Dropped by here for lunch, super friendly staff!…read more Handful of poke options, I got the 2 choice poke bowl with ahi Taegu and ahi honey garlic. Both soo good! Will be back next time I'm in Hilo and try the other ones.

This is a fish market so you can get fresh fish and poke at competitive prices…read more They close at 3:00 p.m. so they're usually busy and it does attract tourists as well. We went on a Monday afternoon and there was a couple of people in front of us and a small line forming behind us. The employee that helped us was friendly, patient and helped us sample many different pokes, answered our questions and made helpful suggestions. I got the shoyu and Korean poke, and my friend got the Korean Marlin. Decent portions and you know it's fresh. Great place for poke bowls.

Kitchen Umeko is little walk up/take out place with handmade sushi rolls, bentos, fresh fish &…read moremore. The service has always been good. The people are really nice & helpful. Some of my favorites so far are the crab cone sushi, the smoked hamachi roll & of course the poke bowl that definitely has another name. I forgot what it is called. It is on the pricier side but in this case I really feel you get what you pay for. Everything is so fresh! When you want to treat yourself or someone else try Kitchen Umeko!

Fantastic & authentic food! The sashimi was very fresh and the gobo kinpira, poke, and mitarashi…read moredango were all excellent. Service was very friendly. It's a small, to-go only spot. Parking was easy & convenient.

My wife and I visited Hawaiian Shrimp Company since we were craving garlic shrimp. Located inside a…read moreseemingly deserted food court inside a strip mall, Hawaiian Shrimp Company is well hidden. Unless you're actively looking for it, you probably won't stumble upon it randomly. Between the two of us, we shared a single plate with garlic shrimp and lilikoi shrimp and three sides -- two scoops of taro potatoes (extra charge for having a duplicate side) and some broccoli. For close to $30, the shrimp plate feels expensive, but you actually get quite a bit of food -- definitely enough for two to comfortably share. Between the two types of shrimp (a plate comes with four of each), I liked the garlic shrimp a bit more. I loved how intense the garlic flavor was in the shrimp. In the past when I've had garlic shrimp in Hawaii, it's always been drown in a pool of butter, resulting in an oily coat around your mouth after each bite. The shrimp here uses a fraction of the butter and oil used elsewhere, leaving a much cleaner taste after each bite. With the lilikoi shrimp, my first bite reminded me walnut shrimp: there was a subtle sweetness to the shrimp. Unlike the garlic shrimp, the lilikoi shrimp are butterflied, making it easy to distinguish between which shrimp is what flavor. The fact that the shrimp can even be butterflied means the shrimp used here are quite large in size, indicative of the value you're getting with your plate. With the sides, the broccoli is well-seasoned, and the taro potatoes have nice large chunks mixed in. Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with my meal at Hawaiian Shrimp Company. I understand some folks would be quick to write-off a restaurant as understated as this one, but definitely give it a try if you're looking for some good tasting garlic shrimp.

The food was epic. I got the shrimp plate, then the awesome workers allowed me to try the lilikoi…read moresauce. Everything worth the price

Food is great and service was awesome. Love the location, in the heart of Hilo. Ambiance was homie…read moreand inviting.

TIKI DAVE of TIKI DAVE TRAVEL / TIKI DAVE'S TERRIFIC TRIPS highly recommends PINEAPPLES!…read more There is a reason this place has such great reviews. You definitely want to make a reservation in advance, especially if there are cruise ships in port. Otherwise, you're going to wait in line. I would say that the very best thing on the menu is the Teriyaki Flank Steak Appetizer ($19)....this thing is SICK. We ordered the appetizer and it is the most unique Teriyaki steak I have ever had. The teriyaki sauce is rich and just amazing. Just order it. I am still craving it. We also ordered the Lilikoi Hoisin wings and SON OF TIKI DAVE ordered the Lemon Macadamia Chicken ($28) which was delicious, too. They have a full bar and the Mai Tais are awesome. We ordered a couple a piece. Ambience and service is great. And with your receipt, you get at 10% discount at Wilson's Shave Ice across the street. TIKI DAVE from TIKI DAVE'S TERRIFIC TRIPS absolutely loves PINEAPPLES! I will be making a video of my experience so...and here it is! https://youtu.be/yVi4ZEcMw3g?is=0GTf-vESLcn0BX0_ Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/@TIKIDAVETRAVEL And follow! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565274777775&mibextid=ZbWKwL https://www.instagram.com/tikidavetravel/?__d=1%2F%3Fhidemenu%3Dtrue

When in Hilo, two must stop places are Two Ladies mochi and George's meat market! Back before 9/11…read moreever took place, we would stop at George's with our cooler bag and stock up on prepared meats (oxtail being my favorite) and head back to Oahu. Once 9/11 occurred it made stopping at George's a little more effort so that we could get frozen meat back home without ice. However, George's came up with their absolutely delicious thin beef jerkies and that has been a must buy ever since!! And now, they have the best snacks and energy bars! I've not been able to go lately but a friend of mine was gracious enough to offer to purchase for me and bring it back to me!! I feel ever so lucky to have bags of beef jerky and energy bars in my hands!! Hoping to get to George's myself soon!!

They also sell Gluten free pasta for Italy, Excellent extra…read moreVirgin Olive oil and good from Italy!

Everything is amazing! Parking - awesome…read moreStaff - super friendly Food - omg, delish And while you wait, browse the crack seed area and buy some snacks! Love this place!!!

Crack seed. For us…read morelocals in Hawai'i, these snacks were childhood staples. The crack seed store, a classic place where vibes of nostalgia are generated every time I walk into one. 'Cause I grew-up with li hing mui and arare. There's a small number of locally-owned crack seed shops on the Big Island of Hawai'i and in Hawai'i in general. This is one of them, the "local-style candy store" for an island boy like me. I enter 5-Spice, located in East Hawai'i after the intersection of Kilauea Ave and W Puainako St, heading south. I remember frequenting this business when it used to be at Puainako Town Center. Their popularity over the years gave them the ability to move to a larger space. Now independently located in their own building with ample parking. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Would I be able to control myself, holding onto what's desired without adding anything extra? It's always impossible for me to do so. Everytime. Yummy preserved items in large display jars, others placed in vacuum sealed bags. All priced by-the-ounce. I become curious, wanting to taste it again. I go to my favorites, seeking them first while browsing through the visual display of many others. Cracked seed goodness on one side, bagged candies and sweets on the other. I've seen this all before yet, I stand still with the desire to place it all in my hands. And I sure do, my hands are full. I mail them to the U.S. mainland in care packages, travel to the neighbor-islands as omiyage, and personally enjoy them at work or at home as snacks. They make great gifts for friends and coworkers too. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Let's talk about food, where mouth-watering plates and yummy burgers are prepared. Bentos are packed to-go on the countertop. Offering an extensive menu for a take-out, all made to enjoy outside on picnic tables or elsewhere. Daily specials are available along with catering + platters too. Front service by the team at the counter is pleasant, attentive. Gratitude is always extended for every purchase. Comfortable, courteous, welcoming. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "Meat Jun Plate" A light egg batter and thinly sliced beef served in an upscale fashion due to care in preparation and quality of flavor. The soft and indulgent texture of each meat jun piece, perfectly seasoned + cooked. Your choice of tossed greens, purple sweet potato or macaroni salad. "Honey Chicken Plate" Featuring a crazy yummy sweet and savory glaze, sticky and glossy. This sauce, this recipe creation is glorious. Chicken pieces are tender yet slightly crispy on the exterior. "Bibimbap" Freshly made Korean banchan, thinly sliced seasoned beef over white rice. I pour the gochujang over everything and mix-in the sunny side egg, bringing forward a creamy texture along with heat + depth. Choose the sweet potato salad as your side. "Gravy Burger Combo w/ French Fries" This massive burger patty is filling, satisfying. Charred and smothered in rich brown gravy served with lettuce and mayo. Choose the sweet bread bun, the seasoned salt on their fries makes all the difference. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Delicious food to-go with generous portions, sealed bags of cracked seed items + sweet treats at 5-Spice. For enjoyment at home, to share at work, gifts or omiyage. Find this charm, this unique and tasty experience on the Big Island of Hawai'i - East side. Locally owned and operated.

Phenomenal. Yes, you have to make reservations and they may take a while but it is 100% worth it…read more You can also order takeout out but it has to be in advance. I cannot recommend this place enough. The ambiance and experience are something to feel in person and watching the dishes being prepared with such precision was fascinating. The sushi is so fresh and just melts in your mouth. What a gem, truly thankful for being able to dine here. I also ordered Unagi but I ate it before I could snap a photo! Lol, it was yummy!

We made the trek (about a 2-hour drive) to try dinner here only to be met with a paper sign posted…read moreon the door that said reservations are booked until the end of the year! Wait, what? The worker was nice about it, but because they don't have a website, how were we supposed to know? We also usually try to make reservations ahead of time, but because there was no website, we figure it's a first come, first serve kind of spot. That's our bad for making that assumption, but now that I'm reading other Yelp reviews, this seems to be a years-old customer service issue. But it makes sense, since exclusivity seems to be part of the business plan (i.e. small/limited seating, reservations only). Must be working for them. Didn't work out for us though, at least in the moment. So even though we didn't try the food (I'm sure it's likely amazing), it sucked to make the drive out here. Pro tip: call first --months ahead before you plan to go here and make a reservation! After just reading some of the reviews, I learned you can do take out but must order ahead of time. Not sure how much more ahead of time. So calling would also be a good idea here. Honestly, the amount of work to just get info, a reservation, and ultimately a meal here is starting to feel cumbersome. I'm not sure I'd want to try making the effort again. We did turn a lemon situation into lemonade and instead had dinner at Ken's House of Pancakes, and they never disappoint! Had we eaten at Takenoko, we would've missed out on Ken's oxtail stew, which was listed as part of the day's special menu items, and it was one of the best meals we've had in Hilo. So, it all worked out.

Food is consistently good. Ahi don with garlic rice and toss salad! The absolute best. The space is…read moresmall and parking can be hard on market days.

Walking the shops here in Hilo, on vacation from Portland Or. After a bit of shopping, the tummy…read morerumbles kicked in and the four of us decided to swing in to Puka Puka Kitchen on a whim. We ordered an Ahi Poke bowl, an Ahi-Don, and a small salad with added Ahi. This place is a gem. Service was great. The food is fantastic. Ahi in the poke was as tender as we've ever had, and their seasonings were on point. Ahi-Don was a tiny surprise for us, as we were expecting what would normally (stateside) be raw tuna on rice, but this turned out to be fried Ahi on a curried rice. No matter; the fish was great and oh, that curry rice was incredible. Couldn't stop eating it. Side salad, "small", was larger than expected, and the added Ahi on top made it a full meal. Pricing was VERY reasonable--as tourists we've gotten somewhat accustomed to paying exorbitant "island prices" but this place had very moderate prices in the range of $16 (poke bowl) to $25 (Ahi Don plate). Excellent. If we have the opportunity to eat here again, we'd be back.

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.

The service, local food, and location ...also awesome choices to eat the Pancakes is unbelievable…read morehuge and there waitress service is amazing and fast the prices for eating your choices is amazingly affordable and walking out with full satisfaction

Visited Hilo for the first time and wanted a good breakfast spot with local flavors. So glad we…read morediscovered this place! Portions were humongous! Everything tasted so good. Restaurant had a lot of seating, and the room in the farthest back had good a/c and fans. But be prepared to wait! (Hint: add your name to the Yelp waitlist ahead of time.) Service was friendly and efficient. We ordered: Punalu'u French Toast, Mok-a-saurus, Haupia pancakes, and Fried Saimin with Korean chicken. All were ono (Hawaiian for delicious)! Wish we were staying longer as we'd love to come back to try more things!