Lucky Belly

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!

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!

The food was so delicious 😭😭😭 my favorite was the bao I highly recommend people go try it I might go back to just eat bao 😭😭😭 Portion was very big too! I loved the atmosphere! I’m coming back again for sure.

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.

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!

Nice local spot in Chinatown. Awesome dim sum/appetizers that you can order like small plates. Very filling and satisfying and you can try more things on the menu. OxTail dumplings and Duck tacos were my favorites. Seating is close so it’s moderately loud with commingling conversations. Costly even for Hawaii

Came here a long time ago when I was stationed on Oahu and when we visited back again I had to come and stop by. It was the middle of the week so we just sat at the bar and the bartender was fantastic. Super attentive and made great drinks. Asian fusion sorta kinda vibe and the food was pretty good as I remembered it before.

The food here is very delicious, with friendly service and a chill ambiance. Portion sizes are generous and appetizers are generous. The bao is amazing and any ramen you order will not disappoint! Would definitely recommend!

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!

Checked out Lucky Belly again and it was even better than before. Our server Sterling(I think) was awesome, he kept coming by and checking on us. Parked in the public parking up the block, which made it easy. The food was awesome for the most part. The only negative I can mention was the whole Fried Tai Snapper was a little dry, but other than that, outstanding food. I had a few Nado beers which are always good, but one recommendation I have is to try the Smoked Yuzu Whiskey Sour. Tasty. Anyway, check them out when you're in Chinatown. Alooooooooha and happy eating.

I made reservations for 4 of us on a Friday night. We shared the smoked octopus, fried snapper on a bed of edamame garlic fried rice - Thai style, oxtail dumplings, crispy duck tacos, and lobster shumai (which I did not eat). My favorite was the oxtail dumplings, while everyone else said it was a tie between that and the lobster shumai. We all were excited to eat the snapper, but it was a little dry and I couldn't taste the Thai spices. I still need to try the ramen one day. Guess I need to put it back on my list for places to try again.

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!

Very friendly and attentive staff. Located walking distance from hotel. Quaint cute place. Pork belly bao was tasty. Crispy duck tacos amazing. Oxtail dumplings were so good. Lobster shumai okay. Li Hi mui lemonade was also good.

This has become my brother in law's most proclaimed favorite! And it was an accidental find for us! We intended on going to a different restaurant around the block but they were closed. It's Chinatown, so parking is naturally a challenge. We quickly found this restaurant on Yelp and were seated right away. The tables were clean and seating was bench style. Ambiance was calming with moderate lighting. I did have to read the menu for hubs because of that but we enjoyed the calmer mood. The staff was very attentive the entire time. I guess I was too hungry to take photos! Eesh lol. BILs fave was the lamb lumpia. He is now OBSESSED with them! Every time we talk food, he brings them up again! LOL!! And their ramen! Deep flavors that meshed so well together. Just the right amount of saltiness and umami. The brothers enjoyed a few carafes of sake. I took tiny sips and enjoyed the selection! Lighter with clean tastes. We look forward to our next meal here!

Booked a last minute dinner in Chinatown during vacation. My boyfriend and I loved this place! The server was very friendly & attentive. They recommended the appetizer sampler plate, which included the pork belly bao and lobster and beef dumplings. It was all so good- a great twist to your usual dim sum dishes! Our favorite dish was the duck tacos. They were flavorful and the meat was tender- we were so glad to only share it between ourselves! The ramen was also a yummy plus to our dinner. Overall, we had an amazing time at Lucky Belly and look forward to our next HI trip to visit again. It eventually got busy soon after opening in the afternoon so I recommend RSVPing as there are limited seats inside.

Came here for an early dinner and it didn't disappoint! The place is very low key, brought out 2 kids who both got ramen and loved it! Oxtail dumplings are 100/10! Service was very quick and the portions are very large.

Lucky Belly is located in Chinatown area with lots of street parking around. Dinner with friends on a Friday night. Our server called Ken and he's very friend and efficient. He acknowledged very well on the menu items. Food: 1. Oxtail Dumpling (8/10): I can't really taste oxtail inside. Instead I think they used short ribs but it's very flavorful. 2. Crispy Duck Tacos (9/10): Must try. 3 Lobster Moco (10/10): They used real lobster meat and the gravy was a bomb. 4. Pork Belly Bao (8.5/10): The pork belly was very moist and tender. It's delicious. I'll definitely recommend this restaurant to my friends because they definitely can provide great food with outstanding service to all the customers.

Located in the heart of Chinatown HNL. Cute little venue with a contemporary look on the inside. Parking situation is a little tough so give yourself a little extra time when coming here. They have a great selection of alcohol. My wife and friend got hot sake. It was smooth and floral and a great complement to our meals. I got the Attack on Titan cocktail which was a whiskey sour based drink with a hint of rosemary. Their spin on the drink was a unique twist I thoroughly enjoyed. We got their ramen as our entrees. I thought they were def more on the expensive side at first but their portions were HUGE. The beast bowl came with brisket and oxtail wontons. It was just a ratatouille of savory flavors and tender meats that just disintegrate in your mouth. I left there full and satisfied. Def one of my top dining experiences in HNL.

Do not eat ramen here, Worst tasting ramen I have ever had, save yourself the expense make a cup noodle at home. I will say their appetizers are okay, but their ramen is absolutely disgusting. Flavorless broth like colored water, their ajitama eggs are closer to a raw egg dropped in. They use young noodle company stir fry noodles as ramen noodles and to hide their poor quality they cover the bowl in toppings. They add sweetener to their mushrooms, and their "in house" drinks are Minute Maid lemonade with a hibiscus colorant, but no hibiscus flavor. The interior is interesting decor wise, poor lighting, mismatched utensils, staff however are kind and friendly.

Came here with family on a Friday night. We all liked the pork belly bao and the crispy duck tacos. Bao was fluffy and the pork belly was super tender. The duck was juicy - almost like pulled pork style. Very interesting and tasty. Beast bowls were huge and super filling! My sister in law had the lucky bowl with vegetarian broth and said it was too salty for her. I thought their regular broth was delicious and rich. Our server was very nice and attentive. She was working hard and zipping all around the dining room, bar, kitchen. Restaurant is small but they do not crowd the tables, which was nice. While it did not seem crowded, it looks like reservations are highly recommended. We saw people walk up and were told they could be placed on a wait list in case someone did not show up for their reservation. Otherwise, there were no promises on time.

Love love love. Easily the best bowl of ramen I've ever had and the pork boa buns. So soft, so delicious, and that sauce had such great umami I don't know why but the ladle they gave with the ramen was awesome and I enjoyed it so much. Don't know why but you'll understand I got the belly ramen which had three different types of pork. They kid next to me asked for it but just all pork belly and I wish I did that because the pork belly was cooked perfectly. Not too much brine and flavorful. The broth is could drink gallons of Our waitress was a doll as well. It was dimly lit and a great date spot If you're visiting and staying in Waikiki make sure to head over here !!

Not sure why this place has so many good ratings, must be for the other apps but the ramen here is not it. Came out lukewarm and tasted very bland. The service was also under par, took 40 mins to get our food and the restaurant was not very crowded either.

This restaurant was really clean. The service was fast. The food was okay. The duck tacos were a 10/10. I recommend. It was juicy and the sauce on top was so good.also recommend the hibiscus lemonade $7, but 10/10. I also got the beast ramen, but I truly did not care for it. There was no flavor to it. I saw the brisket and wontons, but the menu also described it to have short ribs and I didn't have any.

Such a fun spot! Perfect pre-show location with a wide selection of apps and entrees. We chose the dim sum sampler which came with 6 pieces of house made dumplings! Pork Belly bao with hoisin was very traditional and exactly what you would expect. We loved the lobster dumpling that was soooo unctious and rich. The oxtail dumpling was also a hit. As we sat down at the bar a "neighbor" promptly said..get the crispy duck tacos! Whoa! He was so right! Juicy, crispy sweet and umami to the max! The winner though was the scallop risotto cone sushi. What a revelation. I can't wait to return and try their Ramen.

My husband and I love Ramen and the BEAST BOWL was THE BEST RAMEN! So delicious! It had a bit of everything! So flavorful omg. Great customer service, great location. We made reservations but walk ins are ok! We made reservations everywhere we could because we went on a weekend and we know how that goes. Nice little spot but could fit a lot of guests. I got the jasmine soda and you could taste the jasmine that was awesome!

Discovered Lucky Belly while walking Chinatown and needing somewhere to eat for dinner. Street parking was easy around 5pm and lots of surface lots/garages within a block or two. Outside the restaurant is very unsuspecting and I even tried to get into the restaurant using the wrong door. Note, entrance is not on hotel street but on Smith street. Inside was very simple and clean and had a cool modern aesthetic. Service was amazing. We arrived just as they opened at 5pm on a Tuesday and the host/waitress and bartender (I also think he was manager or owner) were very welcoming and attentive. Note, I made a reservation just in case but we definitely did not need it at this time of day! Menu was extremely creative and the plating was gorgeous. However, the food was just okay. If I ate with my eyes this would have been 10/10 but the food was lacking in flavor. Ordered the appetizer sampler special which came with the lobster shu mai, pork belly bao and oxtail dumplings. Lobster was cooked well but the sauce and shu mai itself were not very flavorful. The noodle wrapper was good! Pork belly bao and oxtail dumplings also lacked flavor and were overcooked but again the bao and the noodle for the dumpling were perfection. For our mains we ordered the snapper special (snapper and garlic rice) and the ramen beast bowl. Again, plating was perfect and all the components of a perfect dish were there but everything tasted a bit bland. Overall, would recommend for a cute bite out, great for photos on the gram, good drinks and nice service but if you want to die for tasting food I might skip this one.

I came in an hour before closing. The restaurant was pretty packed. Waiting for a very short time til we got seated. Our server was also the host and the bartender, it was very impressive how he was able to multitask as well as he did. I was surprised to hear how limited they were on opening hours for lunch since I felt the place was doing so well. The food was delicious. The oxtail wonton has tons of flavor. The broth was also tasty. The bao was soft and fresh. I wish they served desserts though. The place was cute, the artwork was a nice touch.

Service was nice and courteous. The food was amazing. The company was great. What more can one ask for on a date night? * Lobster Shu Mai 5/5 - The shu mai was an explosion of flavors of warm lobster goodness. The lobster filling was so good. The sauce was a white lemon butter sauce with hints of seafood. * Wafu Steak 5/5 - The steak was tender though not a lot of flavors on its own. The sweet, citrusy light soy sauce was what made this dish amazing. * Beast Ramen 4/5 - This ramen came with 3 types of meat - tender brisket, melt-in-your-mouth short ribs, and meh wontons (they were oxtail wontons but tasted like sugary kalua pork wontons...). The noodles and broth were good though not special. The soft egg was a yummy poached egg. Would be even better if it was seasoned. * Li Hing Lemonade 5/5 - Tasty salted plum lemonade drink.

Me and my partner came here for a date night, we ordered the lucky ramen bowl, fungi ramen bowl, plantation ice tea, hibiscus lemonade, and scallop "inari". The price range was higher end and the place felt tight for guests with a smaller party. In short the ramen and drinks were bad, the appetizer was the only thing palatable. Palatable! For the drinks, they were one-note. The lemonade only tasting of lemonade (a point on their menu listing several lemonades) and the plantation ice tea tasting like pineapple juice. It was all too sour and sweet respectively. The ramen noodles were of low quality (most likely unsuited for ramen), the broth (and chili oil) was at most, colored water and I've never had a worse vegetarian dish. There was an obscene amount of free toppings, and an unimpressive amount of the select dishes toppings (meat and mushrooms respectively) which was an additional +$5. I had ordered the fungi bowl because I like mushrooms, not because of a dietary restriction and expected a plant-ful/fungi broth. And my partner would have a rich broth. As stated previously, that was not the case. Maybe it was a bad soup base. But I cannot agree with sweet mushrooms skimmed off another order's risotto.

The pictures are from two separate visits but both times I ordered the Belly Bowl which was the ramen. The Belly Bowl was packed because it includes three types of pork: bacon, charsiu, and sausage. It also comes with loads of bean sprouts and wakame. The duck tacos were also yummy and the scallop cone sushi was also quite interesting. Service is very attentive and offered good information of items we were thinking of getting. Lunch time is quiet - I don't even think you need to make a reservation, but dinner is busier especially when there things going on downtown.

Good pork belly baos! This was our first stop on the island since we love pork belly baos. The restaurant is cute, but only 1 server/host/bartender made everything very slow. Took forever to get our drinks and food. We ordered the pork belly baos which are delicious and shared a salad which was ok. Overall, it's good and would return just for the appetizers or ramen since that looked really good

Came here to catch up with my bestie for dinner on a weekday evening. Devoured the Lobster Shu Mai and Lucky Bowls and had leftover for my lunch the next day. Quality service that was quick, attentitve, and not overbearing. The atmosphere is calm and quiet, being that located in the middle of Downtown, most people would think otherwise. Can't wait to come back again :)

We visited Lucky Belly (Asian Fusion and ramen bar) on a weeknight for an early dinner. As the restaurant is located in Chinatown, parking is either street meters or nearby parking garages. Since we made reservations on open table, we snagged the large table by the front window. Service was very attentive as we were the first ones there for the evening! We started with their crispy duck tacos but asked for sauces on the side since our daughter has a low spice tolerance. The deep fried wonton shells were the perfect vessel for the flavorful savory meat and cabbage, and the sauces were great! However, I was not overly impressed with the ramen. While I loved the unique toppings offered like the short rib, brisket, and oxtail wontons (beast bowl), the broth seemed watery. From the menu description, it was unclear what flavor and style of broth they were going for in the first place. Toppings wise, the soft egg was nicely cooked, the meats were tender, but I found the oxtail wonton's wrapper to be quite thick and doughy. I was intrigued by some of the appetizers on the menu, and if I were to return, I'd probably stick to those and skip the ramen!

This place is always solid and consistent. We bring out of town guests here quite a bit. The ramen is super flavorful and enough to share or take home for leftovers. The sake, cocktails and mocktails are excellent.

The lighting was dim so hard to get clear photos but the food was 10/10. It was a great choice for an open-late chinatown meal with friends, and our server gave us great recommendations too. We got two ramen bowls (which seem pretty much the same base, just changing out protein options), two appetizers and an entrée with some drinks. The prices are definitely on the higher end but super delicious and filling too. The duck tacos, which I'd known as being the must-order, did not disappoint. Super crispy light shell and a saucy tender duck filling. Totally drool worthy. The server recommended we try the bone marrow risotto filled Inari, which at first looked amusingly underwhelming, but was an absolute flavor bomb of creamy, savory risotto that had us all exclaiming "oh my god' in unison. The ramen was great- noodles were springy, a flavorful broth that wasn't too salty, and my favorite bite was the oxtail dumpling swimming inside. The lamb with rice porridge was also decadent while feeling cozy- rice porridge always brings me back to childhood. So good! Next time I'll try out the takeout window spot too :)

Had to come here after hearing so many good things about Lucky Belly and I felt like it didn't disappoint, but also wasn't the best ramen or noodle bowl I've ever had. We came here as a group after getting drinks nearby and had a reservation because it was a larger group, so was happy to be seated right away. Surprisingly, it was not super busy on a Friday night and quite empty in fact. We got our orders in right away and had some appetizers which were pretty good. Overall I think food flavor wise, most of the flavor is there. There is just nothing super AMAZING about it, but its a super solid bowl of noodles. The appetizers were great and the servers were friendly. Definitely not a place I'd wait in line for, but would come back!

I cannot wait for Dusty to open another location on island!! Lucky Belly is one of my favorite spots in China town to pop in for their appetizer menu and cocktails. It's almost always busy, so if I begin to crave their Duck Tacos, Bao Buns or incredibly unique Beet Salad, I start hunting for a table on open-table. Often, I can walk by on First Fridays or after an art show down town and see if there's seating at the bar. Regardless of if you sit at the bar, or a table, your service will be excellent! Just writing this review is making me want those duck tacos....

Except for the rather cold welcome by a staff, the rest of the experience was wonderful. We were seated and another server took care of us who was warm, friendly, and helpful. Still an appetizer and ramen fusion restaurant (haven't been here in maybe ten years) with drinks. We arrived early - 5:30 on a Friday - because we came from another event. Only two couples at the bar. Six pm is when more folks started coming in. Skipped the ramen this time and had several appetizers and one plate to share. We were really happy with our selection. Started with drinks then moved to: Crispy duck taco. Delicious! Wonderful duck flavor with fresh veggies and micro greens in a crispy taco shell of some kind. Absolutely loved the taco shell - should have asked exactly what it wasn't made of. The honey sriracha was amazing. They bring more to add if you want. I had to add more - it brought out the flavor of the duck and was so good! Winner #1. Then moved on to the special of the day - a trio of appetizers - pork belly bao, lobster shu mai, oxtail dumpling. Bao was delicious, tender and not too fatty - just right, with an amazing pickled cucumber of some kind. Sweet, sour, and the tiniest bit of heat. The hoisin sauce had sake in it and was delicious. Bao was fresh and tender. Winner #2. Moved on to the lobster shu mai - tender pieces of succulent lobster with an awesome sauce. Winner #3. The oxtail dumpling was also delicious - simple, tender, juicy. Winner #4. Last item was a bi bim bap plate - or rather bowl that's listed under plates. Delicious pieces of brisket with kimchee, their pickled cucumbers, seasoned bean sprouts, and wakame, topped by a sunny side up fried egg and sauce. After we mixed it up and put it in the individual bowls the server brought for us we dug in and it was divine. Winner #5! Seasoning had just a little heat but they bring more of their gochujang sauce to add to your taste. It was a large bowl and we couldn't finish it. While disappointed that they were out of the lamb lumpia, it worked out since we had more than enough food and took home almost half the bi bim bap. Shall have to remember to come more often!

This has been on my list to try based on the high reviews but it was not what I expected. The appetizer we ordered was a little bit disappointing. My bf ordered the ramen and I got the miso braised pork shank porridge. Ramen was not amazing, nothing to rave about. The porridge had some good flavor and the pork was surprisingly really soft. Overall the experience was just ok. With so many other restaurants in Hawaii, we felt like we could've spent our money elsewhere and had a way better meal.

We were craving ramen and decided to stop here. This place was so overpriced for okay food at the most. $18 for pork belly bao was insane. Ramen portions were massive which was the single redeeming factor of this place. I made a reservation and the host who seated us a few minutes after our reservation time (the restaurant had a few empty tables and bar seating) was slightly rude. After being seated for 20-25 minutes, the waiter finally came to ask us for our order and still waited a while to get our food. If you want ramen, go somewhere else.

Amazing food presentation, modern gastro pub with beautiful food with Asian and Hawaiian roots. I really liked the concept. The part we got was a bit too rich and less fresh than I wanted. May be it was because we went in close to closing. I thought the food wasn't as tasty as in other reviews. The staff was super nice. We tried a variety of things and sat on the bar stools. Overall it was less than optimal experience for me. But I could see others having a good time and the food looked fantastic in the photos.

I like to go to restaurants on slow nights. I want to see what the "slow night" crew can do, sure, but I also want the team to be able to put their best foot forward. Anyone that's worked a kitchen knows busy nights can cause some problems to slip through the cracks. That being said, on a Monday: Crispy Duck Tacos: I should end with these, but they were the first thing I ate. Wow. Wow. Wow. Texture, perfect. You can easily pick up each one and bit into them and they are surprisingly not messy at all, unlike traditional tacos. The tortilla was PERFECT. You could hear the crunch but it was so subtle, you almost couldn't feel it. The filling was insane. Nothing was overpowered and you're instantly punched in the face by the duck, cilantro, and honey. You can taste all three distinctly, showcasing expertise on all levels. These are easily one of the best dishes I've EVER eaten. Lobster Moco: Beautiful presentation, awesome riff on a classic, local staple. I prefer it to the actual. I'd order it again, but since I went so hard on the tacos, I have to nitpick: the rice and gravy was the star of the show here, not the lobster croquette. Perfectly cooked, creamy yet firm, almost risotto-ish. The gravy was perfectly seasoned and meshed well with the rice (and was lobster-flavored as well I believe). The croquette, I tried by itself and the texture was spot on, but seemed underseasoned a bit. I almost couldn't tell there was lobster in it, despite there being A LOT of lobster in it. BUT..you get a bite with the croquette, rice, and gravy, and you're in heaven. Not pictured but noteworthy: I got some of the oxtail dumplings, the lobster shu mai, and scallop cone sushi (to go). The lobster shu mai was okay compared to everything else (it would blow away your general shu mai at any other restaurant), and the oxtail and scallop were great, although I need to go back and get them hot so I can judge them at temp without driving home in traffic only to have them all mixed together. If you take one thing away from this review: if you are on Oahu, go to Lucky Belly and get the Crispy Duck Tacos!!!!!!!

Lucky Belly lives up to its name! I was mostly just looking for a good glass of wine to end the evening but took a glance at their menu. I ended up ordering the Crispy Duck Tacos. They were DELICIOUS! 5 decent sized tacos over some greens with flavorful duck meat, so juicy and sweet. Topped with a mildy spicy sweet sauce. The place isn't huge, so it would be a great place to catch for a dinner date, lunch date or even solo meal like I did this time. Simple, mix of natural and industrial decor, cool art, and the bartenders/ staff were all awesome. Glad I caught them in a mellow moment and got to talk story. Can't wait to go back. There's a Miso Lamb dish I can't wait to try!

Overall it was a great experience. We did arrive before our reservation and were not promptly greeted but that's ok. The fungi bowl was good, but the broth lacked character, but that could just be the style of it. The chili sauce provided at the table enhanced it and added an additional dimension to the dish. Overall I really enjoyed it. Everyone was really nice. It was very clean. I would come back. We also had the oxtail dumplings. It was disappointing to only get three of them and then have to figure out who got the last one in a party of two lol.

Service was excellent. Food tasted amazing and drinks were on point! My family keeps asking when we can go back.

The scallop risotto inari is phenomenal. The service is great, prompt and friendly. The vibe is sophisticated and laid back at the same time, making for a perfect spot for a date night, or a dinner with friends. Highly recommended.

I've had lucky belly on my list for a while but I was waiting for the right occasion to make a visit. We had made dinner reservations at 7 on a Saturday. While it didn't take us long to get seated, service was a little slow since it was a Saturday night. The restaurant has a dim lighting almost intimate vibe. There are high chairs as well as long tables to accommodate larger groups. They have a fun and interesting drink menu. My party started off by ordering drinks and appetizers. I ordered the Alice in Borderland, I'm a mezcal fan and very much enjoyed this drink (I ordered 2). My friends ordered the sake and kirin special, and the restaurant's version a whiskey sour. We all enjoyed our drinks Appetizers: crispy duck tacos. These tacos were delicious and a favorite of the table Smoked octopus. Octopus when cooked correctly is very tasty. This was my favorite appetizer. The octopus was cooked perfectly and had a nice spicy kick. I would definitely order this again. I had the shrimp kimchee ramen. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my shrimp were crispy. The crunch was a nice textural difference to the soft noodles and seaweed. I do think that maybe there was too much seaweed. I was sad to only find 3 shrimp in my large bowl of ramen. The broth itself had a lovely spicy flavor. All of the men in my party ordered the beast bowl. They seemed to enjoy it and finished it before I got the opportunity to snag a taste. I would come back to try more drinks and appetizers

Food 10/10 - Everything was ono. The Happy Hour Omakase is the way to go. You need to be there before 5:30p though, but worth $35 for 13 dishes! By 6pm, it started to get crowded. Service 10/10 - She was very attentive and thorough with her explanation. She was training someone but I could tell she would have done the same if she wasn't. There were other people delivering the food, they talked fast to explain what was what they when they dropped off the food, but our server always came by to check in on us. Ambience 10/10 - You can't tell how nice it looks from the outside, which is cool. When you walk in, on the right there's bar seating "Yakitori" bar. They have a smoke hood but some of the smoke does linger in the restaurant. We didn't come out smelling like smoke though, LOL. There are tables in the middle and "booth" chairs and tables on the left. Location 10/10 - It's easy to find in downtown. We parked at Mark's garage. The bathroom is outside in the back of the restaurant, but bathroom was clean. Looks like there were more restaurants and other stores but I didn't look around.

First time visitor!! I was pleasantly surprised and truly enjoyed my meal. Service was speedy, the setting was nice and quaint for the time of day I went. Everyone was very friendly. I will come back on my next trip.

This is my go to place to eat after seeing a show at the Hawaii Theater. They are one of the few places that has a kitchen open later in Chinatown. I have eaten here twice now and have not been disappointed in anything I have eaten. Always an appetizer and a plate, eat half and take home the rest. Spice is on point, temperature on point, as well as flavor and texture. The place has a small seating area, but I always sit at the bar. The bartender does a great job of taking care of me. Highly recommend!

I'd say 3.5 but I'll around it up to 4. Love the ambiance. Great hang out spot! The menu is quite interesting and as a group of 5 we got to sample a lot of different items. Their crispy duck tacos were good. Spring rolls were tasty too. We had the jook (asian congee) and it was very subpar, not worth the money either. My mom makes it better. The other dishes were on the salty side, a bit too much flavor. The dumplings were not good at all. They fell apart easily and the filling inside was meh. So I'd say the dishes were hit or miss. However their menu changes from time to time so it's worth to check back and try again!

Still my favorite ramen place after all of these years. Excellent food and service. The bartender was especially friendly. Love that this spot remains authentic and unpretentious.

Food was amazing! Service was great. Highly recommend! Sorry can't remember the name of the 2nd dish but one of my favorites.

This place is so good! Our server was amazing, very helpful with recommendations and attentive! The atmosphere was relaxed and cozy, a great spot for a casual get together or date. Our food was amazing! The Lumpia was crunchy and well filled. The ramen bowls were LARGE and delicious, very flavorful and variety in that bowl!

I ordered the pork belly bun and beast ramen. They were ok but what turn my experience sour was the paintings hanging up on the wall of suggestive underage girls in uniforms. I don't think most people realized that in Japan they have a big problem of people fetishizing girls in school uniforms and the resulting crimes that happens because of it. These artwork reminds me of that and the room became unpleasant. There are other ways to have tasteful suggestive pinup art but this isn't it. Onto the actual food review: Pork Belly Bao: I wish the pickled cucumber was more than one piece because it's smaller than the meat so after two bites the flavor is gone. Meat is crispy and bun is soft and chewy tho. Not really worth the $18 for 2 but it's a nice novelty item to get. Beast Ramen: the broth was super salty!!! It only really worked with its plain, unseasoned, soft boil egg because it's overpowering on the veggies and ramen. The thick slices of meat taste great standalone and the oxtail wonton is heavenly alone as well. I ate them asap so they didn't became overly salty. Overall, ok food, terrible décor choice.

The servers were nice. We only tried the ramen and pork belly bao. The bao was juicy and fragrant, but I had better ramen. There was too much seaweed and bean sprouts that every bite tasted like seaweed and sprouts. The lighting in the restaurant was dim and moody, but overall not bad.

We we're so excited to try Lucky Belly based off other reviews. We went on a Tuesday but all the tables at the restaurant were full, which was a good sign to us! The staff were knowledgeable about the menu and had great drink recommendations. We went with the Li Hing Lemonade and Lilikoi Fizz which were both delicious. We started with the pork belly baos which were the perfect amount of meat to bun ratio and our food arrived shortly after. My husband loved the bibimbap and it was the right amount of spicy. The meat completely fell apart in your mouth and had so much flavor. My lobster moco did come out cold but the flavor of the entire dish was so rich and creamy, that it didn't matter too much. The lobster croquette had so much lobster in it, which I appreciated because sometimes they can have too much breading. Overall, we're excited to come back with some friends and enjoy the cool vibes of this small location and hopefully try some of the alcoholic drinks next time!