A Generous Korean Hawaiian Barbecue Stop in Waikiki

A plate at Me Bar-B-Que arrives with the useful abundance of a proper Hawaii lunch: grilled meat over rice, a spread of selected sides, and enough food to make splitting the order a sensible idea rather than a sacrifice. The menu brings Korean barbecue together with local plate-lunch habits, so kalbi can share the table with mac salad, kimchi and japchae.

This is a casual Waikiki stop built around meals that are prepared fresh and meant to be satisfying. Counter ordering keeps the process simple, and the choices run from barbecue plates and bowls to combination meals, jun and a few fried items.

Kalbi, also called galbi, is a strong place to begin. The short ribs are tender and flavorful, with the substantial portion size that makes them especially easy to share alongside another meat or a few extra sides.

The barbecue chicken is another dependable order, notably tender instead of dry. Its thinner-cut style gives it plenty of grilled surface and makes it an easy companion to rice and sharper, cooler banchan.

Barbecue beef offers another route through the grill menu, and the barbecue mix plate puts it beside short ribs. That two-meat combination comes with rice and selected sides and can be more than enough food for two people sharing a casual meal.

Meat jun is a particularly welcome sight in Waikiki, where it can be harder to find than the standard barbecue plate. The Korean-style meat dish gives the menu a different character from the sweeter grilled options and is worth considering if kalbi is already familiar territory.

Chicken jun provides a similarly satisfying alternative. It is a good choice on a table already full of barbecue, offering a change from both fried dishes and the more noticeably sweet marinades.

The spicy pork brings heat without turning the meal into a dare. Its spice stays relatively subtle, balanced by grilled flavor and a measured sweetness, so it works well for diners who want some kick but still want to taste the meat.

With a few people at the table, spicy pork makes a useful contrast to kalbi or barbecue chicken. One plate can handle the savory-sweet grill notes while another brings the brighter chile edge.

The banchan selection is not an afterthought here. Many plate meals come with several chosen sides, commonly four, and the ability to pick them gives each order a little room for personality. The available count and assortment can vary, so it is worth taking a moment at the counter before committing.

Kimchi, cucumber kimchi and bean sprouts are especially good choices for bringing freshness and crunch to a rich meat-and-rice plate. Seaweed salad and broccoli add lighter options, while grilled potatoes and corn move in a more comforting direction.

Japchae deserves its own spot in the lineup. The noodles have a springy texture and well-seasoned flavor that make them more than filler beside the rice.

Mac salad is another local-style counterpoint to the Korean dishes. It has enough presence to feel like a deliberate part of the plate, not simply the standard scoop that appears by default on every island lunch.

A barbecue chicken bowl offers a smaller, straightforward format: chicken over rice with a chosen side, with kimchi available separately. It is a useful option when a full multi-side plate sounds like more food than the moment requires.

Chicken katsu comes over rice with coleslaw, while fried dumplings can be ordered as a plate with sides. Grilled shrimp also turns up successfully alongside kalbi, giving a mixed order a seafood option without abandoning the barbecue theme.

The menu also includes a breakfast selection with kalbi plates and other local-style choices. That early-day option broadens the restaurant beyond the usual lunch-and-dinner plate routine.

The setting is compact and casual, with bamboo-covered elements and references to both indoor and outdoor seating. It suits the food: settle in with a plate if a table is open, or take the meal along to an accommodation or a nearby outdoor spot.

The staff are friendly and patient when customers are sorting through the menu, which helps with a format that offers several meats, combinations and side selections. Reservations generally are not needed, though seating at the newer location may be limited.

Takeout is a common and natural way to use Me Bar-B-Que. Orders can move quickly, though timing is not something to count on as a guarantee; the counter setup works well for a meal that needs to fit around a beach day, shopping stop or evening back at the hotel.

Parking around Waikiki can be difficult to find. The restaurant also moved locations, and a similarly named business operates across the street, so confirming the current address and signage before heading over can save an unnecessary lap around the block.