Cafe Concerto
808 Kilauea Ave, Hilo, HI, 96720
Cafe Concerto Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Hilo for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Hilo for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Hilo for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
808 Kilauea Ave
Hilo, HI, 96720 - Phone (808) 934-0312
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Romantic
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Brock C.
Seriously one of the best meals I've had on the island. Big portions, fairly priced, and the owner is the cook and will come out to greet you at the end of the night. Plus BYOB is nice. Great place to go get great food and talk story.
(5)Alan H.
I soo wanted to like this place, but alas, the most important thing about this restaurant (the food) was subpar. When you step into this place, you really do feel like you are in a little cafe in italy, with the brick flooring, the small tables with perringo mineral water on the table, and the italian style paintings on the wall. There is one lady who waits the table while an older gentleman who cooks the food. The menu is very simple, with around a dozen entrees and a few desserts. Entrees are pasta dishes or ravioli dishes. I ordered the chicken pistacchio (i know i'm spelling the actual dish wrong, but I'm not up to date on my Italian) which consists of angel hair pasta with a piece of chicken breast meat a 2 slivers of bread for $13. For that price, I really do expect a good pasta dish. The pasta was lightly sauced and so was the chicken. I believe the pasta is store bought, likely barilla brand. The chicken was a nice size piece of chicken breast white meat, but it was definitely overdone and dry. I'm not sure why, but the bread were these two small slices; usually the bread which costs pennies to make, helps to fill you up and is ridiculously easy to make and with a little bit of butter garlic would be delicious. I walked away feeling less than full and less than satisfied that night.
(2)Chad J.
This is now tied as my favorite place to eat in Hilo. We had an incredible meal here with wonderful outdoor seating. My wife ordered a delicious pesto dish and I tried their homemade raviolis with the gorgonzola sauce. Both were incredible. We also tried the Tiramisu which was delicious and the owner brought us a small lemon-flavored digestive at the end of dinner. As others have mentioned, the restaurant is BYO as far as wine and does not charge a cork fee. This means you can pick up a bottle of wine just down the street at Grapes or one of the grocery stores and keep your dinner budget in the $$ range. Finally, the waitstaff was friendly and helpful. We brought our 6 month old daughter with us and they were able to accommodate her needs with outdoor seating easy access to a door when crying occurred. The couple that own the restaurant, which includes the chef, both came by to ask about our meal and clearly love the food that they make as they described the process for making each dish. When we left, we immediately started making plans for our next visit.
(5)Alessandro P.
One of the best Italian restaurant in Hilo if not the best The owner is from Tuscany......so do I have to say more???? I have been few times, love puttanescha pasta. Thank you Lando I will be back soon in your lovely restaurant
(5)Sheri N.
Our first time here, Valentine's Day... We were ready for a long wait and ok service. But we were ecstatic to have excellent service and the food was awesome! We tried a variety of things the caprese salad, summer spaghetti, the caper one (can't remember the name), the meatball spaghetti, but our favorite--vongole (clam sauce)! And the creme brûlée was crazy good! Also byob so we could bring our favorite vino to enjoy. Dinner for 4, $80. A deal! And we even had left over food! Portions are very generous! What a great experience! Best valentines dinner we had in many years! Definitely coming back!
(5)Odille C.
Their cappuccinos were the only good thing that I ate. Their enormous portions are unusual. Also their spaghetti is a disgrace. If you want to eat here do not order the spaghetti
(3)Ariana T.
I was so impressed with dinner last night at Cafe Concerto. I can't believe I've never been before. I had gotten a few personal recommendations to visit from friends and visitors out of town, but I hadn't made any plans to eat there. Who goes out to Italian food by themselves? Probably lots of people, but that's not the point. I was taken there as a surprise date and I could not have been more impressed. I had been longing after something that reminded me of Europe and this was perfect. A short list of why I love this place: - This is a BYOB restaurant! All of the joy of drinking wine with your dinner, and none of that 100%+ markup. They give you wine glasses and they do not charge a corking fee. It's pretty much the best policy I've ever heard of. - You should definitely make a reservation. The tables are limited. They have inside tables, but the outside area is adorable and the next time I go, I want to sit out on their little patio and people watch, European cafe style. Plus, if you make a reservation they reserve your table with a little chalkboard and write your name on it. Adorable! - The menu is short, but delicious. The chicken breast in white wine and tomato sauce and the Gorgonzola ravioli were excellent. - They hand-make ravioli! - After you've finished eating, they give you a chef-concocted digestif. It's chilled lemony alcohol and it's supposed to aid in digestion and boost your metabolism - essential after a full plate of pasta! They're open from 5:30 - 9:00 PM for dinner and it would behoove you to stop by around 5 and ask for a reservation or call the day before. If you're thinking this place is our of your price range, you're mistaken. Nothing on the menu was more than $15. I loved this place and I can't wait to go back.
(5)Kenton W.
As authentic as it gets! Small, intimate restaurant in the heart of Hilo. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu and the freshly made bread is really really delicious! The Ravioli con Gorgonzola is absolutely divine. I could eat plate after plate of just that, but we usually order a couple of other pasta dishes to be polite. Chef Lando Landi, a native of Tuscany, Italy personally prepares all of the dishes and every time we've dined here he has come out to make sure our dinner was going well. BYOB and make reservations.
(5)Karlee K.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the ravioli. also for the locals who like lots of food, I would suggest something with a tomato sauce. my bf and I always get our own entree then split a ravioli plate or something to ensure that we won't leave hungry. tiramisu is strong in the espresso but so good and don't forget your digestive shot at the end of your meal! super refreshing.
(5)Vai L.
We didn't have reservations, but they were able to seat us after a few minutes of waiting. I had the 4 Cheese Spinach ravioli with an Alfredo type sauce. Sekueli had the angel hair pasta with meat. Both were delicious and huge portions. Prices were fair. Panna cotta and mango ice cream were also delicious. Cute, romantic type setting for a date night.
(4)Tiff H.
First let me start and say I dont like italian food but the bf does. So when I found this restaurant on yelp I had to give it a try. Street parking or on the side of the restuant theres more. Hole in the wall shop. Walked in to find lights decorating the place, it made the place look romantic. Got seated in 5 mins. Sat outside but we ordered a lot so moved to a bigger table inside. It wasnt hot inside, actually it was cool. Very nice decorations btw. Ordered a pesto dish (sorry its been a few days since we went) its probally the only pesto green dish on the menu), the clam spaghetti and the ravioli gorgonzola. With the caprese salad. A coke extra bread, a teramisu, and some thing like a crèm brulè. Our bill was $54!!! Can you belive it?!! 4 dishes, 2 desserts and a soda?? Such a deal. And the food was delicious! Tried to go back on monday but they were closed.. -GREAT serive as well! Tuesday-sunday I think 5-9.. Definitely going back soon!!
(5)Lauren M.
Came for a friends bday dinner. Believe there was about 9 of us. There was just one waitress and like others mentioned, the one chef/owner. Waiting time was above average, but we didn't mind. It's byob, so it's nice that they provided the wine glasses. I ordered the clam pasta, which is angel hair pasta with a tomato clam sauce. It was yummy!! The clams were seasoned nicely and perfectly chewy. It had a little kick which complimented the dish. The portion size was just right for me. I like how it was not too big, because I have a problem with always clearing my plate, especially with delicious food. I also tried my friends pesto ravioli. It was filled with a couple different cheeses. I enjoyed the pesto sauce. Rich and not too heavy. The pasta itself was pretty good, but I feel like there could have been a lot more filling. Definitely enjoyed the clam pasta over the ravioli. At the end of the meal everyone got a complimentary after dinner shot. It has a splash of alcohol, but the purpose is to help you digest your food and helps to boost your metabolism. The service was good! Had to be patient and wait a little, but for the amount of help and the amount of people were in our party, I was pleased. She constantly was filling the waters, keeping us updated on the food, and was helpful with menu questions. They ran out of creme brûlée, so hopefully I will be back soon for the clam pasta and dessert!
(4)Holly Z.
I love the pasta. The portions are fantastic for the price. The owner is a amazing cook. Every time I eat here I'm always very full and satisfied. Me being Italian it's refreshing to have that authentic feeling. It is also one of my sons favorite places to eat, and the tiramisu is to die for.
(5)Michael M.
My girlfriend treated us (daughter, daughter's friend, and me) to dinner. My daughter graduated Hilo HS Class of 2014 the night before (woohoo!). She has always wanted to eat here so Auntie treated us to dinner here. We had a great time! We sat outside which was a great idea since the weather was pretty warm. Very nice meal, not rushed. Plenty of time to visit and talk story. All of the entrees were very good. Dessert was also very good. The chef comes out and asks you how your meal is (a very nice touch). Portions for us were perfect. It is so easy to overeat on pasta and get bloated but we were served enough to be just perfect. Dessert was well done and they also give your and after dinner digestif to aid digestion. On my next visit I would like to try the salads. They looked very good. I would recommend if you are looking for a nice basic Italian restaurant.
(5)Ray I.
Excellent Italian food in Hilo. Family atmosphere. Get here early or make a reservation. Easily the best on Big Island.
(5)C G.
Picked this location as our daughters wanted Italian for dinner. We were only in Hilo one night. The food was fabulous! And our waitress was very very nice. We had a hard time spotting the location as the entrance was a little hard to spot. We called and she came out to guide us. It's very quaint. If we are ever in Hilo again, we will most definitely stop in for more!
(4)Al B.
I have been coming to Cafe Concerto since it opened and have always had great meals there. This is the real deal, an Italian cafe just like you will find in rural Italy. The service is perfect and the Italian owner (from Italy) and his wife make you feel so welcome. The food is always great, the home made bread is to die for, The house salad will feed the whole table. I am really mystified by some of the 1 and 2 star ratings on Yelp; maybe some reviewers are not familiar with country Italian cafe dining. Simple meals of tasty, freshly made pasta and farm fresh ingredients is the whole point.... I love this place and find it a consistently wonderful place to eat and to hang out as do our neighbors whom we see there on Friday nights quite often... Al B. Hilo, HI
(5)Bonnie S.
Cafe Concerto is the type of place that I like, but don't go to very often. The food is pretty tasty, and the owner/chef is friendly. I even live somewhat near by. For me, though, the let down is the portion size to price ratio. The last time I went here with my sister, we each got a salad and a pasta dish, no beverages or dessert, and ended up spending $50 (which includes the 15% tip). I wouldn't have minded if it were gourmet italian or if I was nice and full, but it is just pretty good italian, and you end up leaving hungry more often than not due to the small portion sizes. Add to that the very small menu with very few meat options, and you have the reason I only eat here on rare occasions. However, there aren't too many italian places in Hilo (this is one of 2 I think) so when I get the italian craving and I don't feel like cooking, this place does the trick. This place is especially special when Grapes is open next door, so you can get a bottle of wine to go with your meal :)
(3)Dustin R.
We decided to check this place out because the outside looked so nice (Some books you have to read because of its cover). The inside also had a nice setting and we were seated rather quickly despite not having a reservation. However, once we went to check in we saw that its rating was less than three stars on Yelp! (Oh no!) We decided to go on with our dinner and ordered a caprese salad and some ravioli. Both were good in all of our opinions and our entrees came out next. I had ordered some type of special that came with a chicken breast which was absolutely delicious, while the rest of my party ordered different types of noodles that tasted very good as well. For dessert we went with the Panna Cotta and the Tiramisu. Again both tasted good to me and were quickly gobbled up (despite some people not being able to finish their dinner!) During our visit the service was very impressive. Our waitresses were very friendly and at one point the cook even came by and asked how our meal was. The place is also BYOB which is always nice. Lastly the best part. For three people our total came to $70! Thats two appetizers, three entrees, and two desserts! If I get the chance I would like to visit again.
(4)Anya E.
I have made two visits to Cafe Concerto and had a good experience each time. The menu is simple with house made ravioli being their specialty. All meals come with complementary bread and olive oil. I am not much of a ravioli person, so on my first visit I had capellini and meatballs in bolognese sauce. On my second visit, I had the capellini with clam sauce. I thought the portion of each dish was appropriately sized, not too little and not too much. Both dishes tasted like I went over to someone's house, and they served a good home cooked meal. Though not mind blowing, the dishes were made with fresh ingredients. I enjoyed them both. The last time I had dinner here, the chef/owner came out to greet us at the end of the meal and offered digestif on the house. We prefer to sit in the vine covered patio as it provides better ambiance. Traffic was a bit noisy but not bothersome to us. Prices are reasonable for Hilo, and service is friendly.
(3)Mary a.
Absolutely the worst "italian" food I have ever eaten! The setting is nice (for Hilo); a vine covered outdoor area (with traffic noise). The food was horrible. I ordered Four Cheese Ravioli for $13. I was served something that looked like wontons that had come loose with lukewarm, tasteless cream on dribbled over it. The dough was overworked and tough. There was only a small amount of spinach stuffing with a one to two inch rim around it. To top it off it was a small portion served with two 3/4 inch by 3 inch pieces of bread--and the plates were mismatched. We did not order more bread because we definitely did not want to sop up the sauce and decided to get something else to eat afterwards. To be fair, the waitress was pleasant and the wine excellent (we brought it), but it is nice to be able to do that. I just wish there had been good food to go with it. We would never eat there again or recommend it to anyone.
(1)Gina T.
my pesto ravioli was great! would have enjoyed a bigger serving.. or maybe some more bread.. but my boyfriends lasagna was a mushy mess. it is BYOB, so thats a plus, because i do love to get my drink on for cheap! ... but if i return it's if i am really craving those ravioli
(3)PiLo G.
Best-fresh-made-from-scratch pesto on the island amazing chef who came out to meet us and give us his valuable time. Wonderful sweet attentive waitress
(5)Samdooby R.
I like this place but I dont go here too often because I dont want to spoil it... I love the Chefs simple approach to good food. SMALL menu that focuses on quality and not quantity. I love the creamy pesto and the homemade ravioli in gorgonzola cream sauce. The salad is also refreshing.. Again, if youre looking for something simple and satisfying, this is the place. Nothing on the menu is going to blow you away BUT it is good food for a good price. Plus the Chef is a nice guy that comes out and talks-story with the customers and will gladly explain his recipes or recommend something... ***BYOB***
(3)Carmon V.
This is my favorite place to go in Hilo. I've been to Europe and Italy and this reminds me of all the different little restaurants we would go to. Food is fantastic. Space is small (and thats ok, it adds to the quaint appeal), so you have to go at just the right time. There is just 1 chef in the kitchen, and usually 1 waitress/server so DO NOT EXPECT this to have "fast normal american restaurant service" The experience is exactly like european restaurants, you go to enjoy the company you are with, so plan to spend at least an hour or more. BYOB. I just can't tell you enough how much I love this place. 5 starts are just not enough.
(5)Kimi N.
My second time here! I had better food choice this time lol and the chef came to our table to talk stories :) he offers free homemade liquor after meals! Supposed to be lilikoi & Creme liquor lol it was pretty good :)
(5)Colleen D.
Food: We got Gorgonzola ravioli with toasted pine nuts, it was amazing. The basil olive oil penne was incredible. It was like pesto but more whole ingredient-absolutely delicious. We also got the clam angel hair pasta. At first I was disappointed because I wanted the whole clam with the shell, but it was perfect. It was a perfect spicy hot and the flavor saturated the noddles. Ambiance: try to sit outside. The brick flooring is adorable and the patio is adorable. But the inside of the restaurant has ugly walls, bad art work, and is a bit crowded Service: terrible. The poor waitress had 9-10 tables and there was only one waitress for the whole restaurant. But the chef would come out to help seat people, check on the food, and see how we were doing, so that was nice. It took us nearly 20 minutes to get water though... I would reccommend going early or late to avoid the rush, and try to sit outside. The food was absolutely great though. Soft home made noddles, perfect blend of flavors! forgot to mention BYOB NO CORKAGE FEE! We had three entrees and appetizer and a bottle of wine all for $40.
(4)Bruce A.
I so wanted this to be a pleasant experience. First thing everyone should know, BYOB here. There is a great wine store next door, Grapes, but they close at 6p. Food was cool. Taste was fine, but I do better in my own kitchen. Ice cream was really good and the wait staff was friendly.
(3)Sara H.
i'm in loveee with cafe concerto. in fact, i can't believe it has so few stars! first noticed this place on the way to hilo burger joint. when i first saw the sign on the brick wall, i thought it was street art or something! it's so cute and bright and hangs over this area covered with vines and shrubbery! the restaurant itself is very small but totally cute! very italian style and cozy with brick floors and small tables. i especially love the greenery and terracing. i think there is also a nice little outdoor area in the back! the menu is not expansive by any means but they have quality pasta dishes and a fair variety. the food is delicious. i tasted the caprese salad (mozzerella on it was to die for), a special ravioli with gorgonzola sauce, the special chicken dish and the pasta puttanesca (highly recommend. has a little spicy kick!). i personally ordered a special caprese summer spaghetti or something like that. it was amazing. it was also amazing 3 nights later as leftovers because there was so much food, i couldn't finish it all in one sitting! i'm not even a huge pasta fan and i find myself dying to go back!! we also had the tiramisu and the panna cotta (yeah we're a bunch of fatties) and both were quite tasty. my only complaint is the bread shortage. yeah, it's probably healthier than i can't gorge myself on copious amount of carbs before my real meal actually comes but i can't help it. i loveee bread. you only get 2 small pieces with your entree which is entirely not enough! will definitely be back, hopefully sooner than later. oh and i forgot to mention, it's BYOB. yesssss.
(4)Michele R.
Love Cafe Concerto, for several reasons ....... it's small and quaint. When you eat there, you feel like you're in Italy. Truthfully, it's a nice mental break from typical Hilo, HI and the best Italian food in town. The owner Lando is himself from Italy and is very kind and friendly. He gets to know his customers and always greets us with hugs. He makes his own pasta and bread. The menu is simple and does not offer a lot of meat. So, I always order chicken on the side, which comes with a red sauce and is always white chicken breast. It's no problem for me or for Lando. My favorite dish is the four cheese ravioli and I don't typically like ravioli. The pasta, bread and salads are delicious. Chicken can be a little dry. Dessert options are creme brulee, tiramisu and ...... something else. I usually go with the tiramisu. I don't drink alcohol and they don't serve alcohol. BUT, you can bring your own. After dinner, Lando usually offers his guest a FREE digestive aka liqueur. I don't drink it, but I think it's a kind gesture of appreciation towards his guest. I'm giving it a five based on my overall "experience". On food alone it would be a four. I've enjoyed all my experiences at Cafe Concerto and it doesn't hurt that I feel like I'm stepping off the streets of Hilo and spending a little time in Italy. Parking is available on streets or around back in small parking lot.
(5)Charlotte S.
I love the Gorgonzola Ravioli! Home-made pasta dough, delicious cream sauce! Great service and charming Italian owner. Negative things are the prices, and the serving size for certain dishes on the limited menu can be small. Lovely atmosphere though, and great quality food~
(4)Rafael T.
I loved this place, just got back from having dinner with three other people. All three of us thought it was GREAT! I tried the 4 cheese ravioli, I would have licked the plate clean if I didn't have other people around me. The waitress great, the music was great, and the chef (& owner) came out to say hello to our table, which was great to see. sad to see not many other people around, but it might have just been that their location isn't the greatest. I will be back again...
(4)X X.
Giving this place 2 stars instead of 1 just due to it having a romantic ambiance while still being reasonably priced. Ordered the caprese summer pasta or whatever and it didn't have much taste. Someone on here posted a picture of the bread, but ours looked NOTHING like that. The piece each of us had was easily 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. I am not exaggerating.... It looked like someone got that breadstick from the picture and cut 1/10 of it and put it on my plate. There is no bread basket. It is served on your plate. Think Costco size sample. Service was really bad too. Our waitress never offered to refill our water even though she came by and saw that there wasn't a drop left in either glass (not even a piece of ice!). We had to ask her for more water when she asked us if we wanted dessert or coffee. Average food, crap service, but a nice ambiance so decide what you are willing to compromise.
(2)Jen W.
Pretty good if you know what to expect! The homemade Gorgonzola ravioli are indeed very good! I have also tried the ragu and that was okay - had a good flavor but personally I like a bit more sauce. I'll stick with the ravioli. They make a simple green salad (just lettuce with a good vinegar) but still I like it. Bring your own wine. Good to get here early (not sure how busy it gets later in the evening) and get a table outside. It's a little small and I would guess can feel crowded with many folks are dining. I don't think I would eat inside if that was the only thing available - little too claustrophobic. It has the feeling of a one man show, which it seems to be. The chef (and I'm guessing owner) will sometimes come around and see how everything was. Honestly I think this is the best Italian food that you can get in Hilo. Simple menu, portions are not huge, but get something homemade and recommended and you'll probably really enjoy it. I think the quality is better than Pescatore, but that place has it's own set of pros and cons.
(4)A. L.
lovely setting but food.. ehhh. it's very simple. it's plain. owner is very very nice though.
(2)Jason B.
I heard good things about this place for awhile and finally made a recent trip there, with great results. A small restaurant with a few tables indoors and a few cool outdoor tables under the shade of some vines.. neat atmosphere. The menu was mostly simple pasta dishes with a couple salads. I had the homemade ravioli in gorgonzola sauce, with mozzarella caprese salad, both of which were awesome. For dessert, the tiramisu was a great choice. No wine served, but bring your own bottle (next door's a wine shop) and enjoy.
(4)Laura P.
It took an hour to get a table after we were told it would be 10 minutes and we never received the call to let us know a table was ready. It took about 45 minutes to get hot tea, nothing spectacular, and never got any water. It took an hour and a half to get our food and the raviolis were cold. And yes, as another person posted, very small amount of stuffing in the ravioli and tiny pieces of breadstick. Also had the spaghetti and meatballs. There were no meatballs, maybe it was a meat sauce, or the wrong dish but after that long I'm not sending it back...and it had no flavor,. I felt bad for our waitress as she was the only one there and that was allegedly why it was taking so long. You could tell she wasn't happy with the service she provides. How can she if she's doing EVERYTHING but cook. And there's only one cook. Nice man, but I'm not going to tell someone that old that his food wasn't any good. We did agree with him that it took too long to get to us. Cute little place, not what I expected. Had been wanting to try it out for a while, since it always looks busy, but that's what happens when it takes so long to serve. There were also tables "reserved" but empty the entire time. They actually turned a party away...
(2)