I rarely give reviews if I can't give a 5 star. Obviously the fish is frozen, they tell you the ahi is fresh. I don't knock them for that. The menu setup is weird, dry erase and then a black board with the fish. I only went here because a friend in Puna said it was her favorite. Value for $$ they get a 5 star. My order was a 3 piece and there were at least 5 pieces. The waffle fries were delicious. The ono was cooked to perfection with sort of a panko crust. They were pretty big chunks. The tarter sauce was bland, there was plenty for the fish. The coleslaw would be a 5 star if it wasn't old and soggy on the bottom 3/4. I ate 2 bites and the flavor was spot on but the bottom more than half was old. My husband makes coleslaw as well and it always tastes better the second day, this seemed older than it should. For service they get zero stars. I typically tip at least $5 everywhere I eat but they acted like they didn't care if I ordered. Rather impatient. I had to get wipes out of my own car to wipe the spot I sat. The ketchup bottle was gooey and almost empty, I had to keep banging it on the counter to get enough ketchup, they clearly saw me doing this and didn't care if I got any ketchup. When I left, my friend who didn't say anything the whole meal asked why they were so angry and unfriendly. She said the food was okay just uncomfortable how unfriendly the people were. I know they can be friendly, I saw the one employee attempt a smile at an obvious regular who had called in their order. They don't use styrofoam anymore like I saw mentioned in other reviews so that is good. Yelp has buried the bad reviews back a little ways but there are some about unfriendly service. Obviously whoever owns the place doesn't care about customer service. Maybe the employees are angry because they don't make enough. I've had minimum wage jobs and I was still friendly so I can't give a pass for that. Maybe the owner is mean to them so they aren't happy. Maybe they are super overworked and just doing the best they can to hang on. It does seem 2 people isn't enough for all the stuff they do and it does sound like they get really busy, it wasn't real busy this day. I pray they get paid well and treated nice even if they aren't friendly. I don't understand all the people saying best fried fish on the island. Humpy's in Kona has better ono fish and chips, they also make tartar sauce from scratch. read more

I cannot recommend this place enough. We dropped by based on a recommendation. It's a very hole in the wall place. We ordered the Ono fish and chips and the shrimp and chips. Hands down the best fish I've ever had. Want to go back for more. We also got the lava punch from the cooler. Went nicely. read more

Pahoa Fresh Fish - Fish & Chips Near Me - Pahoa, Hawaii

We were visiting from Las Vegas and couldn't believe how yummy our food was! We ate "contractor" style off the hood of the truck with a soft drizzle of rain keeping it cool. So much fun when 10 minimum later you are still talking about the food! read more

This food is so delicious!! The tartar sauce is so delicious and fried so good. There's nothing on the menu that's not delicious. read more

Pahoa Fresh Fish - Fish and Chips - Fish & Chips Near Me - Pahoa, Hawaii

Amazing, lovely staff snd food. A treat on a long hungry day of hiking. Everything was delicious. Good sauces.

Take out only due to COVID. But this a must go for my family and myself each time we visit. I suggest calling in your order and ordering extra tartar sauce. The fish is super fresh, not oily and the batter is just the right amount. The ladies working there are super efficient and friendly. It's a small mom and pop shop but the food is delicious. read more

My boyfriend had heard about this place from friends, saying how great their fish and chips were, so we decided to try while on a drive this past weekend. The location has indoor seating, but it's much too hot to dine inside and there are maybe only two small tables outside for seating. First turn off. Call ahead to make your order! When we arrived, there were two people in line before us and only two women working behind the counter. The woman taking food orders would take phone orders before people standing in line and would cook those orders BEFORE the orders of people right in front of them waiting. Big turn off. When you order, you don't pay until it's ready, which feels like waiting in line twice- another turn off. Then there's waiting for the food, the only part we didn't mind because we know it's made fresh and on the spot. When we received our meals, the portions were generous and we were provided either tartar sauce or cocktail sauce with our orders. Both are good. Condiments are available- malt vinegar, hot sauce, what seems like their homemade ketchup, and a few other things. Would have loved some lemon. We ordered the mahi-mahi fish and chips and the combo with cod and shrimp. Their fries are waffle style, seasoned and very large. The fish was excellent, fresh and crispy on the outside. The plates also came with coleslaw that tasted like any other kind, nothing special, but not bad. We got full off of maybe half the plate and definitely recommend eating right after you get it, because it won't stay crispy if you save for later. The three stars go only to the food. We did not care for the facility, the location, the service, or the clientele that day. Very rude people- definitely not from the islands, just living here. If we go again, we'll definitely call ahead and bring our own chairs. read more

Pahoa Fresh Fish - Combo plate- cod and shrimp with cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, coleslaw and fries. Very delicious and super filling! - Fish & Chips Near Me - Pahoa, Hawaii

Aunties working there is kinda "moke" and doesn't have much of a personality but the fish and chips is so ono! The place could use a good cleaning. Back part of store especially. read more

We have tried their different plates and sandwiches on their menu, all good. Heard they now have chicken. Gotta try that next. Ono! Ono! Ono! Best fish and chips!! read more

Excellent food! It's all about the food--tables limited, but great fresh fish and hot fries

If you like fresh fish turned into wonderful fish & chips, fish sandwiches or tacos this is the place. There's a list of the fresh 'fish of the day' you get to pick from so you can pick your favorite. If you're not in the mood for ono, mahi-mahi, or etc they also have wonderful shrimp plates or crab cakes to choose from. PS. If you're ever craving onion rings and want REAL ones, rather than some breading ring that tastes a bit like onion Pahoa Fresh Fish is the place to go. Their amazing, freshly made onion rings are so good! read more

Wow. The food here is CRAZY good. Service is a bit weird but hang in there. They have a tiny team working hard to serve a LOT of people so be patient. My favorite is the 3 piece ahi tuna dinner with waffle fries & cole slaw. !!!!!!!! My mouth is watering just thinking about it now! 1Martha Igarashi read more

BEST shrimp tempura and chips on the Big Island! The shrimp tempura is very crispy and has a lot of batter and the fries are perfectly seasoned! My mom and dad usually don't like tartar sauce but they loved it. Definitely worth the long drive. Cheap - only $36 for three meals and very filling and delicious. Quick wait of only 8 minutes. Highly recommend! read more

Excellent white fish. No ketchup, mustard, or hot sauce. Waffle fries with hot sauce and vinegar. My diet down the tubes read more

Pahoa Fresh Fish - Best fish ever. Ono! First time, hopefully not the last time - Fish & Chips Near Me - Pahoa, Hawaii

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Okay...wow. In little Pahoa town resides the best fish and chips restaurant in the state of Hawaii. I ordered the fish and shrimp combo and my buddy got the fish taco, both of us chose the ono. Both dishes rocked our world more than the active fissures did during our stay in the Puna District. The chips, waffle fries, were perfect. Crunchy and moist. The fish was fresh, with perfect batter and I am not a huge fan of fish and chips, but I would return here each time I drive that traffic circle. It is not located on the Main Street of town, but directly off of the main drag leading into town. The tartar sauce is tasty and the slaw is a perfect match to the fish. Some of the reviews slam the customer service, not my experience at all. They were down-homey and full of Paloha! I just made that up!!! Five stars was earned today and I highly recommend this restaurant as a mandatory stop if you are in Pahoa. read more

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this is where the locals go for good reason. It is fresh and delicious. the eating area is small and strange but it's all part of the local ambiance. Go for the Food! read more

First red flag is all the freezers all over the restaurant. The whole 40 minute wait we saw nothing but frozen wahoo being put into freezers, frozen shrimp being defrosted and frozen french fries. This restaurant is a disgrace with the ocean being so close. The fish without being smothered in sauce had no flavor. Horrible meal. . . read more

Great for takeout. However you better eat it in the parking lot or close by. It's quite delicious while it's hot. Not so great once it cools down. But that's the way it is with fish and chips. I love the waffle french fries. The coleslaw is wonderful. The portion is too small. They have a very good choice of different fishes to choose from I'll prefer the Ono. read more

Literally the best fried fish we've ever had in our entire lives. Ono, mahi, and don't get me started on the crab cake. Out of this world and into my belly. read more

Ono grindz! Delicious fish and chips! Prices are really great too. Everything is fried, so not the healthiest. The crab cakes are amazing. They have 3 kinds of fish. Ono, Mahi-Mahi, and not sure what the other was, but all were great. Ono was almost like chicken, because it wasn't as tender. The waffle fries are incredible too. You can also pick up some fishing equipment and bait here! read more

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OMG this fish and chips combo was awesome. I almost never eat crab cakes because I don't usually like them but these crab cakes were amazing. I highly recommend ANYTHING at Pahoa Fresh Fish. read more

This place is amazing!! They always have friendly service. The fish is so moist and tasty. For real a nap is needed after you pau eat here.

I drive 4 hours round trip to get the Ono. Sooo good! Fresh & hot served with a smile.

2 older ladies frying up some great fish and shrimp. Good slaw, throw in some fries and you're set. Had some shrimp and Mahi.....fried deliciousness prices right read more

It was just ok. We had heard amazing things about this place, so we drove 45 minutes out of our way to go here. It's in a sort of industrial strip mall. No problem! Some of the very best places are hole in the wall. We walk in and the vibe was instantly "go away." One lady working there was downright rude, completely ignoring us when we asked questions. The younger lady was nicer, but, not overly helpful. The overall attitude was that we were an inconvenience. There were no tables or chairs of any kind, inside or out. The kids all ordered fish (mahi) and chips. My husband and I ordered the combo fish (mahi), shrimp and chips, and I ordered a crab cake on the side. The fish, while fresh, was bland. No seasoning of any kind. They are generous with sauces though. I thought the shrimp was much better than the fish, but my husband thought the opposite. The crab cake was so-so. While I could see the crab, it tasted more like the fillers than crab. The coleslaw was a much needed break from all the very heavy fried food. Don't get me wrong, I love fried food! But it was really heavy. The bottom line is this was average. It definitely wasn't worth a 45 minute drive. Wouldn't go out of my way to go back, especially with the attitude, and lack of places to sit and eat. We ended up driving to a park that was super sketchy, turned around and went to a nicer shopping center and ate in our car. I will say the prices seemed pretty reasonable. read more

It's the best fried fish on this side of Big Island. They always have a great selection, good fish and good service. Mahalo!

SUPER GOOD. Get the fish and chips! We were visiting big island from Oahu and just randomly tried this place and it was the best thing we ate on the whole trip. read more

This place is great! Lots of locals so you know it's legit. The fish was super tasty, service was fast and the gal running the place was on top of it! Will definitely be back. read more

Best fish sandwich I've had. That's all I wanted to say and give it 5 stars to send a powerful message out. You know what I mean? Like "the best fish sandwich you will find!" Period! But yelp wouldn't let me post that, and said it was too short and would just post it as a tip. So I'll repeat it again: "best fish sandwich I have had." Period. Place is kind of run down, like a hole in the wall but it's cool like that. That's how it should be. Ladies are nice. Someone said they're rude but I haven't seen it. First time I came it was only one lady. A one lady show, cashier, cook, everything. It was amazing. Place was packed. One lady show, she was knocking out orders left and right. If you're in hilo side you gotta stop by this place. If you're in kona side, you gotta come out here at least once to try this place out. read more

Pahoa Fresh Fish - Menu - Fish & Chips Near Me - Pahoa, Hawaii

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Great place to go! Fast, friendly service! Big portions will fill you right up!! Sure wish they'd bring the waffle fries back, those were amazing!! read more

This place has great fish and chips! We ordered the large size and it was loaded with fish and really cool waffle style French fries. The fish was very fresh tasting and the price was very reasonable. We will be back for sure! read more

I had a delicious cod sandwich. The cod was crispy and not greasy. I loved all the lettuce they put in to add more crunch. They put just the right amount of tartar sauce so it didn't overpower it all. Very good I will be back! read more

Pahoa Fresh Fish - Cod sandwich - Fish & Chips Near Me - Pahoa, Hawaii

The poor lady working was all alone and a big line!!! I felt for her, but she managed! The fish was good, I'm not sure it was fresh caught... New Zealand it always seems and a tasted fresher. Good for the island though, very popular read more

FISH FRY! FISH FRY! WE ALL LOVE FISH FRY! This is it folks, that quintessential fish fry house. With a wide selection of local caught and alaskan fish, shrimp or prawns. Then you got your scratch made coleslaw and tartar, you got your waffle fries or onion rings and you are in fish fry heaven! Please tip them well because it's super hot back there! read more

It's a humble joint in a strip mall at the edge of town but don't judge the book by it's cover. Pahoa Fresh Fish & Chips takes a decidedly different approach to the classic. For starters, the fresh fish, usually ahi, mahi-mahi or ono, is dredged in a panko batter, which makes it crispier on the outside than traditional beer batter. And the fish inside is fresh and juicy. You can always order the traditional cod, but why? It's shipped in frozen. Hawaii's fresh caught seafood is amazing. And the chips are waffle fries, golden-brown and delicious. The frying is done in a timed pressure fryer instead of deep fried in a basket. Pro tip: forget the tartar sauce and order double coleslaw instead. You can get a container of malt vinegar, which makes it taste authentic. It's been takeout only since the pandemic, but it's still the same top quality as always. It's the veer away from the traditional, hidebound old-school fish and chips in a newspaper lining that make Pahoa Fresh Fish & Chips the best I've experienced. read more

It's fine. The fish was good and the batter is the HI standard of breadcrumbs. The seasoned waffle fries are good, but obviously not fresh. The tartar sauce is terrible- not sure why they made it sweet. I'd go again, but not anytime soon. read more

Very good fish and "chips" (waffle fries usually, curly fries as a substitute recently.). We ordered by phone and got the order just as we drove up. It's all take out for now. read more

The menu is righteous, food is good, especially the Cod. I'd Love it if they added Garlic Fries. So good!

This is a hidden gem! The best Fish and Chips in the State of Hawaii! Better Fish and Chips than Nico's Pier 38, better even than the Fish and Chips I had in Oceanside California! They correctly serve this dish with waffle fries and their house tartar sauce is delicious! The place is super rustic and well worn but the food makes up for the simple decor. If you're in Hilo and craving Fish and Chips, it's worth the drive to Pahoa! read more

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I love this place. Walk in and it smells like fish fry heaven . Fries are so good too. I order to go a lot, get the bigger plate and have left overs for 2nd meal. Best to eat it there while hot though. read more