Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Ratana's

    4.6 (161 reviews)
    ModerateThai, Salad, Noodles
    Closed Closed

    Order Ratana's Takeout or Delivery

    Ratana's Photos

    RATANA'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Ratana's

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Menu
    Venesse F.

    The food tastes so fresh and healthy. The owner is very sweet and friendly. There's a big menu to choose from, so it can be hard to make a decision. We ordered the chicken satay with salad and shrimp spring rolls. Delicious. Can't wait to go back and try other things.

    Leah N.

    I came here to get food from another restaurant then I saw this restaurant and got the papaya salad with avocado and nuts to go and it was amazing. The people here are nice. I would definitely come back again for papaya salad because the combo works well. I got the Thai hot and it was great.

    Mango sticky rice
    Kimvy N.

    Best green papaya salad I ever had. It's so fresh and yummy. Mango sticky rice is also very good. The owner is super nice. Highly recommended

    Item 1 - Papaya Salad - one of the best I've had (ordered without tomato)
    Carrie N.

    By far the best green papaya salad! Yes their namesake says it all. They are a variety of toppings, from shrimp, chicken and avocado. We went of the O.G. and kept it simple - the number 1 on the menu simple with pan peanuts; in specific "American spicy". The papaya had that delicious crunch, peanuts warm (freshly roasted) veggies still crisp and the dressing- perfectly sweet, sour, spicy, salty - perfect balance to get you wanting more. Also, the ladies here are so sweet and friendly. They will tell you about how spicy they can actually make their food and how hot they like to eat their food. Im so glad we stopped into this tiny shop. Although there's only two tables or so, you can eat here. We chose to take ours to go. The ladies packed everything nicely to prevent spilling. And, also included utensils. We will definitely return just for this papaya salad and to say hi!

    Pad Thai with Chicken. Huge portion and very tasty.
    Kim J.

    Family came here for lunch on a Wednesday while on vacation. Ordering was simple. They ask which level of spice you want and for a party of four it took 15 minutes for our lunch to be ready. We waited outside the shop by walking up and down the block and popping into nearby stores. There's an automatic filtered water dispenser so you don't have to buy water if you don't want. Food arrived piping hot and delicious. We ordered Pad Thai with Chicken, pumpkin curry and rice and the papaya salad with chicken. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meal and no one could finish because of the large portions. (Not a bad thing IMO). There is only one two seater table outside the shop so we brought our food down to the tables at the farmers market. They had live music so it was super pleasant. The only thing I'd deduct points on is the medium spice was a little bland. I am normally sensitive to spice and I've been knocked out by spicy Thai so I asked for medium, but this tasted more mild than medium. But I'd definitely go back. Great value, good food, friendly service.

    Red Pineapple Curry with Tofu
    Prath C.

    We picked up food from this place on a weekday evening. The food was ready by the time we got there. One thing to note is that this place closes a bit early at 6PM. We ordered the Red Pineapple Curry with Tofu and Pad Thai with Chicken. Both were delicious overall. Both of them were a bit on sweeter side and not spicy at all. The Red Pineapple Curry was super creamy. There were plentiful vegetarian options here - each dish comes with avocado, tofu or chicken as the base, while other options are available as add-ons. Price-wise, it was super cheap as compared to the other restaurants in the area. Overall, definitely enjoyed eating and will be back in the future to try other options.

    Mix plate special $12
    Anna H.

    Excellent lunch combo-mixed plate all for $12. Healthy, delicious and great portion. One of the best green papaya salads I've ever had. Comes with a peanut sauce for dipping too. Friendly staff and they have one table outside to dine there. Highly recommend this place!

    Green papaya salad combo w/ chicken satay!! Unbelievable deliciousness!!!!
    Carol H.

    The high ratings are spot on!! You can only order to-go but one of the best green papaya salads I've had! And the presentation is so awesome you almost forget it's on a take-out container! I love the combo with chicken satay, delicious doesn't say enough. Yummy freshness!!!

    Small tables
    Myphuong L.

    This place was recommended by a buddy of ours who's a local and frequent this spot. There's no parking except for street. The place has no AC and it's a tiny place that fits about 10 people. Three tables to be exact. So I was agitated with being hot and sticky but they make up for it with the cold water that's self service from the cooler. I just want to eat salad in this weather since it feels lighter and refresh. I couldn't make up my mind on papaya or cucumber but no need to worry because there's a combo option. I added peanuts and avocado. The portions are huge and it was yummy. I got medium spice. There was even amount of everything. I felt full but not stuffed. The chicken skewers was soft like it was grilled prior and frozen then microwaved. We only ate one stick. The sauce that was given was the peanut sauce for spring rolls. The restroom is outside with two stalls. The space is really tight like on an airplane.

    Menu

    See all

    Photo of Noelle L.
    43
    42
    53

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lindsey B.
    389
    41
    24

    4 years ago

    Their papaya salad is out of this world! Really reasonable prices for fresh, healthy, delicious food.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    We ordered massaman curry and pad Thai and they are both delicious. Mango with sticky rice is lovely. Definitely a comeback

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Reis E.
    0
    18
    11

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lil W.
    2
    29
    0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of M W.
    155
    43
    35

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Great Thai food in Hilo. Yellow curry and coconut soup were both delicious. Not much room for dining in btw. So plan accordingly.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Casey W.
    112
    14
    16

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    This is the best place on the Big Island to get a papaya salad. The curry is excellent too. The food is very fresh.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Marie P.
    22
    72
    28

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Good Thai food with large servings. We were able to get two meals each from our order. I like they have brown rice available.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ra M.
    16
    3
    1

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dawn E.
    730
    1184
    2080

    15 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rae Z.
    2
    153
    130

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Prices and portion sizes are good. Food is okay. Great choice when craving spicy and healthy.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Friendly staff and clean restaurant. We ate the mango sticky rice and was not disappointed at all! It was a good size and only $7.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 2 of 5

    Ask the Community - Ratana's

    You might also consider

    Tetsumen Ramen - Char siu ramen

    Tetsumen Ramen

    4.2(616 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    Love this place! We visited this local favorite on a trip to Hilo. We went for an early weekday…read morelunch, so it wasn't busy. There was parking in the shared lot, but spaces are tiny. Booth seating was perfect for us. The wait staff were super nice and patient with us. Their menu is huge and has a lot of options for customizing. Fortunately, there are diagrams on the wall to help you decide. I got a Miso Standard ramen ($20 with an Ajitama (seasoned soft boiled egg), hard texture, fried garlic, extra noodles. It was fabulous! Really hit the spot. Loved the chewier noodles and the rich, flavorful broth. DH got THE Garlic ramen ($26.50) also with an Ajitama, pork belly, and extra noodles, regular firmness. The kids wanted extra Naruto (fish cakes), 75 cents for 2 small pieces. One of our kids is under age 5, so we got a Miso mini ramen ($9.50 value) for free! Wow! Little one said he did not like the flavor of the seasoned egg. Noodles were very soft, but stayed together, and soaked up a ton of broth so they were flavorful. He said the Miso Mini comes with corn instead of fish cake. We loved all of the toppings. The pork belly was excellent! Portion sizes are great. We had some leftovers to take back. Overall, a fantastic place to satisfy those ramen cravings!

    Everything about this place is awesome! Our server was so attentive and friendly. We came on a…read moreTuesday night and only waited a few minutes, but I can tell this place gets busy. The food seems like authentic Japanese cuisine and everything was super delicious. My dad loved his tantan ramen - nutty but not heavy. I really liked the chicken katsudon, which was on the saltier side but still so filling and hearty! This was an awesome find and I'm so glad we stopped here for dinner :-)

    Photos
    Tetsumen Ramen - Little Japan

    Little Japan

    Tetsumen Ramen - Stamina bowl

    Stamina bowl

    Tetsumen Ramen - Menu items on the bar seating.

    See all

    Menu items on the bar seating.

    Restaurant Kenichi

    Restaurant Kenichi

    4.1(491 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    ALWAYS A GREAT DECISION TO COME HERE!!…read more The food and service is always on point. Really cool locally owned restaurant. We usually get the sizzling steak and/or korean chicken salad. Never disappoints. Mahalo kenichi crew

    Our high school club chose to eat here to support a local business for our end-of-year celebration,…read morebut the experience was unfortunately very stressful for our students and staff. We spent two and a half months planning this event. My club treasurer and I confirmed the price on seven different occasions--five times over the phone and twice in person. Each time, we were quoted just over $600 with about a $110 in tips, which we paid in full two days before the party. However, the day before the event, we were told there was a miscalculation and we needed to pay another $400. Because our students had only fundraised the amount we were originally quoted, we had to remove two people from our party and downgrade our menu which did not include drinks anymore. We requested to bring our own drinks due to the last-minute budget change, but we were told we could "only bring alcohol and no outside sodas and juices." It was disappointing that this was the only accommodation offered to a group of high school students. During the party, we also encountered several cleanliness issues. We found hair in the food and cockroaches in the rice, as well as on the walls and near the buffet area. I am totally not joking about the food; I was shocked by what we saw. The servers were very polite and apologized when we let them know, but it was a major concern for us. I understand that accidents happen, but this was a very difficult situation for our club after so much careful planning. Personally, I will not be eating here again for a long time.

    Photos
    Restaurant Kenichi
    Restaurant Kenichi - Sizzling NY Steak

    Sizzling NY Steak

    Restaurant Kenichi

    See all

    Moon & Turtle - Market fish (Ono)

    Moon & Turtle

    4.6(854 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Fantastic service and attention from the whole staff! Cozy atmosphere with great music. Every dish…read morewas meticulously crafted with unique flavors, perfectly cooked. We loved the sizzlin tepanyaki poke with Ono and the desserts. Chef Mark and the staff do a wonderful job of showing off the flavors of Hilo...miso infused caramel on a fluffy cheesecake...I'm gonna be thinking about that dinner for a long time!

    My wife and I stopped by Moon & Turtle for dinner during our brief visit to Hilo and we had a…read morefantastic meal. We showed up right when they opened at 5:30 p.m. without reservations on a Wednesday evening and was luckily able to get seated at the bar. Between the two of us, we ordered a bunch of items off the "small" section of the menu, including the smokey sashimi, sizzling tetsuyaki poke, smoked tonnato caesar, crispy rice, and their special of the day -- agedashi wontons. Of the items we ordered, the crispy rice and the agedashi wontons were my favorite items. The crispy rice is priced per piece, and you'll certainly want to order at least two per person, because one is simply not enough. The rice block is fried a beautiful golden brown -- similar to a hash brown. The crispy rice pairs perfectly with the ono mixture on top of it. With the agedashi wontons, I initially thought the filling was a bit under-seasoned at first, but when enjoyed with the broth, the wonton comes out tasting perfectly seasoned. The broth had so much umami to it and the wonton had the perfect crunch to it I always love a good Caesar salad and the one here is spectacular. With anchovy croutons, shaved cured egg yolk, and smoked ahi dressing, you're getting some creative, premium ingredients in this salad and everything works so well together. Even if you're not a salad person, I would definitely recommend giving this dish a try. On top of delicious food, the service at Moon & Turtle was spectacular. Food was promptly brought out after we placed our order, pacing didn't ever feel rushed, our water cups were never empty, and our server checked on us regularly to make sure we had everything we needed without being overbearing. I would definitely stop by Moon & Turtle again if I'm in Hilo.

    Photos
    Moon & Turtle - Limited seating so it fills fast - so make a reservation

    Limited seating so it fills fast - so make a reservation

    Moon & Turtle - Market Fish - steamed mahi with garlic, ginger, scallion and soy in roasted bone congee with chili oil and wild rice

    Market Fish - steamed mahi with garlic, ginger, scallion and soy in roasted bone congee with chili oil and wild rice

    Moon & Turtle - Smokey Sashimi

    See all

    Smokey Sashimi

    Lam's Garden - Green Papaya Salad

    Lam's Garden

    4.0(211 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    Doesn't look like much from the outside but this place is such a little Gem, so chill and laid…read moreback. Customer service is always 10/10 and wait times aren't long. Their Pho is SO good and their Crispy lemon chicken is crunchy &' mayjah! Definitely go check it out.

    This spot is located in Hilo, street parking can be difficult, but that's expected in most of the…read moretown. We came on a weekday evening around 8 PM, and were quickly seated. The servers were running around all night, and it seemed that they were a little bit understaffed. However, they still did their best to attend to us, and food came out promptly. As most other pho shops, they provide plenty of bean sprouts, mint, lemons, and sauces (oyster sauce/Sriracha) to enjoy. Pho Rare Beef (6.5/10) - the broth was good, flavorful, rich and salty as expected from Vietnamese pho. As this spot is kind of a Viet/Chinese fusion, don't go in expecting the best pho of your life. However, the broth is definitely delicious and will fix your pho cravings - only comment is regarding the beef itself. Some of the pieces were definitely a little thicker, tougher, and at points difficult to chew. The beef was not then these sliced into the brisket that I'm used to finding, but that's OK Overall, pretty good pho spot on the Big Island with quite tasty broth. Only wish that the beef was either thinner and easier to chew, or more tender.

    Photos
    Lam's Garden - Dining area

    Dining area

    Lam's Garden - Chicken Pho

    Chicken Pho

    Lam's Garden - Summer Rolls

    See all

    Summer Rolls

    Ratana's - thai - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...