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

AnyPlace Cocktail Lounge

AnyPlace Cocktail Lounge is a homey bar that serves delicious food with reasonable prices. Their menu includes local favorites like lechon, fried pork chop, fried noodles and fried rice. My favorites were the lechon, obachan's fried chicken, and kalibi.

This place is perfect for large groups because they have a big space. If you plan to go with 10 or more people, I recommend calling them before you head over so they can set up the tables and chairs. The dress code here is casual, you can walk in with shorts and a t-shirt and it's fine. If you're wearing a collar shirt, you're overdressed. The staff are friendly and the atmosphere is laid back. For parking, they have a few stalls in front but it fills up fast. You can do street parking on Young Street or park in the CPB parking lot across the street after 5pm for $7 which covers you for 24 hours.

For more information about AnyPlace Cocktail Lounge, visit anyplacehawaii.com.

1018 McCully St
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 947-8977

Lechon

Traditional Combo
(Hamburger and Spam & Egg Sandwich)

Obachan's Fried Chicken

French Fries

Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings

Fried Pork Chops

Fried Noodles

Fried Rice

Smashed Hawaii - CLOSED

Smashed Hawaii is a food truck/trailer known for their smash burger. Their burger consists of a 100% beef patty, American cheese, grilled onions, pickles, and smash sauce served between a potato bun. You can add on items like lettuce, tomatoes, or jalapeno but it will cost an extra $0.25 or $0.50. The classic smash burger is priced at $9. I loved the crispy edges on the beef patty and the potato bun holds it's burger shape so you get a very nice photo. Their classic fries were golden brown, perfectly salted, and crispy. It was priced at $4.50 and the portion was enough to share for 2 people. For the classic burger, I wish there was more smash sauce because it was dry for me.

They are located on Sheridan and Elm Street in the parking lot where Meadow Gold used to park to their delivery trucks. The entrance is on Elm Street and you'll see the pink trailer in the corner. This place is takeout only and there is no seating available. You could eat in your car but there's no shade around so it gets very hot. I went on the weekend for lunch and the wait time for food was 30 minutes. Prior to ordering, the staff will let you know how long the estimated wait time is and I appreciate that. They give you a buzzer and you can wait in your car.

For more information about Smashed Hawaii, visit or follow @smashedhawaii on Instagram. 

824 Sheridan St
Honolulu, HI 96814

Classic Smash

Classic Smash w/ Lettuce