J’s BBQ

Reviews

• Kristi D.

  star star star star star 18 July 2026

  Best value $4.99 breakfast In The World! One scoop rice, two eggs, and one meat selection. I add on a side kim chee (because why not?) and I am all over that.
  
  Parking is free for 2 hours if you get it validated (1 hour if not validated).
  
  These guys are the nicest. They also do catering, and if their main entrees are anything like the breakfast, they are probably killing it. Prices here are pretty competitive, so no reason not to check them out! There is always pretty steady traffic when I'm in there for breakfast. The place is super clean and I see people ordering all kinds of stuff at breakfast time. So if you're hungry and you just want some solid local food, hit them up at J's BBQ! It's totally worth it!

• Violet H.

  star star star star_border star_border 2 July 2026

  Never visited the old location,  but I heard many good things about the food. The cozy new location is on Auahi, just around the corner from Coral. There are a few tables inside and outside, but most customers opt for take-out.
  
  My friend and I chose a couple of the daily specials. She went for the fish and I ordered the chicken with tossed salad.
  
  The quantity and freshness were certainly present as our plates nearly overflowed. Mine had a heap of crispy romaine, but not enough salad dressing for me, as the two options were pre-measured in small plastic cups. (However, I did not ask for more.) My chicken was hot and fried to a nice breaded crunch, and drowned in gravy. It sure looked good, and was filling, but the flavors just weren't there. My friend felt the same way about her fish.
  
  We sat for awhile, talking, but staff seemed anxious for us to leave even though the restaurant was not closing and there were no other customers present. There was always at least one table open the entire time we were there, so we were not depriving anyone of a place to sit. We didn't make a mess, weren't loud or obnoxious, or in the way, but the staff just stood there and stared at us.
  
  I'm told I should try breakfast, but we'll see. If I do, I'll get take-out.

• Andrew E.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 26 June 2026

  Well, a year later I decided to go back and get my beef stew fill. And I'm sad to announce I won't be coming back here again for that dish specifically. Things changed for the worse considering the sauce was not at all like it used to be, there's more flour or roux in it considering it's white-ish hue, not as deep red as it used to be. And MOST importantly, the beef... Oh my, I was handed my bowl and sat down in just pure disdain as I stared at my 3 tiny pieces of beef in my bowl. One of them being almost all fat and grisle. I had to cherish that beef as if it were the last couple dollars in my savings account. *Sigh* I really wanted to make this my go to spot, but alas I'll have to keep searching.
  
  Note: This is just a review for the beef stew bowl the atmosphere is alright and the people are pretty friendly. Just skip the beef stew bowl.

• Joe C.

  star star star star star_border 24 June 2026

  We were attending the POW! WOW! Hawaii Honolulu Night Market and every place was pretty swamped especially those serving alcohol. I dipped into J's BBQ which was closing soon and saw some people eating some nice plate meals and at the Counter the $8.99 all day special. I got the chicken Katsu and my wife got the seafood platter( Fried shrimp and fish)
  
  For a meal under ten dollars you get a really nice portion of meat, scoop of rice and various kim chee veggies. Everything was cooked well for simple deep fried eats but definitely I'd highlight this as some good cheap eats for the area. They had a pretty extensive menu as well serving breakfast and party platters. Definitely worth checking out if you're looking for not too complicated reasonably prices decent eats.

• Wina K.

  star star star star star 22 June 2026

  The best Kalbi on the island! When I first came here, I was really surprised that they charge $17 for a kalbi plate and almost didn't order it. I  always thought of plate lunches as quick, affordable, filling, and delicious. Luckily, hubby always pushes me to order what I really want instead of ordering items based on price and I am so glad that I did. The short ribs were a thick, quality cut and the marinade was out of this world. Sure, you can get a cheaper kalbi place somewhere else but you'll also get cheaper grade kalbi. I can't believe I'm saying this after the "sticker shock," but their kalbi is totally worth it.
  If you don't want to shell out $17 for some kalbi, they have tons of other plate lunches on their menu. For under $10, you can enjoy their spicy chicken plate with generous amounts of chicken and four sides that are usually macaroni salad, broccoli, seaweed, and kimchi.