Ordered one of the menu specials: Korean katsu. It was seasoned perfectly and the sauce was sweet…read more I like thinner breading so it was cooked just the way I like. One of my favorite parts is the service. Very family oriented and the service is fast. Our food came out in less than 20 minutes. If you're ever in Hilo and want comforting local food this is the place.

At first stepping in , we were on a kalbi mission, only had two people, mind you it's about 4:30pm…read more We were seated and menus given. They have a good selection of eats, Japanese and Korean food! We had the kalbi, bulgogi and spicy pork dishes which included rice, miso soup or salad. I have to admit, as I sampled everyone's order the food was Ono! ( good!) the portion as well was on point, not minini! We enjoyed our meal and the service was great too! While in Hilo town last trip here we ate at a smaller place and the food was so so, but this place is a definite spot to return and grind!

Fantastic food service, great taste and family friendly environment. Waiter was attentive and…read morehelpful. Red Curry Chicken and large Shrimp were very tasty. The spiciness was spot on for me as I asked for spicy but not the top. If you like spicy this is a definite. Definitely would go back and family owned which makes it great.

Do you know how excited I was to finally try this place? Olympic-level excited. I know good Thai…read more I've eaten Thai in places where the menu doesn't apologize to you in English. The reviews sold me. And then... reality arrived. The server was lovely but clearly trapped in a one-person reenactment of Kitchen Nightmares. Two of us ordered dinner at the same time. My partner received their entrée. Then their sides. Then time to reflect on life. I received... nothing. Not even "sorry"' from the kitchen. Only the server had the decency to acknowledge the mess. About 40 minutes later--after my partner had fully completed dinner, digestion, and emotional closure--they brought my entrée. I asked for extra veggies and "Thai hot." What I got was Mild Regret of neither with a garnish of panic: two heaping tablespoons of raw hot peppers dumped on top like a dare. That's not "Thai hot," that's "we forgot and now we're improvising." At this point, I asked for it to go, because I wasn't about to sit there eating solo like I missed the memo that dinner was a relay race. Also: summer rolls require basil. Basil. Not iceberg lettuce. Iceberg lettuce belongs in a 1994 suburban salad bar, not in Thai cuisine. There was zero concept of food arriving together, or being cooked to order, or basic culinary logic. That said--I'm a generous soul. They need a chance to redeem what was, without exaggeration, a masterclass in how not to run dinner service.

Nori's is a shining landmark in the childhood memories of my SO, a cozy, homestyle establishment…read moreknown fondly among the locals. After an impulsive flight to the sleepy town of Hilo, we just had to stop by and see how this iconic institution had fared. Straight up - they don't make it easy. It seems that Nori's has shifted their business, and don't even offer dine-in service anymore. Hours are extremely limited for take-out only, from 11-6 on Friday-Sunday. That being said, the people working were incredibly kind, and locals still filtered through to purchase chocolate mochi and snacks. It's got that low-key, homey vibe that truly feels like an escape from the big city. Parking is easy in their big lot that is shared with a sports bar, where the hours don't overlap much. We placed our order and waited in the little wooden two person booths, a wistful reminder of the dining experience of the past. Ancient newspaper articles from the cornerstone Tribune Herald adorned the walls, above aging gumball and toy machines with quarter turners. I still remember the satisfying click as the machine released a rush of colorful runts, or perhaps a gumball into a plastic vortex. Anyways, check out the pictures - servings here are NOT for the faint of heart. We ordered a Big Plate (for two people, allegedly), which included mac salad, fried noodles, musubis, kalbi, fish jun, bbq beef, and chicken skewers. For a little over $30, I swear we could've eaten for a couple days. They literally gave us a catering pan of food, with a mountain of mac salad in a separate container. - Kalbi - Sweet, flavorful, meaty. Not the most tender short rib, but top tier marinade. - BBQ Beef - Tasty, tender, and thin cut. Solid offering. - Fried Fish - Jun style with egg batter, amazingly flaky and moist. Tartar sauce included had a little mustard zing to it. - Chicken Skewers - While overcooked and dry, these were so delicious I wanted more. The brushed sauce was so sweet and savory. - Musubis - Massive rice balls with a strip of nori. Probably like 2 scoop rice each at least. Nothing special but gotta have da rice. - Fried noodles - Soft and springy, a bit bland compared to the proteins, but dear god this was a heaping pile that could feed a small family. - Mac Salad - Bland. Needs salt, vinegar, anything more to elevate it. Again, they gave a generous serving, but we barely touched this one. We also tried the hilo style saimin. We must be looking at a different dictionary cuz the "small" was quite large. Fresh, springy noodles in a silky, savory saimin broth, adorned with the traditional naruto, spam, and green onion accompaniments. It's pricier than most at almost $10, but it's fresh and you won't be hungry. I'm impressed at the relative value that Nori's offers in today's economy, but sad at their limited take-out only hours. I hope that one day they return to their full, former glory.

They've been open ever since 1983 and the experts of classic saimin with generous toppings. They do…read morenot skimp. There is spam, egg, char su, and wonton if you choose the Hilo special. The broth is on the salty side and is based from dried seaweed. At this time it's take out only. No dine in. Accepts card and cash. Call in ahead of time to avoid a wait. They are a no fufu business, just straight to the point saimin. They got rice plates and BBQ meat too! (: Happy yelping and eating!

No doubt YONG's Kal-bi is best Korean food on this island. We were expecting Hawaiian version of…read moreKorean food, but it turned out to be very authentic. We came back two nights in a roll to try more dishes. Yukgaejang was flavorful without being salty. It had perfect amount of spiciness and big portion size was a bonus for hungry tourists. We also had their shishito/chives pancake. It was huge and enough to share with whole family. Their butterfish dish was absolutely perfect and we appreciated less salty and buttery fish (as name suggests). We would have gone back for more but unfortunately they are closed Sundays and Mondays. Service was fast and friendly even though they were very busy (lots of phone orders too). It's order at the counter but they bring food out to you. Highly recommend!!

Following a scenic drive through Kapa'au and into Waimea, Yong's Kalbi turned out to be the…read morehighlight of our evening. At first, I didn't spot any Korean staff, so I wasn't expecting much in terms of authenticity. But we ordered #24 -- the Kalbi, BBQ Chicken, Mandoo -- along with Kimchi Jjigae, and to our surprise, everything was outstanding. The Kalbi, in particular, was exceptional: tender, flavorful, and perfectly marinated with no excess fat. I can confidently say the recent positive reviews were spot on. This place is a hidden gem, especially considering how remote it is on the Big Island. I found out later the main chef was a Korean man working mainly in the kitchen. We highly recommend it -- even to fellow Koreans seeking a taste of home. The steady stream of takeout orders also suggests it's a popular and budget-friendly option for families.

If I could leave 0 stars I would . I came in today for just the roast duck and shrimp fried rice ,…read moreand let me tell you, I should've just ate the paper menu because it probably would've tasted better . My first red flag was when the table in the front had a hair in their food .... But hey that's beside the point. The shrimp fried rice had 7 shrimp...7!!! It's not seasoned at all just egg and boiled shrimp , not even a lil green onion or soy sauce ..then the duck was like greasy and lacked luster and I asked for the duck "sauce "/ drippings and I was given hosin sauce ( ew) but I ate some because I'm not wasting my money lol. Did I mention I payed $58....... And for that much I would've expected the customer service to be top tier ... and no shocker the food matched the customer service 0/10 again. I'm not mad just disappointed. First restaurant in Hilo -0 /10 .

My family and I have just started eating here and been here many 5 times max, but the food has been…read moregreat every time so far. The restaurant itself seems like your typical Chinese restaurant setup with some booths along the window and larger round tables in the middle. It is a smaller restaurant, so maybe 10ish tables are inside max. We try to mix things up every time we come, but we always get the salt pepper pork ribs and the hot and sour soup! I find most places are either a hot or miss with the soup, but they are definitely my favorite place that makes it! And the pork ribs are the best. As my mom puts it, they're the perfect accompaniment to any meal since they're so crispy and tasty. She even commented she would get just the ribs so she can "snack" on it while watching the Super Bowl. Service can be a bit on the slower side, but every time we came, there's only been one person in the front answering the phone while catering to the people dining in and I believe they make the food when you order it so definitely not a quick place to eat if you're short on time but I find the wait always worth it.

It was a pleasure to discover this exceptional establishment offering a fusion of Asian cuisines…read more Food quality: Everything was fresh, tasty, and good portions for the money. Ambiente: Cozy, clean, and nicely decorated. Price: Priced right, and two people can enjoy a wonderful meal for under $116. Service: Right off the bat, the hospitality felt welcoming, the service was attentive, and our orders came very quickly. Good job!

Very underwhelming experience, this restaurant is Japanese in name only…read more For starters, after being seated we had a 1 hour wait to be served food for a table of 4. And then we the food finally came, it was cold and unappetizing. Miso soup was way too salty and the salad was perfectly average. The beef teriyaki and chicken katsu combo plate came out lukewarm which is unacceptable considering I waited 1 hour and they can't even bring hot food. Shrimp tempura according to my mom was underwhelming and not the best tasting. Beef curry was the worst out of all the dishes. It was so watered down and tasted like water, 0 curry flavor whatsoever. Considering these plates were $25 each, I'd stay clear of this place. Definite tourist trap. If you want authentic Japanese food, go to the ramen place nextdoor instead. They have a better curry rice bowl despite being a ramen place.

Got the beef rib pho for ~$32 (15% service fee for dine-in) and it was incredible! The food came…read moreout within 5 minutes so I think they have them kind of ready since many people order it. One bowl was more than enough for my husband and I to share. The broth was soothing, hot and comforting. Leans slightly on the saltier side which I liked. The beef rib itself was tender and delicious. Ambiance is.. not the nicest. Kind of cold and uncomfortable, no soft cushions or lighting or anything. But we were just there for the food so it's fine.

Found this place as it was open late and we had just got off a 6hr plane ride. Service was alright…read more We ordered two items: Crispy calamari - 2/5 - the sauces were good, like typical takoyaki sauces. The calamari itself had a lot of breading and there wasn't much calamari taste to it. It was mostly just crunchy + sauce flavor. Beef rib curry - 4/5 - the curry itself was pretty good, good flavor, well seasoned and goes really well with rice. The beef ribs were also very tender. A bit fatty in some areas but fell off the bone pretty easily. Hack: we put the fried noodles from under the crispy calamari into the curry and it was really good - slightly crispy and soaked up the curry. Only complaint for this dish was there wasn't enough rice to go with all the curry!

Amazing food and wonderful experience. We were staying at the Mauna Lani, and had to try its…read moresignature restaurant (especially since a few in our party were big fans of Chef Rhoda in Top Chef). Each dish we tried had an amazing mix of flavors. Everything was fresh, even the pull apart bread. I opted for the Ahi Tuna, and it was cooked to perfection. The oysters were excellent as well. We also LOVED the ambiance. It seems most tables, whether indoors or outside, faced the ocean with an open concept. Therefore, even the indoor tables are technically outdoors. This was the perfect set up to watch an amazing Hawaiian sunset during dinner. As expected the service was very friendly and attentive. This is one of those must visit spots on the big island. Even if we don't stay at the Mauna Lani next visit, we're definitely going to still visit this place.

My wife and I got last minute reservations to Canoe House on a Sunday evening at 8:00 p.m. Despite…read morehaving missed the sunset, we still had a very lovely dinner. We saw from Yelp photos that Canoe House offered a tasting menu at some point in time, but during our visit, it was more of an impromptu tasting menu of sorts -- created by our server, rather than an official one with a set beverage pairing. In any case, we still had a wonderful experience ordering items a la carte. Before diving into the food, I wanted to call out the outstanding service at Canoe House. My wife and I were celebrating our anniversary and our server started and ended the meal with a round of congratulations. Throughout our meal, our server was super attentive and there was never a moment when our water cups were empty. Empty plates were promptly cleared, cutlery was refreshed when it was needed, and whenever a dish was brought over, he would carefully slide things around on the table so dishes were accessible and not overcrowding. Friendly, professional service of this level is honestly hard to find these days outside of Michelin dining establishments. My wife and I started our meal off with the large loaf of pull-apart milk bread ($18). The milk bread was incredibly fluffy and the outside was finished with some honey and sea salt. The sweet cream butter was rich and had the perfect spreadable consistency. As tempting as it is to want to finish the loaf, you'll definitely want to safe your stomach for the rest of the meal. The next items that we ordered were two chilled oysters ($7/piece), and a hamachi + uni citrus salad ($14). Since we were dining as a couple, our server informed us that we could actually order half-portions of some of the dishes. This was a perfect way to not fill-up before our mains arrived, so we did that for both the salad and the gyozas. The uni in the salad was melt in your mouth tender and had a delicious sweetness to it. I thought the hamachi in the salad was a bit unremarkable: it was certainly fresh and there were two generously sized pieces in the dish, but the fish definitely needed a bit more salt to it. Our next and last appetizer to arrive was the beef and foie gras gyoza ($7/piece). The chili garlic ponzu sauce the gyoza is resting leans towards the sour side, but that's my personal preference when it comes to dumpling sauces so I really enjoyed it. The filling inside the gyoza was on the leaner side compared to your typical pork and cabbage dumpling, but I didn't mind this too much since there was so much sauce in the bowl to accommodate the dumpling. The next four items we ordered all arrived together: the garlic fried rice ($32), the Kona kanpachi ($67), the Iberico char siu pork ($65), and the side of sugar snap peas ($22). Of these items, my favorite bites were the Iberico pork followed closely by the garlic fried rice and the sugar snap peas. If we could've ordered one fewer dish, it definitely would have been the Kona kanpachi. While the fish was flakey tender and the the skin was cooked to be perfectly crunchy, the portion size was far too large for two, and I thought the coconut ginger sauce felt a bit diluted and not as flavorful as advertised. I wish our server warned us that we had ordered way too much food, because we brought 85% of this dish home as leftovers. While I don't necessarily mind having leftovers, having leftovers on vacation -- with less than ideal heating methods available (i.e. hotel microwave), is not great. Overall, I couldn't help but feel this dish was somewhat a waste of money for the two of us. On the other hand, the Iberico char siu is a dish I'd order again and again if I were to come back. The pork was lean and grilled to perfection. The charred end pieces were some of my favorite bites of the night. I didn't miss the fatty bits that are typically present on a piece of char siu pork, and the mustard that accompanied the dish was not over the top spicy like some of the mustards you find at dim sum restaurants. The garlic fried rice was packed with so much garlic flavor. One criticism I had with the dish though is I wish the hot sizzling plate the dish was served on was even hotter. The rice that was in contact with the plate didn't crisp up in the same way that it would with a Korean bibimbap served in a hot stone bowl, or the socarrat at the bottom of a Spanish paella. Nonetheless, the dish was well-seasoned. If you want to save a bit on carbs and not fill up, you might want to skip this dish. Overall, the dining under the stars experience at Canoe House is hard to beat. The service is incredible, the included validated valet parking experience is seamless, the ambience of the hotel where the restaurant is located is breathtaking, and Chef Rhoda has really done an wonderful job with the vast majority of the items we tried. I would not hesitate to recommend Canoe House for celebrating a special occasion if you're visiting Hawaiʻi.

The food here is so delicious and you can feel is homemade! Came here twice--I'm pregnant and baby…read moreloved the food here! We got chicken yakisoba one night which fed both my husband and I the portion was huge and the second night we got sukiyaki--also delicious and tasted like home! The service was great--we got our food to go but the ladies who helped were super sweet

Really great traditional style Japanese food! This is a ma and pop style place... nothing fancy but…read moregood service and good food!

Hello Fellow Yelpers…read more Just enjoyed a delicious meal tonight. I had the Prik King with beef and my sister had the Pad Thai with chicken. It smelled so good when it came out that I ate it up before I could take pictures. The waitresses were short handed, but they were amazing and got everyone fed as quickly as possible. The food was fresh, hot and very flavorful. The place was decorated nicely with plenty of room to walk through. Remember to do random acts of kindness as it will make everyone feel wonderful Happy Yelping, please follow me for more awesome reviews

Disappointed. Lack of service, itty bitty portions, no flavor in any of hte entrees we ordered. My…read moreparty of four regreted coming here and when I texted friends where I was they said "Yuck. Sorry". My veggie delight had 6 fried tofu pieces, one piece of broccoli, 3 small pieces of cabbage and a few bell peppers. I made a joke wondering if the second half was coming later. The pad thai and flat noodle was just as disappointing and lacked any flavor. Never again when I visit this establishment.