Fantastic & authentic food! The sashimi was very fresh and the gobo kinpira, poke, and mitarashi…read moredango were all excellent. Service was very friendly. It's a small, to-go only spot. Parking was easy & convenient.

FANTASTIC FOOD. Authentic. Cannot say enough. Stopped here four times. You can order ahead or go…read moreearly in the morning and buy items for lunch (pickup for lunch). Otherwise, if you arrive after lunch rush you may find a very very limited selection of food. I really enjoyed the spicy inari poke, mochi, garlic chicken and unagi tamago. Their mochi and cheesecake is also a delight. Other items I tried but would not recommend as much include the unagi roll, the shoyu inari poke and the salmon mixed bento. I don't think their bento is where they shine (good but not as good as other items). Out of the bentos I tried though, the mackerel bento was nice. To go only. Eat at the ocean park (5 min drive away). Ambiance casual.

My wife and I visited Hawaiian Shrimp Company since we were craving garlic shrimp. Located inside a…read moreseemingly deserted food court inside a strip mall, Hawaiian Shrimp Company is well hidden. Unless you're actively looking for it, you probably won't stumble upon it randomly. Between the two of us, we shared a single plate with garlic shrimp and lilikoi shrimp and three sides -- two scoops of taro potatoes (extra charge for having a duplicate side) and some broccoli. For close to $30, the shrimp plate feels expensive, but you actually get quite a bit of food -- definitely enough for two to comfortably share. Between the two types of shrimp (a plate comes with four of each), I liked the garlic shrimp a bit more. I loved how intense the garlic flavor was in the shrimp. In the past when I've had garlic shrimp in Hawaii, it's always been drown in a pool of butter, resulting in an oily coat around your mouth after each bite. The shrimp here uses a fraction of the butter and oil used elsewhere, leaving a much cleaner taste after each bite. With the lilikoi shrimp, my first bite reminded me walnut shrimp: there was a subtle sweetness to the shrimp. Unlike the garlic shrimp, the lilikoi shrimp are butterflied, making it easy to distinguish between which shrimp is what flavor. The fact that the shrimp can even be butterflied means the shrimp used here are quite large in size, indicative of the value you're getting with your plate. With the sides, the broccoli is well-seasoned, and the taro potatoes have nice large chunks mixed in. Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with my meal at Hawaiian Shrimp Company. I understand some folks would be quick to write-off a restaurant as understated as this one, but definitely give it a try if you're looking for some good tasting garlic shrimp.

The food was epic. I got the shrimp plate, then the awesome workers allowed me to try the lilikoi…read moresauce. Everything worth the price

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.

When in Hilo, two must stop places are Two Ladies mochi and George's meat market! Back before 9/11…read moreever took place, we would stop at George's with our cooler bag and stock up on prepared meats (oxtail being my favorite) and head back to Oahu. Once 9/11 occurred it made stopping at George's a little more effort so that we could get frozen meat back home without ice. However, George's came up with their absolutely delicious thin beef jerkies and that has been a must buy ever since!! And now, they have the best snacks and energy bars! I've not been able to go lately but a friend of mine was gracious enough to offer to purchase for me and bring it back to me!! I feel ever so lucky to have bags of beef jerky and energy bars in my hands!! Hoping to get to George's myself soon!!

Great selection of meats and service. They have meat, pork, fish and chicken. Very satisfied.read more

Crack seed. For us…read morelocals in Hawai'i, these snacks were childhood staples. The crack seed store, a classic place where vibes of nostalgia are generated every time I walk into one. 'Cause I grew-up with li hing mui and arare. There's a small number of locally-owned crack seed shops on the Big Island of Hawai'i and in Hawai'i in general. This is one of them, the "local-style candy store" for an island boy like me. I enter 5-Spice, located in East Hawai'i after the intersection of Kilauea Ave and W Puainako St, heading south. I remember frequenting this business when it used to be at Puainako Town Center. Their popularity over the years gave them the ability to move to a larger space. Now independently located in their own building with ample parking. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Would I be able to control myself, holding onto what's desired without adding anything extra? It's always impossible for me to do so. Everytime. Yummy preserved items in large display jars, others placed in vacuum sealed bags. All priced by-the-ounce. I become curious, wanting to taste it again. I go to my favorites, seeking them first while browsing through the visual display of many others. Cracked seed goodness on one side, bagged candies and sweets on the other. I've seen this all before yet, I stand still with the desire to place it all in my hands. And I sure do, my hands are full. I mail them to the U.S. mainland in care packages, travel to the neighbor-islands as omiyage, and personally enjoy them at work or at home as snacks. They make great gifts for friends and coworkers too. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Let's talk about food, where mouth-watering plates and yummy burgers are prepared. Bentos are packed to-go on the countertop. Offering an extensive menu for a take-out, all made to enjoy outside on picnic tables or elsewhere. Daily specials are available along with catering + platters too. Front service by the team at the counter is pleasant, attentive. Gratitude is always extended for every purchase. Comfortable, courteous, welcoming. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "Meat Jun Plate" A light egg batter and thinly sliced beef served in an upscale fashion due to care in preparation and quality of flavor. The soft and indulgent texture of each meat jun piece, perfectly seasoned + cooked. Your choice of tossed greens, purple sweet potato or macaroni salad. "Honey Chicken Plate" Featuring a crazy yummy sweet and savory glaze, sticky and glossy. This sauce, this recipe creation is glorious. Chicken pieces are tender yet slightly crispy on the exterior. "Bibimbap" Freshly made Korean banchan, thinly sliced seasoned beef over white rice. I pour the gochujang over everything and mix-in the sunny side egg, bringing forward a creamy texture along with heat + depth. Choose the sweet potato salad as your side. "Gravy Burger Combo w/ French Fries" This massive burger patty is filling, satisfying. Charred and smothered in rich brown gravy served with lettuce and mayo. Choose the sweet bread bun, the seasoned salt on their fries makes all the difference. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Delicious food to-go with generous portions, sealed bags of cracked seed items + sweet treats at 5-Spice. For enjoyment at home, to share at work, gifts or omiyage. Find this charm, this unique and tasty experience on the Big Island of Hawai'i - East side. Locally owned and operated.

Everything is amazing! Parking - awesome…read moreStaff - super friendly Food - omg, delish And while you wait, browse the crack seed area and buy some snacks! Love this place!!!

Phenomenal. Yes, you have to make reservations and they may take a while but it is 100% worth it…read more You can also order takeout out but it has to be in advance. I cannot recommend this place enough. The ambiance and experience are something to feel in person and watching the dishes being prepared with such precision was fascinating. The sushi is so fresh and just melts in your mouth. What a gem, truly thankful for being able to dine here. I also ordered Unagi but I ate it before I could snap a photo! Lol, it was yummy!

Always satisfied and happy with the delicious and fresh sashimi and sushi. Absolutely love dining…read morehere. The service is outstanding and perfectly timed. The ambiance is very relaxing and comfortable. I'm just so grateful to be able to dine here.

That garlic rice! Get the garlic rice. Ahi don with the garlic rice is my go-to. Even the bentos…read morethey make are great if you're in a bit of a hurry.

Came here after I watched it on TV, over-all very disappointed. No greetings. The table was very…read moresticky. I ordered Ahi Katsu, came with 5 pieces only to realized 2 of them were veggie. Steam rice chunky, probably too much water.

My wife and I had a very pleasant dinner. The staff was very friendly and attentive. We had five…read moredifferent plates, a shared dessert and drinks. Everything was excellent! This was our first visit to Moon & Turtle but I'm sure we'll be back.

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.