My son and I recently embarked on a culinary adventure at the Hilo Hawaiian Buffet, a decision made during my wife and daughter's absence. While it was undoubtedly a splurge, every penny was justified by the sheer excellence of the experience.
From the moment we stepped in, the variety on offer was astounding. The salad bar alone was a testament to their dedication to freshness and choice, boasting everything from creamy potato mac salad to crisp Caesar. But that was just the prelude. The journey continued with a selection of perfectly prepared rice – whether you preferred it fluffy white or savory fried.
However, the true stars of the show, the dishes that I believe truly put Hilo Hawaiian on the map, were their Eggs Benedict, the succulent steamed crab legs, and the exquisitely carved prime rib. Adding to this gourmet spread was a fantastic made-to-order omelette station, ensuring every preference was met with a personalized touch. Honestly, I couldn't have wished for a more perfect breakfast experience.
My son and I truly indulged, eating our weight in the tender prime rib and decadent Eggs Benedict. He, a connoisseur of fried rice, even managed two plates of it on his own – a true testament to its deliciousness! And just when we thought it couldn't get any better, the dessert station appeared, overflowing with delightful pastries and creamy ice cream. It was the perfect, sweet conclusion to what was truly a perfect start to the day, and believe me, it kept us comfortably full for the entire day.
Hats off to the incredibly talented chefs and sous chefs working diligently behind the scenes. Their passion and skill transformed a meal into a genuine culinary experience. Thank you, Hilo Hawaiian staff, for making my son's and my day so incredibly special and memorable. We'll be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
tyler_lowther
The food was okay but on the salty side. My wife and I both significantly under ate because of how salty the food was. The adjacent cafe was fairly busy so the service was a little slow. We had to wait a little while for service. I made a request for a birthday occasion but they did not have anything for the occasion. The atmosphere is really nice. The restaurant is right on the water with a great view of the bay behind the hotel.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
Richard Stein
The food was good but the ambience was lacking. For the cost of the meal, we would expect a bit nicer atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Roseline Kuamoo
Having our visit during Mother's day was the perfect food. My family loved it especially the Mother's.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
FNU Khushbu
Delicious food fast service and beautiful view of the river. I really liked the breakfast menu its perfect place for brunch as well as dinner. Staff is very friendly and nice
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alyssa Fencil
Overall was underwhelming for the cost. If I would have known i could have eaten from the menu in the bar i would have picked it over the buffet. The prime rib was cold because the guy at the serving station cut it into pieces before patrons requested it. I was served one piece that was entirely fat, he could not have been more disengaged or inattentive. Just was going through the motions.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Carmen Davis
Food was breakfast- eggs and bacon. Pretty hard to mess that up. Portions were typical Hawaiian- smaller portions, big prices! Choice was potatoes OR toast. Come on people- bread is about 25 cents a piece. Would it kill you to include both?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
지삼모
I used it for takeout for dinner and breakfast during my stay. I like the friendly service and comfortable atmosphere. However, I was disappointed because the English muffin-like sandwiches I bought for breakfast to go were too expensive for their size. It was okay because they gave guests a $10 discount. It tasted good though.
Order the Benedict and I am not sure what the sauce was but it was not hollandaise. Idk what they served me but management should be more on this. Embarrassing for a restaurant to mess up a sauce that has 5 ingredients. I should have listened when I was told it was this bad but I truly didn't think a restaurant could mess this up. Gross. Do better.
Food: 1
Brooke Blume
I try to not post negative reviews unless it is really warranted and I felt that my experience here was one of these times. I made a reservation for my birthday dinner and requested a table by the windows with a view. When we arrived, the hostess made a comment about how if we took the window table we would be skipping the server who was up next for a table. She made it very uncomfortable and awkward. When we sat down, the waitress was not friendly and seemed annoyed. Not being from Hilo, I had never been to this restaurant before but thought it was more of an upscale steak restaurant. It was not. The food was some of the worst I have ever had. The prime rib was tough, overcooked and lacked flavor. The mashed potatoes tasted like there was soap in them. The salad bar was the biggest joke I have ever seen! It was definitely NOT a salad bar—just some wilted lettuce, chopped up squid and some kind of broccoli Cole slaw. The dressing was bottled and not homemade. The salad bar was a mess, with food all over the place. I was so disappointed. Not only was it my birthday but it was our last dinner in Hawaii. Everything about our vacation was amazing—except this meal.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Phyllis Silverberg
They do a pretty impressive weekend buffet with prime rib and crab legs, and nice desserts.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
La nenita
Food was alright but the service was really good
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Hao Joseph
It’s suck here, the waiters don’t give a shit about you til you wave ur hands to call them. People who got into the restaurant later than us even got food earlier than us , and I feel like they kinda racism to us cuz we are Asian or what? So sad for this time and never gonna eat here again, just go to the hell 💀
5 🌟
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
An Unforgettable Culinary Journey
My son and I recently embarked on a culinary adventure at the Hilo Hawaiian Buffet, a decision made during my wife and daughter's absence. While it was undoubtedly a splurge, every penny was justified by the sheer excellence of the experience.
From the moment we stepped in, the variety on offer was astounding. The salad bar alone was a testament to their dedication to freshness and choice, boasting everything from creamy potato mac salad to crisp Caesar. But that was just the prelude. The journey continued with a selection of perfectly prepared rice – whether you preferred it fluffy white or savory fried.
However, the true stars of the show, the dishes that I believe truly put Hilo Hawaiian on the map, were their Eggs Benedict, the succulent steamed crab legs, and the exquisitely carved prime rib. Adding to this gourmet spread was a fantastic made-to-order omelette station, ensuring every preference was met with a personalized touch. Honestly, I couldn't have wished for a more perfect breakfast experience.
My son and I truly indulged, eating our weight in the tender prime rib and decadent Eggs Benedict. He, a connoisseur of fried rice, even managed two plates of it on his own – a true testament to its deliciousness! And just when we thought it couldn't get any better, the dessert station appeared, overflowing with delightful pastries and creamy ice cream. It was the perfect, sweet conclusion to what was truly a perfect start to the day, and believe me, it kept us comfortably full for the entire day.
Hats off to the incredibly talented chefs and sous chefs working diligently behind the scenes. Their passion and skill transformed a meal into a genuine culinary experience. Thank you, Hilo Hawaiian staff, for making my son's and my day so incredibly special and memorable. We'll be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was okay but on the salty side. My wife and I both significantly under ate because of how salty the food was.
The adjacent cafe was fairly busy so the service was a little slow. We had to wait a little while for service. I made a request for a birthday occasion but they did not have anything for the occasion.
The atmosphere is really nice. The restaurant is right on the water with a great view of the bay behind the hotel.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
The food was good but the ambience was lacking. For the cost of the meal, we would expect a bit nicer atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Having our visit during Mother's day was the perfect food. My family loved it especially the Mother's.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious food fast service and beautiful view of the river. I really liked the breakfast menu its perfect place for brunch as well as dinner. Staff is very friendly and nice
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Overall was underwhelming for the cost. If I would have known i could have eaten from the menu in the bar i would have picked it over the buffet. The prime rib was cold because the guy at the serving station cut it into pieces before patrons requested it. I was served one piece that was entirely fat, he could not have been more disengaged or inattentive. Just was going through the motions.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Food was breakfast- eggs and bacon. Pretty hard to mess that up. Portions were typical Hawaiian- smaller portions, big prices! Choice was potatoes OR toast. Come on people- bread is about 25 cents a piece. Would it kill you to include both?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
I used it for takeout for dinner and breakfast during my stay. I like the friendly service and comfortable atmosphere. However, I was disappointed because the English muffin-like sandwiches I bought for breakfast to go were too expensive for their size. It was okay because they gave guests a $10 discount. It tasted good though.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Oxtail soup for breakfast... so 'ono.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Order the Benedict and I am not sure what the sauce was but it was not hollandaise. Idk what they served me but management should be more on this. Embarrassing for a restaurant to mess up a sauce that has 5 ingredients. I should have listened when I was told it was this bad but I truly didn't think a restaurant could mess this up. Gross. Do better.
Food: 1
I try to not post negative reviews unless it is really warranted and I felt that my experience here was one of these times. I made a reservation for my birthday dinner and requested a table by the windows with a view. When we arrived, the hostess made a comment about how if we took the window table we would be skipping the server who was up next for a table. She made it very uncomfortable and awkward. When we sat down, the waitress was not friendly and seemed annoyed. Not being from Hilo, I had never been to this restaurant before but thought it was more of an upscale steak restaurant. It was not. The food was some of the worst I have ever had. The prime rib was tough, overcooked and lacked flavor. The mashed potatoes tasted like there was soap in them. The salad bar was the biggest joke I have ever seen! It was definitely NOT a salad bar—just some wilted lettuce, chopped up squid and some kind of broccoli Cole slaw. The dressing was bottled and not homemade. The salad bar was a mess, with food all over the place. I was so disappointed. Not only was it my birthday but it was our last dinner in Hawaii. Everything about our vacation was amazing—except this meal.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
They do a pretty impressive weekend buffet with prime rib and crab legs, and nice desserts.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Food was alright but the service was really good
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
It’s suck here, the waiters don’t give a shit about you til you wave ur hands to call them. People who got into the restaurant later than us even got food earlier than us , and I feel like they kinda racism to us cuz we are Asian or what? So sad for this time and never gonna eat here again, just go to the hell 💀
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
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