Found this place in Yelp while searching for a place to eat in the area. The town was highly…read morerecommended by our tour guide to check out. Naturally, we'd need a good place to eat as well :) Japanese food sounded good and was a break from all the pork we'd been eating. This place did not disappoint, and we got there at a good time. Within 20 minutes, there were groups of patrons waiting for a table. It got really crowded inside. We ordered sashimi (came with hamachi, salmon, tuna), New York strip kushiyaki, and the black cod. The beef tasted very high quality, and the fish was so fresh. The sashimi pieces were quite generous too. The black cod is slightly on the sweeter side for me but still enjoyable and so melt-in-your mouth tender. The staff was very busy, and they looked understaffed. The space is a bit small, so it can fill up quickly. It's definitely worth trying though! High quality food without the high prices. Glad we were able to make it here during our vacation.

CUTE VIBE. GREAT STAFF. DELIGHTFUL FOOD…read more I reviewed the pics online and saw the chirashi bowl. Honestly, such a great choice. The food was so refreshing and good. Truly thrilled we found this place. 10/10 going again.

What an incredible experience!!…read more Came here with family and had Gabby as our server, she was wonderful. I enjoyed everything, from the drinks to the appetizers to the dessert. We started with the Mai tai flight, ahi poke and tako escargot. All were so good, would definitely order again. For entrees we ordered a mix of the spicy lobster ravioli, chateaubriand, and ahi katsu. I love that they allow you to combine two entrees, even if it's for a slight upcharge. Everything was great. No complaints at all. Portion sizing was perfect too, with the addition of the appetizers. For dessert we opted for the pineapple bread pudding which was delicious as well. Perfect with the ice cream. We definitely would've come back if we had more time or if we were in the area. Good idea to make reservations in advance.

Our waiter did a wonderful job reciting each dish, all sounding irresistible. Unfortunately,…read moresomehow, the elements on the plate didn't quite live up to our expectations, nor did they melt in harmony. Each dish seemed to stand apart from one another. The appetizers were yummy. We started with the Tako "Escargot" and a half portion of the Spicy Lobster Ravioli. The ravioli was phenomenal; I regret not ordering the full size entree. The complimentary bread is excellent as well. For the entrees, we got the Lamb Chops and Half/Half of the Curried Hamakua Macadamia Nut Fish and Roasted Chateaubriand. The fish and chateaubriand were ok. I personally preferred the fish over the chateaubriand. I liked the curry/coconut flavor of the sauce, but my friend thought it was a bit bland. My friend liked the chateaubriand over the fish. I thought it was good, but nothing stood out especially given what the price was on it. The lamb chops were the real disappointment. I asked for a medium-rare cook, but some parts of the lamb chop were blue. I loved the Passion Fruit Mousse for dessert. The tartness of the passion fruit is brought out in this dish but not overly tart. The texture of the mousse was very fluffy and nice as well. Considering Merriman's was going to be THE fine dining experience during our stay in Hawaii, the entrees were not it. I'm glad they use organic produce, fresh fish, organically green cows, etc. but their execution as a farm-to-table restaurant needs work. I could not really taste the benefits of a farm-to-table restaurant in any of their entrees and was especially disappointed being served nearly inedible lamb chops. Decor is nice; the place has a calm and inviting atmosphere. Staff is very friendly as well.

Stopped in for a little lunch on our way to Hilo, cute spot . Everything was delicious large…read moreportions. Wife got the short rib bowl, I got the chicken karrage bao , both were yummy. Order at counter, all was fresh and hot !! Would be back !!

One of the few spots that stay up later than the rest of the surrounding businesses resulting in…read moredinner rushes, so be mindful and patient when dining in during busy hours (typically between 5pm-8pm). You order at the counter and if you're lucky, you'll have the lovely opportunity of being helped by Cat. She's very knowledgeable about the menu and is very thorough when leading you through the ordering process. Once the food arrived, presentation was great. Everything looked super yummy and fresh! Our ginger pork dumplings and one order of the short ribs came out right away, however my partner's short rib plate didn't come out at all (20 minutes have passed by). It was a slight disappointment having to eat my meal while my partner was waiting for his, however we gave them the benefit of the doubt and figured it was due to the fact we received our order as soon as that dinner rush started. When mentioned to Cat, she was super apologetic and got us the missing plate right away with no excuses. Thank you so much! This series of events will not prevent me from coming back to this spot whenever I am back on this side of the big island because the food is great, ordering process was easy and to the point, customer service was awesome, and hours are very forgiving. Give it a try!

When they say Ramen, they mean RRRRAMEN! They have pages of Ramen choices on their menu, complete…read morewith a picture of each selection. There's something for everyone's taste. If you don't feel like a big bowl of Ramen, there's lots of other choices too, like a small bowl of Ramen along with onolicious side dishes, or even non-ramen selections that come with a large portion of grindz that'll fill your belly. The restaurant is family owned and operated, and they work hard to ensure you have a great experience, They also do a lot of take out via Door Dash, etc. Lots of free and easy parking too. Prices are moderate, and they give you a card they stamp on every visit, and after just 6 times eating there, you get a free large bowl of ramen!​​

It was okay. I had high expectations going in, but unfortunately, the food didn't quite hit the…read moremark for me. I'm usually a big fan of yakisoba, but theirs lacked flavor. I found myself wishing I had some MSG, salt, or pepper at the table to add a little more seasoning. The fried rice was probably my favorite bite of the meal. Not everything is going to be a home run, and this one just wasn't for me.

Unusual layout with the dining area straddling the sushi and ramen kitchen. Additional patio…read moreseating was also available, however the evening was warm and humid so we opted for a table indoors. Traditional Japanese decor - nothing surprising here. Service after being seated was friendly and helpful in suggesting an alternate to replace an appetizer they were out of. The Asahi was cold and crisp. Edamame bathed in a not too spicy chili sauce along with an order of fresh jalapeño hamachi. Several rolls later (Mongoose, dragon, Mauna Kea, rainbow, salmon avocado), still curious, we tried a tiger roll. WOW - a truly, enjoyable sushi experience! Thank you Izakaya Shiono Kona! Domo arigato.

The menu is pretty diverse wish sushi, ramen, curry, etc... izakaya style. We had the fried…read moreoysters, 2 ramens, and the chirashi bowl. The fried oysters were delicious. The ramens were a bit salty. The chirashi bowl was fresh with a lot of variety but small. Most of the menu items were priced very reasonably other than the chirashi bowl, which was a bit pricier than I would have liked for the portion I was given.

50% of on Sundays and Mondays for early dine? Say lesssss!…read moreWe enjoyed 4 sushi rolls, ravioli, poke, and cucumbers all for under 70 with tip. That's INSANE. The rolls were delicious l, I forget the name of the one I liked but it had spicy crab in it. Also, the ravioli with the mushroom Madeira sauce was heavenly. I could've ate 12 more of those (it's a small portion). Service was great, they have the system down. Waters at every table before early dine and the server gives you a good run down of what the special is and checks back with you before it ends. I highly recommend checking out sansei

I'm giving 3 stars only because of the service that night…read more We never received part of our order, in a very long period of time They were severely understaffed for the amount of people being seated. The manager was very nice and comped what we did get. In future if understaffed- limit seating to match staffing. The crab ramen with truffle was very delicious. Wish we could have tried more.

Had a lovely experience here. Our servers were so…read morewelcoming, they checked in multiple times to make sure we were comfortable. The butterfish was sooo good. It was super tender and the slight sweetness of the preparation paired well with it. The miso soup which came with the plate was one of the best I've had!

Teshima's feels like family. There's something about being here that feels like going to your…read moregrandparents' house. You're comfortable, you're taken care of, and it feels like all they want to do is feed you and make you happy because they love you. The waitresses treat you like they've known you forever, they're so sweet, I love them. And please, get some kind of tempura. I beg of you. The tempura here is SO good. The batter is incredibly light and crispy without feeling heavy or greasy, and the texture is perfection. The shrimp tempura is amazing, the vegetable tempura is amazing, all of it. You cannot go wrong. The tempura fries deserve a special mention, though. I crave them literally every week. They're light and ridiculously crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and so good dipped in the tempura sauce. I could come here just for a basket of them. And say yes to the pot of hot tea! It balances perfectly with the crispy, fried tempura and just completes the whole meal. Everything about Teshima's has that comforting, old-school feeling that you just can't manufacture. It doesn't feel trendy or like it's trying to be anything other than what it is. It just feels warm, familiar, and cared for. Come hungry, get the tempura, and let them take care of you.

Of course we loved it here! Of course we took plenty of pics…read moreto share with yall! This is the goto on the island for sure.. just a bit of drive depending on where your home are is. But a lovely town to visit.

So much aloha here. Everyone is so friendly & they seem familiar with the regular customers. The…read morepancakes are HUGE!! I got French toast with a side of papaya- it was enough! My husband got the lamb ribs. So good. Plenty of seats in the front dining area. There's also a back area with lots of tables too. Cash only!

When we were planning our trip to the Big Island over a year ago, I had read a guide book which…read morerecommended Canoe House. Then, when we watched last season's Top Chef, and saw Rhoda win, and that she was a chef in Hawaii, we finally put 2 and 2 together and found out she was Executive Chef there. So that made it a mission. We knew going in that it was going to cost a small fortune, and it did. But it was a life experience that was worth it. The restaurant has a beautiful setting, and we planned our reservation around sunset, and it was amazing that night. And our server, Chris, was the best one we had on the island in the 17 days we were there. We started with the shokupan bread, thinking something to snack on before we started would be a good idea. They bring you a block of bread....a large block, tear it in half for you, and it's amazing. My wife had the roasted cabbage with a side of crispy sweet potatoes, and I had the fresh catch (Mahi that day) with a side of garlic fried rice. Everything was great, and we're still talking about that fried rice. Wow! Topped it all off with a piece of vanilla cheesecake. Everything is expensive in Hawaii, so get over that part and splurge on yourselves. It was worth it.

We returned to CanoeHouse during our stay at Mauna Lani. We had reservations for dinner and the…read morehostess tried to seat us at bar. We eventually got a table. We both ordered cocktails and my husband enjoyed his smoked old fashioned. My spicy guava martini was interesting. Lobster tempura appetizer was very good. The whole lobster entree was split in half and also delicious. My husband ordered the beef short rib. I expected a strip of short rib, but it was shredded and was just ok. The garlic fried rice was too salty. Desserts were delicious. Views of the sunset and ambience were the reason we returned to the restaurant. Expect to pay for it with overpriced food.

Great food! Great service! I recommend the garlic ramen, the plenty veggie, and the ebi ramen! We…read moreall love them!

Ordered a curry and rice with add-ons of Taiwan Beef, poached egg, and corn. The base curry was…read morefine, egg and corn were standard, just for texture variation. Taiwan beef???? It would've been more regionally accurate to call it Sichuan Beef for how spicy it is. I'm typically someone who can tolerate spice but this one had me tap out early in the meal. If we want to keep Taiwan beef on the menu, use like 1/6 the spice level and throw in some rock sugar to get some sweet and savory flavors going. In the meantime, I'll work on my spice tolerance. The rest of the table ordered ramen and it seemed like it was drenched in aromatic oils. You could see a ring of oil along the edge of the broth ~1-2mm and more scattered on the broth. It should be a light drizzle instead of an ocean oil spill. Karaage, large pieces and was bland. If serving as appetizer, stick to smaller bite sized pieces and add some black/white pepper. Quantity of meat provided was good, just lacking on share-ability. Service was pleasant, waiter was great on the water refills while I was in pain. Overall interior was nice and a vibe but I'm here to rate the food, not service or ambiance.