Love this place! We visited this local favorite on a trip to Hilo. We went for an early weekday…read morelunch, so it wasn't busy. There was parking in the shared lot, but spaces are tiny. Booth seating was perfect for us. The wait staff were super nice and patient with us. Their menu is huge and has a lot of options for customizing. Fortunately, there are diagrams on the wall to help you decide. I got a Miso Standard ramen ($20 with an Ajitama (seasoned soft boiled egg), hard texture, fried garlic, extra noodles. It was fabulous! Really hit the spot. Loved the chewier noodles and the rich, flavorful broth. DH got THE Garlic ramen ($26.50) also with an Ajitama, pork belly, and extra noodles, regular firmness. The kids wanted extra Naruto (fish cakes), 75 cents for 2 small pieces. One of our kids is under age 5, so we got a Miso mini ramen ($9.50 value) for free! Wow! Little one said he did not like the flavor of the seasoned egg. Noodles were very soft, but stayed together, and soaked up a ton of broth so they were flavorful. He said the Miso Mini comes with corn instead of fish cake. We loved all of the toppings. The pork belly was excellent! Portion sizes are great. We had some leftovers to take back. Overall, a fantastic place to satisfy those ramen cravings!

Best ramen in Hilo. I like how you can pick exactly how you want your bowl of ramen to be. My go-to…read moreis the miso ramen with the ajitama egg and spicy ball. If prices were a little lower for some other items on the menu, I would be willing to try more things. When they had the sushi available, it was really good too! Hopefully you bring back sushi again!

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!

We made the trek (about a 2-hour drive) to try dinner here only to be met with a paper sign posted…read moreon the door that said reservations are booked until the end of the year! Wait, what? The worker was nice about it, but because they don't have a website, how were we supposed to know? We also usually try to make reservations ahead of time, but because there was no website, we figure it's a first come, first serve kind of spot. That's our bad for making that assumption, but now that I'm reading other Yelp reviews, this seems to be a years-old customer service issue. But it makes sense, since exclusivity seems to be part of the business plan (i.e. small/limited seating, reservations only). Must be working for them. Didn't work out for us though, at least in the moment. So even though we didn't try the food (I'm sure it's likely amazing), it sucked to make the drive out here. Pro tip: call first --months ahead before you plan to go here and make a reservation! After just reading some of the reviews, I learned you can do take out but must order ahead of time. Not sure how much more ahead of time. So calling would also be a good idea here. Honestly, the amount of work to just get info, a reservation, and ultimately a meal here is starting to feel cumbersome. I'm not sure I'd want to try making the effort again. We did turn a lemon situation into lemonade and instead had dinner at Ken's House of Pancakes, and they never disappoint! Had we eaten at Takenoko, we would've missed out on Ken's oxtail stew, which was listed as part of the day's special menu items, and it was one of the best meals we've had in Hilo. So, it all worked out.

Ordered pad Thai (level 2 spice) and iced Thai tea over the phone to pick up…read more Love: - courteous & fast service in the phone - easy visibility from the highway & easy parking - immediate & fast service from a friendly worker - well packaged in sturdy container with bag as extra coverage - FOOD was great! Love the chew of the noodles, slightly citrusy, with a portion of lemon on the side, and size matched the price. Thai tea was as expected.

Their coconut soup is really creamy and delicious and full of beautiful vegetables. Friendly staff…read moreand cute atmosphere. Been raining a lot so got it for take home.

This is a local spot where people seem to know each other. Very welcoming and a food stop if you…read moreneed something fast. My favorite is the Beef and Broccoli and Roast Pork and ask for the mustard and soy sauce on the side.

This review is an "update " on my review over 4 years ago. This is based on a take out box. 1/2…read morelong rice noodles, and 1/2 fried rice. I love my starch. Egg plant in soy sauce and vegetables . Nice mixture of everything. I was hungry. Lemon chicken and roast pork. This take out box lunch was $ 17.00. Good value in these days of rising grocery store prices.

We picked up lunch from here for our office and is one of our go-tos. It's super easy to call in an…read moreorder and pick it up. The portions here are huge and the food is delicious. I got the 2 choice meat jun and spicy pork. I love meat jun, and this one did not disappoint. The meat was juicy and the batter was slightly sweet.

Absolutely amazing local Korean spot! The food quality is outstanding -- everything tastes fresh,…read moreauthentic, and consistently delicious, especially for the price. It's honestly hard to believe you can get this level of flavor and portion size at such a great value. I've been coming here since I was in high school, and the taste has never changed -- always on point, every single time, even after over 20 years. The service is just as wonderful as the food. The staff are friendly, efficient, and genuinely welcoming, making you feel like part of the community. Best of all, there's almost never a wait, so it's perfect when you want something delicious without the hassle. If you're looking for high-quality Korean food at a great price with fast, warm service, this place is a total gem.

Always a must when in Hilo! Their saimin on point rain or shine. Fast and friendly service!read more

Daiichi Ramen is a local chain of restaurants serving local style ramen and katsu platters…read more We dined in for dinner on a weekday and was served fairly fast. This isn't a place that serves Japanese style ramen, but more on the Hawaii style closer to sailing where the broth isn't as strong. I would say their tonkotsu ramen is a 3/5 because of their soup base feels watery and lacks substance. However, their beef curry seems to be made with Japanese roux cubes so it tasted authentic (4/5). If you're looking for fast, good portions, and local style ramen or katsu, Daiichi definitely can satisfy your craving.

Food is highly overpriced. Specifically, portions are…read moreanything but generous and are expensive.

It's always surprising when you enjoy an unexpectedly pleasant dinner! But even more of a surprise…read morewhen it feels like home. This unassuming Japanese restaurant is buried in the back of shopping center, but it is a hidden gem. Buried in the deepest corner of the shopping center, this restaurant is the gold at the end of the rainbow. We dined a little later in the evening, on a rainy Sunday night...and there were still people coming in to eat! All the waitstaff were so nice. They helped us with the menu and always kept our tea and water filled. The service was top notch. We were hungry and ended up ordering a lot of food. We had... Asparagus tempura Hamachi Kama Negi-hama maki Futomaki California roll Dinner combination with sashimi, tempura, and pork shogayaki Mud pie ice cream Everything was delicious, but the hamachi kama, negi-hama maki, futomaki, and the pork shogayaki were exceptional. We would definitely order the mud pie ice cream again as well. We will be back for more Japanese food for sure...this is such a cozy home away from home!

Scenery is nice, very casual. Their food is good and the price is reasonable. Will be combing back…read moreagain

Bruh, you not gonna believe what I did…read more.... So my original plans was to have dinner at Restaurant Miwa, at the Hilo Shopping Center because I saw my Yelp buddy - Bruddah Craig T.'s awesome review & pics. Honestly, I haven't been to da Big Island in a minute, so coming back to the Hilo Shopping Center I realized some businesses have changed hands. For one, I didn't see my beloved "Lanky's Pastries" anymore, and while looking for Restaurant Miwa, I see this restaurant nearby where Lankys used to be. The restaurant menu was posted outside by the entrance, and I saw that they served Japanese food, so assumed it was Restaurant Miwa. Little did I realized when I sat down & a girl dropped off a menu and a glass of water, that I realized I was sitting inside of the Sunlight Cafe. Lol! Well, since I was seated already, and a glass of water & menu were already at my table, I figured I'd mine as well stay, and give it a shot. After looking over the menu, I decided on the Steamed Butterfish with Misoyaki Sauce - Steamed black cod with onion, garlic & green onion in misoyaki saki sauce. My meal also came with a cup of Miso Soup, & a fresh Garden Salad. What can I say about the grub? The Steamed Butterfish with Misoyaki sauce was nicely executed, and I must say that the food portions were more than generous! The menu prices here were more than reasonable, considering today's inflation cost for almost everything. Service here was on point, and the restaurant décor was very nice & modern. Happy that I walked into this restaurant by mistake, the next time I'm in Hilo, I wouldn't mind coming back here to try more items on their menu.