Ellie Girl Poke - Hilo

Ellie Girl Poke is a poke shop located in Hilo on the Big Island. Their fish are locally sourced and the poke is made fresh. Most of their poke use ahi (tuna) but they'll have specials with other types of seafood and fish. I ordered by the pound ($18/lb.) and my favorites were the sesame shoyu ahi and the miso tako. They also have poke bowls with up to 3 choices of poke which range from $12 - $22. Their prices are reasonable and based on customers in front of me, they give a generous portion for their poke bowls.

The interior of the shop is big. The poke display case and cashier take up a small corner in the front. They have tables and chairs outside of shop where you can sit and enjoy your food. They are open from 8am - 6pm daily. There is lots of parking right in front of the shop.

Prince Kuhio Plaza
111 E Puainako St
Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 333-3469

Sesame Shoyu Ahi Poke

Ahi Basil Poke

Miso Tako Poke

Kawamoto Store - Hilo

Kawamoto Store is an okazuya (Japanese-style delicatessen) located in Hilo on the Big Island, Hawaii. They serve local style Japanese food and it's takeout only. When you drive by their store, there is always a line because locals and tourist go there. The food is cheap and it taste very good! One of my favorites were the shrimp tempura because the batter tasted like shrimp chips, it had so much shrimp flavor in every bite. I also enjoyed the Korean chicken, which was a deep fried drumstick dipped in a delicious sauce. Other things I would recommend is the cone sushi, maki sushi, nori chicken, and fish cake.

They are 10 minutes from the Hilo airport so if you come for a day trip, this would be the ideal place for breakfast. They are open Tuesday - Saturday from 6am -12pm. You should go early for the best selection of food. You can also do a phone order which makes pick up quicker but some items might not be available at the time you call to place the order. If you plan to stand in line and order, the wait will be around 30 minutes. This will give you enough time to decide which items you want to eat and what items are coming out from the kitchen. For parking, there is free street parking along Kilauea Ave. They accept cash and credit cards.

For more information about Kawamoto Store, visit kawamotostore.com.

784 Kilauea Ave
Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 935-8209

Cone Sushi, Nori Chicken

Maki Sushi, Corned Beef Hash,
Shrimp Tempura, Korean Chicken

Deli Case

Moon and Turtle - Hilo

Moon and Turtle is an Asian fusion restaurant located in Hilo on the Big Island, Hawaii. The menu consists of seafood, mainly fish and their ingredients are locally sourced. My favorites were the smokey ahi sashimi, pipkaula mac salad, mushroom risotto, and basque-style miso cheesecake. Their prices are high ranging from $10 - $20 for an appetizer and $30+ for an entree. The portions can be shared between 2 people and the staff will recommend family style dining. 

They only open for dinner and reservations are highly recommended. I suggest reserving one week in advance if you plan to dine on a Friday or Saturday night. For parking, they have some spaces in front of the restaurant but you can also find street parking around the area. The staff were friendly and they checked with us a few times to make sure everything was right and the food tasted delicious.

If you are planning a day trip to Hilo, you could reserve the first seating, eat fast and still be able to catch the last Hawaiian Airlines flight out of Hilo to Oahu. I asked for the basque-style miso cheesecake to-go and so I got to enjoy that on Oahu.

51 Kalakaua St
Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 961-0599

Smokey Sashimi

Sizzling "Tetsuyaki" Poke

Smoked Tonnato Caesar

Pipikaula Mac Salad

Tomato Caper Ahi Belly

Mushroom Risotto