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    Naung Mai Thai Kitchen

    3.8 (451 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Naung Mai Thai Kitchen Photos

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    NAUNG MAI THAI KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Massaman Curry
    Mark T.

    7/27/25 Naung Mai Thai Kitchen 86 Kilauea Ave Hilo, HI 96720 I have been here many times and I am convinced this is the best Thai in Hilo. It's on a small alley way with limited street parking so a walk may be involved. It's a small cozy table and chair setup with really gracious and helpful people. Our service was great. We ordered the Massaman and Salmon curries at the Thai spice level. My Massaman curry was exceptional with good coconut flavor, thick slices of seared beef, sweet potato, Kabocha pumpkin, carrot, broccoli, cabbage, onion and peanuts. It's really authentic with the twist of featuring local ingredients. Wifey's Salmon curry had large slices of braised salmon. The spice level was hot but we both liked it. The ingredients, flavors, quantities, preparation and quality of the dishes are great. Have and will repeat. They are closed on Mondays.

    Yellow curry was pretty good
    Amylynne F.

    This place is such a cute small place. The employees are friendly. I wish I loved my meal more bc the pad see ew noodles were fresh, but it had no flavor. I did try the curry, which had flavor.

    Fried rice vegan
    Jayadurga N.

    Very good fresh rolls and vegan fried rice! Small place but quick serve. Veggies were fresh as well

    Baby cockroach

    Food is okay until you find a cockroach in it. When you discreetly tell the waitress of the find, she says she'll "let them know". I didn't see roaches advertised as one of the ingredients? There will be no compensation on your bill, or even an apology. The appropriate action in such situations would be to make it right. Visited this place many times, but will not be anymore.

    Menu
    Loretta W.

    Smells so great I'd in here! A tiny dive with a handful of tables and street parking only. We ordered the Thai spring rolls, Panang curry w chicken, pad see ui, and the Tom yum soup. The spring rolls were crispy on the outside, with delicious vegetables and pork on the inside. They came with a yummy sweet and sour dipping sauce, and served on a bit of cabbage. These were really good. The Tom Yum soup was absolutely delicious, with plenty of vegetables and a buttery broth that was rich with lemon grass flavor and all the goodness you expect from Yum soup. They had a really nice dark brown rice that I love, and I put my panang curry on top of it. I ordered medium spice, and it was definitely medium spiced. I appreciate that because most people think that I don't like spicy food, so they don't ever spice it the way I want.the curry was creamy and delicious, the chicken was a little dry, but the vegetables were cooked perfectly. The pad see you was really good, with a very rich flavor that was a little different than I'm used to. I liked it a lot. The noodles were really soft and chewy like I like them, with crunchy carrots, and broccoli and zucchini with enough vegetables. Most of the time they don't give us enough vegetables, but I liked this very much. We also had a Thai iced tea, which was rich, creamy, flavorful, and super sweet. Just like Paula likes it! While we were sitting here, the place got super crowded, and it looks really popular, the service was great, and if you want to come, just know, you might have to get here early. There's not very many tables and it's apparently a very popular spot.

    Fried rice
    Uppi C.

    We went to the restaurant for lunch and specifically requested basil friend rice. However, the server forgot our request and only brought plain rice. When I asked for basil, she initially refused and then brought plain basil. Additionally, I wasn't satisfied with the fried rice. To make matters worse, while we were still eating, the server asked if she could take away our dishes. Overall, I advise visiting this restaurant at YOUR OWN RISK.

    The table,  because it's cute
    Melanie S.

    Naung Mai is really good Thai food tucked down a side street in downtown Hilo. A colleague recommended it and we were glad he did. We were a little early for lunch and were waiting outside when they opened at 11! The servers were really friendly and welcoming, especially to a pair of doorbusters. We agreed on one noodle dish and one curry dish as they are served family style. The food was ready pretty quickly and the portions were generious. Drunken Noodles - my friends in Hawaii turned me onto this dish and the one here was excellent. The noodles were very wide and chewy and kind of rolled up. When I was serving myself, I thought they were some kind of vegetable I didn't recognize! There were plenty of vegetables and shrimp and the sauce was very good. Since we were at a new Thai restaurant, we went with Mild, and I would not have minded a little more kick. Pineapple Curry - I really love pineapple curry and it's not that common. However, a lot of places in Hawaii serve it! The one here was very good! it was very saucy with plenty of chicken and veggies in a nicely flavored curry. I asked for extra rice to soak up even more! Again, we asked for mild, and I would have been happy with a little extra kick (and I don't really consider myself a hot head). I really enjoyed my meal here and would recommend!

    The BEST green curry with chicken
    Cherish P.

    I love this restaurant. I have to eat here at least once a month. Sometimes every week. They have the best Thai curry, it's addicting ! They give you such a generous amount of vegetables and the taste is always great. The staff is very friendly as well. My favorite place to eat in Hilo.

    The food was just okay. They load up on tamarind so if you like it sour this is the place for you. I like a balanced taste so this place was not for me. The service was very good though.

    Sticky rice with mango

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    7 months ago

    Service was nice and fast. So many selections of food. Food is tasty and nice size portions.

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    Sweet Cane Cafe - Kale salad

    Sweet Cane Cafe

    4.3(462 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    Sweet Cane is a health-conscious, organic, farm-to-table cafe, offering sandwiches, fresh…read morejuices/smoothies, and vibrant acai bowls. My favorite items are the acai and pitaya bowl as they are loaded with fresh banana, granola, coconut flakes. I also chose to get the omega add on for bee pollen, honey, chia, and hemp seeds for extra fiber! I am so happy to see that their bowls are still amazing as always. Highly recommend their fruit juices and bowls for nature's dessert to give you a boost for the day.

    No one at the counter to take our order-- for a while. The only tables available still had crumbs…read moreon them from the last customers, so we cleaned the table so we could sit down. There was a large pile of dirty dishes stacked up in the area where folks are supposed to place used plates, etc. They probably need more staff or this might just be their vibe. I had a spicy kalo burger for $20. The bun on the bottom was toasted (great) but the bun on top was not toasted and was crumbling apart as I ate it. The pumpkin soup with roasted pumpkin seed garnish was delicious, and inspired me to make my own kabocha stew at home. The food is tasty. The cleanliness could use some improvement especially given the prices. All that being said, it is a popular spot. The parking lot was full. The employees looked busy. Just be forewarned that service levels & cleanliness may fluctuate.

    Photos
    Sweet Cane Cafe - Ordering counter

    Ordering counter

    Sweet Cane Cafe - Nutter butter smoothie special, 20 oz...super delicious!  Organic Pecan pie balls

    Nutter butter smoothie special, 20 oz...super delicious! Organic Pecan pie balls

    Sweet Cane Cafe - Dragon fruit, strawberry and mango smoothie

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    Dragon fruit, strawberry and mango smoothie

    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine - Dynamite fish bowl

    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine

    4.3(2.6k reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    Came as a party of 2 at noon on a Sunday, and we were seated right away! The ambiance definitely…read moregives a nice island sports bar vibe. Only street parking is available. There was also live music with a lady playing guitar solo and singing! Service was amazing! We never had to wait long to order/get the bill. We were most impressed by the fact that the waitress made sure to split our Hilo local plate into two plates to make it much easier to share! We almost thought we had received two orders because of how well-plated they were. - Poke tower (8/10): Solid choice for an appetizer! There were ample portions of poke, and the flavors were nice. Not a super stand out dish though. - Hilo local plate (9.5/10): If you want to taste a wide range of Hawaiian cuisine in one dish, I would highly recommend getting this one! The Kalbi ribs were sooo good! They were juicy, tender, and bursting with flavor. The Kalua pork was pretty good, and both meats paired well with the rice which had an interesting savory haupia sauce drizzled on it. The mango chili slaw and pineapple salsa added a nice tang to balance everything out. - Triple lilikoi pie (5/10): Wayyy too sweet and sugary for our liking, and you can barely taste the lilikoi flavor. We ended up just picking at the graham cracker crust and couldn't finish the rest. It seemed like one of those desserts that are premade unfortunately, and we wish we hadn't ordered this dessert.

    We chose Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine because it's one of the highest-rated sit-down spots in…read moreHilo, but it ended up being just okayyyy. The menu felt very "meh"...nothing particularly exciting or memorable. The cocktails looked great in photos, so we ordered the piña colada flight, but it tasted like there was little to no rum in it. Pretty presentation, but very mediocre overall. Food was just okay. The burger wasn't bad, but definitely not anything special. The fried shrimp dish was disappointing and lacked flavor. The big letdown was the ambiance. We were seated facing the street and parking lot the entire time ...no view...., just sad street. Overall, it didn't live up to the hype. Not terrible, but definitely not worth going out of your way for. The staff were all very nice though. Service friendly.

    Photos
    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine - Bar with loads of fresh pineapples

    Bar with loads of fresh pineapples

    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine - Ahi poke tower

    Ahi poke tower

    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine - Dr. Pepper

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    Dr. Pepper

    The Booch Bar - Chicken sausage side and banana walnut sourdough French toast

    The Booch Bar

    4.4(773 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    We stopped by the Booch Bar on our way into Hilo before a day of adventuring, and it was a great…read morelittle stop for breakfast. We tried the simple breakfast plate and a breakfast sandwich, and both were tasty and really hit the spot. Since we went on a weekday, it wasn't too busy inside, which made for pretty quick service. Overall, it was a solid breakfast stop and a nice place to grab a bite before heading out for the day.

    We had an amazing vegan dish here for our little brunch we did in mid morning earlier today…read more We saw this restaurant yesterday when we were browsing Hilo a few nights ago. We didn't think of anything when we saw it the first time. By just looking at the name of it though, my immediate reaction was, "Is this a kombuchas bar??" Well, it is but it's not just kombuchas they serve; it's more than that. The breakfast/brunch dishes they serve (although they don't have a huge selection) are quite diverse. I do incorporate a lot of vegetarian/vegan diet into my daily meal routine so when I saw the Verdant Vegan I simply couldn't skip it. As my daughter and I usually split a plate when we dine together she agreed to this option of mine. Glad we did. This plate has all sorts of goodness included in it. Sautéed veggies, house-made lentil walnut chorizo, ginger beet kraut, fire-roasted jalapeno cashew crema, fire-roasted tomato salsa, and it's topped it off with sprouts. This whole thing comes with either purple sweet potato home fries or red rice (which we went with the purple sweet potato fries and ended up getting a side red rice. We also got the side kimchi and one egg sunny side up.) And we shared a 16oz Ceremonial Matcha latte as well. This vegan plate is way more than vegan. It's mighty as hell. For those who are still not sure about vegan options will definitely second guess it for something that isn't vegan/vegetarian. It's truly nutrition packed in so many different ways. If I lived close to this cafe, I would eat here once a week to enjoy this delightful meal. I am not kidding. I enjoyed the matcha latte very much although my daughter rated it as "okay". She likes her matcha in a very particular way so it unfortunately didn't impress her. This is not to say that she disliked it. She said it wasn't bad either. This place is a "walk in, order upfront, pick a table where you want to sit and one of the staff will bring your food to you" style cafe. Water is self-served. Once you are done with your meal you'll put your dirty dishes in the designated tub. I like this efficient style of serving food. This place has great vibes as well. A bit hippie-ish where bright dark colors such as purple and red are incorporated into the interior. There is even a stage where bands perform on certain days/times. Quite cool-looking. If you are visiting Hilo soon then put this place on your "must visit" restaurant list. Friendly staff, reasonable prices and quality food will entertain you for sure.

    Photos
    The Booch Bar - Kombucha from the tap and virgin Bloody Mary

    Kombucha from the tap and virgin Bloody Mary

    The Booch Bar - Fish sandwich w/ blackened catch of the day well seasoned 5/5. sweet potato with green onion 3/5. pickle 5/5 spicy with a crunch.

    Fish sandwich w/ blackened catch of the day well seasoned 5/5. sweet potato with green onion 3/5. pickle 5/5 spicy with a crunch.

    The Booch Bar - Booch Sampler (choose 4)

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    Booch Sampler (choose 4)

    Vegan Shop - Pho

    Vegan Shop

    4.9(89 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    I didn't expect to find this level of vegan food in Hilo, but wow--this place absolutely delivers…read more From the moment you walk in, the vibe is relaxed, welcoming, and very "Big Island"--laid back but intentional. The staff were genuinely friendly (not forced or scripted), and you can tell they actually care about the food and the experience. The food itself? Legit impressive. Everything tasted fresh, thoughtfully prepared, and full of flavor--not the bland "healthy food" stereotype people sometimes expect. The portions were solid, and the ingredients clearly high quality. You can tell they're not cutting corners here. What stood out most was how satisfying everything was. Even if you're not vegan, you won't feel like you're missing anything. This is the kind of place that could easily convert skeptics. Bonus points for creativity--there were unique options you don't see everywhere, which made it feel like more than just another plant-based spot. If you're in Hilo--whether you're vegan, vegetarian, or just want a really good meal--this place is 100% worth your time. I'll definitely be back.

    Nice and clean. Many choices. The two women were nice. Both…read moremy wife and I got the three choices for $15 each. Food was okay, a bit bland. My complaint is that nothing I had was even warm, no less hot. My wife asked if the curry was spicy, the lady said no. My wife said it was very spicy.

    Photos
    Vegan Shop - Vegan "fish" sauces and srirachas are to-die-for!!!

    Vegan "fish" sauces and srirachas are to-die-for!!!

    Vegan Shop - Rice, curry, charsiu

    Rice, curry, charsiu

    Vegan Shop - Vegan Pho to go

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    Vegan Pho to go

    White Guava Cafe - Portagee Burger.... Ono!

    White Guava Cafe

    3.9(192 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    This restaurant is located in a former Pizza Hut building across the KTA grocery store. You can…read moretell because of the Pizza Hut architecture. We chose booth seating in the corner. The waitress spoke really soft and was cool and collected. I ordered the fried chicken thighs with Lilikoi sauce, brown rice, and a side salad. My husband got the lite bite curry with brown rice and a side salad. Water and coffee were served in custom White Guava tumblers. We each got a Hawaiian roll with a delicious Lilikoi butter. To my surprise, the side salad was a full generous portion, not the tiny side salad that restaurants usually give. It was a proper salad with fresh local greens, sliced cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, and another white shredded vegetable that I think was radish. My chicken was delicious and the portion of that was generous as well. I tasted my husband's curry but didn't really like the flavor. It was different, like a sweeter flavor than other curries I've tried before. Overall, I'd definitely come back. I enjoyed the large salad and all the Lilikoi things - butter, dressing, and sauce.

    Oh man, this place was junk. You walk in and it's obviously…read morean old Pizza Hut - fine, no problem. But they literally had so many boxes stored there, like they're in the middle of something and this is the only place with room. In the kitchen, there's stacks of pans, like there's no storage room in there either. Fine, whatever. We order chicken sandwich with no cheese and a salad and one teri burger, but they're out. Ok, fine, get a regular cheese burger with pepper Jack cheese and side fries. Then we realize that we're running out of time, and ask to get the food to go - OUR BAD. We go up after the server asks the cook to package our food for take out, and you'd swear we just canceled the order. He started throwing our food in boxes and the boxes on the counter. MY GUY, IT WAS NOT BUSY. one table was as waiting to be seated and no one else was waiting on food. I get it, he could be having a bad day, or his cat is sick, but like, it's an open kitchen. So then, we get to our food. The buns were with the meat, causing both of our buns to be soggy, like falling apart. I get it. He could have packaged it all differently, but I know those to-go containers are not the greatest for the environment, so that must have been the factor. But the beef patty and chicken... they were large, so we were really looking forward to them. But they were so bland. Not even salt or pepper, no sauce, garlic powder, nothing. I couldn't even chop up the chicken for my salad, as I was only given a singular half ounce container of dressing. They do have Girl Scout cookies for sale, and I'm sure those would be fine.

    Photos
    White Guava Cafe - Korean Chicken

    Korean Chicken

    White Guava Cafe
    White Guava Cafe

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    Naung Mai Thai Kitchen - thai - Updated May 2026

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