The 18 best spots for ramen in Hilo

Lovely, lovely vegan and gluten free restaurant. Very happy to find this gem on the island! Fresh ingredients, locally sourced, and the cafe has a positive energy. Portion sizes are large and generous; honestly, I would have paid the same price for half a sandwich and the soup.

If you are vegan or not, you have to try their food, especially desserts. so delicious and fresh. If you are on the island, must try their food on or out of your way to volcano national park. Hopefully they will be in business when I return after few years. This cafe would be one of my reasons to visit big island.

The place itself is really nice and the menu offers plenty of healthy yet tasty choices. Everything is fully vegetarian and most dishes can also be made vegan, which is a big plus. Unfortunately, we were a bit unlucky with our picks. We ordered the avocado toast, which turned out to be just one slice of bread topped with avocado and some seeds. It felt quite small and underwhelming, especially since most places usually serve two slices. A few sprouts or something extra on top would have made it more interesting. We also tried the açaí bowl. The menu mentioned blueberry and strawberry but instead of being served in pieces or slices like the banana, they were blended into the açaí itself. The result was pretty uneventful and honestly we’ve had better açaí bowls elsewhere on the island.

Cute little café with a good selection for vegetarians. I tried the Chickpea Burger and the Ulu Burger, the Ulu Burger was enjoyable, while the Chickpea Burger could use a bit more flavor. The sourdough toast was fine as well. Overall, a nice spot to try at least once, especially if you’re looking for vegetarian-friendly options.

I would give 10 stars if I could. Super fresh food. Lots of gluten free and dairy free options. The cassava pizza is a MUST try. Beautiful spacious seating inside and out.

nr 1 was Cacao Nectar! so unique taste! pizza was great • salad as well • cakes chocolate also • if you nearby thats the place to eat!

This is a gem in Hilo! our family stopped here to eat before heading to the airport and what a great decision. Everything we had was tasty. For the record we are MEAT eaters and don't plan to make a lifestyle change anytime soon and I would choose to eat here ANY day of the week. Staff was friendly and quick. prices are a bit expensive but the food tastes so good and fresh you understand why it's at that price point. We had the soup, salad, burgers, smoothies, fresh juices, sandwiches, cakes and a couple assorted desserts. We ate ALOT and finished everything. Thank You Sweet Cane! We hope to visit again!

Good service, welcoming, and quick. Decor is atypical for ramen shop meant to be enjoyed quickly. They also feature a sushi bar. We found the ramen just mediocre in taste a bit crowded almost messy in presentation. I do appreciate the option of selecting the noodles to be firm, normal, or soft. I always loved a firmer cooked ramen but found it didn’t make much difference. The broth was lacking flavor and depth and combined with all the toppings it didn’t come together very well. Nonetheless, cute spot lovely service just ramen wasn’t anything great.

I do not eat ramen often, but on this particularly chilly and wet day in Hilo ramen was exactly what we wanted. We were seated promptly, scanned the menu, and ordered. Two of us ordered the Tantanmen Ramen and the other chose the Tonkotsu Fried Ramen. We enjoyed our meals in silence, which is often a sign of group enjoyment. The meals could have easily been taken home for leftovers, especially the fried ramen! The pricing here is reasonable when you take into account the price of most restaurants on the big island, the amount of food you get, and the great taste. We will be coming back and hope to see the sushi menu!

We were surprised when we were quoted a 45min wait, but no problem, we can wait in the car. We ended up walking around the shops and came back and were called up in about 7min total. You can order and pay via a code and an online menu. The ramen was fantastic. My partner got the scallion ramen and I got the garlic ramen, we split a kaedama. The garlic ramen was the best I've had in years and they were not shy with the garlic. The vibe of the restaurant was super cute and very much like in Japan.

The BEST ramen I've had. Ever. Full stop. What a delicious surprise. I would honestly eat here three times a week if I could. Honestly the best. Splurge and get all the add-ins you want. So worth it!

Tonkotsu ramen review We came here for the ramen but I left with the best sushi Full disclosure I have eaten lots of sushi and when I say sushi I don’t mean ordering off the extensive roll menu. I prefer the simple presentation and preparation that highlights the beauty of the flavor of the fish. On to the review! We arrived for ramen and their offerings were quite extensive. More detailed and customizable than any ramen place I had been before. Lots of pictures and the feeling like I was in a Japan ramen house. Personally I am not a big ramen fan. It tastes great but hurts my stomach so I was checking out their curry as a more friendly option when the waitress told me that sushi was now available. The way she said it was in that the sushi chef was now here and so they could serve sushi. So maybe it’s just a dinner thing. The sushi menu is short and sweet. A few classic rolls and sashimi combinations. I ordered the chefs choice sashimi combo. I have been doing this more often lately as I want to leave it up to the chef. This time it was the absolute right choice. My plate arrived and I was surprised at the variety displayed for me. There was classic salmon, maguro(tuna), yellowtail. Tako (octopus), ika (squid). And then some I don’t normally see like conch, saba (mackerel), scallop. It was a wonderful variety and all was amazing. The way it was all cut made every piece melt in my mouth. Normally you would get larger pieces consisting of two bites each. Most of these were cut smaller so you could have many wonderful bites of each type. The saba was pickled In a way I had never had before. Not like the salty saba at most places. The ika was cut into thin stripes and cross cut every 1/8th inch and so was soft like butter. The scallop were large pieces, not the pile of little ones mixed with cupie gunk. These were beautiful displayed and so creamy. The tuna was also cut In a way that I could enjoy many easy bites. The tako also. Every piece was so good that as it disappeared from my plate I put a lot of thought into which would be my last piece. I finished with the scallop. Also the presentation was beautiful, see the picture, everything on the plate was edible. Dikon radish, shiso leaves and 2 types of seaweed. This plate elevated a meal in to an experience and I highly recommend it. I approached the sushi chef on my way out and thanked him for the amazing meal. He was working at a small station and clearly busy. I still blurted my thanks and appreciation and I hope he continues on creating amazing sushi.

The ramen was spectacular, so was the sushi! My family had a great time and everyone enjoyed what they ordered. Only downside was the man who obviously is a plumber in our line of sight, but that's not on the restaurant at all. Would recommend overall to anyone!

This is a must-go Japanese restaurant in town if you like Japanese cuisine such as ramen or curry based dishes. They have got plenty of ramen selections with nice meat selection. Japanese curry dishes are of very authentic flavor. Oyago don is also of authentic flavor and presentation, not as good as what you could get in Japan local plcaes, but definitely one of the best I have tried in the US. The only complaint would be the portion for every main course is very large! lol

The food is alright. We ordered the Sautéed mushrooms appetizer to share and I got the ahi with eggplant.

Decent but not as good as I expected. Luckily there wasn’t a wait when we arrived. The hosts brought us to our table immediately. It took a while for our server to get to us (seemed understaffed) but she was really nice. We ordered the fries, ribeye steak with shrimp tempura & 2 bent box. The food was tasty unfortunately the tempura was soggy.

The food is excellent here and so is service. Shrimp tempura was melt in your mouth, goodness! The vegetable tempura was cooked to perfection. I enjoyed eating the sashimi. The food presentation is also good, as shown in the pictures below. It was very busy around 7 pm, almost no tables were available. Reservations are important to avoid any waiting. I definitely recommend this restaurant for excellent seafood and steak.

This was a great find for us. The sashimi was fresh, tempura the perfect thickness, and the mushrooms were full of flavor, tender, and melt in your mouth. A great selection of sake and my mai tai was so yummy.

Ah! Came here for lunch with my partner and it was so so good! They don't even offer fork and knife (you have to ask for them i think), because they gave us chopsticks! That was a first for me and it shows how authentic and good this food is! 😋

Hmm. I really wanted to like this place. Menu sounded cool, like an upscale izakaya. Cocktails were pretty good, service was OK given all the tables were full. Then the food came and it was so disappointing. Freezer aisle scallops followed by entrees smothered in sauce when they should not be, served in these trough-like plates. Everything was overly rich yet bland. After a while hunting for bits of overcooked zucchini in the sludge and hearing our neighbors make the same complaints I decided to write a review. Please knock it off with the sauces or at least don't charge fine dining prices for it.

10/14/2024 Izakaya Miyo 564 Hinano St Hilo, HI 96720 I went here for a late lunch on a Monday. I waited at the outside podium to be seated and had a short wait while my table was prepared. It's mostly a table and chair setup with a long bench at the far wall. Many of the tables had used service items, so it looks like this place gets busy. Wait service was friendly and helpful. I had the lunch sized broiled Saba and cold tofu, which came with a green salad and rice. The miso soup had good flavor and some cubes of tofu and kombu slices. The rice was dry and hard, what my Japanese mother called poroporo, which can't be used to make sushi because it's not sticky. The Saba consisted of three dainty fillets and maybe I should have had the regular for$7 more? The fish was juicy and mainly bone free. The meal was okay spoiled by the rice and the portions made it a not so good value. No repeat for me.

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.

This is a very local restaurant, and we loved it! They have a display showing all the options, and you can order by the unit to try different things or go for one of the bento boxes with set items. We got a bit of everything! There’s no seating area, but they pack the food really well so you can take it anywhere. Personally, I didn’t love the crab cake and roll, but everything else was wonderful. There was quite a line when we arrived, so it took about 30–40 minutes to order worth the wait!

Saw a review of this place on YouTube and thought it would be worth checking out and I was blown away with the quality of the food. The fish was some of the best mahi I have ever had and the spam masubi tasted fresh as if it were just pressed. The chicken was crispy and had an excellent flavor. The staff here were filled with aloha and I felt very welcomed despite it clearly being my first time visiting.

Stop here for breakfast and try the different foods. The food was amazing and the staff were very helpful when helping to pick out what we wanted. A full box and 2 juices was only about $17 so worth the price! The photo here shows how excited we were to dig in and not capture all the food! There isn't places to sit and eat but we found a nice park to enjoy it at.

Great local place for an impromptu custom bento. Line was a few feet out the door so had to wait about 20 minutes for order to be taken. When you get up to the case a patient employee will take down your order then go fill your order and meet you at the register to pay. Don’t worry you’ll have plenty of time once you get inside to ogle at all the food options they have in the case. Everything tasted great and satisfied the craving. Don’t forget to order at least a serving or two of long rice, nishime (stewed root veggies), mac salad. They had a Portuguese pickle on the white board for $6. Great rice vinegar based pickle option that helped cut through the fried options.

Quick Summary Nice little gem in Hilo, when you want to get your fried food fix. Can call ahead to skip on the line, but the line moves pretty quickly. The staff are very friendly and patient. My favorites are their tempura, particularly their fish. Food- 5 stars Really solid batter on their tempura. Would highly recommend their tempura'd fish. Definitely balance it out with some pickles and musubi, but the highlight was the tempura fish Service- 5 stars The staff are very friendly and patient. They were awesome Bottom Line Good and fast tempura with excellent service. It's street parking only, but people come and go quickly.

When in Hilo… Okazuya is a must! Japanese plantation days finger/picnic foods ordered one piece at a time! Take-out only! Kawamoto’s resonates 80-years of history and it has a special place in my heart. $10 per person buys you a lot!

Poke was so fresh and tasty — my favorite poke on the big island after trying a lot of places! We ordered and walked across the street to enjoy our bowl on the beach. Ended up ordering a second bowl to go because it was so good. We can’t wait to be back!

Super quick, delicious poke bowls!! Tiny shack with just a few chairs along the side walk but great to go and really good poke.

Love the freshness of the fish at this spot! It was super tender and melt in the mouth. We got the spicy ahi which was recommended to us as the most popular one. Do not miss this spot!

Ever since they opened, Poke Market has been a favorite of mine and my best friend! We love their food, their employees, and we will be lifelong customers! We literally eat EVERY piece!!

By far the most incredible musubi and poke bowls I've ever had! The variety in flavors and textures in the bowl was amazing and I savored every bite. For such an unassuming place on the outside, the food was absolutely incredible.

The food here is delicious. Easily the best poke bowls we've found on the island. Not much seating, so best to get take away and sit down by the water

The best poke I have had on big island so far (IMO - much better and cheaper than Da Poke Shack in Kona). Had the Everyday Joe bowl and it was delicious! All the elements in the bowl went together perfectly. This is strictly takeout but there is one bench you can snag if lucky. Staff were also super nice. Will definitely revisit this place before I leave!

The WORST korean food ever. Korean chicken tastes and looks like orange chicken from panda express. Both of my shrimp were so undercooked I couldn't eat them. And one piece of soggy mochico chicken was over $5. What an overpriced disaster. $21 plate and I'm throwing most of it in the trash.

Good okazuya they are generous with the sides portions. The egg battered fish was good, popular. Spam musubi had good ratio.

we were visiting Hilo for day and wanted to try a local restaurant. we were greeted with deliciious food and friendly service! our favorites were chicken wings, homemade kimchee, dumplings and chicken dish!

Came here at 12 and this is what they had left for $16 dollars this is ridiculous and I bought 2 plates and 2 drinks cost me $40 not worth it

The food taste delicious! Just the prices are high. Other than that, I don't have any bad concerns.

Not only do they have a FOOD HOT LINE but they also have LOCAL KINE FOOD...

Everything I have eaten from here was out of this world delicious. My all time favorite is their hamburger steak. It is made with mostly meat, I doubt they use any fillers. It is the best hamburger steak I have had in my life!!!

Delicious food, friendly fast service. I had the spicy tonkatsu ramen and my husband chose the chicken curry, both were great! Welcome change from the tourist traps by our hotel.

First time I tried the Hilo location and it was just as good as the other ones in the islands. Fast service big plates and ono grinds. If you haven't been make sure you go. Recommend for everyone.

Loved everything ramen was hot and delicious not very spicy, service was impeccable very clean and neat place

They were very busy and seemed to be a little under staffed. The food was great. Don't be in a rush, but you can enjoy. I had the tonkatsu. My wife had the shrimp fried rice. We both enjoyed our meals. Her rice was loaded with shrimp.

This place has amazing Japanese style curry. The plates are very lage portions but match with the price of a plate around $15 each. I feel like you won't leave hungry which isn't a bad thing. I couldn't finish my plate. The plate is bigger than my head and the picture just doesn't do it enough justice. I felt really good after eating here. It's definitely a very small dining area, I think they would do much better at a larger establishment. With 5 parties the whole restaurant might be completely full.

Long line during weekend dinner time, although it was packed the ordering was quick, the service was impeccable, food came out hot, as ordered and generous. Condiments on the table were clean and full, water was never empty. Food was Good.

The food and service is top tier. Always have to stop multiple times when I’m in Kona. Authentic taste and feel. Highly recommend.

As regulars of Aloha Mondays, we knew it would be something truly special to feature one of our favorite Hilo eateries at our wedding, and it absolutely was. Geana worked closely with us to create a custom menu, and the result was beyond anything we could have imagined. So many of our guests told us it was the best wedding food they’ve ever had...and we couldn’t agree more. Some of my personal favorites include: Pupus: The ahi poke bomb and the mushroom poke bomb (a perfect option for our vegetarian guests), and the heart of palm lumpia was honestly out of this world. Every bite was flavorful, crunchy, thoughtful, and made with so much care. Dinner: Chinese Black Bean Steamed Kona Kampachi, the Slow Braised Szechuan Shortribs, Chocolate Bread Pudding with Haupia Sauce. Thank you, Aloha Mondays, for feeding our favorite people in the world and fueling us for a full night of dancing. We’re so grateful.

Food so good you might get into a car accident if you decide to eat & drive because the food is so amazing you will completely stop focusing on the road😂 One of the best spots in town with QUALITY top tier food. There’s only 6 different options every week plus one dessert item on the menu. No matter what you get, it’s the bomb! Some of my favorites include - the best ever pineapple carrot cake, the uala Haupia pie, Cioppino seafood stew, shrimp scampi, loco moco, furikaki salmon, the uala purple potato salad is a must, I could go on & list more but I’ll stop here. Check out their Instagram page!

Unsure if we ordered the wrong items on the menu, however, flavors were subpar. We were recommended to come here and the raving reviews got us excited. However, the food did not meet our expectations. Ceviche was highly lacking in flavour (tasted only lemon juice) and fish did not taste fresh as it was tough. The crispy kataifi ono was just fish fried in kataifi (was not seasoned with anything at all). The only thing we enjoyed was the salad. Maybe just wasn't our day.

Ono grindz. Found this spot on a random internet search while in Hilo. Glad I did, because I had some of the best food during my time in the Big Island. My party ordered the ahi fish & chips, the pork & peas plate, and the ulu cheesecake. Since there's no dining area, we drove to nearby Hilo Brewing Co. to have some local brews to go with our food. Wish I had more space in my stomach to try the rest of their weekly menu. Too good.

Wish I could give 10 stars. The menu is incredible! I am told it changes weekly (this week they had some St Patrick Day inspired food). I ordered the Korean chicken and waffles with gojuchang butter and sesame syrup. It was out of this world good! One of those dishes I'll dream about. My husband got the tahitian Lime shrimp and rice and slaw. It was light and delicious! But the real star of the show is the lady at the counter who made my little girl happy. My 5 year old daughter was feeling extremely under the weather today and just wanted a grilled cheese sandwich. After reading the menu to my daughter and her not wanting any of it, I was planning on going somewhere else for her sandwich. But I didn't have to because the lady working said she'd see what she could do and made her a grilled cheese. The way my daughter's eyes lit up when she saw her sandwich was priceless. She was so happy. And she felt so much better afterwards! If only we didn't live on O'ahu, we'd be back! A huge mahalo!

I'm so happy I found this place while staying in Hilo! I got the Beef Wellington and Pesto Salmon Salad. Both were delicious and cooked well! I wish this was in LA. If I were to come back to Hilo I would definitely go again. Really wish I was able to try more dishes since they switch every week. Don't believe there's a sit down but with COVID19 take out is much preferred. There's a few parking spots in the back and you can order online as well

Hidden gem !!! This food was tasty and clean I would definitely come back again. There is no sit down over here and the menu always changes you can see the current one on there website. I had the Spanish rice loco moço, it was really tasty and original never had one like it before.

Very expensive but great experience. Food was amazing and it was very fresh. I especially recommend the hot apple crisp which was even better than I expected. Service was great too, refilled our drinks often and checked in a lot. Atmosphere could’ve been better though, pretty loud and there was a 22 person group… But overall, if you want a big meal and celebrate something and still don’t mind the price then I recommend coming here.

By far the best service I've had at any restaurant. I mean, I wouldn't get halfway through a drink before a refill would arrive. The perfect amount of attentive without being overbearing. The food was okay besides the amazing garlic bread. Id give it another try just for the service alone.

Absolutely no complaints about this dining spot. From the menu to the atmosphere, it’s hard to find anything that doesn’t make you feel satisfied with your eating experience. The decor is simple and tasteful, and the restaurant is clean. We visited Pesto’s in 2016, returning because we were so pleased last time. We were again served with the best food and pizza on the island. We started with the Korean cream cheese garlic bread. It was pillowy and creamy, and sinful. Enough to give a good few bites to 4 people, but we wouldn’t have complained if the appetizer was double its size. (Ha ha!) For the entrees, my husband and I shared (fought over) the Thai chili shrimp and Luau pizzas. Both were so delicious! We also recommend the Greek pizza, which is loaded with fresh bites of vegetables and cheese. Our daughter tried the shrimp scampi and gave it a 5/5 (which is saying A-LOT)! Whatever you order, however, will undoubtedly be good, as will be the service you receive. Chefs kiss.

Had 5pm Saturday reservations and there was no wait for my family of 4. Free parking was easy to find in the parking lot infront. The server was so nice and on it, food came out fast and DELICIOUS!! The freshly made custom topping salami and pepperoni pizza was so good (my kids favorite)! The seafood risotto was perfect and the desserts were the icing on the cake. The creme brulee had that nice caramel crunch on the top and creamy inside with a side of pineapple and their daily dessert special Triple chocolate mousse with raspberry sauce was so soft, chocolatey and just melts in your mouth. We had an amazing experience at Cafe Pesto and will definitely be back on our next trip.

I live in Hilo and wanted to take my boss out for her Birthday! We made last minute reservations and although they were really busy they sat us at a nice table. Our server was very attentive and friendly . Food was delicious and they even brought out her desert with a candle and sang Happy Birthday! Thank you Pestos for making this a great experience for us!

What a great surprise and wonderful dining experience. The staff is friendly, the food delicious, and there was no wait when we went (around 2:30). We had the risotto and a sandwich and both of us agreed it was easily some of the best food we had on the island. Highly recommend giving it a try if you are in the area.

Super cute place. The food is interesting and delicious. The drinks are right on. Enjoy! We went with the coconut calamari, barn mi, risottos and pasta. Awesome.

Absolutely delicious! 1st meal off an 18-hour travel day and I couldn’t be more satisfied. I had the green papaya salad and the garden curry. Both were perfectly balanced and kept me wanting more. Their portions are huge! Can’t wait to have this for lunch tomorrow… but I’ll still be back later this week for the pad see ew and mango sticky rice. The owner and her sisters all running the place makes this whole experience even sweeter ❤️ Enjoy & bring your friends!

I would start by saying they are friendly towards meal choices for vegan and vegetarian. What i didn’t like was I found a long black hair in my food, which is a major red flag for hygiene. I ordered to-go, and it was quite off-putting. On top of that, the curry was uncomfortably spicy with red chilli flakes in it. The place feels rundown and quite old. The only positive note is that they did adjust the spice level for my second dish. Overall, I would advise avoiding this place if cleanliness is a priority for you.

Delicious food beautifully presented. Portions were large enough to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. The big green tortilla with the crust of cheese is the Thai Pizza. Not like anything I’ve ever had, and I loved it. We also had the Garden curry and it was one of the best things I’ve ever tasted!

Tina makes the food here with skill and love! FRESH and LOCAL produce deliciously prepared in the summer rolls and the pad Thai. Super yummy tamarind flavor along with basil made for the perfect pad Thai sauce. Great service and ambiance

Oh man, I loved my Tom kha soup! It’s little sweet but if you get spicy it tempers the sweet perfectly! The table next to mine got Panang curry, and they kept oohing and awing over it! The mango sticky rice dessert was Ah-Mazing!

Absolutely delicious! Such a unique menu and everything is so fresh and nourishing. Wish I had found this place sooner! I will definitely be back. Customer service is also stellar and love the family style portions. Loved the asparagus salad and the mango sticky rice is to die for. Yum!!!

Food was amazing, vegetarian and vegan friendly as well! We kept coming back to this place 2-3 times during our stay in Hilo. We tried thai curry and this spinach tortilla with veggies and cheese, very filling good portion size, must try

Nori's was one of my bookmarked places to try but wasn't at the top of the list. Our journey here was a last minute decision as we wanted a nightcap as well as food, and Nori's was one of the few places open at 10pm. ATMOSPHERE: They're located in a small strip mall, though the eatery cannot be seen from the road. Seating is a collection of homemade wooden booths, even for the 2-seaters, with two of them being able to accommodate large parties of about 16 each. Decor is very homely, and the place was fairly clean sans for the sticky floors, but to be fair we came at the end of the night, so that's to be expected. MENU: Saimin, won ton min, mundoo soup, ramen, cold noodles, stir fried noodles, local plate lunches, hot pot, burgers, salads, desserts. Also sake, beer, wine. FOOD: Hilo Style Saimin All the saimin/noodle dishes are available in small or large sizes, with the option of the "special" which added a few slices of won bok and a chicken skewer. Being the pig that I am, I ordered the large which was loaded with so much noodles that I couldn't finish even half. The noodles were thicker and wavy like dry mein noodles and cooked perfect. The only downfall was the broth which was a tad overly salty which killed the natural dashi flavor. Temperature-wise it was hot but not searing. The teriyaki-flavored chicken stick, unfortunately, was very dry and overcooked. Local Special My spouse's dish. This falls under their "Local Moco's" category, AKA loco moco. The Local Special added two eggs and a scoop of macaroni salad to the "hamburger steak" dish. The portion was huge for the price. The forkful I tasted was really good; the patty moist and the dark brown gravy thick and savory. Great deal and it'll fill ya up! SERVICE: Our female server, an elder Asian woman, was so sweet and friendly! I didn't get her name but she had on a black shirt with "Nori's" spelled out in sparkly rhinestones on the front. Extremely pleasant and professional! TIP: They do not split checks at all, with bright pink signs abound stating it. OVERALL: Nice menu with lots of noodle choices and even alcohol, good service, open late compared to other eateries in the area.

We ordered the original small saimin, loco moco, and Bi bim kook soo. The saimin didn't have the typical saimin umami flavor that we're crave in the broth. It was just salty and my daughter was adding her water into the broth to make it more palatable. Eck. The meat in the bi bim kook soo was really tough and lacked the Korean full taste that we're used to. The one good thing we experienced was the delicious char broiled flavor of the burger patty in the loco moco. That was good. The rest, we can't recommend.

We wanted to try Loco Moco since it’s so often raved about and this one wasn’t too bad! I enjoyed the gravy and the egg was cooked to what I said. The Korean combination was the best dish; the meat was flavored strongly without much or any visible sauce! Everything else was a bit disappointing; the garlic butter shrimp noodles didn’t have much taste and the soba was bland also. Their best dishes seem to be few. I highly recommend the Chocolate Mochi Cake as a not-too-sweet dessert!

Great ambience and friendly service. Mainly locals and very little tourists. Unfortunately, the food wasn’t stellar. The broth on both of our saimins were salty to the point where we barely ate our soups. The chicken stick was dry, tough and too sweet. The corn bites were decent. The musubi is tad bit overpriced for a clump of mushy rice and a strip of nori.

Quaint hole in the wall with charm. The staff were attentive and friendly. My friends ordered saimin and both said the broth was a bit too salty for their taste. I ordered Loco moco and made it a "special," which means it came with an extra egg and macaroni salad on the side. The macaroni salad had a good flavor however it was a bit saltier than I prefer. I enjoyed the loco moco, however.

We wanted to like this place. There’s no denying that it’s popular. But in the end we’re not sure why. The portions are generous. That’s probably the main reason people come here. I had the teri loco moco. My eggs were super underdone. The teri sauce was thin and too sugary. The mac salad was all mayonnaise. We also had the saimin. It was bland. We expected it to have luncheon meat, but lunch meat, noodles, and a flavorless broth are all you get. And, it took 45 minutes from the time we ordered until our food was brought out.

This place was so delicious. From out of town, came hungry, left happy and full. Huge fantastic portions! And affordable

The food was ok. Kalbi was too salty. Mandoo was really chewy. The pork chop was a bit dry. The best part of the meal was the Brookie Ala Mode

Our family was craving Japanese food, and after checking online reviews, we decided to give this place a try. The restaurant was packed with locals, which felt like a good sign — we waited about 20 minutes for a table. The food isn’t exactly traditional Japanese; it’s more of a Hawaiian fusion, which made for an interesting twist. The grilled beef was extremely salty — like, really salty — probably due to over-marination. On the bright side, the grilled salmon inside was tasty and went okay with the rice. The fried chicken katsu was pretty good too. Portions were huge! If you’re not a big eater, you might find yourself stuffed halfway through — which, honestly, is a good problem to have.

After a few days of researching, my stomach was set on this place to satisfy my ramen craving. Hilo has quite a few places that serve ramen, but these folks had the tastiest-looking pics. ATMOSPHERE: It's an older space but kept very clean. Windows abound let it lots of natural light. Seatings are booth and low tops. Their sizzling platters can make you coming out smelling like a cook. MENU: Local style plate lunches, fried rice, gyoza, salads, ramen, desserts. FOOD: Gyoza (7 pcs.) I've never had homemade gyoza before. The filling had cilantro-like notes but were a bit bland. The tangy shoyu dipping sauce helped out a bit. The bottoms could've been seared a bit more. Shoyu Ramen Easy choice as I am a shoyu ramen fanatic! The noodles were thin, straight and chewy. The transparent broth needed a swish of shoyu to bring up the flavor. I expected the half egg to be hard boiled but was surprised at its medium gooeyness; great job by the way. The toppings of bean sprouts, green onions, seaweed flakes and fish cake tied in perfect. For the meat topping I got yakibuta which were thinly sliced pork belly. While the dish came out hot, it wasn't searing so it got cold fast. I have a good appetite but I'm glad I chose the regular size which was perfect rather than opting for the "Kenichi Size" which is double of everything. Spicy Miso Ramen My spouse's dish. The spoonful of broth I tasted was good and not overly sweet like other versions I've tried. DESSERT: Brookie I'm not a dessert fan but my spouse is. This is a layered square served warm, with a chewy cookie bottom, pressed and chewy Oreo in the middle, and a brownie at the top. For the ice cream we chose Tahitian vanilla. Tasty and popular dish. SERVICE: We walked in on a Saturday morning and got seated immediately. The place filled up a bit. Our female server was friendly and checked on us, along with another female associate who may have been a manager that came around to all the tables. OVERALL: Very good ramen and service. Who'd have thought?

The steak was too dry and charred even though I ordered medium, ramen was a little too salty and too fishy for my taste but probably because we ordered miso. The best thing about this place was the service with quick, friendly, and attentive servers.

Ono + Delicious = ONOLICIOUS!!🙂🤙We keep coming back. Kenichi's Sizzling Steaks, Pork Chops, Roast Pork, and Korean Boneless Chicken are just some of our Favorites!🙂🤙

Just plain delicious. Be careful if you are watching your weight because these portions are Huge. Ask for Aaron he is a great guy.

It doesn't smell really good when you walk in-smells kind of old and stinky...but don't let that fool you. Kenichi restaurant has pretty good food! We got BBQ chicken and pork cutlet, ramen, and the mahi katsu. The only plate we didn't like was the mahi- it wasn't fresh. Everything else was yummy!! And great value for Hawaii.

Amazing food and staff. I had the house ramen, it was delightfully rich and not too salty, leaves room to season if you like Saltier or spicy food. I also had a California roll and 2 orders of the ahi roll both tasteful and presented beautifully. Wide variety of liquor, beer and cocktails. Some servings of beer are large and can be shared in a party i.e sake bombs or the hitachino line of beer.

Great Ramen. The drinks were pricey but very good. Pineapple sake margarita was delicious. Wife had a pineapple mule with pineapple infused vodka. The setting was awesome and the music was on point! Best meal we have had in Hilo thus far.

Just stopped by for a drink and an appetizer. Had good specials. Liked the sake sampler. Service was super fast.

Fantastic ramen, sushi, and sake selection. Best ramen I've had. Clean place and friendly atmosphere. Second visit and will definitely be back!

Good miso soup. Had kanpai roll which had a bit too much bacon for me and also quite salty. Also had honolii roll which was good. Tried their sake margarita which I enjoyed. Service was great, staff very friendly.

Great little spot! Sushi was all very good and fresh! Service was on point!! I also had the ramen which was SUPER GOOD!!

Always love eating here. Nice atmosphere, nice staff, great sushi and sake.

This was our first time visiting this KTA store—one of the two in Hilo. The store was smaller than we expected, but it seemed to have a wide selection of items. However, we were hoping to buy some bento, and by the time we got there around 1 p.m., they were almost all sold out. It's probably a sign of how popular they are, but it was a bit disappointing. Still, there were a few remaining items near the entrance, such as rice balls (Yukari $1.49, Kombu & Ume $2.89 each), a 5-piece inari sushi pack ($8.95), ANPAN, and daifuku (mugwort and bean varieties), which we picked up. They also had different flavors and types of wagashi (Japanese sweets) compared to the KTA in Kona. (Just making a note for myself.) Since it's located in the downtown area, the parking lot isn't very spacious either.🚙

KTA is a one stop shop. Find fresh produce, dairy products, breads, fish, meats, medicines, canned foods, liquor and even some already prepared foods. The prepared foods consist of poke, sushi rolls, fruits, mac salads, taegu, etc. They'll often carry some specialty items like Two Ladies Kitchen mochi and Uncle Kelly Boy's breads/rolls and cookies (usually located near the cashier). Parking lot available on the lot.

Staff is super nice, they help us when we need it and they carry all of our favorite drinks so I only need to stop at one place!

Way better than the chain (Safeway) store. Love supporting local business.

Are you a tourist? This is a great place to visit to pick up local fare. The staff and the customers are super-friendly. One local helped recommend things he sends to family and friends off the island, like the dried macadamia nuts and the locally made Stone Cookies. And the boxes of Hawaiian-style Mexican wedding cookies made with macadamia nuts are out of this world.

A very old school supermarket with a definite up to date customer oriented attitude which will make anyone smile! Go there and have some smiles too!! Aloha!

Good variety of food. Was fun to see all the local food offered, but was shocked at the price of something I hadn't seen since I was a teenager... reminds me how old I am getting, cause when I was a kid, the were .25 cents. Also, we are in Hawaii... and I know food is more expensive here. Regardless of price, was still cool to see an old favorite I hadn't seen in 35 years

A traditional Hawaiian drive in, with the Hawaiian staples you would expect, loco mocos and burgers. Our burger was decent but not great, the dive aspect and supporting a local business made this stop worth it. The customer service was just ok and this was a quick service option on our way home from Volcano National park to Waikiloa. In my opinion this is a true 3 star eatery. I probably would not stop again but it was a worthy vacation experience.

I love me a good home burger style. The picture doesn't look to appealing, do to i was in a rush, but the taste was fulfilling. Crispy fries to my liking 👍 😋. Chill vibe wherever you go in hilo.

We stopped at K’s Drive-In while passing through Hilo. It’s got that old-school local vibe, nothing fancy, just a big menu, good prices, and a steady flow of locals coming through. I had the kalua pork burger, and it was solid. Smoky, flavorful, and way better than I expected for something that came out of a little walk-up diner. The portions were generous, and the prices felt fair for what you get. The twist cone after lunch hit the spot, definitely worth trying if you stop by. Staff was friendly and helpful, even with my kids asking a bunch of questions about the menu. It’s not super quick, but they take care with the orders. Only downside was the cleanliness, some parts of the kitchen looked like they could use a deep clean, and one of our other dishes was way too salty. Also had a small card fee tacked on at checkout that I wasn’t expecting. Still, it’s a classic Hilo spot. I’d swing by again for the burger and cone, just maybe bring cash and keep things simple.

Stopped by K’s Drive Inn in the morning and it wasn’t busy at all, which made for a quick and easy stop. I ordered the loco moco with potato mac salad for about $10, a fair price for the portion. The loco moco patty was on the dry side, but overall it was still tasty and satisfying. The potato mac salad was a nice addition and balanced out the plate. Not the best loco moco I’ve had, but good enough for a casual local-style breakfast.

Do not order the Chicken Hekka. I’ve given it some thought, and this might actually make it into my top three awful-tasting foods. The kitchen doesn’t look clean either. There was almost no taste or spice, the chicken was just tough and dry, and the whole thing felt like it’s either sad leftovers reheated again and again or made with those wild island chickens. Dirty water all over kitchen floor.

Must try their twist flavor serve ice cream. I had the pineapple and vanilla flavor. Delicious dessert after eating one of K's Drive-In special of the week. Their mac salad was also good. They have a variety of local dishes.

I grew up close to K's Drive Inn so eating here as a child to now has always been a good experience. Home cooked meals served in drive in, not drive thru. When you come down, try the lilikoi juice and the swirl icecream. You can see the age of the place, but its very historical and always reminds me of my childhood. Around the corner is Kadota liquor

Overall, underwhelming experience. One server was great but there was a point where we had to ring the bell a few times to get our waters filled. The food came out quickly and was average quality. Nothing amazing but not too terrible that we wouldn’t go back. There is a girl with a tattoo arm sleeve that was really sour when bringing us the check and checking us out. Until she saw the tip then she was all smiles, waving and thanking us as we walked out the door. She did nothing but seat us and check us out. Don’t know why she had such an attitude. I wish we could have given the tip to the other server only. So sad she has to share it with other servers. We would have left 1/2 what we did if she hadn’t been there.

We enjoyed this for a quick lunch. Sushi was decent for the price. Order using a digital menu and your food comes on a boat conveyor belt right to you. Atmosphere is where this place gets lower points as it had a cafeteria feel to it- something the location in Kona does feel like.

Ordered 4 items from the menu. After waiting for a long time we received one and then 10 min later the second. After that we waited and waited. Finally stopped someone to find out what was going on as both tables on either side of us received a lot of food. She said it would be out, then the manager came out and told us they’re out of seafood!! We were not even offered the choice of ordering something else. At no time were we rude or impatient, just stupid for sitting there for so long. Terrible place!

My family and I used to love eating at Genki. It used to be clean, and the food was consistent. I regret not taking more pictures of food and the walls near the booths. The walls were so dirty I wanted to leave but I stayed for my family. The kabocha tempura wasn’t cut properly so the thin parts were overcooked and the extra thick cut parts were undercooked and the tempura batter was so thick and oily. I shared a photo of the wasabi/ginger dish because they need to be replaced in my opinion. The discoloration is concerning . The avocado with the ebi was clearly browned and unappealing. It would’ve taken 5 seconds to cut out the bad spots and serve an appetizing piece of avocado. The customer service was okay. The restaurant wasn’t busy so the servers were able to check out water cups and refill as needed. Not sure what happened to the management and standards of Hilo Genki sushi but this is not what I am accustomed to and I will not be returning or recommending your location.

I just dont understand d why so many times I've come here we have to use a QR code to check in and wait to be seated because it's full? There's over 6 open tables and we have to wait? Either they set a limit so they dont have to work too hard or.....I cant think of anything else. Im watching people literally leave because they have to wait 40 minutes with open tables available and the bar area still have seating. They have to do better.

It was very good food, and the staff were very kind. Not a long wait for just one or two people. The main thing I wish they had were descriptions of each sushi roll describing what ingredients were used, but you can call a server and they do know the answer. Primarily you order by the picture of the item, and can order up to four items at a time. Sushi train delivers, but is not a revolving buffet style like I'm used to. Definitely a new go to restaurant for me.

Food is very delicious. Portion size is good . We tried many varieties.

Best hole in the wall Japanese food I've had in quite some time even when compared to the mainland. The price is very cheap given the times. Each plate is around $8 which will fill up the average adult. I ordered a tempura lunch plate and the order was freshly fried right in front of me! Where else does that happen for the price?!

Absolutely delicious, simple home cooked food full of flavor and beautifully executed. Main highlights are the tendon (pictured) and tsukemono but everything is very very good. Heads up that it’s cash only, no sitting room, and one person works the shop so you might have to wait a little bit. But that’s all more than worth it. March your meal down a few blocks to the bayfront park for a meal with an ocean view. 10/10

Seriously the best chicken katsu curry I’ve ever had! I went twice just to make sure the first time wasn’t a fluke and it was just as good. It seemed at this restaurant is a one man show, which is even more impressive and makes me want to continue to support his business.

Good food. We ordered the specials, it was made fresh in front of us. We drove to a nearby park to eat it. I enjoyed the taste as well.

Watched as he breaded and pan fried the chicken for my curry katsu. Super fresh. Also put the curry sauce on the side so it would stay crispy until I was ready to eat it since there isn't anywhere to sit inside. CASH ONLY!!! So come prepared because you don't want to miss out on this one.

Without exaggeration, this is the best to-go food we ever have on Big Island!!! The food is so delicious!!! The price is great!!! Their “Today’s Special” is freshly made!!! We ordered Oyako Don & YakiSoba as well as a large plate with 3 items! All of them are very yummy! Highly recommend getting the lunch here and having a great picnic at the nearby parks!!! Please note: it is closed on Sunday!!!

Awesome food! The chicken katsu curry was SO good. It’s a one man show, cash only, & take out. Would definitely recommend.

Night market was so cute! So many vendors perfect vibes food was awesome too

We absolutely love the farmer market at Hilo. Nice selection of fruit and veggies. The prices can vary from our stand the next, so you may want to walk around a bit

Great night market. Loved the live music and stage. So many great food and beverage options. A few other vendors too. Tasted Toasty Dogs - Da Kine dog and Sweetkine808 grinds Loaded Mac Bowl w/ chicken bacon ranch, both were amazing. So much flavour in the mango salsa on the dog and the tast of the Mac bowl was amazing! Thanks for a delicious evening

So many crazy vendors on Wednesday. Have my souvenirs and a few goodies to take to work! Henna artist is great and coffee just right.

I went today and waves is always pretty maj nd lifeguards is always da best guys those unkos is chill nd sometime they come outside there wen get packed

The local bands are awesome, different every week. Lots of vendors and food trucks. I love the atmosphere of this market. They have covered tents to sit and eat and indoor space with crafters, clothing and crystals for sale. Very diverse offerings and family friendly.

Had a great time at some events there, only complaint is the rough rocky ground is kinda hard to dance on, maybe they can bring in some smaller cinder or smaller gravel that's easier to dance and walk over ? Other then that, I loved the venue and had a great time