by night restos).
(5)Dianna D.
I don't think the food was spectacular. Service was good, but expected since we had our own room. My favorite thing on the menu was the honey walnut shrimp because they didn't overload it with mayo like most restaurants, but kind of fused panko with tempura in this dish. The sesame pocket thing with ground pork wasn't very good. Neither was their tea-cooked duck, so don't order these dishes if you're here. Desserts were also okay. Overall felt gross and greasy when I left, which means they use lots of oil to make their food taste good. Eh.
(3)Hiromichi M.
All these haters be hatin' on this little, quaint Chinese restaurant located in a not-so-exceptional location is unjustified. I don't know about you, but this place has a lasting impression for me. Coming into this place, to be honest, I didn't expect much. There was ongoing construction at the mouth of the restaurant and the place looked below par. However, coming into this place was an eye opener. The decor was absolutely majestic! Very Qing Dynasty themed with a touch of modern electricity brought the best of both worlds. The bathroom was very nice too, you wouldn't expect that from a Chinese restaurant. The food overall, was great. We ordered the black bean sauced dungeness crab, crispy chicken, pop corn fish thing and tapioca for dessert. Good presentation, but the portions were a tad small. Pros: Great ambiance, spectacular food, Chinese waiters! Cons: A bit pricey for what you're getting, but it's ok. You gotta park in Camelia's and walking there at 12 in the morning is not nice
(5)Clifford L.
DEFINITE FLAG FOR NOVEMBER, B'COZ THEY HAVE TARO BASKET AND FRIED BUNS (for chili crab?) AND BEEN IN BIZ 4 30 YRS Danger, W. Robinson, th'olla location is Ala Moana MAKAI =FOOD COURT!
(3)Pichoudam P.
This place was allright. There were stuff like siu mai and pork sticky rice that were terrible. I expected a dim sum restaurant to produce better dim sums but I experienced better. The restaurant also produced great dishes such as salty fish fried rice, custard bao, and a bunch of other names that I can't remember. The service was bad. The waiter took long to come around and brought my family utensils and ice water. This place is fairly cheap though. It cost about $110 for 9 people during lunch. Everyone's belly was full. This place also had a really decent Chinese theme bathroom. I was literally amazed by how beautiful the bathroom was.
(3)Rachael P.
One of the best Chinese restaurants on the island. Not the typical orange chicken and fried rice places which is a big thumbs up. Also they have marinated jelly fish :) yum.
(5)Jenifer G.
Would have given 5-stars but I think they use msg? Every dish I tried was pretty awesome and good! I had a smile on my face for sure. 10 of us with I think 9 dishes. Lettuce cups - OK (rather have the one at Little Village. sorry!) Drunken Chicken - OMG YUM Wintermelon soup - YUM Eggplant (garlic?) - YUM Beef strips w/ green beans - YUM Rice noodle - OK (I'm not a huge fan of fried rice noodles) Mabo tofu - OK (hard to go wrong with this one really) Steamed fish - OK (rather eat whole fish) I can't remember the last dish right now, but I am definitely coming back here. Service & ambiance was also good, they also have 2 small private rooms available (tatami-sized rooms). Parking does suck but they can valet and double park for you. Definitely coming back for more!
(4)Amanda K.
I think I found the best Chinese spot in town!!! Salt and pepper crab was to die for (my favorite dish there) def coming back
(3)n c.
For the first time, I picked a restaurant based on an ad in the Dining Out section of the Star Advertiser. The ad boasted that this was Zagat's best Chinese restaurant of 2010. Gotta be good, right? Service: I must say the service was excellent. I guess that's because there was only 1 other family in the restaurant at the time! The staff were very nice and attentive. I thought our waitress was actually going to wipe my mouth for me. Food: The salt & pepper pork chops were great. Yang Chow Fried Rice was okay. Braised Tofu w/2 kinds of mushrooms was nothing special. Chicken & Cream Corn soup was good. The Honey Walnut Shrimp was very good, UNTIL I GOT THE CHECK! Prices: I didn't notice the price of the Shrimp until the check arrived: $17!!! It was good, but gimme a break. $17?? Portion was average. I was going to order the spinach w/garlic until I saw that was $11!! Sheesh. These prices are just too high. Kirin management: look around. There is a reason your restaurant was empty at dinner time.
(3)Ian C.
My family is familiar with this restaurant from way back but have not been here in a long time until recently. The food is very good, but if you are from out of town, they may not give you everything you are entitled to, like the usual complimentary dessert. Servers were also a bit snooty at times. If you do eat here, the Northern Chinese dishes are good, especially the salt and pepper style dishes. This review would have been A LOT higher as in 4 stars, but for the service issue for my out of town hosts.
(1)Min K.
I'm a fan. It's pricy, but for good Chinese food, I only go to two places. Kirin in itself is an experience, as the place is just like any other Chinese place, but a classy oldworld Chinese restaurant feel if that makes sense. I recommend the Peking duck, as Kirin is the ONLY place I've seen where a crepe is used instead of the bread. It's so much tastier as the flavors are more deliate. The crab is tasty, my personal favorite is the Ginger and green onion, but the salt and pepper is good too. I'm craving Kirin. :)
(4)June K.
Love this place! Would come more often since I live within walking distance, however, I eat a lot and this place is too pricey for a college student. The dim sum is one of the best, but I prefer pointing at bamboo steamers and requesting random dim sum from Chinese ladies pushing carts around. This place does have a menu with limited pictures of some dim sum. I recommend the fresh mushroom dumplings! Best mushroom dumpling ever!!! The xiao long bao is good, but packed too closely together that they stick and will break when you attempt to eat them. Overall, Kirin is nicely decorated and the service is very good for a Chinese restaurant.
(4)Mari N.
I think this is the best Chinese restaurant that I have dined at. The restaurant itself was clean, unlike other restaurants I have eaten at before where the walls are dingy, and dirty with water stains, or wall paper peeling off. The wait-staff were surprising pleasant, and our server was so polite, so different from other Chinese restaurants I have eaten at. She was very patient in taking our orders, and she was very warm. No plates were thrown at us, no rude hand motions, or looks. The food came quick, but we felt like we were not rushed. We ordered a total of 9 dishes not including the individual desserts, and each of them were fantastic. Parking is limited though. Reservations are recommended as it gets really busy.
(4)Carina T.
I was skeptical about going here when a friend suggested we eat here. From the outside, it's seen better days and looks a little run down. On the inside, it looks like a movie scene, in well, you know a Chinese restaurant. Duh. We ordered three dishes--Kung pao chicken, lettuce wraps, and beef choy sum with cake noodle. Other Yelpers raved about the seafood. Will be back to try as the menu has many options from poultry, beef, chicken, seafood. Even sharkfin (!) was on the menu. We brought our own alcohol, with a $2 per person corkage fee. Pretty good deal! Staff is attentive and pleasant. The parking lot is small so plan on going early or finding street parking. There's a valet there too to help you out if all spots are taken.
(4)Ryan Y.
This review is only for the dim sum. They have parking lot, limited street parking. As other reviewers mentioned, limited dim sum selection, photos provided on menu was helpful, little on the pricier side, no cart service which I was looking forward to. Enjoyed some of the dishes (sorry can't remember names) and some were average. Why I gave 3 stars is because restaurant wasn't filled up and maybe had 3 waiters/waitresses and service was slowwww. Good to try once, but not sure if would come back for the dim sum.
(3)Dow L.
Great little Chinese restaurant. When the help staff doesn't speak much english and just nods and points to items on the menu, you know you're at a pretty authentic chinese place. I don't know much about true chinese food so it's nice how their menu tries to describe the dishes. Granted, they all start sounding the same after reading a few of them. I mean, how many different variations of chicken, beef, pork or duck in special house sauce, garlic sauce, special house garlic sauce are there? I enjoyed our dinner there I wouldn't mind going back on my next trip to Oahu.
(4)Winter S.
Terrible service. Subpar food. Could not get water or tea refilled. Got order wrong numerous times. Showed preferential treatment to the tourists, but not the local patrons. Odd considering we have been here numerous times.
(2)Matthew F.
This place along with Panda is my very favorite Chinese Food Restaurant in Honolulu. The Shark Fin soup with Crab is my favorite dish to start off with here. I'm so sad that they are talking about making it illegal when those animals are just vicious killing machines. We invariably get the raw whole lobster, which they bring out to show off to you still kicking. As well as the Peking Duck. I fucking hate the inside of this Duck, I just eat the skin inside of those little crepe things. I don't care if it's a waste, tastes good, leaves room for more.
(4)Ming X.
The crab meat corn chowder is flavorful. The crab with house special sauce is very tasty. Surprisingly the tea smoke duck was meaty and delicious. We pre-ordered the food. Everything was served at once and the staff is very attentive. It was an pleasant experience. Reservation is recommended.
(4)Mako H.
i too was enticed by the "now serving dim sum" sign, wasn't bad, wasn't great, selection wasn't as large as many places and as many others said, no cart but the up side, the menu has pics so easier to tell what's what, we also got chowfun which was kinda bland, was better after adding shoyu. I'd come back again, 2 persons = $30 lunch
(3)Nommie M.
Went here with mom and hubby for dimsum. We totally pigged out. This is the only place I've found so far in Honolulu that has GOOD mango pudding during lunch. Very authentic and much pricier than most dimsum places that we've seen around here. We tried almost everything. I have converted my hubby into a chicken feet eating machine. Well, almost. But the dimsum was so good that he was eating it! We got there just at the start of their lunch. Great service. It's valet parking only because their lot is super small. Get there early or park on the street. It's a little dim inside the restaurant and the exterior definitely needs a makeover but the food was excellent. Will be back.
(5)Chie F.
Wow, I can't believe noone wrote a review yet~! I've been living near Kirin restaurant for almost 30 years and my family has never been here. Thinking it was due for a visit, my mom, my husband, and I went for a late Mother's Day dinner. This was not what I imagined it to be. I was thinking of a HUGE, OLD Chinese restaurant, but no~!! It was very clean, and definitely not old decor. Even if everything in there was old, it is very well kept. EVERYTHING WAS GOOD HERE! From service to food, I was missing out! Take a look at my pictures. We had: - Lettuce wraps with diced chicken - Dungeness Crab with Taishan (Black Bean, Minced Pork, and Egg) sauce - Pan Fried Thin Noodle with Seafood - Buddha something...It's like clear noodles with Vegetables. - Salt & Pepper Pork I wish we got the name of our waitress. She was a very nice lady. We gave her a good tip, and she thanked us for being so generous. I totally recommend it.
(5)roselle s.
Very simple and warm traditional old Chinese restaurant interior. The service was good, they seem to work as a team and that is good to see. We tried about 6 of their dim sum and ordered pan fried seafood noodles that we loved. The baked charsiu bun was a surprise and my children were not fond of it at all. They seem to have used the same bun as with a custard bun which threw them off, too sweet and the texture they did not care for. Will definitely visit and try the other dishes. Considering it is small it did not have any old restaurant smell and seemed very clean, I loved that!
(4)E L.
Dim Sum - 2.5 stars Service - 4 stars Parking is limited. Last year when we went to the Ala Moana location, the dim sum was much better. May be it's a different chef at this location.
(3)jenn K.
This is where I go when I'm craving salt peppery crab. Pricey but worth the crave.
(4)Emoh E.
Smoked tea duck, sesame pockets to be stuffed with minced pork, moo shu wraps, chinese long beans, crab with salt and pepper, lettuce cups, and more... I hadn't eaten at Kirin in ages. While still in high school Kirin began catering more to the Japanese and other tourist clientele. It just didn't feel like a family place to go to anymore. And for whatever other reasons I just didn't dine at Kirin. Until last week. Oh did I miss this place! The restaurant that served me my first lettuce cup. The only restaurant that I know of to serve the sesame pocket with minced pork. Even if there are other places that serve it, I'm not sure that I would go anywhere else. Such a treat to go back and have it be exactly what I expected it to be. Why not 5 stars? The prices. Seriously, I know they do well with the tourists but for what you get, I just don't think it's right. But it was really really good food. Once in awhile, it's just worth it.
(4)Aldora K.
one of the best authentic chinese dining places that make you want to come back for more.
(4)k L.
good food and prompt service.
(4)Andy D.
Now, don't think that I am one of those people who loves giving one-star reviews. It is rare that I ever do. But my visit to Kirin today warrants it. I was craving dim sum today, and I wanted to try somewhere new. I saw the big banner outside exclaiming "Now Serving Dim Sum" so I knew I was headed here. Parking is very limited but a spot opened up when I got there. As soon as I parked the attendant had asked me to move my car to the small space. I hate that having a small car automatically means I have to park in the small space - I am using the restaurant as much as the person who drives a hummer. And I'm a terrible parker. Minus Star #1! The space was so small that the space between my car and the next was less than six inches on the passenger side. After settling that I headed inside to order some food. I expected to see the push carts, but I had to order from a menu. No problem i didn't mind waiting a little bit. The variety was quite limited, but I ordered the Shanghai soup dumplings, vegetable dumplings, black bean spareribs, and spicy wonton. All around $3.50 to $4. Not terrible, but definitely not appealing to pake-ness. Minus star #2! But I figured, there are some places I will gladly pay that much, so it must be really good. I sat down and waited. And waited. And waited... At around 20 minutes, I got impatient. I started looking at my phone for the time every second. I started looking around the restaurant for signs of my food. I'm a fat guy - I'm hungry, damnit. Five minutes later, the hostess notices my twitching, and she handed me the business card and says "Next time you call it in" After 30 long minutes I finally got my food. It took forever. Minus star #3! She handed it to me and said "Next time call us." No thank you for waiting or anything, just her condescension. Minus star #4 I just thought to myself, "Yeah, I would have been waiting only 20 minutes" I brought the food back to the office and I was starving. I scarfed down my food. Too bad it wasn't very good. The best thing was the spareribs, but there was only garlic flavor and not much black bean flavor. All the dumplings were super bland. I needed to drench them all in the shoyu, vinegar mixture they gave me. The vegetable dumplings tasted like spinach and not much else (I make a similar but so much better version). The spicy wontons had little spice to them and again, needed salt. The shanghai soup dumplings were terrible. There was no broth to be had at all. Gah! Minus star #5. So I'm really being generous with this one star, but only because Yelp! is forcing me to. I don't know about the a la carte menu, but I know I won't be coming here to try it. Do yourself a favor and skip dim sum here.
(1)Mililani M.
My boss is from Taiwan and she loves it here! The food was really tasty and fresh. Wish I spoke Mandarin, you get better service if you do. Try to go before the crowd to get a parking spot, otherwise they have valet. Looks like an employee, rather sketchy looking guy. So if you don't care to valet go early or park across the street, down the road.
(4)Katrice K.
The food here is surprisingly delicious. I came here with my bf's family for his dad's birthday and we ordered the Dungeness crab with black bean sauce (which is absolutely delicious), the salt and pepper shrimp, tofu with mushroom, the mushroom noodles, and this sesame pocket thing where you can put in the ground pork. I absolutely loved almost all of the dishes except the noodles (which were bland and tasteless). The salt and pepper shrimp that crispiness that is much needed to pull it off and the sesame pocket thing was amazing you just stuff it like a pita bread and then bite into the crunchy bread with the meaty filling (yum!) The crab needs a whole separate paragraph to be described. It was the whole crab cooked in this delicious sauce (that tastes great over rice). His parents even took home the sauce after we finished the crab it was that good. I will definitely go back here for the crab on special occasions and even might want to try the lobster tail. (Just cuz it sounds so good!)
(4)Tweedy H.
An outstanding restaurant for a taste of genuine Chinese cuisine presented by a great Chinese chef from China. The kitchen staff are actual Chinese cooks that prepare food without shortcuts. Overall great and real Chinese food that most Americans have never really had before. Great friendly service staff and an elegant Asian atmosphere that's free of any snobbishness.
(5)First Name L.
We came here for the Dim Sum. Good ambience, it definitely felt like a chinese restaurant despite the exterior appearance. In fact, I've driven by this place hundreds of times and never considered eating here. We were seated immediately and ordered. I noticed a few tables were already waiting for food when we arrived. Surprisingly we got our food before others that were waiting. I noticed one table left because the wait was so long, they ate their fried rice and waited and waited until they finally had enough. Eventually, the flow of Dim Sum slowed and we waited around 20 or so minutes and nothing.... they couldn't figure out what we ordered vs what's been served. They asked several times and when they figured it out, we just had it to go. It was just too long. Dim Sum was good overall. I also ordered some Chow Fun which was overcooked... the noodles were way too soft. The restaurant has potential as the food is good. It seems they have a few things to figure out. The staff was very friendly which made the experience bearable.
(3)Ruth F.
This is my favorite Chinese restaurant, and when guests come from out of town, this is one of our first choices if they want Chinese. This is also one of those restaurants that open late, so we often come here at 10:30 p.m. after Symphony concerts. We're always looking for great restaurants that open late where you can have a conversation. This place fits the bill, and it's a plus that this restaurant can accommodate large groups really easily, so we can invite the "gang" all the time. There are a couple servers there who know us and are always welcoming. Some of my favorites: - Eggplant stuffed with shrimp served on sizzling platter - Salt and pepper squid - The seasoning is interesting, with peppers and onions and it also comes with a delicious red sauce. - Steamed sea bass - served with slivers of ginger, onion and other garnishes in shoyu-based sauce. This one is so soft and flavorful and always a hit. - Crispy green beans - Taro Seafood basket Usually if we come with a group and have a family-style dinner, the bill usually comes out to about $15-22 per person. Definitely recommend this one.
(5)Flyboy F.
In my humble opinion an all around good Chinese restaurant is hard to come by. All around meaning quality of food, service and cleanliness. We put up with things at Chinese restaurants that would never be tolerated at other establishments. Kirin is one of the few Chinese restaurants that fits the "all around" moniker. Kitchen and dinning room were clean, plates prior to eating did not have the usual film of grease and the wait staff were pleasant and professional i.e.. no tossing of plates or utensils, no anxious hurry up and order and food came out in the proper order. Why all these things are not the norm and only the exception at Chinese restaurants is perplexing. I have eaten here many times. The dungeness crab with the House sauce is tasty and something you cannot find anywhere else . Chili shrimp, fried rice, ong choy with garlic and chili, singapore noodles are some of my favorites. The Northern Chinese dishes are something to try. I can't recall the proper name but there are little chive pancake things stuffed with, lamb, chicken or beef that are not bad. They have a chef made XO sauce that is a must try. It comes on the side so you have to ask for it. As far as Dim Sum I would go somewhere else. Another plus is they don't close until 3:30 p.m. , open again @ 5:00 p.m. and stay open until 1:00 am. Anyway its one of my favorite Chinese places with lots of good dishes and some exceptional ones.
(4)uilani c.
review is for the DIM SUM: order all you think you'll want at the start because it's made-to-order so it takes a little longer than a "traditional" dim sum experience with the carts rolling past your table. the food quality is very good, food is flavorful. the wait help is that of your typical chinese restaurant...english is their second language, they speak quickly, and are often in a rush. a HUGE plus to this place is that they offer dim sum dishes not typically served at other dim sum places..crispy onion pancake, a dumpling with peanut, pork, and shrimp stuffing, mushroom dumpling, and chicken curry puff. the food really is good. and remember to order the "new and different" stuff! step outside your box!
(3)Norm G.
I agree with Foodlover G., who was first to review Kirin Restaurant. Everything I've had here has been good, too. I've had the Peking Duck, some terrific steamed fish, and so many other well-prepared dishes. I used to pass by this restaurant all the time, thinking it was probably nothing special. However, it is quite nice inside, and many people, from Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, and China know about this place and come here to eat when they are in Honolulu. In fact, my in-laws (who are from Hong Kong) took me here years ago, and I have been hooked ever since. The menu does not feature "local style Chinese food." It is more authentically Chinese, and the food is prepared with care and is very flavorful. It is on the pricey side, so expect to pay for what you get.
(5)Aya T.
I was surprised that some of the dishes were spicy dispite not being marked spicy on the menu. Not a good thing for my Dad who does not like spicy foods :(. I enjoyed the steamed fish with green onions. A red chili pepper, soy- ginger sauce was poured on top to give it a nice flavor. The lemon chicken was not good, the chicken was more like a cutlet cut into little strips. The lemon sauce was nice and tangy but I was expecting nice morsels of chicken, not a fast food version of meat. We had a few other dishes that were sub-par as well. When we got our check I was surpised to see that it was $60 for 2 people, expensive for Chinese. I will say though that the service here was superb so I guess that sorta made up for the food but I don't plan on coming here again.
(3)Shannon C.
Had lunch there with my son and my parents today. We ordered several dfferent kind of dim sum, a noodle dish and a vegetable dish. We usually eat dinner here but we were in town so decided to try their lunch. The lunch was okay, a little on the salty side but I'm giving them four stars for the dinner that they serve. Peking duck with the crepe wrap is a must and so is the bacon wrapped scallops! YUM!
(4)Judy And Joe N.
I've been here many times and have never had a bad experience. I take away one star for the occasional slow/surly service and because the dim sum, though superb, is on the pricey side. My first experience with Kirin was at the Ala Moana location before it closed. The dim sum is at least $3+ per plate, but SO worth it. What do I love about it? First, the menu lists the components of each plate, which is important to me because I don't eat beef or pork. I've had dim sum in Chinatown and the wait staff's "it's whatever meat you want it to be" attitude left me too apprehensive to eat anything. At Kirin, each dim sum item tastes different from the last and is always fresh. I know some people prefer the carts, but to me, it's not a huge deal as long as the food is steaming hot when it comes to the table. Their egg tarts... some of the best I've EVER had. They come in the flaky-type shell (rarely found) that's really light and buttery, the egg custard is perfectly set, and to boot, they're served right-out-of-the-oven warm! What a painful reminder of my failed attempts at making these in the past... Our list of favorite sim sum dishes: - shrimp rice flour rolls - scallion pancake - egg custard bun steamed AND baked versions - egg tart - har gau - baked pineapple bun - curry chicken puffs - fried seafood rolls - glutinous rice puff - lotus leaf sticky rice - chicken feet - vegetarian dumplings and much more! Not only do they reign supreme in dim sum, their dinners are exceptional. I grew up eating authentic Chinese food and have dined at countless Chinese restaurants. Kirin serves up some of the best Chinese cuisine I've ever had. J, our roommate, and I usually order "family style" and all but lick the plates clean every time. It's so good that we just never know when to stop! Here is a list of must-trys for dinner: - honey-walnut shrimp - salt and pepper squid - beef chow fun - seafood pan fried noodles - chicken and corn soup - golden skin chicken with house sauce - I could live off of this! - char siu - water spinach sauteed with garlic Prices for dinner are a better value than for dim sum, and is served from 5 PM daily. Parking is kind of scarce, but there is a gentleman in front who will park and maneuver your car into the tight spaces for you while you make your way inside. I don't know why anyone would rate the food here 1 star except that they were probably in no mood to like it.
(4)R.G. W.
Went here today for dimsum. It's pretty pricey per dish and they don't have carts... You order off a card and then wait for them to cook it and bring it to you. There's not much variety and the choices aren't too adventerous, but everything is made well enough. My favorite: the char siu look funn.
(3)K H.
This is Northern Chinese food, not Cantonese. One of the few Chinese restaurants still serving fresh, not frozen, chicken & pork, fresh seafood. Yummy jook for after opera. Smoked Tea Duck; pork or chicken chive or fish dumplings; crispy skin roast chicken; lobster e-mien. Quality of food is usually reliable; if not, tell the manager. If you don't like the service, ask for the manager. Private room(s) for special order dinners and parties, when the food is always excellent.
(4)C K.
I really enjoy Kirin. I would go there everytime I want good chinese food. I highly recommended the salt & pepper pork chop and yin yang fried rice. The fried bun was soooo good. love it
(4)Andrew L.
I've been to almost all Chinese restaurants in Honolulu, and I'd have to say this one is my favorite. It's a little bit on the higher end, I only know of a few more expensive Chinese restaurants on the Island. Here's what I like about the restaurant: 1) The food is great. One of the dishes was a little salty, but my friends didn't think so. I'm a little more sensitive to salt than others. 2) The service here is great, the waitresses are very nice. I read some reviews saying that the service was rude, which may be, but not the ones that served me. 3) The restaurant is clean. Im a germaphobe, and I can't stand chinese restaurants that are dirty. This is not an issue here.
(5)J T.
I'm only giving this review 3 stars because of the high chair my nephew had to use. It looked like it was from the 1950's with no seat belt. Very unsafe and hard to control the child in the chair. Other than that the food and service were great. We have eaten here many times and have never been disappointed by the food.
(3)Cat P.
Really great food here...dim sum as well as regular Chinese food. It is a bit on the pricey side but the food is good as well as the service. My favorites are some of the typical dim sum items such as sticky rice, har gow, and bbq pork bun. Another unique dish that was another favorite of mine is the shaobing (like a sesame pocket bread thing) stuffed with ground pork and green onions. YUMMM! Pretty much everything we ordered here was great. But like I said, the downside of this place is that it's a little more expensive than other Chinese restaurants or dim sum places. The good thing about this place is that it's fairly clean (for a Chinese restaurant), and the service is good.
(4)Greg K.
The best Chinese I've had in Honolulu. Great seafood dishes including lobster and the honey walnut shrimp is impeccable. The decor and service was also very solid. I haven't been to many Chinese restaurants in Hawaii but on absolute scale, this place was rock solid.
(5)Kainoa S.
Best authentic Chinese food in Hawaii. You won't go to any other Chinese restaurant after eating at Kirin. Service is fast and staff is friendly. Prices are a bit on the high side but it is worth it. A great place to go if you want a relaxing late dinner. Definitely stop by for dim sum! It will be worth your time.
(4)Dwayne Y.
This was a very good Chinese Dinner. We went here since my foodie friend Kim recommended the crab that was not on the menu. So, I was quite curious and wanted to try it. We ordered the Salt and Pepper Crab with Coconut. This was a very unique dish. I never had or thought or pairing crab with coconut. And it worked. The Dungeness Crab was cooked perfectly. It was embedded with pieces of garlic, salt, black pepper, hot peppers, and coconut. This dish was divine. Next we had Stuffed Eggplant in Black Bean sauce. The eggplant was stuffed with generous portions of shrimp. The black bean sauce was very flavorful and did not overpower the eggplant of the shrimp. This dish was a nice contrast to sweet and spicy flavors of the crab. Finally, we had the Crispy Chicken with Special House Sauce. When you dip the crispy chicken into the house sauce, then dip it into hot chili sauce, the mix is great. It is salty, tart, and spicy. What more can I ask for? Overall I really enjoyed this meal. I will go back again.
(4)Jayson L.
I came to kirin few times now and their food flavor consistence. they are good food. i like to eat from here because they have dim sum and regular food at same time. they don't walk with the cart like other location do and they make it when you order it. Some of the dim sum items take a while and it comes out when you finish eating because they steam it fresh. i like this place but it does get little pricey compare to other Chinese restaurant. i only come here when my friends want to come. i like big portion when it comes to chinese food.
(4)Sai C.
Worst customer service ever!! I'm writing about what happened about a year ago. My boyfriend and I wanted to try out this place so we decided to go on his day off from work. We went in and the waiter said that we have to wait since we didn't book a reservation . So we waited as they let in all the Japanese and Chinese tourist sit before us and I don't think all of them made a reservation. The waiters kept two books. One for people with reservations and one for walk-ins. I looked at the one for reservations and there weren't many names and numbers written on it. About 30+ people sat before us and we waited for about 45 minutes. I could be wrong but I felt like they were playing favoritism. Oh, and this place was busy this day. After they sat us down the rude waiter came to ask us what we want. We ordered 3 main dishes and 1 appetizer. OMG I am not kidding, the food took one hour to come!!! I even asked the waiter "what's taking so long?" While my boyfriend and I waited we looked around and everybody was being served (even the people who came after us). We literally were sitting at a table on the corner with no food as we watched everyone eat. I regret not walking out till this day... My bf and I think that we were underserved because we didn't look like we had money. He believes because he looks like a typical local boy and I kinda was underdressed they basically ignored us. I don't recommend giving this place business. They are assholes that only like people that they think that have money. Oh and the food was ok and overpriced! I don't recommend this place at all
(1)Elizabeth N.
Came here tonight for my birthday as I wanted some Chinese seafood; never been here before but Chinese speaking co-workers have been suggesting this place for some time now (for special occasions) so thought it the perfect time to do it. Now the place isn't the best looking of establishments, it's not the belle of the ball compared to let's say how Jade Dynasty at the mall looks, however, Kirin is outstanding in their food and service. Like others have said, Kirin's service mimics those of high end Chinese Restaurants I've been to in CA, Philippines and Hong Kong. They are the first restaurant in HI that I've experienced this with. What makes it different? When you're ordering crab you wet towels and hot tea finger bowls and they change out your plates...or at least give you that opportunity to. I was at a super high end Chinese restaurant in the Philippines and we had a server in between almost all of us at a table of 20 and even if we put a smear of soy sauce on the plate, the server immediately changed it out with a clean plate...with of course sterling silver everything, hot towels, individual ginger ale and martinelli's glass liter bottles. So I do appreciate Kirin's attempt at this service. Here's what we ordered: -Dungeness Crab Taishan style: really fresh crab and the sauce was a bit of meal in itself as you could put it over rice and be done with it! I think I'll try the more "dry" crab next time as this is very saucy...very good tho! -Steamed Uhu: Very good, extremely fresh; not too salty and just enough flavor to keep you wanting to take another bite and spoon the sauce all over. -Pan Fried House Style noodles: I am a "hong kong style" or as they say in the islands, "pan fried" noodle connoisseur and I really enjoyed their preparation of this dish. My picky son ate majority of this dish, actually he hogs up all the crispy portions. -Peking Duck with pancake: YUM! Had to be my favorite, I think they roast it then fry their duck because all of it was that type crispy. Again, my son who has tried peking duck at many different chinese restaurants usually doesn't like it (he'll take one bite and pass) but lil' man devoured it here. I really liked this dish here, it was a very mild but flavorful duck. -Gai lan (chinese broccoli) stir fried in garlic: typical, not too flavored, actually I couldn't taste any garlic. lol. Most chinese spots who prepare this you can see the garlic and taste it. This not so much, but it was very fresh and crunchy, which is nice. And they serve it with fried pork strips? That was different. Vegans beware! Overall, Service was good when we first got there and it wasn't that busy, however as it got busier, we started to be forgotten about. However they were quick when we needed something or flagged someone down. Funny story, so we're waiting at any empty table for like 10 mins. Our food was packed up and there's nothing happening. My husband supposedly was trying to be secret and asked the kitchen to do a birthday thing for me. but again, sitting there for a long while I'm saying, "can we get our bill and go?". My husband is trying to be slick and so when the waiter comes by he just says, "I think we were waiting for something." The waiter straight up says, "Oh you all waiting for the birthday dessert right? I'll get it..." That was birthday surprise fail. lol. The good thing about it is that they just stick a candle into whatever you ask for and they don't sing to you. I would definitely come back to try some other things here and just stick with the seafood as it seems that's what they do best. Why waste your time on lemon chicken here ya know?
(5)Haein P.
Went here recently for a private party, in their enclosed private room, and I must say that "Yay! I'm a fan." Their corkage fee is extremely reasonable at $2/person. We went to town on some of the best wines (thanks to Mark Shishido, Wine Director at Alan Wong's) and beers. This is definitely a plus! FOOD: We started off with a delicious and warming... [[ "Supreme Broth,"]] that consisted of imitation shark fin, abalone, fish maw, dried scallop, crab meat, and Virginia Ham - very tasty way to start off our night, and off set the several glasses of wine that had been had. [[ Peking Duck ]] - we had this as an appetizer, served on traditional Chinese bao buns with plum sauce and scallions. This was delicious, and the duck wasn't too overwhelming or oily, but perfectly cooked, being tender and juicy. [[ Cold Ginger Chicken ]] - a local favorite influenced by the Chinese. This was just as I expected, the nice cold boiled chicken, cut into pieces, served with a savory ginger-garlic-scallion sauce on the side. I've always enjoyed eating this, and Kirin didn't disappoint. [[ Fried Pork Ribs with Sweet & Sour Sauce ]] - one of the waitresses recommended this over the phone, and it was excellent. It was served hot, with a slight crisp on the exterior. The rich pork flavors were nicely contrasted by the tang in the sweet and sour sauce. Finger lickin' good! [[ Heart of Choi Sum with Premium Oyster Sauce ]] - nothing out of the ordinary, and served as expected. It was nice to have some kind of vegetable on the side though, I must say. [[ Thin Rice Noodle, Singapore Style ]] - this was served with pork and shrimp in a curry powder base. This was my least favorite of the night, and judging by the to-go box at the end, others seemed to share the same sentiment. It was too curried, and didn't match the rest of our dishes rotating around the lazy susan. I think the curry overpowered the shrimp and bbq pork that was in the dish. [[ Dungenness Crab ]] - the star of the night! This must be ordered 'Taishan Style' which comes with a special house sauce made up of the crab guts, black bean, minced pork, and egg. It's a thick, stew-like sauce that is poured over the crab, and honestly, I could eat the sauce straight out of the bowl - no accompaniments, and I'd still be happy! It goes great on top of rice, too. Overall, the service is better than what you'd expect from a Chinese restaurant, but it's still better not to go with high expectations. Go for the food, go with a lot of friends, the more the merrier - and it's easier to get a taste of each dish with a larger group. I'm impressed at how the restaurant (over 50 years old) has maintained its food quality, and the bathroom is cleaner than most new restaurants I know! Definitely a plus.
(4)Novan L.
The food taste good but the portion is really small. And the price is higher than the other Chinese restaurant. This was my first time here and last time.
(2)Nori S.
I used to go to Kirin restaurant when it was in the Ala Moana Center and it was good and had a very relaxing & serene ambience. This location is the usual Chinese atmosphere and they are polite. However, the dim sum comes out lukewarm so not good. My fave here used to be the wontons in a coconut curry sauce, but now it's just topped with very little sauce..to my disappointment. For 4 plates, the bill was $21+. Considering the food was not hot at all and my fave dish was not good like before, I probably won't go back.
(2)Anh T.
Kirin is a little on the pricier side for dim sum but it's worth it. If my favorite Dim Sum place is in Hong Kong, then Kirin is my second most favorite place! Kirin doesn't have the traditional carts that go around shouting at you to buy their dishes, nor the obnoxious atmosphere we're all used to and love. However, that does not detract from it's execution. I loved all the dishes that was ordered here. Perhaps it was because the people we went with knew exactly what to order, but I just enjoyed everything on the table. The Dan Tat was cooked so well as it just melted with every bite. The fried seaweed shrimp was the pinnacle of the meal. It is hands down my favorite dish. I can't really describe too much since there were so many dishes ordered but one thing's for sure: I will be really sad that this place is not accessible from home. Why are all my favorite restaurants oceans away? =[
(5)Larry P.
Great Dim-Sum and very enjoyable...
(4)David D.
Disappointed. The best was the pork stuffed egg plant and the sauce on the crab was good. I found most of the dishes not that tasty and the rice was mushy. I must grant that the food was not over cooked. Also very noisy the night I was there.
(3)Lori F.
Good place to eat dim sum, although I wish there was more selection. One of my favs is the deep fried taro & I didn't see it anywhere on the menu. :( Also parking is almost non existent. Had to park on King St. metered parking & walk through Long's parking lot to get there. Service was a little slow, even though it wasn't very busy. Had to flag them down a couple times, plus they forgot one of our orders. I still think Royal Garden has the best dim sum & I like their cart service, rather than having to check off items on a piece of paper.
(3)Janet T.
Definitely recommend this place when your going out to eat with a large party that way you can enjoy their assortment of good food. Very popular place for Japanese tourists as well and some of the servers can speak japanese. One thing I noticed is that they're really great sales people so make sure you don't let them control what you want to eat. Service is great but they're great at persuading you to order more. Definitely a place worth trying. Love everything here
(4)Libo W.
Not greasy and yet quite delicious. Stands out from the milieu of Chinese restaurants in this day and age. We went for dinner, the service was fantastic. Definitely could see this as a great place for large gatherings.
(5)Luke B.
Food was relatively bland in taste and the meat seemed like poor quality for the price you pay. The same quality food can be had at a dollar scoop joint. At least the tea was good. I'm short this is a below average restaurant with a higher price point.
(2)Sara S.
In honor of Chinese New Year, I'll continue with what is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in town. My family and I have been coming to Kirin for years. Memories of Chinaman's Hat (a must order btw) will forever remind me of home. Embrace that medley of vegetables and pork, smeared with oyster sauce, wrapped in thin pancakes and rolled up like a Chinese burrito. MY FAVORITE! Kirin also makes the best string beans with minced pork (siguwei dao Idk the spelling sryyyy), one of my favorite Chinese dishes. You also can't go wrong with any noodle dish here, as well as kau yook with taro (pork belly). Pretty much anything you order here will be decent, the only thing is that it can be a little pricey. You get what you pay for though! What's great is that you can indeed pre-order & make special requests. I remember one time my grandma ordered a special soup made with fish maw (swim bladder) and it required 24 hours prep prior (Idk something about the soup having to simmer/soak the melon until it becomes super soft???) but they executed it amazingly. The service here is probably the best I've ever received at a Chinese restaurant. We have also celebrated special occasions here and it is nice to get a private room! Although... one time we had a really big party and instead of having a private room we had to take up the tables in the back. Their dim sum is also excellent. If I recall correctly it's not the standard order from the carts-- you have to order off a menu instead, but at least you are guaranteed that it is fresh and hot. Thank goodness they expanded their parking lot. It used to be just that small one in front and it was just chaotic as it was shared with the apartment next to the restaurant. Happy year of the Snake especially to all my fellow snakes out there! ^__^
(4)Jannet L.
Decor awesome like a well maintained kitschy Chinese restaurant you'd see in a movie where a big fight scene breaks out like in MIB or push. Plenty of space, lotsa tables with lazy susans in the middle. Also best feeling when you go to a Chinese restaurant and it's filled with people speaking Chinese - gives it much cred. Didn't order the crab which everyone else seemed to have bc didn't feel like getting messy. But looked delicious. Crispy chicken, dried string beans with pork were outstanding. Their hot sauce both salty and spicy perfection. Service is the best. They have seemingly 200 waiters and always constantly checking ur teapot and bringing u fresh tea without having to be asked. Food came out quickly. All waiters helping our table not jus an assigned person. Prices reasonable for the quality. And parking next to and also in old camellia parking lot. I mentioned to the hub that it was my fave Chinese and them he reminded me of dew drop inn. Different experiences. Kirin bigger and more expensive but somewhere to bring guests or visitors. Dunno both delicious. Oh and they have sesame mochi balls in ginger syrup that we had in shanghai! Terrific! But only two mochi balls. Which is enough but my fat brain was a little disappointed even though really u can't eat that much sweets anyways.
(5)Maryann S.
Food is delish. Had a bacon shrimp scallop thing that was outrageously good. The service is a little nutty. We gave the server our first appetizer and she ran off into the kitchen - didn't see her until that came out and she took the rest of our order.
(4)