If you're coming to the Big Island and skip Manago Hotel Restaurant, you're doing it wrong. This place is the definition of old Hawaiʻi no frills, no gimmicks, just some of the best home-style food you'll find anywhere. The menu is small, but that's part of the magic. They do what they do exceptionally well, and every plate tastes like it's been made with care for generations. The service? Hands down some of the best on the island. Friendly, genuine, and welcoming the kind of aloha that can't be faked. If you're wondering what to order, you can't go wrong with the butterfish or the hamburger steak both are absolute island classics. And if you're a pork chop fan, you're in for a treat. They're absolutely delightful. One favor if you're visiting: leave the snobby tourist attitude at the airport. Slow down, be patient, respect the people, and enjoy this place for what it is. Manago isn't trying to be trendy or impress influencers. It's an island institution, and that's exactly why it's so special. Mahalo to everyone at Manago for another fantastic meal. I'll be back every chance I get. read more

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Authenticity and simplicity are the key ingredients at this historic Hawai'i restaurant, serving traditional dishes with ingredients from local growers. Ordering is easy: choose your protein and let the day's sides complete your plate. Simple. Classic. Delicious. read more

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This ole fashioned local restaurant in the famous Manago hotel is very quaint! Check out my pics for menu! All entrees serviced with beansprouts, pork cabbage, potatoe salad with tuna and peas plus white rice: family style! My friends ordered the Famous porkchops fried in an old cast iron skillet! Large serving with 2 chops and very tender and juicy! I ordered the bútterfish with Miso ($.50 cents more). 1 small and 1 large size but so fresh and flaky! Yummy, would order again! There is a good size parking lot after you drive past Manago Hotel. Check out their little Pagoda garden and waterfall! read more

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I finally got to try the pork chops at Manago Hotel! It comes in 2 different sizes, either a 10 oz or a 15 oz. I went with the 10 oz and my daughter and I shared it. My husband got the fried opelu. Gravy and grilled onions are an additional 50 cents each. The pork chops were pretty thick and was enough for the both of us. Honestly, it wasn't anything spectacular, but I read and heard so much about it. They bring out 3 side dishes and tonight it was potato salad, a cucumber/imitation crab salad and shoyu long rice. Rice is served like in a Chinese restaurant in a big bowl and you scoop your own into your bowl. The service was very good, local style with her calling us aunty. So Kona, I love it! The hotel itself is over 100 years old and it is very nostalgic. Don't expect too much, it is home style cooking with local vibes. I enjoyed our dinner there and would go back to try something else on their menu. read more

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Manago Hotel completely won me over. The sides alone are worth the visit, so many delicious options to fill up on before your entree even arrives, which is such a fun surprise. The whole place has this adorable rustic-elegant charm that makes you want to slow down and enjoy the moment. Add in genuinely friendly, warm staff and you've got a winning combination. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a memorable meal with real character. read more

Overrated and overpriced! Good service but the food leaves a lot to be desired pork chops were tough and the fish had a lot of bones. We ate here many times before and was marginal then but for the price many other places to choose from. read more

Old school since 1917. I stopped by hoping that they would be open for a late lunch and unfortunately it was not. I took my own personal tour through the reception area and restaurant and this place has so much historic ambiance. I will be back someday when the restaurant is open. read more

Joe was amazing! He was very accommodating and the ocean view was spectacular. Bed was so comfortable and definitely worth it for the price.

Went there for lunch last week and ordered the pork chops for lunch and it was eye popping as in huge portions! Came back last night for dinner and had the butterfish with miso. Very good. Lei and Melia were warm and friendly. Really nice folks. It's a little out of the way but that's the charm. Just good food, good people! read more

Manago Hotel Restaurant - The Butterfish - Hawaiian Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

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A visit to the Manago Hotel is a visit back in time. Not far from Kona, it claims to be the oldest restaurant-hotel there and I believe it. You don't go for luxury. You go for history and good food. The original tables and decor are so basic that they are retro. Service is efficient. None of this "Hi, my name is Jules and I'll be your server tonight." Their pork chops are their specialty. Nothing fancy, not even great, but well worth trip to eat them. I'm old enough to remember this kind of straight forward, honest place. Glad we went. Once could be enough though. read more

Get the pork chop. You won't regret it. I would say it's even better than most steakhouses pork chops. Make sure to get the 1 pound one too. It's easy to finish when the food tastes that good. The opakapaka was solid, a little small, and scaly. Lemons on it were good though. Wouldnt really get again. The opelu as well. I wouldn't get it. It tasted a little fishy. And lots of mini bones. I woud definitely come back. Just for the pork chop. read more

Manago Hotel Restaurant - Hawaiian Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

Thank goodness Manago Restaurant is still going strong. We just finished dinner and another great dinner. We ordered the famous pork chops with gravy and onions, also hamburger streak with gravy and onions. Both dishes amazingly good. Not a fancy place for those yelpers looking for the Hawaii experience but for those looking for just good solid food, Manago's is your go to place. Last year the hotel was going to close and the restaurant was up in the air, decision wise. Well the plans changed and Manago restaurant is still going. Support it! read more

The food and the service was outstanding! The pork chops were very tasty and so was the butterfish was so delicious too! what a nice place to come and enjoy some authentic Hawaiian Aloha. Our family will be looking forward to our trip back to the Big Island to stop at the Manago Restaurant. read more

What a treasure of a place! It's amazing places like this still exist. Butterfish with miso - moist and buttery fish with a generous serving of miso sauce on top. Delish! 5 stars! Opakapaka - the butter garlic preparation was perfectly done and the fish was nice and flaky. 5 stars! Pork chops - this was highly recommended but it seemed a little dry. The gravy was super good but wasn't too impressed. 4 stars. All the sides were enjoyable especially the ogo. I thought it was like banchan, so we made the mistake of asking for more and we're charged an additional amount per person (like $6). It was worth it since the overall meal price was reasonable. Very low key no frills place with locals and tourists and limited hours. Get here if you can! read more

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Smothered pork chops for the win! Service was great & our waitresses were attentive & accommodating to our large party. Loved the display regarding the history of the hotel/ restaurant the kids enjoyed it too! Thank you Manago Hotel & Staff. read more

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My notes say, "we'll be talking about this one for a while..." I tell you it takes a lot to warrant that kind of a prediction for people who eat out as much as we do... So story time. Where should I start... When we arrived at this place even from the outside, we were thinking, "what in the world have we gottan ourselves into." It looked like some old creepy hotel from the outside. But we've been fooled before, so we knew it could go either way. Inside the dining room, same sort of vibe. Huge dining room with way too few tables. Mostly locals who know everyone. Someone was celebrating a super chill birthday... Even the menu threw us off. I mean we were told to get the pork chops, but it's not like there were a ton of other choices on their 1980's menu. Add onion or gravy for like $.75?... $.75?! What in the world have we gotten ourselves into, I ask you?! Anywho, to make a long story short. The food came out. The pork chops taste just like they look in the picture. That is to say delectable. Top notch. Wonderful! And the fish dish wasn't too far behind. Turns out we got ourselves into some super special food... I could've eaten two more plates (and the pork chops on top of them too ;), but we fgured we'd come back (we never do). But... at least we'll always have the great memories... And true to form, we've been talking about that restaurant and those pork chops ever since. The end... now off to bed you go! read more

So happy that I finally got to eat here after hearing about it from friends multiple times. After a morning hike in southern Kona, we stopped here for lunch. We were greeted quickly and kindly and immediately got seated. The menu is posted on the wall and while not extensive it is full of local favorites. The one thing I really wanted to try due to all my friends was the pork chops and they did not disappoint. Be sure to get the gravy and onions. The gravy is so delicious that I was pouring the extra over my rice. We also tried the mahi mahi which was also tasty and a good pairing since it was a lighter dish and we were sharing everything. It definitely lived up to the hype my friends gave it and I can't wait to come back when I'm in the area again. read more

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This restaurant won a James Beard award in 2023 in the American classics category. They offer family style side dishes along with some tasty and well-priced entrees. Pork chops seem to be the hit and ours was pretty good. Butterfish was excellent and mahi was a little overcooked. Sides were generous for our party of 8 and were refilled on request. **Highly recommend making a reservation** Seating is limited and the kitchen/servers can get slammed pretty easily. Not fancy but casually comfortable. read more

I was disappointed with my meal which was the famous Pork Chops..it was oily. The sides are not given individually...you share? I asked for chopsticks and she said of course but no chopsticks was brought to me. It's pricey meals! read more

We had to see what all the hype was about. I think the results were mixed. This establishment has been here since 1917 serving food and as a hotel. It is the oldest in the state. The atmosphere is super spartan. You might as well step into the past to experience what it might have been. They wheel a cart around with 3 appetizers. A potato and pasta salad, corn and peas, and bean sprouts. There is also a large bowl of steamed rice for the table. We ordered Pork Chops with onions and gravy (delicious, nice and crispy) and the Ono which apparently was overcooked and a bit dry. You can park in front on the street. Recommend just to say that you did it. read more

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Home cooked food at affordable prices. Delicious and filling. Sadly, I think they are looking to sell the hotel. So go now while they are still open! read more

We came to Manago Hotel Restaurant after having visited the South Point. It was 4:40 pm. We thought we'd had to kill before their 5:00 pm opening. Turned out the staff let us in at 4:50 along with 2 other groups. We lucked out and had a bit of time in the empty dining room and took our time with the menu. Service was efficient. The dining room has lots of pictures and is bright and airy. We ordered the Ono and pork chops. A big bowl of rice and plates of cellophane noodles, garlic edamame, and potato mac salad was delivered to our table. Turned out another patron seated at the adjacent table was also a first timer here. We got to talking and learned that he had come from Washington D.C. for work. He ordered the butterfish, but knew that the butterfish and pork chops were highly recommended. Since he was by himself, I offered a bit of the pork chop for him to try. He happily accepted and in return he gave us a bit of the butterfish to sample. The mains were really good. I guess the sides, which were tasty, are classics for Manago. I wish there were a bit more vegetables. Since we got there early, we watched the crowds stream in. They do take reservations. The dining room filled up pretty quickly not long after 5 pm. Manago is worth a visit. read more

Manago Hotel Restaurant - Menu from Jan 2024 - Hawaiian Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

Nostalgia! This place just speaks like we're eating back in the old days and a home cooked meal is all we needed for dinner. I had the hamburger steak with gravy and onions. The hamburger had a crust that you could tell came from a cooktop that's been seasoned for years. It was moist and tasty. The teriyaki beef was the type you'd get at the old saimin stand. Finally, the pork chop. Chewy, tasty, moist...smothered in gravy. If you want a home cooked meal done right, swing by Manago. read more

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Basic but good and affordable. We stopped for an early breakfast and enjoyed a well made meal that included a delicious papaya half. Food was served hot and cooked just right. Menu is limited but everything is well prepared and tastes fine. Interior is a little run down and not at all fancy. Super casual. Very clean. Wait staff was great. Personable and quick. read more

Manago Hotel Restaurant - Small but delicious. Papaya with breakfast every day. Yum! - Hawaiian Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

We enjoyed our food. We had pork chops and liver. It was good but wished they had mashed potatoes for the liver. Also they serve the sides family style and for 6 people they only gave small servings so we only were able to have tasting sizes which was a bummer. Local people love the potato mac and rice so Tablespoon of potato mac for each of us was a disappointment. You get more if you're alone as they serve a normal size of each item. I was going to rate 3 stars but for nostalgia I gave four. read more

Manago Hotel Restaurant - June 2025 menu - Hawaiian Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

Love that they're still around and the building looks the same as 30 years ago. The food was good, generous and reasonable. Friendly service. Hope they continue on! read more

It is a gem behind that 1800's facade. The food was great. It was like home cooking. The photos inside that shows the history are great. I had what I call a blue plate special. Go enjoy. Go on a Sunday and the flea market across the street. read more

Hawaii Island. The Big Island. Moku O Keawe. These are just some of the names that the still-growing island goes by. Although it's the youngest of the major islands in the Hawaiian Archipelago, it has more than it's fair share of legends, like Pele the Goddess of Fire ruling Kilauea Crater, the burial place(s) of Captain James Cook's chopped-up remains, and the secret gravesite of Kamehameha The Great. Then there's the Mango Hotel's pork chops. Big Island LEGEND. Salted, deep fried, smothered in bacon gravy and topped with a heap of sauteed onions, the swine is heavenly. They're fried until the fat is cooked, but not dry. The gravy is savory and not salty. Food is family style here. Your server will give you long rice (glass noodles), potato salad, ogo (seaweed) salad, and a bowl of rice. There's beer and wine after 11 AM. The setting is rustic and probably hasn't changed much since opening. Try to park curbside on the street. They have a private lot in the back, but after a meal here it is difficult to walk down that steep driveway--because hey, you're young and still growing like the Big Island. read more

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Got a message on yelp and it read: "Do you recommend this place?" HECK YA!!! You cant go wrong. I live on another island but, will make it a point to go to Manago Hotel Restaurant whenever Im on Hawaii Island. I dont normally like pork chops and everyone tells me to get them. After a many many visits, I finally ordered the pork chops and ... dang! They were correct. Awesome!!! Old style restaurant. Dont expect much except good food. read more

Manago Hotel Restaurant - Hawaiian Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

Old Kona in every respect -- set your expectations appropriately (this is not a resort, it is a real piece of community and history) and you will have a 5-star experience. read more

Great food and family style restaurant. Hasn't changed much for the last 50yrs. A must for the family every time we go to Kona for a visit. read more

We enjoyed our meal so much we went back a second time. The food is Japanese/American and made fresh to order. It is clearly a local favorite and I can see (taste) why they win awards. They provide sides with each meal and they seem to mix them up each time. We had friendly, informative service from Ramona, a Manago veteran. She was very helpful and efficient - oh yeah, and funny, too. This a 100+ year old building that operated as a hotel for decades. Fabulous ambiance, we hope some new family comes along and keeps this 4 generations of family biz alive. read more

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Wow, super excited and happy, to get to dine here at Manago Hotel Restaurant for the very first time, after reading that Manago received The James Beard America's Classic 2023. CONGRATS!! It was finally time for another neighbor island getaway for the day so its off to Kona! On the day I read that they got the award, I called to make reservations ahead, I was worried and didn't want to fly in to Kona and miss dining here due to the crowd and being busy! Note, as the saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover, if you are expecting something fancy, updated, renovated restaurant, this place is not for you. They are the oldest restaurant, over 100 years. You can feel it, the nostalgic-ness here. No fancy silver ware and plates either, just plastic the kine you use at your good friend's grandma's or Hanai aunty's house. Mom and pop, hole in the wall, comfort kine foods! We parked across the street at the park, * there is a sign, park at your own risk and remember don't leave valuables in the car. The entrance is the where the hotel's front desk is, go pass the stairs, watch your step. There is no menu, its posted on the wall. The menu including breakfast is super simple. I already had the pork chops in mind and butterfish but decided to go with the Opakapaka special. The pork chops comes in 2 sizes, we got the small 10 oz with onions and gravy ( $1.25 extra charge for onions and gravy) got the Opakapaka in butter garlic/ The entree comes with 3 sides along with a huge bowl of rice! which was still not enough and we needed more rice and ended getting another scoop, which is $1.50 per scoop. The Verdict- The sides we got on a Saturday, were chicken long rice, mac salad, and ogo. I loved the sides but not a fan of ogo. The pork chops was good with the gravy and onions, but it wasn't tender. I had a hard time chewing and just gave up after 2 pieces. The Opakapaka fish was fresh and cooked to perfection. The 2 pieces were tiny. We enjoyed our meal but decided next time we visit we will order all fish instead. Need to try the liver next visit. All in all it was a wonderful first time experience, real comfort food. I would love to come back here again. 5 Stars!! Even though this restaurant is over 100 years old, they do take credit cards. Closed on Mondays! read more

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A little rustic but the food is really good, and you are sitting in a historic place having a meal.

The bongo cannot be beat. This is basic home cooked island food that primarily consists of fish and pork chops although they have steak and a few other things. Serve Japanese family style with side dishes served before the entrées. The people who work here have been there a long time and do a great job. We are just so happy that the Manago continues to stay open, even if on a limited basis. read more

Pork-chops with gravy and onion is a must! Nice place with a lot of history. Service was great and of course food was onolicious read more

Manago Hotel Restaurant - Pork Chops with gravy and onion. - Hawaiian Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

So, I'm just here to briefly say: go to Manago if you're in the area. And further, make sure you get the pork chop. There's genuinely nothing quite like it. It's buttery. Crispy. Slathered in homemade gravy and more onions that you can possible imagine. A smorgasbord of onions. A bevy of brilliant little slices of onion on top of that wonderful, well cooked, well seasoned, well sauced, pork chop. I know: you're right next to Kona. You could go anywhere. You could eat seafood! And you should! But not tonight. Tonight, go to Manago. The pork chop is honestly that good. read more

Manago Hotel Restaurant - The pork chop - an all-time thing you must have at least once in your life. - Hawaiian Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

Great location and view, nice, helpful staff with delicious traditional Japanese Hawaiian fusion!

Homey atmosphere, legendary pork chop was just like mama used to make. Generous portions, old school vibe, worth a trip.

Managoooooo I live youuuuuuu. Came here for lunch with my coworkers while on a business trip and I loved everything about this place! The sides of vegetables, ogo, rice, potato salad, and Hawaiian hot pepper chili water were perfect. And the pork chops with onions and gravy were exactly what I like when I order pork chops. Pork chops were juicy with a slight crunch, gravy was homemade, and the onions were a perfect balance to everything. I will now use any excuse I can to be near manago near lunch time! The ambiance of the hotel/restaurant is great too, definitely a must visit!! read more

Manago Hotel Restaurant - Outside - Hawaiian Near Me - Captain Cook, Hawaii

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