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We've compiled the best of the best in Hilo - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Overlooking Hilo Bay from its towering perch on the waterfront, this popular, upscale restaurant with great water views has a sophisticated second-floor dining room that looks like it's straight out of Manhattan. A sushi bar complements the excellent selection of fresh fish, pork, beef, and vegan options. Premium wines and sake are available.
What this casual former Irish pub lacks in space and parking is more than made up for in burger choices: more than 22 varieties of gourmet burgers, from a bacon ranch burger to a southern BBQ burger. Many of the ingredients come straight from the Big Island, and non-beef selections such as fish burgers are available as well, so it's definitely worth checking out.
For years, this legendary diner near Banyan Drive between the airport and the hotels has been a gathering place for Hilo residents and visitors. Breakfast is the main attraction: Ken's serves 11 types of pancakes, plus all kinds of fruit waffles (banana, peach) and popular omelets, like Da Bradda, teeming with meats. The menu features 180 other tasty local specialties (loco moco [meat, rice, and eggs smothered in gravy]; tripe stew; oxtail soup) and American-diner-inspired items.
Owned and operated by the Nakagawi family since the early 1920s, this landmark restaurant features three separate dining rooms that overlook a 30-acre natural brackish fishpond, making this one of the most interesting places to eat in Hilo. Some highlights are paniolo (cowboy) prime rib, New York steak, and shrimp scampi. Arrive before sunset and request a table by the window for a view of egrets roosting around the fishpond.
There's a reason why locals flock to this hideaway for the best Thai cuisine in Hilo. Proprietor Sombat Saenguthai's menu highlights fresh local ingredients (many of the herbs come from her own garden) in authentic and tasty Thai treats like coconut curries, fresh basil rolls, eggplant stir-fry, and green papaya salad. Most dishes can be prepared with your choice of tofu, pork, beef, chicken, squid, or fish.
