Lucky Belly

The pictures of the school girls on the wall are strange We got the two specials - fried snapper on fried rice and the dim sum trio Of the dim sum trio, only the lobster siu mai were memorable. I recommend that. Otherwise a bit steep for the price $30 for 6 bites. The snapper and fried rice were tasty but the rice portions were tiny for the price $32

OMG….this place is absolutely amazing! Food 10. Atmosphere 10. Drinks 10. Service 10. Presentation 10. We pretty much raided the appetizer menu. Everything was delicious. The drinks were also top tier! Don’t sleep on Lucky Belly! You WILL NOT be disappointed!

Lucky Belly was such a cool spot! My husband and I decided to grab a few appetizers. We went with the wafu steak, shrimp gyoza, and the duck tacos. The duck tacos were definitely our favorite. They were so good that we even went back before our flight to get them one last time before leaving Hawai’i. My husband also tried the Bean’ To Box, which is their twist on an old-fashioned. He also ordered the hibiscus lemonade, and I got the Jasmine lime soda — both were super refreshing. The service was awesome, and the atmosphere was cozy and chill. Lucky Belly was definitely one of my favorite restaurants to eat in Hawai’i! I’m still thinking about those duck tacos as I write this review.

Beast Ramen Bowl, super rich and flavorful broth, and lamb lumpia. Service was super responsive and friendly. Gotta go back to try more on the menu!

Lucky Belly had been bookmarked for a while now, and we finally made it in for dinner. PARKING: We made 2 laps in the immediate area, found no street parking and ended up in a paid lot. ATMOSPHERE: Very chic. Brick walls, big windows, high ceilings, exposed concrete floors. We sat at the bar. Seating isn't too plentiful. The a/c was a bit nippy. MENU: Asian fusion apps, salads, ramen, entrees, and a unique selection of beers and mixed drinks. FOOD: Lobster Shu Mai There wasn't a distinct taste of lobster that I was anticipating, but the 3 pieces that sat over a subtle beurre blanc sauce were moist and had a nice subtle flavor. Pricey at $20. Oddly this ended up being my fave dish of the night. Shrimp Gyoza They do a twist on the traditional gyoza with this version that's filled with chunks of shrimp. The 3 gyozas were laid on pats of an edamame & avocado purée that had a slight wasabi note. The tanginess from the ponzu and pinch of sprouts were nice enhancers. Pork Belly Bao Everyone is doing these nowadays. Their's is spot on if not monotonous along with the rest of the world who makes these. The buns were smaller compared to others I've had. Belly Bowl I opted for this over the Lucky Bowl mainly due to the addition of the arabiki sausage. I'm not a fan of pork belly or thick chunks of bacon, but they came with, along with the standard bean sprouts, a whole medium egg, seaweed, and sprinkled sesame seeds. First off, the broth was warm, not hot, and killed the dish immediately for me. Is it so hard to understand the concept of hot broth + room temperature noodles = warm ramen? Sigh... The broth had a bold porky and slight creamy flavor with an appetizing color, but was a tad too salty even for me, and I rarely complain of overly-salted broth. Perhaps the simmered bacon took the sodium level over the edge. The noodles and bean sprouts were a bit overdone, the almost hard boiled and unseasoned egg was very lifeless, and the overload of seaweed tasted like the smell of marijuana. Less is definitely more. Beast Bowl My spouse's dish. All of the ramen share the same broth, but this top-of-the-line selection adds in brisket, short ribs, and oxtail won tons. I had half of a won ton which was undercooked. The shell was doughy and super al dente at the edges, and the oxtail stuffing was laced with my kryptonite cilantro. Bleh. SERVICE: We were greeted immediately by a smiley and welcoming gal, and seated immediately at the bar. The wait for a table would've been about 30 minutes, and there weren't too many to go around. One of the guy bar backs doubled as our server. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. The gal who greeted us has a sharp eye. She noticed that another patron was sitting in my spouse's chair which he actually offered out because we were about to leave. She questioned the party professionally but felt bad for us so she comped 2 of our drinks. So sweet! OVERALL: Nice ambiance and food presentation, good apps, not my favorite ramen.

Went to Lucky Belly in Chinatown and wow—this spot is a gem! My friends ordered the pork belly bao, crispy duck tacos, bi bim bap, and the miso-braised lamb leg. Everything looked INSANE, and they couldn’t stop raving about the crispy duck tacos and pork belly bao (their top faves)! I have a ton of food allergies (gluten, dairy, soy, sesame, oats), so I didn’t expect to be able to eat much—but I was blown away by how accommodating they were. The chef personally helped adjust the dish, and the waitress had amazing suggestions and made me feel taken care of. I ended up getting the bi bim bap with smoked octopus (yes, octopus!) and it was next level. The octopus had a perfect crunch on the outside, was tender on the inside, and seasoned beautifully. The bowl was big, satisfying, and absolutely delicious. Not many Asian fusion spots can work around my allergies, but Lucky Belly made me feel welcomed—not like a burden. Can’t recommend this place enough for allergy-conscious foodies and flavor chasers alike. I’ll definitely be back. Thank you for the great experience!

A very fashionable location, where the interior wins over the flavor — though still very good. A pan-Asian kitchen, drawing heavily from Japanese and Korean with influences from the Philippines, China and the broader Pacific Rim. Lamb Lumpia — a unique twist on a Filipino classic, with kimchi and gochujang accompaniments nodding to Korea and a slightly gamey protein reminiscent of somewhere Middle East. Yum! Oriental Chicken Salad, well-dressed and topped with crispy wonton skins and chicken karaage. Though flavors good, the chicken would have benefited from coming straight out of the fryer. Exposed brick walls and steel I-beams pay homage to Honolulu Chinatown’s past. Juxtaposed with clever paintings and dark stained wood furniture and finishes make for a very urban Pacific Island feel.

True to the name, we were extremely lucky bellies, especially coming here without a reservation and being able to sit at the counter but moreso this was exactly what we we needed. I’ve been eating authentic Asian food for the past several months and to have Asian fusion was like having a cool breeze hit your skin in the Gobi desert. We tried their specialty for the day, a three appetizer sampler of the pork belly bao, shrimp gyoza and oxtail dumplings. This could’ve been our main course and I would’ve been more than happy as is but we also ordered the crispy duck tacos and this was my favorite. It was the crunch that I’ve been missing in so many Asian meals I’ve had. So crispy to match the duck’s juices. I hope this luck carries out throughout the rest of the week cuz I’ll be back again this weekend for more!

Lucky Belly is a great spot for tasty food and drinks. Most of what we tried was delicious, and the crispy duck tacos are a definite must try, it was packed with flavor and perfectly cooked. The only miss for us was the pork belly bao, which could use a bit of improvement in seasoning. Still, overall a solid experience and worth a visit!

Quaint and friendly restaurant offering appetizing bites including smoked octopus and duck tacos. The ramen bowls are rich in flavor without being overly salty or skimping on ingredients. The fungi (mushroom) one was balanced and satisfying. Cocktails were a bit mild in flavor but tasty. Fun vibe. Reservations recommended due to limited seating.