User Reviews for Big Island Restaurants

Research User Reviews for Big Island (1-20 of 22)

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Kohala Village Inn Restaurant
Oct 2, 2008 by Jesse from San Francisco

Overall Rating: 10
Food:[10] • Service:[9] • Atmosphere:[10]

• Atmosphere.
• The French fries were not the best ever.

“I found Luke's place to be an unexpected treat. There were many local dishes as well as continental food too. They make the best hamburgers in town and have prime on the menu lunch and dinner! The service was great and the people were friendly, I would recommend this place to anyone who visits Hawaii. Oh yes, there was also live music at night! Great local bands!”

Buzz's Original Steak House
May 23, 2008 by Alexa from Houston

Overall Rating: 1

• Atmosphere looks appealing, location is terrific.
• Customers are optional.

“I'd like to write a great review, Buzz's has a great location to where I'm staying (Kailua is simply wonderful!) and smells terrific. Last night I was turned away from the door at 10 when I was looking for a nightcap, and tonight turned away at 9:15. I was looking for dinner, the server indicated one drink might be served, I thought that would be okay, I'm thirsty, but then she looked at the table of diners apparently finishing up and said, "yeah, we're dropping the check now". I worked in the restaurant business for several years during my 20s, clear translation: go away.”

Buzz's Original Steak House
Apr 21, 2008 by Joe from Woodbury, CT

Overall Rating: 3
Food:[3] • Service:[3] • Atmosphere:[4]

• Atmosphere
• Food not prepared as requested.

“It came recommended for the Teriyaki steak, so we tried it. My wife and I both order the steak medium rare, both steaks were served very rare, just barely seared. My wife returned the steak and it came back over done. The staff was pleasant and offered her another meal, she decided on chopped sirloin, medium. After a long wait the chopped sirloin was served. It was over cooked, dry and tasteless. We eat out frequently and had many good meals while in Hawaii. I would not recommend this restaurant.”

Kona Galley Restaurant
Jan 22, 2008 by steve from janesville calif

Overall Rating: 9
Food:[9] • Service:[8] • Atmosphere:[9]

• Food.
• Waitresses.

“I too worked at the Galley between my summers being a hotshot on the mainland. I lived on Alli drive with 2 other guys and a girl. I remember the aggressive waitresses and the owner screaming at me when I was too slow. I also remember the end of shift at about 1am and the mellow conversations we would have after work in the back.”

1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Kohala Village Inn Restaurant
Dec 12, 2007 by Robert Tetak from Los Gatos, CA

Overall Rating: 9
Food:[10] • Service:[9] • Atmosphere:[9]

• The food was fresh, well prepared and for a modest price.
• No negative comment.

“The food was terrific. Fresh, well prepared and presented. Service was friendly. Entertainment was enjoyable too!”

Uncle Billys Restaurant
Jul 5, 2007 by alex from ainaloa

Overall Rating: 2
Food:[5] • Service:[2] • Atmosphere:[5]

• Huge portions.
• All else.

“Overpriced (most entrees over $ 20), slow service, grouchy staff, mediocre food, 15% "mandatory tip" (what does that tell you?), no parking on a busy day, etc. large portions though!”

Pepper's Place
Feb 22, 2007 by Cynthia from Andover, MA

Overall Rating: 10
Food:[10] • Service:[10] • Atmosphere:[6]

• The friendly staff and owners.
• It isn't bigger and there aren't more of them!

“First stop (and usually lots of stops) always for lunch when we are in Lanikai. Love the owners, love the food, tiny, but plenty of places to sit outside and eat and in Hawaii, why would you do anything else! Love, love, love Peppers. Wish there were more of them!”

Kona Galley Restaurant
Jan 23, 2007 by Glenn from Honolulu

Overall Rating: 8
Food:[8] • Service:[8] • Atmosphere:[9]

• Nice location overlooking pier and bay.
• I like the ghosts best. .

“Best thing about the galley are its location and history. It must have been built in 1960s when kona was mostly known as a sleepy hideaway. It sits on a key corner of Kailua town, overlooking the seawall and pier. On a good day when the surf is up, the waves rock against the seawall and spit warm salt into the air, which you can breathe from the tables overlooking the bay. That smell mixes with some of the more raw scents from the pier or the backrooms of the cafes along the drive. Creates some rich aromas that I associate only with that corner. A man Named bud Anderson owned the galley in 60s and 70s. He also owned a restaurant in morrow bay, California. Jackie mellow was manager for years. She was a great social character and an imperious boss who enjoyed the chance to preside over local conversations about making it big on the big island -- the favorite galley topic of that time and place. She didn't like me too much during my time as a bus boy. I was still learning and not too eager to be blamed by the few selfish waitresses for their failures to treat customers more kindly. Then again, maybe I talked to the customers too much. we had great characters passing through the place. There was a white-haired man, kind of a Hemingway look-alike, who came in most afternoons for two or three vodka gibbons. He sat away from the bay-view tables for more privacy and read hardcover books. Didn't want to talk. Was very neat, proper. Just left the empty glass for me to scoop up and have refilled at the bar. I liked him. Reminded me of the sense of personal discipline in "a clean well-lighted place." he had is life in order, somehow. And liked to drink. We had a wonderful Hawaiian fellow Named john who served as host and was a local institution. Always kind and never in a hurry. Despite that, some of the waitresses didn't quite trust him. They used to claim among themselves that he was lifting some of their tips. He liked to pick up the tip money off the tables and hand it to the servers, squeezing their hands around it in a gesture of affection. But some worried that he palmed a few bills. But when he brought folks in to eat, he left massive tips. John entertained all of the tour guides, bringing out free plates of sashimi and poke and chatting and laughing with them for hours while tourist groups were off on cruises. My favorite customer was tall, elegant cocktail waitress Named Susan who worked down alibi drive at Hugo¿s. She stopped in for lunch a couple times a week and left huge tips, as we all did at Hugo¿s. I always wanted to meet her and would show up at her bar in the evening with a pocketful of quarters -- my tip money and social budget -- to cover a couple of expensive gin-and-tonics. Always tried to sit at one of her tables. But I was too shy to get to know her, and, as a seasonal bus boy, way too low on the social ladder anyway. (I was a grad student on the mainland at the time, but that meant nothing in the local social scene, which also revolved around the idea of making it big.) a lot of local business occurred over the years at the galley. I've always stopped by on my return visits. A few of my favorite people from the restaurant are still around kina, but not at the galley. Irene, for instance, has her own restaurant. The decor changes every decade. Ceilings get renovated and all that. But the memories and the aromas stay the same. Stop by; take a whiff. It always helps to know some of the background -- some of the ghosts -- of a place. Hope you enjoyed these. We get enough of the usual reviews. .”

2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Baci Bistro
Sep 17, 2006 by Tom from Atlanta, GA

Overall Rating: 10
Food:[9] • Service:[10] • Atmosphere:[10]

• Personal service and an absolute commitment to customer satisfaction.
• Only serve one day a week :-)

“Unsurpassed personal service, a varied Italian menu with fresh fish daily, and a romantic and charming atmosphere make it our favorite restaurant on Oahu.”

Teshima Restaurant
Sep 1, 2006 by Ed from Philadelphia

Overall Rating: 9
Food:[9] • Service:[9] • Atmosphere:[9]

• Everything!
• They refused my request to sleep in the kitchen to wait for breakfast.

“This is a great place recommended by locals just about every time I ask someone Kona side or along the high road. The food is superb, service great, and it couldn't be easier to find. Along the highway that isn't always easy, but they manage to do it, and with a smile at my awful Japanese, too!”

Blanes Drive Inn
Sep 1, 2006 by Ed from Philadelphia

Overall Rating: 9
Food:[9] • Service:[9] • Atmosphere:[10]

• Food is great.
• Plastic diner tables and chairs, but hey, its outside, right?

“Its popular for a good reason, the food is good, it comes fast and there is a LOT of it. All the Hawaiian aves, and some of the best, most consistent Saimin in the state.”

Hiro's Place
Sep 1, 2006 by Ed from Philadelphia

Overall Rating: 7
Food:[8] • Service:[7] • Atmosphere:[4]

• The food is Hawaii all the way, with a lot of cultures represented.
• Busy at lunch, and no place to sit when it is.

“This place is a small wonder on the way to Volcano. In a strip mall, with no dining room, it only does 2 things; serves good food and does it fast. There are some tables outside, otherwise its pure takeout. There is something of the Seinfeld "Soup Nazi" thing happening here but only when its busy. It happens because pretty much all the customers know the drill, and if you don't-and hold things up when its busy-you might get a little stink eye. So the first time or 2, miss the lunch crowd and learn the ropes. ”

Mexico Lindo
Aug 12, 2006 by Matthew from Kailua

Overall Rating: 9
Food:[10] • Service:[9] • Atmosphere:[9]

• Excellent food, try the Kahlua Pork in whatever you get.
• Nothing.

“Excellent food and great prices.”

Mexico Lindo
Aug 12, 2006 by Matthew from Kailua

Overall Rating: 9
Food:[10] • Service:[9] • Atmosphere:[9]

• Excellent food, try the Kahlua Pork in whatever you get.
• Nothing.

“Excellent food and great prices.”

Royal Siam Thai Restaurant Inc
Aug 6, 2006 by Kevin from Tucson, AZ

Overall Rating: 8
Food:[9] • Service:[8] • Atmosphere:[6]

• Wonderful food, very affordable prices.
• Small dining room can mean that seating is at a premium.

“Fresh, authentic food made with care are the hallmarks of this unassuming little restaurant in downtown Hill. Long a favorite of locals this is the one restaurant that I always visit when on Hawaii Look for the daily specials which are not only very affordable but often quite good as they're made by the chef to reflect the best ingredients available that day. This is also one restaurant not afraid to give you a dish that is truly 'Thai Hot' when asked.”

Ken's House Of Pancakes Of Hawaii Inc
Jul 22, 2006 by Gary from Hilo

Overall Rating: 7
Food:[9] • Service:[10] • Atmosphere:[4]

• The best service in town.
• HoJo mojo.

“If you like Denny's or the old Howard Johnson's road houses, this is your place. I felt like I should order a HoJo breakfast on our first trip here. Nice place, and the waitresses are great, but it's old and "used" like most of Hilo. Don't get me wrong, I love the town, but Ken's has seen better days. The food is good, but it's not anything special... ”

1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Pescatore Italian Restaurant
Jul 22, 2006 by Gary from Hilo

Overall Rating: 9
Food:[10] • Service:[9] • Atmosphere:[8]

• Excellent food and service.
• Neighborhood.

“We visited Hilo in January and ate for the first time at Pescatore. We had a wonderful meal with excellent service. We moved to Hilo in March and have continued to frequent this restaurant. We recently ate breakfast there and loved it as much. Their pastas are fabulous and the presentation of the meal rivals world class restaurants. ”

Miyo's
Jun 16, 2006 by Shelley from Hilo, Hawaii

Overall Rating: 9
Food:[10] • Service:[9] • Atmosphere:[9]

• The food is great and the prices are right.
• A little odd with the kitchen basically in the dining room but OK.

“A unique experience. we will go back often.”

1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Pescatore Italian Restaurant
May 22, 2006 by David from San Diego

Overall Rating: 3
Food:[8] • Service:[1] • Atmosphere:[5]

• I would recommend this place for the food....not the service!
• See the positive.

“Food was great but the service was lousy. The waiter/waitress only came to the table once to ask is everything was alright but waited on other tables three or four times. The other tables got bread shortly after they were seated but we had to ask for bread after ten minutes of our seating.”

Ken's House Of Pancakes Of Hawaii Inc
Apr 18, 2006 by rduke from michigan

Overall Rating: 10
Food:[10] • Service:[10] • Atmosphere:[10]

• Friendly, good value-lots of atmosphere.
• Is far from Kona.

“A wonderful place-very friendly waiters and lots of good food for the money-lots of old-time dinner atmosphere, a big variety of foods-and yummy pancakes with different syrups. One of our favorite eating places for value and atmosphere in Hawaii.”

1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Ken's House Of Pancakes Of Hawaii Inc
Apr 18, 2006 by rduke from michigan

Overall Rating: 10
Food:[10] • Service:[10] • Atmosphere:[10]

• Friendly, good value-lots of atmosphere.
• Is far from Kona.

“A wonderful place-very friendly waiters and lots of good food for the money-lots of old-time dinner atmosphere. a big variety of foods-and yummy pancakes with different syrups. One of our favorite eating places for value and atmosphere in Hawaii”

1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Ocean Sushi Deli
May 13, 2005 by Kyra S . from Crested Butte, CO

Overall Rating: 10
Food:[10] • Service:[10] • Atmosphere:[8]

• You can bring your own alcohol and the sushi is cheap and to die for! My favorite restaurant in Hilo!
• A little small but so worth the experience!

“Best restaurant in Hilo for the price!”

3 of 4 people found this review helpful.