King Kong Yakiniku Paradise

Looking for a family restaurant to eat at this weekend? Let’s review the requirements. Hungry? Check! Variety buffet? Check! A 1,000 ton gorilla? Che…wait what? That’s exactly what King Kong Yakiniku Paradise is all about. As far as name goes, I don’t think it gets anymore straight forward than that. The restaurant is King Kong themed complete with a giant statue just at the exterior. For the interior, one could say that the restaurant has “aged” accordingly over time but that is kind of expected for old Yakiniku places where the grill is built into the tables. For seating, almost all tables can seat about 4, so big groups will have to split up but no big deal since it’s a buffet.

For the food, let’s start with (my favorite, obviously) the meats. They have the standards you would expect in Korean BBQ such as Kalbi beef, pork, and chicken. They also have some sausages, tongues, cube steaks (ground beef shaped in cubes) and other different cuts of beef. For those who are not in the mood for grilled foods, they also have good alternatives such as curry rice, fried chicken, spring rolls, stir fried veggies, and finger foods such as French fries for children. What separates them from other Yakiniku restaurants is their sauce. They have this Kalbi miso sauce which you can mix with a little bit of pureed garlic and a hint of hot sauce which was absolutely delicious.

Unfortunately, one thing that I missed that they didn’t have was the Kimchi and the Bibimbap. I noticed that there was this fishing boat display tray which I think is used to serve sushi but there wasn’t any during my visits. I think they serve sushi only on special days which really didn’t concern me but if that is an important menu item for you, I would recommend calling first as I have been their twice already both times without sushi. For desserts they have the typical mixed fruit, chocolate cake, and ice cream. No big deal but there is always that 1 item that takes it all the way home. In this case, it was the ever so glorious white chocolate fondue station. This one is definitely worth calling to ensure it’s there. Make sure you save room, for some fondoom! (I’ll let myself out.)

To conclude, this place is a really good eat at a pretty low price considering the vast selections. Go at lunch time as it is 800 yen cheaper for almost the same menu. It’s all you can eat for 1,200 yen at lunch and 2,000 yen for dinner. Easiest directions to the restaurant is exit Kadena Air Base gate 2 and keep going until you see the statue of Kong on your left. If you reach the sea, you’ve passed it by about 3 or 4 blocks but trust me, you will see that gorilla. Don’t forget to snap a photo!

$ or Creditcards: Creditcards, Edy, and Yen only
Opening Hours: 11:30am~11:00pm (everyday)