As other reviews mentioned- the attitude of the woman behind the counter sucks. We went back two days in a row for convenience and the delicious chocolate Mac nut cookies! However there was zero aloha spirit coming from this place. If someone is spending 50-70 bucks in your store at least try to manage a little friendliness. People work their whole lives to visit the place you call home, and you're lucky enough to live there. We never have experiences like this with native Hawaiian or true local businesses who embody Aloha and all the reasons we love Hawai'i so much. Yes I'm a visitor, but I definitely wouldn't shop here if I was a local either. If you're having a tough time that's okay, we all have our days, but don't bring it to work where people are financially supporting your business with their hard earned money. Or- go out of your way to be unpleasant. Instant mood killer. read more

When traveling, I love to visit local food shops, bodegas, and country stores. An opportunity to feel the local vibe, grab some local food and exchange a friendly smile. Well that ain't happening here. Stopped here to grab a few basics. Shelves are almost empty and selection sparse. But the kicker was the attitude of the woman behind the counter. Surly, snappy and went out of her way to be unpleasant. We all have bad days but rolling your eyes because I ask for sauce on the side instead of on top for a poke bowl? Arguing with me because I want to buy twelve Sparkling Ice drinks? Another eye roll when we added another popsicle to our items before she was finished ringing up all our items! I should have just left everything on the counter and walked out. Instead I spent $100 and got tons of attitude. Couple days later I needed more ice. Go back here? Heck no. I drove to Foodland where the folks couldn't be friendlier or more helpful. Our Hawaii visit was wonderful and we experienced the Aloha Spirit every where. Just not here. read more

A must-stop spot on the island! The food is great, with an awesome variety of cookies, drinks, wine, sushi, and everyday favorites. The service is what really makes this place special -- everyone is so friendly, welcoming, and genuinely local style. It has such a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere that makes you want to stay and come back again. Snorkel tours on a surf board so cool read more

Rude lady behind the counter! Why act so negative to my kids? We had a bunch of ice cream in our hands but when she was so rude I told my kids to put almost everything back and we will go somewhere else. read more

Their food is the best. Subs, sandwiches, spinach artichoke dip and more--and they are all home made! This store is priced on the higher end, but very understandable on why it is. The staff are friendly too but they do get VERY busy especially during the mid-morning hours to early afternoon--it is the ONLY store within a 15mile radius that serves all of its community, tourists, locals, and vendors working within the area. Don't get me wrong, I've had my beef with them too, but it's very understanding why there are days when I do walk in and they just aren't in the mood. All in all 10/10. Their newly remodel/organization is also very nice too! read more

Yikes. Stopped in for the second time hoping there might be a few meager items to help us make our dinner.....nope. nothin in cans except those marked for thr stores use only (almost cruel they were in view). No tomato sauce, no soup, NOTHING. Fresh tomatoes marked $5 a pound (almost nothing else has prices shown) but when we bought them we were charged $5.50/lb even after mentioning the sign. Lots of people coming in: they could sell stuff if they had stuff. Very strange. read more

We're drawn in by the reviews of the macadamia nut cookies and poke. Unfortunately cookies weren't available at 1pm on the Friday we visited. We got the chef special Lava Lava Roll & a ham sandwich...both items were made to order so they're super fresh. The hoagie roll was soft on the inside and chewy on the outside with lots of ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato...perfectly seasoned with mustard and mayonnaise. The Lava Lava Roll was a spicy tuna roll with avocado and spicy poke on top along with fried onion and green onion. Service felt a bit disjointed, but I was on Hawaiian time so it's all good in the end. The shelves looked a bit sparse, but the store was clean, organized, and had everything I needed. I also found some interesting photos from Warren Fintz, a Hawaii photographer and videographer. We were able to come back and finally got to taste the "famous" macadamia nut chocolate chip cookies and they're as delicious as everyone said. I hope you're lucky enough to try them. read more

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Nearly 50$ for 3 super basic sandwiches? Super sparse market- with nearly empty shelves. Not sure why the ratings are as high as they are especially for the price point. read more

Cute little general store tucked into the most beautiful bay. Near Hapuna Beach. Friendly, great sandwiches, pizza and paninis. Nice place-off the beaten path ! SERIOUSLY THE BEST COOKIES EVER! read more

The Puako General Store - Macadamia chocolate chip! Beyond great! - Grocery Near Me - Kamuela, Hawaii

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Loaded pork fries are amazing. They come in a huge portion and are full of flavor. It's even better that the staff is so friendly. read more

The Puako General Store - Loaded pork fries are bomb! They come in a huge portion and are full of flavor. - Grocery Near Me - Kamuela, Hawaii

Great food. Stopped by to try their poke and it was delicious. Their taco is really tasty.

This was a great spot to stop for lunch. Skip the pizzas because the sandwiches are way better. They were so loaded I couldn't even finish mine. Get the macadamia nut cookies!! SOOO good! read more

Wow, want to be treated horribly, come here. That woman that "helped" us was beyond rude. Never going back.

A great and convenient little store, that has a little bit of everything...from a bottle of whiskey to homemade ice cream, even souvenirs and snorkel gear...and fresh made pizzas! Locally owned, this little spot can help you fill in the blanks! read more

Cool general store that sells everything you need for a fun day out! They have snorkels, rash guards, fins, wetsuits, goggles, and even spearfishing gloves! Basically anything you need for a fun day in the sun, they have it. They also carry a decent selection of local specialty foods - the tropical dream ice cream is amazing (especially the mac nut flavor). read more

The Puako General Store - Operating hours - Grocery Near Me - Kamuela, Hawaii

Lovely little store for quick grinds and various sundries. Plus they had Kua Bay IPA!

Have lived here for three years. I LOVE this place. Great staff, great home-made grinds, best scuba and manta trips on the island with amazing crews. And some of the best home-made cookies you'll ever taste. Do not miss this gem! read more

Great convenience for a somewhat remote location. Also, if you are a scuba diver, they rent gear. You can walk in and get a weight belt and tank and be out in 10 minutes. If you're staying in Puako, this is so much easier than going up to Kawaihae for rentals. Pick 'em up one day, dive in the morning and then return, all without leaving the neighborhood. After your first rental, it's even faster and easier as they have your waiver and ccard on file. read more

This place has gone downhill since the new owners took over. It used to have friendly staff, good prices, and food you'd want to eat.The current staff is rude, the prices are outrageous, and the food disgusting. There's a reason people who live on the street don't shop there anymore. We know it's worth the short drive to go to Foodland in Mauna Lani or to the shops in Waikoloa resort. read more

Great PUAKO store. I live here. I should know. Especially their kitchen. Great creations from sandwiches to Thai curry and simply amazing Chico cookies!!! read more

Stayed next door. They have most things you need. Small store so not your primary grocery store, staff is super helpful with plenty of of recommendations and helpful ideas read more

We were exploring the coast north of Kailua-Kona and after spending some time in the water, we had a car full of hungry people. Checked Yelp and found this general store had good reviews and was nearby. I ordered a cheese & veggie sandwich on rye with a cold brew coffee and it was sooo good! I rarely order rye bread and was so glad I did. It was fresh and baked locally. The cold brew coffee was great too! No bitterness at all and just yum. Everyone enjoyed their food and I would definitely eat here again next time I find myself in Puako. read more

We've been coming to The Puako General store for many years. It used to be a fun place with a local feel. Now when I go in there the staff is rude and borderline arrogant. My wife and tried to order a sandwich and they acted like they were doing us a favor. So much for the good old days. I think I'll take my business somewhere else where they appreciateit. read more

Awesome for anything you may need to pick up on your vacation! The staff member who helped us was so friendly and helpful.

This is a cool little place. It is local and very much in the old style. Get food, dive supplies, snorkle gear and good stuff. Worth the turn off the highway. read more

We didn't have a rental car for the first day on our vacation, and this is the only store within our walking distance. We had tuna wraps, sandwiches, pizzas, and BBQ ribs from this store, and they are very delicious. We especially liked tuna wraps, and I had them almost 3 times during our 1 week stay! They also have rental diving tanks for $6! Can't beat the price!! read more

Great ice cream. Super local and fun! Go here for casual and great food. Tiny spot. Sit on patio

This place is great, they have affordable prices , made to order sandwich, you can call ahead, order and save a bunch of money. Sandwiches are tasty, I had the roll and it was ok, I'll try another bread tomorrow. read more

Great to have a convenience store in the neighborhood again. They now have pizza and made to order sandwiches. I thought the pizza and the price was great. The ladies are always friendly and have positive attitudes. read more

The Puako General Store - Grocery Near Me - Kamuela, Hawaii

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I went here to go get some food, and I was shocked by the amount of food they had, this store has everything you could truly need.

I write this review as hurricane Lane heads towards us. The Puako General store was open, and ready for business with a smile. Plenty of food on the shelves, Absolut vodka on sale, and two lovely ladies making the best out of a serious situation. Aside from the food reviews, just come for the Aloha. Grab a snack and head towards the beach access. This is a gem. read more

This place is a hidden gem. They offer fresh sandwiches to order, the presentation and quality was excellent. They are not stingy on the portion sizes and the rye bread is recommended. The service and cleanliness deserves being mentioned as well. read more

Great little general store in Puako. Only one actually. They aren't slacker owners though; they carry all the essentials. Want an ice cream sandwich? Come here. Need a pair of cheapy flip flops? Come here. Want to rent a DVD? You got it, come here. Very friendly staff too. Ain't gonna find that at a 7-11. read more

Exactly what we needed for a quick dash from our vacation rental. After a long day in the sun or the car or both who wants to make a 30 minute round trip down to Foodland when a 5 minute trip to the Puako General Store gets you what you need. A decent bottle of wine and a most excellent pint of Tropical Dreams ice cream. They had some tasty looking poke and nice looking papayas too but being on vacation mode solid food can wait till tomorrow. The employee who rang us up was cheerful too. Mahalo! read more

Great service, amazing sandwiches (fresh, tasty meats and lots of it) , absolutely loved it. Highly recommend.

Our experience, as island residents, was using the catering service. The proprietor of the Puako General Store, chef Noah Hester, catered our Firewise holiday party for 11 committee members. Noah's creations worked out beautifully with our request of a tasting/hors d'oeuvre menu. Everyone raved over the mini crabcakes and the prime rib crostini. The desserts were equally well received, with a tie on popularity between the mini blueberry basil cupcakes and the macadamia nut bourbon tarts. We were very satisfied with the value received: Noah did all the work himself and left our kitchen even better than when he arrived. We highly recommend working with Noah Hester and Puako Provisions & Catering. read more

Nice general store run by the (unoffical) mayor of Puako. Puako is a great little community and I highly suggest you shop at the general store when in the area. read more

I've stop by to pick up sandwiches and usually get roast beef which is delicious. My wife gets fresh white turkey breast wraps. A couple of days ago they were out of roast beef so I got tuna. I am addicted it is so good. They also make some fabulous dinners to pick up during the day. So fortunate to have this wonderful store and great food on Puako. The food is not only delicious but the prices are excellent. I highly recommend. read more

Neran and Umi always have just what you need in this great little store on the Kohala Coast. Groceries, wine, vegetarian foods, soft drinks and candy of all kinds. read more

The Puako General Store - Grocery Near Me - Kamuela, Hawaii

Ok. If your coming from the mainland and you're not frequent to the islands you may think the prices are high. BUT... it's a neat little store and we felt the prices, for Hawaii, were not crazy. They have beer and wine and small bottle of booze. They make sandwiches and salads fresh daily and have all sorts of stuff you'll need on vacation. Every employee was nice , except one, who went out of her way to basically demonstrate we were not locals. But ignore that. Stop by if your at the locals beach for sunset or snorkeling. read more