Hiro's Place — Restaurant in Hawaii

Hawai'i Island Happenings -

Hiro's Place in Hilo closed after receiving a Red Placard during a Routine Health Inspection on 3/27/2025.

Hiro's Place in Hilo closed after receiving a red placard from the Hawai'i Department of Health (HDOH) - Food Safety Branch following a routine inspection finding the following violations:

Observations & Corrective Actions 4: 11-50-23(a) Observed: Employee drinking from an open container, no lid, on prep area. COS: Management to designate employee food/bev area away from prep/cook line.

6: 11-50-22(c) Observed: Employees are not washing hands after handling raw animal foods (raw chicken & shelled eggs). Employees must wash hands in handwash sink before moving on to another task and before changing gloves. COS: Reviewed proper handwashing procedures with staff/management.

6: 11-50-22(d) Observed: Employees are not washing hands with soap in designated handwashing sink. COS: Reviewed handwashing procedures with staff/management.

13: 11-50-32(c) Observed: Raw animal foods stored above ready to eat foods in reach in ref. Raw meat over tofu in Everest reach in ref, marinating meat over cooked chicken in prep area, raw shelled eggs over mac salad, raw liquid egg container over cut lettuce & tomatoes. COS: Storage re-arranged by cooking temperatures.

13: 11-50-32(n) Observed: Employee handling raw chicken and not changing out gloves before touching other items in kitchen. COS: Discussed proper handwashing procedures with manager/employee.

14: 11-50-51(b) Observed: Food containers are not sanitized properly in 3-comp sink. Containers with raw chicken were washed, but not sanitized. Knife used to cut chicken not sanitized before using knife sharpener. COS: Reviewed wash, rinse, sanitize procedures with staff/management. All containers to undergo wash, rinse, sanitize steps. Knife to be sanitized BEFORE using knife sharpener. Establishment will need to track sanitizer concentrations by completing "Sanitizer Concentration Log" handout.

20: 11-50-34(f) Observed: Eggs being left out at room temp. COS: Eggs placed in fridge.

20: 11-50-34(f) Observed: Tofu sitting at room temp 60F. COS: Items tossed.

Hiro's Place will remain closed until HDOH Inspectors conduct a follow-up inspection next week to determine if all corrective...

Although I am accustomed to what I would call “the finer things”, I am never one to turn down an Authentic Experience… and Hiro’s, my dear chaps, is most certainly that.

It is a local eatery, through and through - a portal to another Hawaii. The real Hawaii. The one populated not by brochure cover models, but by normal folk who, at that moment, want nothing but a meal that is cheap, filling, and fast. And that is what Hiro’s will give to you - with deliciousness to boot!

Expect to find a crowd of hungry, normal folk here - construction workers, families, salarymen, and the like. Revel in their conversations with one another, in their spirit of Aloha born of familiarity with one another! It is, as one might proclaim, “the real deal.”

Also expect relatively terrible service - the line of hot food, from which you can construct a “Plate Lunch”, is completely unlabeled and frankly bewildering even to mine own cultured eyes. For example, For my own Plate, I hurriedly chose a dark red slop that ended up being something surprisingly delicious, called Diniguan, or “Blood Meat”. I do not regret this choice in the slightest! A thought does deserve merit, however - would I still have chosen this dish had it been labeled “Blood Meat”? Perhaps not, and the fact that I enjoyed the dish despite the name certainly gives me pause.

But if anything, that is a running theme during my travels here on the island. Judging things by their appearances is seldom a good idea. Forming an opinion without the facts is folly. And casting doubt without knowledge - and without at least some thought - is an errand of the foolish. To keep oneself “in check” is paramount, both at Hiro’s and, writ large, in Hawaii proper.

And so, when visiting Hiro’s, expect tasty, affordable, and unhealthy food, and a lot of it, ordered in the company of the fine people who call this island home, eaten on old picnic tables in a parking lot. Bring an open mind, a silent tongue, and a good heart, and you will feel Right At...

Usually the service is quick today the guy behind the counter never even acknowledge that I was there like 7 minutes then one guy when come in grab one bento cut right in front of me he had to wait too but da worker never even say he busy or thanks for waiting. Anyways, praise God I just left and ate Chinese food. Guess dey no need da business. I work in customer service and that was very poor service. Usually get girls and they're on it the guy idk. Sorry never have chance to...