We have been regular patrons of Hilo Bay Cafe for years, usually dining here at least once a month, so 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. read more

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Our waitress was very nice and attentive. The ambiance was pleasant though the booth was a little cramped 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. read more

Hilo Bay Cafe - Ocean special - New American Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

I made a last minute reservation for dinner at Hilo Bay Cafe, but am glad I did. Although there were no tables available to book for the lanai, we still had views of Hilo Bay from our table inside. Overall the food was really good. I couldn't resist trying their hamakua mushroom pot pie with chicken. It had a curried vegetable filling and a very flaky crust. It was really delicious! If you're staying in Hilo or even just passing through, Hilo Bay Cafe is a great choice for a meal with a (potential) view and delicious food. It's also right next door to Liliʻuokalani Gardens which is a great choice for an after dinner stroll (though beware of mosquitos!). read more

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As one of the recommendations from our Volcano tour guide, we chose to go to Hilo Bay one VERY rainy night. It was a great choice, since we parked underneath, and had very little exposure to the rain while going up the stairs. Once inside, it was a short wait, as we chose to sit inside. In hindsight, I wish we would have chosen outside. There are some really nice views off that back deck. My wife and I both started with the French onion soup, which is amazing. She then had the hamakua mushroom pot pie, which was very good. I've never had white marlin, which was the fresh catch, so I went with the ocean special. This was white marlin, in a chilled cucumber sauce. I have to admit, not a big fan. I've now tried white marlin twice, and that's not my fish. The cucumber sauce and the zucchini did not help. But hey, it was worth a try. Jessica was our server, and she was outstanding. Sometimes you try new things, and that's how you figure out what you do and don't like. In this case, even though I'm not a white marlin fan, I would definitely go back to Hilo Bay read more

Restaurant was crowded so service was a tiny bit slow BUT the staff was very friendly and attentive and they all seemed to be working hard. I thought both the scampi and scallop risotto were yummy (maybe a tiny bit oily) but the portion sizes were generous and there was a good amount of seafood in each dish. Lava cake dessert was super yummy too and creative to make it look like a volcano read more

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We came here with friends who are Hilo locals, so I knew this place had to be good. The restaurant is located up a flight of stairs. The restaurant has a very open and relaxing vibe. We sat outside overlooking Hilo bay, and I felt I could have sat here all afternoon. The lunch menu includes various sushis, salads, and warm entrees. What we ordered: + Lihiwai Louie salad - this is a salad of butter lettuce, avocados, 5 large shrimps, and lots of cheese shavings. This was light and very tasty. + Fish and chips - the fish was very fresh and was quite yummy This is a great place to sit and relax and enjoy some drinks and good food. read more

Hilo Bay Cafe - lihiwai louie salad - New American Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Big restaurant but doesn't feel that way. They accommodated our large party easily. It's up a big staircase but there is an elevator for those who need. Lovely view of the water. Drinks were okay, and they have mock tail options, too. I had the sage pineapple margarita and it was fine, not spectacular. The regular margarita seemed a bit nicer. Fish and chips was a generous portion, and the fish was meaty (I assume mahi mahi?) and came with a salad/slaw. I split a keiki sundae with someone which was the perfect bit of sweet to finish off the meal. read more

Hilo Bay Cafe - Fish and chips - New American Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Fantastic dinner with an amazing view of the bay! Service was fantastic - true Aloha experience with friendly smiles and warm greetings. Felt like we were honored guests. Food was delightfully delicious. Stay for dessert, if you have time to wait for the freshly baked cast iron cookie? Do so!! Fresh Kona coffee ice cream was amazing. Mahalo! read more

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So, made reservation for inside dining. They do have outdoor and bar and sushi bar dining as well. Weather didn't look like it was going to be nice @5:45 , so we chose inside. We did reservations because it can get busy! Plus it's Friday Ordered some apps zucchini frites and Brussels sprout special, tasted great! Mains were Eggplant Parm, French onion Short Ribs and Risotto and Hokkaido Scallops... all three mains were very flavorful !!! ONO! Wife & Me had two drinks Hanalei Old Fashion and a Mana Mai-Tai , they were jus' right! Atmosphere is casual, but some have collar shirts and nice dresses! Service is great! Finished with an iron skillet cookie and ice cream with 3 spoons to seal da deal! Highly recommend! We stay in Hilo often, in-laws live here, so we will be back to sample da rest of the menu items read more

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Hilo Bay Cafe has a beautiful setting with great views of the water and a really nice ambience inside. The host was welcoming and the bartender was wonderful, which set a great tone when we arrived. The lunch menu was a little on the lighter side but there were still several options to choose from. We started with the bread for an appetizer and that was excellent. My daughter enjoyed a couple of alcoholic beverages and really liked them. As usual, I went with tea, which I loved. Unfortunately, the food itself was a bit of a letdown. I ordered the flatbread, which honestly should be renamed because it was served on thick homemade focaccia. While the bread itself was good, it completely overpowered everything else. The cheese and tomato sauce were heavy and the pesto was barely noticeable, which was disappointing since I was hoping for a unique take on a margarita-style flatbread. The balance just wasn't there. My daughter's burger was okay but nothing memorable, especially considering the price. Overall, the experience was mixed. The service, drinks and atmosphere were great but the food didn't quite match the cost or the setting. read more

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Food was good here! Pasta was definitely my favorite here. The dining was unique but very dim light for sure if sitting outside, this place has live music and ocean views which my friends loved! Our experience here was great. Definitely loved the orange dream alcohol! Service was excellent lady was super helpful with ordering! read more

Hilo Bay Cafe - New American Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Imagine dining atop a perch, overlooking Hilo Bay and the scenic Hilo coastline. Ordering dish after dish, one (at least) equally as good as the one before it. That's the experience that I had at the Hilo Bay Cafe. Let's start with their cocktails. An impressive list of tantalizing sounding drinks. With restraint, we were able to order just one and landed on the lilikoi mojito. This was the most perfect libation. Sweet with just a hint of sin. Our bar tender and waiter were both so inviting. After this experience, this will always be a must stop for me, and you may want to consider making it one for yourself as well. read more

Hilo Bay Cafe - Great ambiance mixed with great food - New American Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Look, we've been going to the HBC since it was at the Waiakea shopping center. The last couple of years have been a string of mediocre to bad and tonight was the worst. 6 people for my birthday. $350 check. Service - terrible from beginning to end. Table just piled up with unbussed dishes. Had to ask twice to take away dishes between courses. 3 orders of surf & turf, all steaks asked to be cooked Medium Rare. ALL 3 were super tough and over cooked. Zero flavor. Shrimp were also so boring and bland. Server disappeared after our bad steaks were served or I definitely would have sent mine back. Nobody refilling water or clearing dishes. Just really sloppy. Soooo disappointing. Learned our lesson - no more special occasions there. Lunch at the bar, maybe, if someone else is buying. read more

I love Hilo Bay Cafe!! Visiting from O'ahu with a few friends and wanted to find a good place for dinner with a nice view and this was perfect. The lighting was nice and dark, low but in an intimate way. Our server was so nice, she was super attentive and made some good recommendations for us. We ended up getting a few things that stood out to us. The mushroom pot pie was so good and comforting, the flaky crust is what made it stand out for me. The shrimp scampi with pork belly was also really amazing, pork belly was crispy and the shrimp scampi itself was very flavorful. Last but not least, the drinks! The orange dreamsicle drink was very creamy and probably one of the best drinks I've ever had. Overall, I would definitely visit again read more

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I heard about Hilo Bay Cafe from a Triple D episode on the Food Network, so it appeared like a nice stop. Located near the Hilo Airport, this restaurant is nice inside and is two story, so you can take the elevator or stairs to the entrance. Their balcony seating could only seat six people, so our party of eight dined inside with a view of the bay. The main entree seemed to be Fish and Chips, while there was also several pasta dishes, sushi and kids meals too. I would stop here again if in Hilo, but with a smaller group, so I could sit on the balcony overlooking the large Hilo Bay. read more

Hilo Bay Cafe - Fish& Chips - New American Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Delicious dinner! Great service! My drink was perfect, the crab cake salad was unique and beautifully plated. The scallops in the risotto tasted like butter. One of our favorite meals! Thank you for a great experience. read more

First time and this cafe. The view is beautiful and that's about it. The food was over priced for the taste and quality. It took along time to get our food. The waitress was nice but rarely seen in-between, maybe not enough staff? As far as the ambiance...it was so stuffy and hot inside the restaurant it was hard to enjoy... No circulation. Would not return to this place. read more

This was one of my favorite meals in Hilo! My husband had the fresh catch which he loved and I had the garlic shrimp yakisoba. Many of the menu items have an Asian flare fusion to them. I loved the garlic shrimp yakisoba, it was perfectly flavorful, large portion with probably ~8 large shrimp & freshly cooked veggies. read more

Food very flavorful and decent sized portions. Atmosphere was cute and enjoyable. Service did not meet standards.. I asked for pickles and was charged 5$ for. That was not communicated to me till I got the bill.. server did not check on table after meal was delivered to assure everything was okay.. did not see server entire meal. I understand being busy but we were 1/5 tables in the building? Probably won't go back because of service /: read more

We were able to call an hour before our reservation to make a reservation. Somehow the host had some difficulty finding my husband's name. After we were seated, we were greeted by our server, Perez. He took our drink order and then came back after a few minutes to take our food order. I ordered the bread du jour which came with a side of whipped butter and a side of balsamic vinegar with oil and I also ordered the seafood boil which had clams, mussels, Portuguese sausage and corn with a grilled slice of bread. My husband ordered the ocean special which was ono with rice and sauteed veggies. He also ordered the ginger-garlic shrimp and the tiger roll. It would've been nice if we got to sit on the balcony outside but the seats were all taken. The view of Hilo Bay was beautiful especially at sunset. I would definitely give it another try.. the prices were a little more than we expected but the food was great and so was the service. read more

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If you are looking for a nice comfortable restaurant with great food and with great views of Hilo Bay and Mauna Kea, Hilo Bay Cafe is your place. Six or seven beers on tap, great wine list and delicious ono fish tacos with pickled onions plus jicama, passion fruit slaw. Great friendly service and a nice quiet comfortable modern space. read more

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No words needed... thank you hilo bay cafe...thank u chefs much needed dinner date.. it has been a while since we got to dine here and it has been delicious read more

Hilo Bay Cafe - Rainbow & spider roll "Da chefs" - New American Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Wanted to give this place a try and stopped by for lunch. We arrived and were seated. At first, they seated us inside, but the fiancé wanted to see if we could get a seat outside (it is called Hilo Bay Cafe). They were able to accommodate us. Our waitress brought us water and we asked for a few recommendations on what to order. We placed our order, and food was brought out in a timely fashion. We ordered their miso butterfish salad, which was very tasty, with a good mix of greens as well as a nice portion on butterfish. I ordered the mushroom potpie with chicken. It was cooked nicely, with a nice yellow curry inside. After reading some of the reviews, I'm assuming we got lucky on the service and food. We noticed that other diners were being taken care of. Overall, the restaurant has a nice feel and ambiance, with a great view. Prices are not too bad, may a little more than some people would like to spend for lunch, but, hey, we are on vacation. We would dine here again. read more

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I was recommended to try this restaurant while visiting Hilo for my business trip. After reading the great reviews and having someone recommend me this establishment, I had high expectations. A few things lacked - from their yelp page, I saw that they had sushi but was told from the server that they currently DO NOT SERVE SUSHI. They opted that I try the ahi poke instead which a few minutes later said that they were out of. Being in Hawai'i and an Oahu girl, majority of the restaurants always serve white steamed rice. But to my surprise, they also DID NOT have rice. The menu was very limited. So upon looking again on the yelp popular items I went for the French braised short ribs. Which really lacked A LOT of flavor. But the other entrees my party ordered was pretty seasoned well. The crab cakes were amazing but a smaller size of crab cakes, mini crab cakes I would say. The ribeye was cooked perfectly and the pork chops was great as well. Service was amazing hence the stars and the restaurant was very nice. Overall, it was a pretty cute restaurant with the view of the ocean. read more

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Host would rather take multiple to-go orders over the phone instead of seating guests standing in front of him. Food is very average, some of it is almost cafeteria or diner in quality. Drinks and desserts are also nothing special. Apart from the view I remember why I don't dine there often. read more

Disappointed. When the coffee isn't good in Hawaii at a restaurant that's supposed to be great, you know it's not going to be good. Service was slow. The steak was thin and not cooked right. The French fries were soggy. The shrimp garlic noodles was too sweet, and lacked salt, spices, and herbs. It literally had no flavor. Try cumin, coriander, nutmeg. And fresh ginger!!! Try marinating the shrimp before you cook them, try adding fresh cilantro. And it needs more vegetables. Barely edible. The shrimp were good. That's about it. Do less, and make it better. I should have ordered sashimi. read more

Update: We went in again for dinner and had Garlic Shrimp Yakisoba. Still great and recommend!!! Went to Hilo to explore the town and couldn't resist this charming little restaurant on the bay. We sat at the bar and were waited on by Bella. She was so helpful and full of suggestions. We had Fish & Chips with Ono fish, Poke Ahi with sweet potato chips and a side of Jicama-Lilikoi slaw. I also had a tasty lilikoi drink. For dessert we had Goey Butter Cake and a scoop of Ice Cream. Every bite of everything we ordered was exquisite and fresh!!! I highly recommend. read more

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We had reservations on Nov. 7th at 7:00 for a party of 6, my son's birthday. Arrived on time and were promptly seated. We ordered some appetizers and drinks before ordering our meals. The food here is decent, not outstanding. The scallop risotto was enjoyable, the chicken potpie was also a hit and our appetizers were delicious. My problem was the slow service. We got our meals just over an hour after we were seated and since we had a later reservation were all hungry. It did not help that tables seated after us were served before us. We asked for the check while we ordered desserts so we wouldn't have to wait for the server to notice us. Also, this was the first time I dined in an upscale restaurant that didn't offer a complimentary dessert for someone's birthday. I don't live in Hilo but dine out regularly when I visit, but I probably won't come back here again due to the slow service we received. read more

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The reason we haven't eaten there nearly three years. Because ownership had change and many of the good chefs left and I heard negative reviews about this place. Since then we've completely stop going there. However, Whether it was a moment of weakness or lapse in judgment, We decided going there again after long time. My husband kept say "Are you sure ?" "You really serious ?" and seemed bit nervous. There were only few familiar faces still work there but most of them I didn't recognized. Nancy was taking care of our table who I remembered. Also, she remembered us and she was welcomed us kindly and warmly. We both got non-alcoholic drinks which she recommended and we ordered "Hamakua Mushroom Lettuce Cup" for sharing appetizer. It was pretty good. (So far) My husband had "Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich" for entree and I had "Eggplant Parmesan" The Philly Cheese came out just normal and bland. I would say wish more added meat and onions. The Eggplant Parmesan I ordered was both surprising and shocking. It was pitch black, simply a soiled mass black charcoal The surface was completely burnt and hardened, and when I tap it with a fork, it makes a resonant clicking sound But, I wasn't surprised. It was what I expected... Tomato sauce was tasty but Eggplant was no flavor and bitter burnt taste and hard as rocks. I told Nancy about it, She apologized me and offered to remake it but I said "No thanks" because it would have been too much trouble... Oh well, I realized many people were speaking negatively and I felt ashamed myself for having had expectations in the first place. Two of us had two non-alcohol drinks, one appetizer and two entrees came up $97.... Waaaaooo... I gave them two stars. That's because the food was terrible but her service was good. HBC was lucky to have her working there, otherwise it would have only gotten one star. read more

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This place was close to our hotel at Hilton. I had Fish and chips cooked with local fresh fish. It was good with lots of malt vinegar. The plate was filled with a good portion of chips and fish. Wife rellay liked her Lemon Drop martini 5 star for the bartender! Happy wife happy life- /Socrates read more

Hilo Bay Cafe - Fish and chips - New American Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

My parents and I had the opportunity to dine here for Mother's Day, and we had an enjoyable experience. The menu has changed since I last ate here, almost 10 years ago... I still saw some of the classics, which was nice. The service was good. Our waiter consistently checked in with us, had a positive attitude, and kept our water glasses full. I recall that we ordered two appetizers. The one from that day's special menu was a seared/torched salmon roll. I won't lie, but I am not the biggest fan of rolls (I prefer traditional). However, this roll was solid. There was no skimping on the fish, and the roll was not falling apart. The other was a parmesan custard. That was just "okay" to me, but my parents both enjoyed it. For our main entrees, my mom got the chirashi bowl, my dad got the burger, and I got the ocean special, which came with Ono and shrimp. The portions were significant, flavorful, and filling. We all enjoyed our entrees and agreed to order them again when dining here. The food was good (for the price point). However, there was a service mishap with my parents' passion liliko'i iced tea. Their first round came strictly as iced tea. It is not a blaring issue, but it is one nonetheless. Overall, for the price point, Hilo Bay Cafe is a solid option in the small town of Hilo when looking for a "fancier" dining option. We will be back to try other appetizers and entrees. read more

Crab cake salad is good. Sushi is good. Lunch time beautiful views of the bay. Dinner has been uneven in my experience. Sometimes great and sometimes only so so. read more

Food and prices so ono something for every taste pallet Location and parking is a plus. read more

We really enjoyed our meal. Hubby got the yakisoba and shrimp and I got fish and chips. We sat at the bar since we didn't have reservations. Our bar server was very nice and attentive. read more

Hilo Bay Cafe - Shrimp and yakosabi noodles. - New American Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

I attend many events at Hilo Bay Cafe, so have become somewhat of a regular customer. The biggest downside to the restaurant is their lack of air conditioning. On a hot, sunny, humid day it can be quite miserable in there. It overlooks Hilo bay, which is nice...however, if you're there during sunset and are in seats facing the ocean, it's pretty miserable being blasted by the direct sunlight during your meal. Their food overall is pretty good, but can be a little on the salty side. I love their shaved Brussels sprout salad and crab cake salad. I most recently got the ribeye steak and it was very tender and juicy, cooked perfectly, and well-seasoned. I also have always loved their lava cake ever since I was a kid. Their menu does change every now and then, so it's nice to be able to try different dishes. read more

I have been to HBC several times. I love the openness of the space and the view from the lanai is perfect, the ocean and mountains. But all the seating feels open and there is a sushi bar. The food never disappoints. So when my friends wanted to take me for a belated birthday lunch I knew where I wanted to go. We started with the hamachi roll, it was amazing, citrus kosho and watercress wow. I had the crab Po' Boy which was spot on flavor and texture. My friends had the special and the ribeye and they were beyond satisfied. Halia was our server. She knew the menu guided us to the hamachi roll and made it really easy to visit and enjoy. Thanks to all. Mahalo nui nui read more

Great food fresh, love the ambiance, and our server Halia was very knowledgeable, friendly and recommended the fish and chips ono fantastic lunch. Found new fav! read more

Dinner last night was amazing! Our waitress was very sweet and attentive. I got the French onion soup and the California crab roll. My friend got the short ribs and a side of the brussel sprouts, both so delicious. Make sure to make reservations as this place gets filled up fast! read more

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Amazing view and surroundings, impeccable service, great cocktail menu and food options, classy and romantic ambiance...what's more to ask? Thoroughly enjoyed my time here. read more

Hilo Bay Cafe - New American Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Such a cute place, I need to see the view during lunch. Service is nice and attentive. It's definitely a whole experience, if you're looking for a quick bite to eat this isn't the place for you. The miso butterfish salad was yummy and I'd order it again. Fries were a hit, a must get appetizer. read more

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