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Overlooking Hilo Bay from its towering perch on the waterfront, this popular, upscale restaurant with great water views has a sophisticated second-floor dining room that looks like it's straight out of Manhattan. A sushi bar complements the excellent selection of fresh fish, pork, beef, and vegan options. Premium wines and sake are available.
123 Lihiwai St., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Creative use of fresh local produce
- Blue Bay burger with shoestring fries
- Hilo's most upscale restaurant
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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What this casual pub-turned-burger-joint lacks in space and parking is more than made up for in burger choices: more than 22 varieties of gourmet burgers, from a bacon ranch burger to a southern BBQ burger. Many of the ingredients come straight from the Big Island, and non-beef selections such as fish burgers are available as well, so it's definitely worth checking out.
776 Kilauea Ave., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Grass-fed local beef
- Live entertainment
- More than 21 beers on tap
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There's a reason why locals flock to this hideaway for the best Thai cuisine in Hilo. Fresh local ingredients highlight proprietor Sombat Saenguthai's menu (many of the herbs come from her own garden) to create authentic and tasty Thai treats like coconut curries, fresh basil rolls, eggplant stir-fry, and green papaya salad. Most dishes can be prepared with your choice of tofu, pork, beef, chicken, squid, or fish.
88 Kanoelehue Ave., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Famous pad Thai sauce available for purchase
- Friendly service
- Single owner and chef
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch
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Established in 1948, this casual spot is famous for its tasty loco moco, prepared in more than three dozen ways (with different meats, chicken, vegetables, and fish), and its low-priced breakfast and lunch specials. The word "restaurant," or even "café," is used loosely—you order at a window and eat on one of the outdoor benches provided—but you come here for the food, prices, and authentic, old-Hilo experience. You can stuff yourself for $5 if you order right.
969 Kilauea Ave., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Family-owned eatery
- The Super Loco Moco
- Generous portions
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekends
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Located in a beautiful high-ceiling venue in the vintage S. Hata Building, Café Pesto offers creative pizzas with ingredients such as fresh Hamakua mushrooms, artichokes, and Gorgonzola. You can also make a full meal of the Asian-inspired pastas and risottos, fresh seafood, delicious salads, and appetizers. Products from local farmers feature heavily on the menu—Kulana free-range beef, Kawamata Farms tomatoes, and Kapoho Farms lehua-blossom honey. Happy hour is 2–5 pm.
308 Kamehameha Ave., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Use of local farm produce
- Wood-fired pizza
- Featured on the Food Network
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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Hilo's best Chinese restaurant specializes in seafood but also offers many other Cantonese treats, including salt-and-pepper pork, Mongolian lamb, and vegetarian specialties like garlic eggplant and crispy green beans. The food is good, portions are large, and the price is right, but don't come here expecting any ambience—this is a funky, no-frills Chinese restaurant, with random pieces of artwork tacked up here and there.
1263 Kilauea Ave., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Authentic Cantonese Chinese food
- Salt-and-pepper prawns
- Good soups
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Come hungry: there’s a reason the line is usually out the door at this popular hole-in-the-wall eatery in a shopping center downtown. Not only does the Hawaiian comfort food hit the spot, it’s affordable and served in sizable portions. The heavily “local” menu items include fresh-fish specials, poke bowls, and Kalua pork hash served with fried rice and eggs. There's another location in Waimea.
681 Manono St., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Breakfast available all day
- Kalua pork hash
- Vegetarian options
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Mon. and Tues.
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Unassuming from the outside, this small, local-style plate-lunch eatery serves top-quality, genuine Hawaiian specialties in Hilo. All the staples are here, from kalua pork (slow-cooked and pulled) to shoyu chicken (cooked in a sauce including fermented soy sauce), loco moco (meat, rice, and eggs smothered in gravy), and pork adobo. Order at the takeout window and grab a seat at one of the picnic tables outside.
194 Hualalai St., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Daily specials like oxtail soup
- Extremely affordable prices
- Favorite among locals since 1964
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For years, this legendary diner near Banyan Drive between the airport and the hotels has been a gathering place for Hilo residents and visitors. Breakfast is the main attraction: Ken's serves 11 types of pancakes, plus all kinds of fruit waffles (banana, peach) and popular omelets, like Da Bradda, teeming with meats. The menu features 180 other tasty local specialties (loco moco, or meat, rice, and eggs smothered in gravy; tripe stew; oxtail soup) and American-diner-inspired items.
1730 Kamehameha Ave., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Local landmark with old-fashioned vibe
- Extensive menu of Hawaiian and diner fare
- Weekly special nights like Sunday spaghetti and Tuesday tacos
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There's no atmosphere to speak of at this diner, and water is served in unbreakable plastic tumblers, but if you're searching for local fare—that undefinable fusion of ethnic cuisines—this is the place. Choose from "grindz" that include loco moco (meat, rice, and eggs smothered in gravy), oxtail soup, plate lunches, pork chops, steaks, saimin, stir-fry, and daily specials.
80 Pauahi St., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Authentic Hawaiian experience
- Good plate lunches
- Award-winning one-pound laulau
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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This sophisticated, intimate restaurant in a bayfront building offers a classy selection of international fare with the focus on locally sourced meats, produce, and seafood. The menu changes daily (see their Facebook page), but mushroom pappardelle is a highlight, along with seafood chowder, spicy kajiki (marlin) tartare, and crispy whole-fried moi (Pacific threadfin).
51 Kalakaua St., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Smoky ahi sashimi
- Lychee martinis infused with Hawaiian influences
- Reservations essential
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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If you expect that a restaurant named Pineapples would serve tropical beverages in hollowed-out pineapples, you'd be exactly correct. Always packed, this open-air bistro looks like a tourist trap, but there is a fine-dining component to the menu, which includes fresh catch, kalbi ribs (grilled, Korean-style), teriyaki flank steak, burgers, wraps, and sandwiches. Check out the daily specials like salmon salad or the Caprese burger.
332 Keawe St., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Surprisingly inventive island cuisine
- Great pineapple salsa
- Live entertainment Thursday–Sunday
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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Perched on the waterfront overlooking a scenic pond at Reeds Bay Beach Park, this restaurant has the look and vibe of an old-fashioned, harborside steak house and bar. The menu features a good range of burgers and salads, steak, and seafood. Every Thursday is lobster night, with 8-ounce lobster tails served a variety of ways. Live music happens most evenings.
135 Kalanianaole Ave., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Thursday lobster night
- Excellent fish-and-chips
- Popular Sunday brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed.
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Puka means a small space in Hawaiian, and this little takeout eatery certainly fits the bill. This is where you can experience authentic local fare such as lunch plates, a chicken katsu plate, or ono (delicious) fish-and-chips. It's within walking distance of the Hilo Farmers Market.
270 Kamehameha Ave., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- True local vibe
- Ample portions
- Bento boxes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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It's not the best Mexican food you've ever had, but if you're jonesing for some carne asada or chicken flautas, Reuben's has you pretty well covered. You can make a meal out of the warm chips and salsa alone. This is a lively place to spend an afternoon or evening.
336 Kamehameha Ave., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Local landmark open since 1979
- Generous portions
- Homemade margarita mix with flavors such as lilikoi (passion fruit), guava, and mango
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It may sound strange, but the takeout seafood counter tucked in the back of this grocery store serves some of the finest poke in Hilo. For $10 a bowl, you get enough seafood on a steaming pile of rice to feed two people. This place offers premium poke at an affordable price, along with an array of seasonings and homemade sauces.
2100 Kanoelehua Ave., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Variety of fresh, Hawaiian-style poke offerings
- House-made sauces
- Good-value grab-and-go lunch spot
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Owned and operated by the Nakagawi family since the early 1920s, this landmark restaurant features three separate dining rooms that overlook a 30-acre natural brackish fishpond, making this one of the most interesting places to eat in Hilo. Some highlights are paniolo (cowboy) prime rib, New York steak, and shrimp scampi. Arrive before sunset and request a table by the window for a view of egrets roosting around the fishpond.
1790 Kalanianaole Ave., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Authentic local experience
- Ocean and pond views at sunset
- Fried aholehole (young Hawaiian flagtail)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
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Verna's is tried-and-true among locals, who come for the juicy house-made burgers and filling plate lunches, and the price is right with a burger combo that includes fries and a drink. If you're hungry for more, try the traditional Hawaiian plate with either laulau, beef stew, chicken long rice, or lomilomi salmon (salted salmon with onions, tomatoes, and green pepper). Whatever you choose, you won't leave hungry. Outdoor seating is available. Verna's is one of the few joints in Hilo that's open 24 hours a day.
1765 Kamehameha Ave., Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, USA
Known For
- Local grindz (food) 24/7 with outdoor seating
- Smoked meat plate lunch
- Superlow prices
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
