Kawamoto Store
784 Kilauea Ave, Hilo, HI, 96720
Kawamoto Store 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 :
784 Kilauea Ave
Hilo, HI, 96720 - Phone (808) 935-8209
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Breakfast
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey, Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Krisha A.
Mom and pops style of local Japanese food in which they offer "create your own" bento by selecting ala carte items made fresh in their kitchen. You can pick one/several meat/fish, vegetables, and noodles/rice. My new favorite spot for local grinds in Hilo. Food 1. kabocha (pumpkin) tempura: I usually like kabocha tempura although just know the kabocha skin is also included so it has an ultra crunchy texture, that part caught me off guard although still delicious 2. Nosu (eggplant) tempura: My favorite of the tempura I had. The eggplant was perfectly savory and complimented the tempura batter. The tempura was not ultra heavy or oily either. It had the perfect crispness 3. Satsumaimo (sweet potato) tempura: this one was yummy also if you like the sweet tempura vegetables. Also know that these pieces of tempura are massive. They're thick slices of whatever vegetable you get. It's awesome 4. Noodles: Best noodles I've had in a long time and I'm pretty picky when it comes to noodles also. This one had no meat, I don't eat meat, which was perfect for me. It was fried noodles style with little bit vegetables mixed into it. They offer another set of noodles that has chicken in it also I believe. Ambience Mom and pops style for sure, very clean and intimate. You order over the counter and they have a case of all the goods to choose from. Keep in mind they sell out fast and I believe they close after they sell out usually around afternoon time Customer Service Excellent! Very personable, patient, and genuine. They ensure you have the best experience even when there is a rush and they do get busy. The food is delicious and also because of the great service I am a new loyal customer. Thank you Kawamoto's for the best local dining take out experience! Can't wait to come again soon!
(5)Jason C.
I love, love, love, old school family run businesses, and Kawamoto Store is exactly that - the building and store interior is old Hawaii and of a simple time gone by. I was glad there were a few people in line in front of me so I could soak in the nostalgic environs as I waited. The food is kept in smooth well-worn wood and glass cases. You know how food tastes better when you use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet? I think the food at Kawamoto is better too because of the cases! The prices are also excellent, I got a two pieces each of cone sushi, korean chicken, and shrimp tempura, plus nishime, shoyu pork and a hash patty for under $9! Unfortunately the popular Nori chicken was already sold out by the time I arrived at 9 am. The food is soulful and satisfying, and made with heart. The only knock I have is with the Korean chicken. I was fully expecting it to be a drumette, but instead it was a thigh with some of the meat cut off on each side which I assume is used in another dish. I felt a little ripped off because it was like I got a scrap piece, not to mention I love wings, and this was no wing! Wing-gate aside, I'm still a fan and look forward to my next visit where I can create my next custom combo.
(4)Kelvin C.
I think if you grew up eating bento boxes, you'll probably like this place a bit more as it rings close to home. However, I was a bit disappointed in the food here because face it....what should I have expected when you put a bunch of fried items in a box that is meant to be eaten at a later time? That's right, a mushy oily mess of fried food (tempura, has brown, vegetable tempura). The non fried items like the chicken was pretty dry as well. Their spam musubi was decent, but nothing to go gaga over. Obviously, the noodles are the way to go here because that was one of the only things I enjoyed other than the spam musubi. 3 stars.
(3)Ryan Y.
This review is for the their cone sushi. My parents always order this for every New Year's family party, underscore - Every New Year. Oishii.
(5)Alice H.
Eat where the locals eat right? I tried pretty much everything there was and paid about $20 bucks! I loved the clear noodles and Japanese veggie dish. (needed something clean since all I was eating consisted of Spam or something fried) The battered fish tasted less greasy than the friend tempura. (still a bit fishy to me though) The spam musubi were ok, I preferred mine either home made or from 7-11 (yes, I know but they have the most variety) Enjoy and get there early. They usually sell out late in the morning!
(5)Charles F.
OMFG, this place never gets old nor changes...except for the price. But it's so worth it! My recommendations: hash brown, nori chicken, shrimp tempura, shoyu chicken, cone sushi, and vegetable tempura. Sorry, I don't eat rice much, but I guess you could get rice with all these items. They do take major credit cards and cash. best time to go? In the morning around 7 or 8 a.m. Parking is right infront of the store. Or up the street. no private lot, so you will have to park on the street.
(5)Sara L.
Ever since I got this work trip to Hilo I was so looking forward to coming here. I seriously need to say Thanks to the yelpers because you all didn't stear me to the wrong. I absolutely am amazed at how much food you can get for less than $20.00 :-) I walked all the way from my layover hotel to get some of amazing bento box. I had to get a little bit of everything. The person who helped me what can I say was friendly and patient with me taking my order. I felt like a little piggy when I paid and she asked me how many forks or chopsticks I needed. I only needed 1 chopsticks :-/ Definitely come here!!!! Everything I got was delicious :-)
(5)Tiffany C.
This place is pretty good! Positives (+): (+) fast service (+) lots of variety of food (+) Really well priced (+) good Korean chicken (+) The corn beef hash was good. Comes in a little bike size pocket of goodness Negatives (-): (-) they were out of Nori Chicken, or maybe weren't even making it that day. We got there at like 8:30am so I doubt they had run out. (-) the spam musubi was kinda dry and was lacking some sauciness Would come back to try the nori chicken, but overall just okay. A good place to find a quick bite to eat.
(3)Lisa C.
One of my favorite places in Hilo. Get there early for the best selection. Everything is ono!
(5)Jacob N.
Hilo is like Okazuya heaven! For such a small town they sure have a lot of okazuya all over! And these are some top quality establishments, and I'd have to say that from what I've experienced so far Kawamoto Store is the best in Hilo! We came here mid-morning to grab some breakfast. The food here was absolutely delicious! The fried foods (tempura and fried chicken) were still warm and very crispy, no soggy stuff here! The Korean fried chicken was more sweet than spicy as you might expect, and the bite sized hash patties were ono! Unfortuantely by the time we got there they had sold out of the nori chicken, which seems to be a pretty common okazuya item in Hilo. You don't see too much of that in Honolulu. When I got to the counter to pay for my food I noticed some manju on the side, and decided to pick a couple up because they were unusual flavors. Chocolate Chip, and Strawberry Guava! They weren't flaky like your typical Homemaid Bakery manju, but it was more thick and cake-like, but I'll tell you this: They were DELICIOUS!!!! The Good: Delicious food, low prices, good selection, tasty manju, open on Sundays! The Bad: It's all the way in Hilo, they run out of food if you go too late
(5)Chuck C.
Local favorite. Went there at 0600 and there were already people ahead of me. Quick service, ono bento favorites and reasonable prices. Have to get there early before food runs out.
(4)Jaime T.
This place is a hidden gem. I don't live in Hilo by when I get chance to come here its a treat. My children love this place. The teriyaki beef is the best ever. The shrimp tempura, namasu, and long rice is awesome. Everything is charged per piece and the most expensive is the shrimp which is about a $1. Looks like a warehouse and people don't usually sit around to dine but tastes even better eating it at the park or beach. Highly recommend this place. Only have them 4 stars because the place is old looking but other than that the people are great as well as the food.
(4)Emi H.
My Yelp buddy Jacob N clued me in on the okazuya heaven that is the Kawamoto Store and it was our very first stop when we landed in Hilo. I am an OKAZUYA JUNKIE and love being able to build my own delicious box lunch of Japanese fried goodies. I compare all okazuya fare to one that I grew up eating as a kid. My Dad would drive me to private school in the mornings and we would stop by a tiny shop in Kalihi which was run by an elderly Japanese woman. There was so much love in the preparation of her food and I never truly appreciated it until she retired and the shop closed. Over the years I've visited countless okazuyas but I've yet to come across one which had the same level of care and quality. Like many mom n' pop businesses in Hilo, the Kawamoto Store is housed in a run down wooden building. It's easy to miss if you don't know what to look for and hopefully your karma is in good shape so you'll get street parking. This place is a total DEAL compared to okazuya spots on Oahu. Good sized potions and you can also buy bentos starting at $3. You walk in and order your food which is housed in a glass case. I bought okazuya for my BF & I and got a variety of items so we could try a little bit of everything: Nori chicken, Korean chicken, bite sized hash patties, shoyu noodles, musubi. I asked the girl if there was ume in the musubi and she replied "No, sorry." I gasped out loud and wanted to scream "SACRILEGE!" Ume is the heart of the musubi and not having it in there is like taking the soul out of the most basic of Japanese foods. The food was decent but by no means spectacular in flavor. I wasn't a big fan of the nori chicken (as mine was overcooked) as I thought it lacked a depth of flavor and preferred the Korean chicken. I enjoyed the noodles which were light yet drenched in a shoyu sugar sauce. (Photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/kawa… ) Upon Jacob N's recommendation I grabbed a box of manju as I was checking out simply for curiosity's sake. GET THE MANJU! Did you hear that? Need a repeat? GET THE MANJU! GET THE MANJU! GET THE MANJU! I don't normally like manju because I don't care for the crustiness but this manju is PURE HEAVEN! I couldn't stop eating it and didn't even offer a bite to my boyfriend because it turned me SELFISH. I wanted to grab another 5 boxes of manju the day we left, but we were running behind and couldn't stop. As we drove by Kawamoto's I cried inside because I knew it would be months and possibly years until I would be reunited with that AMAZING MANJU! Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo... (Wipes away tears) So if you are in Hilo and want me to be your best friend in the whole entire world. Buy me a few boxes of manju and we'll be BEST FRIENDS FOREVER!!!
(4)Irene K.
Kawamoto's was something I heard about through some friends, but never really had a chance to try it out since you have to go in pretty early before they run out of food. However this past week, I was finally able to try it since we wanted to pick up some food before we headed to the beach. I've never been to a place like Kawamoto's. The set up reminded me of a doughnut shop kind of, except instead of doughnuts, you had some local food like musubi's and shrimp tempuras. We got a box to go, which included shrimp tempura, nori chicken, Korean chicken, fish cakes, shoyu pork, and a couple of rice balls. My favorite were the shrimp tempuras, they were nice and crispy and good even when they got cold. Overall all the food was super tasty and box of food was more than enough for two people to be full. I think our whole order cost around $20. I definitely think Kawamoto's is a unique eating experience and very convenient if your eating on the go.
(4)Jason T.
Thats Kanakattack Heaven!!! Recently went there 3 times during my vacation. Thats how you are supposed to make cone sushi. Shoyu chicken was on point. And the tempura Ono was, well, ONO! Nori Chicken turned out to be my crack. Got me fienin!!! Lol Shout out to Big Rob workin in the back. Thats my new cuzzin. Lol Till the next wave!!!!
(5)Nate D.
So I visited this place on my last day in Hilo...wish I went earlier...so got there at 545am and they open at 6am...there was already a few people waiting. They opened exactly at 6am. By the time they opened there were 6 people ahead of me and the workers are AWESOME and so friendly. It took a few minutes to be helped after the people in front of me. I ordered three plates and the worker helping me was so fast and efficient. After looking at my plates I was expecting to pay well over $30...but my bill came out to a little less than $25. Pretty good if you ask me This will always be a stop for me when I am in Hilo. Can't wait to go back already.
(5)Janice T.
We were lucky to find street parking right in front of the store when we came to visit. The person who helped us with our order was very nice and patient with us. We spent $25.45 on takeout food. I like the variety it offered. I was able to sample several items without breaking the bank. We came early in the morning to ensure they did not run out of their more popular items. I liked everything I ordered.
(4)Jade T.
Hands Down the BEST OKAZU Shop in the World! Everything they make is Delicious! I Love their Korean Chicken, Nori Chicken, Hash, Shrimp Tempura, Mahi Tempura, Mac Salad, Cone Sushi & Spam Musubi! Just to name a few. I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!
(5)Jeff J.
Three times a charm! We found this place on Yelp while visiting the Big Island. I told the family that this sounds exactly what we've been looking for. The first time we came by was around noon. The entire "market" was empty and it nearly looked abandoned! We were so dissappointed because we read such good reviews. I figured we were just too late. The second time, we dropped in on a Monday. Duh - they are closed. The third time, it was our last day and we were leaving that morning for out flight out. But I was bound and determined (thank you Yelpers!) to go here! We got up early and headed out! Sure enough the doors were open and we went in. Wow, you order everything piece by piece - teriyaki & korean chicken, shrimp & veggie tempura, spam musubi, shoyu pork, mac salad, and a bunch more finger foods. Everything is priced very well and you just need to figure out what you want. Totally take out only....just like a donut shop! Fill your styrofoam to go tray and pay! This is THE stop for me and my family!
(4)Tiffany T.
I don't live here anymore but I'm going to miss this place like crazy. Had a rough day? Kawamoto's. On your way to the beach? Kawamoto's. Late start to the day? Kawamoto's. The best spam musubi in Hilo in my opinion. My usual fixings include: spam musubi, long rice, shrimp tempura, korean chicken, nori chicken, fish tempura, and veggie tempura. The lines can get long if you arrive later than 11am and be aware that they open early and most of the food runs out around noon or earlier depending on the day. Just to reiterate, go early! The early bird gets the spam musubi and the korean chicken. All of this for under $5 if you're eating alone. When I have visitors, this is the place I take them to before we head out to Hapuna Beach.
(5)Lauren M.
Kawamoto's is THE BEST okazuya on the Island of Hawaii! Go early to be sure you get the items that sell out fast - sushi rolls, shrimp tempura, sweet potato tempura and tempura fish. We live on the other side of the island and take the items to go. We heat up the tempura in the toaster oven and it tastes like it just came out of the kitchen! Love, love, love this place!
(5)Amanda Z.
Came here for lunch this past weekend. Was impressed by the variety of offerings. Disappointed by the oily-ness of the tempura (shrimp and eggplant), although what can you expect from deep-fried items. Nori chicken was dry and pretty flavorless. Good mac salad, ono tempura, noodles, meatballs and the chicken tofu was really delicious. Will be back again!
(3)Melissa K.
Okazuya yum yum yum! The okazuya here is super fresh, delicious, and affordable! What a wonderful lunch/picnic option. Fish (ono and mahi) is $0.90/piece and there are lots of other traditional goodies like nishime (I don't know why Shirakiya charges so much!), spam musubi (the shoyu flavor is perfect!), corned beef hash, tempura, nori chicken, fried chicken, and lots of other tasty to-go goodness. Kawamoto Store is a must-go place!
(5)Steven U.
Korean Chicken Cone sushi Tempura shrimp Tempura ahi Tempura ono Tempura eggplant Hash ball Nishime Believe it or not....all of this fit in one to go box! My first visit to Kawamoto store was a successful one. They had all the good stuff a guy could ask for. I love that when I looked to the back of the store, you could see everyone talking story and making the food...really cool. It's not a super big place, but large considering the size of most okazuyas. The service was fast and friendly...and very helpful. The Korean chicken was bone in, but I think that just keeps it moist and juicy. The cone sushi may have been the best part of my bento, next to the Korean chicken. It was so moist and sweet, I could have eaten it just by itself. The tempura shrimp was really crispy. it was almost like they fried it, then took tempura crumbles and put it on top. Really good. The tempura ahi and ono were good...they were a little under seasoned, but not bad. Same with the tempura eggplant...nothing to write home about. The hash ball was ok. I get hash balls everywhere I go thinking I'm gonna love it, but I just don't.....weird. The nishime was yummy. I love nishime anyway, but this tasted very good. It had more potatoes than I am used to...but good. I will be back! 4 stars
(4)Odille C.
I always get the Nori Chicken here, its soo good.
(5)Lynette T.
We visited twice in the morning to get some bento (Japanese box lunch) to take along on our trek around the island. This is convenient because we were planning on visiting some of the scenic beaches and look-outs and wanted to sit, eat and enjoy the view. I love the concept of the bento stores here in Hilo. The different items are laid out for you to pick and choose to your heart's content. Back here at home, there's some places that sell bento, but it's pre-packaged and chosen for you. Too many times I've decided not to buy because I didn't care for some of the items in the containers. yelp.com/biz_photos/xihV… We got all excited after walking in the door. Big variety! I planted the hubby in line and went up to see what was in the display cases. Ono & ahi fish tempura! yelp.com/biz_photos/xihV… Nishime- missing some key ingredients & had too many carrots, but the taste was spot on yelp.com/biz_photos/xihV… Those were my choices both times. The hubby went a bit crazy both times and his bento boxes were pretty heavy. He had shoyu, nori & Korean chicken. Maki sushi rolls, spam musubi. Chow mein. And other items. "Some of this, and this, and this!" Then he added in some manju both times. yelp.com/biz_photos/xihV… You've got to get here early because they close around noon. Also, for the best picks. Once they're out, none for you!
(4)Jamie D.
I LOVE the Korean fried chicken here! They have a good selection if To-go food but you have to come early to get the best selection. Wish the opened all day long.
(4)Brennan T.
Awesome okazuya, and it's not usually as crowded as Hilo Lunch Shop. My favorites are the shoyu chicken, cucumber namasu, fried fish, and nishime. Food is sweet and greasy like local/style okazuya should be. Cannot get some of the foods anywhere else in Hilo.
(5)Leanne L.
Go early! The food runs out fast... Good variety... And friendly service!!! They're fast but patient and don't mind answering questions! Love this place!!! Everything I've ordered has been so good!
(5)Shandi J.
This place holds a fond place in my heart. I've eaten here since I was a kid, showing up at the crack of dawn on Saturday mornings, special, just to get a couple of pink boxes before going holoholo for the day. It was committed to memory long ago that If I want this stuff, I need to get here EARLY. But since I'm always on "Native" Hawaiian time I've learned the hard way several times that there is nothing worse than showing up after they've already sold out for the day. I can't tell you how bummed I've been. I've cried even. Really. Every time I get food from here it's fresh. I love just about everything they make (I say "just about" only because I haven't actually tried everything - i don't normally stray from my favorites). Some of my favorites include the fried pork hash, cone sushi, shoyu chicken, mochiko chicken, and fish cake. And I always make sure to grab at least one can of Diamond Head Strawberry Soda before I settle up. Because quite frankly, after I've inhaled an entire pink box, I need something equally as flavorful and refreshing to wash it all down! Now I'm hungry. You should be too. So go enjoy a pink box for me ;) You won't regret it!
(5)Eric Robert R.
YUMMY KAWAMOTO! Exceptional "finger" foods! I love the Korean Friend Chicken (if not sold out /sigh), the ahi/mahi tempura, cone sushi, oh, and of course the yummy fried sweet potato! Mmmm, I'm totally salivating! You can get a can soda or fruit drink for a buck and sometimes pre-order malasada too. Very unique store in 100-year old building! Kawamoto's been here since the old plantation days. Interesting kokeshi doll collection in display case (above the large American flag!). Tip: Go EARLY (before 12pm) or most items are sold-out! Also, if it's your first time... it's a tiny hole-in-the-wall and you might miss it if not looking for it... This is a "take out" place or OKAZU-YA, so don't expect to sit and eat there- parks nearby for a nice picnic. $10-$12 will feed two. Might need tumbs or rolaids after gorging all the fried stuff, but it's well worth it.. Easily a 5-star if not for the sometimes GROUCHY counter girls!
(4)Zoey P.
The service was excellent and friendly, but I wasn't terribly impressed by the food.
(3)D K.
Excellent to go plates. We ordered a variety of different goodies. To platters cost under 10 bucks. Ate this for lunch at the volcanoes. Everything tasted great.
(5)Jewelyn T.
I've been coming here my whole life while living in Hilo, till this day... visiting Hilo... I make sure to go back once or twice... before leaving the island. I also introduced this spot to several people visiting the island and they love it! I visited Hilo last month and stopped by there twice for my kawamoto's fix! Kawamoto's has the best okazu in Hawaii! I order: nori chicken, cone sushi, shrimp tempura, hash, fish, korean chicken, spam musubi and shoyu pork. Lines are always long. My mom usually calls ahead or time to preorder to avoid the line. Prices are reasonable. This is my first place I head to when I fly in. I believe they open at 6am. Go early before they sell out. Parking is on the street... which is not much. My order is usually under $20... I usually finish the big box of goodies in 2 sittings. If you're in Hilo, this is a must 5 stars from me! I'll be back next month when I visit Hilo for the summer! can't wait!
(5)Rob F.
Kawamoto Store has been around for a long time in Hilo for a reason. They have by far the best okazu food on the island. Since I was a child I remember going there for the finger foods. Now I take my family there to get lunch whenever we are going to the park, beach or just going home and we want something really delicious to eat. We went there a few days ago for our favorite foods. I am a fan of pretty much most of the food there. Here's what's on the menu: cone sushi, spam musubi, shrimp tempura, fish tempura, vegetable tempura, korean chicken, nori chicken, hash patties, teriyaki beef, fish cake, shoyu chicken, shoyu pork, mac salad and more... Get ready to stand in line, if your not there before 7 am. The store opens at 6 am, from tuesday to saturday, closed on mondays and most holidays. Take out only, there is no seating. The prices are really fair, compared to other okazu places that I've been to. But the main reason that I go there is because the food is "ono" (tasty)!!!!
(5)Nam N.
We were in need of some ono grindz to enjoy at Coconut Island. Heck, you need some nourishment if you plan on jumping off of the towers in the chilly waters of the Hilo Bay :) The bf's family and I made a quick pit stop to grab some of their old favorites. Unfortunately they were low on their Nori Chicken, but we did nab some other good eats such as fresh fried mahi, Korean Chicken, clear noodles, bbq beef, veggie fritters, hash, and fried beans. All VERY tasty but quite fried. :) As long as you're ok with that, you're good to go with the cheap and ono goods from Kawamoto. A definite local spot but when in Hawai'i, do what the locals do!
(3)Jai L.
I would go back for more. Grabbed a variety to go and ate it at the beach park just a few blocks away. Loved the clear noodles, the chicken, fried fish, spam w/ rice~ One of the chicken was a bit dry... but overall, good delicious value for the $$.
(4)T Z.
Get your lunch from Kawamoto before you head out too see the sights of the Big Island. Great: Spam musubi, fish cakes, noodles. Awesome: Korean spicy chicken, shoyu chicken, nori wrapped chicken, and asparagus tempura.
(5)Jyl L.
a little difficult to find, but everything tasted purely amazing even after more than 3 hours, post some ziplining and waterfall visits. I remember the long rice was awesome, as well as the fried chickens
(4)Cherie T.
this is for sure a hole in the wall place. everything here is cheap but the food is just okay. Their tempura or deep fry battered fish were just okay.. some are a bit dry. the spam musubi is pretty good though, i only wish they give a bigger piece of spam. my chicken w/ nori was flavorful, but the chicken itself was a bit dry. one of my favorite dish is their long rice. It's basically glass noodles, but thicker. This one was the tastiest of all the items i got. they sell each fish/ chicken by pieces and the noodles is by serving. price range from like 60cents a piece to like $1 a serving. so it's cheap and it's filling. a good lunch take it to go on the road or just stop by and snack on some items.
(3)June O.
Nori chicken runs out before 10:30am. Korean chicken, spam musubi was also delicious! We got some to go on our way to Kona. =) I miss their food. None like it in Oahu!
(5)Pammy L.
Drove past this place 4-5 times because we were confused seeing the Tkawamoto sign, not sure what the T stands for. Favorites were: kastu fish fillet, spam musubi, Korean chicken, nori chicken, shoyu pork, etc. Yum!! The second time we came the ono kastu was super salty and Korean chicken was dry. The first time we came everything tasted good.
(5)Vivian N.
Since my last visit here, I had forgotten about a) how cheap their food is, b) popular items run out by 11:30am, and c) their Korean Chicken is crazy crack delicious. So the reminder lessons here are: a) you can get a ton of food for less than $5-10, b) if you want spam musubi, you should probably come before 11:30am, and c) I had ten pieces of Korean Chicken because it's still crazy crack delicious.
(4)Ryan O.
Kawamoto's is probably one of the best Okazuya places I've ever eaten at... BEST! nuff said! Musts to eat if you go... 1. Nori Chicken 2. Korean Chicken 3. Hash 4. Shrimp Tempura WARNING! GO EARLY! The best stuff will run out if you don't get there in the morning! Remember, you snooze you lose!
(5)Jesse W.
6/26/07: Old school place that has been around forever, this is a takeout deli (okazu) with mostly hot foods. Specializing in Japanese (with Hawaiian twist) foods, you can find a great deals by ordering their bentos (prices start at $2.50 up thru $6.00, the $3.00 or $3.50 has plenty of food!). Open from early morning and closes during the lunchhour (6am-12:30pm), you should call in your lunch order by mid morning otherwise they will be out of the favorites! They sell the usual deli items: cone sushi, maki sushi, musubi, spam musubi, bbq meat, shoyu pork, hash, fishcake, shoyu or fried chicken (fried often runs out fast), nori chicken, korean chicken, tempura (veggie, fish or shrimp), long rice noodles, mac salad, mishima, namasu, etc. Great place for grabbing food before heading to the beach!
(4)John K.
Box to go and load it up baby. Nori chicken, hash, long rice, rice balls, shrimp tempura, futo roll and beef.
(4)L T.
Nori chicken and Korean chicken were great! Veggie + shrimp tempura lacked tempura dip but they were still crunchy and fresh.
(5)Aaron E.
An old-style okazu-ya that reminded my of my "small-kid" days. Yeah, most of the food is fried, but this is the sort of thing that will stay tasting good after half-a-day in your car. Order for your family and they will pack food into a cardboard box and give you small plates, napkins, and chopsticks. You can feed a family of 4 for $20-$25!
(5)Apollo Y.
This place is AWESOME!!! Living on Oahu you get caught up in the fast moving life but as soon as you step in the store you get that small town laid back feel which Oahu doesn't have too many places like this anymore. Got ALOT of food for a small price.....the nori chicken was my favorite. I'm definitely coming back next time I'm in Hilo.
(4)Penny P.
I love that Kawamoto Store is still around--same location, but slightly different food. Back in the day, the corn beef hash patties were bigger than a quarter, much creamier, and less breaded. The nishime is full of daikon and nothing like the nishime of the past--loaded with chicken, Japanese potato, konbu, carrot, etc. The best bento items are: Shoyu Pork Shoyu Chicken Chicken Long Rice Noodles That said, I can't really fault anything about this reliable and tasty institution. Get the $6 bento, it's everything you want in a plate lunch and a perfect thing to buy on your way to the airport. You'll be the envy of everyone sitting near you on the plane back to the mainland : )
(4)Lyca F.
Can we get one in Seattle?
(5)StefnScottman I.
good okazuya! man you have to get there really early! my uncle was there by at least 6am and he says if you go later a lot of things are sold out! you have to try the okinawan sweet potato...i love it it's so pretty...purple! :) i like their cone sushi, spam musubi (of course) and the fried chicken!!!
(4)S. G.
We were there for a baseball tournament in July 2012 and based upon past reviews, our group decided to place a phone order that morning. In our bento, we had 3 nori chicken, 2 corned beef hash, 1 spam musubi, and 1 regular musubi. We were thinking that this should be a lot of food. I was quite disappointed at the quality and quantity of the food. The nori chicken was so dry along with the hash. The hash was the size of a half-dollar coin, boy was I shocked. Not to mention, our spam musubi was only 1/2 of a whole, bummers. After I ate the bento, I didn't feel full, it felt like the food just sat there at the bottom of my stomach. One of the younger kids was constipated, what can I say.
(3)LL C.
open early, closes around noon, dropped by for breakfast before heading out one morning. convenient location, fast service, cheap food, high quality deliciousness. especially loved the musubi (maybe i'm biased because i love anything musubi) and the shoyu pork
(5)Edwin N.
Kawamoto Store is another great okazuya pit stop. You'll find early birds like construction workers, business people, and just about anybody in line to get their boxed lunch or breakfast. Their items are kinda similar to Hilo Lunch Shop. They got the Nori Chicken, Shoyu chicken, chow mein noodles, nishime, shrimp and vegetable tempura and lots of goodies. Make sure you go there early because they do run out of food early. The parking kinda sucks, that's my only complaint. 4 stars for the food!
(4)Alison A.
Get there early! Past 11 and selection dwindles. A big full box will run about $30 enough to feed 4-5 big eaters if not 6-7. See my photo for example. One thing I was suprised about was the korean fried chicken was not spicy like "traditional" korean fried chicken. I was sweet and very good. Also visitors, for the sanity of the rest of the people in the line that goes out the door, don't ask what every single item is. You might cause a riot. The staff moves so fast that they don't want anyone to even be in line longer than 5 minutes. Great bento to take to the beach, or outing. If you are taking the circuit drive around the island this is a great place to stop in Hilo for traveling food if you don't want to stay in town long.
(5)Virginia T.
Don't let the minimal decore and almost hidden location deter you. When you see locals lining up in the wee hours of the morning, you know this place is super legit. I ordered a box of spam musubi, maki sushi, fried chicken, and shrimp tempura. This entire hodgepodge was about $10 and was enough for lunch for 2 people. I randomly pointed things from the display window, taking the chance on pre-cooked tempura and fried chicken that may have possibly been sitting out for a while. Even worse, I ate it all a few hours later, but instead of resigning to possible cold food, it was still really freaking amazingly good! I have to give it up for the Maki Sushi, which I don't see nearly as often as its famous cousin, Spam Musubi. This over-sized sushi roll of celery, tofu skin, egg, and pork sung was the highlight of my togo box, the true star of the roll family. The flavors and textures work so well together, even after sitting in a car for a few hours. If you come here, tack on a few extra pieces of everything in your order because most likely, you will be like me and regret not getting more.
(5)Christopher L.
This place is all about VALUE! They have a huge selection of different meats and 'finger food' and everything looked seriously tasty. You buy the items by the serving/per piece and you can fill the box to your hearts content without you wallet crying. My girlfriend and I got 2 shrimp tempura, two shoyu chicken, two tempura ono, one long rice, one fish cake, two cone sushi, and two korean chicken. It came out to just 13 bucks!! All of the items we ordered would be worthy of your typical Japanese bento so while its not all that special, its tasty. I just love that we can have such variety. We also wanted to try their famous nori chicken but apparently that sells out like a few hours after they open. Overall, the food is yummy and the service is quick. If you are going on a picnic or a hike and want to bring some finger food along, this place will answer all of your stomach's cravings.
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