Fantastic service and attention from the whole staff! Cozy atmosphere with great music. Every dish…read morewas meticulously crafted with unique flavors, perfectly cooked. We loved the sizzlin tepanyaki poke with Ono and the desserts. Chef Mark and the staff do a wonderful job of showing off the flavors of Hilo...miso infused caramel on a fluffy cheesecake...I'm gonna be thinking about that dinner for a long time!

My wife and I stopped by Moon & Turtle for dinner during our brief visit to Hilo and we had a…read morefantastic meal. We showed up right when they opened at 5:30 p.m. without reservations on a Wednesday evening and was luckily able to get seated at the bar. Between the two of us, we ordered a bunch of items off the "small" section of the menu, including the smokey sashimi, sizzling tetsuyaki poke, smoked tonnato caesar, crispy rice, and their special of the day -- agedashi wontons. Of the items we ordered, the crispy rice and the agedashi wontons were my favorite items. The crispy rice is priced per piece, and you'll certainly want to order at least two per person, because one is simply not enough. The rice block is fried a beautiful golden brown -- similar to a hash brown. The crispy rice pairs perfectly with the ono mixture on top of it. With the agedashi wontons, I initially thought the filling was a bit under-seasoned at first, but when enjoyed with the broth, the wonton comes out tasting perfectly seasoned. The broth had so much umami to it and the wonton had the perfect crunch to it I always love a good Caesar salad and the one here is spectacular. With anchovy croutons, shaved cured egg yolk, and smoked ahi dressing, you're getting some creative, premium ingredients in this salad and everything works so well together. Even if you're not a salad person, I would definitely recommend giving this dish a try. On top of delicious food, the service at Moon & Turtle was spectacular. Food was promptly brought out after we placed our order, pacing didn't ever feel rushed, our water cups were never empty, and our server checked on us regularly to make sure we had everything we needed without being overbearing. I would definitely stop by Moon & Turtle again if I'm in Hilo.

ALWAYS A GREAT DECISION TO COME HERE!!…read more The food and service is always on point. Really cool locally owned restaurant. We usually get the sizzling steak and/or korean chicken salad. Never disappoints. Mahalo kenichi crew

Our high school club chose to eat here to support a local business for our end-of-year celebration,…read morebut the experience was unfortunately very stressful for our students and staff. We spent two and a half months planning this event. My club treasurer and I confirmed the price on seven different occasions--five times over the phone and twice in person. Each time, we were quoted just over $600 with about a $110 in tips, which we paid in full two days before the party. However, the day before the event, we were told there was a miscalculation and we needed to pay another $400. Because our students had only fundraised the amount we were originally quoted, we had to remove two people from our party and downgrade our menu which did not include drinks anymore. We requested to bring our own drinks due to the last-minute budget change, but we were told we could "only bring alcohol and no outside sodas and juices." It was disappointing that this was the only accommodation offered to a group of high school students. During the party, we also encountered several cleanliness issues. We found hair in the food and cockroaches in the rice, as well as on the walls and near the buffet area. I am totally not joking about the food; I was shocked by what we saw. The servers were very polite and apologized when we let them know, but it was a major concern for us. I understand that accidents happen, but this was a very difficult situation for our club after so much careful planning. Personally, I will not be eating here again for a long time.

That garlic rice! Get the garlic rice. Ahi don with the garlic rice is my go-to. Even the bentos…read morethey make are great if you're in a bit of a hurry.

I ordered the Katsu and it was fantastic, with tender meat and a crunchy crust. The garlic rice is…read moretasty with a hint of curry flavor. The salad was fresh and the sesame vinaigrette was well balanced. Highly recommend!

Food 4/5 - Ordered chicken katsu plate and a side of pork fried rice. Chicken katsu was fried…read morenicely and the breading was fine. It was definitely a bigger portion than I expected. The pork fried rice had very good "wok-hei" great flavor. Miso soup was watery and was lacking flavor, although it was served nice and hot. Price $$ - Price is good with the portions that were served. Service 3/5 - Service is average, we needed to flag down a server to refill our drinks. Ambiance 3/5 - Interior is fine but not much of a Japanese theme, the lanterns remind me of a Chinese restaurant. Overall - Had a pleasant experience and would visit again.

Daiichi Ramen is a local chain of restaurants serving local style ramen and katsu platters…read more We dined in for dinner on a weekday and was served fairly fast. This isn't a place that serves Japanese style ramen, but more on the Hawaii style closer to sailing where the broth isn't as strong. I would say their tonkotsu ramen is a 3/5 because of their soup base feels watery and lacks substance. However, their beef curry seems to be made with Japanese roux cubes so it tasted authentic (4/5). If you're looking for fast, good portions, and local style ramen or katsu, Daiichi definitely can satisfy your craving.

Fantastic food service, great taste and family friendly environment. Waiter was attentive and…read morehelpful. Red Curry Chicken and large Shrimp were very tasty. The spiciness was spot on for me as I asked for spicy but not the top. If you like spicy this is a definite. Definitely would go back and family owned which makes it great.

Do you know how excited I was to finally try this place? Olympic-level excited. I know good Thai…read more I've eaten Thai in places where the menu doesn't apologize to you in English. The reviews sold me. And then... reality arrived. The server was lovely but clearly trapped in a one-person reenactment of Kitchen Nightmares. Two of us ordered dinner at the same time. My partner received their entrée. Then their sides. Then time to reflect on life. I received... nothing. Not even "sorry"' from the kitchen. Only the server had the decency to acknowledge the mess. About 40 minutes later--after my partner had fully completed dinner, digestion, and emotional closure--they brought my entrée. I asked for extra veggies and "Thai hot." What I got was Mild Regret of neither with a garnish of panic: two heaping tablespoons of raw hot peppers dumped on top like a dare. That's not "Thai hot," that's "we forgot and now we're improvising." At this point, I asked for it to go, because I wasn't about to sit there eating solo like I missed the memo that dinner was a relay race. Also: summer rolls require basil. Basil. Not iceberg lettuce. Iceberg lettuce belongs in a 1994 suburban salad bar, not in Thai cuisine. There was zero concept of food arriving together, or being cooked to order, or basic culinary logic. That said--I'm a generous soul. They need a chance to redeem what was, without exaggeration, a masterclass in how not to run dinner service.

Great food, fast service! Daughter's fave place to eat in…read moreKea'au. Walnut Shrimp & Pad Thai is a must.

I'm absolutely loving the food at Peppercorns Spice! The service is top-notch - friendly, fast, and…read moresuper efficient. The ambiance is cozy and inviting, and the restaurant is always clean and tidy.

Nori's is a shining landmark in the childhood memories of my SO, a cozy, homestyle establishment…read moreknown fondly among the locals. After an impulsive flight to the sleepy town of Hilo, we just had to stop by and see how this iconic institution had fared. Straight up - they don't make it easy. It seems that Nori's has shifted their business, and don't even offer dine-in service anymore. Hours are extremely limited for take-out only, from 11-6 on Friday-Sunday. That being said, the people working were incredibly kind, and locals still filtered through to purchase chocolate mochi and snacks. It's got that low-key, homey vibe that truly feels like an escape from the big city. Parking is easy in their big lot that is shared with a sports bar, where the hours don't overlap much. We placed our order and waited in the little wooden two person booths, a wistful reminder of the dining experience of the past. Ancient newspaper articles from the cornerstone Tribune Herald adorned the walls, above aging gumball and toy machines with quarter turners. I still remember the satisfying click as the machine released a rush of colorful runts, or perhaps a gumball into a plastic vortex. Anyways, check out the pictures - servings here are NOT for the faint of heart. We ordered a Big Plate (for two people, allegedly), which included mac salad, fried noodles, musubis, kalbi, fish jun, bbq beef, and chicken skewers. For a little over $30, I swear we could've eaten for a couple days. They literally gave us a catering pan of food, with a mountain of mac salad in a separate container. - Kalbi - Sweet, flavorful, meaty. Not the most tender short rib, but top tier marinade. - BBQ Beef - Tasty, tender, and thin cut. Solid offering. - Fried Fish - Jun style with egg batter, amazingly flaky and moist. Tartar sauce included had a little mustard zing to it. - Chicken Skewers - While overcooked and dry, these were so delicious I wanted more. The brushed sauce was so sweet and savory. - Musubis - Massive rice balls with a strip of nori. Probably like 2 scoop rice each at least. Nothing special but gotta have da rice. - Fried noodles - Soft and springy, a bit bland compared to the proteins, but dear god this was a heaping pile that could feed a small family. - Mac Salad - Bland. Needs salt, vinegar, anything more to elevate it. Again, they gave a generous serving, but we barely touched this one. We also tried the hilo style saimin. We must be looking at a different dictionary cuz the "small" was quite large. Fresh, springy noodles in a silky, savory saimin broth, adorned with the traditional naruto, spam, and green onion accompaniments. It's pricier than most at almost $10, but it's fresh and you won't be hungry. I'm impressed at the relative value that Nori's offers in today's economy, but sad at their limited take-out only hours. I hope that one day they return to their full, former glory.

They've been open ever since 1983 and the experts of classic saimin with generous toppings. They do…read morenot skimp. There is spam, egg, char su, and wonton if you choose the Hilo special. The broth is on the salty side and is based from dried seaweed. At this time it's take out only. No dine in. Accepts card and cash. Call in ahead of time to avoid a wait. They are a no fufu business, just straight to the point saimin. They got rice plates and BBQ meat too! (: Happy yelping and eating!

My favorite is soft Gau gee mein & shrimp egg fu young & crispy won ton..Also service is great..the…read moreamount they give is alot..

Love the Service,Food and location. They are very Accommodating…read more Wait time is GREAT!!!!!

I could never find the location! The address wasn't accurate. I even called the place and another…read moreperson from another island answered. I became frustrated and just left.

My Aloha First Friday fav in downtown Hilo! & everyone else's for that matter, judging by the long…read moreline snaking around their food truck. Plain & simple, the food is anything but. Big Island Fusion takes popular local dishes & elevates them to the next level with their own unique flair. I have to give them 5 stars because I'm extremely picky about how I choose to indulge in this type of food. & they do it right. The Wasabi Masago Krispy Ahi tastes as delicious as it sounds. You can't go wrong with deep fried sushi. Ever. & with every so many bites of the poke, you're hit with that sweet burn of the wasabi. Yum. The Krispy Soy Ginger Chicken is amazing. Legit pieces of perfectly fried chicken (none of that 99% fat & tendon, 1% actual meat you'll find at many local plate lunch fast food joints), with a flavorful sauce. You also get a side of rice & sweet potato Mac salad. Sometimes they'll have a sampler plate on the specials menu. Get this. It's like a greatest hits album but in edible form. Oh & don't forget to douse your dish with some of their chili pepper water! Onolicious local grindz is really the best way to describe the food here. Everything is just so well seasoned. Portions are proportionate to the prices, which are higher than your average plate lunch fare, but keep in mind this isn't your average plate lunch fare. I look forward to seeing what other specials they'll serve up at future First Friday events!

Surprisingly legit Viet food served in a cozy cafe environment by a really kind and generous owner…read morewith very reasonable prices! The papaya salad was so delicious- generous portion of shredded green papaya topped with lots of crunch peanuts and fried shallots. The entire table gobbled it up. I had a small chicken pho and it was super refreshing, light, and savory with lots of tender chicken pieces. It was plenty for my stomach! The owner was so kind towards our school aged child, he brought out a balloon and candies for her and it made her day. So sweet and kind!

The Best Pho We've Ever Had - Hidden Gem in Hilo!…read more We eat pho everywhere--from the mainland to different parts of Hawaii--and Pho 99 in Hilo absolutely blew us away. From the outside, it's easy to overlook: a total hole-in-the-wall spot with a modest exterior. But don't be fooled. The moment you step inside, the friendly service and incredible aroma let you know you're in for something special. The broth was hands-down the best we've ever tasted--rich, clear, perfectly seasoned, and deeply comforting. Every bite was packed with flavor and freshness. The meat was tender and high quality, and the noodles had the perfect texture. You can tell they take serious pride in their food here. If you're in Hilo and even thinking about pho, do yourself a favor and stop here. It's one of those rare, unforgettable meals that makes you wish you had discovered it sooner. We'll be talking about this bowl of pho for a long time.