Best Restaurants Big Island Hawaii

Curious about the Best Restaurants Big Island Hawaii? Whether you are looking for fresh poke and fish or traditional Hawaiian fine dining, the Big Island of Hawaii is full of unique and interesting places to eat. This guide covers the restaurants you can't miss on your next trip.

Planning a trip? Also read my 20 Best Things to Do on the Big Island, plus my Hawaii Travel Page, which includes travel tips for all of the islands, my Top 20 Favorite Moments from the Big Island, and my guide to the Hilton Waikaloa Village, our favorite place to stay.

Best Restaurants Big Island Hawaii

What are the best restaurants Big Island Hawaii? The Big Island might not be as well-known for its food as other Hawaiian Islands, but you might be surprised at the delicious places you can eat. Whether you're looking for fine dining and institution restaurants like Merriman's, traditional Hawaiian food, poke, sushi, or even BBQ, the island has so many different delicious options to choose from. One of the best parts about dining on the Big Island is that much of the food is grown there, and a lot of the restaurants feature local ingredients.

Since it's a big place, I've broken down some of the best, most well-known places to eat by region. These are our favorite restaurants from our three trips to the Big Island, Hawaii.

What is the signature dish of Hawaii?

Hawaii is known for traditional Hawaiian food, including kalua pig wrapped in cabbage, loco moco, poi, lomi lomi salmon, mac salad, and poke. Poke is our favorite Hawaiian dish and is one of the most popular signature dishes of Hawaii. Ahi Poke is cubed raw fish with soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. It's widely available in Hawaii, and even grocery store poke is amazing! Don't miss out on this delicious dish.

There are all different types of restaurants available in the Big Island, though! Seafood and fish are probably the most popular.

Best Restaurants Big Island Hawaii Share on X

Best Restaurants Big Island Hawaii

Here's my list of the Best Restaurants on the Big Island, Hawaii, divided by region. I just love all the fresh fish from local fishermen and produce on the Big Island. Plus, you can't go wrong with Kona coffee. Here are some of our favorite places to eat when we go. I've covered everything from fine dining to quick counter service.

Best Restaurants Big Island Hawaii -Waikaloa & Kohala Coast

Roy's Waikaloa

Roy's Waikaloa is one of the older restaurants in this area of the island and has stood the test of time due to its consistently delicious menu filled with fish and seafood. Known as Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine, Roy's is a small upscale chain created by one of the most famous Hawaiian chefs, Roy Yamguichi.

The Blackened Ahi is incredible and not to be missed.

We also love the tuna poke.

The Misoyaki Butterfish is another one of their more famous dishes and is so tender and incredible. This is time and time again such an amazing dish!

They are also known for their Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

Lava Lava Beach Club

Lava Lava Beach Club is another well-known restaurant and bar right on the beach, with tables in the sand on A-Bay. They have live music and amazing sunset views.

They are best known for drinks and appetizers. The Black Lava Lava Salt Ceviche and Ahi Poke were both amazing.

And we also loved the Hook, Line, and Sinker daily fish special.

CanoeHouse

Another one of the best restaurants Big Island Hawaii is CanoeHouse, which has been around since 1989.

This oceanside restaurant offers romantic service, stunning views, and exceptional food.

We just loved their fresh tuna, great service, and amazing views. This is a favorite spot in Hawaii.

Kamuela Provision Company - KPC

Kamuela Provison Company, or KPC, is another wonderful restaurant on the Big Island. This is the fine dining restaurant at the Hilton Waikaloa Village and has such lovely service, good food, and a can't-miss sunset view right over the ocean. The steak and seafood are amazing. Plus, this is one of the best spots to watch a sunset.

The food is so good, I wrote an enire post on our Sunset KPC Dinner. This trip we ordered octopus.

And this is an amazing fish special.

It's a fancy place, but we brought the kids, and no one blinked an eye. It's a ca n't-miss experience, especially if you are staying at the Hilton Waikaloa Village.

Original Big Island Shave Ice Co.

You can't come to Hawaii and not try Shave Ice. Our favorite one on the Big Island was Original Big Island Shave Ice Co., which has creative and tasty flavor combinations.

The ice is fluffy, and there is a scoop of ice cream underneath.

Best Restaurants Big Island Hawaii - Kailua Kona

Big Kahuna Beach Grill

Big Kahuna Beach Grill captures the spirit of Hawaii with cheeky surfer decor and waterviews. They are known for their fresh fish plates, fish tacos, clam chowder, and smashburger—great island-style signature cocktails.

Sushi Sams

Sushi Sams is known for its amazing sushi and is a favorite for locals, and is one of the best restaurants on the Big Island, Hawaii, for sushi. They are open just for dinner and take reservations.

The Fish Hopper

The Fish Hopper is a great casual place, with views of Kona and the water. I just loved its cute island vibe. They also have steaks and a burger.

We really enjoyed their fresh fish and vegetables! This Mahi Mahi with Macadamia Nuts was really tasty.

The local Monchong & Creamy Risotto was also really good!

Kona Brewing Co.

This popular spot, Kona Brewing Co, is worth a visit if you are a fan of Kona Beer. They are known for their beer, plus pulled-pork quesadillas, pizza, sandwiches, fries, chicken, and salad.

Jackie Rey's

Jackie Rey's is a popular open-air dining spot in Kona known for its surf and turf and creative cocktails. We loved the gorgeous ocean views.

Da Poke Shack

Da Poke Shack is a tiny restaurant with authentic, big-flavor, always fresh poke. Get a poke plate for a fresh-caught lunch that anyone will love. Catch the fish fresh daily and serve it the same day.

Broke Da Mouth Grindz KONA

If you are looking for casual, traditional Hawaiian food, Broke Da Mouth Grindz is your spot. This casual counter service restaurant is highly rated and known for it's big portions of garlic chicken and shrimp. They feature Hawaiian, Filipino, and Korean meals.

Shakas Tacos

Just south of Kona sits one of the best taco places on the island, Shaka Tacoz. This popular spot offers fresh tacos and gorgeous views of the coast. Don't miss their delicious One Fish Tacoz.

Best Restaurants Big Island Hawaii - Waimea & Wakui

Merriman's

One of the most famous restaurants on the Big Island of Hawaii is Merriman's. Pioneered by award-winning chef Peter Merriman, it's known for traditional farm-to-table Hawaiian cuisine that is upscale and delicious. If you are a foodie visiting the Big Island, this is a must-get reservation for this Hawaii regional cuisine.. This restaurant is an institution on the island and is loved by locals and tourists alike. Don't miss the lobster pot pie and coconut crème brûlée. All featuring food by local farmers and ranchers.

Ciprianos

Ciprianos Kitchen is an unexpected find among the best restaurants Big Island, Hawaii. This Italian Peruvian restaurant sources local food and makes focaccia bread, pasta, and pastries daily with Italian flour. It's known as the best Italian cuisine on the island. The collaboration of these foods is really not to be missed.

FORC

FORC is another restaurant known for its delicious traditional Hawaiian cuisine, with a modern touch. They source their food from the island. One of the most famous dishes is the Hawaiian Lau Lau, which is pork wrapped in Taro leaves.

Fish & The Hog

The Fish & The Hog is a well-known, classic BBQ joint on the island that often sells out of its food fast! Their ribs and coconut cake have a big local following.

Best Restaurants Big Island Hawaii - Hilo

Hilo Bay Cafe

Hilo Bay Cafe is Hilo's most upscale restaurant with gorgeous water views. This popular spot has a beautiful dining room with a sushi bar, fresh fish, and even vegan options. On a clear day, you can see Mauna Kea.

Moon & Turtle

The Moon & Turtle is a small restaurant with big flavors, with fresh dishes from the ocean. Dishes like Smokey Sashimi, truffle mushroom risotto, and Ono Ceviche are so good. It's a popular local spot, with a menu that changes frequently, so get reservations early.

Pineapple Island Fresh Cuisine

This cute open-air spot in Hilo, Pineapple Island Fresh Cuisine, is one of the best restaurants in the Big Island, Hawaii. It's known for featuring pineapple in all of its dishes, including the Kalbi Short Ribs, Mahi Mahi, and even the cocktails. The reasonable prices keep locals and tourists coming back.

Farmer's Market Kitchen - Poke 'n' Sides

Farmer's Market Kitchen, Poke 'n' Sides is perfect for a more casual counter service meal.

This spot, which is part of the Hilo Farmers' market, features fresh Hawaiian food and catch of the day fresh fish tacos. Those purple sweet potatoes were amazing.

The poke, tacos, and sides were some of the best places we ate on the entire trip! If you find yourself in Hilo on your Big Island trip, make time to stop here.

So is the Best Restaurant on the Big Island?

There are so many delicious and tasty restaurants on the Big Island. The most consistently ranked #1 restaurant is Merriman's, which is in Waimea. This restaurant is loved by locals and adults for using nearly exclusively island produce, fish, and beef. IF you are looking for a special dining experience on the island, this is a great option!

The rest of this list covers lots of other tasty options, too! You can't go wrong with any of them.

Travel Guides for Hawaii:

Pin for Later:

Best Restaurants - Big Island Hawaii