Saimin was too salty for Japanese tastes and didn't have any particular flavor. I think it's worth it if you use it for the purpose of enjoying the Japanese food culture that is rooted in the Big Island of Hawaii.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Kahea K.
Nori's has always been my go to for lunch when I would go to Hilo but for some reason it wasn't this time around....why? It was closed! LOL I didn't lamb it right so my fault. But they do have a mean mix plate. Next time in Hilo...a must stop!
D F.
Nori's bring out the best in traditional Japanese and local food at great prices and comfort
Galadriel C.
Small saimin is still large. So delicious! Really recommend this place for authentic saimin.
Brianna Tracy
This hole-in-the-wall restaurant was a little tricky to find, but well worth it. The food was delicious, especially the Teriyaki meat. I'm not a huge meat eater, but wow was that good. Not a scrap left on the plate. The rest of my family who ate here agreed that it was delicious and would come back for the Teriyaki alone. They also have many awards displayed in their store, so it seems the locals agree.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 3
Larry B.
Big bento is always good!!. The last time we went there back in 2019 before pandemic you could dine in. Can't now so only carry out. Still worth it!!
Aldo Alfaro
Food was OK but when we visited it was take out only and many items on the menu were not available. Drinks were not available either.
Jennifer F.
Best local food and great service! Always delicious! Don't miss the mochi cake and snacks!
Jared N.
Local businesses please-if you're going to close on a certain day, put that on your voicemail message! Don't leave us guessing and go all the way to your restaurant to find out!
D. L. Sil
Food was take out only good but menu items not available on items we wanted so chicken and beef no pork . Please get them , I know prices are higher and only trying to keep the price low but please we all will make up on purchase if prices are a tad bit higher and item's are available!!!
Last visit to this place will probably be my last visit here. All of my BBQ sticks were pretty dang burnt. Unbelievable...
Elle Q.
You can never go wrong with a Big Plate! One serves 2-3 people depending on how hungry you are.
Charles Chamberlain
The place doesn’t look anything like the photos on their web site. The place is pretty scruffy and not especially clean. The staff were rude and did not appear to be enjoying their time there and the food was marginally edible.
Courtney L.
I never would have found this spot if it wasn't for a recommendation from my Yelp friend, Dan O.! After a day of exploring Hilo, the three of us were ready for some saimin! With this being a popular Hawaiian dish, it was something I was really eager to try once I set foot on the Big Island. Nori's is not visible from the street and it was a little tricky finding the restaurant. Google Maps took us to Kukuau Plaza, so we parked and found it on the bottom floor when we walked up to the building. I was impressed to see that they have been serving lunch and snack items for over 40 years, evidenced by numerous awards and recognition posted on the wall. Each of us ordered a noodle entrée, and we had no idea how huge they would be! Although the serving sizes are apparently intended for one person, they could easily feed at least two or provide more than one meal. My Fried Saimin ($12.95) contained a hearty portion of sliced Spam and fish cake, topped with green onion. Since the meats were charred on the grill, this added some extra flavor to the dish. My meal also included a chicken skewer which had a light sweet glaze, but was on the dry side. We also ordered the Garlic Fried Saimin ($13.95) which was addictive! The noodles were full of garlic flavor and even topped with fried garlic chips. This one came paired with a side of glistening BBQ pork. Finally, my dad had the Fried Noodles ($12.95), which included cabbage, carrot, chopped BBQ pork and a chicken skewer. I didn't get to try this one, but it must have been good since he gobbled it all up! Customers were in and out picking up orders and our food was ready in about 20 minutes. The staff was friendly and they made sure we were comfortable while waiting, offering us a seat in one of their booths. This is a promising spot if you're craving noodles, but they have a variety of other entrees as well. If I were a local, I'd be a recurring customer to explore more of their menu.
Naomi Wilson
Their menu is so small, and everything on the menu is so expensive now ☹️ I like their bentos, but most of the time they are sold out by when I get there. I hope they start making more bentos or make a better lunch time menu
Saimin was too salty for Japanese tastes and didn't have any particular flavor. I think it's worth it if you use it for the purpose of enjoying the Japanese food culture that is rooted in the Big Island of Hawaii.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Nori's has always been my go to for lunch when I would go to Hilo but for some reason it wasn't this time around....why? It was closed! LOL I didn't lamb it right so my fault. But they do have a mean mix plate. Next time in Hilo...a must stop!
Nori's bring out the best in traditional Japanese and local food at great prices and comfort
Small saimin is still large. So delicious! Really recommend this place for authentic saimin.
This hole-in-the-wall restaurant was a little tricky to find, but well worth it. The food was delicious, especially the Teriyaki meat. I'm not a huge meat eater, but wow was that good. Not a scrap left on the plate. The rest of my family who ate here agreed that it was delicious and would come back for the Teriyaki alone. They also have many awards displayed in their store, so it seems the locals agree.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 3
Big bento is always good!!. The last time we went there back in 2019 before pandemic you could dine in. Can't now so only carry out. Still worth it!!
Food was OK but when we visited it was take out only and many items on the menu were not available. Drinks were not available either.
Best local food and great service! Always delicious! Don't miss the mochi cake and snacks!
Local businesses please-if you're going to close on a certain day, put that on your voicemail message! Don't leave us guessing and go all the way to your restaurant to find out!
Food was take out only good but menu items not available on items we wanted so chicken and beef no pork . Please get them , I know prices are higher and only trying to keep the price low but please we all will make up on purchase if prices are a tad bit higher and item's are available!!!
Restaurantji Recommends
Last visit to this place will probably be my last visit here. All of my BBQ sticks were pretty dang burnt. Unbelievable...
You can never go wrong with a Big Plate! One serves 2-3 people depending on how hungry you are.
The place doesn’t look anything like the photos on their web site. The place is pretty scruffy and not especially clean. The staff were rude and did not appear to be enjoying their time there and the food was marginally edible.
I never would have found this spot if it wasn't for a recommendation from my Yelp friend, Dan O.! After a day of exploring Hilo, the three of us were ready for some saimin! With this being a popular Hawaiian dish, it was something I was really eager to try once I set foot on the Big Island. Nori's is not visible from the street and it was a little tricky finding the restaurant. Google Maps took us to Kukuau Plaza, so we parked and found it on the bottom floor when we walked up to the building. I was impressed to see that they have been serving lunch and snack items for over 40 years, evidenced by numerous awards and recognition posted on the wall. Each of us ordered a noodle entrée, and we had no idea how huge they would be! Although the serving sizes are apparently intended for one person, they could easily feed at least two or provide more than one meal. My Fried Saimin ($12.95) contained a hearty portion of sliced Spam and fish cake, topped with green onion. Since the meats were charred on the grill, this added some extra flavor to the dish. My meal also included a chicken skewer which had a light sweet glaze, but was on the dry side. We also ordered the Garlic Fried Saimin ($13.95) which was addictive! The noodles were full of garlic flavor and even topped with fried garlic chips. This one came paired with a side of glistening BBQ pork. Finally, my dad had the Fried Noodles ($12.95), which included cabbage, carrot, chopped BBQ pork and a chicken skewer. I didn't get to try this one, but it must have been good since he gobbled it all up! Customers were in and out picking up orders and our food was ready in about 20 minutes. The staff was friendly and they made sure we were comfortable while waiting, offering us a seat in one of their booths. This is a promising spot if you're craving noodles, but they have a variety of other entrees as well. If I were a local, I'd be a recurring customer to explore more of their menu.
Their menu is so small, and everything on the menu is so expensive now ☹️ I like their bentos, but most of the time they are sold out by when I get there. I hope they start making more bentos or make a better lunch time menu