We went without a reservation at 5pm since we wanted to see the lava glow. Thank goodness the host/waiter/bartender/busser could accommodate us. Only one guy running the front, 2 people in kitchen area. So you definitely need to practice PATIENCE. Make a reservation! Pros: -location if you coming to/from volcano national park - outdoor seating -delicious food -accepts cash/credit card - take out available Cons: -slow service so if you super hungry, keep driving! - short staffed so be patient read more

See all

Cool menu, tasty food, but not as big of portions from the fish sandwich and pasta. Can't speak for other food portions. Ended up going nextdoor to get more snacks. read more

Ōhelo cafe - Fish sandwich - not that filling but delicious - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

See all

What drawn me to this cafe other than be close by is that the smell of bbq/grilling smoke. Small and local eatablishment attached to a general store. Great local food. We had the mac pesto pizza: delicious, crispy crust and fragrant bread. Loco moco medium rare. Made with sunny side egg and amazing gravy Kalua pork special so smoky and fall apart pork. Love the side potato egg salad. There doesn't seem to have air conditioning though, however the food is amazing read more

See all

Booked a 6:00p reservation at Ohelo Cafe while staying at Volcano's National Park on the Big Island. What a nice surprise. A stunningly cute small cafe sharing a space with an old fashion General Store. We were seated promptly and ordered a pesto pasta and several wood oven pizzas. We inhaled the pasta, and ended up bringing almost a full pizza back to the cabin. The homemade sausage crumbles topping was our favorite. Service was friendly and attentive. This place is a gem in the rough. A must visit if in Volcano ! read more

See all

After a few well spent hours in the Volcano National Park we stopped by at the Ohelo Cafe to grab a quick snack/bite before our 2 hour ride back to our resort. Took a bit for them to seat us and then grab our order. We ended up ordering the Margherita pizza and it showed up about 20 minutes or so later.Tasted decent to good and did its job of taking care of our hunger. Stop by and promote a local business if you can!! read more

See all

New to the area and looking forward a spot to grab a good meal we lucked out and got this beautiful dinner on Thanksgiving! Service was awesome. Food was so delicious. Highly recommend this place. read more

Ōhelo cafe - Prime rib Thanksgiving dinner - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

See all

After touring the Volcanos we were starving... I had the Hamachi Kama which was a starter but worth it... fresh fish? Oh my! The hubby had the O'Helo's Bacon Cheeseburger and it was loaded with bacon and the side of roasted Yukon gold potatoes were spiced just right! Highly recommend! read more

See all

Cool place that has a townie feel but welcomed me like a regular. The server was everyone's best friend. She recommended where to find the cheapest gas, based on $5 a gallon I listened in. I had the ribs, not sure what I was getting but the ribs were moist and tender. It was a driving rainstorm and she checked which way you were going and advised if flooding was possible. Kinda like a good friend she genuinely cared about her customers. read more

Ōhelo cafe - Ribs covered in a tasty gravy over mash potato's with steamed broccoli. - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

Small-ish cafe. If going, would definitely recommend reservations. Don't expect big city dining experience - smaller town with more laid back service. Food was decent but nothing that I'd scream that was amazing. Waiter was very nice, but seemed overworked. read more

It brings me absolutely no pleasure to have to re-review this and drop a Yelp cliché but, here it goes: "This place has really gone downhill" This was my favorite place I ate on the Big Island some 5 years ago. It was expensive, yes. But the dishes were incredibly unique and flavorful. It was absolutely worth it. Now? The dishes and bland and uninventive. To top it all off, they are outrageously under-portioned. The cauliflower dish looks like a joke from an SNL bit. It's $18 and it's below average and tiny. We tried to go on Sunday and, they weren't open. Their hours on the physical building said they were open, their hours on Google Maps said they were open, their page on Yelp said they were open, and their own website said they were open. I understand that emergencies arrive, I even understand that you wanted to go fishing instead of open the restaurant but...COMMUNICATE THAT. (another Yelper mentions that this place is often marked incorrectly as closed, that's probably because the business closes whenever they want, with no communication, and so Yelpers flag it as a closed business.) Anyway, we called on Monday, someone picked up, and we made a reservation. That's how we were able to dine here. Abbey got the pizza and it was average and overpriced. I got the fish of the day, it was good but overpriced and uninspired. Having said all this, it's still probably the best option for food in Volcano. read more

Awesome location. Cool misty weather. Guava bacon burger- yumm Friendly service.. Warm and cozy read more

Ōhelo cafe - Guava bacon burger - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

Stayed in Volcano for a couple of nights and went to dinner here. Be mindful this place requires masks and showing of vaccinations cards. Great local spot we had the pizza and the salad with Tuscan wine. Loved it. Enjoy! read more

See all

I don't recommend this place. I hate to give such a rating but I can't lie. We ordered the seafood pasta and a pizza. The seafood was not fresh and had an odor. The pizza was okay. There's a big hygiene issue that needs investigation. I have never seen/battled so much flies in a restaurant before. You can't even enjoy anything without swatting them. My sister chewed a fly that was in her dark beer that she couldn't see! Yuck! Now I'm worried if they're gonna get food poisoning from the bad seafood. The lady taking our order was very nice and a hard worker given the fact she was the only one waiting tables in the whole restaurant. Unfortunately we won't be returning here. I suggest you look elsewhere. read more

We ate here last night. We showed up for lunch, but they only had pizzas left and were sold out of everything. Made us think people like this place a lot! So we made dinner reservations for the earliest time. We ordered the cauliflower appetizer, rack of lamb, and ka'u fish. Had a plantation tea (cold) and passionfruit tea (hot). Everything was good but the cauliflower was a miss for us. I think someone else would find it good though! It's a small place with not many tables so we thought service will be quick. We were wrong! Maybe it was a bad day but servers told us after 40 minutes wait for our dishes, that there's a propane strike and they were having issues with the grill so that's why we waited long. We waited patiently as we were the third party seated and not in a rush. Volcano will still be erupting even though we were an hour behind plans! Overall, the food spoke and we want to try their burgers still! Service was off because of kitchen issues. Will come back for burgers next trip to Volcano. Hope the gas grill works and you have plenty propane that day! read more

I'm from California and had dinner at The Rim last night. Do not go to The Rim because you want dinner with the crater view. Have dinner here, before or after, the sunset. The quality of food and service is far superior here. We had the Burrata, Caesar salad w shrimp and the risotto, all very good, loved the dessert sampler too. Service was friendly. Water glass remained full. Eat here. Call ahead for a reservation. read more

Decent place. Had the Ahi special. Had a very good taste and the sauce was very flavorful. Waitress was very attentive. Attached to the general store. Make sure you park on the side because the front is just for the general store. read more

A great spot near the volcano for a meal. The woodfire pizza was a standout, but the burgers were good too. We really enjoyed the cozy vibe after a day walking through the park. Highly recommended. read more

Ōhelo cafe - Pizza and fish burger - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

What a find! Very friendly staff, good food, and nice prices! Patty and I enjoyed the white pizza and a few brews for lunch. Great way to get ready for Volcanoes National Park! read more

Ōhelo cafe - Tasty white pizza! - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

I tried the fresh tomato pasta and enjoyed it. I think the consensus for the group I came with was that pastas were the standout items of the ones we tried. The restaurant did seem understaffed but I can't hold that against them. read more

Ōhelo cafe - Fresh tomato pasta - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

Ōhelo Cafe is a Volano café that more than deserves its five stars. I had been under the impression that it was a vegetarian / vegan restaurant and boy was I wrong. My cousin has been visiting and we didn't wanna really drive back into town and so she suggested Ōhelo. I was hesitant because of what I had heard, but I knew I could find something on the menu. Well, it does serve all kinds of food. My cousin had the most delicious Bacon Guava Burger, and I had the margarita pizza with mildly spicy Italian sausage. Both items were really really delicious especially the pizza. I'm very happy to know that there is a place close to me or I can get some inventive food that tastes great. The Good: Fairly priced delicious food in the neighborhood The Bad: you can't order burgers at dinner time. And parking can be limited unless you park in the unpaved lot next-door. Chances I'll Be Back: YES! another option in Volcano. Delicious food can't wait to try more out on the menu. read more

Ōhelo cafe - Italian Sausage Pizza - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

Really good dinner! I would drive an hour again to eat there! My friends gathered there so it was a big group and everyone's food looked so good! From my girlfriend's shrimp to her dates pizza, pork chops, salad. I had just had a late lunch so I only had pesto burrata and it was delicious I cleaned my plate! Our server was so sweet too. Even though I came a little late she squeezed me in last minute. It was intimate and dark a nice place for a date I will be back read more

Aloha, Ohelo Cafe in Volcano Village is a fabulous farm to table restaurant. The ribs (fall-off-the-bone with rich guava BBQ sauce) are a must as well as the wood-burning stove pizzas, wowza! Everything is really good, we have worked our way through the menu and are revisiting our favs! The fresh veggies and salads are amazing. From the flowers on the table, to the great local service, it's by far my favorite restaurant in Volcano. Reservations a must, be patient they are busy! read more

See all

The service was wonderful. They were super busy but still very attentive and kind. We had the ribs and risotto for dinner and the baked Alaska for dessert. All tasted great! Great music while we ate! read more

Ōhelo cafe - Baked Alaska - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

This is my favorite restaurant on Hawai'i Island. I've been coming here for years. It's small and cozy. The employees have always been wonderful. Dinners: I usually order the Ribeye. It comes with Mashed Potato and Broccoli. The Ribeye is flavorful and a very generous portion. I've also had the Ribs,Pork Chop and the Roasted Cauliflower. All are also very good. Lunch: I usually get the O'helo Burger. It comes with roasted Potatoes. Both are really good. They also have Pizza. The flavors are great. If your a fan of thin crust Pizza then this is your place. I do wish they had thick crust, but I order anyway. read more

Fellow Yelpers, Ohelo is not closed. I repeat, Ohelo is not closed. Apparently, they have been trying to get Yelp to change their status for two years and haven't been successful. This is a great spot for a quick bite before heading to the volcano or after a long hike in the national forest. The pizzas are thin crust and filling. Pro tip: As of today, your vaccination cards and a mask are required. And a reservation is highly recommended because it's very small. read more

Ōhelo cafe - Margherita pizza with sausage - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

If you go for lunch, expect to wait in the cold for 5-10 minutes until they let you go inside even of it is mostly empty. There was only one server when I was there but she was really nice. They got a new pizza guy and significantly changed up their style of making it. Maybe it will get better because he just started last week...the cheese was thin and lacking any gooeyness, the sausage was sparse, and it had some sort of grittiness that made it feel like it was smothered in cornmeal. It tasted more like a cracker with parmesan cheese microwaved on top. It didn't taste bad, it just didn't taste or feel like a pizza. I've had some really good dinners here in the past and it's conveniently located right by the national park. Today was just a let down. Maybe your experience will be better. read more

Ōhelo cafe - They changed up their pizza...don't expect it to be as good as it used to be. - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

What a yummy surprise!!! After visiting Volcano National Park, on our way back to Hilo, we decided to stop at Ohelo Cafe for lunch around 12:00. Is a small place and by the time we left it was almost full. The service was great. Everything they cook is homemade and I could tell. I'm a very picky person when it comes to hamburgers. Normally, I only eat them at home. I don't know if it was the hike or what but I ordered the bacon cheese burger and my husband ordered the guava burger. Both came with potatoes. OMG!!! The burgers were DELICIOUS (the whole time I was thinking that I wanted to order another one) and the potatoes were very good seasoned and tasty too. We do finished our meal with a dessert sampler. The cream brûlée was my favorite. I totally will be back! read more

See all

Popped in for a burger for lunch. Clean, simple decor. Ordered bacon cheeseburger. It came with roasted Yukon gold potatoes. It really was a super tasty burger and the potatoes were awesome. Our waiter was sweet and attentive. Good stop. read more

Ōhelo cafe - Bacon Cheeseburger with roasted potatoes - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

Probably the best restaurant in Volcano, but overall it was just okay. We had the Ka'u fish, cauliflower appetizer, and a side salad. The fish was simple but good, and the portion was good. The cauliflower appetizer and salad were both pretty bad. The salad had wilted greens, and the cauliflower tasted foul. I imagine it is pretty hard to source ingredients given the distance from Hilo, but given the exorbitant prices I expected higher quality. I think that this place should consider sticking to pizza and other simpler fare, rather than attempting to offer a fine-dining experience. read more

This was the best restaurant I have eaten at on the big island. The pesto pasta, steak, and salad was delicious. We were seated immediately and our food was served quickly. I highly recommend visit here! read more

Ōhelo cafe - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

See all

I acknowledge that Volcano, Hawaii is not notable for its cuisine. However, certain things should be expected for a dining experience and Ohelo Cafe fell short of the mark in many if not all of these expectations for a restaurant charging the amount they charge. Lets just break it down first with facts and then onto opinions. FACT: A. The failure to acknowledge you upon arrival. B. The obvious disregard for a preset reservation. C. Waited 10 minutes to have anyone acknowledge us despite the reservation. 15 minutes after reservation time we were seated. D. 10 minutes before approaching for drinks. (never got water). E. Seeing the trend we gave our full order. F. Server listened to order, and complied with requests to serve in order. (kudos) G. 1 server for the entire restaurant, who also served as host, and bartender. H. The failure of server to red the room was glaring. It was obvious that he would intentionally avoid eye contact to avoid supporting the experience. Good luck if after your meal does come you need anything cause your on your own. Granted it is a leave of mine to so obviously be disregarded. I give some slack here and tried to hail him as he was heading back to his station, but it made no difference. I. Food was run of the mill at best. At these prices this should be a dining experience. J. Cocktails were prepared nicely and done well. K. Once a large group arrived, obviously expected they were treated like royalty, and who thought it could get worse, it did. I too had reservations but the group was seated immediately and on first course before our food arrived. L. Overall, the place was dirty and a bit cluttered. I question industrial food prep hygiene. OPINION: You are in a service business, you should not neglect or abandon quality of service. You might as well eliminate server (singular), and have a walk up station to place your order. This would be better than over taxing your front of house to the detriment of your customers. Chef, the base of your pizza is close but far from on point. The pie was bland and lacked any real depth. It is clear there was an effort to employ quality ingredients, but these were recklessly thrown together for a disappointing result. All in all, this was a decent meal at half the price. Still not up to par with the implied standards. Would I return? I am afraid not. Would I recommend? I cannot. Would I steer others away? No, I would not but if asked about my experience, I would not be enthusiastic. Your patrons deserve better. read more

Ohelo Cafe does this really interesting thing because of the specific climate in Hawaii. Pizza crust is made without yeast because of the elevation and the humidity. The result is a thin and soft crust that feels like dough but tastes like a cooked pizza. It is amazing. The menu has a different meal every single day and it is always good if only a little pricey. The pizza however is always on the menu and is spectacular. It works like this. You choose a base pizza then add toppings for 2 or 3 dollars each. All pizza are made with the thin crust aforementioned. Not a huge salad selection. The pizza took about 12mins to be made. However you should make a reservation if you plan to sit inside because this place is always busy. 12 in pizza is probably good for 1 person unless you're a wimp. Ohelo Cafe also does take out and it is made really fast. The best local restaurant in the area hands down. Everyone everywhere says that the staff is friendly but I need to clarify that there is a lady and she is basically superman when is comes to this restaurant. She was the host, food runner, waitress, chief of takeout, everything except cooking the pizza (but you know she can probably do that if the chef is taking a break). She sat us outside, but then it got cold as the sun went down and she moved us inside without us even asking. She gave realistic estimates for the wait time and even help others find restaurants that are faster. A true hero. read more

Ōhelo cafe - Pizza menu. The revolutionary concept, you read it, then tell the waiter what you read, they bring you the food equivalent of what you read. - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

We came here during our visit to volcano national park, since it's located just a short drive from the park entrance. There's a convenience store right next door to the restaurant that has basically everything you may have forgotten to pack. Their menu changes daily and is not extensive but all of their food is well made and fresh. I tried two of their pizzas- all super thin crust and 12 inches- each one enough for one person. I also tried their fish, which was probably the best thing- very fresh. They also made some excellent baby back ribs that fall off the bone. read more

See all

So we booked here about 5 months ago - the only time available was 8:30pm, right after a 27 person tour group had ordered. This may have created problems because they ran out of a lot of options - comments I had read elsewhere about Ohelo's. So we ordered the Ceaser Salad, which was fine, and the cauliflower appetizer (for $18?!?), but it was awesome. Really yummy. We wanted the seafood pasta but they had run out. My wife wanted a pineapple mojito, but they had run out of mint. Just seems like poor management. So instead we ordered the shrimp risotto - really rich, so we couldn't eat that much, and a pineapple margarita, which was awful. I had a Mai Tai, which was just ok. We also ordered the pesto pizza, which was thin and kind of greasy. All in all, kind of a mediocre experience. read more

Ōhelo cafe - Cauliflower - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

Food- ** Service-* Reservation-** We had a choice of atleast 3-4 restaurants for dinner after visiting the Volcano National Park. We chose this restaurant based on all the positive reviews here and were quite disappointed and regretted our decision. The service was appalling! We had called to make a reservation for dinner at 6.15 pm and were told they only can do an earlier time 6 pm as they have a big group at 6.30 pm. just 30 minutes before their closing time (7 pm). We took that and later called to find out if they could still accommodate us since we were running late and were told that as long as we can make it there by 6.30 pm.The lady who answered said iii Pizza was cold when it arrived ( that too after asking/ reminding then about oitbfsturr fore tot felt as if they didn't want us there! They mentioned they had a big group for private party arounf the sa read more

Super friendly. Laid back. Food came out fast. Burgers were GREAT. Iced teas were tasty. As was the tequila. Thank you

Great restaurant near Volcano National Park. They specialize in italian cuisine and have a wood fired oven for pizzas. The menu has some selections that change day to day and from lunch to dinner, so you won't always know what's available, but that's also a good thing. The Baby Back Ribs came with a Housemade Fuji Apple BBQ Sauce, Hirabara Mixed Greens, Balsamic Vinaigrette, French Fries. The ribs were super tender and came right off the bone! The pasta of the day was Tomato Rigatoni with a house herb and tomato sauce, garlic, parmesan and basil. read more

Ōhelo cafe - Baby Back Ribs - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

See all

Looking for real food? Pop over to Ōhelo cafe where they are cooking up some casual fare to fill you up after your volcano exploration. I had a cheeseburger they happily served w/o a bun at my request, hubs had shrimp fettuccine. Both were great! read more

Ōhelo cafe - Shrimp fettuccine - Hawaiian Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

See all

I was not expecting great food and service in Volcano. This place blew us away. Really good food and amazing service. Great dessert

Fun spot! We had the burger and the salad. Salad was exceptionally fresh, burger was juicy and nicely flavored, and the potatoes wedges were well seasoned too. Nice outdoor seating. Calm vibes while on vacay, staff was nice. Pleasantly surprised, will come back again our next trip. I would try the fish next time, overheard it gets delivered every day fresh from the ocean! read more