Dowon Chinese Restaurant

Went here for lunch: Dad got the jajangmein — unable to judge as he refused to share. I got the Najomein, which was SUPER spicy. Despite being well aware of the impending doom that would punish me later that evening on the toilet, I couldn’t stop myself from eating it. So I guess that means I really liked it.

I heard that the chef from An Dong quit and opened up his own restaurant so I had to come check it out!
The restaurant is located behind Ichiriki (diagonally across from Payless Ala Moana), it is on the parking lot side, not by the road facing piikoi st. Parking at night and on weekends is $ 1 per hour but during the day is free.
Although the location is kind of hidden and the parking is very limited, I loved this place! The food taste the same as An Dong but the size portion of sweet & sour pork is at least twice of the portion from An Dong. The service is much better, the ladies that work here are very friendly and attentive of the tables.
I got the seafood black bean noodles and the sweet and sour pork. My boyfriend got the fried rice with black bean sauce. Everything was very delicious!
The only thing that I noticed is that the kitchen is located closely by the tables so you could hear plates clicking and such but I didn’t mind.

Excellent ganpoong chicken and sweet sour pork!
It was worth the $ 1 parking fee :)
We also tried the jjampong, it wasn’t as good as their ganpoong chicken but still good. Will be back when I visit Hawaii.

Well, it’s a restaurant serves Korean food. But they are one of the few open restaurant on Christmas, so some credits for that. The pickles were good, I got to appreciated them fully cause I got PLENTY time waiting for my noodles to be served. Almost finished my noodles while the last course come in so we have to pack most of it as leftovers. The food is ok, the flavor is lacking something though.

I’m not entirely sure what makes this restaurant better than On Dong or Eastern Paradise. We came in before the dinner rush around 5:30. Although the restaurant was not busy, the food took a really long time. The sweet and sour pork was tough and bland, and the sauce too soupy. The noodles were overcooked and soggy and they put so much msg that it left a bad taste in my mouth. We asked for less MSG and the waitress told us she would let the cooks know… nope.
Also the parking lot sucks and it’s $ 1 per hour after 6. Service was mediocre as well. I’m just gonna stick to Ondong.

AWESOME black bean noodles and AWESOME sweet and sour pork! Hands down my winner. Good bye On Dong and Eastern Paradise.
LARGE PORTIONS!!! Easily shared between two people. And the food always comes out PIPING hot and so crispy and yummy and everything you can think of. I’ve tried hard to convert my friends to Dowon, and so far, no disputes or complaints! I’m already craving it while typing up this review. The noodles are always tender and the right amount of chewy. Plentiful sauce to mix in the noodles as well. The sweet and sour pork is always perfect as well.
Parking: $ 1 and not too bad. You can always try and find street parking
Service: Excellent and always so nice! I’ve never felt rushed here, unlike other establishments…

This was my second time in 3 days eating here. That either says something great about this restaurant or. that I’m a gluttonous fool. Or both!
On my first visit, I had the (has some seafood) and sweet and sour pork (), today I had the regular and sweet and sour beef (). My friends were eating and for the first time and they really enjoyed it! I can tell the food was cooked with quality in mind, so delicious.
And, of course, the service was great, with our waitress making sure we had enough side dishes and drinks throughout our entire meal. Very attentive and friendly, I love this restaurant! I’ll definitely be coming back to this wonderful hidden gem, tucked behind Ichiriki and Teapresso 2.
There’s a parking lot for this business complex but it’s a bit cramped and can fill up fast. But the food is top-​notch and 10/​10, would recommend!

The general population is divided into two: half who order jajangmyun (black bean noodles) and the other half who order jampong (spicy seafood noodles). The most ideal situation is having two people, one from each side sharing a meal
together. Then hopefully, the other will be down for sharing and both of you win. Because remember, sharing is caring.
This is the new place to go for that. Rumor has it that the chef from On Dong came here. Unable to confirm that rumor, but the food is classically good. I believe the noodles are made in house. I asked for my
spicy seafood noodles soup extra spicy and it was sweat producing spicy. So good.
Other great additions to the meal, a guaranteed side dish, sweet and sour pork. But this sweet and sour pork isn’t like the pink chinese version. This is less sweet and more delicious in my opinion.
They also have a cucumber jellyfish salad. Yums if you like the texture cause jellyfish itself doesn’t have much of a flavor on its own.
Check this place out just remember to put a dollar in the parking box.

5 stars for Dowon! I just want to say WOW. Believe it or not, I think this place is better than On Dong. Hard to believe eh? Well go check this place out for yourself.
Parking — same parking area as Ichiriki on Piikoi next to Ginza nightclub. Pay the box for $ 1 an hour.
Service — very nice Korean ladies who work here! Very quick to take orders and refill water.
Food — SO GOOD. Large portions! I ordered the regular seafood jajangmyun for $ 8.95. My friend ordered the spicy seafood jajangmyun $ 12.95 that only comes in a large size. You can choose mild hot or regular hot. He chose the milder version but he said he wants to try the spicier version. I tried his out and it was SO GOOD. Too bad it only comes in a large size but I recommend you share with someone if you get this unless you are a big eater. I honestly couldn’t even finish the regular size! They give so much! I kind of forced myself to finish it cause it was so good and now I’m dying cause I’m extremely bloated.
We also got the shrimp gampoongi which is battered and fried shrimp in spicy sauce. It was delicious but it was also $ 17.95. Trust me it’s worth it.
Verdict — I’ll be back soon!!!

Woah…
Perfect chinese restaurant!
Since i came here, i missed this so bad!!!
Still there are a bunch of things to try and service was really awesome here and im fully satisfied here.

If you’ve read other reviews of mine, you’re probably well aware that there’s no greater comfort food in my life than a bowl of jjajangmyun (black bean noodles) and an order of tangsuyuk (sweet and sour beef or pork). And although I’ve yet found the secret to eating jjajngmyun without splashing black bean sauce all over the place, I have learned that the new kid on the block has some serious jjajangmyun game.
Tucked behind Piikoi Ichiriki, Dowon took over the spot where Jong Ga Jib used to be. And although a part of me will miss the old restaurant, my melancholy instantly disappeared after my first slurp of noodles. Speaking of the noodles, expect that great chew and texture you look for from any noodle or pasta dish. The jjajang sauce isn’t overly salty or soupy, so each bite is maintains that perfect sauce to noodle ratio. The tangusyuk matches the salty jjajangmyun by giving that sweet and savory flavor profile to the meal. The crispy, fried meat is coated with a not too sweet, not too sour sauce, and that texture contrast to the noodles just make for a perfect symphony in my mouth. As is the norm, you can choose between beef or pork, and the meat is served with a variety of vegetables as well, which give for a nice splash of color and a little extra flavor.
I know people exaggerate all the time saying they could eat something every day and not get tired of it, and although for the most part I agree it’s hyperbole, this is not one of those times. I. COULD. EAT. HERE. EVERY. DAY. Granted, I’d also weigh 300 lbs and probably need to roll my way to and from the restaurant. Why? Well, and this is also not an exaggeration, Dowon might give the most generous portions of food I’ve ever seen. I fortuitously hit the jjajangmyun jackpot since I work really close by to Dowon, so I’ve definitely gotten lunch here more than my fair share of times. And a single order of jjajngmyun and an order of tangsuyuk will genuinely feed my coworker and me for two full meals. Yes, you will have leftovers and yes, you will devour it all while smiling the entire time.

If you haven’t already heard, Dowon Chinese Restaurant is where it’s at for your jjajangmyun, jjambong, and tangsuyuk needs.
I came here with an empty stomach on a Friday night with about 5 or 6 other people, and were quickly seated in a private room by two very welcoming Korean waitresses. We all given menus, cups of iced water, and two kettles of hot tea to start off our meal.
While ordering from the trilingual (English, Korean, Chinese) menu may prove to be a challenge for most, we were able to place our order with the patient and helpful waitresses, who were happy to assist us in ordering for 6 indecisive and hungry college students.
Our entrees were accompanied with kimchi, onion, and picked radish. The entrees came out quickly, and the portions were MASSIVE! The food was delicious, to say the least.
For newcomers, I highly recommend trying the jjajangmyun, spicy shrimp, and tangsuyuk, and fried tofu! These were some of my personal favorites.
Our bellies were full by the time the third or fourth dish came out. We had trouble finishing our food, but were able to score some take-​out boxes from the friendly waitresses.
While I wouldn’t usually take my fraternity brothers out to eat ethnic foods, I was glad to be able to take them here. It was well-​received, and I got the props for picking a sweet spot for dinner.
Stop by if you’re willing to experience quality Korean cuisine, without having to worry about sub-​par service, unsanitary conditions, and rude employees. You won’t be disappointed.
PS: Parking is a struggle, so carpool if you can. :)

I know where I’m coming for Black Day (⁴⁄₁₄). This is probably the best Korean Chinese place I’ve been to in Hawaii. They have all the normal «Chinese» foods: jjajangmyeon, jjambbong, and tangsuyuk, and none of the three disappoint.
Got takeout the other day and ordered jjajangmyeon. Everything was packed separately and neatly boxed, even the onions, kimchi, and danmuji. The lady was super nice. The only thing is I asked for no cucumber and I still had cucumber on my noodles.
Came in late tonight. We got some jjajangmyeon and tangsuyuk. My friend asked for no cucumbers, but they ignored the request again. It’s pretty hillarious how badly they want us to eat our vegetables. The food was good, and the service was too. Seriously, one of these waitresses needs to recruit their son and buy him a moped so he can start delivering in the area. They’d absolutely be making bank if that happened.

This place is da boooom! I’ve never ever seen these kind and nice Korean ladies in the entire world!!! I mean, in general, most Korean ladies waitresses are kinda mean and rough, BUT here… there are so nice xD I was very impressed! Due to their customer service, I want to rate 100,000 stars xD
Their food were decent. I got sweet & sour pork (tangsooyook) and jjajangmyeon. The pork dish was more like home-​made and was very crispy which I enjoyed: P The portion of port was VERY LARGE. My sister and I couldn’t finish these two dishes because the pork was really really big!!! The lady packed left-​over in to-​go box for us. Very KIND.
I am writing this review because of their impressive customer service. I was that impressed. I even make a Unilocal account to write this review and want this restaurant to be popular!!!
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE! BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE, BEST KOREAN-​CHINESE FOOD!

This was our first time and we enjoyed the seafood Jajang and mild spicy chambong.
The staff were friendly though we recommend going when it’s not super crowded. The service got slow towards the end. The food is clean and tasty, and well definite come back.

Best jja jjang myun in Honolulu now! I love this place. I’ve been here multiple times now and I can’t believe a place like this is open now.
Atmosphere: Right off of Kapiolani and Piikoi. Shared parking lot need to pay $ 1 after 6pm. Inside there is limited seating inside mainly booths. Reminds me of the korean-​chinese restaurants growing up. Menu is in chinese, korean and english.
Service: Great service be ready to order soon after seating. There’s really only a few dishes you should be getting anyway.
Food: Wow definitely the best jja jjang myun on the island hands down. I have tried the seafood and pan fried jja jjangmyun. All very delicious. I’ve also tried the fried shrimp, mandoo and jjam bbong. Must try!
Intangibles: Best korean chinese on the island! Hands down!!!

If you are looking for good ja-​ja mein (noodles with black sauce) and ja bong (spicy seafood noodle), this place will give On-​Dong a serious run for it’s money.
First of all, it’s in the back of part of Piikoi, so it’s hidden and somewhat hard to find.
The service is quick and very friendly, they will quickly fill your tea and sides. By the way, your meal with come with kim chee, raw onions, and pickled daikon. The kim chee is excellent.
We started off with the boiled dumplings and it was excellent. The wrapping was very smooth and silky, the filling had pork and veggies. Good flavoring with a hint of ginger. Good deal for $ 8.
The ja ja mein is comparable to On-​Dong, but it’s a bit on the sweeter side and the sauce is not as thick and it’s priced the same, a tad under $ 10.
The ja bong ($ 9.50) was filled with generous portions of veggies and misc seafood. The soup was a symphony of seafood flavors. Not too spicy but you are too free to add more pepper to your liking.

Thank you to my Unilocal friends Helen & Charlene for writing a review and check-​in. I was so thrilled when I heard about this jja Jang min (black noodle) place in town.
This place is located behind Kung Fu Tea (now closed). Parking is available for $ 1 on weekends. You can enter parking lot through Kona street. Be careful it’s one way in and out.
The restaurant is small but cozy. They have about 4 booths and 3 small tables. They have 3 small private rooms too. I’m thinking this place used to be a karaōke place? Anyhow, it’s a clean place.
We ordered jja Jang min, spicy seafood noodles & sweet sour pork. You also get complimentary sides dishes Kim chee, raw onions, and da-​kwan.
Everything was delicious. This is as good as it gets in Hawaii unless you’re in Korea or San Francisco.
I also liked that they used all porcelain plates & bowls and not plastic. The service was excellent. The ladies were very polite and friendly.
I will be back for more. I’m so happy.

Finally some decent jjajangmyun on this island. Soft noodles with plenty sauce. The jjambbong is super spicy with lots of seafood, just the way it should be.
They cleaned the place up good with some new tables and chairs. All the ladies were welcoming and friendly, which is unfortunately not common at Korean restaurants.
Hope they keep up the quality of the food and service. Will be back for sure.

Shoutout to Regina K. for letting me post first; you’re the best! :D
Anyway, a couple of people were asking me about some amazing new jia jyang myun place that apparently opened up near Ala Moana, and I obviously have no clue. I was told it was really authentic, just like they do in Korea, and super good. Psssh, I’m a grandma, and mostly live under a rock, really.
The restaurant in question is right behind Ichiriki and located where the old Jong Ga Jip restaurant used to be (correct my spelling if I’m wrong), hence, the layout is the same, if you’ve ever been here when it was still Jong Ga Jip. The restaurant is super clean and looks incredibly new though. Since it’s a bit hard to find, I’m going to assume (and hope) that they won’t have much of a wait time. My group and I went during lunch, so while it wasn’t packed, there were a few other groups with in the restaurant with us.
We got out usual Korean sides, which were good. Then I obviously ordered the jia jyang myun. I can’t tell if I’ve been swayed by the hype but it genuinely is super good. The black sauce is flavorful and coats the noodles nicely while the noodles itself had the perfect texture. You guys do not want me to start complaining about other places giving me a big block of noodles that are stuck together or too mushy. Ick.
While I’m saddened to hear that I can’t get the stone pot bibimbap from Jong Ga Jip anymore, jia jyang myun at Dowon Chinese Restaurant is a worthy replacement to fill my tummy.