Uncle Don's Ohana Grill - Hilo CDP

I had visited this establishment while on vacation on the BigIsland. My wife and I decided to explore the Volcanoes National Park and on our drive back to Waikaloa we decided to have dinner in downtown Hilo. To my surprise my wife and I were very disappointed. The service was slow and the hostess had no etiquette. After we ordered our dinner we waited almost 30 minutes for our waitress to return. Coincidentally my wife had ran into the restaurants special events director who we had met in Waikaloa the day before. After sharing our disappointments he had made our evening much more pleasant. He made sure that we had two dedicated waitresses just for our table and was kind enough to introduce us to the chef. The food was great thanks to chef Jason Johnson. But in the end the director notified us the establishments problems derive from the owners lack of financing and not having fine dining restaurant experience and that he has tried to educate the owner but his suggestions continue to fall on deaf ears. That explained alot. But in the end we experienced and unexpected paradigm so, Mahalo to chef Jason Johnson and Special Events Director Joseph Figaroa for making our evening in downtown Hilo pleasant.

After my first very enjoyable experience walking in off the street to see if I would like this place. I have been back many times to enjoy its warm and wonderful ambiance. The food was prepared to perfection with thought to its presentation. All with an atmosphere of Aloha. I love this place.

I have been visiting Hilo for three years now and never in my visits have I experienced what I did at this restaurant. Service is shocking and the food is compared to an amateur chefs school project. It seems the only thing worth while experiencing is the Murano glass chandeliers and the imported bar from London. Of course I went there to have a culinary experience. And in the end I walked out a very disappointed customer. It was not worth a dime.

In reference to the previous statement by eat at your own risk seems like your mind was set on finding faults before you walked into the establishment. Words fall upon deaf ears when hiding behind the curtain. Which restaurant magazine do you represent again? As for my experience at Uncle Don 's Ohana Grill, I have seen this place evolve and grow daily. The food was excellent! Many to choose from and different price ranges to fit every pocket size. I ate here almost DAILY! Service may have been slow at times, but this was due to the waitresses having other customers to serve, this is understandable. Plates were displayed with care and my food came out in a timely manner. Each dish was made to perfection which kept me going back for more. Thank you Ohana Grill! Aloha.

As an editor of a restaurant magazine. My experience was the most shocking I have ever had in a restaurant environment. First of all the restaurant concept seems to be scattered. Seems as if they started on the right foot and ended up on an unstable path. The service was not at all what anyone who has eaten at a decent restaurant would expect. Especially if you have to ask for the basics like Water and a clean spoon. After standing for approximately 5 minutes waiting to be acknowledged while the hostess chats with the waitresses. Then being seated on seats that have been previously soiled and wobbly table tops. Then to top off the experience being served food that has gone stale by sitting and a waitress who forgets your even there. If you have any standards I would not recommend this option