Such a delicious spot!…read more Made to order juicy fried chicken karaage! We ordered 8 pieces to share, plus 6 wings and 2 side rice. So much food! Rice was made perfectly. Karaage was perfectly seasoned and crunchy. Enjoyed every bite! We were unable to finish it all, so brought it home. And we re warmed it in the air fryer and it was just as delicious! A must try in Hilo!

Last week we were in Hilo and needed a quick lunch before heading back to the airport. We used…read moreYELP to find a quick bite and were not disappointed. First of all; YELP is a useful tool to find what you need when you need it. Five stars to YELP Secondly; if you need a quick bite; look no further than this restaurant. It's a mom and pop style with great service. Very clean; simple menu; delicious chicken. Can't complain. The owners are from rural areas in Japan and moved to the US and later took a vacation to Hilo and fell in love with this Island and its people. And the next is history; they moved to Hilo and set up shop. Let's hope the economy and people continue to visit this little gem so that they can live here a long time. We will definitely visit them again on our next trip to Hilo

I planned for my husband and I to grab a quick bite at Cafe 100 before leaving Hilo. With more than…read more2000 reviews on Google and 30 varieties of loco moco, it was hard to ignore. Cafe 100 is a casual, local spot with window (staff) or kiosk (automated) ordering and plenty of semi-outdoor seating (i.e., you are technically inside and covered, but you can still feel the heat from outside). I will admit the menu felt a bit overwhelming at first glance because there are so many options available, but we visited on a weekday when it was not busy, so we were able to take our time deciding. Anticipating larger portions, we decided to share a mixed type loco moco plate along with a drink. That turned out to be a great call, as the portion was more than enough for the two of us, especially since we would not easily be able to take leftovers with us. This is casual, familiar comfort food done well. No complaints here, and I have already recommended Cafe 100 to a few friends :)

Made a day trip from Oʻahu to the Big Island and had to stop at Cafe 100 -- home of the original…read moreloco moco. As a born-and-raised local, rice, gravy, and eggs will win me over every time, and I really wanted to love this place for the history alone. I'll be honest though -- the hype set the bar high, and I left a little let down. The regular loco moco was just okay. The hamburger patty tasted pre-made or frozen, though the gravy was solid (thank goodness). The beef stew also tasted pre-made and was lighter on the tomato flavor than I prefer. I ordered the steak as well (around $30), and it came out very well done. On the positive side, they offer a ton of plate lunch options, the space is extremely well kept for a local diner, and there's plenty of parking. It's covered outdoor seating only, but it's comfortable and clean. What surprised me most was the lack of visible history. I expected to see more storytelling about the loco moco origins -- photos, signage, staff sharing pride in it -- something that really leaned into that legacy. It felt a little missing. Still glad I tried it for the experience, but for me, it didn't quite live up to the legendary reputation.

Laid back, old style Hilo. Order at window. Wait for number to be called. Big menu. Outdoor covered…read moreseating -picnic tables. Very casual. Good soft serve ice cream.

K's Drive-In is a solid local spot if you're craving classic Hawaii plate lunch comfort food. We…read moregot the Shoyu Chicken and the Chicken Papaya, and both were tasty, satisfying, and hit the spot without being fussy. The food felt like the kind of dependable, everyday local grindz you come back for, especially if you want something hearty and familiar. The Shoyu Chicken had that savory, home-style flavor, and the Chicken Papaya was a nice change of pace with a lighter, slightly sweet savory balance. Service was quick enough for a casual meal, and the vibe is very old-school drive-in in the best way.

Not the same experience I remember from years ago. Customer service needs major improvement. The…read moregirls that work there (Sept 2024) were not friendly, as though they were better than their fast food job. Seating area was dirty - needs major power washing. The food wasn't very good either... not the way I remembered it from the past. Sadly, I will likely pass next time. Slush float was good tho.

Always here for the slush floats. A Hilo town staple. Only thing I will say is be careful where you…read moresit, the tables are outside and don't get cleaned too often.

Got the fried chicken and chili plate, it was delicious as always! Great service as well! Always a…read morehit and a must during a late night.

We're visiting brought our Hilo family to this Zippys everyone got their order except my SIL????…read moreFirst was chicken popular be out soon, to sorry bad communication!!!! Do they compensate regulars

We stumped on this place looking for a quick lunch pick up and I was pleasantly surprised because…read morethe poke bowl was so delicious!! Ahi was super fresh and just a right amount of seasoning and spiciness. I had to go back very next day for another poke bowl . They have burgers too and kids enjoyed their food too. Definitely I will be back again when I come to Hilo!

After stopping by Kula Shave Ice next door for some shaved ice, I did a loop inside of Poke N Sides…read moreto see if there was a quick savory snack I could pick up. Having just discovered ube coconut for the first time at another poke spot on the island earlier on my trip, I was filled with excitement when I saw the purple mounds of uala in the fridge. I ordered a 4 oz portion in a small plastic cup and immediately regretted that I did not order a larger size after trying out the first bite. The uala here is delicious! I loved the consistency and texture -- smooth and creamy, but there were still chunks of potato throughout that had not been completely mashed up. There was plenty of shredded coconut mixed in, along with some fresh scallions for a bit of freshness. While I can't comment on the poke, the uala itself is a five star in my book and is enough to get me coming back for more if I'm in the area.

Had lunch here And everyone was happy…read more Cobb salad, fried mahi sandwich, and 2 kid burgers.

If you love excellent beers than this is one of the places to hit up when in Hilo…read more All though the food can be occasionally inconsistent at times, the good selection of Ola brews and great service can somewhat make up for it. Don't get me wrong on the food, it's good. If you come here and eat something delicious, on the next visit you want that same dish to be equally as good or better. Getting anything on a lower scale can be disappointing. I've experienced it first hand, but still am a fan of Ola's Brew restaurant. Every place has its hiccups, they are no different. Hopefully it's an off day. Also as a non soda drinker (wife's a soda fan) I think they should offer a few name brand soft drinks for families, though I do give them kudos for trying to substitute it with their own mixtures, but sorry soda drinkers are very picky just like most beer drinkers. I do love that they have free parking available and the restaurant itself is kept very clean and can accommodate larger groups. Overall a place to check out when in Hilo.

A lot of places aren't open on Sundays in Hilo, and I'm so glad Just Cruisin is. Their drive thru…read moreline was fairly slow on a Sunday mid-morning, but I don't mind waiting for their quality food. My friends and I all got some form of the Mac nut pesto. I got mine in a salad, and I really enjoyed the dressing it came with. The Mac nut pesto topping was super flavorful and light. This is a great spot to grab a bite, and I love that you don't have to get out of your car.

Great little coffee stop in Hilo. Super friendly staff, easy drive-thru (or walk-up if you park),…read moreand really solid coffee. The latte was good with a lot of flavor options, the mocha frappe was delicious, and the breakfast sandwich hit the spot. No frills, just good coffee and food at a great value. It is a great vibe to kickoff the morning. Perfect place to stop in the morning before heading out for the day.

Stopped in today and my girl and I were amazed! She got the French onion soup burger, which was…read moreunbelievable and I got the Philly cheesesteak burger, which is out of this world. Ambience is great for Bar. Amazing service super cool little spot. I'm not sure why nobody told me about this place sooner. I recommend to all my friends and anybody else.

We came over to Hilo after a day of hiking around the volcano park. By the time we got here, we…read morewere starving, so we decided on a burger and on Hilo Burger Joint. When we arrived, we were seated promptly. The noise level was decently low, even with live music, and we were so happy for that. Here lately, every place we have gone has been sooo loud to where we couldn't have a conversation, so this was a nice touch. Our waitress came to grab our orders promptly and brought our drinks quickly. We decided on mozzarella sticks for an appetizer, a pesto burger no tomato with a garden patty, and another garden burger plain and dry, both with fries. Food came out decently swiftly, and everything looked amazing! The fries were piping hot and absolutely wonderful: perfectly crispy, not greasy, with flavor and perfect seasoning. The pesto burger was soo good. The pesto itself had a great flavor without being overbearing or oily. I loved the slice of fresh mozzarella. The burger itself was cooked perfectly, and the bread was nice and toasty without being hard. The mozzarella sticks were fantastic, not greasy at all, and were decently sized. I really liked the marinara it came with, which it was flavorful without being overbearing and the only thing we could taste. I assume the garden burger was equally enjoyed, for there was no conversation coming from that side of the table. Oh, and he stole the rest of my fries. Thief!! This was a great decision. The interior screams dive bar in an interesting way, but that food? Definitely not greasy spoon or quickly thrown together dive bar appetizers, that's for sure! We will definitely come back!

First time eating at new location as several times it was closed when I attempted to go…read more Parking fills up fast in morning. Same menu with the one pound Lau Lau. Newly renovated really like how clean and organized it is. Will be back... tons of local foods.

My order~ Original Fried Rice Loco Moco…read more Pros +Comfortable seating +Friendly staff +Easy to find parking +Tasty food +Affordable prices Wish their reusable bags were more affordable. $20 seems steep.