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    Paul's Place

    4.7 (546 reviews)
    Open 7:30 am - 2:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

    Paul's Place Photos

    Business Info

    PAUL'S PLACE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Casual
    Quiet
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Paul's Place

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    Belgian waffle
    Haley F.

    Still amazing as always. Paul is wonderful and suggests great recommendations to add to the dishes. The coffee was top tier this time, my husband loved it, great taste even for someone like me who typically avoids high caffeine. If it's anything I can hammer down on, please please please text to inquire on reservations!

    Everything is always perfect!!!! Cozy comfortable and very welcoming Been a go to for 10 years

    Pasta de Marco

    Dining at Paul's Place felt like a very special treat each time we ate there during a recent visit to Hilo. The food was creative, delicious, healthy, and beautifully presented. We enjoyed the Breakfast Caprese, Pasta de Marco, and Smoked Salmon Benedict. The table settings were charming in a country cottage way, reflecting the same careful attention to detail as the food and the service. Paul's warm hospitality and delightful sense of humor made us feel at home and well cared for, leaving us with not only satisfied tummies but also happy souls as we started our days. Dining here was definitely a highlight of our trip, and we look forward to coming back.

    Big menu
    Glenda C.

    Great food!! So fresh and delicious. Made to order. Paul cooks everything, so awesome. 1st time here, small cozy place. Super cute. Reservations required but well worth the personal service. We enjoyed everything. Ate a little of everything. Lots of variety and big menu

    Breakfast Caprese
    Julia T.

    YOU MUST MAKE RESERVATIONS AHEAD OF TIME !!!!! Reserve ahead of time or you most likely won't get seated. There's very limited seating inside maybe 3 tables at most. Everything is cooked in the small kitchen so dishes come out 1 by 1. I ordered the breakfast caprese and it was quite delicious. Blistered tomatoes with 2 eggs cheese zucchini onion Kalamata olives on a crostini. Very fresh and seasoned well. You can't go wrong with fresh ingredients. Knocking off a star since it was a bit pricey for what you get. Overall it was a lovely experience. Very intimate setting.

    Daria B.

    Very nice place, delicious food; make sure you book in advance. There are only 3 tables there.

    Kelly S.

    A year ago we came to the island and walked into Paul's place. Without a reservation, we didn't eat but it was the kindest rejection of our lives. Paul is as personable, kind and genuine as they come. This year, on Valentines's we were able to enjoy his restaurant after making a reservation. The experience was above and beyond what we could have ever imagined. Threes tables and one hot plate. Every meal is cooked to order and delicious. I joked he ruined every other restaurant for us. The waitress is also the best manners and kind. When we visit another island my husband and I already said we'd island hop just to see Paul again.

    Paul's kitchen!
    Suzanne M.

    Quaint cute brunch place in Hilo next to the Farmer's Market. Make a reservation in advance as there are only 3 tables in the restaurant. Paul is a one man show! Felt like I was a guest in his house. Friend and I shared the Belgian waffle and his specialty Pasta de Marco. Waffle was crispy, fluffy and light topped with strawberries and banana. Pasta de Marco was a crust of angel hair pasta with smoked salmon, tomato, capers, olives, feta topped with arugula. Very unique and tasty dish!

    Super good waffles!!
    Judy C.

    My love, my soulmate said (after dining at Paul's Place) "This is the best meal he ever had in Hilo" & I agree with him. Paul's Place is a GEM in downtown Hilo. All thanks to my coworker, we were talking about Hilo and how he looks forward to his visit at Paul's Place, he recommends this biz. I searched Yelp and bookmarked PP. During February, I had no luck with getting a reservation but luckily a last minute trip to the Big Island this past weekend, I got a 1 pm time slot, Yay, I'll take it. Which was perfect as I got more time to explore Hilo before breakfast and got to check out the shops and farmer's market nearby. I love it when the stars aligned! Keep in mind, the restaurant is very small & cute, only 3 tables and run by chef/owner Paul, reservations are totally recommended. Love the fun, charming decor Paul mentioned the decors are done by his girls. while waiting for our meals, I noticed Paul prepares meals with just 1 skillet and 1 burner, in his cute little kitchen space. Wow. he got great cooking skills! Since we already had breakfast and were still stuffed, we tried and opt for lunch options, a few of the items on the menu were sold out, got 2 entrees: Pasta De Marco and Fish Bowl and they were Amazing dishes. Pasta de Marco ( $24.95) I've never had anything similar to this entree ever, I loved it. Everything on this plate went so well together and cake noodle but Italian style, wow! Fish Bowl is market price ($29.95) reminds of a stew/cioppino, comes with shrimp and fresh fish of the day which is Mahi Mahi, on bed of pasta and bread. As I was eating this, it brought back memories of Mama's Fish House, everything taste so fresh in that bowl of goodness! The famous waffles, we were super stuffed and only could have a few bites! Omg, fresh crispy Belgium waffles with fruits and just the right amount of sauce, not too sweet. I loved this, never had waffles for the longest time and it hit the spot. The last waffles I had was the frozen Belgium waffles from Costco, hehe years ago. Thank you Chef Paul & his one staff team, it was really nice meeting and chatting with you! He is super friendly, before dining at Paul's I was kind of scared/shy due to me being anti social at times but don't worry he is really a cool super nice guy! Totally recommend, you can THANK me later as I will be thanking my coworker for the recommendation, when he is back from Summer break! As of now, I am texting Chef Paul to get me in for next month, hehe. I want to try the benedict, need more Pasta De Marco and waffles tooooo!!

    Belgium waffles with added bacon
    Jon O.

    RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED to this tiny restaurant with just two tables! Really enjoyed the fantastic breakfast here at Paul's Place. I had a stack of Belgium waffles that were topped with lots of fruit and came with heated syrup. I added on bacon and it came out just like I like it, extra crispy! My wife had the eggs benedict that Paul admitted was non-traditional, but the egg was poached perfectly and was paired with lots of veggies and fruit. Best part of our breakfast was the service. Paul and his staff engage with everyone like they're family or longtime friends. Prices are a tad high, but each dish is hand made fresh and he takes his time to make sure you're satisfied with your meal. Please remember to text him for reservations so you aren't turned away, I believe he takes up to a week in advance.

    Bob T.

    You need a reservation or some luck. This place is minutes from Hilo airport and a remarkable place to eat... if you can get in. The food is remarkable and Paul, the owner/chef is a treasure. The problem is the restaurant has only three 2-person tables. I had their Smoked Salmon Benedict. It was soooo tasty. Everything was fresh. I also tasted some of the lightest-yet-still-with-some-crunchiness Belgian Waffle I've ever had. And the coffee was remarkable, even for Hawai'i. If you're flying into Hilo, you're minutes away from Paul's Place. Do yourself a favor and make this place your first stop on the way to Volcanos National Park (or whatever you're doing). It's a great way to start your day.

    Pasta de Marco
    Lorie G.

    Always make reservations in advance if you want to eat here. I saw at least 10 groups of people get turned away. This place is a gem and Paul is such a nice and creative fellow that cooks with heart. On our table of three, we had the Belgian waffles, pasta de Marco and the Caprese breakfast. The waffles were nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside - served with whipped cream, banana and strawberries. Chef's pasta de Marco is such a different dish for breakfast, but a wonderful surprise - angel hair pasta cooked with olive oil and held together with an egg; and topped with pesto, Mediterranean green olives, bits of bacon, salmon and more (comes with 2 pieces of bread). The Caprese breakfast had assorted tomatoes, mozzarella, fried egg on a crostini with bacon and assorted fruits and radish. Overall, service is always excellent, food is so delicious and I love how small and intimate this place feels. I look forward to coming here again when visiting Hilo.

    Peggy B.

    Just simply fabulous!! (Is that an oxymoron?). Small place which made it even better ..and the dishes Paul prepared were soooo good! Each was personalized and prepared fresh that one dish came at a time which was fine with us! It was worth ignoring that table etiquette and we dove right in to the food. The flavors were fantastic and blended so there was just the right amount of "yeah, that's a Benedict" and "wow!..didn't know a Benedict could taste like that!". GO! You will not regret it! So... the added strawberry on top of the waffle...hehe..was it was my 60th birthday we were celebrating in Hilo and when Paul and his niece maybe (?) found out, I was given the "queen" treatment complete with a tiara and birthday sash to take with, and presented with a birthday waffle plate that was one of the most special experiences in this 60th year of life so far! Thank you from the bottom of my heart ., to the top of my happy stomach for such a wonderful gift!

    Chef's Pasta de Marco

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    Beautiful place, smelled beautiful- but this place requires reservations at 7 am, don't just drop by or you will be sorely disappointed!

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    Business owner information

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    Paul C.

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    Page 8 of 14

    Ask the Community - Paul's Place

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    Coffee Girl is no doubt one of the coffee spots Hilo can boast about although it wasn't super…read moreimpressive in my opinion. This, however, is not to say that it doesn't have charms in it. Mostly in mint color, the interior is simple and yet it does emit a lot of cuteness. What was eye catching to us was the swing inside at one of the side windows. Whether it's okay for a person to actually sit on it to enjoy a little swing time is something I didn't find out from the young lady who manned the upfront bar by herself, if it's solely as a decorative piece to create the kind of ambiance this place suits to manifest, it does do a lot to attract visitors' attention. The lady was quiet and yet kind enough to give us everything we needed for the late morning walk into the town. My daughter and I wanted to split quads of espresso shots so that was our only order and yet we needed two separate cups with lots of ice in each cup with a little side cream (half and half) so we could make our own iced latte or cappuccino later (we didn't want ice immediately after the espresso was made as it would have diluted the coffee had it been made that way. Sounded like it was a little too much to ask which we felt a bit awkward. The kind lady simply did everything for us. Thanks to her for being so accommodating to our demanding needs!!) The shop is located from other businesses oceanfront so it's walkable to other things as long as you are talking "the center of Hilo". So for the location, convenience, cute ambiance and patience in service, we enjoyed our quick pick up experience while we were in town.

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    Cute sitting area!
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    Cute sign
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    Fruit mochi - Cherry Mochi, Rainier Cherry Mochi, Mandarin Orange Mochi, Grape Mochi, Peach Mochi, Strawberry Mochi, Li Hing Mui Apple Mochi
    For a limited time their new li hing mui apple mochi!
    For a limited time their new li hing mui apple mochi!
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    I stopped by Puna Chocolate Company for an afternoon coffee and ordered an espresso. It wasn't…read moreterribly busy in the store so my drink was prepared in minutes. The espresso was strong, not overwhelmingly bitter, and had a good consistency to it. While sitting at the bar, I noticed that they had a Day Drink menu with a bunch of coffee and chocolate cocktails, including an espresso martini and a cacao old fashioned. For $14 and $13 respectively, these seemed like very reasonable prices. Definitely something I'll check out on my next visit. On the right side of the store is a gift shop, while the left side has a bunch of seating for patrons. I noticed there were a few people here with their laptops out, so I can only assume it's also a good place to work as well. The store seemed pretty quiet, street parking outside was easy, and the staff I interacted with here was friendly. Puna Chocolate Company is a good rest spot to stop by to escape from the busyness of Downtown Hilo.

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    Entry to Puna Chocolate Company & Cafe
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    Inside Puna Chocolate Company & Cafe
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    Paul's Place - breakfast_brunch - Updated June 2026

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