Where to Find Great Food in Hilo

Garage sale-style wall décor from TJ Maxx, the deafening din of china and cutlery clacking caused by too few soft surfaces, and generic muzak blaring overhead: these are the hallmarks of America’s chain restaurants. Many travelers like me prefer to support local establishments. When you’re planning your visit to the east side of the Big Island it’s hard to know where to find great food. Some lists are AI-generated, so can you trust them? After living in Hilo for months now, I have experimented quite a lot. If you want to support local, small business owners, here is where to find great food in Hilo.

Note: I know with all the food writing I’ve been doing lately it seems like we eat like this all the time. I promise that we don’t. These articles are months of experiments and decadence all saved up.

Great Latin Food

In previous posts, I’ve shared places where you can get great food in Hilo with a cool view. If you’ve been reading along for a while, you’ll know that I’ve also experimented with really authentic tacos at all sorts of mom & pop taco stands, including at a gas station in Florida and a hole-in-the-wall in Charleston, South Carolina. I am thrilled to announce that Tacos Jalisco in Hilo makes the cut for one of the best tacos I’ve ever had!

Similar to the place in Pensacola, Florida (linked above), Tacos Jalisco isn’t Tex Mex. These are authentic tacos without cheese. They are topped only with cilantro, chopped onions, and accompanied by a fresh lime for squeezing. Yum! Yum!

Food Truck Fiesta

An Iconic Hawaiian Brand

Recently, I saw an interview with one of Hawaii’s favorite sons, Jason Momoa. He said when he lands back home in Hawaii for a visit often the first thing he does is go straight to Zippy’s. Though most people on the mainland have never heard of it, here it is a revered restaurant chain.

Indeed, this is not a small business. Zippy’s has about 25 locations throughout the Hawaiian Islands and in Las Vegas (known as the 9^th island by Hawaiians). However, the Zippy’s restaurant chain began small in 1966 and grew to its beloved status.

Defying Description

How do I describe Zippy’s? Imagine if Denny’s was massively famous for its chili, its bakery, and its Hawaiian and Asian cuisine simultaneously. That’s Zippy’s. Sort of. Peruse the menu on the website for entertainment purposes. It’s beyond eclectic. Everyone said for great food in Hilo (or anywhere in Hawaii) go to Zippy’s. So, we did.

Our Hilo location proudly displays stunning color photographs of the islands on the walls behind the vinyl booths you expect to see in any classic American diner. Depending on the time of year you’re there, the soundtrack of your meal might be Hawaiian Christmas music or disco & pop Hawaiian music. Between bites you might find yourself singing along. The music is as addictive as their Korean fried chicken.

Zippy’s Yummy Options

Though not a fan of chili myself, Zippy’s apparently sells 100 tons of the stuff every month. For me, it’s all about the Korean fried chicken, though. The lunch mini plate ($14.95) comes with 6 wings, one scoop of rice and one scoop of mac salad. I know that doesn’t sound “mini” but for Hawaiians it is. The full-size lunch plate comes with 10 wings, two scoops of rice, and one scoop of mac salad. Who the heck is eating all that? Anyway, sweet and tangy with a tiny, spicy kick in the back – that’s some of the best Korean fried chicken I’ve ever had. Their mac salad is also one of my favorite versions. It has onions, which I normally don’t like, but fortunately, they don’t overdo it. They skip the potatoes and add something tangy, which avoids the blandness that some mac salads fall prey to.

Mr. HomeFree always raves about the Trio Plate ($20.80), which includes traditional fried chicken, Korean fried chicken, and chicken katsu with sides. If you’re from the mainland and aren’t familiar with the Zippy’s experience, the slightly zany combination of diner décor, Hawaiian music, and wide-ranging menu will leave you saying, “Jason Momoa is not wrong.”

When You Want Upscale Great Food in Hilo

Over Thanksgiving weekend, we had friends come to visit. For their bon voyage dinner on the last night, we all experimented with Jackie Rey’s Ohana Grill. Truly great food in Hilo (and other cities) often means finding a family-run establishment. That’s true here too. The owners began by opening a restaurant on the opposite side of the island and ran it for 12 years before opening the Hilo location and selling off the original restaurant. They traded the west side of the island for the east, and fortunately, brought the same high-quality food with them.

If you’re looking for a slightly upscale culinary experience then you’ll enjoy Jackie Rey’s organic produce, locally caught fish, and homemade desserts. Their wine list even earned an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine.

A Menu with Variety

Our party dined on guava BBQ glazed baby back ribs ($34), bone-in pork chops ($35) and three-cheese ravioli with shrimp ($41) and chicken ($39). Everything popped with bright flavors and freshness. Our server was attentive without being intrusive. The one note we had was that my husband did enjoy the Mandarin ribs with guava-hoisin sauce from Pond’s (profiled here) a little bit better than the Jackie Rey’s version. Overall, however, no one walked away disappointed after our Jackie Rey’s dinner encounter.

One Last Word

I am pleased to say that on your next visit to the big island, you won’t have difficulty finding great food in Hilo. Look to the family-run restaurants to be your tried & true providers. These restauranteurs take pride in buying local, elevating flavors, and introducing you to the many cultures of these islands. Skip the soulless chains with their muzak and, instead, dive into the the quirky, the zany, and the international to find homemade food with heart where you’ll be treated like ohana (family).

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