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Read that this was the place the loco moco originated so I wanted to try it. We placed an order to go about 30 minutes prior to wanting to pick up. Our food still wasn't ready when we arrived. Prices are quite high for the amount of food that you get. You get a ton of rice and the whole container is covered in rice, but the amount of meat is small compared to the amount of rice. The salad served with it was just cabbage, which I wouldn't exactly call a salad. Also the food didn't have much flavor.
Cafe 100 has a laid-back, relaxed vibe with plenty of seating and parking. They offer lots of plate lunch options and daily specials, but the main draw is the loco moco. Portions are ok but is rice heavy, so it's a bit pricey for what what it is. The teri loco is better than the regular version, and I'd definitely recommend extra gravy. Overall, it's not a bad spot for a quick bite and the staff is friendly, but this should not be your first loco moco experience if you haven't had one before.
Cafe 100 is a classic Hawaiian fast food spot. It is frequently by locals and tourists. Service is always with a smile. The staff is extremely helpful and friendly. I am not sure why people criticize the ambience. It has been improved since my last visit. Greatly improved there's plenty of seating, and the seating is covered. This is the location where the first Loco Moco was made for some local kids who wanted something filling, tasty and cheap. I always order the original, there are many other options. The original is not salted at all and will need a little bit of salt. I put pepper on also. The milkshakes are seldom focus of attention and I can't figure out why. They are outstanding.
It has been years since I last came here and food is still delicious and affordable. Simple, local food at its best in Hilo. They're quick and for early evening it wasn't busy. Many tables were available and they were clean. We got a bento, oyako moco, and Pork chops. They were all filling and delicious. We will continue coming here when in Hilo
This is a very laid back, order at the window and eat outside vibe restaurant. The food was great! We tried the famous loco moco here but got the super version so it came with spam and Portuguese sausage which was delish! The Mac salad was also tasty. We also enjoyed the convenient service of ordering on the touch screen system they had. The menu was a little confusing but the touch screen would be helpful if you were unfamiliar with the menu like we were.
We came because we heard this is the home of the loco moco - we got the super version which is double the amount of the normal. To be honest, the portions are quite generous and the original probably would have sufficed. Also got the mahi mahi - fish was quite tender, and I liked the potato side! Everything leaned a bit salty. The cafe is not really like a closed shop - more like the kitchen is covered and extends to an awning over the seating, which is in the style of picnic tables.
Came here directly from the airport to try the loco moco from the "Home of the Loco Moco." Service was fast and friendly. The dining area is open air but have a lot of tables. While the menu features a variety of variations of the loco moco (e.g. with spam, or other food), I went with the standards loco moco. Most people are shocked since it comes in a small container, but it was filling. It wasn't spectacular, but still good for loco moco.
My expectations for "the original loco moco" was a little too high I guess, specially after watching videos from travel vloggers raving about this place. The loco moco was mediocre at best, I come fr California and have had better. There was barely any bland gravy on the patty. The pork adobo special was not it (coming fr a Filipino). There was not even a proper restroom avail.. think porta-potty under the Hawaiian sun. I would skip this place.
Loco Moco reportedly originated in Hilo but there has been debates as to which establishment actually created it. So, when in Hilo, had to stop by Cafe 100, considered the home of the Loco Moco for our first dinner for the original and the fish moco. Loved how they have so many moco varieties including non-beef ones as well as double patties if you so choose. I do wish that it came with more gravy though. Lots of parking and seating available if you want to dig in on site. Like many spots in Hilo, it does close early (6PM) so plan accordingly if you want it for dinner.
Home of the loco moco! Came to Cafe 100 on a Friday for lunch with a large group of students, and this was the perfect spot to grab a quick lunch. There were various options for everyone and easy ordering on the kiosk with pictures, which was super helpful. The dining area is spacious and breezy. I got a green river and portugese sausage loco moco, which are two of my favorite things! A lot of places don't have green river, so it was a pleasant surprise to find it being sold here. The Portuguese sausage was juicy and the gravy was the perfect consistency for the loco moco. I loved how many different meat options they had for their loco mocos. Definitely recommend coming here for a quick bite! read more
Made a day trip from Oʻahu to the Big Island and had to stop at Cafe 100 -- home of the original loco 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. read more
I planned for my husband and I to grab a quick bite at Cafe 100 before leaving Hilo. With more than 2000 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 :) read more
5 days ago
8 months ago
Read that this was the place the loco moco originated so I wanted to try it. We placed an order to go about 30 minutes prior to wanting to pick up. Our food still wasn't ready when we arrived. Prices are quite high for the amount of food that you get. You get a ton of rice and the whole container is covered in rice, but the amount of meat is small compared to the amount of rice. The salad served with it was just cabbage, which I wouldn't exactly call a salad. Also the food didn't have much flavor. read more
Cafe 100 has a laid-back, relaxed vibe with plenty of seating and parking. They offer lots of plate lunch options and daily specials, but the main draw is the loco moco. Portions are ok but is rice heavy, so it's a bit pricey for what what it is. The teri loco is better than the regular version, and I'd definitely recommend extra gravy. Overall, it's not a bad spot for a quick bite and the staff is friendly, but this should not be your first loco moco experience if you haven't had one before. read more
15 days ago
Cafe 100 is a classic Hawaiian fast food spot. It is frequently by locals and tourists. Service is always with a smile. The staff is extremely helpful and friendly. I am not sure why people criticize the ambience. It has been improved since my last visit. Greatly improved there's plenty of seating, and the seating is covered. This is the location where the first Loco Moco was made for some local kids who wanted something filling, tasty and cheap. I always order the original, there are many other options. The original is not salted at all and will need a little bit of salt. I put pepper on also. The milkshakes are seldom focus of attention and I can't figure out why. They are outstanding. read more
It has been years since I last came here and food is still delicious and affordable. Simple, local food at its best in Hilo. They're quick and for early evening it wasn't busy. Many tables were available and they were clean. We got a bento, oyako moco, and Pork chops. They were all filling and delicious. We will continue coming here when in Hilo read more
9 months ago
Everything here looks so delicious it's was hard to choose. They have a chili loco moco dish that was AMAZING! I'm a big fan of chili and this dish did not disappoint!It's an open walk up and order restaurant.Staff was super friendly! read more
This is a very laid back, order at the window and eat outside vibe restaurant. The food was great! We tried the famous loco moco here but got the super version so it came with spam and Portuguese sausage which was delish! The Mac salad was also tasty. We also enjoyed the convenient service of ordering on the touch screen system they had. The menu was a little confusing but the touch screen would be helpful if you were unfamiliar with the menu like we were. read more
2 months ago
We came because we heard this is the home of the loco moco - we got the super version which is double the amount of the normal. To be honest, the portions are quite generous and the original probably would have sufficed. Also got the mahi mahi - fish was quite tender, and I liked the potato side! Everything leaned a bit salty. The cafe is not really like a closed shop - more like the kitchen is covered and extends to an awning over the seating, which is in the style of picnic tables. read more
Came here directly from the airport to try the loco moco from the "Home of the Loco Moco." Service was fast and friendly. The dining area is open air but have a lot of tables. While the menu features a variety of variations of the loco moco (e.g. with spam, or other food), I went with the standards loco moco. Most people are shocked since it comes in a small container, but it was filling. It wasn't spectacular, but still good for loco moco. read more
5 months ago
It was great to try the OG loco moco. The burger patty was decent but I liked the sausage more. The egg white wasn't fully cooked when I ordered sunny side up. Food was good but it was dope to experience it at least once! read more
8 months ago
My expectations for "the original loco moco" was a little too high I guess, specially after watching videos from travel vloggers raving about this place. The loco moco was mediocre at best, I come fr California and have had better. There was barely any bland gravy on the patty. The pork adobo special was not it (coming fr a Filipino). There was not even a proper restroom avail.. think porta-potty under the Hawaiian sun. I would skip this place. read more
2 years ago
Nice lil spot on Hilo. Open air seating...order at the register. We tried the Loco Moco...we have tried MANY loco Mocos and this one was one of the best! Loved their Mac salad! Service: nothing to really say. You order, you go. read more
4 months ago
Loco Moco reportedly originated in Hilo but there has been debates as to which establishment actually created it. So, when in Hilo, had to stop by Cafe 100, considered the home of the Loco Moco for our first dinner for the original and the fish moco. Loved how they have so many moco varieties including non-beef ones as well as double patties if you so choose. I do wish that it came with more gravy though. Lots of parking and seating available if you want to dig in on site. Like many spots in Hilo, it does close early (6PM) so plan accordingly if you want it for dinner. read more
1 year ago
Very disappointed. Ordered a Beef Curry Moco as I have done before. Lots of rice, two medium chunks of potatoes, two chunks of carrots, Curry sauce and an egg. The beef was a single one inch cube. I'll be going to K's or Verna's from now on. read more
3 months ago
11 months ago
Very disappointed! Not sure what happened..this use to be our go to place for lunch.. But not after today. We ordered 2 burgers and a French fries which costed $25. The burgers had no condiments and patties didn't taste good at all. I couldn't even eat it read more
We made it to Cafe 100 before they closed on Friday night! Well, there was a rush of people arriving behind us. They have a big menu! We got Aloha Friday (beef stew and lau lau) and Island Girl (fried shrimp and beef teri). The lau lau was so good! It was tender and flavorful. The beef stew was classic style with carrots and potatoes. The fried shrimp were hot and crispy and the beef teri were big slices of beef in tasty sauce. We really should have only eaten half, but it was too yummy to stop. Cafe 100 is classic and a must visit. They get weekends off, so don't wait! read more
Two Words - LOCO MOCO. Very generous serving and the hamburger patties (I got the double), were pretty hefty. Rice was tender and hot. Gravy was flavorful. My only disappointment were the eggs. Not runny, but fried hard. Overall, I would still recommend it. Lots of parking and a variety of other items if someone in your party is not feeling the Loco Moco. read more
1 year ago
Just came across this old photo in a box. The current Cafe 100 on Kilauea Avenue has always been a landmark in Hilo. read more
3 months ago
BIG ISLAND HAWAII 2023 VACATION #3 - NO HEAVY LOCO During the week leading up to Memorial Day I was staying at Kailua-Kona for six days. I made a day trip to Hilo on a Thursday. Since that drive was going to be a 3-hour round trip I made itinerary of what I wanted to do while I was at Hilo. The first stop was Cafe 100. I didn't have breakfast in the morning as I decided to come here for lunch. Knowing that this place opens at 11:00 AM I wanted to be one first ones to be here. I arrived around 10:30 AM that day and was the first person in line. Initially I was going to order a single loco. When I was the first in line order I changed my order to double loco because I thought to myself when is the next time is I'm going to Hilo. The next item I had no indecision as I ordered the cascaron, which is a Filipino donut that you see display on trays at family parties. I admit I was nervous when I got my double loco as though the gravy and extra patty would be heavy. To my surprise delight the double loco wasn't heavy at all. The more I ate the double loco I wasn't getting bloated. I'll be honest loco moco served at the mainland makes you bloated. The double loco was a hearty meal as beef patties weren't greasy and the gravy wasn't oily. Seeing the cascaron was great delight to see as it rekindled memories of seeing sticks of cascaron at Filipino family parties. What makes a great cascaron? They are sweet and crispy on the outside yet soft inside that you can taste the mochi texture. In the past I ate some cascaron that weren't edible because the outside was too tough. The cascaron I ate at Cafe 100 was crunchy and soft. The sweet cascaron supplemented the savory double loco. Eating a double loco and cascaron at Cafe 100 was a very good way to start a day. read more
1 year ago
Note that seating is open aired, and there is a parking lot dedicated to this area! We came right before closing and even then there were still patrons. We ordered at the window and food arrived pretty fast. You pick it up when they call your number. we got a loco moco and a katsu plate. Loco moco was pretty small in portion, but the katsu was extremely generous. Both were delicious. The loco moco wasn't overcooked and gravy was generous, overall, one of the better loco mocos I've had! The katsu was a little too thin, but was extremely well breaded. The Mac salad was also extremely delicious. Good to eat either there or on the road. Glad we stopped by here! read more
So glad we had time to stop by this restaurant before they closed at 6pm. Came here about 30 minutes before they closed, though we noticed that people were still stopping by up until 556pm! I don't blame them because it's good portions for a good price and it was delicious. Also, super friendly staff! There was plenty of parking when we got there. There was a bit of a line but it moved really fast. By the time we got there, it was a limited menu. Next time we stop by, we wanna get there early because my sister said that the pork adobo was life changing. They just means another visit to the Big Island soon! In any case, the menu has lots of options, even if it was limited. The price point is fair for the amount of food that you get. We ordered the hot dog loco moco and the super loco loco and some fries. We wanted the fried chicken and unfortunately, they just ran out for the day. The order was ready pretty quickly. They ask you if you want shoyu, Tabasco and/or ketchup. Yes to all. But to be honest, we didn't need the shoyu because the gravy was flavorful and we didn't want it to be salty. The eggs were cooked the way we asked and the over easy was yolk perfect. The hot dog was huge and had a nice char texture, if that's even a description. The spam was spam and the Portuguese sausage was good. Well, let's be honest, all the proteins went well with the gravy, rice and egg combo. Each bite was perfect. We also found that the proteins weren't that salty, so we appreciated it. The rice was freshly cooked, even late in the day. At least that's what I heard when another customer asked. Oh, the fries! They were good. It was liked seasoned fries and plentiful. Of course I had to dip it in ketchup but the hubby didn't. Btw, all the seating is outdoors but it's very clean. It's also great to see the photos of the owners and learn a little bit of history about them. Overall would definitely come back again and again and again. read more
9 months ago
Simple, unassuming restaurant with the BEST, highest quality, outstanding, DELICIOUS loco moco! This is a staple, daily stop for us in Hilo. To not eat here when on the big island would be criminal! My fave is the spam loco! read more
9 months ago
10 months ago
I was excited to try this hawaiian spot. From the outside, it looks like a no frills drive thru. I went at 3pm and there was still quiet a few locals grabbing a snack. Lots of options but we got: Oxtail soup ($17): soup was very heavily flavored with msg. Think the free soup from a cheaper Chinese restaurant. With pieces of Chinese greens and tender oxtail. It's okay, but i won't be getting this again. Loco moco ($8.50): small container with the basics. Steamed rice, hamburger patty, gravy, and a sunny side up egg. Gravy tastes like the powdered kind. Nothing mind blowing. And quality wise, it's pretty cheap. But it's good. If you're looking for a quick bite to get, this might be a good place for you! But just be warned the quality isn't very high. But this is also the price point you're paying. Food is expensive here. read more
Went back to Cafe 100 after a few years. Just wanted to see how the beef stew tasted after decades. We also wanted to see how the teri beef sandwich was. I heard they had a gravy burger as well, so this was going to be interesting. Well, right off the bat, the prices are way up, I was surprised that the teri beef was $7.25. The gravy burger was $6.40. So interesting to see the prices go up over the years. One thing that was awesome was the goody good - which was still available. It's basically soda and condensed milk and frozen. The teri beef was underwhelming.... with just bun, teri beef, lettuce and bun. It was dry - maybe put some mayonnaise or something??? The gravy burger was ok, just not as good as it could be. It was probably the gravy. The goody good was as good as decades before! So the memories remain, but Cafe 100 is not the same as before. They are not even open on weekends - I don't understand that... And the stew...... not made on the day I went. Very sad. read more
"Marty, Don't Be Such A Square. Everybody Who's Anybody Drinks..." - Back to the Future Cafe 100 in Hilo is not only iconic because it's been around since 1946, named in honor of the legendary Nisei 100th Infantry Battalion of WWII, but Loco Moco has been served here for 70+ years! Cheers to that! On my weekend visit to Hilo I had Cafe 100 as a must. The typical tourist, or recent transplant, just might not get it, but I do, having been here before. My Dad before me, and Uncle's before him. Why? It's simple, it's affordable, but what makes Cafe 100 so special to me is it's a throwback to the plantation days. A time well before iPhones, television, and Pacific Rim Cuisine. The simplicity of a time once was is why I go! And of course the iconic Loco Moco. Many stories swirl on origin of the Loco Moco, but one thing is certain is it's origins are from Hilo, Hawaii. I only heard the urban legend stories as told by elders or our Kapuna, but those that did the research confirm it was first placed on the map by "the Lincoln Wreckers Sports Club" a group of teenagers post WWII that would visit the now obsolete Lincoln Grill in Hilo. Wherever the Loco Moco story goes it always finds it's way back to humble Hilo town. On my latest visit I ordered the original Loco Moco... Hamburger over Rice, Eggs over Easy, Brown Gravy over everything! I add Lilikoi (less than 5% fruit lol) drink. The recipe sounds simple, it really is that simple, yet it's attention to detail and consistency allows Cafe 100 to call theirs the "original" Loco Moco for decades. It starts with Hamburger that is farm fresh, Rice just cooked, Island Eggs from KTA, and perhaps the most important, the Brown Gravy not over salted, the perfect consistency for the Rice to soak up all the remaining Gravy! Ohh! Cafe 100 is a "plate lunch" open-air diner popular with the locals, many descendants from plantation workers and farmers. A relaxed vibe from start to finish. The counter service always friendly and no one in a rush. Oh! My bestie also noticed that many variations in Loco Moco now, including Spam & No Meat options! Large parking lot for cars, monster trucks, or horses! In the end, I do admit Cafe 100 is not for everyone, especially the Waikiki tourists or fancy types headed to the Waikoloa Resorts, but I highly recommend to those seeking comfort foods from days long gone. Old Hawai'i. The simplicity of the Loco Moco symbolizes the simplicity of yesteryear. Maybe, just maybe, the old way was always the better way... Dedicated to my OG, Hilo girl, Terry K. read more
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969 Kilauea Ave
Hilo, HI 96720
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(808) 935-8683
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https://hilocafe100.com
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Cafe 100 - hawaiian - Updated July 2026
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