Mohala’s Bayfront Fish and Chips — Restaurant in Hawaii

Let’s start off with some positive comments. The restaurant was clean and very customer friendly, which was a nice surprise, not to mention the restaurant is very colorful and eye pleasing.

I will admit that upon deciding on this restaurant as my point of rest to eat I tried to get fish and chips elsewhere in Hilo but they all were closed (3pm).

The first dish I ordered was the fish n chips the fish being designed into sausages/sticks (not too sure where they got that novel concept from). However, I guess it works for them but for me it’s weird and it’s not how (fresh) fish (especially in a sea-faring island) should be served.

The fish portions (I believe I received 5 pieces) were ample for my appetite but I’m sorry to say the fish was dry (overcooked) which probably meant it was frozen. The fish was covered with a heavy breadcrumb type coating — which is not the right way to serve fresh fish (which goes with my point about the fish being frozen).

The chips meanwhile looked old (tbh) and kind of limp. Moreover, some had black spots in them which again comes down to preparation. Ok I finished the meal because I was hungry but I definitely won’t re-order this again.

My second dish was the fried shrimp, which like the fish (sticks) was caked in breadcrumbs and tasted old and tbh didn’t taste like shrimp at all. Furthermore the dish came with rice which for whatever reason the chef poured sweet soy sauce which really makes you wonder if they trying to kill the taste of the rice (low grade) as It definitely did not add any form of enhancement.

Again the service was good, but the food was pretty average (maybe poor), and way overpriced and not really worth it if you’re wanting fresh fish.

Lastly they don’t have any...

We really, REALLY wanted to like this place. We are fish and chips junkies and have searched out the best everywhere we have gone. From San Francisco to Singapore, Boston to London, Mexico City to Moscow (yep, they have fish and chips in Moscow), you get the idea...everywhere. The best we have had, by the way, was in a little shop above a children's dance studio in Liverpool.

After reading all the glowing reviews it seemed like a lock that this place was a winner but, sadly, our experience didn't live up to the expectations that the reviews led us to.

We understand that sometimes things just go wrong and maybe this was one of those instances, but, man, everything was wrong.

With that said, after getting the call-in order home (we only live 4 minutes away from the shop) and opening the boxes we found the fish, while plentiful, to be dry, overcooked and tasteless. The fries were alternately stale tasting and, in a few cases seemingly uncooked to the point of actually being cold. As in refrigerator cold. Looking forward to the coleslaw we opened the ramakins to find onions. Just onions. Also, no pickle as promised.

At this point I'm not sure we're going to give the place a second chance. And at over thirty bucks a pop for a bad fish dinner, you know what they say...fool me once...

Hope your...

Young snobby Cashier, girl with glasses was very rude, didn't greet me or smile at me when I walked in. Gave me a sassy state as if she was waiting for me to order. no customer service skills what's so ever! As I was very polite and told her I'd never been there before she just stared at me and didn't offer a menu or suggestions, nothing. unwelcoming vibe and it was just my son and I. Manager you need to teach this girl some customer service skills if she is the face we see when we walk in to order. I might as well have walked out, I ordered anyway and I said thank you 5x for her bringing my food, taking my order and she not once responded or smiled. such a bad vibe for such a cute place. reapond. Ultimately I packed up my food and left. I won't be back and I'm extremely disappointed with the service and the cold fish stick in a vorntilla I got as $14 fish tacos no sides or sauce. I got fries and a drink with it for $27 kinda pricey for such bad service and the fish tacos were bad. the older waitress on the other side seemed very lovely smiled and said hi and was polite.. I'm never going back and the young Cashier needs to work on her fckn manners. I told her myself how rude she was, so bad. not...