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Big Island › Hilo

Best Restaurants in Hilo

34 restaurants analyzed · Big Island

Hilo has the most genuinely local dining scene on the Big Island, with American, Asian, seafood, and Hawaiian cooking as the dominant categories and a strong Japanese presence. The food quality is consistently solid, with about two-thirds of analysed restaurants in the B-grade range. Prices are mostly moderate, well below resort areas, and the restaurant density along Kamehameha Avenue makes it easy to eat well without a car.

Grade Distribution

Restaurants

• Paul's Place A · Cafe, Breakfast & Brunch — Exceptionally personal two-to-three-table brunch cafe with standout waffles, benedicts, and a unique crispy noodle...
• Moon and Turtle A · Seafood restaurant, Wine & cocktail bar — Intimate, creative Hawaiian seafood spot delivering standout small plates and a strong cocktail program; reservations...
• Hilo Bay Cafe A- · Contemporary Hawaiian with sushi, Seafood — Destination bay-view spot with creative island-influenced cooking and sushi; excellent highs, but occasional service...
• Poke Market, LLC A- · Poke shop, Seafood — Destination-quality poke with creative toppings and very fresh fish; mostly takeout with limited seating and portions...
• Vegan Shop A- · Vegan Vietnamese, Vegan — A beloved vegan Vietnamese counter spot with bold flavors, generous portions, and standout pho and mock meats; arrive...
• Pho 99 A- · Vietnamese restaurant, Pho restaurant — Cozy, family-run Vietnamese spot with standout pho, friendly hospitality, and fair prices; expect occasional irregular...
• Jackie Rey's Ohana Grill Hilo A- · Restaurant, Hawaiian — Polished Hawaiian-inspired seafood and grills in a restored bank with strong happy hour and generally attentive...
• Big Island Top Dogs B+ · Casual eatery, Hot dogs — Creative island-style hot dogs and burgers with friendly aloha in a tiny mostly-takeout spot; great flavors and value,...
• Kawamoto Store B+ · Okazuya and bento shop, Japanese — Beloved Hilo okazuya for affordable, tasty bentos and a la carte picks; lines and sell-outs are common, but value and...
• Tina's Garden Cafe B+ · Thai and fusion restaurant, Asian fusion — Creative Thai-fusion with big portions and standout soups and curries, but inconsistent service and pricing...
• Cafe Pesto Hilo Bay B+ · Restaurant, Pizza restaurant — Creative island-influenced pizzas, risottos, and seafood in a charming historic Hilo space; generally delicious with...
• Tetsumen B+ · Ramen restaurant, Japanese restaurant — Crowd-pleasing ramen shop with rich broths, big portions, and mobile ordering; expect waits at peak times and...
• Mohala’s Bayfront Fish and Chips B+ · Seafood restaurant, Fish & chips — Crispy, crowd-pleasing fried seafood with standout sauces and frequent slow service; great for casual plates, less...
• Ola Brew - Hilo B+ · Brewpub, Restaurant — Lively Hilo brewpub with creative, Asian-Hawaii fusion pub fare, strong house drinks, and generally fast, friendly...
• Hawaiian Style Cafe Hilo B+ · Casual Hawaiian cafe, Breakfast and brunch — Big-portions Hawaiian comfort food at fair prices, with occasional long waits and service inconsistencies; great for...
• Kuhio Grille - Home Of The Famous 1lb Laulau B+ · Hawaiian restaurant, Local plates — Hearty Hawaiian comfort food with the headline 1 lb laulau, big portions, and fast, friendly service; expect occasional...
• Hilo Burger Joint B+ · Burger restaurant, Bar — Creative burger bar with big menu, lively vibe, and mixed service consistency; great for variety-seekers, less ideal if...
• Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine B+ · American restaurant, Hawaiian-inspired — Lively open-air spot for island-leaning American plates and cocktails; seafood shines, service is generally friendly...
• Sakura Sushi & Grill B+ · Sushi restaurant, Japanese — Reliable, fresh-feeling sushi and bento staples with friendly, fast service most of the time; occasional service lapses...
• Tacos Jalisco B · Mexican street food, Food truck — Crowd-pleasing Mexican street food from a busy Hilo food truck with standout birria and great value tacos, minor...
• The Booch Bar B · Kombucha bar and cafe, Breakfast — Creative, veggie-forward cafe with house kombucha and counter service; excellent breakfast and drinks, but service...
• Sweet Cane Cafe B · Vegetarian cafe, Health food — A bright, fully vegetarian cafe in Hilo with fresh, locally sourced plates and standout drinks; great for plant-based...
• Popover B · Cafe and bakery, Sandwich shop — Creative popover-based sandwiches and local-style pastries draw fans, but waits, sporadic cleanliness, and drink...
• Puka Puka Kitchen B · Casual island eatery, Hawaiian plates — Small downtown Hilo spot serving generous island plates with standout katsu and miso-garlic dishes, great value but...
• Poke To Your Taste B · Poke bar, Seafood takeaway — Outstanding budget poke and local plates to-go with warm service; tiny lot and occasional inconsistencies are tradeoffs.
• Ken's House of Pancakes B · Pancake restaurant, Diner — Classic Hilo diner for big breakfasts, tropical syrups, and local plates; expect occasional long waits and uneven...
• New Chiang Mai Thai Cuisine B · Thai restaurant, Asian restaurant — Generous-portioned Thai in downtown Hilo with mixed service and flavor consistency; great for hearty plates, less ideal...
• Restaurant Kenichi B · Japanese and Local Favorites, Ramen — Generous local-style Japanese plates and ramen at fair prices; flavors lean salty-sweet, service is friendly but can be...
• Don's Grill B · Casual diner, Hawaiian comfort food — Homey local diner for hearty Hawaiian-American plates, speedy friendly service, great pies, and solid value; food...
• Ebisuya Sushi B- · Sushi takeout, Japanese — Quality, affordable takeout sushi with small rolls, quick service, and a few consistency hiccups; best when you order...
• Vibe Cafe B- · Cafe, Breakfast restaurant — Charming, design-forward brunch cafe with fresh light plates, standout lemonade and acai, counter-service flow,...
• Antics Pizza B- · Pizza restaurant, Ramen shop — Fun gaming-themed pizzeria with strong gluten-free and vegan options, lively kid appeal, and generally tasty pies, but...
• IHOP B- · Family restaurant, Breakfast — Reliable breakfast-diner with standout service from named servers, classic IHOP comfort food, moderate prices for Hilo;...
• Island Naturals Market & Deli C+ · Natural foods market with deli, Health food store — A convenient natural foods market with a popular deli and hot bar, strong special-diet offerings, but mixed...

Top Cuisines

• American — 9 restaurants
• Japanese — 5 restaurants
• Seafood — 4 restaurants
• Hawaiian — 3 restaurants
• Southeast Asian — 2 restaurants
• Pacific Islander — 2 restaurants
• Vietnamese — 1 restaurants
• Thai — 1 restaurants
• Fusion — 1 restaurants
• Mexican — 1 restaurants

Find Your Next Meal in Hilo

• Casual Meal restaurants in Hilo — Quick, quality, no fuss
• Date Night restaurants in Hilo — Romantic dining for two
• Fun with Friends restaurants in Hilo — Something everyone will enjoy
• Family Outing restaurants in Hilo — Kid-friendly, stress-free dining
• Solo Dining restaurants in Hilo — Comfortable spots for dining alone
• Business Discussion restaurants in Hilo — Professional setting, no distractions
• Vegetarian-Friendly restaurants in Hilo
• Vegan-Friendly restaurants in Hilo
• Gluten-Free Friendly restaurants in Hilo
• Walk-ins Welcome restaurants in Hilo
• Private Dining restaurants in Hilo
• Local Gems restaurants in Hilo
• Easy Parking restaurants in Hilo
• Amazing Setting restaurants in Hilo
• Great Value restaurants in Hilo

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