We were visiting from Kona and stopped in Hilo for the day, We ended up at Mohala's and had one of our best meals of the trip. We ordered the half and half of Mahi and Oni fish and chips. Both were fresh and amazing. The Garlic Aioli was so incredible. BUT THE FRIES??? Best fries I've ever had. Truly an 11/10. The staff was very friendly and helpful! read more

Have come here several times and enjoyed the food and service. Today my husband and I came for lunch. No service anymore, just a cold robotic machine like its McDonalds. We had a hard time ordering and the woman helping us was very nice and sweet. Ordered fish and chips...or so we thought. $16 for three small pieces of fish as shown in the picture. Apparently, if you order the three pieces of fish-no chips come with it. Even though the sign says "fish & chips!" We asked the cook if all we get is fish, and each piece is $5+, and he brought us out some fries which was super nice. I'm just disappointed in the changes to a cool little place. read more

Mohala’s Bayfront Fish & Chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Amazing quality, this was my favorite meal of my trip. Wroth the wait for sure. Thanks read more

Mohala’s Bayfront Fish & Chips - Panko crusted mahi mahi - Fish & Chips Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Fantastic service! Fun atmosphere, with the most delicious food!! We ordered a captains platter to share, and my son got a fish and chips with mahi! My son 14 years old, really loves fish and chips and he said this was the best one he's ever had!! With large portions he had five pieces of fish in his plate! The captains platter was also huge, definitely enough for two people I don't even know if we can finish it. Everything is cooked to perfection. read more

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This used to be a great lunch spot. I'm not sure what happened. Half the restaurant is boarded up. Kiosk to order your food. No friendly service anywhere, no water. No air flow, hot & stuffy. Nowhere comfortable to eat. I'm sorry to see this happening, sad. The food was yummy. read more

High prices with very small portions. Dismissive service and don't try to ask for a glass of water...they insist you buy the overpriced bottled water. Used to be a great lunch spot...not anymore. We won't be back... read more

Tried this place while on vacation. Food was amazing! Services was great! Nice local spot! Definitely a must try! read more

Mohala’s Bayfront Fish & Chips - Family spread! Definitely worth it! - Fish & Chips Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Excellent! When I'm in the mood for fish and chips, this is exactly what I'm looking! It was a beautiful day in Hilo following the Merrie Monarch festival and this place did not disappoint. We were able to sit outside and enjoy the breeze and view of the bay a couple blocks down. We had the fried ono and shrimp plate. Their sauces are homemade and delicious. I loved the smoked mozzarella and marinara!! The marinara was cooked down and garlicky. Brought my leftovers all the way back home to Oahu. I also had the shrimp on a skewer with their homemade tartar sauce. I didn't care for my fountain drink next time, I'll get the lime aid. Servers were great too! read more

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If you're in Hilo looking for some good fish and chips, stop here. The garlic dill aioli tartar sauce is amazing! I now always add garlic and dill to my tartar sauce when I make it at home. read more

It's been a few years since I've eaten here. The bread is different on the mahi mahi fish sandwich compared to before. Instead of a soft burger bun it's now a thick ciabatta bun. Not as good as I remembered. It just felt too bready. We got the panko fried vegetables that were good, but really greasy. Very filling and satisfying meal overall. Pricey, but big portions. Next time I'll try the fish and chips as they offer options for fish choice. read more

Mohala’s Bayfront Fish & Chips - Mahi mahi sandwich - Fish & Chips Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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My favorite restaurant in Hilo. Fried fish is simple and hard to screw up but Mohala's actually does some great things to improve on the fried food experience. We had the captains platter which included fried fish, shrimp, scallops, and calamari. The fried food all stayed moist on the inside and crispy outside. Not too oily either. The fried scallops were so good, perfectly cooked being not chewy at all. The fries and onion rings were good as well. The highlight from the meal comes the sauces. The garlic dill aioli adds a ton of that dill flavor and the malt aioli adds the malt vinegar flavor you love but isn't overpowering and adds a creaminess to the fried food it needs. The only negative was how long it took to order and get our food. It took 15 minutes before we ordered and 30 minutes for our food to come out. This is the only place in Hilo that I do highly recommend going to. read more

Unbelievably delicious food especially the Ono fish and chips! Great friendly service and drinks! Best food we have had on the big island! Greg was so kind and made the experience as great as the food! read more

Thoroughly enjoyed our stop in to this cozy little bar with attached restaurant serving Ono grindz. Perfectly situated on the bay we saw some surfers catching a rare swell. Oh and try not to miss the live vocalist on the weekend. A rare treat for your ears! read more

Come here for top quality fried fish, but leave here feeling like you've known all of the wait staff for years. Honestly focusing on good people and good food is where they really succeed. I wanna like the people touching my food and I wanna trust the bartender recommending my drink. And they got that here. The fried calamari is honestly like nothing I've had before, it's soooo soft and buttery. All the sauces are made in house so you got some good dips to dip into. They have really put time and effort into their bar menu, so even if you just want a drink while walking downtown you should stop in. read more

This would be a five star review if it were not for the terrible service. The food was excellent although it was a much longer wait than the 10 mins that the server said was to be expected when we ordered. The servers there act like they aren't even working it's very strange to watch. I ordered a drink that never came. When she finally brought out the food I asked about my drink and she acted as if I was just ordering it. My husband's soup came out with the entree and once your food is on the table forget about ever getting the servers attention again! A couple of people came in and sat at the table next to our but after about 10mins got up and left because the server never came to them. It was not busy when we went! So, If you're not too hungry and have plenty of time to wait around and don't mind getting up to chase a server around to ask for what you need then by all means eat there. read more

My mom and I stopped into Mohalas while visiting Hilo. Neither of us were super hungry so we decided to split the choice of 2 and got the Ono and shrimp. It was a huge serving and perfect size to split! The shrimps were very large and a good portion of fish in each piece. Everything was fried to perfection and the dipping sauces were delicious as well. My favorite was the garlic & dill aioli. Our server was very sweet, she recommended the Ono as the best fish choice. We were very satisfied! read more

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In a prime spot in downtown Hilo, Mohala's has always produced great fish-oriented dishes. You can never go wrong with their classic fish and chips and other seafood offerings. My partner and I decided to get their Ono plates, and I have to say, I was impressed by the amount of fish we received. It was a good-sized portion. The fries that came with it were pretty good as well. Not to mention, we also ordered their chicken wings with BBQ sauce and were pleasantly surprised by that as well. However, I will say the services were subpar. We ordered a 6:30 takeout but didn't receive the food until 30 minutes after the designated time. I didn't get much of an update on why it took so long for a scheduled pick-up, but it is what it is. Overall, the food and portion sizes were solid, but this service mishap will keep me away for a bit. read more

Ok, so I'm a TERRIBLE person and in the time it took me to bring my mother back to her home I forgot my fabulous server/bartender/superstars name... Henna??? Dammit!!! Anyhow... I eat here every time I visit Hilo and it never disappoints. The standard is the Ono Fish and Chips Which are always superb! My mom had the same but added the House Salad with the liliikoi vinaigrette which was sublime. Here's the kicker.... I also ordered the fried Zucchini (perfection) but I'm not a "ranch" guy so I ordered the bbq sauce for dipping. Yes she made fun of me but I LOVED it! Go figure ‍ Thinking it could become a trend! Looking forward to my return already!! Cheers read more

We ate here on a Sunday night, around 7'ish, and had the whole restaurant to ourselves. The waitstaff was friendly and helpful. Dinner was fish & chips (with mahi-mahi & the garlic/dill aioli) and a fish sandwich. The fish was lightly coated, crispy and not greasy. The garlic/dill aioli was okay, though a tiny bit too salty for me. The portions were the perfect amount. I was on the fence about eating at Mohala's but I'm glad we went. It was the perfect bite to end our vacation. read more

Mohala’s Bayfront Fish & Chips - Fish sandwich. - Fish & Chips Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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I'm so glad we stopped here. This was by far one of the best spots that I had out in Hilo. The fries were delicious! The fish was bomb too! Like, I have no complaints about anything my family ordered. We had the calamari, the shrimp, the fish and chips, my daughter loved the soup and salad combo. Legitimately great service too. read more

Quick service, fresh and extremely tasty food. My husband said the fish and chips was probably the best he's ever had.

Had the fish & chips and added the Cole slaw. Very crispy & delicious fish. Would come back. Casual atmosphere and attentive, friendly service. read more

Mohala’s Bayfront Fish & Chips - Mohala fish & chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

delicious fish and chips. no question about that. the portions are small however, and service is slow and so so. dining area could use a deep clean. just get your food to go and don't forget to ask for malt vinegar. read more

Ordered to go, staff pleasant and accommodating. Not my order but niece enjoyed the Ono and chips. The order itself was very generous; can't wait to try it for myself! read more

Got the wrong kids meals- ordered chicken got fish. Service was rude, soda fountain was broken. Fish was dry and still fishy in flavor. read more

Food was delicious, service was friendly and attentive! Great spot for lunch after our morning zipline adventure. read more

We stopped by Mo's Fish and Chips in the heart of downtown Hilo on Saturday evening after hearing the lovely live music drifting out from the restaurant, right across from the weekend farmers market. The bartender was knowledgeable and accommodating to both my partner and me -- and as a bartender myself, I really appreciate when someone can craft a truly delicious cocktail. We ordered Mai Tais, and they were among the best I've had in Hawaii -- rich, balanced, and clearly made with locally sourced ingredients and a mastery of the classic recipe. Our drinks arrived quickly, and we were lucky enough to get front-row seats to Corinne, a talented singer with a beautifully haunting, soulful voice who moved seamlessly through different genres. We appreciated her music so much that we left her butterfly origami tips as a small token of gratitude. The ambience was relaxed, romantic, and whimsical -- warm lighting, seaside charm, and just the right mix of coziness and energy. Whether you're looking for a casual date night or a great hangout spot with friends and family, I highly recommend stopping by. An unexpectedly enchanting evening. read more

Tasty and delicious takeout lunch orders. My wife's workplace decided to treat its employees. She came home and we shared each other's plates. read more

Mohala’s Bayfront Fish & Chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Last year I wrote a 3 star review and the owner said that she was making improvements. I finally went back again today and I have to say-- I think it actually has improved. In particular the fish was back to the old portion size (big!) and the quality and cook was great. So that's a big improvement. On the other hand, the fries are still mediocre bagged frozen fries. The homemade ones they used to have were excellent. I'd pay extra to have them back. Also, we asked if the fish and chips still comes with cole slaw and were told that it does, but that they don't have the right container for it. I asked if I could just have the small portion of cole slaw in a bigger container, and the server said she wasn't allowed to. Feels very weird and cheap to not give me something that's supposed to be included because you didn't stock the containers properly. Not a huge deal, just weird. Anyway, the fish was good enough that I'll probably come back and I'm happy it's not like it was a year ago. I'm really only invested enough in this restaurant enough to write reviews because it used to be the best fish and chips anywhere in the world and I'm rooting for it and hoping it returns to its former glory. read more

Aloha, I really enjoy this place. Their fish is fried but it is jot greasy. It is cooked to perfection every single time. This was my second time and the service is great, friendly, attentive and funny. Liz was great and very attentive. For sure she has been doing this for a couple of days . She is a veteran and it shows! The restaurant is clean and neat every time that I have been here. If you are looking for a good Fish and Chips experience, look no further than this restaurant. Mahalo for having such a great product! read more

Mohala’s Bayfront Fish & Chips - Fish and chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Man, I'm missing all the great food we had in Hawaii, catching up on all my review drafts I wrote for myself when I was there about a month ago... certainly if I lived in the area, I'd be here all the time. Since we were only going to be here once, though, obviously we ordered the combo platter for 2 ($32, or 35 with a side). Service is table-side - I was sort of amused by the apology for the delay, after waiting all of about 4 minutes (service was great). Anyway, I can confirm, the combo platter was a pretty solid value - their fries are great, their garlic aioli was wonderful (the tartar sauce was just tartar sauce, but you can't have fish & chips and not get tartar sauce). The fish was perfect (they had a few choices - we went with the ono, which I also learned just now, fittingly, is literally just the Hawaiian word for "delicious", which it was). The shrimp, calamari and scallops were also quite good, though I think if I were back, I'd just go right for the fish. (The scallops, in particular, were on the small side, the sort that, when fried, end up just tasting like "fried".) And their coleslaw, I also thought was great - though if you don't like coleslaw that's rather mayo-y and full of pieces of pineapple and raisins, you wouldn't like theirs (my wife is weird about sweet things in her savory things - more for me!) And after totally stuffing our faces, we still had a non-trivial amount of leftovers for, in our case, breakfast for both of us the following morning. It's listed as food for 2, but you could probably feed 3 people with that combo. Only one tiny complaint - they *do* have a solid craft beer (and one cider!) program, but they don't a list posted anywhere, you just have to ask what they have. This also meant, I realized after asking for the cider, that I had no idea how much it was goin to cost. It was an entirely reasonable $9, just saying, it would have been nicer to get to see a drink menu. That's a pretty minor complaint, though. And the cider was great.) They do also make a great citrus-aid (I tried some of my wife's) - it is listed as lemonade, though the day we were there, it was actually a lime-aid. Great, though very sweet. So yeah - would definitely recommend this place, and would likely be one of the places I'd try to make it back to if I were ever back in Hilo. read more

Mohala’s Bayfront Fish & Chips - tasty coleslaw - avoid if you don't like a bunch of fruit in your coleslaw, like my wife doesn't :D - Fish & Chips Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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I was a previously a frequent customer of Mo's and also frequently DoorDashed for this restaurant. As a seafood lover and a Hilo resident for many years, it was a place I frequently recommended to visiting family, university classmates new to the area, and seafood lovers alike. When my mother came from O'ahu to visit family in Hilo, she had finally decided to try one of my food recommendations and ordered takeout for the rest of our Hilo family. She mentioned to me how the service was quite rude in regards to suggesting recommendations and the use of the kiosk seemed unhelpful since she had to return to the counter and interact with staff to provide tip. She agreed with me on the quality of the food and did enjoy her meal. Some time later, my mother noticed she was charged more than double the price of her meal from that day. She referenced her receipt and indeed confirmed that this was true and that they had overcharged drastically. Since returning home, she has been unable to rectify the situation. I worry for other families and individuals that decide to vacation and visit Mohala's only to find way later on they were completely overcharged as the location of this restaurant is right on Bayfront near other popular tourist attractions. I urge others to be careful and vigilant. I am incredibly upset that my recommendation resulted in such an experience and overcharge. I can safely say I will no longer be recommending this restaurant from here on out. read more

Mohala’s Bayfront Fish & Chips - Overcharged - Fish & Chips Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Casual and laidback open-air restaurant that serves up some of the best and most fresh seafood. Perfect better to protein ratio! I hate biting into a chunk of fried batter and getting skimped out on the actual food I paid for. Here, you won't get that. The garlic aioli and tartar sauce were so good. I'm drooling thinking about it now. I highly recommend this place for those in search of good fish fry/fried seafood. The girl was working both the coffee bar & waiting tables. She was very pleasant and did a great job running the place. read more

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This low key place has one of the best fish and chips I've ever had. This is small place but has nice staff and good indoor and outdoor seats. read more

It was some months ago that my family and I dined in here, didn't wanna miss out on doing a review for this hidden gem! Aunty at the front counter was full of aloha and had small kine talk story session while we waited for our food. Such a sweet and kind soul. The food came out hot and so so fresh! They have fresh catch of the days and a selection of fish to choose from, we had the ono (fish) and chips and my goodness, was ONO to da max! Huge pieces of crispy tempura style hot fish wow!! And the sauce for dipping was a honi to da chef! Fries were crispy sooo good too! The calamari was wonderful! Our 'opus were extremely happily satisfied! We had a good portion of leftovers to snack on later. What a wonderful experience we had here, definitely will be back! Mahalo nui loa aunty and Mohalas! read more

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Frequent patrons. Great food! Today was Mahi and scallops. Outstanding as always. This is a regular lunch stop for us. Consistently good, enough said. Will we come back? C'mon, definitely!! read more

Mohala’s Bayfront Fish & Chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

The food and services were awesome had fish and chips will return soon to try more ideas of the menu !!

Food was good, but service was terrible. The place isn't huge but only one server working is not enough. It took 30 minutes for our table to get 3 iced teas and nearly an hour to get food. I ordered the shrimp and mahi combo, but they forgot the shrimp as well as my sauce. The server brought out some shrimp for me which was sufficient. read more

Great lazy afternoon hangout for a beer & fish & chips. Mahi, Ono, & Cod are offered as options. We had the mahi & it was moist, tender, flavorful with a light crispy batter served in generous portions with crispy fries. The clam chowder was also very good. The server was friendly but no as attentive as I would prefer. Classic old Hilo town ambiance with a fishing & boating theme was quaint & comfortable. Overall, it was a pleasant place to leisurely enjoy the late afternoon. read more

The service was horrible and so was the food. My husband got his order after waiting for an hour. I never received my food, so I shared his. The fish tasted like frozen fish sticks and the server didn't care if we got our food or not. It was my worst restaurant experience in my life! read more