It was good but not great. Most importantly, it was open... My family took the trip to visit Hilo and spend some time in the town. It was a Sunday so nothing was open. We found Hilo Burger Joint was about the only thing open so we gave it a shot. After walking in we waited at the front door for a couple of minutes to be seated. It wasn't busy but definitely a place for locals to hang out at the bar and socialize. It had a slight Cheers vibe to it. My family and I were seated at a booth and given menus and asked for drink orders. A direct and pointed type of service with the "swoop in and out" practice. Basically, the waitress never seems to stop at the table but passes by dropping off and picking things up. Our order consisted of a burgers (The Fatty and regular cheeseburgers) and some fries and a few beers to wash it all down with. Overall, the food was prepared well and came out quickly. Everything was cooked perfectly but just not much to get overly excited about. read more

I've been enjoying food here for years. The bar is gorgeous, dark hard wood, and sets the tone of a European pub in a lot of ways. The service is usually very friendly, the vibe is mellow and a good place to have conversation and laughs. The fire and ice fries are one of my favorites and you cant go wrong with the burgers. I also appreciate that they have a Garden Patty and homemade vegan patty options for all of their burgers. They even have occasional live music. A great option for lunch or a casual dinner in Hilo. read more

I'm not sure what all the fuss is. This place shows up on multiple blogs and local recommendations. While the burger was tasty and well cooked, the rest was mediocre. Will need to deconstruct an entree for gluten-free and low FODMAP. Started with chips and cheese which were pulled from a bag along with nacho cheese goo. Below average. Tried the California burger which was popular with Yelpers. The beef burger had avocado, bacon, cheese (extra), tomato, sun dried tomato aioli, lettuce on a Hawaiian roll. The bun was fresh, burger well prepared, but I couldn't taste much else besides the bacon and cheese. Good, but not Yelp great. Service was average. Food took 18 minutes to come out, but they had warned it may take an hour at 4:30 pm on a Sunday. Appetizer came with the entrees. Full bar available, but we did not try. No real atmosphere, but they seem to have live music later in the day. Patio seating available too. So average, not even close to 4 or more stars. read more

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Great burgers, friendly service. Very unpretentious, simple, and GOOD. It's a very local vibe with a smattering of tourists who stumble upon it. read more

For a place that's got burger joint in its name and great burger named items on the menu it she is anticlimactic. The buns were not toasted, small, thin think pieces of bacon. They are typically busy on weekends of course, But just about every time we eat there it's a long wait for your meal and once you get your meal you never see the whites of your server or waitress's eyes again. No water refills no asking if we want another purchase drink. It was nice to listen to the live music, it was not too loud and his equipment was set up and sounded of professional quality. I didn't feel the need to shout across the table. I would suggest going for a beer to listen, but the place has a wait to sit at the bar too. We walked away not wanting to come back anytime soon and wishing we had just stayed home and made dirty dishes instead of dropping $92 for burgers, appetizers & 2 drinks. I always take pictures of my food, I didn't even want to get my phone out for it this round. read more

Most tasty burgers, great selection of on-tab beers, marvelous cocktails (try their Cosmopolitan)! read more

Hilo Burger Joint - Cosmopolitan - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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I got the fatty burger, mozz sticks & guava seltzer & dragon fruit seltzer (not pictured). Everything was sooo good & im always so particular about my fries but mmmm. The juices from the burgers soaked the fries & that made it soo much better too. Service was rough as I walked in & no one tended or even looked my way for the first 5 mins. But as soon as I sat, service was great. Glad I found this gem! read more

Hilo Burger Joint - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

we have been coming here for years. gradually the service and quality has diminished. last night I ordered a side salad. it was a handful of lettuce, one tomato and two small cucumber slices when I asked the waitress to take it back. A bad salad is just that, but her bitter attitude is why we will never come back food is ok, nothing special and the live music is way too loud. No one in there was able to talk to their table mates pass this one up, unless you like being around a bitter waitress read more

Hilo Burger Joint - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Great place for eats!! Excellent bacon cheeseburger and sweet potato fries. Friendly and attentive staff. Live music too. read more

Hilo Burger Joint - Bar area - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Loved the nachos and the live music, would come back just for the two! The burger was very messy and served upside down? Fries were very under seasoned, but the nachos really pulled through to make the meal satisfying. read more

Hilo Burger Joint - Blue cheese burger - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Food or at least the burgers are awesome. Fries are little geady. Service is top notch and the ambiance is very good. Had some fish, cat h of the day. Oh my, So ONO. Highly recommend read more

Love Hilo Burger Joint! Staff and Service: The staff is so friendly and helpful. We came in late from our flight and called them to see if we needed a reservation, the host was so pleasant and said to just walk in but when we did she had saved a booth for us with my name. The entire night she used my name and made sure everything we ordered was just right. Food: Arrived quickly and cooked perfectly. I love the burgers here and the fries so trying the fire and ice fries was a first for me and they were delish! Overall: Perfect beginning to the start of my time off and wouldn't have wanted to start it any other way. Thank you so much! read more

Hilo Burger Joint - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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OMGOSH Soooooo good! I'm visiting from California and now a bit sad as I know I can't just get another burger there now and then. Hands down the best beef burgers I've ever had. I do say beef, as a duck burger I've had tops it and that from only one place in California. Went there with friends and couldn't decide, so me and one guy got two different ones and split them so we could try two. Au Jus Burger was my fave: provolone, sautéed mushrooms, and a lovely smear of horseradish with a perfect Au Jus dipping broth. His fave was the Blue Cheese that comes topped with of course the cheese, sautéed mushrooms, and bacon. It was also absolutely delicious and for me the Au Jus just edged it out slightly. French Fries were perfectly crispy on the outside and creamy inside. Actually reminded me of the old original McDonald's fries - yes, I'm "that" old. Waitress was all business and not a warm fuzzy, BUT she did her job well and gave EXCELLENT advice on burgers to others and us. What was clear to me was she did her best to make sure folks were happy with their choices. Wish we had time to make it back to Hilo for at least one more burger. I may be stalking cheap flights there in the future lol read more

Hilo Burger Joint - The two burger halves. Blue up too. - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

I was attracted to the place by the online menu and reviews, and I was not disappointed. We have not been to Hilo before so it was all new. The burger menu is intimidating---bring your "choose-it" game---but what we settled on, the Hilo Bay Burger for me (except substituting pepperjack for the goat's cheese I am allergic to) with coleslaw and the Teryaki burger with pineapple (sweet potato fries for a side) for my partner, were delicious and filling. The coleslaw was the best I have had in a very long while. The burgers came quickly (but not *too* quickly, they were really made to order, of course) and we left completely satisfied. Dominic, our server, was attentive, sharp, and even charming. Sunday lunch can be challenging in Hilo, we have found, and we were glad to get there early; parking in back is convenient and they opened the outdoor tables (covered in case of rain) as well. The place filled up as we ate, and no wonder. They deserve to be popular. read more

Hilo Burger Joint - Teryaki burger with pineapple and side of sweet potato fries - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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I have given this place a try a couple times and each time it gets worse. First time was ok just rude server. Second time there was HAIR in my burger but it was a to go order so I didn't want to drive back to Hilo to complain. Third time placed an online order and as I waiting there for 30 minutes and received no help. And upon finally asking a server if I can get some assistance I received a rude response of well I came in through the side entrance. I assume an entrance is an entrance and per the online ordering prompt it states for pickup to go through the side entrance. Now- requested a refund and it was so difficult to get one. Wasted about 40 minutes. Definitely recommend going elsewhere. read more

I was a good burger, nothing extravagant or anything like that. The service was good as well. They were pretty attentive to us, but granted we were one of the few customers there at that time so I can't comment on how the service is when they're busy. Ambience with Chil see more of a dive bar. read more

I am only rating a five for appearance , food and greeter. our waitress had no personality, we had to ask for napkins, more water etc. she did not smile or say thank you. it was empty when we arrived so no reason for poor service, . we debated on even giving a tip , but did so knowing she probably has to share with the other workers. they need to have someone who wants to be at work and enjoys people to be a server. when we asked what type of dressing they had, she pointed to the menu and said it's listed below salads . So we had to read what was available for dressing. (Like wow) . Then we were given directions on how to pay the credit card with the little machine they gave and still no thank you for coming. Have a great day. We hope you enjoyed your meal. No nothing. yes it was today 12/29/23 as soon as business opened up today. seated in the booth. read more

Food is delicious! Service is friendly and great. Ambiance is fun, music is awesome, and a free burger on your birthday is such a blessing! Mahalo HBJ! read more

The service was a bit off, wanting me to give the Hilo Burger Joint four stars. The vegan burger and fish sandwich were both very good. What gets the extra star is the friendly singer/guitar player. He came over to our table to say hello, and give us all sorts of travel tips. That made our night! read more

Great menu selection. Plenty of draft beers and plenty of burger options. We were very excited to pick from there many options. Food: Unfortunately when we tried our burgers we were by really disappointed. The toppings was good but the actual burger patty was not. The burger patty tasted as though it had been thawed then refrozen then thawed again??? It just tasted bad. Hopefully we will not be sick a few hours from now.... I understand sometimes restaurants are slow or maybe a freezer will malfunction.... However I sometimes a loss should be I accepted and bad meat I should be I thrown out. However no my sweet potato fries were crispy and good. I would get the sweet potato fries again. We also had garlic fries... just so so. Probably wouldn't order the garlic fries again. Beer: selection was great. My favorite Ola Dragonfruit Lemonade was I on draft. They served with a lemon which was really nice. We also ordered multiple draft beers. One was completely flat and undrinkable. However the bartender quickly replaced by with another draft which was appreciated. Overall. It Was I fun to go but wouldn't have high expectations when going back. read more

Hilo Burger Joint - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

We got there and waited awhile before we were even talked to if we could sit down and get a table. Bad service because they failed to acknowledge us even though the restaurant was completely empty. Only two people working that we could see. When they finally came to talk to us they told us and a few others who were waiting to wait outside on the curb until they would come get us. We left. read more

Tabitha rocks as a waitress. Great choice of burgers (try the Hilo Bay). I had the lava chips (boneless wings) they were delicious. Kind of a sports bar place. Not a romantic beach destination. We will be back! read more

Food overall just bland. Mushy burger falling apart with every bite. Service was very slow. Zero hospitality. The ambiance outside was the only decent thing. Go to McDonalds instead. read more

Burgers we're fantastic! I got the Brie burger and my husband got The Big Island. We are Burger snobs and these were great. There is outdoor seating. Highly recommend. read more

Hilo Burger Joint - The Brie burger on left, The Island Burger on right. We play a game- Who's got the best order. This time, we Both win! - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

It was one of the few restaurants open late after 9 p.m. The burgers are from local beef and the patties are hand made, and you can tell the difference in the first bite. The burgers are DELICIOUS! I love my Hilo Bay burger with goat cheese, beets, arugula and a balsamic reduction. My husband loved his kim chee burger. The service was excellent -- friendly and frequently checking on us. read more

Our handicapped daughter uses a service dog. We tried to get a table inside with her service dog but they refused to seat us. We explained their policy is against the law (which it is), but they refused to accommodate us. read more

service was bad waiting so long to even get a drink of water, burger was dry , not going again

This is a true Burger joint. I had the mushroom Swiss burger a double it was really good. Fries were well seasoned and not soggy. My youngest had buffalo wings which were crispy and juicy. My wife and son both had bacon burgers, which were really good as well. When we went here it was Father's Day and it was busy. There was only a 20 minute wait which wasn't that bad considering there were four people in front of us. The staff was friendly and real about wait times. The only thing I can say that was a negative was they were out of a local beer, which is understandable, considering the volume of customers for that day. Casual casual ambience good service good food. Looking for burger and Hilo stop here. Take your pic and enjoy. read more

What a great place! Friendly and attentive staff and burgers to die for. All local beef which is some of the best I have ever had, local brews on tap and the garlic fries that will keep vampues at bay for months Everything was fresh and delicious. Hawaii is known for its seafood, but when you're ready for a good ole burger, this stop is a must. read more

Hilo Burger Joint - Classic bacon cheese burger with grilled onions and house slaw. . Yum!!! - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Hilo Burger Joint - one of our local faves!! Staff are the best! And so are the burgers

Excellent burger. Hard to find a restaurant that does a real-meat (not frozen patty) burger that is perfectly cooked. A family of four, we never have had all four burgers cooked medium rare--they alway are served over cooked. Not here though, four perfectly cooked medium rare burgers because the meat was excellent as is the cook. The lava fries are fantastic and the blue cheese burger to die for. And to top off the five star review--excellent service. read more

Hilo Burger Joint - Blue cheese burger perfection - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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I have been a professional bartender off and on for 45 years. I have lived on the big island all of my adult life. I have patronized the burger joint since it was nichols public house, and always had a great time. I gotta say that today 12/23 I had the most creepy encounter at the bar. The bartender was unfriendly, rude, and just plain repulsive. I've been in the islands for as long as I have to know I was being racially disrespected. I gave up on my desire for lunch, and walked out after one red ale. Whatever chip that person has on her shoulder, she should lose it, or maybe Hilo burger joint should lose her I doubt I'll return there anytime soon. Mahalo. read more

This place has some amazing food and great service! Good portion sizes and quick to get. Plus a good selection of beer.

This is well worth the stop as stated in reviews I had read best burger place, great inside dining and outside on the patio, the food was excellent our server was great... his mother's name is Robin, like mine...I am sorry I did not get his name...thank you for the deliciousness...truly enjoyed our food! read more

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This is a great restaurant. It was full of locals which is a great sign. The srevice was fast and the servers were friendly and helpful with recommendations. I chose the green chili burger and my wife had the Teri burger. They were both cooked perfectly. They use fresh local ingredients and you can taste the difference. I would eat here at least once ca week if I lived here. I highly recommend this establishment. read more

So I blew it in the picture department this day, my daughter was so excited to see rain she soaked herself and was cold so we had to slam some of our food and leave quickly to get her home ha. I had the caprese burger salad which I added onions to because it just needed more stuff but it was very good and so nice to have good lettuce.. lettuce pricey in these parts! My husband had the double bacon burger and it was very good, my daughter the plain cheeseburger. People really understand the importance of good bread around here tho wowza! That was a stand out part of the meal I took bites of since I had the salad lol. I LOVE that literally any burger here can be made in to a salad, whatever the toppers are are exactly what go in to your salad. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Very good burgers. :) read more

Hilo Burger Joint - Cheeseburger - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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We called ahead yesterday (about 30 minutes - while we were driving up) and they had a table for 6 ready for us when we arrived. We were seated immediately. Though they seemed somewhat short staffed (only had 2 servers) the service was good, the gentleman was very attentive, friendly and prompt. Our food was good and well made. We enjoyed the live music and overall atmosphere. We ordered burgers & fries - My husband had the wagyu burger and he said it was really good. Apps we ordered were cheese sticks & BBQ pork nachos - Very good! read more

Hilo Burger Joint - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Holy s*it! This place is beyond garbage. Food is the worst I've ever had. Hilo, I'm sorry if you think this is a good burger. My gf and I flew to big island and ended up in hilo for the night and decided to try the Hilo burger joint. I ordered the wagyu burger medium with cheddar cheese and my gf ordered the Californian burger but substituted for a turkey patty and Swiss cheese. My wagyu burger came rare....I took a bite and then looked at the meat and when I squeezed the burger, blood came out and stained the bottom bun red. I then cut into the whole burger and my gf looked and confirmed it was "rare as f*ck" I think I've returned food once before in my lifetime. I've eaten goat face in Iraq and eat stuff off the floor all the time.....5 second rule....what's that?! Anyways, once I said something about the undercooked meat the waitress was nice and took it back but then came back and said the restaurant has been meaning to print out a guide to show how they cook their meat.....pretty much implying that they do it their own way and I don't know shit about how meat is supposed to be cooked "medium". $76 for a bloody burger and a nasty turkey patty that my gf wouldn't finished. They charged $1.00 for ranch too gtfo. I'll stop in McDonald's and get a double quarter pounder with Mac sauce and pay $14 and be more satisfied. Never again. Wish you guys the best read more

Hilo Burger Joint - For your cook - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Definitely a great place to stop by for a drink and a burger! The fruity ciders are amazing! I had the Dragonfruit Lemonade Cider and was soooo good paired with the blue cheese burger. read more

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Holy crap, these burgers are GOOD! Seriously amazing burgers, great sides, excellent service. This place is everything you want in a burger joint--I just need them to franchise in Wisconsin! read more