In Hilo looking for dinner? Try Uncle Billy's Fish and Steak House
Written: Nov 01 '07
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Pros: Competitive prices, Interesting decor and ambiance, Good service, Good food
Cons: Menu is heavy on seafood, Parking can be difficult
The Bottom Line: I'd eat again at Uncle Billy's - Sure it's a bit tacky and it was like stepping back into the 70s, but it was fun and the food was good.
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| jps246's Full Review: Uncle Billy's Fish and Steak House |
If you’re staying in Hilo at one of the hotels along Banyon Drive, Uncle Billy’s Fish and Steak House Restaurant is one of your few nearby dining choices. The restaurant is part of the Hilo Bay Hotel and is just down the street from the Hilo Hawaiian hotel. It’s not much to look at from the outside, but it does serve good food at decent Hawaiian prices. Basically, if you’re spending a few nights in the Hilo area, you should have a dinner here, if only for the overall experience.
Where is it?
Located at 87 Banyon Drive, Uncle Billy’s is situated right in with the few major hotels in the Hilo area. It’s located on the Hilo Bay Hotel property and is connected to the hotel. Other hotels are located on either side of the Hilo Bay Hotel.
Parking is very limited in the Uncle Billy’s/Hilo Hawaiian parking lot and it’s likely that you’ll have to park along Banyon Drive if it’s a busier night. We were staying next door at the Hilo Hawaiian, so we just had to walk over to the restaurant, but we could see people trying to find parking spaces while we were there.
The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner.
Ambiance & Service
Much like a lot in Hilo, Uncle Billy’s looks like it was built in the late 60s or 70s and it doesn’t seem to have changed since then. I felt like I should expect the Brady Bunch to come running out from somewhere while I was there. That said it’s not a bad place, just a bit outdated I guess. Think of it as an old fashioned Hawaiian experience. During the dinner hours, there’s live Hawaiian music and hula dancing.
The place is clean though and well maintained. We were greeted quickly as we came in and seated right away. We arrived after the hula dancers had finished but we had live Hawaiian music for about half the time we were there. I think they started to pack up around 8. My only complaint about the music was that the speakers were turned up quite high, which made it difficult to carry on any sort of conversation while the musicians were playing.
Our waitress was attentive as we looked over the menus and brought out drinks and kept our waters full throughout the evening. There was a problem with one dish where they had run out of side, but the waitress came out, let us know and we changed the order and it wasn’t a problem.
All in all, I was quite happy with the overall service and I kind of like the whole décor and ambiance of the place.
Menu
As this was the first restaurant I went to dinner at in Hawaii, I wasn’t really ready for the higher Hawaiian prices but I soon realized after a few more nights, everything costs more in Hawaii and Uncle Billy’s wasn’t really expensive at all considering other places. Our meals averaged about $25 to $30 a person, though none of us had any alcohol so that would quickly add to your bill. In addition, we didn’t bother with any appetizers, which at around $10 or so a pop will also add to your bill quickly.
I have to admit to being slightly disappointed in the overall menu selection, it just didn’t seem to be that expansive. There were several fish dishes along with a couple of chicken and steak dishes and a few pasta dishes. I ended up going with the Huli Huli Hilo Chicken, which was a charbroiled chicken breast in a ginger teriyaki sauce. It came with rice and vegetables. I loved it, but for the price and for a dinner, I would have liked to have a little more chicken – I finished it quickly before everyone else finished and I was left feeling a bit hungry.
The other dishes that we had on the other hand seemed to be quite a bit larger and I ended up getting to try most of them since the rest of my party didn’t seem to be able to finish them. The NY strip steak was quite good, as was pasta dish that my partner had gotten. The teriyaki steak was also good (basically a steak version of the chicken I had). I didn’t try my Mother’s dish, the Mahi Mahi Mac Nut which is Mahi Mahi encrusted with a macadamia nut crust. I’m just not a fish fan, but my Mom loved it.
I could have probably gone for dessert, but no one else really felt like it so we skipped it, though I did have a cup of coffee, which of course is the local Kona coffee from the island. I don’t know if it’s because the coffee is fresh from the island or it’s the Kona coffee in general, but it’s a good cup of coffee.
Final Thoughts
If I was back in the Hilo area again, I wouldn’t mind eating dinner again at Uncle Billy’s. Sure it was a bit tacky and it felt like you had stepped back into the 70s, but it was fun. The local music was nice and the overall service and food quality was quite good. The prices are on par or slightly less expensive than other comparable island restaurants and in general, I felt it was a good experience that I wouldn’t mind repeating at some point in the future.
So if you’re in Hilo and looking for dinner, you should seriously consider Uncle Billy’s.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations The Kona coffee is very good
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