According to my husband who grew up in Hawaii, "puka" translates to "hole" and this place is definitely a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, but like those places can be, a total gem worth seeking out. The space itself consists of the kitchen, counter to place your order, and three small tables inside so we were glad to planning to place a take-out order - when the woman who handed us the menu overheard us discussing options to share, she recommended the Seafood Plate off their Bento list. It came with breaded and fried shrimp, scallops, fish, and squid, as well as a salad and saffron rice. There's a park in walking distance (Russell Carroll Bayfront Soccer Fields), so after our order was ready we walked to the park and had a picnic lunch. The amount of food was definitely enough for two people to split and not feel hungry afterwards. All of the seafood tasted fresh and was fried to crispy perfection. The salad had chickpeas in it, which I always enjoy seeing in a salad as they give a nutty flavor that I think should be in more salads. The saffron rice was also a beautiful golden color from the saffron, and packed with garlic flavor. Bottom Line: A hole-in-the-wall restaurant worth finding on days they are open if you like bento-style lunch plates, portions are filling and easy to share. read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Bento - Seafood Plate. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

This place is one of my favorites to go to while I'm in Hilo. The ahi don is exceptional and goes so well with the curry rice and sauce! It's all just amazing. read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Ahi don full plate - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Super delicious! Went with my fam and got the broiled fish over salad, the seafood plate and the chicken katsu. I was a little surprised by the prices at first but the food was totally worth it. The crust was super light and crispy, and the all the seafood was cooked to perfection: firm texture and falls apart in your mouth. The curry rice was also a nice surprise! Absolutely delicious. And all our food came with salads, which was really fresh and had a nice light soy sauce (I think) and balsamic vinegar dressing. I'd recommend to anyone looking for a small hole in the wall with nice people serving and a refined rendition on your local favorites. read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Seafood plate. The battered crust is perfect! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Great food at reasonable price! Friendly service. The flavors are deliciously unique!

So good!! Staff was so friendly and service was quick. Lots of fresh & healthy options!! read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Chicken pita w/ garlic rice - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

I only stopped here to get the bento box which range from about $7.50 to $8.50. It is a super small store and so although it looked like they allowed dining in it would not really recommend it as it is so cramp. The owner was super nice and there were a bunch of premade bento boxes in the front of her store you could just pick up and pay. The bento box itself was small and is good for one person and everything in there was very good! I wish that I came a little earlier in the day then maybe my bento box would have been a little warmer. read more

We were walking around the area looking for a light lunch and walked in to this place. We order the pan fried ahi and chicken katsu. Both dish came with curry rice and salad. The pan friend who was amazing, with a perfect sear on the outside mixed with a dry rub. I'm not a big fan of katsu but my kids said it was good. I would definitely go back. read more

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

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We chose this place based on Yelp reviews and were not disappointed Don't miss out! This place may not look like much, but they are serving up some tasty eats!!! We enjoyed chicken Katsu curry and Ahi Don The salad was especially delicious! The service was super friendly, gracious and efficient. Would definitely recommend read more

I hate to leave this review because I don't live in Hawaii and I have no concept of what it's like living there and managing roaches. This is my story. I waited 5-10 to not be acknowledged by the host. While quietly observing I did see a couple who had just finished there meal spot a cockroach on the wall and kill it. That in combination with already wasting a lot of our time was enough for us to decide to go. We don't have roaches where I am from, so maybe being grossed out by them is dramatic. read more

The chicken karage was very crispy and fresh to the mouth. The rice has cumin in it. Perfect perfect the way they made everything. read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - The restaurant sign - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Our lunch at Puka Puka was awesome! Everyone there was super friendly. Large portion sizes and absolutely delicious food. We got the miso garlic chicken special and the shoyu chicken bowl. Both were phenomenal. The miso garlic chicken had a really nice crisp while still feeling light - kind of like the texture of Japanese tempura. It was served with a super flavorful garlic rice too. Their shoyu chicken was also delicious and felt like a homemade meal. Would definitely recommend! read more

Not sure if we were getting the tourist treatment, but it sure was very good portions for the money.

Great chicken katsu and excellent service. Nice stop on my trip to Hilo. A revisit for sure!

Can I give this place a "6" Star Rating? OMG!!!! The food over here is just off da chain!!!!! And believe me, I am not exaggerating it! It's really that GOOOOOOOOOD! I gotta tell you folks, Yelp is such a beautiful thing! If I didn't read up on the places to eat in Hilo, I would never have known about this place! And after reading my Yelp buddy - Eric Robert R. review, it just sealed the deal, as I knew I just had to check out this place in downtown Hilo! I mainly came here to try the Chicken Katsu, but to my surprise, I left this place with a new found love for their special Garlic Curry Rice, & the all so fresh Garden Salad! I gotta tell you gang.......a salad is a salad, but what makes this salad all so special was the salad dressing they use.......... the best way to describe the dressing was on the bottom of the salad it was vinegar based, but they also gave me a creamy dressing on the side. I had used the creamy dressing, not knowing that on the bottom of the salad they already had some sort of dressing. When both dressings are mixed together...... I must say it was awesome! Puka Puka Kitchen is located in downtown Hilo. It is a small hole in the wall restaurant, which has about 5 or 6 small tables inside, and a small bar like table for single eaters. When I walked in about 12 PM or so, the place was already packed, but I was lucky enough to secure the last open table. After I sit down, and the waitress brought me a glass of water & a menu, I ordered my food (as I already knew what I came here for) - the Chicken Katsu. Too bad this restaurant is so small, if it was bigger, I'm sure they would have a ton of customers! Anyways, while waiting for my food, I see this elderly tourist couple come into the restaurant wanting a table to eat. Unfortunately all the tables were taken, so the waitress tells them they would probably have to wait 15 to 20 minutes. I hear this, so I volunteered to move to the small bar table, since I was dining alone.........no big deal, just spreading da ALOHA for our visitors coming to the beautiful 808! Better for me too, because I get a beautiful view of the street overlooking Hilo bay. Service was great! Food came out quickly, but I gotta tell you about the grub! The Chicken Katsu was made perfectly! It was light, not greasy, and the chicken pieces were meaty, not pressed. Too bad it only came with only 3 pieces of chicken. The Chicken Katsu came with two sides - 1. The Garlic Curry Rice...........this was the first time I've ever eaten anything like this.........the rice was moist, and very flavorful. When I was leaving, I asked the waitress if the rice was a curry rice, but she told me it was a "garlic rice". I guess they must mix it with something, to give it a curry taste. 2. The Garden Salad was all so fresh! It came with local garden greens, cherry tomatoes, cut cucumber, onions, garbanzo beans, alfalfa sprouts, cut red bell peppers, & cut carrots. To top it off, the dressing that they used was AWESOME! If I had eaten the salad & rice first, I may have forgotten about eating the Chicken Katsu.........yes folks, it's that gooooooooood! And again, I'm not exaggerating! Most of the dishes are over $10.00, but when you serve very fresh tasting food like this, it's more than worth it! The Chicken Katsu came out to $12.68, with tip $15.68. A very enjoyable lunch! If you're ever in the downtown Hilo area.........don't forget to stop by the Puka Puka Kitchen! Winna's gang! read more

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Love their food at reasonably price. This kitchen is located in tourist section, but worth the visit. I took down a star because they close early. Otherwise, good food, good price. read more

My absolute favorite hole in the wall place to eat. The food is flavorful. Especially their garlic rice.

This place was delicious. The chicken katsu and the rice was amazing! A must go local spot! I can't wait to come back next time I'm in Hilo!

Small place, stopped by while window shopping. We had the chicken katsu and sauteed lamb. Katsu was really good lamb was awesome! Garlic rice is tasty, hint of turmeric, Sorry about the photos. Looked so good we dug in before we remembered to take them! Was worth it!!! read more

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

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This eatery provided a fantastic meal our first night in Hilo! I think it is mostly carryout orders but there is a little bit of seating available. Holy cow; the ono katsu meal was delicious, hitting the spot and all the right notes--very flavorful, crispy, without feeling heavy or salty or greasy. The salad with dressing was also a delight to taste! I could have eaten that alone but combined with the ono, it was over the top. Of course, we had to mix it with rice; we love rice. Friendly service and great eats. I'm glad we found this place in Hilo. I wouldn't hesitate to come back! read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Ono katsu with fried rice and salad - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

I have a mixed feeling about this restaurant. Is it Hawaiian? Is it Japanese? Is it Middle Eastern? Or is it Indian? It says they are Hawaiian, more like local Hawaiian but I really dont know what they are to be honest. I got the menu and I was so confused. Yes, they have some local favorites but they have Falafel and the rice that comes out with your food is somewhat Indian or whatever it is with lots of spices but my Katsu is Japanese... I got a Chicken Katsu and it was pretty good. The katsu here is seriously the best I have ever had in anywhere in Hilo. It comes in small three pieces which is still a small portion, but nonetheless, it was deep fried really well and was so tasty. But the salad was a lot more than the Katsu. So basically, salad and garlic rice was 80% of my plate. I feel like I should be getting more of Katsu for the price I pay. Service was attentive later on but when I first got there, it was very hectic. Table wasnt cleaned, asked for a couple things and never got it so I had to repeat. But it got better later on. The waitress was working alone, and I want to believe that, that is the reason why she was MIA in the beginning. Food is not bad at all but I dont think I am getting my money's worth. read more

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

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In our short 3 night stay at the Big Island, we went to Puka Puka Kitchen twice... for me, I rarely do that, visiting the same restaurant in a short trip when there are soooo many restaurants to try. But Puka Puka was just that good! We tried it for lunch on our first full day and then took an order to go. Then, the last day before leaving the Big Island, after much internal debate, I asked my husband to stop by Puka Puka for lunch and THEN also took another order plus a bento to go. I do have to admit tho, I didn't LOVE every single dish I ordered from Puka. For one, their chicken curry is ... well... weird. It was more brothy than my usual thick curry sauce. It was delicious, just not what I expected. I also didm't LOVE the chicken katsu that so many people raved about. It was fried chicken, not very flavorful... just A-OK. What I did love are their ahi dishes, the lamb dish, their bento, and the general laid back, easy-going, hole-in-the-wall, no frill, but still great service and atmosphere. AND very reasonable in price. Great "cheap-and-good-eats" go-to place. read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Yummy bento. Great for picking one up for a day trip. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

I usually only go to Kozmic Kones for chicken katsu, but one day I stopped in here and saw Katsu curry as their special. Oh. My. God. The Katsu was perfectly fried and crunchy even when doused in curry, the curry rice was slightly spicy and delicious, and the salad fresh and tasty. The plate lunch looked as pretty as I've ever seen one look. I was lucky to come in when no one was around, placed my order and walked back in about 10 mins later to a warm, delicious lunch. I'll be back for their Katsu way more often! read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Katsu curry plate - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Stopped by for lunch as we have a vegetarian in the family. The food selection is awesome as are the plates and bentos. Staff is friendly and food is cooked to order. Love this place and you will too! read more

Amazing! The only place in Hawaii I've gone back to a second time. The bento boxes are delicious, as well as the shrimp curry. Staff is great! read more

The juice isn't worth the squeeze. For almost $20 our pitas were lack luster. For $20 at the Waimea's farmer market you get an entire pita stuffed with flavors and overflowing with freshness. Here, you get a half pita, slightly filled and about 1 tsp of sauce in a to go portion container. My pita was ripped down the side so it wasn't feasible to eat it handhold. Wouldn't recommend the pitas. read more

2 months later and I still salivate every time I think about the ahi don and garlic fried rice here. Ahi steak, bbq chicken and katsu are also good dishes to try. Portions are generous and prices are fair. Not the place to go if you are eating "healthy", but hey, if you're on vacation, maybe indulge a little bit! The place is pretty small so there may be a wait during rush hours. Or if you're in a rush, they have prepacked bento boxes to go--they seem to be first come first serve. read more

Food is really good and service is fast. There is a small waiting but that's worth waiting. Lamb and chicken BBQ are really good with curry rice. Falafel is Meh..! read more

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The restaurant side wasn't open yet when I stopped by. I got the unagi bento and gyoza/mandoo . The gyoza/mandoo is the best I've ever had. It was so tasty, I went right back to get more. Unfortunately they only had one left, but I'll be back tomorrow for more!! The bento was excellent and is like the old kid time ones. I really enjoyed the food I got. I live on Oahu and normally I don't think much about the Japanese food in Hilo. It's usually hit and miss (mostly miss), but this place is a winner!! If the rest of their food is like their bentos, you won't be disappointed. read more

Really good katsu!!! Ahi katsu was also delicious. I went because a former Hilo resident told me to go and it didn't disappoint.

Great food. Everything was very tasty and well seasoned. The chicken Katsura has flavors of citrus and fruit that may be part of the marinade or crust. The garlic rice was very flavorful, with stronger taste in curry than garlic. The lamb was also a hit! read more

Once again, fellow yelpers helped us with a homerun. Pula Puka Kitchen doesn't look like too much from the outside, and the inside is pretty basic too. Five or six tables, really a very tiny place. But we had one of the been best lunches we've had on the Big Island right here. After a lot of indecision, my wife and I decided on the sautéed ahi and the sautéed lamb. Both were absolutely delicious! Cooked perfectly, great flavor. And even the vegetables and rice (great curry flavor) on the side were fantastic. And, it comes with a really really delicious green salad as well. Seriously, when was the last time you had sautéed vegetables as a side and you actually finish them? These were really good. So... Five stars? Yes, because this place totally exceeded our expectations. You gonna love it too! read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Sautéed ahi, lamb. Curried rice, veg, salad...all excellent! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Small mom and pop place with absolutely fantastic service and delicious food. I got the ahi don while my friend got the curry. I honestly sometimes day dream about the food. Can't wait to be back read more

THEE best Ahi Don plate. I have yet to be disappointed with their service as they're always pleasant.

Okay--visiting Hilo and looking for some LEGIT island food? Puka Puka is your spot. Came in today for a sautéed Ahi plate lunch and it was THE MOST delicious thing I've put in my mouth since we got to the island. Perfectly cooked, seasoned and big portions. The curried rice is so tasty and the side salad is a really nice salad with fresh veggies and dill dressing. Please eat here. Let's keep it going! read more

Found this place through yelp and once again yelp did not let me down. Food was very flavorful. Had the chicken curry which had great flavor. Then the lamb which had wonderful tastes. Ended with the fish. All the food was wonderfully done. The place is a hole in the wall but it's worth hunting it down. Parking is a problem just stay focused on finding the right place. read more

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My cousin and I herd this place was so good they sell out of bentos. They did! So we ordered off the menu. The chef talked to us straight from the kitchen. Gave us the specials...AHI! is what i went with. What we loved about the store front was there was only 3 tables and a few stools in the window for single dinning. It reminds us of our local favorites before commercialized places like Ihop showed up. Omg the food was made fresh with quality ingredients. Farm to fork tasting! One place is enough for 2 people! I cant wait to try a bento! So exciting. read more

Stopped here to grab dinner b4 our flight. We walked in a few mins b4 5:30pm dinner opening and they welcomed and sat us. We were the only ones here at that time so we had full attention of the staff, how nice. We had fast, friendly service and great food. Had the lamb pita and a mini sauteed lamb soo ono. The mushrooms, zucchini and eggplant made the sauteed lamb even better. Located on Kamehameha hwy in Hilo town, small hole in the wall about 5 tables. Lots of parking just a matter of finding an open stall I mean it is Hilo town lol. read more

The restaurant is quite small but their food was very tasty! It seems like the portions on the big island run on the larger side, so I liked how they had mini plates, which was the perfect portion for us. Service was fast and we also picked up a few bento boxes for later. read more

Puka Puka Kitchen - Mini ahi don plate - Asian Fusion Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Best food I have had on the island. Loved this little place. I had the grilled chicken plate with super yummy fried rice and salad - delicious. read more

The cuisine is very refreshing and tasteful with full of vitality that makes you hunger for more. I ate the Ahi don (full order) and was blown away with the variety in taste, spice, and colors on my plate. A bite of a new fusion taste and favor that is a bite above the standard local norm but most welcoming to the heart and soul of finer taste inuds of Hilo. read more