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    Tina's Garden Cafe

    4.4 (361 reviews)
    ModerateThai, New American
    Open 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

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    TINA'S GARDEN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Brown rice
    Ariana A.

    First of all, I'm so glad this place was open after the storm. Secondly, It felt great eating green curry here. The food was absolutely delicious and the host, Ray, was a genuinely nice and sweet person. Also, every little thing there seemed to have thoughts behind that. I loved it and definitely come back here again on my next visits to the Big Island.

    Summer Rolls with Shrimp
    Kalena Z.

    I cannot believe I've passed this place so many times and have only managed to eat here now! Located in downtown Hilo facing Bayfront, Tina's Garden Cafe is a cute hole-in-the-wall restaurant filled with little trinkets and homey decor. My aunty chose this place for lunch because she was craving their tom kha and I am so happy I tagged along! We ordered summer rolls with shrimp, pad kee mao with chicken (they had it on special), and the tom kha with shrimp. My favorite thing about all of the dishes we had was the vegetables; they were good quality and they used a lot of vegetables in every dish. The summer rolls came with a peanut sauce and it was tasty and fresh. We ordered it with shrimp and it came with six pieces. I was excited to see pad kee mao was on special and ordered it but it was sadly lacking flavor; I wouldn't order this next time. However, the real star of the show was the tom kha. We ordered it with shrimp and it also included carrot, spinach, heart of palm, pumpkin, and celery. The soup was SO delicious and has a perfect balance of sweet and sour while still having that thick consistency. I would 100% come back several times for this soup and wish I took a photo but was too excited for it. Service was great! The servers are genuine, nice people and were also very attentive. Just a heads up that if you need takeout containers, they do charge $1 for a container. There's a parking lot outside the restaurant but you're competing with patrons of other businesses downtown so be prepared to walk a few minutes from your car if it's a busy time.

    One of the beautiful and delicious sticky mango and rice!
    Mae I.

    This place is locally owned and authentic Thai food made by Thai cook. The place is super cute and clean, food presentation was beautiful and the flavor was delicious. Our server was so cute and friendly. Even my Aunt who lives locally (Hilo) will definitely come back to this place.

    Thai pizza
    Nandini H.

    Stopped by for a late lunch and it was good. Portion sizes are pretty huge and feels clean and healthy. They have vegan options.I wasn't the biggest fan of the Thai pizza but loved the soup and Mango sticky rice. Service is friendly and ambience is casual and warm with interesting figurines and charts about Hawaii produce which I found very informative.

    Menu
    Joanne J.

    Beautiful menu, literally a beautiful menu. It's so helpful to have pictures. Quiet little place. Nic waited on us, very knowledgeable of the local ingredients and where they come from. I ordered the Tom Kah Soup with the fresh local mushrooms (medium spice) and.......this place gets 5 BIG GIANT GOLDEN STARS WITH SPRINKLES AND some SHAZAM!!! I've never had anything like this before, I never want this dinner to end. I can't believe what is going on in my mouth (Keep it clean, now)! My husband ordered yellow curry with mushroom, very good but not as good as mine. Someone at another table ordered the pizza and I would like to sink my teeth into that!!!! This is the best meal we've had in the island. By the way, I am very stingy with my 5 stars and this place gets them!

    Cheyenne G.

    I ate the spicy tuna summer roll a total of 6 times during my 3 week trip to Hilo. I can't recommend it enough! The flavor of the tuna is incredible, and the heat it packs is the perfect amount. I would eat this everyday if I could! Beyond that, the staff is so incredibly kind! Definetly check this place out if you're ever in Hilo!

    Panang curry with chicken
    Daniel M.

    This spot has quick and friendly service and huge portions and vegan options. I tried the garden rolls with tofu which was alright. The tofu burrito is much better (and huge)! The chicken panang was good and flavorful with a nice mix of veggies. Wish I got more rice with the curry.

    My first plate with all the goodies including good vegetables and lots of chicken
    Mark F.

    Glad we found Tina's. Excellent menu and the food was very high quality. Very relaxed atmosphere soft music playing in the background nice cool gentle breeze made for a wonderful lunch. I ordered the panaang curry with chicken and a side of rice and it did not disappoint. Panaang Curry was very very mild, would have liked a little bit more heat but it was great. My husband ordered the Summer mixed fruit salad which includes lychee, mango, watermelon, shredded carrots, cucumber, fresh lilikoi, roasted peanuts, garlic, Thai seasoning sauce, brown sugar, lime. A little spicy but most excellent. A very good experience at Tina's garden Cafe!

    Papaya salad and tumeric chicken roll

    Quite tasty and really sweet employees! We liked it so much the first night we came right back for dinner the second night Tried the papaya salad, tumeric chicken roll, red curry, and yellow curry. All were delicious!

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    1 year ago

    All aspects of Tina's were positive from serving size, quality and a staff. You could not complain about anything!

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    2 years ago

    Service is great, and the quality of the food was phenomenal. I would highly recommend the Thai pizza.

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    2 years ago

    Service was great. The food was incredibly fresh. Everything is made to order if I lived here I'd wanna eat her every single day.

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    1 year ago

    Service is good and the new owner is very nice but they don't serve fried rice which is a staple in Thai cuisine

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    2 years ago

    Mindblowing delicious food, we had the curry, chicken wrap and papaya salad. It was all super good!

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    3 years ago

    Food average not great, Didn't have many classic Thai dishes on menu, mostly salads and curries. No noodle dishes.

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    Page 2 of 10

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    The Booch Bar - Fish sandwich w/ blackened catch of the day well seasoned 5/5. sweet potato with green onion 3/5. pickle 5/5 spicy with a crunch.

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    We have been regular patrons of Hilo Bay Cafe for years, usually dining here at least once a month,…read moreso this review is long overdue. The view from the restaurant's lānai is truly like no other in Hilo. It is one of our favorite places to slow down, enjoy the beauty of Hilo Bay, and spend time with good family and friends. The food is consistently ʻono, the drinks are excellent, and the service always makes us feel welcome. For us, Hilo Bay Cafe is more than a place to enjoy a meal, it is a place where we have shared many wonderful moments with the people we care about. We always look forward to returning.

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    Quaint local restaurant that has a creative menu with a personal flare of the Owner chef. Staff is…read morevery knowledgeable about their menu and makes excellent recommendations. My husband and I sat at the bar and enjoyed the excellent company of our bartender server who gave excellent descriptions of the menu items ...making our mouth water before we even ordered our dinner. At Her recommendation, we enjoyed the ricotta gnocchi's As our shared starter and the pan seared local Opah fish dish which was amazing.. Reservations are highly recommend as this is a locals favorite... so tables fill quickly.. and you don't want to miss this exquisite restaurant in service and food quality!

    I usually avoid writing reviews for heavily reviewed businesses, but I'm making an exception for…read morethis one as it was the best eatery my wife and I visited during our nearly week long honeymoon on the Big Island split between Hilo and Kona. We ordered the risotto, fresh catch (marlin), crispy rice, gnocchi, and finished off with the mac nut ganache mascarpone pots de crème. We did share a Lemon peel lemonade cocktail. The Lemon peel lemonade was basically spiked lemonade. Well balanced for being a tart oriented drink, but I didn't care for the floating bits. The risotto which comes in full and half order, was very rich and had chunks of mushrooms for flavor. We're glad we got the half as this was a heavy, rich, and cheesy entrée on its own. If you love risotto, you will love this dish. The marlin was perfectly cooked and balanced out with a locally inspired vegetable succotash. Fried bits of kalo were also added in for added texture. The special and new item, the gnocchi was the star of the show. This is by far the fluffiest gnocchi we've ever had. Crispy on the outside, little potato clouds of fluff on the inside. The gnocchi came over a tasty sauce with bits of fried onion for absolute perfection. The crisp rice was recommended by Yelpers and it was alright, crispy rice with a spoon of poke. Not bad, but did not live up to the hype. Get another order of the gnocchi instead. It's fairly rare to see pots de crème on restaurant menus, specials or not, so we had to get this. It came in a cute little glass jar, with rich chocolate and mascarpone flavor with a hint of mac nut. This desert was an absolutely delicious perfect end to the meal. You can make reservations online, street parking is quite limited, and it can get busy as the night goes on, so recommended to get an earlier dinning time. Staffs regularly checked in on us and were polite and efficient.

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    Tina's Garden Cafe - thai - Updated September 2026

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