Great food with a great view. The staff is super nice too. What a winning combination. read more

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

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Food, Ambiance, and service after making it past the hostess, was friggin amazing. Great price too. I absolutely loved it here and would return! read more

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

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Every time we come to Hawaii, this is a must! The food is absolutely delicious, the service is very attentive, and the view from our table overlooking Halo Bay is picturesque. read more

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On our visits to Hilo, we always stay on Banyan Drive and love walking around the gardens. I've passed by Hilo Bay Cafe (the building on stilts with HBC in big lit-up letters) countless times, and finally made an effort to eat there after a few people recommended it. It's a popular spot, so recommendations are a good idea and can easily be made online or over the phone. We arrived earlier than expected and met a friend; the friendly host greeted us and worked with our schedule to move up our seating time. We were given a beautiful table on the lanai overlooking Hilo Bay - the views are one of the main draws to eat here. Inside has many tables as well, which also overlook the ocean albeit through windows. The bar area has seating facing the same way. Our server Cayenne was attentive and friendly throughout our meal, always checking if we needed anything. My friend and I ordered a few local beers, they offer a bunch of draft selections from Big Island breweries as well as the staples. We ordered the house bread, a rotating selection, plus a number of entrees. I had the Thai peanut Udon, which I loved on a hot evening; my dining companions had the pot pie and house of the day fish. Everyone loved their food. It's a wonderful place to watch the sunset over Hilo. Prices are a little more than you might find elsewhere, but you're paying for the view and great service. Parking is free outside. They have a staircase or elevator if needed to get upstairs. read more

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Okay, the short ribs were mouthwateringly mindblowingly delicious, idk what else to say, LOL. I hadn't been expecting the medley of mushrooms in the dish and those really put it way over the top. The meat was falling apart it was so wonderfully tender, and the noodles were cooked just right. Add browned cheese and grilled onions and you've got heaven on a plate. Here's the thing, it was a $32 plate. Trust, this is WAY outta my price range. However we were here because my in-laws recommended it (and were paying). Most of the dinner options were in the $20-35 range, unless you got a salad as a "meal." Beverages were all $4+. Basically, you're gonna shell out, but your tongue is gonna be happy. The staff were all really friendly (seems like they probably deal with snooty uppity types a lot, oof) and took good care of us. Service was quick and efficient. Bathrooms were nice and clean. It was dark outside because it was late but I reckon at any other time the views would've been stunning! read more

excellent restaurant great service beautiful view of Hilo Bay. The food was exceptional. I thought the portions were a little bit small or the price was a little bit high however, you wanna look at it really did enjoy this place. Excellent iced tea. read more

This place has it all--great food, killer views, and solid service. I had the short ribs, and they were incredibly tender and full of flavor. My buddies went for the Thai peanut udon and the pot pie, both of which were hits. The outdoor seating is perfect for catching the sunset, so definitely go for that if you can. Just a heads up: it gets busy, so make a reservation. I usually go with my fam here for weekend outings. I used to go often to sit at the sushi counter to watch uncle Roy work his magic with all the sushi and rolls. Overall, Hilo Bay Cafe is a top spot in Hilo. read more

Can I award Negative Stars?!? Arrived 15 minutes early for a 7 pm dinner reservation. Host told us table was ready but he would not seat us yet. Said, "I may be able to seat you before 7." We told him we would wait in the bar. Host made a very particular point of saying we would have to close out our bar tab before being seated. We assured him we do not run out on bar tabs! As we were walking to the bar he said, "I'm going to do you a favor and seat you now." Who does this? Cannot comment on anything else. We left. ‍ read more

Wonderful view if sitting on the deck. Lots of good options, if ordering the chicken, ask for extra sauce. Service was good, although a bit slow at times. read more

Hilo Bay Cafe - Chirashi bowl, chicken pot pie, honey butter chicken. - New American Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

We were surprised at how modern the restaurant was and it's on the second story to take advantage of the beautiful day. I made the mistake of not going to their website first because we found as we got there we needed reservations. Oops! The hostess was very sweet and she asked if we would mind being seated at the bar. We said not at all since we were both famished after the long drive here from Kailua Kona. We were seated at the bar by a window overlooking the bay. Our bartender/waitress Jessica was like the Energizer bunny; just an awesome worker! She took our drink order of iced tea and asked if we wanted pineapple juice added. We thought that was different and she highly recommended it. She quickly served it and we agreed it was very good. It was aptly called "Plantation Tea." We ordered the fish & chips (fresh catch of the day--Ono fish). Hands down the BEST fish & chips we have had in a long time! The coating was tasty and crunchy and the fish was indeed very fresh, tender, and flaky! We savored every bite! It was accompanied by a fresh salad and the fries were crispy and delicious! For dessert we ordered the Butter Cake. It was perfection! The coffee was fantastic! This was a pricey meal but so well worth it! read more

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Lovely restaurant with nice views of Hilo bay. A great range of food and cocktails. Food options vary from Hawaiian specialties to full course meals and burgers/sandwiches read more

Excellent service by Cayenne. She checked with us frequently during lunch. We set a reservation 2 hours after coming to the restaurant and toured until our reservation. It was worth it. Cayenne recommended the Spirited Away. A refreshing drink and it hit the spot. Recommendation : Garlic Shrimp Yakisoba +++++ Fresh Catch with salad +++++ read more

Beautiful location, we ordered a salad, Chirashi, and a couple roll and lava cake for desert. Food and service were solid but darn the food took more than 29' and the restaurant wasn't even half full at the time. Four stars for food and views and service but deduction for crazy slow food. read more

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This was a beautiful dining experience for my family and I! We had Megan as a server and she was so sweet, impressive memory and answered a lot of touristy questions for us. The view was perfect and we didn't need a jacket once the sun went down. We got an appetizer, drinks, a bottle of wine, dessert and ice cream and our bill was roughly $350 which isn't bad for less than $100 per person! Took almost 2 hours which was perfect because we were on island time I got the ocean NYE special dish and it was PHENOMENAL. Handmade pasta, white wine, and a big piece of marlin! Checkout more on IG: madisoninmt read more

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

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Excellent service, nice view and simply fantastic delicious food. Stumbled on this based on the Beli app ratings and decided to try it.

You'll want to come for drinks and the view. We come for sushi chef Roy from the long gone Nihon (RIP). What you need to know in a run on sentence: Contemporary American NOT Hawaiian cuisine with some but not all of the sushi and a little fusion and more importantly one of few fine dining restaurants in Hilo. Ambiance: Moderny, classy-casual, reason for my rating. Where to sit: @ the bar. Would return for: See go to orders: -Parmesan Custard -Hawaiian Poke -Nigiri Sushi -Warabi Roll -Lettuce cups -Hamakua Mushroom Pot Pie -Taro-Quinoa Veggie Burger -Please bring back the sashimi salad! Pro tips: make reservations online through their website; elevator located at the back of the building. read more

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Great service,drinks and food. We were a party of 8 and called last minute for a reservation. They put us in the reservation book. That was really awesome. Our waitress was amazing, they food was excellent and we had great company. Would definitely go back. read more

Hilo Bay Cafe~ this time we only stopped in for drinks & a snack, but we've gone before for dinner & lunch, and enjoyed it as well. First of all.. I absolutely love the restaurant ambiance. The view from the dining room overlooking Hilo Bay during sunset is just perfect. We were seated outside on the patio so we got to soak in allll of the views during our dinner. Our server was really sweet - we were very indecisive and took a long time to order, but she was so kind & let us take our time in ordering (thank you!) So we only did drinks, I had a lychee margarita which was really good! I 'm not a huge tequila gal but it didn't taste too strongly of liquor. Other members of our group did have some food, and they seemed to enjoy everything. Except the french fries - they said they were a bit soggy lol. but everything else was fine! Next time in Hilo will definitely go back for their full menu! read more

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

I was told that I should make time and go to this restaurant. This place is great! They have a great ambiance as everyone is very relaxed and not rushing you. They bartender went over the menu and took the time to explain everything and she even suggested a fee plates that are her favorite. I started with sushi and you could tell that it was fresh! I was still hungry so I ordered the beef rib. Both were succulent and very well done! The presentation of the meal is top notch and it reminds me of the restaurants in Atlanta. I closed with the Mai Tai and the chocolate cake which they were awesome! If you are in Hilo, you should stop by. If you want to sit outside, get there early because it fills up. I sat at the bar and got there early and by the time that I was leaving, there was a wait. Make reservations or get there early! read more

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Hilo Bay Cafe has a lovely atmosphere inside and the outside has terrific views of the ocean and lights of Hilo. If you can make a reservation as early as you can. The food is quite good as are the drinks and the service. They have a good selection of non-alcoholic drink choices. I tried the honi honi. If you like a drink on the tart side, this is the one for you. We split an order of the fish special, mahi mahi, on udon and vegetables with a side of crab cakes. The crab cakes (2) are on smallish side and came with some dressed greens. They were tasty as were the dressing on the greens. While they aren't anything close to those in Baltimore, they are fine. The mahi mahi was delicious as was the udon which was tossed in a sauce that tasted rich and nutty. As it's on the specials menu, I don't recall the description. Suffice it to say it was very tasty. For a restaurant with a view, the prices were fairly reasonable. It's definitely a place worthy of a precious meal slots during your vacation. read more

The sushi is perfection! Get a seat at the sushi bar if you can. Food has always been pretty good here and the service is good.

Sacha is one of the best bartenders I've ever encountered. Very friendly and knowledgeable. The food is great but they do change their menu regularly which is not something I like because the items I enjoy are gone. read more

We came over from Kona again for a repeat on our experience in late January. Menu changes-- maybe a new chef? Several old favorites are gone and a few new dishes added. Healthier options prevail. Didn't care for ahi (dry) fish and chips and were used to mahi and ono from last visit. Miss their onion rings, breaded chicken sandwich and other things. Hamakua mushroom poke was too bland and flavorless. Yellow tail Sashimi was very good. So was their unchanged French onion soup and jicama slaw. Service was good -- a little slow, but they were busy. Ambiance is excellent, especially on their lanai. read more

I saw this place on the Food Network and bookmarked it for when I knew we would be in Hilo. I remember the show made the restaurant look exceptionally good so I was excited to try it. I must say that our experience was a total disappointment. The first bad meal we had during our vacation. Based on all of the 5 star reviews HBC has received, we obviously ordered incorrectly. The ambience is 5 stars. The service is 4.5 stars. The food 1-2 stars. We started with the ceviche tostados and they were not good. The tostado was stale, not crispy. The ceviche needed salt and had zero flavor. It was the first ceviche in my life that had no flavor. About one half of the menu is comprised of sashimi and sushi. You would think that based on that, they would know what they are doing and would offer top notch sushi. You would be wrong. For our entrees, the wife and I split 3 different sushi rolls: spicy tuna, lobster, and rainbow. They were not just bad, they were horrible. The worst sushi we have ever had. We have eaten sushi in almost every large city in the US and in Japan. If a Japanese restaurant served this sushi they would be out of business in a week. To say it was substandard is generous The avocado was spoiled and yet they served it anyway. Why? Does the chef just not care? I tried to pick off most of the black parts. The rice was old. The fish was not fresh. The sushi was obviously not made to order. It was as if the rolls were made far in advance (days in advance?) and sat in a refrigerator, waiting for the naive to think that just because it is Hawaii the sushi should be good. It was a struggle to finish the rolls because the experience was just unpleasant. Neither one of us wanted to eat it but we did not want to waste the food. I would never recommend sushi at this place. If they can't do better, they should take sushi from the menu. The beers were good. So for our $120 dinner we had two good beers. The meal was a total waste of money and the more I think about it, the more annoyed I become. Although other reviewers sing the praises for some of the dishes at this restaurant, I would not consider returning under any circumstances. read more

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This is my favorite restaurant in town. It's best to make a reservation, even for lunch. My first time there we didn't make a reservation, but were able to be accommodated at the bar since we got there right when they opened for dinner. The servers are all really friendly and the bar makes great cocktails. I have tried their bolognese pasta, a vegetarian mushroom pot pie, a butterfish salad, and steak & potatoes. I wish I could find the photo I took of a vegetarian farmer's sushi roll which was absolutely beautiful with lots of local mushrooms and micro greens - it was fresh and generous to share, I would order that roll again and again. My most recent visit was to celebrate our anniversary and the petit steak with broccolini and potatoes was unfortunately over-salted. It was right on that edge of nearly being inedible but I just couldn't bring myself to send it back and risk wasting the food. The presentation was beautiful though and my steak was cooked exactly how I wanted -medium. I can't wait to have the excuse to return and enjoy more food & drink! read more

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

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I don't understand what was going on with this restaurant everything was super delicous. Best food I had on my trip to Hawaii!

Surprisingly stew was FANTASTIC. Better than ordering a lay lay I think. Desserts customized and very nice. Busy but efficient system of seating. Seemed no one waited more than a few min. Worth it. Returned a second day for more luau pork. read more

The fish and chips were the best fish and chips of my whole life. I am 61, so that's saying something. I split it with my friend. The fish, fresh catch of the day, was so fresh. I left my phone in the car so I have no photos. I ordered 2 of their Mai Tais. They were good. I am impressed with this place and the way they handled their error. Hubby ordered his sandwich with no onions. When the order arrived, it had onions. While he waited for his new sandwich, the waitress or manager gifted us the garlic edamame. It was scrumpdidlicious! We were told it is best to make reservations here. read more

Hilo bay cafe was a great experience. The food was promoted on DDD but the dinner with a view of the beach was a plus. The server was nice enough to replace a cider that we didnt like. The ribeye was perfection. I dont recommend the macadamia nut rice though. read more

Great food, amazing service and excellent restaurant by the water. You can see the Hilo downton and Maunakea Mountain view. read more

1 in 3 chance of a tasty meal. Not really great odds, and pretty spendy for those odds at a restaurant. Service was pretty slow, great atmosphere though. I don't really plan to come back. Didn't recommend the sushi. read more

Easily made a same-day reservation online. Service was lovely. The food? OMG I haven't been able to stop talking about it! Although I usually have the amazing sushi rolls here, this time I had the duck duck Demi and my husband had the angus ribeye. Wow--everything was so delicious and cooked to perfection! Hands-down the best restaurant on the Island of Hawai'i! read more

usually I love this spot but today will probably be the last day I come back for awhile. Came here for lunch this afternoon and 2 hours later I was hit with what felt like a truck load of classic food poisoning symptoms (nausea, vomiting, stomach cramping, diarrhea, chills) I got the Kabocha squash salad with chicken. Something tasted off with the chicken but I ate it anyway because I wanted the protein. Super bummed. read more

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

The views overlooking Hilo bay are beautiful. The decor inside is clean and modern. The staff was friendly and service was surprisingly quick. The food was also excellent. read more

Hilo Bay Cafe - Brussel sprout salad with chicken was great. - New American Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Visited Hilo Bay Cafe for a lunch today and it had been a long while. The ambiance is as lovely as ever and we really enjoyed the refreshed menu. I had the 'ulu gratin for my main course which was fabulous. This is one of the most creative and delicious vegetarian main courses I have had on the island. It is 'ulu forward but nicely complemented by mushrooms and delicious seasoning. I also enjoyed the crispy brussels sprouts and mushrooms, a perennial favorite. HBC did a nice job making our occasion special and remains one of the best places to dine in Hilo. read more

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

It was a nice restaurant with nice views. Good service. Most of the food was really good. My chicken was tough in spots but most of it was good. Really liked the corn and biscuit that came with it. Really good. The bread appetizer was really good too. My husband's burger was undercooked and he didn't eat much of it but they didn't charge us for it. It was a nice restaurant and most of the food was really good. read more

We last visited HBC in 2013 when they had just opened and were in a strip mall. They now reside in a very nice facility above Hilo Bay. The food and the service are still amazing. Many of the dishes that made them famous in 2013 are still on the menu. What used to be called "Black and White Fries" is a large plate of freshly cut French fries with a black truffle and white truffle aoli dip. Amazing. The burgers are fantastic and we had a dessert called "Gooey Cake" which is to die for. I am glad to see them being so successful. Reservations are not required, but recommended. We did not have a lunch reservation at around noon, but we only had to wait about ten minutes. read more

Been eating at this establishment since they first opened over by Walmart. Food always good. Today was considering the fish and chips. Server said the fish was "tombo ahi". When I asked which it was, tombo or ahi she again repeated"tombo ahi". When I tried to explain to her that tombo and ahi were two different kinds of fish she got all weird and defensive so I got up and left because I was afraid she would do something to my food for trying to educate her. In case you don't know, tombo is the Japanese word for albacore tuna, a specific smaller tuna species with light colored flesh. Ahi is the Hawaiian word for the large tuna species (Big Eye or Yellow Fin with red flesh). read more

AMAZING DINNER! We come to The Big Island every year and always enjoy a day trip to Hilo. Saw the great reviews on a tourist publication and we were wowed. We walked in and were asked if we had a reservation which we did not BUT the host found us a spot that just canceled. Lucky us. We enjoyed an appetizer of Eggplant With a cheesy custard and toasted bread. Outstanding. We also enjoyed the Bone in Curry Pork Chop and side salads. Wonderful food and wonderful service. The view of the bay was so enjoyable. We will always make a trip here when we visit. You should too, but get reservations! LOL. read more

The restaurant is on the second story with a beautiful view of the bay. There is an elevator for those needing help. I Highly recommend reservations of you want a table, let alone with a view. As a walk in at noon on a Saturday (what was I thinking, right?) two seats at the bar available or an hour wait for a high top in the bar, no view. read more

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