This is what KTA sells as Long John's at $2.06 each. Where is the custard filling? What a rip off! read more

KTA Super Stores - Puainako - Grocery Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all

hands down best poke! and a hidden gem to get your big island omiyage! reminds me of the way grocery stores on Oahu used to treat their customers. read more

So disgusting to find my potato after baking it for an hour seriously you sell this kind of produce read more

KTA Super Stores - Puainako - I bought this and wasted electricity on baking a potato only to find this. Disgusting - Grocery Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

My wife and I were visiting the Big Island to visit family so use we stayed in Kona first then drove to Hilo. When I visit the big island I like to buy some ahi sakuraboshi and dried opelu for omiyage but I could not find it in Kona, even at KTA. But, when we got to Hilo my son took me to KTA at Puainako to shop. We just came from Suisan Fish Market and they didn't have much left to sell including any ahi sakuraboshi or dried opelu. The KTA at Puainako is huge, first time here and I was impressed. When I got to the fish department the poke looked fresh and delicious but you had to wait in a short line. I looked at a different reefer and found my beloved dried opelu and sakuraboshi! No kidding though, if you are from Hawaii and are visiting Hilo you will like this market because kit is suited for locals and they seem to have everything. It is my favorite non Oahu market. read more

KTA Super Stores - Puainako - while visiting the Big island I was searching for sakuraboshi and dried opal. - Grocery Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

This is the local go to General store on the island. From what the tattoo artist had told me, also the best Poke in town. I came here for just that, and some ube ice cream because I had some cravings. The poke was fresh and super tasty. read more

This is such a great grocery store! They had all sorts of Hawaiian foods and goods that were fun to browse through. They had fresh Hawaiian chile pepper which I would have been tempted to get if we weren't island hopping and going from hotel to hotel. If you want to make your own poke they have all your basic ingredients. If you want to just eat poke they have that too in prepared amounts at the counter and in containers. The fresh fish here looked very fresh in general. Check out was fast and friendly. read more

See all

A great local supermarket chain on the Big Island of Hawaii, KTA Super Stores Puainako is located off Hwy 2000 and the Hawaii Belt Road just a couple miles south of the Hilo Airport and Downtown Hilo. It has all your groceries and it reminds me of Don Quijote on Oahu Island. read more

Always great service. Good prices. Their pharmacies are the best and have the speediest service. I drove a medical taxi for many years and familiar with all the pharmacies. KTA is Best. I love that they are a long time sponsor of Giants baseball on KPUA read more

I really have no issues with the store but last year my wife had a traumatic experience. Placed her order at the bakery then stood back to the side with her cart waiting for her order. Then she was confronted by an irate local woman and was verbally assaulted. My wife is a haole woman who has serious medical issues and was mentally scarred by this incident. She literally hates the Puainako store but loves the downtown location. People there make her feel comfortable and welcome. read more

Coming from Arizona where food city and others add possibilities of local flavors (especially bakery and deli) this place is refreshing. Huge store, great variety in all departments, helpful staff and my simple pick of a ube donut for a buck and change made this a traveling by win. The ube donut was dark like the best meat of a chicken or a darker the meat conversation. The sweetness was on the outside and when bitten into there was a bit of draw to the dough. That was a probably a mix of actual ingredients used and a touch of age. Only judge that like if you like American cheese and two buck chuck. Honestly a good spot to get everything from staples to unique items at this store. The produce section looked solid too but I was already stocked there. They also had a local food vendor like a truck with a teenager and folding chairs, but appreciate the diversity of offers. read more

KTA Super Stores - Puainako - Doughlicious ube donut. - Grocery Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

I haven't been here in yrs but while in Hilo I wanted to get some Kelly Boy Cookies and Two Ladies Kitchen so stopped here before heading to the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo. I found this store a lil fun to scroll thru so much goodies in the bakery and deli section that you wont see at Tamuras and Foodland on Oahu. The local aisle #7 is hugh compared to Oahu stores I just loved it all locally made non refrigerated and non perishable item in 1 place and lots of it. I wonder why KTA has security in their parking lots. Will you guys ever open on Oahu haha. read more

KTA Super Stores - Puainako - Grocery Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all

KTA is the place to go for best variety of groceries plus the fresh food is awesome. They are also an organization that gives back a ton to the community so support local and stop going to Safeway! read more

The person at the register was rude. It maybe island culture but "Please and Thank you" or "Sir and mam" go a long way. I think some view tourist negatively but how must do tourists spend? Do better!!! read more

It's usually a good idea to visit a local supermarket when traveling. You can get a good idea of the local area and tastes and also save some money compared to the hotels. KTA Super Stores is a local chain in Hawaii with a full service market near the resort area in Hilo. Parking is generous with good access. The store is a little rough around the edges and fairly claustrophobic, but they pack a lot of stuff inside. You can get fresh produce and meats with lots of local product. There is a huge selection of grocery items to stock up the condo or just snack on while driving. I found a lot of nuts and local chips and amazing poke at a great bargain. Visiting near Thanksgiving, the front was already stocked with Christmas trees for a fun experience. KTA is popular with the locals for good reason and makes a great stop on your trip. read more

See all

Great store. Selection of Hawaiian grown produce is limited but good. Has organic food from the mainland that is less expensive.

When visiting Hilo, we always come here to buy poke, food and drinks and get the Kelly Boy Peanut Butter cookies. The cookies sell out fast so we get up early to get some to bring home (Oahu). They're very friendly and helpful. read more

KTA has a great selection of poke dishes, meats, pastry and deli selections. Only a hand pick of cashiers are pleasant. The rest are not. They are the ones that don't acknowledge the customers. No smiles, they just scan the items. Attitude is everything. Bad attitudes create lasting impressions of that cashier. A few of the stock clerks are oblivious to what is around them. These are the ones who leave their flat wagons in the aisles that sometimes you cannot get around. This can create possible accidents. The store itself is clean and well stocked. The bathrooms need to be continuously cleaned. The women's bathroom floor is always wet inviting an accident to happen. The first stall is always leaking. The men's bathroom just constantly smells. read more

On our recent trip to the Big Island, we stopped by KTA for the basic grocery items we'd need for our 4 day stay (milk, bread, cereal, water, sandwich makings, etc.) We knew that their prices would be a little higher and the store more dated than the competition (Walmart), but we usually make a conscious effort to support local businesses. We didn't get to sample any of the poke (we actually went to Foodland for that), but we did by some mochi and other sweets (from Two Ladies Kitchen - another local business!). Actually, it was nice to see that they had many Hawaii-made products. Great for gifts to bring home. Next time we're in Hilo, we're definitely stopping by again. read more

KTA Super Stores - Puainako - Grocery Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Very unprofessional business. Got to store at 952 to grab a few items before they closed. Got out of my car and as I walked to the entrance I noticed that an associate turned off the automatic entry. I asked another employee who was locking up shopping carts if I could they were open and he said yes until 10. I went into the store and got this weird look from 3 employees who told me they were closed. And told me that I could come back in the morning. This is despite having another shopper in the store. This is very unprofessional. If your hours are until 10 you should be open until 10 until not leaving the store at 10. Very disappointed in the way that the employees handled the situation. read more

My go to place when visiting family in Hilo. I haven't visited since pre-Covid and the store has only gotten better. Great selection and prices from the bakery to the produce. Definitely a store that packs a lot of punch! Couldn't get enough of the spicy ahi poke and the shrimp kim chee poke as they both were seasoned well and fresh. Also a great place to shop for gifts to bring back from a trip. I found the selection of local made goodies to be outstanding. If you are in the Hilo area, stop in and make sure to support this local business. read more

The smackery at Kta at Puainako makes the best popcorn and mochi crunch Always purchase when I'm in Hilo read more

staff is friendly, store is somewhat clean, food is good, variety of options, price is somewhat reasonable, small plaza parking.

If you are looking for a quick snack to bring along KTA is the place to go. It reminded me of Foodland back in Oahu due to the to go foods you can find. They have a decent selection of poke. The salmon one was my favorite while the ahi was good and I thought the Korean style poke was a bit too much marinade, which hid the taste of the fish. It was still tasty though! You must also pick up some taro bread. That stuff is magical. Its also a good snack to have during hikes or long drives. read more

KTA Super Stores - Puainako - Salmon, ahi and korean pokes - Grocery Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

This KTA was bigger than the downtown one. A lot of stuff to choose from. We got there a little late so the food prep was closed. At least we could grab a few bakery and mochi goods. The prices were ok to choose from. I saw my guava jam there. read more

Spent the day on the Big Island attending a festival in Pa'auilo. BUT FIRST, KTA!!! KTA is a family run and operated grocery store that is exclusive to the Big Island. They specialize in local everything and carry many products made and produced exclusively on the island of Hawai'i. I spend most of my time on aisle 7. This is where you can find all the specialized Hawai'i cookies. Donna's almond- my fave. I also purchased some new brands that I've never tried before including Maebo (famous for their won ton chips) won ton cookies, Akebono, etc. I won't bore you with the specifics. When it was time to check out the cashier mentioned that I had everything but the Kelly Boys cookies. I know the last time I bought a bag of those giant cookies I almost ate them all. So no Kelly Boy this time. I also threw in some chocolate tomatoes, fresh tortillas and Hō'i'o fern. To balance out the 20 lbs of cookies I bought. I didn't buy a Holy pie this time because you can get it at Times supermarket on O'ahu now. But I did buy some mochi from Two Ladies kitchen, since they're closed on Sunday. I grabbed a breakfast bento to go and a deep fried musubi and dragged my reusable bag to the check out line. I do regret not buying any slices of yummy cake in the bakery section. Next time! KTA is a one stop shop and I'm so grateful because it's the only one we had time for. It is a sin to leave the Big Island empty handed. read more

See all

I love going into the KTA stores when I'm on Hawaii island.the people working there are super friendly and very helpful. They have things you just can't find in other stores! And their bakery? OMG ! So amazing! read more

TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE! I called the KTA store at Puainako asking about a product. I was put on hold for 5 minutes and when the line automatically rang back, the woman hung up on me. I called back three times and she quickly hung up on me three times. read more

KTA is a go to place for those good fast Bentos that you need before heading to work, beach or just because. They are also good for all your local shopping needs. The best thing I like about there is that I can always find Surimi! Why can I not find it here on Oahu? Why??? I love making Oyster Rolls dipped in Hot Mustard or Wasabi mix with it. It's a must try. The workers on the floor are always willing to help you whenever you stop any of them to ask for something and the best part, they know exactly where it is at! Hoorah! Not like yeah never mind I had better not say it tee hee hee The cashiers are also awesome because they are fast, precise and always glad to help. There is a lot of parking and other great eatery in that same area. read more

KTA Super Stores - Puainako - Grocery Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all

KTA has everything you need and more than a normal grocery store. If you are looking for Hawaiian delicacies. You can get spam Musty I sushi, sushi items, Hawaiian cakes, POG juice, etc. The price of the Mauna Loa macadamia nuts are cheaper than Wal Mart or other places. read more

I do really enjoy this store after living in Hawaii for almost a year. The prices I can say are very high on most things. We typically shop here for the meat selection. Most times when we stop is for the sushi and hot plate meals. You can't go wrong with them when your on a time crunch and want something good. The bakery has made a few of our cakes and they are great! Over all I feel like the store needs some love or a little updating. We also bought our Christmas tree this year from them scared to do so but the tree lasted well into the week after New Years the price was high but when you think about all the cost to get them here it makes sense. read more

Jim and I stopped at this KTA to restock the wine and beer supply in our resort hotel room. We were on the way to the Hilo Airport to take a Helicopter tour of the Volcano and had a little time on the front end to shop. The wine and beer selection was OK and offered a decent selection and at some good prices. The store felt on the older side, and like new grocery experiences seemed a bit confusing in what I was looking to buy. It was certainly a popular place, although check out went relatively quickly. read more

Recommended for poke. Some people swear by Suisan, but I don't think it's any better. Some days it tastes fresher than others though.

The store has nice selections of all foods including Pokes, sugar papaya and apple bananas; I am impressed with Hawaiian diversified food varieties here!! read more

This isn't a foodland farms but this KTA has most of the essentials. Bento's, mochi, poke and that 12 pack of Heineken and even turkey for thanksgiving dinner. The staff are friendly but KTA could definitely use a face lift.. it just feels old and out dated. Parking is out front and very accessible. Carts are available for convenience . Don't forget your reusable shopping bags. read more

I love to get poke at KTA super stores during my Big Island trips. It was great to have local grocery stores around. I bought poke, Asian/Japanese snack and ate on the beach. Very good. read more

Yelp guided me to the best-reviewed grocery store in Hilo, and I was especially happy that it was on the highway route back to Volcano. We needed food to stash in our hotel room so we could avoid the extra expense of restaurants, and this KTA had a fabulous selection in its deli and bakery. We bought tender strips of pork, a large somen salad (which I saved for the next day's lunch, and it kept well), soft dinner rolls baked on the island, and from the bakery case, a coconut-pan and a macadamia frosted danish. In all, the food was delicious and was quite cost efficient for several meals. read more

KTA Super Stores - Puainako - Macadamia nut danish. YUM. - Grocery Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all

Get some mac nuts, poke and some local staples! Poke is sold starting at half a pound, lots of options. They have mac salad and other hot food at the deli too. Perfect to grab and have a picnic at a beach. read more

See all

I love shopping at kta! It's a locally owned grocery store, that in my eyes can compete with the big chain grocery stores (see my pic's). They have a pharmacy, deli, fresh produce, bakery, meat and seafood dept. They carry a variety of local goods, produce and they also have a small selection of fresh Orchid plants. First off, I love their Seafood dept. Tim that works the counter there, will create some of the most amazing and tasty Poke mix, plus they give samples too! We always pick up a Poke bowl or two served with hot white rice (brown not avl.) and of course take home a little extra Poke on the side for our spoiled dog. Right next to the Poke, they have Korean or Teriyaki Marinated Beef and Poultry, my fav is the Korean Marinated Short ribs, mmmmmm! This is perfect, for when you are stressed for time or heading to a BBQ, it's a no brainer,lol! Yes, the Bakery dept. has one of my favorite desserts, their strawberry jello, lemon-lime flavored cream cheese with a graham cracker crust pie dessert, yummy! I can finish the whole pie all by myself, it's that good, lol! That's my kryptonite in that dept. Assorted Bento's, mochi, cone, and maki sushi are available too, but you need to go early as they always tend to run out. On most days, if you come around 11am or 2 pm, you can find them selling a special priced plate lunch or dinner right inside the store. Located just as you enter the main store entrance (right side, not left). Sandra & Danny normally is manning the table and are more then happy to serve you. They do alot of grilled foods, especially if your watching your waistline,lol! As your walking towards the store, you will be able see them outside under the front covering grilling the special meat, fish or chicken for that day. The clerks are so friendly and helpful too! I once needed a few Asian items, and this one clerk escorted me through the entire store helping me find everything I needed, how sweet! For a moment there, I thought that he was going to follow me home too,lol! Talk about service, can't beat that! And, if you ever have questions about any type of Liquor (wine, hards, and beer, etc.), just ask for David T. he's the only Asian guy that works there that sports a "Gold" front tooth that is embedded with a diamond, bling bling! He probably had a can or bottle of every drink that they carry in that dept. David T. is the Man and a cool one too, even if he stands around 4' 10" in height, ha ha! This store is a one stop shop for me and like their store jingle says, You're always someone "Special" at KTA! read more

See all

This place is a must stop each time I'm in the Hilo area. Why? Well they are the only ones that has the BEST Apply pie ever!!!!!! Have you tried their apple pie? I'm not a big fan of apple pie and now I know why. Most crusts are dry and no flavor. Apple fillings are gross and tart or sometime too mushy. Oh my goodness. But a friend of mines turned me onto this pie. It's made by Big Island Candies and only ---- SERIOUSLY only sold at KTA. It's called Big Island Candies Fuji Apple Pie. Every time someone talks about Hilo that's what I imagine. KTA's apple pie from the frozen section. These pies are filled with nicely sliced fuji apples that aren't overly sweet. The crust is nicely buttered and flaky. My mouth is watering as I write this review. Each box comes with instructions on how to bake it and don't worry about defrosting it. Because you don't defrost, you cook it from it's frozen stage. Trust me when you try this pie, you will close your eyes and start a roller coaster ride to the OMG moments. I've been to Wahiawa and had their pies, I've been to Maui and tried their pies, and nothing I repeat nothing will compare to the taste of a KTA Big Island Candies Fuiji Apple Pie. I kidd you not. My second favorite they have are mustard cabbage sushi. When I heard mustard cabbage I wanted to puke. But I didn't want to insult from friend so I tried it. I have been addicted ever since. The mustard cabbage is thinly diced up and integrated into the sushi roll. We ask them to slice it up because it's faster to eat when you get into the car hahaha. If you're traveling you can ask them to pack it for you, but you need to call ahead of time. Third favorite there. They have mochi from The Two Ladies Kitchen. OMG, if you're in a rush and can't make it to Hilo town you can get most mochi's here at KTA. Note that I said most mochi's. If you want the good stuff you'll have to commit a drive over to the actual store. Lastly, I love that this store has a lot of local stuff. The locals can always tell that you're not from Hilo because we're usually the ones not carrying our own recycle grocery bags. Kuddos to this island for being environmentally responsible. read more

KTA is nothing short of a Hilo staple. It is a store that has been around since long before I was born, and will continue to be around for years to come; and that's not without good reason. Employing friendly members of our own community, and being the store that everyone shops at, you can't go to KTA without seeing someone you know. It's also nice to know that whatever you're making, odds are you can get all of your shopping done at KTA. From the most mainstream foods, to somewhat obscure local ingredients that you wouldn't be able to find anywhere else, you can surely count on KTA to have what you need. With an in-house deli and bakery, the foods are always fresh, and you can always expect to be able to buy local when you shop at KTA. I, myself, have fond memories of waking up early on the weekends to drive down to KTA with my mom to get a big box of tasty fresh donuts! If you want to inside scoop on where all the locals shop to get the ingredients for the delicious foods that are so abundant in our state, look no further than KTA Super Stores! read more

See all