Lacto
Ovo
American
Western
Beer/Wine
Delivery
Fusion
Hawaiian
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. On the water eatery using local ingredients. Marks what's vegan, and the servers can make recommendations what could be made vegan. Menu changes.
21 Reviews
First Review by DWNPhoto
summersolstice
Points +479
great place for a nicer meal - Edit
Everything i’ve ever had at HBC has been really tasty, but definitely pricier than a lot of places in town. They are great about knowing what is vegan and how to accommodate dietary needs. The menu changes seasonally so check online— most of the photos on here are of dishes no longer served. Their sushi rolls are good but expensive. I recommend the sushi bowl. It has extremely tasty marinated local mushrooms and lots of veggies. It’s the best value in my opinion. The jicama lilikoi slaw is fantastic, and the vegan sorbet options are really great too.
Read moreGuest
CyndiLittle
Points +63
Not a lot of vegan options - Edit
Note that most of the items in the pictures are no longer available. The service and food was good. I was only able to get sushi because everything else had meat. Like most places, the burger was cooked on the same grill as meat. I don't consider it vegan if they cook it on the same grill as meet.
Read morePros: Good was really hood, Service was great
Cons: It was expensive , Make a reservation if you want to sit outside
Guest
DeboraMartins
Points +114
Great Vegan Selection - Edit
Ordered their Mixed Greens Salad, Onion Rings, ‘Aina Chirashizushi and Warabi Roll and they were delicious.
Read morePros: Freshness , Ocean View, Service
Guest
AutumnSquash
Points +80
Great views, knowledgeable staff - Edit
Really nice views of the bay and when we told our waitress we were vegan, she knew just how to put in the order for the food so that everything would be good to go. Food was fresh and delicious!
Read moreGuest
IrynkaJuli
Points +127
Exzellent food!!! - Edit
We ordered Taco-burger with hawaiian Cole slow. It was fantastic! Great service!
Read morePros: Fresh food, Authentic vegan food, Friendly service
Guest
sanjana12
Points +43
Fabulous - Edit
Vegan options were fantastic!
Read morePros: Friendly service, Good vegan options, Beautiful presentation
Guest
Lemonzest
Points +55
Nice Lunch - Edit
Nice place to stop for lunch with a beautiful view. Had a really refreshing cucumber and soursop cocktail that I’ll definitely be ordering again. Vegan items on the menu are clearly marked, which is always appreciated. The ʻāina chirashizushi was really tasty, even if it was a little bit on the salty side. The warabi roll is nice too. Overall pleasant experiences each time I’ve been.
Read moreGuest
SouthernmostVegan
Points +1811
Nice night out - Edit
Update from 2nd visit on Feb 11: the Chirashizushi continues to be amazing. They’ve deleted a few items from last year but added an Udon noodle bowl which was downright delightful. Onion rings were the best I’ve ever had.
Read moreMy husband and I went for dinner. I ordered dishes I don’t normally find in typical vegan restaurants. My husband ordered everything else. Everything. Else.
Items are clearly marked and there are plenty of options: Grilled Broccoli, Brussels sprouts and Mushrooms, Warabi sushi, Chirashizushi, the Taro burger, and all the vegan sides. All. Of. Them.
The Chirashizushi, Broccoli, and one of the sides, the sautéed mushrooms/kale/farro, were all delicious. Oh and the cobbler was great for dessert (opt out of the ice cream). I would skip the burger, the side of pickles, and the jicama slaw.
Updated from previous review on 2021-11-29
Pros: Several options, Clearly marked items
Cons: Pricey
Guest
greenfingers
Points +56
Excellent vegetarian experience - Edit
I've only been once but I look forward to returning soon. The menu had a good number of vegetarian options and the dish I picked tasted fantastic! The pupus to start sounded simple enough but really blew all of us (veg and omnivores) away. The cocktails went down pretty easy too ;-)
Read morePros: Very well executed food, Range of veggie options
Cons: The price band means I can't go everyday!
Guest
valerie_california
Points +137
Perfect for date night - Edit
Hilo has a surprisingly high number of casual vegan options for lunch, dinner, and dessert, but it can be tough to find something more upscale for a date night / celebration. Hilo Bay Cafe to the rescue! We were in Hilo for two nights at the end of a fantastic vacation, and we scored a reservation for our second-to-last night. As others have mentioned, the cocktails are *fantastic*. I especially recommend the Smoked Dahlia if you can tolerate a little spice. We shared some bread, which came with olive oil and balsamic for dipping, followed by the 'aina chirashizushi (essentially vegan poke) and taro-quinoa veggie burger. To our happy surprise, they also offer vegan ice cream from Hawaiin Licks, which was too tempting to turn down. Each dish was fantastic, and the service was truly spectacular. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we showed up the next evening, shortly after opening, without a reservation. Even though it was already packed, the manager worked her magic to squeeze us in, and we had another fantastic night. This time we tried the brussels sprouts + mushroom appetizer made vegan, and repeated the 'aina chirashizushi. Once again, service was above and beyond. Bottom line: although the vegan options aren't as extensive as you'll find elsewhere in the city, this is the only place we know of for an upscale dinner experience with lovely views, creative cocktails, and superb service. Highly recommend.
Read morePros: Upscale dining, Great cocktails, Fantastic service
Guest
Ambersand
Points +106
Pretty view, great drinks, decent at accommodating vegan diet - Edit
The cocktails here earn a star on their own—we had the mai tais (strong like the classic, with a twist—charred pineapple purée) and the Tiny Bubbles (vodka, elderflower syrup, rose, soda, grapefruit). They made the Brussels sprouts vegan for us, and that was our favorite dish by far—very well prepared, fresh, inspired. Aside, the food was good. The mushroom poke had nice texture & flavor. Edamame were pretty oily. Veggie burger was kind of boring & in plain bread, not a lot going on when you remove the non-veg stuff. (I always say it: WHY would your veg burger not be vegan?!?) Friendly server.
Read moreGuest
ElizabethL1
Points +278
All around great experience - Edit
We made a reservation for a bay view table, and when we arrived, our table was set up with everything we needed for our kids (coloring supplies, kids water cups, high chair, popcorn, etc). The view was wonderful! Our server was vegan herself and incredibly helpful. We started with the mushroom and veggie stuffed bao buns. I had the deconstructed vegan sushi bowl and it was fabulous! My husband had the veggie burger, which was really good too. Even the kids menu had vegan options. They loved the coconut limeade and the adults enjoyed the tropical themed cocktails.
Read morePros: Beautiful location and space, Clearly marked vegan options , Excellent service
Guest
digitalmimi
Points +1904
Gorgeous view, good but limited vegan options - Edit
Very stylish atmosphere. I ordered the vegan sushi was tasty, and they offer a vegan dessert option. I always appreciate restaurants that add clearly marked vegan options on their menu and that don't forget dessert. This restaurant also has a gorgeous view of the bay.
Read moreOptions were a bit limited, but still enough to get a good meal. I'd also recommend making a reservation or calling because sometimes it gets quite busy and there is a decent wait.
Updated from previous review on 2019-07-29
Pros: Stylish decor, vegan dessert option, Great view
Cons: Limited options, expensive
Guest
xrodolfox
Points +68
Amazing gourmet food - Edit
Great bowls and deserts. Lots of vegan options.
Read moreWe ate two salads, two appetizers, a bowl, and a vegan desert.
Pros: Lots of vegan options , Lots of gluten free options
Cons: Expensive
Guest
JamesLaw
Points +22
Taro Quinoa Burger - Edit
Best vegan burger I’ve ever had! It had julienned cucumber, carrots & beets. Yum yum yum!!
Read morePros: Quite a few vegan options , Great service, Great for meat eaters too
Guest
rageofdiscipline
Points +102
Limited choices - Edit
There didn't seem to be as many vegan options as I had hoped for. I tried the mushroom lettuce cups, which were delicious, and the taro burger. The burger wasn't as tasty as it looked: it felt like it was lacking something!
Read moreMy husband had a vegetarian pie which he really enjoyed.
Pros: a little higher end than other places in Hilo
Cons: lack of options
Guest
DianeH
Points +1131
nice restaurant, limited options - Edit
This is a nice restaurant - loved by locals and tourists alike. Vegan and veggie options are marked on the menu. Vegan choices were limited though - I had the daily veg special (fried tofu with veggies in a chile sauce). It was good.
Read moreGuest
LadlesportFarms
Points +35
Great fries, ok burger - Edit
We started with the mushroom poke, it was delicious. I had the taro quinoa burger, the patty itself was very tasty but the rest of it was bland. The burger was on toasted bread with zero condiments, some baby greens and grated beets. I despise raw beets, but I'm sure some people like them. The burger would definitely benefit from some mustard and maybe some avocado or vegan mayo. The fries however, were perfectly crisp and salty.
Read morePros: Easy to recognize vegan options
Cons: Kind of pricey and very few vegan options
Guest
CliffBennett
Points +22
great vegan lunch - Edit
had a wonderful lunch, mushroom poke, great fresh salad with green flax dressing, and tasty quinoa/taro burger with jicama and lilikoi slaw. also with a beautiful view on the deck over the bay. highly recommend if you are a whole foods plant-based eater.
Read morePros: great vegan options, beautiful view, good service
Guest
JessicaGill
Points +49
Cute place - Edit
This is veg friendly only but did not disappoint and there was enough Vegan options to make this worth the stop! Service very friendly but you will mostly likely need a reservation for evening service. Taro burger was awesome! We went at night so couldn't enjoy the view but there is outdoor seating with ocean view that would be great during the day.
Read morePros: Good food, friendly service
Cons: need reservation, pricey
Guest
DWNPhoto
Points +387
Nice visit - Edit
Had the opportunity to eat a late lunch here. Saw that they had marked vegan and can be made vegan items on the menu. The taro burger was delicious, and the Hawaiian salt edamame was also good. Beer was fresh and cold, with a beautiful view of Hilo bay and the surround parks. Service felt a little "island time" though.
Read morePros: Good food, Good beers, Marks vegan with several options
Cons: Slow service
Guest
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