Don's Grill — Restaurant in Hawaii

Good eats, great prices, aloha spirit. Don's Grill is a quaint little neighborhood restaurant that doesn't particularly specialize in anything. The menu includes a handful of local favorites and a ton of just plain hometown american dishes. I've eaten here twice now. I can't say the seafood combo was the best seafood I've had, but it was a fried fish and some excellent fried calamari that was so tender and large enough that it was like eating chicken fingers... Interpret that how you will. The double loco moco was a real treat though. Rice, gravy, and more hamburger steak than my appetite could accommodate. A side of kimchi in place of salad... and all of it at reasonable prices, and that is no small thing on the island! The staff was not just friendly, but genuinely interesting to interact with. It was an engaging visit with laughter and conversation surrounding us. Now I chalk some of this up to the pandemic, because social contact is naturally muted somewhat by circumstances right now, but I can only imagine how boisterous this place must be in the best of times! Best of all, we were surrounded by local people who were familiar with their servers. This it's clearly a return visit kind of place! It is a little off the beaten path in Hilo, it felt like we were approaching someone's house until we got to the parking lot, but the lot was larger than I expected, not cramped like so many other places we've visited on the island. Totally worth it. Try the local fare. They were out of chili burritos when I went, but I'm just looking forward to trying them next time. Avoid the mixed veggies, they are cafeteria style (carrots, peas, lima beans). The rolls are sweet like those Hawaiian rolls you can get at the grocery store. You don't have to eat something exotic, they have an extensive menu of more standard fare also, hamburgers, mashed potatoes, chicken... you name it. Bring the kids. I'll...

When we arrived, the parking lot was completely full, signaling a bustling restaurant. Initially, our social anxiety made us hesitant due to the crowd, but we decided to brave it given the evident popularity of the place. Fortunately, we were seated immediately despite the crowd. The restaurant was not only busy but also highly efficient, especially with their circular seating arrangement for customers. We received prompt service.

The menu was extensive, perhaps overly so. I generally prefer a more concise menu as it often reflects a dedication to quality.

We ordered the Conquest sandwich, which includes roast beef, grilled onions, cheese, and sauce, and the French dip as well. While waiting, we appreciated a timely refill of our water. Our food was served in just 10 minutes, a pleasantly quick service. Both the au jus sauce and the French dip were outstanding. The Conquest sandwich was impressively large, packed with tender, well-seasoned meat. We would definitely order both...

Overall the variety and the quality of the food is decent for the price. Friendly staffs, such lovely people. The interior was pleasant we were there for atleast an hour and I felt comfortable in the dining room. The food was good but also a reflection of the price. I've never been served an entire party of food as fast as they made it. I'd probably have to guess alot of it is pre-made. The pasta sauce was a bit bland for my taste. The French dip soup was very good maybe a bit salty but flavorful. The meat was slightly over marinated but flavorful. The mac salad was a bit plain but was fine with salt and pepper added. Most of the things I could describe as either a little bland or a little over seasoned but tolerable. The apple lumpia was very good, the chocolate cream pie was okay. They have a lot of good options to choose from, I think the price point and variety keeps people coming back along with the unique flavors of...