For residents here in Honolulu it seems like there are almost an unlimited number of Korean yakiniku restaurants available for us to choose from. This is especially true in the Ala Moana area. From Sorabol to Yakiniku Seoul, we have a variety of different places to get our yakiniku fix.

Among the myriad of yakiniku restaurants there are only a few that offer “all you can eat” menus. Normally what I see is an “all you can eat” yakiniku buffet that allows diners to walk through and grab their own meats and vegetables. While this seems to be a popular style, I find the whole experience of walking a buffet line full of raw meats a little unappetizing. Luckily for people like me there is one place that serves up great value right to your table: Shillawon Korean Restaurant.

Like its buffet counterparts, Shillawon offers an “all you can eat” menu for around $25 per person. But, rather than going to a buffet line and grabbing your own meats, Shillawon will bring to your table full plates of the different meats. When you first place your order for the “all you can eat” menu they bring to your table the standard mix of barbecue chicken/beef, brisket, and steak. At your request you can have them bring the less popular items like beef tongue as well. They also bring to your table an assortment of side dishes, rice, and a few bowls of hot soup.

Korean side dishes

No meal at a yakiniku restaurant would be complete without these side dishes which include kim chee, fishcake, choy sum, and whole leaf lettuce.

Yakiniku meats

When the plates of meat are brought to your table, Shillawon staff are nice enough to cut the large chunks into smaller bite-sized pieces to make for easy cooking.

Yakiniku Grill

As you can see the assortment of meat provided is well varied. We also like to throw the fresh garlic cloves that Shillawon provides to add a little more flavor.

Sauce for yakiniku meats

Shillawon provides two sauces to go along with your yakiniku meats. One is a standard shoyu based sauce and the second this oil and sea salt mixture.

Bi Bim Bap

We combined our “all you can eat” experience with a side order of Bi Bim Bap. This popular Korean rice dish features beef and mixed vegetables mixed together in a large stone pot. Over time the hot stone pot continues to cook the rice and ingredients. A spicy paste is added on top of the bi bim bap prior to mixing.

Final thoughts: While you won’t find the meat to be nearly as flavorful or tender as you might find at other yakiniku restaurants, Shillawon still delivers a great value for the dollar. The meats are a cut above some other “all you can eat” establishments that I have sampled. The manner in which the items are served coupled with the great staff makes Shillawon a more appealing venue for me when I feel like pigging out on yakiniku.

Shillawon
747 Amana Street Suite 1904 Honolulu, Hawaii 96814
Phone: 808.944.8700