Food and friendly staff was great. Knocking down to 3 stars for three reasons: (1) food was very slow to order; 5 entrees took about 40min to come out and came out one at a time over that time person; (2) no bathroom (walk 2 blocks to grocery store doe that), and (3) dining area is a bit stuffy (sweating). With that said, the owners are amazing people and the food is good. Had the pad see ewe, yellow curry, panang curry, and Thai iced teas. read more

I enjoyed my takeout last week. Enjoyed it even more dining in at Ratana's in Hilo. Last time, I got green papaya salad. Portion was so big, I couldn't finish. So this time, I got a green salad. It was huge too. I just barely finished. N Thank you Oy. Delicious! read more

Ratana's - Chicken satay with salad - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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I feel so very disappointed. Years ago this place was the go to spot for amazing authentic papaya salad. I used to drive from Kona just to come here for the papaya salad. The last two times I've been here is clear that the standards have gone into the trash. Small portions, absolutely zero flavor. I don't even think she puts any fish sauce into the salad. No spice and absolutely nothing in it at all that makes it up papaya salad, other than the papaya. How sad and disappointing. read more

Ratana's - Small portions zero flavor - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Great green papaya salad for reasonable price, compared to the bigger Thai restaurants around. Cute modest place, saw that they expanded and now have seating area! Had a good laugh with the cashier, fast service and fast food with quality. I got my salad hot! read more

Ratana's - Green papaya salad with avocado -hot! light on the nuts as I requested - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

We have ate Thai food all over and the red curry and coco soup were phenomenal. The service was also amazing! The owner was so kind and we love how she uses local produce and grows some herself. Highly recommend to anyone! read more

I placed a takeout order with Ratana's wanting a toss salad and some summer rolls. 10 min later I parked the car near the laundromat because there were no open parallel parking slots; walked into the store and they were bagging my food. Stood and made small talk with one of the waiters. Really nice guy. I secured the package and drove home, not realizing that part of my order was incorrect. As soon as I got home and opened the package, the summer rolls looked more like chicken satay! That was not my summer rolls. I shook my head and said "oh well" and ate the chicken. One bite and I was happy that I didn't get the right order! The food was so delicious! Yes I'm partially dissatisfied that I received the wrong order but how can I be angry when the food was just so good! The peanut sauce especially for the toss salad was a perfect texture. I would definitely come again but I'm making sure that I check what's in the plastic bag lol read more

Ratana's - Toss salad - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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The food tastes so fresh and healthy. The owner is very sweet and friendly. There's a big menu to choose from, so it can be hard to make a decision. We ordered the chicken satay with salad and shrimp spring rolls. Delicious. Can't wait to go back and try other things. read more

Ratana's - Menu - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

We split a salad with chicken & avocado - it was excellent and we were so pleased! We just wanted something that wasn't too much & the peanut sauce was great! Jeff was amazing! read more

Super good it throws you off when you walk in because you see all of their backstock there but the food is excellent quick and easy a little pricey, but you're on the big island service could be with a smile, but they know they don't care we had pad sew ew with chicken and they gave you a lemon or a lime and you squeeze it on there and it's magical delicious very flavorful lots of veggies huge portions definitely five star review service Could be better. They have like stuff laying around everywhere but that's Hawaii style so no bother but it's a place where you come grab your food to go eat by the park Coconut Island our place to go. read more

I came here to get food from another restaurant then I saw this restaurant and got the papaya salad with avocado and nuts to go and it was amazing. The people here are nice. I would definitely come back again for papaya salad because the combo works well. I got the Thai hot and it was great. read more

Ratana's - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

By far the best green papaya salad! Yes their namesake says it all. They are a variety of toppings, from shrimp, chicken and avocado. We went of the O.G. and kept it simple - the number 1 on the menu simple with pan peanuts; in specific "American spicy". The papaya had that delicious crunch, peanuts warm (freshly roasted) veggies still crisp and the dressing- perfectly sweet, sour, spicy, salty - perfect balance to get you wanting more. Also, the ladies here are so sweet and friendly. They will tell you about how spicy they can actually make their food and how hot they like to eat their food. Im so glad we stopped into this tiny shop. Although there's only two tables or so, you can eat here. We chose to take ours to go. The ladies packed everything nicely to prevent spilling. And, also included utensils. We will definitely return just for this papaya salad and to say hi! read more

Ratana's - Item 1 - Papaya Salad - one of the best I've had (ordered without tomato) - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Ordered Togo right before they closed and it was fast service and very yummy food! We ordered the shrimp summer rolls and had the best peanut sauce ever! read more

Family came here for lunch on a Wednesday while on vacation. Ordering was simple. They ask which level of spice you want and for a party of four it took 15 minutes for our lunch to be ready. We waited outside the shop by walking up and down the block and popping into nearby stores. There's an automatic filtered water dispenser so you don't have to buy water if you don't want. Food arrived piping hot and delicious. We ordered Pad Thai with Chicken, pumpkin curry and rice and the papaya salad with chicken. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meal and no one could finish because of the large portions. (Not a bad thing IMO). There is only one two seater table outside the shop so we brought our food down to the tables at the farmers market. They had live music so it was super pleasant. The only thing I'd deduct points on is the medium spice was a little bland. I am normally sensitive to spice and I've been knocked out by spicy Thai so I asked for medium, but this tasted more mild than medium. But I'd definitely go back. Great value, good food, friendly service. read more

Ratana's - Pad Thai with Chicken. Huge portion and very tasty. - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Best green papaya salad I ever had. It's so fresh and yummy. Mango sticky rice is also very good. The owner is super nice. Highly recommended read more

Ratana's - Mango sticky rice - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Ratana's is a GREAT PLACE FOR THAI FOOD! Delicious Authentic Thai curry and fantastic service.. Good menu selection too.. read more

We picked up food from this place on a weekday evening. The food was ready by the time we got there. One thing to note is that this place closes a bit early at 6PM. We ordered the Red Pineapple Curry with Tofu and Pad Thai with Chicken. Both were delicious overall. Both of them were a bit on sweeter side and not spicy at all. The Red Pineapple Curry was super creamy. There were plentiful vegetarian options here - each dish comes with avocado, tofu or chicken as the base, while other options are available as add-ons. Price-wise, it was super cheap as compared to the other restaurants in the area. Overall, definitely enjoyed eating and will be back in the future to try other options. read more

Ratana's - Red Pineapple Curry with Tofu - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Great food! Oy, owner, loves to cook and expresses it in the freshness and flavor of her dishes and her kindness. She and her beautiful daughter took such good care of us. Her papaya salad IS papaya salad-no bean sprouts as filler and the shrimp was cooked perfectly-tender and "moist", not rubbery and dry. We really liked the Thai coffee w coconut milk and the "soft ice" not cubed. It's small-only 2 tables and a few seats at a window counter. Eat there or pack it to go and head to the beach or a park. read more

Best Thai food I ever had. Tiny kitchen with only one table so it's really for take out. Owner is a lovely thai woman who does the cooking and her boyfriend runs the rest it seems. I had the red curry and it was phenomenal so was the Panang curry. She also makes Tapioca from various roots-it was perfect not too sweet. read more

I ordered Papaya salad for lunch - the order was taken immediately and I haven't eaten anything like this before. The salad was delicious and filling. Freshly made and the quantity was perfect. Quick service and even though the place is small I like the quiet place by the window very cozy and comfortable. read more

Excellent lunch combo-mixed plate all for $12. Healthy, delicious and great portion. One of the best green papaya salads I've ever had. Comes with a peanut sauce for dipping too. Friendly staff and they have one table outside to dine there. Highly recommend this place! read more

Ratana's - Mix plate special $12 - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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The website says that they were open today (Wed, June 4, 2025). When we arrived (approximately 1:00 p.m.) the front entry door was locked and no visible signs of any activity. When we came back home, I called the restaurant number 3x and no answer. Anyone know why they were closed without any prior notice? read more

I used to love Ratana's more than I do now. It seems like there are new owners. I called to make a takeout order and rather than greeting and saying something like, "Hello, This is Ratana's" It's just "Hello" with a long pause. I'm on the other end like "Uh hello, is this Ratana's Thai?" The last two times I went in to make a takeout order, I got no greeting. Customer service is not like before. The tables and countertops in the ordering area are always filled with plates of food. Makes me wonder if it's the owners half eaten food from their lunch or if it's from customers. Whatever the case, not a very welcoming environment. The food still tastes the same. Thank God! The only reason what keeps me going back is the Chicken Green Curry and Mango Sticky Rice. I am hoping things will get better. read more

The high ratings are spot on!! You can only order to-go but one of the best green papaya salads I've had! And the presentation is so awesome you almost forget it's on a take-out container! I love the combo with chicken satay, delicious doesn't say enough. Yummy freshness!!! read more

Ratana's - Green papaya salad combo w/ chicken satay!! Unbelievable deliciousness!!!! - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

This place was recommended by a buddy of ours who's a local and frequent this spot. There's no parking except for street. The place has no AC and it's a tiny place that fits about 10 people. Three tables to be exact. So I was agitated with being hot and sticky but they make up for it with the cold water that's self service from the cooler. I just want to eat salad in this weather since it feels lighter and refresh. I couldn't make up my mind on papaya or cucumber but no need to worry because there's a combo option. I added peanuts and avocado. The portions are huge and it was yummy. I got medium spice. There was even amount of everything. I felt full but not stuffed. The chicken skewers was soft like it was grilled prior and frozen then microwaved. We only ate one stick. The sauce that was given was the peanut sauce for spring rolls. The restroom is outside with two stalls. The space is really tight like on an airplane. read more

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I ordered the Mango Sticky Rice from here and it was so good! They used fresh and flavorful mango, and I really liked the coconut sauce. The rice was the perfect texture. It was too much to eat in one sitting, and the rice still had a good texture after a few days. read more

Ratana's - Menu - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Tonight, I got the Green Papaya salad with peanuts and the Coconut Soup with shrimp. Both were DELICIOUS! So so Good! Portions were generous and price was reasonable. I even have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Will definitely be back! read more

I love, love, love how Ratana's is a super small hole in the wall place that cranks out super fresh, super hot foods. We had a party of 7 asks we took up half of the restaurant. Needless to say the inside is small, but the dishes are BIG! Let me preface by saying that pretty much all dishes are accompanied by rice (mixed white and some other type I'm not familiar with). We ended up ordering shrimp Panang curry ($11). While it was a creamy, flavorful dish, I think it could've used a bit more coconut and peanut butter in the curry itself. Either that or the Panang Curry was diluted by the rice bowl it was mixed in with. Or maybe it was style of Thai cooking I'm not used to. We also decided on chicken Pad Se Ew ($10). However instead of wide rice noodles, Pad Thai style noodles and was more like pad Thai. Our last entree was a spicy shrimp (are huge) papaya salad ($10). This dish was by far the best item here for me. It has all the properties of what a papaya should have. The spicy, salty, slightly sweet, limey acid added to the home grown fresh, crunchy papaya was excellent. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS MENU ITEM. What I was really excited to try was sticky mango rice dessert, but by the time we finished the food we were beyond stuffed. I really like this place, and I absolutely recommend Ratana's but I wish some of the entree flavors were a bit bolder. read more

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This is the best place for combo green papaya salad and avocado summer rolls on the island!

Every Thai meal I've enjoyed in Hilo is good or better. This little family-run gem stands out because: The portions are most generous. The curries have full flavor with noticeably less sugar. The Thai Chile is homegrown and handpressed in the family's tradition. Chef Oy glows with healthy energy and friendly service, and her children are adorable. Insider tip: if you order in advance, Chef Oy may be able to offer an incredible Thai chili oil or a delicious garlic and olive oil mix. I get both! The papaya salad is on par with the best in East Hawaii. All of these add up to a great value and a well earned 5 star review. Mahalo! read more

The food here is flavorful, unpretentious, and reasonably priced. A perfect place for fresh papaya salad topped with local ingredients (avocados, nuts, local limes). We enjoyed the pumpkin red curry, too. The best part: this place is around the corner from the farmer's market and you can easily get quick take-out, so we ended up with a fab picnic lunch in Lili'uokalani Park, complete with local fruits for dessert. The owners are friendly and generous. Highly worth a visit. read more

Ratana's - Papaya salad combo with avocado and nuts. Rad picnic spot = Lili'uokalani Park - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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In Hilo for work and had a lunch break - luckily my coworker found this place (on Yelp, of course) for us to try. Small, casual place with a straightforward menu with pictures (for us visual people, thank you). I ordered the coconut soup (or tom kah) with tofu and medium spicy level. My boyfriend's favorite Thai dish is tom kah, so I wanted to compare. Omg, it's like liquid comfort served nice and warm! We found out that tom kah is the owner's specialty, and I definitely agree. The spicy level was comfortable for me, so I'll probably try the spiciest next time. Wish me luck. I'm looking forward to coming back the next time I'm in Hilo! The food is delicious - and crazy affordable! $9 for a huge bowl of soup and $1.35 for a can of ginger ale. There was a sign warning that prices are going up for the food by $1, but I would still pay $10 for that soup for sure. read more

Ratana's - Tom kah soup (a.k.a. coconut soup) - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

The food is amazing! Best Thai food in Hilo! The owner is really friendly. I'm just not clear on the hours and there's some seating inside but I'd rather order take out read more

Ratana's is a must if you on this side of hilo I was initially skeptical as the front doesn't look that appealing but once you try their papaya salad and pineapple Thai Curry along with their mango sticky rice is to die for The ambiance is not that great but at the end of the day it's about the quality of food and trust me you won't regret it read more

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A very clean restaurant owned by women. This store has no fancy decorations but you feel comfortablely eating the food made from them. Very clean working place and notuce that the shelf is very organized and neat too. As for food, definitely taste the freshness What we order 1. Papaya salad with shrimp. Omg, the shrimp is very big and fresh. 2. Pad Thai, usually not my thing, however I tastedonw bite from hubby's plate. It is good. 3. Shrimp red curry with rice. The best , must get! 4. Fried rice with chicken satay. Chicken datay is very tender. They use purple rice which I am bery impressed because of the cost. They really want to deliver healthy and tasty food to customers. Please support!! read more

Ratana's - Too good, forgot to take pic before meal. Shrimp red curry. - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Mango sticky rice was amazing, called way ahead of time to order and it was still hot when we picked it up. read more

Ratana's - Mango sticky rice - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Small, little hole in the wall type of place with big flavor and sweet service. My family and I are huge Thai food fans and this place did not disappoint. We ordered a variety of dishes and each of our dishes were so delicious. Serving sizes were generous and everything was so fresh. What we ordered: Avocado Spring Rolls with peanut sauce: This was so fresh and the peanut sauce was some of the best I've ever had. Pumpkin Red Curry: I'm a sucker for this pumpkin curry and this one had lots of flavor and a lot of pumpkin, which I love. Pad Thai: Great flavor, noodles, veggies and sauce were all very tasty. Better than most I've tried at other restaurants. Massaman Curry: We have never tried this type before, but it was delicious. Loved the sweet, yet spicy flavors and the pineapple was a nice surprise. Sticky Mango Rice: SOOOO GOOD!! If you have room for dessert, even if you don't, make room! This was a great treat to finish off the meal. Service was easy. You ordered at the counter, tell them what protein. Yes, they have vegan options! Hooray! Tell them spice level and they'll do the rest. The two ladies behind the counter are very kind as well. The food is dished in biodegradable containers as well. Oh, and if you're looking for a yummy drink. The lilikoi juice is fresh and refreshing. Their thai iced tea is yummy too and I love that you can have it with coconut milk as an option. If you're in downtown Hilo, check out this place, you'll be fat and happy! read more

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First visit, to-go only which was very quick as in about 5 mins. for one mixed plate box. I ordered the papaya salad/brown rice/chicken satay w/peanut sauce, $12. The serving size perfect for a hungry person, presentation very appealing, and flavor was really fresh and delicious. I ordered med. spice level which was just the perfect bit of kick without over powering. Chicken nice and moist, crisp salad refreshing with yummy light dressing (love the mix of avo/cuc/tom), and brown rice great texture. Very pleased overall and felt price/portion fair. Can't wait to try the curry and mango sticky rice. read more

I am one of Happy loyal customers.. whenever don't feel like cooking at home, I always buy foods from Ratana's and never has been disappointed. Love love love!!! Da best forget da rest! read more

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Highly recommend this Thai place! Taste is very authentic with good portions served. It was so delicious we went back 2 days in a row! Can't wait to return, literally the best Thai that we've ever tasted in all the islands!!! Wish they opened every day and not just weekdays but I'm sure they need a break :) read more

Coconut Soup is delicious! You have a choice of having it spicy or mild & with chicken or beef. I took it mild w/ chicken & it was just . I loved the chunky pieces of vegetables and chicken pieces Tho' I think I may have gotten the end of the pot, for I had to take out quite alot of ginger pieces, lemongrass stalks and bay leaves . I'd still order it next time tho' read more

Ratana's - Fresh Mango sticky rice (rice Is under the mango) And Green papaya salad - Thai Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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