What a hidden gem. Definitely has hole-in-the-wall vibes but the food was AMAZING. If you're in Hilo, definitely worth checking out this little family owned restaurant. My family is notoriously difficult to feed (all sorts of dietary restrictions including gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, and vegan) and they has something for everyone. read more

What a GEM!!!!! This place was amazingz stopped b4 flying out and it did not disappoint. Got the chicken katsu, grilled chicken thighs and my daughter got fries and Dino nuggets... only got a photo of chicken katsu and Keiki menu. Service was great!! read more

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I was really excited to come to this place the reviews looked so good and the pictures looked amazing. As a vegetarian I was super excited for the curry and the purple potato salad. We got here around maybe an hour before closing on Saturday and they weren't too busy we got sad right away but everything we try to order the curry and the teriyaki chicken and a few other things were not even on the menu available to be ordered and the other vegetarian meal the chili we were told it would take a while to prepare. So I ended up having the purple potato salad and french fries and the fried mushrooms. Everything was pretty decent nothing completely blew my mind but was pretty disappointed that they didn't have a lot of the things on their menu. read more

I would actually give them 3 but the service was so great that it deserves another star. They were out of 3-4 things that we tried to order. The fried mushrooms were just ok and the chicken was not seasoned. We also wanted the sweet potato salad, but it wasn't listed as an option for sides so we assumed it was just called "potato salad" on the options menu and they brought us potato mac salad. When we mentioned it, they brought want we wanted out for free. Beers are cheap and local though and fries are really good! They also close at 7, which doesn't make much sense. Probably wouldn't go back. read more

First thing I see is piles of stuff on an unused salad bar table. Next is a $20 cheese burger. I don't eat $20 cheese burgers in Hilo unless the waiter has a white towel on his arm and speaks French. The bun was stale. The salad large and the only good part of the meal. My partners curry was way too sweet and the kimchee too salty. When I pointed out that the curry wasn't edible they shrugged and handed me the check. I will not return. read more

We were really hungry after a long day and decided to order takeout from White Guava Cafe. We opted for the Doruc Pork chop & 5 spice chicken plates. There's a couple sides to choose from, let me tell you... their sweet potato salad is so delicious! It's savory, creamy with a hint of sweet. It hits all the flavor points! The pork chops were delicious, no knife needed. The chicken was nice and crispy with a 5 spice sauce drizzled on top. Since we ordered take out I can't say too much about the service but the server was very nice and he seemed to be handling everything by himself with a smile. We will be back. I'm excited to try some of their other dishes! read more

White Guava Cafe - 5 spice chicken - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

They're inside the old Pizza Hut which definitely gives some nostalgic vibes! Be warned, salad is HUGE!!!! We got the regular. You could prob just get a small size salad and it'll be more than enough. We also tried the fried chickens in 3 flavors: adobo korean and lilikoi. We agreed Korean was the best. The adobo was a bit intense, so make sure you like adobo! Service was a little slow, but waitress was super friendly and thanked us for our patience. read more

White Guava Cafe - Regular Size Salad - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Super friendly service, reasonable prices and the plates we ordered were good. 3stars due to them being out of about 7 menu items including their daily specials such as the Loco Moco. read more

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This restaurant is deceiving on the outside, as it's in the parking lot of a grocery store. HOWEVER, the restaurant is very cute inside. We were able to seat ourselves, and our waitress came over right away. We ordered the vegan curry (awesome) with a side of chicken (because I'm not really vegan I just like sweet potatoes), as well as the chicken katsu. Both meals were amazing. Portions are HUGE. Very reasonably priced. Awesome pit stop on our way to Hilo. read more

White Guava Cafe - Chicken katsu I'm the back, vegan curry in the front with added chicken - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

My wife and I decided to eat out and chose White Guava Cafe as we hadn't eaten there before (we usually cook at home). THE SERVICE: The restaurant had three tables seated and sat us pretty quick. The waitress that sat us and took our order was kind and personable. For some reason she stopped being our waitress. The other waitress that took over for her had no personality whatsoever. I'm not being critical, it's the truth. She did walk by and asked if everything was ok and if we wanted anything else...in a very monotone voice...five times! We were polite each time and said we were fine and didn't need anything but why ask so many times? I really wanted to tell her how I felt about the food, but again, we were polite each time she asked. When we asked for the check, she went over to another table, a table that our first waitress was handling and went back to the kitchen area and brought them out water. She finally brought us our check. THE FOOD: The dinner rolls; mine was nice and soft, my wife's was stale. I guess she got the last old roll and I got the newly opened package roll. I had the fried chicken thigh adobo with white rice and french fries. The chicken was good but the fries were limp and squishy; it seemed like they were old and had been heated up in the microwave...absolutely horrible. I was served the butt end of a tomato with the button cut out (ok, I do this at home but never would have expected it in a restaurant). The tomato was served on top of a pile of raw onion. My wife had the fried tofu with lilikoi sauce, salad, and brown rice. The tofu pieces were too big. There was no sauce on the brown rice so she asked for additional lilikoi sauce; they charged us $2 for a tablespoon of sauce; my wife needed more sauce for her rice but at $2 a tablespoon...forget it. The salad was nothing more than chopped lettuce with a quarter of a tomato sliced in half (2 eighths of a tomato) and a very small portion of shredded cabbage on top. I deducted the $2 we were charged for the additional lilikoi sauce from the tip. I still think I over tipped (11%) for what we got. The meal was not worth $42! I repeat, THE MEAL WAS NOT WORTH $42! BOTTOM LINE: We will not be going back to this establishment and we will not recommend this restaurant to anyone: ever. The personable waitress came up to us as we were getting up from the table and remarked on how much of the food I ate (my wife's plate was still full of salad and rice), she seemed truly surprised that I "really mopped it up." I didn't clean my plate either. Makes you wonder... read more

Food, service was great recommend the boneless chicken option, great service good eats certified! read more

White Guava Cafe - Boneless chicken - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Their service is so slow. Theres line of people waiting to be seated yet there's only 4 full tables and the rest empty. I also notice the floors are filthy and the chairs un wiped. Been eating here since the time they opened but it seems its starting to go down hill. Maybe they need more employees. Not sure. read more

I entered and a woman, I assume was the hostess , passed me and said "I will be right with you". I waited 5 minutes she never showed so I sat myself in a booth. I waited 10 minutes there. Never saw her and no one approached me so I left read more

This restaurant sits in a low key shopping center, but it's a hidden treasure. I highly recommend it for families. They have a small play area for little tots. My daughter especially enjoyed the "leaky" quarter m&m (gum ball type) machine. The portions are generous these look to be ~12" plates and the food is literally heaping off the plate. Our server, Faith, was awesome and friendly throughout our visit. I recommend the Ahi Special if it's available. The Katsu is good and the Adobo is good. If I could go back I would try the Korean style chicken, it looked really good. If we make it to the Big Island again, I hope we find this place the way we left it! read more

White Guava Cafe - Katsu, Rice, Potato Salad plate - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

I had to try after reading the reviews and I was surprised! Our awesome server recommended the fried mushrooms in Korean sauce - all I can say is WOW (I'm sure the fried chicken would be extra ono). We also had their chicken katsu and it was crispy and yummy. The sweet potato salad complemented both entrees! I'm glad I explored away from town to discover this hidden gem! read more

White Guava Cafe - Korean fried mushrooms plate - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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As soon as we sat down, we were brought the best water cups because it keeps the water cold. Each person got bread and butter. The wait like most of the reviews is why this place didn't get 5 stars. The food and service made up for it because the food was delicious and our service could not have been better. I ordered the chicken katsu and I loved it. The only confusing part is why it wasn't cut up into pieces like most restaurants but other than a few minor cons I will come back to eat at white guava cafe! The inside didn't remind me of the old Pizza Hut at all, I just recommend they paint the outside white to match the name of the place read more

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3 years ago I attended a Caregiver Conference where this restaurant's chef and food were featured. It was healthy, beautifully presented, and delicious. Yesterday, I was invited to the restaurant owned by the same family of chefs. The food was equally as amazing. I had lunch with Lizby, Frances Kakugawa and Jackie Pualani Johnson - all of whom helped to create the musical, Wordsworth performed at The University of Hawaii at Hilo Performing Arts Center. Since they are all kama'aina they knew the Chef. The owner and her husband (and the Chef their son) assisted with the props for the Wordsworth event. They do this type of volunteer work in "their spare time" while helping their son to prepare foods served in a restaurant - beyond comparison. In a time where very fresh ingredients are sparse, White Guava Cafe serves some of the freshest and most well prepared dishes. The portions are hearty and the food a delight to eat! It's now one of my all time favorite cafes in Hilo! Mahalo for providing such a wonderfully delicious and healthy lunch. Patrick Toal read more

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This place was amazing. Upon entering we were a little put off by the atmosphere, but the staff was incredible and the food epic. We had 6 people in our party and they adapted to us quickly. They don't skimp on the portions either. read more

Excellent service and food . The place was packed and the food and service was quick. The server went beyond to be helpful read more

White Guava Cafe - Portuguese burger - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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first time coming here, i remember when this place used to be a pizza hut. i ordered fried mushrooms, hawaiian bbq style. probably THE best oyster mushrooms i've had from a restaurant. i'll have to try them in a different sauce next time :) for dessert they had a chocolate haupia pie and oh my god it was heavenly. a round tin, about the size of the palm of my hand. great prices, great portions, i really recommend. there was only one waiter and the place was pretty busy, but he was amazing at his job. kudos to him! read more

White Guava Cafe - hawaiian bbq fried mushrooms - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Unassuming from the outside - looks like it was probably Pizza Hut back in the day. Once you step inside you're surrounded by amazing aromas. Both young women at the register/waitressing were super professional, super nice and knew their stuff. I asked if there was an available outlet so I could charge my phone while waiting, and one of them plugged it in behind the counter. I heeded other reviews and ordered the regular house salad with Lilikoi dressing and the Korean Chiicken. Salad was fresh, wonderful, and enough for three portions. That Lilikoi dressing is ono! The Korean chicken was hot, flavorful, not greasy, and had a really perfect balance of sweet and salty. Serving looked big enough for two, but I made it most of the way through by myself lol. Good prices and actually really cheap when I got 2-1/2 meals out of one dinner! read more

White Guava Cafe - I plated what I wanted to eat and the take out box is still overflowing! - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Service is always great. They do get packed, but they are worth the wait. It gets a bit stuffy when the chef starts cooking, but they added a couple of fans, which is great, but I'd have hearing aids it could add some unwanted white noise. Huge huge huge portions. Our tables are always clean and they wiped down condiments. read more

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We ordered the Fried Adobo Chicken and the Shiitake Chili advertised as: "A hearty, two-bean chili densely flavored with Shiitake mushrooms, & walnuts." The Adobo was cooked very nicely but seasoning fell flat and is not the traditional Filipino Adobo we are accustomed to. In fairness, they do say it is their own recipe. The Shitake Chili was barely 1-star. Mushy, mostly black beans with barely even a trace of shiitakes and zero walnuts. Uninspired blob of beans. No traditional; chili toppings, salty and oddly a bit sweet. When I pointed out to the server that there were no walnuts, she looked at me blankly and walked away. The service was confusing and uneven. The first person that seated and greeted us was delightful and accommodating, brought us water and asked us if we wanted drinks, and when we asked them about a menu item, they informed they couldn't take our order, but told us they were out of the curry. The food order server took our food order said they did, in fact, have the curry so I ordered it but she came back a few minutes later and said they didn't. So, I ordered the chili which was a huge disappointment. read more

Food and service were excellent, all for a fair price! and kid friendly play area. Pretty hard to find a place that checks all the boxes. 10/10 would recommend read more

The staff is very friendly. She apologized for making us wait but we didn't wait that long. I ordered the 16 oz rib eye rare. It was perfect!!! It was seasoned perfectly and didn't need the steak sauce that it was served with it. Hunny ordered the fried adobo chicken. That was delicious too. The times on Yelp today said they were closed so we were really glad that they were open. I took a pic of their hours. Yay!!! Another new restaurant to dine. Good luck to all of you at White Guava Cafe! read more

White Guava Cafe - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Came into Hilo for shopping and found this place under "burgers". 1 pm, we were seated right away at the last available table. Ice water and Crackers with lilikoi cream cheese while we decided our orders. Very nice. We got a beer and a Prosecco (the Prosecco was only 4 bucks and was in a nice big wine glass!). Ordered burgers with side salads. Amazing. So much veg on the burgers, big delicious salads with superb house dressings. Menu is manageable size, and they just did a great job on everything. Service was also spot on, with an energetic and smart young man as our host. Wow. We lucked out. You should too. read more

White Guava Cafe - Cheese burger "dragged through the garden" - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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I think this is the ultimate local lunch experience. The staff is friendly, and food is delicious. If you ever need a salad in Hilo-town, the ones at White Guava are your best bet. Large enough portions to eat as your entire meal, or order a protein and share with a friend. You'll absolutely still leave with leftovers! Definitely a family friendly vibe, unpretentious but cute, clean and welcoming. read more

Go for the spicy Korean chicken!! So after 2 years of living on island and driving by White Guava cafe more times than I realize, my hubby and I finally stopped in for lunch. Our waitress was super sweet and had great suggestions. As she was telling me the sauce options she mentioned a spicy Korean sauce that isn't on the menu... I went for that... SO YUM!!! I told my hubby I would order that next time for sure! If you happen to be close and have never stopped in for a bite... you should! Well worth is and the lilikoi cream cheese and crackers as a nice treat too! Mahalo nui loa white guava cafe team!! read more

Food was awesome and tasted very good. Pricing was just right and feel was comfortable...

Excellent food, big portions, excellent service!!! The spicy Korean and Lilikoi chicken were both yummy! Will retun & highly recommended!!

don't get the burgers it's honestly has no taste and the buns have a weird wet texture, the meat wasn't cooked all the way through and it was cold read more

Their Adobo Chicken was the best thing I ate in Hilo during my trip! Highly recommend! I also had the shiitake chili and it tasted amazing! I ordered 2 large dishes and shared it between 3 people and the portion size was perfect. read more

White Guava Cafe - Shiitake chili and adobo chicken - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Love their curry. Always good and wonderful service. One of my Mom's favorite places to eat. Have to keep Mom happy!

Lilikoi sauce was sweet with a slight kick. Delicious. Sweet potato salad has a touch of orange. Also delicious!! read more

White Guava Cafe - Lilikoi Chicken / sweet potato salad Sauce is very good - sweet with a slight kick. Potato salad has a touch of orange in it - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Went here with a big group. Another large group came in around the same time so we were expecting a wait for our food. Happily, we didn't wait long for our meals :) read more

White Guava Cafe - Dim sum burger! Delightfully delicious! - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

The chicken katsu was best I've ever had. The ambience is not fancy but the service was friendly.

Large portions and everything was amazing! Loved the Potato Mac salad and my Katsu was great! Definitely coming back! read more

White Guava Cafe - Chicken Katsu - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

The food was awesome and servers very attentive and friendly. Great first experience. Will definitely be back. We had the regular chicken katsu plate and the katsu don. read more

White Guava Cafe - Regular chicken katsu plate - Burgers Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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The food was excellent! We ordered the rib-eye steak, smoked teri chicken, and salad. The salad was very fresh and had a good mix of greens, including alfalfa. The teri chicken was very flavorful and nicely pound. And the steak... wow! Very buttery and aged. The service was excellent, too. The server was very nice, and the restaurant didn't skip on any amenities. Instead of toothpick, there was dental floss. Instead of mints (which they have), there was an assortment of candies. Instead of very thin napkins, there was thick dinner napkins. Everything felt like it was a 5 star restaurant. Excellent value for the price. read more

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BEST salads and Korean chicken/mushrooms in Hilo!!! I love this place. There may be a little wait, but it's worth it!!! I also love their veggie curry! read more