Hawaiian Restaurants in Hilo, HI

“Courteous service, clean and inviting decor. Extensive menu.“

“Wow! Loved this! Beautiful atmosphere, excellent service and really delicious food!“

“The food was super ono!! I had the chicken cutlet loco moco, and it was A-mazing! My wife had the prime rib loco moco, and that was just as delicious! Our daughter had the lechon plate, and that was tasty and crunchy! Our son had the steak and eggs, and the medium rare filet was very tasty and tender! Everything was awesome. My only low ranking was due to the take out order taking a lot longer than the 20 minutes they told my wife. But, in their defense, it was lunch hour on a Sunday and they were extremely busy. The place is nice. But, the other small concern I had was how warm it was in their diner. Those items were the only thing keeping me from giving them 5 stars overall.“

“Food is always tasty and plentiful. The service is friendly and efficient. They’re a family favorite of ours.“

“Great people! And amazing poke n sides!! Mouthwatering 🤤“

“Tiny shop, big taste, HUGE serving size! I stopped by while on walkabout, ordered chicken katsu... expecting a basic plate lunch.

I was SURPRISED. The serving size was huge, with a salad and ?garlic? rice. Saffron? So much food. Either share a plate, expect take home, or ask for a small serving.

Service was very aloha friendly. Very little seating, expect to do takeout for a park, hotel, etc, or if you are lucky, a seat.

It looked popular with both locals and tourists.

Very tasty!“

“Onolicious kine grinds. I know Donna make only da BEST“

“Love it Cafe 100 having my usual Loco Moco sloppy & Sunnyside eggs and even if didn’t have Mac salad this morning, I will always return especially for the Chicken Hekka and daily specials #hukaonorono“

“The staff smiles is enough for me! Throw in the great food and you have a winner here!“

“HIDDEN GEM ALERT!! Right across from TSA .They serve breakfast n lunch foods . New daily items .so u have to go in to see what they have . Everything from noodles to burger . Hot Boxed Lunch n cold deli sandwiches.Two lovely ladies in the back cooking local dishes , taste like your grandma's cooking if she was Hawaiian/Asian islander . Best home-cook style meals at its best . I had their chicken noodle soup. Which was beyond hearty n amazing. The condiment stand had many local hot sauces with Hawaii pepper water that's in an old crown bottle ,so you know it's legit!!! Best airport food in the Hawaii islands !If you Land in Hilo , This is a MUST STOP!“

“Poke cake Best ever Ever“

“Ponds has been my favorite place to eat for the last 20 years. Hands down best waiters, food and ambience. If you are a local or a tourist, it doesn't matter,this is a must go to place if you're in Hilo.“

“Our drinks were not only very tasty and balanced but also beautiful! The food was cooked perfectly and well curated. Our server Barbara was amazing and probably one of the nicest waitresses we had our entire week in Hawaii! We would have loved to go back a 2nd day but time did not permit.“

“It's a type like Panda Express where you choose a main and a side.
All menu items are delicious and full of volume.
This is a casual restaurant with a local Hawaiian atmosphere.
I would like to go again next time.

Parking: You can park about 10 cars in front of the store.“

“The bentos and staff are excellent
update: May 2025
OMG. lick ur plate action. I ate a one choice (blk belt chicken (my daughter's name for it), aka Nori Chicken with fried rice from the line. the food was yummy (ONO) the amount of food I wasnt able to finish (picture is left over - sorry should have taken b4 i ate).. this place is awesome for a quick bite..“

“One minor feedback, shrimp tempura curled up in to a ball inside the batter instead of the usual length of the tempura today, batter is still amazingly crispy. Besides that still the best and tastiest okazuya I’ve ever had. The flavor of the food has been consistent for the 60 years I’ve been eating here. The workers and the customers maintain that unique Hilo friendliness and charm.“

“We decided to go here as one of the only Saimin places near Hilo. We were not disappointed. We were greeted with a kind woman who spent time taking our order and explaining things to us. After ordering, we spent some time talking with her, to which she discovered we had driven 2 hours to visit her restaurant. She happily provided us with sushi and dessert in addition to our meals, and some delicious elderberry tea. The food was delicious!! We recommend the garlic Saimin and Mochi cake!

Things to note:
- You cannot eat in, only carryout.
- Note the hours before going.
- Paying for the local cuisine, not the design of the place...“

“The quintessential Hilo bento box lunch shop sits right across the famous Edith Kanaka'ole Stadium. When I danced in the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival, I have memories of scurrying across the street to get bentos to recharge the body for the dance, and this Hilo Lunch Shop was ready for all the hungry 'ōlapa with premade bentos, I was so thankful. On a recent visit with my dad and brother I ordered shrimp tempura and maki sushi and corn beef hash parties and nishime that was broke da mouth! We stood around in a circle eating our bentos while discussing the Hilo politics and chicken feed. The cashier and the servers at Hilo Lunch Shop are so sweet and kind, too, they'll help you if you don't know what to order!“

“Good Local Food. Hot, Reasonably priced. Good Aloha Spirit! My Go ,To For An affordable meal! Great Floats. Loco Moco.“

“I’m a lover of hamburger steak and have tried the hamburger steak at every restaurant and drive-in in Hilo. The Liko Lehua hamburger steak is absolutely the best tasting. The secret to a good hamburger steak is the gravy and their gravy is rich, tasty and homemade. No instant or canned gravy here. It also helps that their hamburger patties are hand made. Kudos to the chef and staff at Liko Lehua.“

“Drinks and everything we got were soo delicious!! Husband got the chinese fish which is the snapper as of right now and I got the pan seared duck. Also got the soup of the day which is the potato soup and got a sushi roll. Will definitely be back here if we ever come back to The Big Island!“

“Great selection of fresh fruit, juices and muffins.“

“Had lunch here 2/3 days that we were in Hilo, everything was amazing. The Misoyaki Butterfish Salad was fresh and extremely flavorful without being heavy, and the fish melts like butter in your mouth. We also had a cold water scallop special, an eggplant /marinara/pesto/ricotta appetizer (forgot what it's called, oops!) and crab cakes. Everything was great, honestly one of the best places I've eaten at on the entire island. I like to sit at the bar, as I'm a former long time bartender. Sascha is one of the best around, cocktails were, again, among the best that I found on the island, including Kona. Service was top notch, no matter how busy he got, and he took extra time to modify one of the house cocktails so that an elderly gal with sensitive teeth sitting nearby could enjoy it. I would honestly make the drive from Waikoloa just for this, but Hilo has plenty of outdoor activities to offer as well.“

“First timer here and the service was great!! The front worker she’s very nice! The food came out quick.
I had the Loco plate, fries and a drink. I was told they have the best fries and they absolutely do! Also if you plan on going, they only accept cash, which thankfully I did have on me. ☺️“

“I personally think they have the best shave ice in Hilo and probably on the island. When you order, small is not so small, but I'm not complaining. The flavors are great, and I love the add-ons. The owner is super nice and she has known my family for many years. If you're looking for good shave ice, this place is a must!“

“OMG.... addictive, what more can I say!“

“I can't say too much about the food here, but I hear it's pretty solid!I almost exclusively come here for the rainbow bread. Usually a whole box of it, plus a loaf to eat while I'm in Hilo. This is a must-visit spot for me when I come here. This past visit, I had some of the cookies and they were AMAZING. So now, I guess I'm coming here for bread and cookies!Will definitely try the food next time, too! The menu was a good size and I love a good plate lunch!“

“The food is decent here. Orange Bang is good if you're craving a less thick Orange Julius.

Chili is good, but what's up with the rice? This is the second time I said no rice and got rice. All I wanted was a bowl of chili. Yesterday I had it for lunch and it was good. Tonight I order two chilis to go and get home and there's that nasty rice in there. I'll eat it, but I really don't want to. Hate to waste $28 worth of food.

I ate part of the first chili, but that rice is really disgusting. Sucks when you're craving chili all day and go to get it and it's a total let down. The other one is going straight in the garbage.“

“My favorite is All Hawaiian. I’m happy as soon as I open the box and see the beautiful colors of the food. It’s like opening a jewelry box. And the food is very tasty! So Juicy never disappoints.“

“Friday afternoon , chocolate shake and cheese burger - great meal - lost perscription eye glasses at your picnic table at 3;30 PM . if found call at 808-885-7508 . thanks in advance Mike H.“

“Went for our team captain meeting for darts traveling league. Bar wasn't busy, dart boards banging, and waitress was awsome.

Parking: If parking lot full, can park across the street.

Wheelchair accessibility: Wheelchair access available“

“I AbSoLuTeLy LOVE Kum Yo's Okazuya! I can say how delectable each and every dish they serve is, because I have eaten them all!When you enter you can select items from their buffet line to create your own local style plate lunch.The mandoo are scrumptious, especially when dipping them into Kum Yo's homemade dipping sauce.Each day of the week she has set entrees in which you have multiple choices of freshly prepared veggies, cold tofu to limu.Fresh, hot onoliscious entrees and massive portions, yet very reasonably priced.Take out or dine in.Kum Yo's is my favorite Okazuya in Hilo!Love you folks and tell David I miss seeing him!Sorry there is no food left to photograph! I ate it before taking pics! My bad!“

“Food is bomb every time
Service is amazing (especially Brook & Story) always so polite and welcoming
A perfect place to go for some amazing food or a smoothie after a long day of my yim yams out at the beach
Mahalo!“

“pineapple twist....and reasonably priced“

“We spent 3 nights at this resort during our recent Hawaii vacation. The resort is older, which we knew going in, but the staff we met were so friendly! Housekeeping did a great job each day and the beds were comfortable. We enjoyed the coffee, hot chocolate, juice, and warm cookies in the lobby. We also had dinner downstairs, and it was a great meal! We did valet our rental Jeep, and I'm so glad we did! The guys were wonderful, and we loved it was a covered area to get in and out of the Jeep from. All in all, we had a great experience!! We really loved the location and how easy it was to explore around the Hilo side of the island! If we return back to Hilo, we would for sure book here again! Thank you for a wonderful experience!“

“The BEST sliders I have EVER had in my LIFE 👍🏼“

“Friendly customer service.“

“10/12/2024

Hawaii's BBQ Deli
111 E Puainako St Unit 570
Hilo, HI 96720

It's a stall in the Puainako Shopping Center. Aside from that I had a good bowl of vegetable saimin there. There is a menu board above the order counter where I placed my order with the attendant. She later brought it to me at my table. The setup is a cozy fast food style table and chair arrangement.

There was a large quantity of al dente vegetables with authentic tasting noodles in a lightly salted broth, not like the instant noodle sodium bombs.

Very satisfying and a repeat.“

“Reading other reviews, I guess I'm either easy or others are picky. We got a TON of food for the price compared to most places these days. It was tasty and enough for 2 meals. It's in a strip mall, so it's not an amazing atmosphere, but whatever. I got bbq chicken, brown rice, and salad.“

“Had a great experience eating here. The food is delicious with a decent sized menu. If i had to recommend one dish it'd be the Vietnamese wings. They were some of the best wings I've tried but portion size wasn't big so keep it an appetizer and get yourself a main dish. Atmosphere was nice and chill. Very comfortable and clean place to be, and nice enough to take someone on a date. Oh and don't forget to look at their specials and desserts. I tried their tapioca banana cake and it was so good.“