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    Don's Grill

    4.1 (262 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican
    Closed • Closed

    Don's Grill Photos

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    DON'S GRILL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    French dip and saimin
    Jonelle R.

    Don's Grill kept popping up on my yelp so I finally decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did! It's a cute little diner with amazing service and good food! The prices are really good especially considering we are in Hawaii. There is a mix of diner food and local specials. We ordered a French dip and a saimin and was not disappointed! I will definitely be back to try more things on the menu.

    Valerie T.

    Don's is not for those seeking small plates. A locals spot blending American with island twist. You can get your typical American breakfasts or local favorites. Let's talk about the portion sizes because they are very LARGE and in-charge. Nobody will leave hungry and some may be rolled out. Seeing the mountains of plates at the surrounding tables I quickly tried to pick a lighter brunch. After the waitress mentioned the fresh wahoo I quickly said Yes please. The sides were great. The mashed potatoes were so creamy and luscious with the perfect amount of gravy. The hash browns were perfectly crispy on the outside and soft potato middle. The eggs still had the golden center once we cut them open. The parking lot can be filled with locals, but everyone is going in and out quickly. They are closed on Monday and Tuesday's. They have an oxtail special only served specific days and the fresh corn beef that all the surrounding tables ordered that was making my mouth water. I definitely can't wait to come back. Especially with staff that had such a warming and welcoming aloha smile. Mahalo!

    Courtney C.

    You will not leave hungry! Don's is off the beaten path and feels more like local spot and not super touristy. The staff was so friendly and we were sat immediately when we came here for dinner. Inside, the restaurant definitely feels like a small town diner. The food portions are very generous! there menu is extensive so there is something for everyone. I had the loco moco and it was great. Between my husband and I's two meals though, we did end up taking a box home as it is a lot of food, so come hungry! Their dessert menu looked delicious but unfortunately they were out of the 2 pies we wanted to try, so make sure you get there early if you want some pie! Overall this was a solid, low-key spot in Hilo that was just what we were looking for for a solid meal and casual vibes.

    Salad
    Luc Y.

    The classic American diner experience. No frills but tasty large portions. Did have to wait a while to be served but the food was great for the price point. Ordered a seafood platter that came with shrimp, calamari, and mahi fish. Served with a side salad and Hawaiian roll. Fish was nicely cooked, not too salty or dry at all. Shrimp had a good crunch and calamari was the perfect texture, not too chewy at all! Also had a chocolate pie for dessert. Decent size and had a nice chocolate cream texture without being overly sweet. Total for the food was $27. 21 for the entree and 6 for the dessert. Would recommend if looking for a cheaper alternative to the fancy restaurants around the resort area for a nice filling meal without any frills

    Teri chicken plate
    Terri P.

    Nostalgic, home style local restaurant and my dad's favorite place to eat. Every time we go, meals are consistent and delicious. My usual orders are the hamburger steak, taco salad or rotisserie chicken. Today I ordered the taco salad, robust in size and flavor. My dad ordered the teri chicken plate. My tortilla was warm and crispy filled with yummy taco fillings. My dad enjoyed his meal and didn't talk till he was finished. Service is always friendly and consistent, with someone always coming by check on status or fill water. What I really like about the place is the meal prices are still reasonable, not like some other restaurants I've recently been to and there is always parking no matter how busy they are.

    Teri Chicken
    Rudy J.

    Stopped here for lunch after we flew into Hilo for a short vacay. Old school diner vibes. The servers are friendly. The food is just okay. Hubs said the Teri Chicken was pretty good.

    Yummy
    Sharon S.

    Wow hands down the best experience Hilo side at a dine-in-restaurant it's really cool they also have a side window to order take-out! Ev gave hands down the best service filled up our water a million times and was so attentive, very understanding and just great attitude! True aloha! The food price was amazing for all we ate I can't believe with tip we walked away completely satisfied and we will be back! I loved the cleanliness and the open kitchen giving a very welcoming clean atmosphere. I was impressed and will be back with our Ohana!!! They continued to come to our table take our dirty plates and they all worked together really smoothly! This is random but the orkin guy who used to spray our house told us it's the most clean and well worked team member based kitchen he has ever serviced or experienced now we understand what he was saying!! The kids loved their burgers and my son loved his keiki fish rice plate! My husband had the seafood platter and he's a cook and he said it was pretty good. I had the French dip and I loved it and the house salad! I was impressed with how fast the food came to our table and it all came together and we stayed there for a good hour as the kitchen cleared their plates! We also had the cheese cake with strawberry and ice cream was so good! Mahalo for the true service, the affordable pricing and the clean environment and great experience! We will be back!

    KS CLASS OF '71

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    3 months ago

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    19 days ago

    Excellent food. Caring service. Reasonable cost with tasty food...,Nice dining facility and very clean..

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    10 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Food is nothing worth writing home about, good comfort food. Service is friendly and ambiance isn't much more than a dinner

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    5 months ago

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    1 year ago

    The service was excellent. It was friendly and fast. The food was very good as well. The price was nice.

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    1 year ago

    Good quality, good prices, friendly staff! Great spot to grab lunch after shopping the Civic or Butler buildings!

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    I like this place. The food is always good and consistent and the service is fast and friendly. A very home town type of atmosphere.

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    2 years ago

    Great service! Priced right! Very accommodating. The food is straightforward and delicious. Such a local feel. Not pretentious.

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    Page 1 of 7

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    Hilo Bay Cafe - Mushroom pot pie, mushroom lettuce cups, shrimp scampi, orange dreamsicle

    Hilo Bay Cafe

    3.9(1k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    •$$

    We have been regular patrons of Hilo Bay Cafe for years, usually dining here at least once a month,…read moreso this review is long overdue. The view from the restaurant's lānai is truly like no other in Hilo. It is one of our favorite places to slow down, enjoy the beauty of Hilo Bay, and spend time with good family and friends. The food is consistently ʻono, the drinks are excellent, and the service always makes us feel welcome. For us, Hilo Bay Cafe is more than a place to enjoy a meal, it is a place where we have shared many wonderful moments with the people we care about. We always look forward to returning.

    Our waitress was very nice and attentive. The ambiance was pleasant though the booth was a little…read morecramped for the 4 of us two of which were tall guys. I always hesitate when HBC is suggested as the dinner plans but we chose it anyway. The food is mediocre. Once a pretty solid offering in Hilo the quality has gone consistently downhill. I ordered the Ocean special offering last night. It came to the table beautifully presented. Unfortunately the curry base was so thick and strong it totally destroyed the roasted vegetables. I dunno, do they even taste what comes out of the kitchen? The sesame encrusted fish filet was tiny and not especially flavorful. The large order of "hand cut" fries were not hand cut. 75% of the order was left on the plate as my husband said they were inedible. Next time HBC comes up in the dinner conversation I'm a definite No.

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    Hilo Bay Cafe - Lanai seating area, view

    Lanai seating area, view

    Hilo Bay Cafe - Skillet cookie

    Skillet cookie

    Hilo Bay Cafe

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    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine - Dynamite fish bowl

    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine

    4.3(2.6k reviews)
    1.3 mi
    •$$

    Food is great and service was awesome. Love the location, in the heart of Hilo. Ambiance was homie…read moreand inviting.

    TIKI DAVE of TIKI DAVE TRAVEL / TIKI DAVE'S TERRIFIC TRIPS highly recommends PINEAPPLES!…read more There is a reason this place has such great reviews. You definitely want to make a reservation in advance, especially if there are cruise ships in port. Otherwise, you're going to wait in line. I would say that the very best thing on the menu is the Teriyaki Flank Steak Appetizer ($19)....this thing is SICK. We ordered the appetizer and it is the most unique Teriyaki steak I have ever had. The teriyaki sauce is rich and just amazing. Just order it. I am still craving it. We also ordered the Lilikoi Hoisin wings and SON OF TIKI DAVE ordered the Lemon Macadamia Chicken ($28) which was delicious, too. They have a full bar and the Mai Tais are awesome. We ordered a couple a piece. Ambience and service is great. And with your receipt, you get at 10% discount at Wilson's Shave Ice across the street. TIKI DAVE from TIKI DAVE'S TERRIFIC TRIPS absolutely loves PINEAPPLES! I will be making a video of my experience so...and here it is! https://youtu.be/yVi4ZEcMw3g?is=0GTf-vESLcn0BX0_ Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/@TIKIDAVETRAVEL And follow! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565274777775&mibextid=ZbWKwL https://www.instagram.com/tikidavetravel/?__d=1%2F%3Fhidemenu%3Dtrue

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    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine - Bar with loads of fresh pineapples

    Bar with loads of fresh pineapples

    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine - Hilo Local Plate

    Hilo Local Plate

    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine - Dr. Pepper

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    Moon & Turtle - Marlin with vegetable and kalo succotash

    Moon & Turtle

    4.6(875 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    •$$

    Quaint local restaurant that has a creative menu with a personal flare of the Owner chef. Staff is…read morevery knowledgeable about their menu and makes excellent recommendations. My husband and I sat at the bar and enjoyed the excellent company of our bartender server who gave excellent descriptions of the menu items ...making our mouth water before we even ordered our dinner. At Her recommendation, we enjoyed the ricotta gnocchi's As our shared starter and the pan seared local Opah fish dish which was amazing.. Reservations are highly recommend as this is a locals favorite... so tables fill quickly.. and you don't want to miss this exquisite restaurant in service and food quality!

    I usually avoid writing reviews for heavily reviewed businesses, but I'm making an exception for…read morethis one as it was the best eatery my wife and I visited during our nearly week long honeymoon on the Big Island split between Hilo and Kona. We ordered the risotto, fresh catch (marlin), crispy rice, gnocchi, and finished off with the mac nut ganache mascarpone pots de crème. We did share a Lemon peel lemonade cocktail. The Lemon peel lemonade was basically spiked lemonade. Well balanced for being a tart oriented drink, but I didn't care for the floating bits. The risotto which comes in full and half order, was very rich and had chunks of mushrooms for flavor. We're glad we got the half as this was a heavy, rich, and cheesy entrée on its own. If you love risotto, you will love this dish. The marlin was perfectly cooked and balanced out with a locally inspired vegetable succotash. Fried bits of kalo were also added in for added texture. The special and new item, the gnocchi was the star of the show. This is by far the fluffiest gnocchi we've ever had. Crispy on the outside, little potato clouds of fluff on the inside. The gnocchi came over a tasty sauce with bits of fried onion for absolute perfection. The crisp rice was recommended by Yelpers and it was alright, crispy rice with a spoon of poke. Not bad, but did not live up to the hype. Get another order of the gnocchi instead. It's fairly rare to see pots de crème on restaurant menus, specials or not, so we had to get this. It came in a cute little glass jar, with rich chocolate and mascarpone flavor with a hint of mac nut. This desert was an absolutely delicious perfect end to the meal. You can make reservations online, street parking is quite limited, and it can get busy as the night goes on, so recommended to get an earlier dinning time. Staffs regularly checked in on us and were polite and efficient.

    Photos
    Moon & Turtle - Limited seating so it fills fast - so make a reservation

    Limited seating so it fills fast - so make a reservation

    Moon & Turtle - Market fish (Ono)

    Market fish (Ono)

    Moon & Turtle - Market Fish - steamed mahi with garlic, ginger, scallion and soy in roasted bone congee with chili oil and wild rice

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    Market Fish - steamed mahi with garlic, ginger, scallion and soy in roasted bone congee with chili oil and wild rice

    Hilo Burger Joint

    Hilo Burger Joint

    3.7(1.1k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    •$$

    Solid burger and vibes! Can be a little dim in there for older people or people with bad eyesight…read morebut the ambiance was nice and there's an outside dining area. I got the bleu cheese burger medium rare, a solid choice that I was satisfied with and the crispy fries and sweet potato fries were yummy too! They offered a free birthday burger so that was such a lovely addition to my night, and the selection of beer was solid as well. Shout out to the bartender working on 6/18 when a drunken patron bothered our group. We were close to leaving anyways and I made sure to speak my mind to him, but the situation was handled well by the bartender and the staff was apologetic despite it not being their fault so hopefully the rest of their night went well! I will be back to try out more appetizers and other burgers as well

    We're going to start by taking a star off right from the beginning. Why? If you log on to the…read morewebsite they have an immediate prompt about ordering online via the Toast platform, except t's never currently enabled. Whatever. We're staying close by so I drive over and make the takeout order in person. Super easy and a member of staff is there to take my order as soon as I walk in the door. After taking my order and payment, I'm told to hang outside at a red bench in their courtyard which I guess you could also eat at but also serves as their de facto holding pen as another guy is also out there doing the same thing I'm doing. After 15 or so minutes everything is brought out to me. Caprese Burger - California Burger - Bacon Cheese Burger Let me start with what's good. The burgers were all cooked to their requested temperatures. The fries were also decent as well and many packets of ketchup and mayo were put in the bag if needed. What's not good. The buns are not toasted so in a takeout environment they become straight up wet diaper soggy and it's also disconcerting when you ask for the bacon to be cooked crispy and it's served white/soggy/limp and barely cooked. Everything seemed nice enough inside and if ever back on the Big Island I would probably try HBJ again, but if you're taking online orders, please enable the platform and if not, remove the website prompt that you do and cook the bacon dammit, wet noodle is never fun. (3.5 rounding down)

    Photos
    Hilo Burger Joint - Dining Area at Hilo Burger Joint

    Dining Area at Hilo Burger Joint

    Hilo Burger Joint - Jalapeños poppers w/Thai chili sauce

    Jalapeños poppers w/Thai chili sauce

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    Mushroom burger

    Don's Grill - tradamerican - Updated September 2026

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