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    Moon & Turtle

    4.6 (854 reviews)
    Closed 5:30 pm - 9:00 PM

    Moon & Turtle Reservations

    Moon & Turtle Photos

    Business Info

    MOON & TURTLE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Moon & Turtle

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    Reviews With Photos

    Joanne L.

    Reservations highly recommended, it's a small place and I don't think they take walk ins usually. My family and I came here because we heard it was the best sashimi around Hilo and big island. All the ahi was so so good! The smoked ahi sashimi was so buttery (?) and the smoked flavor came through soooo well. The seared poke dish on a hot stone plate was my personal favorite. Market fish was ahi and I really liked the potatoes it came with too underneath the fish. The pasta was great and I've never tried that type of noodle so it was really fun (?) to eat. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the poached egg on top added onto the sauce well! A bit hard to find parking nearby at night fyi! Street parking only

    Kit A.

    This is my first time in Hilo and I have to say I absolutely love it. Not only because of the amazing food I've been so lucky to taste, but because of the amazing kind people I have met who have served our food. Our server and everyone else we interacted with were nothing but smiles, kind and all the food arrived fairly quickly. We tried three out of the 5 appetizers on the menu, and one of the large plates (family style plates). I can't do dairy so they modified the risotto to leave it out. Everything was absolutely delicious! Out of the 4 drinks we tried one was not to my taste, it was a bit too bitter due to the dry vermouth, but my husband didn't mind it so we switched drinks. This is a place with casual ambiance, relaxed. I loved that if you mentioned it's someone's birthday, they will play "it's your birthday" and everyone looks around to find the birthday boy or girl; they bring you a dessert and everyone claps! My only feedback would be that the chairs are a little uncomfortable, but a little cushion would resolve that. It's been an amazing experience to be in a community who clearly cherishes Aloha. To the chef, staff and owner, thank you!

    Smokey sashimi
    John Z.

    Need reservation to avoid waiting. They asked credit card for reservation. But if you call them for reservation, they will send a link to you to enter credit card. We felt uncomfortable with that and the reservation is still valid. This is a small restaurant that has about 10 tables and 7 bar seats. Food is good and the chef is definitely one of the best in the town. The food portion is small. They suggested us to order two large dishes and two small dishes. But they are not enough for 3 of us even we added one more small dish.

    Smokey Sashimi
    Nicole I.

    Dined here last night with my husband and our experience was great from beginning to end. We ordered the Smokey Sashimi, Mushroom Risotto, and the Market Fish. Everything was prepared perfectly! The Smokey Sashimi had more of a kick to it than what I was expecting, but not in a bad way - just a warning if you're sensitive to spice! The fish we had was cooked perfectly and I really enjoyed the vegetables that was paired with it as well. Our favorite hands down was the Mushroom Risotto. I want to mention I appreciate our waiter letting us know that you can order a smaller size because the small size alone was a good portion especially since the flavor is very dense. The small size was big enough for my husband and I to share - I can't even imagine how big the normal portion size is! We ended our meal with their Peanut Butter dessert (I can't remember what it was called) and it had the perfect amount of peanut butter taste to it. It wasn't overpowering at all and the dessert was light and creamy. The restaurant is fairly small so I recommend making reservations which was really easy to do. The staff was extremely attentive and super kind which made our dinner experience even more enjoyable. My only complaint that I have is our table was extremely sticky. I'm not sure if it's due to the humidity and the finish of the table has just worn over time, but literally everything was getting stuck to it - we had to peel the menu off the table lol. It's nothing that would deter me from coming back though! 10/10 for not only the food, but the hospitality as well.

    Mushroom risotto... a MUST!
    Joy N.

    Moon & Turtle was the perfect way to end our trip before heading back to the airport. The staff were so friendly and the service was great!! Highly recommend making reservations as this place was packed! The highlight for sure was the mushroom risotto! It was so flavorful and the truffle was perfectly balanced. I also loved how they had so much mushrooms, too! Appetizers- highly recommend the smoked ahi dish. It had a nice kick to it and the fish was so fresh!! They also offered some kid options which we loved. The kids got the Mac and cheese and it was super yummy! Overall, highly recommend this place and we'll be back the next time on island!

    Lilikoi cheesecake
    Xinran Z.

    Amazing Hawaiian restaurant with a small curated menu using local ingredients. The sashimi with smokey soy sauce was so good. They're super booked up for a Saturday night dinner so def need to make reservation on yelp ahead of time. The servers were all so amazing. We got there 15 minutes before our reservation, but they already had our table ready with a little birthday hat on it. They even gave us some ice cream for free to celebrate my birthday. Overall a lovely place to go for a couple or small group. Def will be back next time we're in Hilo!

    Bryan W.

    Valentines dinner with my baby was awesome food was on point, mixologist Soni was the best & mark had the kitchen humming. Bluefin tuna otoro smoky sashimi Legi ceviche Crispy rice Potato salad with caviar Lobster risotto Market fish

    Sizzling poke is the best
    Alex J.

    I haven't had a better experience at a restaurant in Hawaii. Food and service are incredible. Everything is great. The ambiance is so warm and inviting.

    Seared poke

    Cute restaurant in downtown Hilo! Service was excellent and food was tasty. The seared poke in particular is a must-have. Sashimi was incredibly buttery though a little too salty for my taste. Pasta was yummy and very heavy / filling. Parking is difficult to find during peak dinner or lunch hours so be prepared.

    Smokey sashimi
    Debbie C.

    This place is insanely good. The food was off-the-chart delicious, completely ruining our palates for dining anywhere else in the Hawaiian Islands. We started our meal with mezcalritas and the smokey sashimi, which was quickly followed with the mushroom risotto suggested by our very excellent server. We had the sizzling poke next and failed to get a photo before serving it quickly to maintain its rare center, as directed. Then, instead of a sweet dessert we opted for the garlic butter belly, which was a rich and rewarding end to our meal. We were delighted with the origami lamps made from old paper menus surrounding the room and the other decor in this comfortable restaurant that pays homage to its past as a dry cleaners. We will recommend this one to anyone seeking a delicious meal in Hilo.

    Jackie P.

    Food was incredible & so fresh. Cocktails (we had The Silk Road & Lychee Press) were some of the best we've ever had. Service and ambiance were both excellent.

    Hanson K.

    The best food I've had in Hawaii! Stayed in Hilo for two nights and a reservation at Moon & Turtle was a must. Every bite was amazing, albeit a bit salty overall. I was expecting the smoked ahi to be the star of the show, and it was as unique as I had expected it to be, but the mushroom risotto was the absolute highlight for me. Half portions are possible, and it is a must! The service was impeccable. Our waitress was beyond accommodating, and the corkage is reasonable. My next trip to Hilo will not be complete without another visit.

    T S.

    Great food and ambiance. Definitelyneed reservations. Parking can be difficult especially on Fridays, but not a deterrent.

    Portuguese sausage pasta

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    Moon & Turtle Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Moon & Turtle

    Hi, I would like to buy a gift card for my mom. On Tripadvisor it indicated that gift cards were available. Would you be able to help me purchase one? Thank you.

    Aloha, We do sell gift certificates! You can either stop by when we're open (Tuesday-Saturday from 5:30pm-9pm) to purchase one- or give us a call at (808) 961-0599 from… Read more

    What are the vegan options for tonite... i'm coming with a friend at 7:30?

    Aloha, We usually have at least 1 vegan option nightly, but definitely recommend calling ahead to let us know of your dietary restrictions, so we can make sure to have an… Read more

    Do you have a kids' menu?

    We do! We offer buttered noodles, noodles with house red sauce and mac n cheese

    Do you have vegan options?

    Aloha Carol, We usually have at least one vegan option available. We recommend letting us know of… Read more

    I was hoping the delicious-sounding, and visually-stunning, Cake Noodle Pork would be on the menu soon. Are you planning on bringing it back in the near future?

    Hi David, Thanks so much for the question! That was a great dish, but there aren't any plans to bring it back. We'll post up if that changes!

    Is there a corkage fee if I want to bring a bottle of tequila to share?

    Aloha Misty, We have a $15 corkage if you'd like to bring in a bottle of wine or sake, but we do not allow any other outside liquor. Cheers!

    What is the dress code for Moon & Turtle?

    No there is not. Please come however you are comfortable!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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