The decor looks great in there. The desserts look good too. Here we go now…read more.. Keep in mind I pay close attention to detail - The merchandise out in the front of the store needs to be taken better care of. Some of them aren't doing so good. - It honestly didn't smell pleasant in there. I'm not sure if it was just that day but it didn't smell nice that's for sure. - Walked in, only one other customer in there. Worker looks directly at me and stares like I'm an inconvenience. No greeting, no wave, not even a smile. We actually had to be the ones to smile and tell the employee "Hi!" - We walked up to the counter and still no hospitality of something like "how can I help you?" "First time here?" "How are you today?" Etc. - She uncomfortably stared at us as we looked at the menu. Not even looking at it for a solid 30 seconds and says "Let me know if you have questions" then walks away. -We did buy a single dessert because we were already there. After purchase there's no "Thank you" "Have a nice day" it seems like having business was a pain. - The utensils on the side aren't wrapped and all loosely in a container with the fork and spoons handle in first. To me that's unsanitary already, other people's hands are touching it. Dust will also definitely accumulate as old ones won't be switched out just keep getting more added in there. I'll give this place another chance but how our first trip went I'd really like to give it a 0/5. All in all we didn't feel welcomed in there.

Super cute and very comfortable coffee shop with yummy eats as well. Awesome barista, also the…read morecook, which is the only downside as it took a little while. She's excellent! Our cappuccinos were so good and the bagel was delicious. Worth the wait, but definitely would be great to have additional staff.

Paul's was one of my favorite dining experiences I've ever had. Yelp only allows for five stars, I…read morewould give more if I could. If you are able to visit Hilo, make a reservation. And you need a reservation. The tiny restaurant only has three two person tables (the other party of four had two pushed together). And it is only open Wednesday thru Saturday, 7:30am- 2pm. I made the reservation for my friend's Birthday lunch by text. It is conveniently located by the farmers market, and there is plenty of free parking in the area. The space is airy, and on our visit, decorated for Easter. We were immediately greeted by Paul. The restaurant is staffed by him, and one other employee. The menu is short, and all the better for it. Paul explained the menu and gave us recommendations. I was already interested in the Pasta de Marco, which appears to be a part of a regular menu. Angel hair pasta, lightly fried, tossed with fresh veggies and pesto, and lightly toasted baguette on the side. We also had the tuna, two ways, and papaya salad. Both were perfect, incredibly fresh, all ingredients balanced, beautifully presented. Paul had us end with the Belgium waffle. I've had waffles in Belgium, and these were the best I've had. Crispy, soft, with berries, whip cream, and powdered sugar, it didn't even need the (warm!) syrup. This experience felt like being a guest in the chef's home. Paul treated all customers as a friend, he was funny, relaxed, and personable. I also personally appreciated it is the safest restaurant for me to eat at as he hates bell peppers as much as I do! The only disappointment when the meal ended. Mahalo!

The cafe is very small and cozy, we had to have reservations in advance to get in as Paul has very…read morelimited seating, about 3 tables. He is always busy and has a rule with no Togo orders as far as I know. The service is good, and the servers and Paul himself is very friendly, laidback, and easy to talk to. Be respectful of his rules, he's a nice guy and it felt like he really cares about the food he makes. Playing is very nice and simple in a good way, has a very clean aesthetic. The food itself is extremely fresh, every single thing felt very refreshing to the palette and not heavy. It was one of the pricier spots me and my partner went to in Hilo, but it is extremely popular and the quality of the food is nice, as I said, I think this is the place in Hilo so far that I've eaten at with the "freshest" tasting food. I had not yet tried his Belgian waffles, but I saw they were served to another customer and they looked fantastic. After our meal, Paul also highly reccomended them for next time. Definitely would like to come back next time we are in Hilo, it was one of my partner and her Uncle's favorite spots (they are local to Hilo, so it's gotta be good haha). They both vouch for the ingredient quality.

Awesome!! The location is no frills chill but the quality of what is offered is excellent. The drip…read morecoffee is pure Kona, and you can taste it. The employees are also chill, very informative after they warm up. Free 2nd cup of coffee for the drip. I hope I got that right they have two different types of coffee. One is the typical poor one is specially made for you. Excellent!!! I think I just had the best cup of coffee I've ever had in my life.

Best cafe in Hilo!! The coffee is amazing, my go to is an iced vanilla latte. If coffee isn't your…read morevibe, they have great tea and italian soda options. Their fresh baked blueberry scones are to die for!! I haven't tried their sandwiches (yet) but they always look and smell so good when they're coming out. The interior is so spacious and it's a great place to hang out! The owner and the baristas are so friendly. I absolutely love coming here and selfishly want to gate keep this place LOL

Puna Chocolate Company is one of my favorite local chocolate artisan shops, conveniently located in…read moreDowntown Hilo. Since my time away, they have beautifully renovated the interior to have a sit-down booth area. I love the abundance of nene decor honoring our state bird, along with high quality chocolates made in Hawaii. The store clerk was very knowledgeable and described how each cultivars of chocolate differ in their taste profiles. We had the horchata 50% milk chocolate bar, and I don't have a picture because we devoured it in one sitting! Overall, Puna Chocolate Co. is an elegant, delightful, and elevated experience that rivals big names like Big Island Candies and Dandelion Chocolates in San Francisco. Highly recommend in stopping by!

I stopped by Puna Chocolate Company for an afternoon coffee and ordered an espresso. It wasn't…read moreterribly busy in the store so my drink was prepared in minutes. The espresso was strong, not overwhelmingly bitter, and had a good consistency to it. While sitting at the bar, I noticed that they had a Day Drink menu with a bunch of coffee and chocolate cocktails, including an espresso martini and a cacao old fashioned. For $14 and $13 respectively, these seemed like very reasonable prices. Definitely something I'll check out on my next visit. On the right side of the store is a gift shop, while the left side has a bunch of seating for patrons. I noticed there were a few people here with their laptops out, so I can only assume it's also a good place to work as well. The store seemed pretty quiet, street parking outside was easy, and the staff I interacted with here was friendly. Puna Chocolate Company is a good rest spot to stop by to escape from the busyness of Downtown Hilo.

Food was good, but expensive. Bought a Lautele and Dubai waffle = $43. Portions not worth the…read moreprice. Service was okay. Store was clean and inviting.

Amazing staff with friendly faces and a great atmosphere. Poke always fresh and daily specials hit…read morethe spot!!

Very aesthetic and cute vibe to their cafe. I love their chocolate blended cold brew with chocolate…read morewalls.

This has to be my favorite coffee shop in Hilo! The baristas are always so sweet, the food is so…read moregood, and the coffee is *chef's kiss*. It's also in a very prime location. Just pull up, park, and order using the kiosk! Simple, easy, delish! Can't wait for my next trip to Hilo!

I liked this place! The vibe is nice with some comfortable seating. Service is good and staff are…read morenice and helpful. I got a Kona moon pour over and it had a nice deep flavor. I was able to get a $1 off coupon from our hotel as well. Overall would recommend!

Mm, not sure how I felt. Coffee didn't taste great and when I asked for cold foam the cashier wrote…read moreit on my cup but apparently didn't charge for it so when I got my drink, she said "I didn't charge her for it" THEN made me pay for it Thaaaat really wasn't my problem and Starbucks and other local shops would've just put it on without charging me a second time even after I gave a tip anyway, idk that annoyed me.

Cute little gem!!! Friendly staff and decent prices. Came for the Dole Whip and was not…read moredisappointed!

Awesome little place with a great purpose in the Hilo community. Service is friendly and top notch…read more They have a cute outdoor seating area and fun menu. Tiki Turtle Cafe serves a great variety of sandwiches, snacks, and Dole whip. This is the perfect place for a light lunch! So far we only tried the Dole whip, but we will be back to give their tasty sounding sandwiches a try!

Came to hilo for a short day trip, and decided to check out the matcha coffee shops in the area…read more Coffee girl is so aesthetically pleasing! They had cute chairs and ig post worthy wall backgrounds. I love how everything is PINK! The service was very fast, maybe took 3 minutes to make. My strawberry oat matcha was delicious, but I did see they had some baked goods but opted out this visit. Will come back again soon!

Coffee Girl is no doubt one of the coffee spots Hilo can boast about although it wasn't super…read moreimpressive in my opinion. This, however, is not to say that it doesn't have charms in it. Mostly in mint color, the interior is simple and yet it does emit a lot of cuteness. What was eye catching to us was the swing inside at one of the side windows. Whether it's okay for a person to actually sit on it to enjoy a little swing time is something I didn't find out from the young lady who manned the upfront bar by herself, if it's solely as a decorative piece to create the kind of ambiance this place suits to manifest, it does do a lot to attract visitors' attention. The lady was quiet and yet kind enough to give us everything we needed for the late morning walk into the town. My daughter and I wanted to split quads of espresso shots so that was our only order and yet we needed two separate cups with lots of ice in each cup with a little side cream (half and half) so we could make our own iced latte or cappuccino later (we didn't want ice immediately after the espresso was made as it would have diluted the coffee had it been made that way. Sounded like it was a little too much to ask which we felt a bit awkward. The kind lady simply did everything for us. Thanks to her for being so accommodating to our demanding needs!!) The shop is located from other businesses oceanfront so it's walkable to other things as long as you are talking "the center of Hilo". So for the location, convenience, cute ambiance and patience in service, we enjoyed our quick pick up experience while we were in town.

While exploring Hilo we stopped at Hilo Iced Coffee, which operates out of a mobile truck and feels…read morevery much like a local staple. It is casual and no frills, but that is part of the charm. I ordered the ube iced latte and it was easily one of the prettiest drinks I had on the trip. The purple color is vibrant and eye catching without feeling gimmicky. More importantly, it tastes as good as it looks. It was lightly sweet, well balanced, and still very much coffee forward, not overly sugary like some flavored lattes can be. Service was quick and friendly, and it is the kind of spot that makes you slow down for a minute and just enjoy your drink. If you are on the Hilo side and want something a little different from your standard iced coffee order, the ube latte is absolutely worth trying.

Surprisingly good coffee. My preferred cup is a "black…read moredrip" They offered iced coffee, I ordered two and had them fill my 42oz cup. Their specialty coffee (espresso based) was good if you like sweet and creamy coffees. It is a food truck. They have a small sitting area but this is best for quick grab and gos. *location can be a little hard to find. Drive slowly.