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    Bamboo Restaurant

    4.1 (632 reviews)
    ModerateHawaiian
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:00 pm

    Bamboo Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    BAMBOO RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Mai Tai
    Steve C.

    We were welcomed warmly and seated quickly. Server was very nice. Drinks were great. Kahula pork and cabbage was wonderful. Seared ahi salad was great. Again, thaw staff was attentive and friendly.

    Cool story
    Cory H.

    Fresh catch was among the best I've ever had! There are numerous employees, & all are very laid back and friendly. The atmosphere is very old. Cool old though! Like, the kitchen has been in service and unchanged since 1911 old! We loved it here, & certainly recommend!

    Mindy P.

    What a gem in the lovely, artsy town of Hawi! We were taking a Shaka Guide audio tour through the north Kohala Coast and stopped at this restaurant per the recommendation (and Yelp reviews). There were musicians playing lively music at the coffee shop across the street, adding to the magical feeling on the town. This restaurant used to be a hotel. Now, it houses a restaurant, a gift shop and a gallery. It's only open for lunch on certain days, so make sure to check. The ambiance I would describe as Hawaiian saloon? I'm sure someone else could describe it better. Macy or Maisie was our server. She was knowledgeable and friendly, steering us toward the more popular choices per our request. I had the lili-tini which was a vodka or gin martini with a splash of lilikoi--delicious! Others had the piña colada (though it was called something else). It was the old fashioned version and tasted like there was no artificial flavoring or sweetener. So good! I got the Thai stirfry with the soba noodles and shrimp. It was delicious! Cooked perfectly and had local veggies--cabbage, carrots. Servings were reasonably sized. I highly recommend visiting this spot and town!

    Spacious dining area
    Karlo G.

    The laid-back atmosphere, delicious food, and amazing staff are reasons why Bamboo Restaurant is a fantastic choice. Our hotel concierge recommended it, and we quickly understood why it's so popular. The staff was friendly and had a wonderful sense of humor. We were the first guests seated, giving us the chance to enjoy the decor. They serve lunch from Tuesday to Sunday, 11:30 AM to around 2:00 PM "ish". Yes, there is a sign posted on the door that quoted the end time "ish". We kicked off our meal with drinks. I tried a Lili Mojito and was pleasantly surprised by the lilikoi flavor. It was incredibly refreshing and unique. For appetizers, we ordered calamari strips and a kohala chicken quesadilla. The calamari was tender and hot from the fryer, while the quesadilla came with a tasty pineapple salsa and was still steaming. For my main dish, I had the herb grilled fresh fish featuring their catch of the day, which was ahi tuna. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare and absolutely delicious. The meal was served with two scoops of rice, organic greens, and fresh vegetables. The portions were generous and could easily serve two people. I wanted to save room for dessert, and I was glad to find out they offer small bites of their desserts for just $1.99 each. I also ordered a mai tai, which was both refreshing and potent. I chose the dark chocolate mousse torte and mocha cappuccino cheesecake for dessert. These were small sweet bites and excellent way to end the meal. My friend opted for three vodka shots, which were great, though I still don't know the exact mix since it was a surprise. I'll definitely return to this place when I'm back in Kona. With fresh local fish, delicious drinks, and a welcoming staff, it's a restaurant worth visiting!

    View from table, just showing the additional shopping space.
    Nathan L.

    Food was great, the waitress was great, and the history and story behind the building and area is awesome. We also bought some artwork from the shop for our new home in Waikoloa! Definitely go!

    Mai tai
    Cydney M.

    NICE PLACE TO DINE IN HAWI ========================= My sister and I drove all the way up to the Pololu Valley Lookout one day, but the parking situation was awful. We originally wanted to hike, but decided to head back to the northernmost part of the Big Island and have lunch in Hawi. My sister has dined at Bamboo many times so we went there for lunch. The food and service are very good. If you are near Hawi check this place out. The food, drinks, and service were all good. The building is historic. Read the information on my photo called The Bamboo Story.

    $9.00 Banana Smoothie 5/5 stars
    Kaliko P.

    "Stir Fry" - Migos. I told my son we must skip Maunakea Visitor's Center driving from Hilo to Hawi because I wanted to eat at The Bamboo Restaurant before it closed. It got a LOT of great ratings and some kind of award. I loved the pictures of the interior and wanted to see the little gift shop too. Last time I was in Hawi town was about 20 years ago and it felt magical back then. We found parking in a dirt lot off the side of the road and walked over to The Bamboo. I was pretty excited. The restaurant itself was like a little magic oasis, with cool tropical decor of day's past. The service was super friendly and attentive (5-stars). The food was very disappointing. Maybe we came on an off-day. BANANA SMOOTHIE (5-stars): $9.00 By far the best we've tasted. Fresh fruit instead of fruit-flavored syrup. Nice generous tall glass. My son said this is the best, ever. CALAMARI STRIPS (4-stars): $17.00 Nice pieces of calamari, lightly breaded, with two different sauces. The price on the menu I believe was $15.95 but when the server asked me if I wanted two sauces, I said yes. I didn't know I was going to get charged for extra sauce, but that was OK because both sauces were delicious. THAI COCONUT STIR FRY (2-stars): $19.50 Tofu Thai coconut stir fry supposed to come with "sticky rice". It was just plain white rice that was a little crusty on the outside, like the rice dried up, or old. The stir fry lacked flavor except for the sweetness, it was very sweet, which I found odd. There was no savory taste; it just tasted like coconut milk with sugar. The last time I added white table salt to my food was years ago, at Tuk Tuk Thai Food Truck's pad thai because it had no flavor. Same here. The veggies were mostly Bok Choy Chinese cabbage and some carrots. I was expecting a variety of different vegetables. On the plus side, the tofu chunks were pretty nice-sized. CHEDDAR BURGER (2-stars): $19.50 Fries were soggy with the flavor of old grease, luckily it was a small portion. The beef tasted "old and microwaved" according to my son. The coleslaw was VERY sweet. There was no salt in it. My son likes sweet things and he did not eat it after tasting it. I tried it too, he wasn't kidding. I'm used to coleslaw with some mayo, salt, vinegar and a touch of sugar, not 100% sugar mixed with mayo. Overall super disappointed with the food but loved the ambience, the atmosphere and the service. Total bill: $83.70 including tip, tax and the $2.68 fee for using a credit card instead of paying cash.

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    Joan C.

    Thank you thank you thank you, bob. I'm baaacccckkkkkk....

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    15 days ago

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    11 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    Joan C.

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    Joan C.

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    5 months ago

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    Joan C.

    Awww... Nathan... Mahalo. Hope we see you again, soon!

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    3 months ago

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    Joan C.

    Mahalo mahalo mahalo Brandy! We sure HOPE you eat with us again!

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    3 months ago

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    Joan C.

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    8 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    Helpful 5
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    1 year ago

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    7 months ago

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    Joan C.

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    7 months ago

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    Joan C.

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    8 months ago

    The fish sandwich was fantastic! Everyone finished their plates, and the service was excellent.

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    Joan C.

    Oh boy oh boy! So glad we made you all happy, Michael. Mahalo.

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    8 months ago

    Laid back Asian/Hawaiian restaurant. Perfect for local offerings. Grilled ahi was perfection.

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    3 years ago

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    9 months ago

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    Joan C.

    Mahalo mahalo mahalo, Kathy. We'll keep those purses in stock!!

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    7 months ago

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    Joan C.

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    4 years ago

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    Joan C.

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    1 year ago

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    Joan C.

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    7 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    Joan C.

    Well, THANK YOU very much, Jim. This is an honor!

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    1 year ago

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    3 years ago

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    9 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    Joan C.

    Oh, this is so sweet, Ella. Thank you!

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    11 months ago

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    Page 1 of 16

    Bamboo Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Bamboo Restaurant

    What are some options for people who can't have gluten, dairy, or egg? Thank you!

    Best fresh fish around and of course beautiful salads and best of all Mai Tai's

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Bamboo Restaurant - hawaiian - Updated May 2026

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