Lehua Restaurant was one of my favorite dining experiences in Hilo. The atmosphere was beautiful, and the live music was a great touch that really added to the experience. The staff was incredibly friendly and attentive, and I loved the overall ambiance. It was also pretty unique being tucked away inside the ʻImiloa Astronomy Center part of the University of Hawaii (Hilo). We ordered the calamari, rib eye steak, and lamb chops, and everything was delicious. The calamari was a great app with a nice panko crust and awesome sweet chili aioli. The rib eye and lamb were both cooked well and packed with flavor, and all of the portions were generous. Between the food, service, live music, and romantic atmosphere, Lehua is definitely a place I'd recommend for a special dinner in Hilo. read more

See all

My coworkers with Hilo family highly recommended this place and when in doubt, do as the locals do right? Located on the University of Hilo's campus, this seemingly farm to table restaurant has a lot to offer. We ordered the House Salad, Fried Kalo, Fresh catch (Opah/moonfish) over noodles, and fish over Bolognese. We went extra on the fish as we've been eating a bit heavy and some lighter seafood was in order during our Hilo trip. We also got the pickled mango martini and sangria. Everything was very fresh, with local produce making up the crisp salad and delicious pan fried fish over yakisoba style noodles. The fried kalo is definitely different, as it's hard to describe not being a potato, with a different texture being crispy, yet fluffy and starchy on the inside. If you like fried potatoes, its worth trying. The fish over Bolognese had some conflicting flavors, but the fish was again tasty and fresh. Both drinks were quite citrusy, with the mango martini being a bit too tart for me. Staff was polite and efficient. Live music also happens, but it adds to the atmosphere rather than taking over. Reservations can made online and there's plenty of parking. read more

See all

Food and service was great. Interesting and creative. Waiter was great and very attentive. They did run out of the Fried chicken. Finding the restaurant had a few challenges. Worth trying for sure. read more

This place was surprisingly good since I thought it was just a restaurant in the university area. The fish plate was fresh and the bok choy was cooked well, crips and seasoned well. The Sisig was delicious along with the citrus sauce and garlic rice. read more

Lehua Restaurant - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all

Dinner at Le Hua was charming yet unpretentious. Gentle Hawaiian music by a guitarist decorated the air with warmth. Calamansi Margarita (Camarena with calamansi sour) was a potent mix, rimmed with black lava salt. Fried Kalo very irresistible: Crisp taro cubes with chili oil, topped with herbs and pickled onion, all beautifully presented. Our favorite of the evening. Crab Dynamite (Garlic rice, yuzu sweet chili, unagi) almost overflowing in its small skillet: was rather sweet but fabulous when enveloped by saltiness of nori sheets. We found crudo with ahi very fresh-tasting and the best ahi dish we had on this trip. Strawberry puff pastry was the lone letdown: the pastry seemed to have been made in advanced and missing the typical dessert's freshness and cohesiveness. read more

See all

For the money, I felt the experience could have been a notch better across the board. Our waitress was great but as we dined at 5pm there wasn't much going on either. By 6, the place was filled and a nice guy was playing single guitar Hawaiian songs without being intrusive with volume. As noted by others, finding this place was a challenge. There definitely needs to be more street signage directing to the location and appropriate parking. I had to loop around several times before just guessing where to park legally. A small drink menu, we tried the Ali'i Mai Tai. The description promised a special experience but turned out not to be particularly tasteful or potent. Changed over to wine; again not much of a list. Had the New Zealand mussels and they were great! Each shell opened and the meats were good sized. Went then to the chef's special entree of Mahi Mahi with a great mixture of sauces and vegetables. Very tasty. Look forward to visiting again! read more

See all

The food and service were great. I ordered a Mai Tai. It was very different from what I'm used to... it was less sweet but still potent and tasty. I would order it again. Just don't expect it to taste like a sweet Mai Tai. For lunch we ordered the fried kalo. It was delish!! It was served in chunks. Coated and deep fried then had a garlic chili oil and fresh herbs! I didn't know if I would like it, because I'm not a fan of poi. But this appetizer was great!! I had a hard time not scarfing it all down. It really tasted like fried potato chunks with the oil and herbs. Then we got a hamburger which we shared. It was perfectly cooked and very yummy. Served with French fries and ketchup. Then we ordered the salted carmel Mac pie which we requested to go since we were both full from the meal. Overall a great lunch! read more

See all

Our fave place to go for a more upscale date night dinner! Located at Imiloa, Lehua's provides a lovely atmosphere filled with warm ambience and local music with live performance. Menu is on the smaller side but they're all hits! Their specials are also always creative, the staff do a great job at describing the dishes and give great recommendations as well. If you're stuck on deciding a starter, highly recommend the tinono and crab dynamite skillet. Large party? Can't go wrong with the whole fish, we loved the fresh watercress. Finally tried the lamb recently, melt in your mouth goodness. read more

See all

Arrived at 6:30 PM on a Monday. 7 open tables...45% of the restaurant was open. A young lady dropped off water- didn't even acknowledge us... Order taken at 6:42 PM... Free bread and butter with Hawaiian Black Sea Salt= yummy Calamari- flattened steak (not tentacles or rings) lovely sauce 10/10 Crab Dynamite Skillet- 10/10 Shared the fried fish which was Opaka Paka that day. 10/10 The food here is always delicious. Sometimes the staff is not the most attentive. So really it more like a 4.5. The food is always on point. The drinks are always on point. The service somewhat on point. $200 meal before tip; 4 drinks, 2 apps, and 1 shared plate. read more

See all

Sat at the bar with my beautiful niece on a Monday night. They didn't answer the phone earlier for reservations but they took us right away. The service from the Hostess and Bartender was just amazing. No high makamaka attitude here! Super friendly and helpful. They had really good live music from a solo artist, playlist on point. Food was beyond my expectations as well! The calamari and pork appetizer are a MUST! read more

Lehua Restaurant - This is literally the best drink EVER! Ask Francesca to make it! Spicy pickle mango martini - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all

Everything about Lehua is welcoming and inviting. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. The food is perfectly curated and so fresh. This is one of our favorite restaurants to eat at. Also the chilli pepper water is top knotch. read more

See all

We went for dinner. We had the fresh whole fish, fried kalo & calamari. The food was excellent. The service was also excellent. We would recommend this restaurant and definitely return. read more

Lehua Restaurant is our favorite restaurant when we visit Hilo. We love both lunch and dinner! Farm to table with fresh ingredients! Service is attentive and welcoming! We love the music during dinner service. Extensive wine list and drink options. read more

The staff were excellent and attentive. music in the background, clean environment. the food was great, we liked the fried taro and kimchi hamburger very much, tried the mai tai it was very pineapple forward or yummy. read more

Lehua Restaurant - lunch menu - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all

Lehua is a nice option for dining in Hilo. The location is a little away from the main part of town, but really easy to get to with plenty of parking. The service is polite and attentive and the staff is friendly. The food is good, and some of the dishes could use a little refining. I recommend whatever the fish special is. I have never been disappointed when I have ordered this. I like to order both their Gyoza Ravioli and Calamari appetizers when I dine here. The calamari can sometimes be overdressed, but I just scrape off the excess sauce when needed. The pasta is my least favorite dish. It does not have much flavor and was oily when I ordered it. This dish could be improved. I appreciate that they have live music after 6:00pm and it's always been tasteful and beautiful. It really is a nice experience and I recommend trying it out. read more

See all

We celebrated my husband's 70th birthday. The food was delicious and presentation was on point but the oriental salad needed color like some red pepper. My husband is diabetic so offering brown rice or some other vegetable would have been nice. Service was quick and friendly we didn't feel rushed or pushed out. Ambiance was nice. Lots of outside sunlight. Clean and no cob webs or dirt around windows. We visited the gift shop but sales associate was not helpful or friendly she was busy using her phone so decided not to buy anything. Overall we enjoyed our time at Lehua's a great restaurant for celebration in style. read more

Lehua Restaurant - The fresh mahi mahi plate. - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all

We happened to be on a trip back home to Hilo and I've been wanting to try Lehua. The ambience, service, friendly staff, live music, and food was amazing. We cannot wait to go back when we return home to Hilo again. read more

Lehua Restaurant - Evening special - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

The vibe is on point! If you want a relaxing dinner with some great live music and Ono food, come to Lehua's Restaurant at Imiloa Observatory. When I go to Hilo it's a must do, one of my favorite dinner spots! You won't regret ordering the lamb chops, everything on the plate is delicious, from the perfectly cooked and seared lamb, to the roasted potatoes underneath. read more

Superb local food in a relaxed and beautiful environment. We had the day's soup - Portuguese pork and bean - and the day's fish. Portion sizes were perfect for a healthy meal, and everything tasted extremely fresh and good. Service is fast and attentive too. I'd recommend this as a must-visit in Hilo read more

Lehua Restaurant - Grilled fish - catch of the day - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Great Food, Wrong Room The food here is genuinely good -- authentic island cuisine that's earned its acclaim. But the atmosphere undercuts everything the kitchen is doing. The location is beautiful, up on a hill with real potential. Instead, you enter through an unmarked side door that looks like the entrance to an office building -- nothing signals "restaurant," let alone "Hawaiian restaurant." A large arrangement of tropical flowers and a proper welcome sign would go a long way. Push through the double doors and you're greeted by a cluttered counter facing the wrong direction and an oversized, ugly refrigerator. There's no Aloha spirit anywhere in the room. No bright tablecloths, no flowers on the tables, no Hawaiian music. The live music area is an afterthought -- a lone dining chair and cords running across the floor. Booths line the round dining room along the windows, blocking the view. Overhead, harsh fluorescent lighting completes the effect. The whole space reads like a Denny's -- a low-budget diner with zero atmosphere, not the island escape the food deserves. It's a real shame. The cuisine is the reason to come. The room is the reason not to stay. read more

It was follow the map and see where we end up! Let's just say we thought we was lost at first, but follow the road and you'll end up at the cutest little restaurant! As soon as you walk in your greeted, the place is beautiful with some live music going! We order the poke hoard to start!! 10/10 It had spicy poke, fresh poke!!! Kim chi crab, super juicy, and the pipikaula so yummy!!! Ribeye- 10/10 cooked perfectly to temperature, served on a bed of mash potatoes and asparagus.. We also got the fried fish!! It was huge, served so pretty with veggies. 10/10 there was absolutely nothing left of that fishy!! From. Walking in, to being seated, to taking our orders, to serving us EVERYTHING and EVERYONE was just AWESOME!! We are definitely coming back! read more

See all

Walking away from the meal at Lehua, the main descriptor of the meal would be too expensive for the quality of food. The food ranged from delicious to terrible to just bizarre. Firstly they are playing live music which is lovely except when it's too loud so you can't hear anybody you're talking to at the table. The most bizarre things we are were the appetizers. We had the gyoza ravioli which is bizarre as a starter because it is just one ravioli. Why would you make an appetizer one ravioli? Sure it's big enough to cut and share but that's a terrible item to share because now you have to cut it up and divvy it out. The ravioli was good but it was such a pain to serve it fell apart as I was eating it. Next up was the mussels cataplana which had such a delicious sauce it rested it. Too bad there aren't enough mussels to supplement eating the stew. And it's way too hard to serve the stew when you just have a plate. The best way to eat it is with some bread as our waitress told us which I agree but it isn't served with bread. We had to ask our waitress for another round of bread for this. The dish should just be served with bread and maybe some harder bread as well. We shared the ohana style fresh whole fish fried and it was pretty good. The fish tasted fairly good but the highlight was the Hawaiian water they offered with the meal. It was a spicy sauce that definitely helped improve the fish's flavor. The worst was the fresh catch we got which was some ono. This fish was the most overcooked and dry fish I have ever been served. The severe lack of sauce made this a dry, unflavored, mess of a dish. Desserts were adventurous and delicious. The kulolo lumpia wasn't something I'd ever had before but the mix of the hot kalo and the ice cream was delicious. The look of the dish was much less appetizing as it looks like just some goo. The macnut chess pie was much more approachable and also good. Had this been a meal costing about $20-30 a person I wouldn't be so outrageous but the worst fish I've ever had was $38. The meal came closer to $40-50 a person and for that price you expect great food. I see the vision in some of the dishes but some of the failures are too much to recommend this place. read more

Lehua Restaurant - Ohana style fresh whole fish fried - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

My family and I asked if we could hold our family luncheon there after our dads funeral service. Brandon Lee and his team was amazing and my family loved the food. Made our day for the family and friends to gather wonderful. read more

One of the better restaurants in the Big Island located in Hilo. Nice ambiance semi formal with Hawaiian vibe live music very modern. Best Mai Tai ! The food was very good the service as well. The ribs were delicious. They offer crispy fried whole fish. read more

See all

TLDR: A quick search told us Lehua might be one of the best restaurants in Hilo right now and we were pleasantly surprised by our experience. Dishes were unique, food was tasty, and portion sizes were reasonable. Highly recommend the fresh whole fish and the tinono. ------ FOOD: 1. Fresh whole fish (5/5): We got one of the snappers, deep-fried (just using oil, no breading). Came with a large, well-dressed salad and 3 banchan on the side (tasty, though very small servings). Fish was delicious (beware of bones) and the whole thing could easily feed 2-4. 2. Tinono (5/5): Really liked the acidity of this dish. Overall was packed with flavor and went very well with rice. Pork was ever-so-slightly chewy but I kind of liked the texture of the charbroiled meat. 3. Short Ribs (4/5): Meat was tender, rice was soft, flavor was good. Felt like an upscale loco moco, though felt like the rice to meat / egg ratio was a little off. 4. Macadamia Nut Chess Pie (4/5): Tasted just like a pecan pie but with a slight macadamia nut flavor. Was delicious but was too sweet for me and wish the crust was a little more buttery and less grainy. Whipped cream was light and wonderful. ------ SERVICE: * Really liked our server! Overall had great and efficient service. * Easy reservations online through Resy. Lots of availability so was able to reserve day of. ------ ENVIRONMENT / AMBIANCE: * Nice ambiance but I wouldn't call it "upscale". Live music added to the atmosphere but made everything feel more casual. * Cool that this was in an astronomy center but you wouldn't know it inside the restaurant. Felt pretty standalone, which is totally fine. * No views from the panoramic windows, but they decorated the restaurant to feel more festive. read more

See all

Enjoyed the experience immensely. Food was delicious and service was friendly and attentive. Definitely be back next time we're in Hilo.

Our server was amazing, house manager stopped by, great kanikapila, 'ono food. Sis even brought the chili peppah watah shots Calamansi is the word...Ribeye surf and turf But great company can't be beat read more

See all

First time eating here and it was delightful. I like the ambiance and live music they had during merrie monarch week. The tinono was by far the best thing we got and I will be back just for that. Hibiscus lemonade was good, not my favorite. The oriental salad however was underwhelming, chicken looked funky and not crispy. Service was good, can't wait to try more things off the menu next time. read more

See all

Amazing dinner. Comfortable, relaxing atmosphere. Amazing wait staff. We started with the crab dynamite and the calamari, both if which were delicious. I had the chicken con fit, which was moist and better than expected. The rib eye was also a hit. The desserts and drinks are amazing! See photos. read more

See all

10/13/2024 Lehua Restaurant 600 Imiloa Pl Imiloa Astronomy Center Hilo, HI 96720 I went there for lunch after my last planetarium show on a Sunday about 1:30 PM. There was one other party there. It's a spacious, modern, new table and padded bench setup. Service was always friendly, attentive and prompt. I ordered the Fried Kalo appetizer and Fish Filet Sandwich which came with shoestring French fries. The taro was topped with some artisan greens and julienned pickled guava. The cubes were crispy on the outside, lightly seasoned and tender but dry on the inside which is expected with taro. The grilled Mahi Mahi was very lightly seasoned and flaky. The fries were hot and very good. I'd order the Kalo or the sandwich again. I will definitely repeat when I visit the planetarium again but I wouldn't go just for the restaurant. It's on the pricey side so it's not a good value. read more

See all

Dinner in Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii... Searching our Yelp apps for a nice restaurant, we decided on Lehua Restaurant because it's located at The Observatory! Isn't that cool? Parking is free, and the restroom was down the hallway. The interior of the restaurant was elegant and beautiful! We had a nice view of the lush, green, tropical gardens! We appreciated the classy centerpieces of fresh anthurium and candle with wick and oil! Service was professional and friendly! We were checked on often and were entertained with excellent, live, Contemporary Hawaiian music! I almost ordered the Catch of the Day: mahimahi with rice, bok choi, and lup cheong, but my friend, CeCe, got that. She let me have a taste, and it was delicious! I had the Braised short rib, which was boneless, tender, and tasty! It came with rice, softboiled egg, and kimchi. I was too full for dessert, but we looked at the menu. I ate another order of complimentary sweet bread and butter for my dessert! LOL! Overall, we had a great experience - even though we didn't have a reservation! Whew! read more

See all

We watched a video on the bon appétit YouTube channel about Lehua Restaurant & Head Chef Keoni Regidor & knew we had to try it! We ordered the crudo & calamari for appetizers. The crudo was nice, light, & citrusy. The calamari was almost like a steak, it was probably our favorite thing! I had a chicken confit with crispy skin served over green beans & rice. My husband had the chef's special which was an Ono over puréed sweet potato's. For desserts we went with the holy mini pear pie & the strawberry puff pastry. Everything was pretty good. Our server Braycen was amazing! He was so knowledgeable about the menu & had great recommendations. Even the other staff would come by & check on us. The service was really amazing. The vibe of the place is really nice too - wall to wall windows, dim lighting, live music. It's a really nice place to check out if you're in Hilo. I would recommend making reservations. read more

See all

Great dining experience ! Felt welcomed as soon as I walked in the door. Enjoyed the Live music, beautiful dining room, and the service was excellent. Servers were nice and friendly. I had the fresh catch of the day. Fish and steak were cooked to perfection! Highly recommend. read more

See all

Literally the only one in town where the dishes are more relevant to the rest of the world. The service was friendly, professional and yet attentive. The ambiance was vibrant, warm and welcoming. read more

Lehua Restaurant - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all

Beautiful food and wonderful service - please go to this gem! Fried taro was delicious. Whole steamed fish was a delight. Strawberry puff pastry with house made brownie ice cream - so good. Also, shout out to the musician with the beautiful voice who performed during dinner. read more

I ordered the Kim chee burger. Each bite had balls of hard grissle, some got stuck between my teeth. Truffle on fries was minimal. Good coffee. read more

Food was phenomenal!! Service was wonderful. Entertainment was nahenahe Lots of parking. 5 star!!! read more

See all

Quite possibly the worst experience I have ever had in hilo. From the very start. The restaurant door is LOCKED, but ur supposed to know to pull or push because they locked the mechanism open.. however when you go to twist the handle it wont open. Therefore one would assume not to pull. Because its locked. We walked around the restaurant to find another entrance of which the staff stared and watched. When an elderly group arrived and we tried the door again, suddenly the hostess was there and willing... to help them. She sat 2 parties before us, and mentioned she saw us walk around the entire place like some joke. When we were finally seated. I was told by my waiter "youve been here before you work at _ No hello. No aloha. Just telling me who I am, which was incorrect. I felt stupid before even sitting. & then you dont even have pinot grigio. The hetero couple who walked in after us received everything before our food even started cooking. We ordered as soon as we were able to. And 30 min after we placed our order, the waiter decided it was time for us to eat, and told us he would be starting our food now.I told them to box it, we told the hostess she made us feel stupid. Ironic that she was ready and willing to hold the door for us on the way OUT but not the way in. I still tipped. Asked to speak to a manager, and was told there was none on duty. read more

Aloha, Lehua was recommended by a Hilo friend as an up and coming restaurant due to chef getting a James Beard nomination, cool. Located at imiloa, convenient to airport when we landed, easy. Lots of parking and live Hawaiian entertainment, nice. We decided on 4 appetizers to share, which were all delicious from fried kalo, Tako in a luau bath, mussels in tomato sauce and the tanono was the bomb. Can't wait to try the entrees. A hui hou! read more

See all

Service was great. Love the local vibe! Had their ono special on a deconstructed potato hash topped with pipinola relish. Delish!! Live music...beautiful falsetto!!! read more

Lehua Restaurant - Special - Ono with deconstructed potato hash and topped with pipinola relish. Soooo ono!! - Hawaiian Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii