After a long hike, this was exactly what we needed! The food was absolutely delicious, and the portions were huge, but perfect when you've worked up an appetite. Everything tasted fresh, flavorful. The service was just as impressive. Everyone was warm and welcoming, and our waiter was fantastic. she checked on us several times without being overbearing and made us feel genuinely taken care of throughout our meal. This was our first visit, but it definitely won't be our last. Between the incredible food, generous portions, friendly service, and beautiful views, this place exceeded our expectations. If you're in the area, do yourself a favor and stop by! you won't leave hungry or disappointed. Edit: Try their desserts!! we took it to go and immediately had to add this to our review read more

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Ordered the Kanak atak with beef and pork option and overall the experience felt a bit overhyped. The laulau was bland, while the kalua pork was somewhat salty but more flavorful. The poi had a pleasant texture, though the haupia was too sweet for our taste. We upgraded from rice to fried rice, which was fine but unremarkable. Surprisingly, the pickled onions and chili water were the highlights, adding the most flavor to the meal. Service was efficient but felt rushed and impersonal. Our waitress checked in, but did so while walking away, making the interaction feel routine rather than attentive. Overall, the food was ok, but not memorable enough for us to return. read more

First time eating at new location as several times it was closed when I attempted to go. Parking fills up fast in morning. Same menu with the one pound Lau Lau. Newly renovated really like how clean and organized it is. Will be back... tons of local foods. read more

So I visited the Big Island and found this 'Home of the Famous 1lb Laulau'. I got in late so picked up the Laulau to go and took it back to the hotel. Laulau is very hard to find on the mainland so I was looking forward to this. Kuhio Grille did not disappoint! It was so ono! I actually went back 2 days later and dined in for another plate of Laulau. I highly recommend this local spot read more

Kuhio Grille - Famous 1lb Laulau! With Brown rice and mac salad - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Your food could improve. Hash browns are raw and not crispsy. Toast is not toast, not crunchy. Spam were not fried good, it was still raw. Corn beef hash were mushy, no taste, and not fried good. read more

Made it to the restaurant for dinner before closing hour. Ordered the combination plate to try out some local favorites. Laulau (wrapped in taro leaves) and kalua pig were both well-made and excellent. Poi had smooth texture, was neutral tasting and apparently an acquired taste (like a staple starch). Haupia (coconut pudding) provided a flavorful finish on the plate. The waitress was really nice and helped explain the dish. read more

Kuhio Grille - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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The combo plate was really good! Everything on the plate complimented each other well : Fried rice, lau lau, kalua pork, lomi salmon, and poi. Service was very friendly too! read more

Kuhio Grille - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

The food was authentic Hawaiian style. They have a variety of specials and the prices are right. The service was great. The staff is so friendly and attentive. We were visiting friends here and they did not rush us out they let us talk story. The place is big and spacious. Does not feel like the table next to you is part of your table. read more

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My order~ Original Fried Rice Loco Moco Pros +Comfortable seating +Friendly staff +Easy to find parking +Tasty food +Affordable prices Wish their reusable bags were more affordable. $20 seems steep. read more

Game late in the evening. They had ran out of a lot of different foods. Known for their Laulau. I got the pork Laulau with fried rice. The Laulau was really fatty and there was not much meat. They had already ran out of the chicken Laulau. They also ran out of their greens and only had Mac salad left. My friend got the kalua pig which was tasty For the price, the portion was kinda small but service was ok. read more

Kuhio Grille - Laulau fried rice - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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The good: Very nice people, view of huge park and Hilo Bayfront. The bad: TERRIBLE FOOD, breakfast hash browns were raw and had no flavor, Omelette was 1/2 inch tall (not whipped, even flatter then scrambled eggs. Raw veggies on omelette. Tiny portions. $30 a person read more

My family loves stopping at Kuhio Grill whenever we visit Hawaiʻi Island. The food is always good, although the customer service can be a little inconsistent. I finally tried the fried rice loco moco and really enjoyed it. There's plenty of parking and it's easy to find. The French fries are awesome and what I enjoyed the most. read more

Kuhio Grille - Fried rice loco moco - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Returned here during our visit to Hilo! Delish food as always and great service. You really feel well taken care of here! The Lau Lau is top notch! Love their specials too! read more

Kuhio Grille - Laulau plate with fried rice - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

My family and I visited this place around late afternoon on Wednesday and was seated pretty quickly. There were lots of seating and parking spaces available. The server was very nice and attentive during our meal. We're a family of 5 and shared the chicken skin, Katsu chicken & yakitori chicken rice plate & the kanak atak. The kalua pork was delicious! Couldn't stop eating it wish we all got our own plate of it!! Will definitely bookmark this place and come back when we are back in the area. read more

This review is for the Hawaiian food only. I was craving Laulau before flying out and was told this was the place! I ordered the Kanak Atack: laulau, kalua pig, rice, lomi salmon, poi, pickled onions and haupia for $29. The laulau was winnaz! Idk if I was starving but omg it was super good. The leaf was cooked just right and the meat was juicy and full of flavor. The chili pepper water could have been better/spicier but it did its job. The poi was one of my favorite things on the plate, it was so fresh and the consistency and flavor was perfect. The pickled onions were different, but good. I did ask for raw onion and alea but I actually liked the pickled ones better this time around. We also ordered a loco moco but it didn't look too appetizing IMO. Anyways, come for laulau and you won't be disappointed! :) read more

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Parking was in a big lot, no issue. Went later in the day and had no wait. Service was fast & extremely friendly. I got the fried saimin (added the chili water and shoyu on top which was so good), then got the pork laulau with a side of fried rice. The laulau was not my taste, good but not for me. The fried rice tasted a bit stale but maybe it was because it was toward the end of the day. Nice place to try traditional dishes & service was excellent though. Ambiance was nice & had a nice view of outside. read more

Kuhio Grille - Fried saiman - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Had a great post-hike meal here! Shared the kanak atak between the 2 of us which was plenty filling and satisfied my Hawaiian plate craving. Love laulau and kalua pork. Really enjoyed the pickled onions and chili water they offered. Don't think I'm a huge poi fan. Service was great, we felt really welcome! read more

Kuhio Grille - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Decent restaurant in Hilo - we enjoyed dinner here last night. We stopped by around 6, as our landlady had recommended it. We were seated and the waitress patiently answered all our questions and took our order. Favorites: -- Tempura and Kake udon - the noodles were delicious and filling. -- Three choice combination plate - the chicken katsu was superb. We ordered the beef and pork laulau (which is their specialty) for the table to share. But I was the only one who ate it - the others didn't enjoy its soggy texture and bland taste. Service was good. Parking was easy. The bill was a little over $100 (after tax and tip). Happy to come again next time we are in Hilo. read more

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Cute little restaurant cafe. There's a little bar area as well service was friendly. Came in for a quick lunch. The pork cutlet was so ono! Peach cream cheese square was different but it was yummy. read more

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It's been some years since I've been here and since my papa wanted this place, this is where we came. This location has a good amount of parking, the room is pretty spacious and lots of windows providing natural lighting. We both ordered the Kanak Atak which included laulau (you choose between chicken or pork&beef combo), kalua pig, poi, lomi salmon, pickled onions, rice, and small bite of haupia, all for $30. It was tasty and had everything I wanted in one plate, so very worth it. The service was great, the checked on us multiple times, refilled our waters, coffee, and fruit punch. If you're visiting, you'll want to give this place a try and have a Kanak Atak then take a nap. read more

Kuhio Grille - Kanak Atak - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Some food was good, some food was not good. this place is extremely busy! I think because the sleepy town doesn't have much else. In fact, we called for pick up and several times got a busy signal. You just have to be persistent. They do have reserved parking for pick up so that's nice. Supposedly they're famous for laulau. But I didn't like it. It was dry. However, there saimin was excellent. And their tempura was pretty good as well. nothing inside; just a normal restaurant. read more

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Local food that the locals LOVE! Large servings, wide menu selections, and modest prices! The staff is super pleasant and helpful (I come here every trip at least once: 11/2025) read more

DO THE LOCO MOCO at Kuhio Grille, you will not be disappointed! After a long morning hike, we decided to carb up (not the recommended healthy habit lol). Service was limited but the casual atmosphere led us not to expect much. I ordered the Original Kuhio Grille Fried Rice Loco, although I truly wanted to order the double for the 'gram. But thankfully my sister decided to share it with her hubby so I at least got a photo LOL. It's probably the worst possible food you could eat, health wise. But after a long hike in the rain and I mean, when in Hawaii, you have to get a loco moco at least once... with fried rice! It was delicious - although my single order had an egg shell right on top... but I picked it off and retook my photos after I realized it. My mom ordered the fresh pork cutlet and they give you SO much in a single order and it was delicious. My dad tried the Lau Lau and unfortunately it was a little dry. Overall, I definitely recommend stopping by Kuhio Grille if you're in the Hilo area. read more

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Beautiful spot ! As an Oahu boy I feel like this was one of the only authentic Hawaiian restaurant . Loved the sides options from the pickled onions , poi , lomi salmon and the mac salad was great. NOT DISAPPOINTED in the meal BUT the meat in my laulau was a little dry but overall if u in hilo u not going be disappointed . My girlfriend also got the grilled fish plate and it was also a little dry. The portions kinda small too. Other than that great service and wasn't mad I went there. Would return read more

Kuhio Grille - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

No nonsense here, because it's in downtown Hilo where all the action is! Well, as much action as downtown Hilo gets. This place is so clean, the workers are on top of everything, and you will leave full satisfied. My friend had the tempura (forgot to take pictures), and I had the KG combo #2, pictured. The saimin broth was a little on the bland side (but note that I'm from Kauai, where we have Hamura Saimin), but still a quality bowl of noodles. The BBQ chicken is excellent and not overcooked. Lots of local places do tend to overcook BBQ chicken. It can get busy on weekdays, with the nearby government workers walking over here for lunch, but Sundays are smooth sailing. read more

Kuhio Grille - KG combo #2: saimin and BBQ chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Kuhio Grille is one of the many well-loved spots in Hilo and I've been visiting this place for years. They have a variety of items but are known for the 1 lb laulau and Hawaiian food, as well as some of their Japanese and local favorites like the Fried Rice. My go to is the Boneless Korean Chicken with Fried Rice, which is often found on their specials menu. If you have a sweet tooth, they also have some delicious desserts here and there's usually at least one type of cheesecake available. The service is as great as most local places in Hilo! They're very pleasant and quick to take your orders; no complaints here. The inside is also like your standard local diner with booths, tables, and it's overall well-lit and clean. Plenty of parking available in the private lot outside the restaurant. It's one of those places that I visit when I'm visiting home and in the mood for local food! read more

Kuhio Grille - Boneless Korean Chicken with Fried Rice - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

This place is like my place to go to when I am feeling extra. Their specials are always on point and desserts are so good that you're can't leave without bringing one home. Today (8/9/2025) I got the fried saimin (which I have had so many times before) with their grilled fish option (first time getting the grilled fish). Brah, wasn't broke the mouth at all. Before I even took a bite I knew was going be shitty. The noodles was wet like they literally took it out the water, added cabbage and spam then plated it. No flavor at all. I had to put shoyu and still was not good. I packed it up with the intent to doctor it up as soon as I get home. My Mac was watery from the residual water from the noodles so I couldn't pack it (the Mac was good). The fish... was dry but I was ok with that. But Omg again no flavor. Salt helped though. Anyhow I have not given up on Kuhio grill. I'm hoping this is a one off fluke and will gladly change this review if it gets better. read more

First time trying this place and it sure did not disappoint! The lau lau was so good I ate it all! Definitely coming back when we visit again! read more

I asked about their private room area to have a class reunion meeting was told the room charge was $500 plus each person ordering a dinner plate who can afford having a dinner meeting with a $500 room charge ‍ read more

Awesome food!! The saimin is good! Highly recommend!! We went here twice during our vacation stay in December. Everything was amazing. Come eat here. You won't be disappointed. read more

This is a locally owned and family run business and our first experience was really good. When we went back today it was just ok. Not bad, just not great. We ordered the tempura platter, kanak attack, and kalua pork plate. We also got the fried chicken skin as an appetizer. The tempura batter was a bit heavy handed and the sauce was thin (not a lot of flavor), but the veggies and shrimp were cooked well. The chicken skin needed salt but otherwise was fried well. And the chili peppah watah had no spice. We enjoyed the kanak attack, the laulau was ok but the poi was really good and so was the haupia. The ladies were friendly and we had three servers who checked in on us during the meal. The restaurant was very Christmasy with beautiful homemade decorations. We'll go back and hopefully it's a better day for the cooks. read more

Had the yakitori chicken and it was amazing! Happy that I followed my friend's recommendation! Will definitely be back! The atmosphere was nice and decorated, real family vibe. Taste of the food was what really did it for me. Thanks for everything! Service was also exceptional, no long wait, friendly staff and very attentive. read more

Kuhio Grille - yakitori chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

We got takeout to take back to the hotel because I wanted to try the 1 lb. Laulau. The Laulau was okay, the pork was a little dry and I thought it could use some salt. Overall, not the best Laulau that I've had. But the fried rice was a delicious surprise! Hubs got the half order of fried rice with an over easy egg and I got a loco moco with fried rice. The fried rice is goooood!!! read more

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I am not a big fan of Laulau but my family is. I decided to go with the donburi... and it was the best thing I've ever tasted! The dish was flavorful and delicious. The employees welcomed us and treated us with kindness. This is a cute little spot where you need to visit. read more

Kuhio Grille - Donburi - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Great spot for families with a very large menu. Daily specials are great. Good size portions so it's a great value.

Had dinner at Kuhio Grill tonight, And I think it's a hit or miss on service. Last month we had great service and friendly servers. Tonight not so much service and not to friendly. Order was taken quickly but no personality or friendly at all. Even after drinks were brought to the table I tanked her and no response back, I know I said it loud enough too. Food came quickly and it was cooked and presented good too. The thing is that no one came back to check on us or refill my water. I'm not one to have to call someone to refill my water so just drank some of my wife's water. We waited about 10 minutes after eating and I wanted to leave already so I had to get one of the servers attention to get my bill. Two servers were busy and two was moving slow and taking story behind my table behind a short wall. Not sure if they were on a break though. I hope others do have this experience or this eatery will start to lose business. read more

Had to give this place 5 stars since we did come here 2x same day..lol!! Breakfast was pretty packed on a Wednesday, but our group of 6 was seated fairly quickly. The waitress was very friendly and provided us wid da chili pepper water, tobasco, etc. We didn't have to ask. The ambiance is da same in every cafe...nothing fancy. Food was amazing. Check out da pictures and come check it out for yourselves. read more

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Who doesn't need a pound of laulau?!? This place was packed when we came in for lunch. We stuck with the laulau with the kalua pork, the lechon plate and the grilled fish of the day, which was Ono, and upgraded to fried rice instead of steamed. We ate family style. This is the way to go so you can try everything! Crazy good! Their bar is full of maneki-nekos and I had to get a picture of that! Just a cool local joint to where you can get good local eats! There was a woman celebrating her birthday and she was 95 and her friends were all in their 90's! The whole restaurant sang and clapped. This place just has a good homey feel. read more

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We came here for dinner 2x on our latest visit to Hilo. Both times we were quickly seated (once a table was available of course). Servers were friendly, efficient. We tried the famous 1lb lau lau special (pork), the shrimp tempura, andthe saimin soup. The lau lau was tender and tasty. The shrimp tempura cooked right and seasoned well. Sides of ono were cooked right and tasty :) The saimin, a big island tradition, had a nice broth and noodles cooked right, served with traditional side of mustard that locals like to add, so I did. Desserts looked fantastic but we had to pass being too full. The fried rice is a big serving and excellent, assuming you're ok with spam, which we are. Locals love their spam :) cheaper here than back home! We'll keep coming back here when we visit, its casual, prices good and great island fare. read more

So so So So so so So so So so yummy!!! 10/10 recommend. We ordered their special of side squid luau and chicken long rice read more

Kuhio Grille - Kanak Atack with a side of squid luau and chicken long rice - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii