Looking for a food joint with a melting pot of ethnic foods that are reasonably priced? This is your spot. I really don't think you'll find another place in Hilo that offers Japanese, Indian, Greek, and Hawaiian (lilikoi chiffon pie counts right!?!)... all on one menu. As recommended, I ordered the falafel pita, again... for my second visit (last time I had it for take-out). Yum, yum, yum in my tum! My whole wheat pocket was filled to the brim with fresh lettuce, tomato, and onions. Served with hummus and tsaziki sauce which enhanced the flavor of the crispy jumbo-sized falafels. Although take out is provided, I would highly recommend eating in. Dishes were tastier when hot and fresh! Select one of their ready made bentos if taking out. Tips to earn that extra star: - I love fries...period! Although the steak cut fries were sprinkled with spices of great flavor, they were a little on the oily side. Easy on the canola...pretty please. Despite the fries, you can always choose a fresh toss salad with yummy house dressing ( de-lish! The server kept the recipe a secret...so you know everyone must ask about it) or you can choose the garlic fried rice as a side as well. Unlike the plate lunch and deli joints all around Hilo town, Puka Puka provides that fresh alternative. Cozy, locally owned, de-lish dishes, and certainly won't put a puka* in your pocket! *hole in hawaiian :o) read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Chicken curry & garlic rice. Side salad already in tummy. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Delish hole-in-the-wall. The daily special of katsu curry with curried rice was cooked and seasoned perfectly. Excellent service and price. Best place we ate in Hilo. read more

The falafel with salad was great!! Salad had plenty of vegetables and they used nice red leaf lettuce not iceberg.

Charming little shop across from the Hilo bus station. I must admit I was a little confused by the eclectic assortment of menu items. I walked in fully expecting a Japanese restaurant only to find falafel, pita sandwiches and Indian curry among katsu, and other Japanese dishes. My Indian curry was alright. Wife liked the lamb pita (l think their lamb is one of their specialties) and son liked the chicken katsu (what else?). The salad that came w/ the meals was also very fresh. You can tell it was harvested very recently. All in all, we enjoyed our lunch. read more

This place is so good that it's worth arranging your schedule around their incredibly short hours. They seemed a bit pricey for a lunch place, but oh, the food. I had delicious breaded scallops with garlic rice and salad. This was the BEST TEMPURA EVER: zucchini and the scallops in panko breadcrumbs were crispy and light, not the least bit greasy. My boyfriend, obsessed with poke, got the ahi pita with rice, which he pronounced great. This no-frills space boasts fast service, but there are very few tables so take-out may be a better option during busy times (which seemed like all the time). In short, keep your eye on the clock and don't miss Puka Puka's brief window of open hours. You'll be rewarded with an awesome meal experience. read more

I highly recommend Puka Puka kitchen for anyone visiting Hilo, Hawaii. Looks can be deceiving..it may be small and unassuming but the food was amazing and delicious. The kids enjoyed pita pockets filled with tender lamb and chicken cooked to perfection. My wife enjoyed the expertly prepared chicken Katsu w/curry rice and I had the Mahi Mahi dish which was out of this world! Both our meals came with the freshest most delicious side salad imaginable..as if straight from the garden! The house made dressing should be bottled and sold.. We were a large group with kids and showed up right before closing..our waitress was welcoming and friendly. We hope to return to Puka Puka Kitchen! X read more

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Food is very good, fish fresh and service is excellent! Small intimate place,personnal very pleasant and accommodating

Today was the first time I ate here and while I enjoyed it, there are a few things I must address. First things first... prices. The cheapest meal was I believe $12 something. Definitely not a place I would go to often. Second, I ordered chicken katsu and I only got three pieces of katsu. Of course the shape is different than normal katsu but it still wasn't much, especially for the price. Plus it wasn't anything special to me. The garlic curry rice though was pretty amazing I must say. I also tried a piece of ahi from my boyfriend's ahi don plate and it was good, but definitely not worth the price you have to pay. But I guess that's what you get for eating in that area. Third, in case you don't know, the place is very small with very limited seating. If I remember correctly, I think there was only 16 seats in that place. Would I go here again? Probably not. But it was nice trying this place out. read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Chicken Katsu - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Delicious food and beer. We were here for a weekend and were very impressed with this place. Plus, we stayed at the hotel too. The views are amazing here. Would recommend and we WILL visit again! read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Topped the meal off with the Lilikoi cheesecake. Lilikoi is a type of passion fruit. It was delicious. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Rude staff. Used to eat here, but no more due to bad experience. Food was going downhill anyways

The place is nice. We are from California. Was recommended by a few people we met. Its very good. Poke bowl of the day wad good. Poke nachos were good aswell. read more

Puka Puka Kitchen is where the locals eat! They have limited hours and make sure you arrive early to get a table because this place is very small. Meals are very affordable and delicious. I had the chicken curry (similar to chicken soup) that also came with garlic rice and a large salad for under $10! Chicken katsu looks good too. Bento boxes are available for lunch around $6. Service was wonderful and the waitress even asked if we would like to split checks upon ordering. Why Should You Go? Friendly, great food, affordable and don't miss the garlic rice! If you are visiting Hilo, make sure to stop by! read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Chicken Curry with garlic rice and salad - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Very casual atmosphere. Great food. Loved the shrimp curry with rice & salad! Also enjoyed the chicken katsu.

Came here specifically for the falafel pita sandwich, which definitely satisfied my craving (options for restaurants that serve falafel in town are limited!). The pita included two large pieces of falafel with tomatoes, onions & the greenest, most buttery piece of lettuce. The falafel was tasty on its own but was taken to new heights with the included tzatziki sauce & hummus. I chose a salad as my side & I'd say this place sets the standard for what a side salad should be. You can tell how fresh the veggies were & I wouldn't be surprised if they picked some up that morning at the Saturday farmers market one block away! Yes, this is a hole in the wall restaurant but don't let that deter you -- it is unpretentious in its offerings of fresh, delicious foods. & the garlic rice. Like a flavorful curry in rice form. If their rice alone is this good I can only imagine what their actual curry dishes are like....guess that gives me a great reason to go back for more! My only suggestion would be to offer a non-whole wheat version of pita bread as well & to warm it up a bit more before serving. read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Falafel pita sandwich with a side of the freshest salad, & chicken katsu with that amazing garlic rice. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Tasty local food in Hilo. Something for everyone even for my sister in law who does not and will not eat fish. She is in the company of serious fish lovers! The portions are generous and so delicious. We ordered a fried sea food combo that came with calamari, shrimp, scallop and salad; it melted in your mouth and not chewy. Loved it. Teriyaki chicken perfectly cooked. The Ahi tuna on a salad bed was TO DIE FOR because the salad was so crisp, farmer's market fresh while the tuna was not dry or overcooked; this was served with dressing, but the dish didn't need any dressing. read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Try their fish pita and greens salad. Everything is so fresh and their flavors are alive, fresh and clean tasting. You know how you can go to a place and get tired of it after awhile because it all starts tasting the same? That's not PukaPuka- their food is consistently good. The garlic rice is a must try! read more

Amazing Ahi tuna plate. Flavors were sublime and the garlic rice served along side was phenomenal. We were also impressed with the salad of bib lettuce, tomatoes, celery, carrots, sprouts, cucumbers, and chickpeas served with their house dressing. Sautéd eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms were also served with the Ahi. Best meal on all of the Big Island. read more

First off, the food was really good. Definitely overpriced, but good. Fun little hole in the wall restaurant with seating at the window overlooking the water. I got the chicken pita, curry rice, and salad and my husband got some sort of crispy chicken and fries. The pita was really good- pita itself was nice and thin and a little crispy. The chicken was really good and flavorful and the tzatziki made it a really good balance. The salad was nice and fresh, but had a bit too much oil and vinegar for my liking. The rice was okay- pretty strong curry, but overall fine. Not sure I'd eat here again, only because of the price but I'm glad we tried it! read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Who knew, this little dive-ish restaurant has such good food? By this point, my expectations for meals around the island were pretty low due to a few experiences but I was ecstatic when I tasted the food here. Don Ahi - Cooked well and had a sweet crunch to the breading of the ahi. Comes with its famous garlic curry rice. Chicken Katsu - Fried extremely well as the outer layer of the katsu would have Captain Crunch proud. This also comes with its famous garlic curry rice. I'd like to rave over and over about the garlic curry rice but then that would just make me miss this place even more. The prices are bit expensive for a little joint like this but you can tell they put lots of love into the cooking. 5 stars! read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Bomb @$$ chicken katsu and garlic curry rice - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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We stopped by just before our return to Honolulu. I ordered ahi curry Indian style... Never had Indian style food before and wasn't sure how to expect. What came was a fresh veggies salad with garbanzo beans carrots cucumbers and various greens and what seemed like a soy based dressing... Very tasty. Next was Indian style curry rice with picked ginger then a soup with ahi, onion, and various veggies.. Great! Lei was a great hostess kept our glasses filled and our minds entertained while we waited. Like every store on the Hilo storefront they are small quaint and very friendly... (Remember what Oahu was like 30+ years ago?) read more

This hole in the wall eatery had a wide range of bentos available. I got the Unagi bento for around $7. It was tasty although it could have used some reheating. My brother ordered the Chicken Pita off the menu, said it was really dry. It might be a better idea just to grab a bento from here and maybe head to the beach or a baseball game at near by Wong stadium. read more

Very small local kitchen with unique dishes. As a visiting main lander with basic taste, I can't say this was our favorite stop while in Hawaii, but the service was fair to good and the owner was very helpful. I ordered the BBQ chicken and rice which was okay but not the best and the GFF ordered something other than what she ordered so she was a little niffed. She got a little bowl of chicken stew or curry, but she ordered the shrimp something or other. I guess you have to have a taste for the food here, but certainly give it try. The location is right on the main street and the view of the bay is perfect. Close - casual and creative. One Hoot Hoot read more

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One of my favorite restaurants in town! They always have AMAZING service & the food is consistent. My husband & I LOVE the chicken katsu plate. The salad that it comes with is very refreshing & the rice is super yummy! Highly recommend :) read more

Service- check! Flavor- check, check! This place was a wonderful little mom and pop joint with that special island vibe that can only be found on the big island. I got the Ahi small plate (with garlic fried rice and fresh garden salad) and hubs got the lamb gyro and neither were disappointed. The lady who served our food was kind and welcoming and proudly was able to share that everything was homemade (yogurt, lamb marinade, garlic rice) and you could tell! Fresh, local, yummy goodness. And as I believe they say on the island- this done broke my mouth! read more

Really good food. I took my family to the Big Island for the first time and we had lunch in this restaurant. The food is amazing and on point. Excellent service. The best part is the simplicity of the interior design. That fascinates me. Amazing! I can't wait to bring my girlfriend here on our next trip read more

Disappointed, an understatement!! My fellow Yelpers let me down :( 1 -Yes, this is 'hole in the wall', ok, some of the best food can be found in such establishments. - no problem 2 - tiny place, 4-5 tables and window seats - no problem 3 - very "tired" and a bit grubby looking - again, ok - no problem Bear with me, it is the experience that made everything less than zero. The place was full, save the 3 chair window area. The server plunked down a pile of napkins and 3 forks. Immediately after, a table became free and we asked if we could have the table. "Grab that stuff and bring it over" was server's response. 4 - um... ok.. we're thinking simple service, but the three of us taken aback that we were 'told' - not asked. - It's all in how you deliver/ask (how about, "could you bring the forks and napkins with you"?) 5 - No 'aloha' feeling from the server. She made us feel like she was doing us a favour by gracing our table. My sister and I ordered the seafood platter, my husband the catsu chicken; accompanied by 'garlic fried rice' While we were waiting, it was surprised to see the server interact with perhaps locals or regulars with big smiles, welcoming gestures and friendly banter.. When we first arrived, we thought, "ok, that's her general demeanor". It was like Jekyll and Hyde! She made us feel like "I can't wait for you to leave" Our food arrived and looked good at first. Generous portions to be sure. My husband was didn't like his catsu, but I think on the island it's just differently prepared than what we're used to at home (Toronto). 6 - **our seafood platter was supposed to come with squid**. After a few minutes of eating, we realized there was none on our plate. I asked the server - she went to the kitchen and asked the cooks. From where we were sitting, I had clear view of them. The 2 cooks looked at each other as if "I thought you made it" - quizzical expressions to each other. Then they just both shrugged their shoulders at each other. The server came back and informed us "they ran out of squid, so they gave you an extra scallop instead" REALLY??? !! I call BS on that! They forgot, I'm sure. And instead of apologizing, and making us squid, they come up with this lame excuse. Even if it were true (that they were out of squid), we should've been told at time of ordering! It added insult to injury that the server 's explanation had NO hint of apology whatsoever. They could've even made a gesture of apology by offering a complimentary can of coke... or SOMETHING. No... it felt like "be lucky we're serving you food at all" Now, the 'garlic fried rice' is NOT garlic fried rice. I can detect garlic like a blood hound, and there was no hint of it. It tasted more, perhaps middle eastern (?) It was bland with the scent of cumin. (It makes sense it leans towards that cuisine with falafel and curries on the menu). If there was garlic in it, it was from a garlic fairy flying far above the pan. Unfortunately, we went there based on Yelp reviews that gave it a very high rating. Perhaps if you order their specials, the food might be ok. But honestly, I'm quite angry that we spent ANY money at a restaurant with shockingly horrible service. And in retrospect, I wish my husband didn't leave a tip at all. We go out of way to support local business abroad or at home, and will pay extra - this place didn't deserve 2 cents of our money. (our bill by the way was just under 50$ usd, before tax) Do not be fooled by portion sizes and decent presentation - it is barely average food with the horrible service. If you're one to go for quantity with no regard to anything else, then perhaps this is ok for you. This goes down in my memory book for one of the worst eating experiences ever. I've given 1 stars before for food, but not for the worst service. I've had better service from McDonalds!!! read more

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Small local place in Hilo with good homestyle cooking. Their garlic rice is tasty but I'm a white rice guy. Portions were good and I really enjoyed it and the service was great. read more

BBQ chicken is the best!!!! The food takes a while to prepare. The host is lovely. The vibe here is chill and non-fancy which I really liked! BYOB from the super market nearby! read more

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This little hole in the wall serves EXCELLENT food. Three little tables. Nothing fancy. Great food, nice people, friendly service. Get take out if you don't get a seat. read more

Super simple sit down restaurant. Had the curry chicken Katsu special and Ahi plate. Salad here is surprising. It has some sprouts, carrot, cucumber, fresh lettuce and a vinegarate dressing. Chicken katsu is crunchy and goes well with the curry. Curry taste like and not heavy or oily. Ahi here is a big thick block so it's fairly good value for money. Oh and the garlic rice is amazing and you can't help but to keep eating it. read more

I wanted to try hawaiian cusine here but the close something between 1.30 and 5.30pm. Then, they open for dinner but is kind of teriyaki and stuff. So you will end with breaded fish. Dinner was ok and abundant but nothing exceptional. Service was super lazy and without a smile. They were chatting and we had to raise our voice to be heard if we wanted water... read more

Super yummy local lamb and great service, chill little lunch time local spot! The rice was super yummy as well.

We were looking for good, authentic Hawaiian food in Hilo. The reviews were good for Puka Puka, so we decided to stop in. Decor leaves a lot to be desired, but if the food is good, who cares? Unfortunately the food was pedestrian at best. The Ahi Poke plate was tolerable, everything else was very underwhelming. However, for the food alone, I'd maybe rate three stars. The service was atrocious. The woman who took our order was short with us from the beginning. She called the woman with us a "Holly" (very derogatory term for a blonde), and actually slapped her at one point. She didn't communicate with us, basically threw the food at us and gave me the wrong invoice. Honestly steer clear, especially if you aren't a local. I wouldn't touch this place again with a barge pole. read more

Don't let the looks fool you, this food is legit. Service was fast, friendly, and real. A place that feels like authentic Hawaii.

be aware that although this place opens at 9:30am you can only get take away bento boxes at that hour. They don't start serving food in their dining room until 11am. The food here was pretty great. I wasn't really impressed with the garlic rice. The way people go on and on about it, I thought it would be better. The flavor of the rice was more curry than garlic-y. I visited here with my partner. We ordered the mahi-don and the chicken katsu. Both were delicious and came with a side of "garlic" rice and a salad. The salad was a really nice touch. I ate everything on my plate (except for a few grains of rice). There is limited seating inside this very small casual restaurant. read more

Had a bento the other day and I loved it! The food was very tasty, & it totally filled me up! Loved the variety in the bento and I can't wait to go back to try other things. Everything on the menu sounds yummy, a lot to choose from! Gotta go try it! read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - puka puka bento - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

It was really nice finding this little gem in downtown Hilo. It's very mom's & pop's, just the way I like it. The staff was very friendly and accommodating, service that some $$$$ businesses could take notes from =) Best chicken katsu ever. Ever! Next time I come back to Hilo, I'm definitely stopping by again. read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

This place is awesome, don't let the size fool you. A very small restaurant, a few tables to sit at & eat. We came for lunch so a lot of working people stopping in to pick up there Bento plates & Musubi's . It's seems to be very popular so that usually means good food. I was not disappointed with my choice. I had the fresh ahi pita, the ahi was perfectly seasoned it was delicious tasting. The lettuce was so fresh & green, a perfect lunch. I will be back, I was back but I only ordered the musubi, that was very good as well. read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Ahi pita with fries - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Tue best sautéed lamb ever! Lamb was tender and juicy, full of flavor but not over powered by spices. My friend got chicken curry and it was delicious as well. It's a very cute place and people are just the nickers. read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Sautéed lamb. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Great bentos ready to go if you are in a hurry. This is actually the only place I will buy a bento from - they always have veggies on the bentos and fish options and never any spam (I know I am a rare bird in Hawaii, not liking spam). The ahi pitas are great and my husband loves the lamb one. The garlic rice is surprisingly delicious, but I usually get the fries since they are even better (fresh, hand cut wedges - yummy!). read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Ready to go bentos - with veggies! And Saba :) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii