Went two times, the first time I got asada tacos, the second time I got a wet burrito, The food genuinely isn't good to me. Good Mexican food is hard to find. I don't recommend. read more

Try this location if you want tiny shrimp tacos with probably two cut-up pieces of shrimp and soggy chili relleno that you can't even eat per bite because it's falling apart. read more

FINALLY, AN AMAZING MEXICAN RESTAURANT ON HAWAII ISLAND! This fresh-mex, cute and welcoming place reminded me of Wahoo's in California. We found this place on Yelp, looking for lunch in Pahoa, thought the pictures looked good, and stopped in. The decor and ambiance is very cute and welcoming. We immediately felt relaxed and excited. The waitress brought us very tasty chips and delicious salsa immediately. My husband always orders a chicken burrito at Mexican restaurants, and when I heard that the catch of the day was Ono, I knew I wanted to try their fish tacos. You guys. My husband and I each took one bite of our meals, looked up at each other like and my husband said this was his new favorite restaurant on the whole island. We have lived here 5 years lol! After one bite! I have to agree. We have tried a few Mexican restaurants in Kona and Hilo and this is our favorite by far. I was stoked to hear they will be opening another one in Waikoloa Village. I highly recommend their fish tacos with corn tortillas and black beans in the side. The black beans were prepared so well. Everything tasted fresh and healthy. My tummy felt like it had a cloud of heaven in it for the rest of the day. The table next to us had some kind of giant margarita that looked really fun. We will absolutely be back!! Mahalo! read more

Terrible service. All I wanted was a burrito for takeout. There was no one at the front podium so the bartender came over and provided a menu, which was fine. There was one server and only three tables being serviced, which looked finished anyway. I waited to order for at least 10 minutes, while watching staff talk to each other and with a staffmember relative, never coming to take my order or acknowledge me. I made eye contact a couple of times with the server who said nothing. I walked out and won't be back. I'm sure the owners would not be happy with this type of service. read more

Great food and service. Google maps has the location incorrect. This is next to the Subway in a strip mall.

This place took over the space from an excellent Mexican restaurant and bar (Lucy's), but I was disappointed that the food seemed a little Americanized. I.e., not a lot of flavor. The service is fine and the store is clean with lots of parking. It's not "bad" food and would probably work for a lot of people who don't like spicy or "messy" (a little bit of proper taco grease and ingredients that fall out as you eat). That's just not me! Give it a try to see if it works for you, though. We need to support the local restaurants... read more

Definitely go for happy hour. Great food and drink prices you will not be disappointed. The staff is hard-working and friendly. Be prepared to have a packed place at happy hour as the food and prices are killer Friday nights are really fun because the shopping center has music in the green area. read more

First off, we've noticed that the salsa on Hawaii is very tomato based. Not at all what we're used to. Like eating tomato paste. Now on the the good stuff. Everyone was very friendly and our entrees were very tasty. We definitely did not need a to go box. The service here was a little slow but we did come on Halloween so I'm not going to ding them for that. Not the best Mexican we've had but the best so far on the island. read more

We've been going to the Pahoa location ever since it opened and we've easily determined that it is the best Mexican food on the island. Naturally, we were super excited when it was announced that a Hilo location would be opening. We've now been twice and I'm disappointed to say that, while the menu is the same as Pahoa, the food is not the same. Not nearly as good. It's kinda difficult to pinpoint exactly what makes the food inferior to the Pahoa location, but I really want to give constructive feedback that the ownership can act on, so here's a few things: For one, the salsa at the Hilo location tastes nothing like the salsa at Pahoa. It's pretty bland and almost tastes like it's from a jar/can. My chicken burrito both times has consisted of only rice, chicken and beans inside. I believe the ones I've gotten at Pahoa have had veggies and other interesting things inside. The veggie burrito my wife gets also seems to be missing something, she says. She also mentioned that the veggies in her burrito have been pretty "rubbery". Also, it's strange that the Hilo location has twice now put a small side salad on the plate with my wife's burrito (that's not listed in the menu for that item.) I know, hard to complain about a "free" salad, but it's kind of a waste since it's not something that she wants or that is advertised as part of the meal. I guess we're mostly just confused. Confused because the Pahoa location is SO GOOD and the Hilo location is incredibly mediocre at best. I would think that the two locations would serve the same food, prepared the same way, and with the same quality ingredients. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Also, the floor is very slippery..sketchy to walk on with slippahs. read more

First time at this location, but been to there Pahoa location a handful of times and ordered the same thing (Santa Fe BBQ Chicken Salad). I don't know if the Hilo portions are smaller dining in, but their take out portion was definitely smaller. Not worth the price, but the taste was still there. read more

Coco Cantina - Santa Fe BBQ Chicken Salad - Mexican Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

tacos fell apart and alcohol gave me a headache. Wouldn't recommend for Mexican food in Hilo.

Chile in the relleno is tough, the coating feels like it's been sitting around (not moist) & the rice is hard. Slow day (1 other table) but slow service. luquins food much better read more

Give this place a chance. Their food is all right and the owner is close by to be sure only quality food leaves the kitchen. We like it here. Interesting menu with something for everyone. read more

I had started to lose faith in finding a truly awesome mexican eatery on this Island. I found some places that were decent, but none that out of the ordinary. But then I stumbled upon this place in Pahoa and it made my day. Really terrific warm chips and salsa. Maybes the best chicken fajitas I have ever had. They let me bring my dog onto their outside seating, and the service was excellent. I got to speak with the incredibly nice owner to round out my a+ experience. I'll be willing to make the nearly 2 hour drive just to eat at this place again and try some of their other dishes. read more

It's very good. Their fajitas are excellent. So are the flautas. Best time to go is for their weekly lunch and happy hour offerings. Really good and cheaper than McDonald's pricing. And they serve drinks! read more

Had a lovely time eating here the other night for our first night in town. I wish I had gotten our servers name (long dark hair 12/10/2022) She was SO nice and prompt with her service. The food came out hot and quick! read more

I'm incredibly disappointed by the customer service here. In the past, I've loved this place & yesterday I did an order on toast and drove 40 minutes to get my food & the restaurant was closed. I called today to request for them to remake my order & to maybe add something for the inconvenience and a woman yelled at me that they couldn't turn off toast yesterday because they had a fire in the kitchen & retrieved my number, told me she'd call me back soon & hung up. I tried calling back several times with no answer & I was refunded eventually, but with no call back. This wasn't what I asked for & I was very kind and understanding. I have empathy for what this restaurant may have experienced yesterday and I understand an emergency happened, but it doesn't mean you have to be nasty like this to a regular customer. I feel sad because this place is delicious, but I didn't deserve this treatment. I hope that the team learns from this mistake and elevates their customer experience if future emergencies happen so customers don't feel dropped in the process. If you care about how you're treated while dining, I'd recommend not eating at this establishment. read more

We have had some mediocre meals on the big island and this was our last night before we flew home. We were in Pahoa and we decided to try Mexican food since we were done with local Hawaiian food. This place popped up with 4 stars so we tried it. I am originally from Texas so my bar is set pretty high when it comes to Mexican food but this place leaped right over it! We were greeted by a friendly host even when the place was hopping. The Kohala Coast Margarita was ono. They have a good bar menu and a few good beers on tap. So there is something for everyone The food: I had the carne asada and the waitress asked how I wanted it cooked. Usually carne asada is very thin and it is always well done. So I asked for medium rare. It came out tender and cooked to the temperature that I liked and meat was thicker than traditional carne asada. The rice has a touch of cumin and the black beans were flavorful. The salsa was not spicy but it was yummy and the chips were crisp. We kept asking for more. My partner had the carnitas and she enjoyed her dish with gusto. We had plenty for leftovers. The service was attentive and quick. We probably won't be back to the big island anytime soon but when we do we hope this amazing place is still here. read more

Amazing service and food was delicious! OMG! Hard to describe when you eat something so good. I would definitely recommend to anybody visiting this island. read more

Coco Cantina - Flautas and ceviche! - Mexican Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

For the best $10 lunches in Pahoa...go here Mexican relaxed good regular service and consistent food. Great deal read more

This place has great drinks! And the most bland food, they're in desperate need for actual flavor.

First visit on Labor Day for late lunch at 3:00. A few tables in/out had just cleared. We sat outside, nice wood tables, sturdy metal chairs and music. Service was friendly by all 3 staff members. Our server Layla was very sweet, and attentive. She quickly came w/warm fresh chips and a tasty mild salsa. We ordered classic margaritas on the rocks, delicious. For entrees I had the carne asada/shrimp under the " favorites" and hubby had the same combo in the fajitas version so we could taste each others. Plus he ordered pinto beans and I ordered the black, as they don't offer refried option. Meals came out promptly and looked awesome . His fajita platter came out sizzling hot. My first bite was the beans, slightly disappointed that they weren't very warm(maybe my plate sat for a bit waiting on his food)? But everything was so good I didn't complain. The portions were ample for a hungry person which justified the price . The tortillas also fresh but very small, literally 3 bites each and you just get 3. We hadn't made much of a dent into our plates before running out of them . We ordered one more order and then used chips to scoop up the meat/rice/beans before getting our fill. I must add that the shrimp/meat cooked well and beef lean/tender. Mine was more of a healthy grill style versus his more seasoned and likely some oil/fried fajita style, both very pleased. The whole experience was delicious and enjoyable. We will gladly be returning customers. The only suggestions I can add would be offering also a spicier salsa or verde version, and having Happy Hour. And on menu having a fresh catch entree, a chicken entree ( chimi or enchiladas) and mixed seafood ( chimi, burrito, or enchiladas) would be awesome. Even choosing a combo from a list of choices always a great option. So glad the reviews on Yelp have greatly improved, that's what finally brought us in. Great job! read more

Coco Cantina - The carne asada/shrimp plate under the "favorites" was yummy! $21 - Mexican Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Loved everything about Coco Cantina! Food was great! Drinks were great with lots of options. Service was amazing...thanks Jasmine!

We ordered dinner for a couple of days online. When my husband went out to find out that the starter on the Jetta was dead and his gear shifter was stuck on his truck,I called to see if we could delay or cancel the order. Josie was so so so understanding and offered to have our dinners delivered by her wonderful server Jennifer(who volunteered after hearing our plight). This is customer service on steriods! Seriously big steriods, like The Rock size ones! You are a life saver Josie and Jennifer... when covid is over I am coming in a giving you both a hug and a hoku!! Mahalo nui loa!! Aloha, Chris read more

Food was not fresh made in Pahoa. Excellent service. We had nachos and did not have enough filling. Ambience was good.

Only gripe is that food comes out cold!!! For the ceviche, GREAT!! But for the carne asada fries, etc all bad. And the fries aren't fried crispy enough to the COLD black beans and cold dried out carne asada. Carne asada fries need work. Everything else has been alright. Cold beer, nice bartenders, funky crowd. read more

I went here because it looked like the reviews were better than Luquin's across the road... but definitely not half as good as Luquin's. The food was okay but nothing special. I ordered the fish tacos and the fish was pretty dry and not as fresh as I expected. We ordered to go so I can't say anything about the service. The restaurant looked nice and it's fun they have live music some days. Price wise I would say it's pretty pricey for the proportions and the quality. read more

First time trying their food and I must admit I was very impressed. The shell was crispy loaded on the inside with black beans grilled chicken and it was fresh and so delicious! read more

Coco Cantina - Acapulco Salad - Mexican Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Saw this place on Puna Kai Shopping Centers Instagram & decided to try it. As soon as you walk in, the server asks how many are in your party and if you prefer to dine inside or outside. There is a bar by the entrance (the bar has seats for those who want to sit by themselves.. like me on days I don't like to share my food lol) the facilities are very clean. The customer service provided by everyone we came in contact with was beyond our expectations. The menu is full of different options and includes vegetarian. (My parents are vegetarian so I can bring them here). Below is what we ordered: Steak Burrito with Black Beans (details in the pic) Chicken & Steak Fajitas Diablo Wings Chips & Salsa Everything was delicious. It was full of flavor and nothing was overpowered. The portions are just the right amount. I definitely will be coming back. Fun Fact: the owner is local here in Hawaii & also owns L&L BBQ in the shopping center :) read more

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Our ohana decided to try eat here because our daughter has a class near by. Great decision! Because we ate there at 3pm and they had Happy Hour, so some of there food was half off! We ordered 4 plates of steak fries, 1 large quesadilla, and 1 taco plate. All were so good! The fries were crispy, steak was seasoned well. The tacos i got was carnitas and it also was seasoned well too. The cabbage was sour, which I liked on the taco. Rice was good also. The food came out hot and delicious! We had a wonderful waiter who was attentive and so nice (forgot his name). Wish we took pictures of all our food. But it was delicious so we at it fast lol We will definitely come back. read more

Omg! This is my new favorite Mexican restaurant!! Their food is delish!!! You've got to try it for yourself!! You won't regret it!

Allright...Killa B and I took a little, well deserved venture over to Hilo for about a week. Credit my second Mom, Jill for hooking us up fat with a place to stay and a vehicle. Jill and her hubby Cowboy are the shizz. Anyhow, we were kind of in the middle of not a whole lot so we ventured out and found CoCo Cantina in a small neighboring town. Lets talk calamari. Killa B and I could not get enuff of this treasure. I believe throughout our vaca, we went there about 3 times for this delicous treat. Amanda, our waitress was awesome. So friendly, i believe she helped us every time we were there but if your in the hood, try this place out. Small little place but great folks and great food. read more

I'm super happy to see Coco Cantina open in downtown Hilo. We've enjoyed visiting their Pahoa location, but this one is much more central. The space is beautifully renovated since the last restaurant, with a fresh modern look and lots of space for dining in. I usually expect spotty service on the opening weekend of a new restaurant, but service was perfect as was the food and bar preparation. Go here for very fresh ingredients and a healthier take on Mexican favorites. This is not the greasy, heavy old-school type Mexican. A bright spot on the menu are the salads. These may be some of the best salads on the island anywhere. I also highly recommend their margarita menu. I haven't had one that wasn't delicious. Coco Cantina Hilo is a very welcome addition to downtown dining. read more

Coco Cantina - BBQ Chicken Salad - Mexican Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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My 1st time trying this place and I was pleasantly impressed. Flavors are mild and tasty. I ordered the posole (my fav!) I wish condiments were included and a lime slice. I also ordered the chicken torta which was delicious. Everything was nice and fresh! My husband is not a fan of spicy flavors so I have to make sure before I order- he selected the asada burrito with sauces on the side. He was happy! Loved the flavors and the sauce on top. We will b back!! The staff is very friendly and attentive. read more

No matter the time or day of the week, every single employee that we've come in contact with have been awesome. Friendly, personable group of ppl. Every single one of them make each visit enjoyable read more

This place is so great - I want to go at least once a week. The drinks are yummy and the bartender is super friendly. So is the owner! The food is so super tasty! One of the most central things about a Mexican place is the chips and salsa - these are usually the first taste of what the food will be like. The chips were fresh and hot and the salsa was delicious. Our server kept them coming too. We ended up just splitting a quesadilla because it was huge, but it was the best quesadilla that I've had in a long time - the perfect blend of cheese, meat, veggies, and even a few jalapeños. We even had left overs -- SO TASTY. I want to try everything on the menu - in fact - I may head back over there tonight. Writing this review has made me hungry! read more

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So glad to find nice and clean Mexican food! Everybody very nice and friendly, and feel very safe at this COVID-19 time to take out. If I want to eat Mexican food nearby my house, I surely come back again! read more

Coco Cantina - Inside - Mexican Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Best fajitas I have ever had, cute spot, nice service, the marinade on the steak gave me a food high

Really happy to have this place in Hilo. Love the Pahoa restaurant - we met one of the owners there and she was so nice! Food has a nice fresca vibe. Excellent salsa, fresh ingredients. Went today and had a great lunch - the service was excellent, and the fish tacos were delicious. They used marlin as the local catch, which is cool. I cant wait to try the margaritas menu next time I go back! The happy hour looked solid. It is exciting to have another Mexican food option here in Hilo town. I recommend checking this place out and supporting new local businesses. Aloha. read more

Always a good time! Love the food and service! Easy for take out or dining in. Good location! Love the daiblo wings and burger!