A family-run Korean restaurant that helped define Waikiki’s affordable lunch scene for more than 30 years has quietly resurfaced just a block from its old storefront, and it is already in the middle of a spicy name dispute. Seawang and Minjae Kim have reopened ME BBQ at 2427 Kuhio Ave after a hunt for a new home, and they have spent the early weeks back in business reminding regulars and tourists where the original recipes actually live. The move has turned one short stretch of Waikiki into a tight little drama about names, leases and customer loyalty.
Owners Reopen Across The Block, Tell Their Story
Minjae Kim told Hawaii News Now that “we are a proud family-owned business” and that almost everything on the menu is prepared in-house by the family. He and his father appeared on the outlet’s Sunrise program to walk viewers through the reopening at 2427 Kuhio Ave and to push back after a different eatery started operating in the former 151 Uluniu Ave location under a name that has been tripping up customers. The segment underscores how heavily the Kims rely on local memory, long-running relationships and those familiar recipes to keep their business alive.
What To Order And Where To Find It
The menu sticks to the classics, the kind of homey plates that built the spot’s following. ME BBQ features a “Sunny Special” alongside marinated galbi, crispy katsu, homemade meat jun, bean noodle soup and rotating banchan. The restaurant lists its new address as 2427 Kuhio Ave and its hours as Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to Me BBQ’s website. The Kims say their sauces, marinades and many side dishes are family recipes made in-house to preserve the flavors regulars expect when they line up for a plate…