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    ʻUmekes Express Hilo

    4.7 (20 reviews)
    ModeratePoke, Food Trucks
    Closed Closed

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    Grilled ahi fish tacos is a MUST!
    Sha J.

    BOMB DOT COM! Boss decided to treat us for lunch, Umekes Express it was! Their ahi fish tacos are so good. I haven't really ordered anything else.

    Fish and chips
    Brenda R.

    This is the best place to eat fish and chips. I'm not a fish person but I make an acceptance for this it is so good. There fish taco's are also good. I'm

    Poke Nachos
    T N.

    'Umekes has two local restaurants located in Kailua-Kona and one in Kamuela. We, living on the Eastside, have gone to the one in Kona several times whenever we visit the Westside. Now to have a food truck express in Hilo!! Now is one of my favorite lunch trucks to go to when I'm in Hilo. Located in the parking lot of Safeway. Their menu is small and simple to order from. The quality is the same as their restaurant's, ONO!!! Prices are a little pricey, but you get quality and better than Burger King! My favorite dish is the Avocado Poke Nachos. The chips are deep fried won ton. This nachos plate is just too ono to share! Service is very friendly. Lots of parking because you're in the Safeway parking lot. Don't expect to have a place to sit and eat. You can at the outside tables of Safeway.

    Pastele Plate with 2 scoops gandule rice and bacalao salad.. Need I say more?!
    Jay W.

    Congrats on making top 2 for food trucks gang!!! No doubt the food is always fresh and ono!! Mahalo for all the killah grinds and laughs #OffDaHook #SoOno

    Annique P.

    Here on vacation so I had to stop by! Food is so delicious, fresh, and fast! I had the poke bowl with mac salad, and my family had fish tacos/fish nachos so we all somewhat sampled each other's lunch. Staff is extra friendly and patient especially when I had no idea what I wanted to order and asked tons of questions. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone and will definitely be back in the future!!

    Nicholette D.

    You'll never look at fish and chips the same when you leave this place! Ahi Tempura... so delicious!!! When we fly in from Maui, this is the FIRST STOP!

    Fish tacos

    I found Umekes Express outside Safeway on a Wednesday afternoon and tried it on a whim. The menu is simple, 8 items, and the plates run $11-$15 depending on what you order. I went with the fish tacos. Ordering was fast, and the food was prepared quickly compared to most food trucks in the area. Tacos were legit, especially for Hawai'i, but not 5 star. The fish was fresh and generous, but the batter was a little thick where it didn't cook quite as much as it should. A little less batter or a little more time in the fryer should do it. I loved the aioli and mango salsa and avocado. I also liked the fried onions, but there were too many of them. Finally, the tortilla didn't taste very fresh. Standard issue for Hawai'i. Overall, though, a positive experience and I would like to visit again to check out the poke.

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    6 years ago

    Everything we've tried has been #SoOno! I recommend the fish tacos, but we haven't been disappointed in anything we've ordered.

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    Shauna R.

    Thank you and we love that you’re our regular from day 1!

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    Ask the Community - ʻUmekes Express Hilo

    Review Highlights - ʻUmekes Express Hilo

    Amazing poke nachos and fish and chips and the folks were super nice as well!

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Jackie Rey's Ohana Grill Hilo

    Jackie Rey's Ohana Grill Hilo

    4.3
    (1.3k reviews)
    0.6 km
    $$

    Easy five-star review. Hidden gem in Hilo, HI. An old bank converted into a fine dining…read morerestaurant with a Hawaii vibe. Menu items run the gamut from fish and chips, steaks, and the Mochiko Crusted Fresh Catch (ono), which I ordered. The appetizers, main course, and desserts are all presented in five-star fashion. Stop in if visiting the Hilo side of the Big Island if you get the chance.

    When we lived in Kona, we would frequent the Jackie Reyes there. The food was good, but for the…read moreprice, the entire experience - not even the old, nonfunctional classic car out front - was worth it. BUT, the Jackie Rey's in Hilo has now become our go-to fine restaurant in Hilo town. The building is classic. An old town Hilo bank, with the vault intact. High ceilings, comfortable tables and decore and an artistic antique wooden bar that would be a gem in the crown of any European city. The management and personnel are the most wonderful people. Always happy to accommodate you in the best way they can. After one kamaaina visit the servers will know your name. They'll make you feel welcome and that you are a part of their experience too, something that is nearly impossible to find in other town dining. They have rewards programs for kamaaina which includes a point system that gives you significant savings on your next visit. The food is first rate, from the pupus to the main dishes to the desserts. Sauced and presented in five star fashion, without feeling pretenious. We will be their peskiest and most loyal customer as long as we are in the area. Kudos to Jackie Rey's Hilo.

    Photos
    Clean and inviting. This is a historical bank building.
    Clean and inviting. This is a historical bank building.
    Ahi Tartare Happy Hour. Amazing. I could eat ten more.
    Ahi Tartare Happy Hour. Amazing. I could eat ten more.
    Passion Flow

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    Passion Flow
    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine

    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine

    4.3
    (2.6k reviews)
    0.2 km
    $$

    First of all... just go! Happy hour in the bar is highly…read morerecommended! Hubs enjoyed a Lava Burger (5/5) and a mango margarita 4/5 I had nachos with pork (4.5/5) and a watermelon margarita (5/5).

    Came as a party of 2 at noon on a Sunday, and we were seated right away! The ambiance definitely…read moregives a nice island sports bar vibe. Only street parking is available. There was also live music with a lady playing guitar solo and singing! Service was amazing! We never had to wait long to order/get the bill. We were most impressed by the fact that the waitress made sure to split our Hilo local plate into two plates to make it much easier to share! We almost thought we had received two orders because of how well-plated they were. - Poke tower (8/10): Solid choice for an appetizer! There were ample portions of poke, and the flavors were nice. Not a super stand out dish though. - Hilo local plate (9.5/10): If you want to taste a wide range of Hawaiian cuisine in one dish, I would highly recommend getting this one! The Kalbi ribs were sooo good! They were juicy, tender, and bursting with flavor. The Kalua pork was pretty good, and both meats paired well with the rice which had an interesting savory haupia sauce drizzled on it. The mango chili slaw and pineapple salsa added a nice tang to balance everything out. - Triple lilikoi pie (5/10): Wayyy too sweet and sugary for our liking, and you can barely taste the lilikoi flavor. We ended up just picking at the graham cracker crust and couldn't finish the rest. It seemed like one of those desserts that are premade unfortunately, and we wish we hadn't ordered this dessert.

    Photos
    Bar with loads of fresh pineapples
    Bar with loads of fresh pineapples
    Ahi poke tower
    Ahi poke tower
    Dr. Pepper

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    Dr. Pepper
    Kula Shave Ice

    Kula Shave Ice

    4.8
    (433 reviews)
    0.2 km
    $$

    We were visiting the farmers market, and we decided to do a smoothie bowl here. At first, I wanted…read moreto do the shaved ice, but the call of a smoothie bowl was too much to ignore. They have an amazing menu for shaved ice! They also have a great selection for smoothie bowls. I was honestly impressed for a shaved ice place to have so many options for smoothie bowls. Anyway, the employee who took our order was very nice and efficient. We even had substitutions we requested, and she was super cool and nice about it all. The tables allow you to people watch since the tables are right in front of the café and next to the farmers market. Also, little birds were very interested in the area and potential snacks, so that was cute to watch! Our smoothie bowls were excellent! Honestly, now that I'm back across the pond, I'm seriously craving another! Wonderful flavor combinations and very fresh. I wish I would've tried their other creations, but that just means something to look forward to for next time!

    After stopping by the Farmer's Market across the street, my wife and I walked over to Kula Shave…read moreIce for some shaved ice. As a disclaimer, I'm not the biggest fan of shaved ice because of how sweet the dessert tends to be, and because more often than not, there are a bunch of artificial colors used in the fruit juices. When we looked at the menu, I was impressed and excited to see the emphasis on quality of their ingredients: no artificial flavors or colors, no aspartame, no high fructose corn syrup, and no preservatives. I was sold. Although we were tempted to create our own shaved ice, we ultimately went with "The Local", a soursop and liliko'i combo topped with haupia cream. Between the two flavors, I enjoyed the sour sop side a bit more since it was the one that was less sweet. The cream on top was absolutely delicious, and reminded me of the light and airy frothed milk cream you find on many boba drinks these days. There's a generous amount ladled on top, ensuring you can have some in every bite without having to carefully ration out the cream. Overall, I'm a fan of Kula Shave Ice. Definitely a great dessert to enjoy on a hot day. Worth checking out if you're ever in Hilo.

    Photos
    Half orange and half blueberry
    Half orange and half blueberry
    The Hapa (choc, coconut flakes, haupia ice cream) & The Local (love the local - lilikoi, soursop w ice cream
    The Hapa (choc, coconut flakes, haupia ice cream) & The Local (love the local - lilikoi, soursop w ice cream
    Their many accolades!

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    Their many accolades!

    ʻUmekes Express Hilo - poke - Updated July 2026

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