Pahoa Fresh Fish

We ordered the large ono plate, 5 thick and large fried fish fillets with fries and coleslaw.
All I can say is that we didn’t finish, too much food, but a great deal splitting between two people.
The menu is pretty decent (on whiteboard) but extremely practical and no-​nonsense. We saw tacos come out, fish sandwiches, wraps, it all looked very good. The lady who ran the place took orders, answered the phone, cooked, served and took money without missing a beat. She was good!
My only itsy bitsy complaint is one of my fish pieces wasn’t cooked 100% but the other 4 were and that’s all we needed anyway. We’d come back if we’re in the area for sure.

Hands down the best fish and chips joint anywhere on this planet. Go for the Ono, it is local and fresh. It gets busy, but the wait is worth it. Especially if you are lucky enough to score a patio table out front.

I’ve been here about 6 times. I love this little spot. Great fried fish and waffle fries. Even though it’s fried the fish is not greasy at all. The fish selections vary daily, but there is usually a choice of Ono, Mahi Mahi, Ahi, Cod, and Salmon. The fried shrimp is also very tasty.
The only thing I don’t like is their tartar sauce. I think it needs lemon juice. I actually started bringing my own tartar sauce. Their cocktail sauce is great.
The staff has always been very friendly.

I had been dreaming of coming here for months because I love moist, fresh fish & chips. I got my favorite, mahi mahi. The fish was dry. I was shocked, after all the stellar reviews. We decided to go back to give them another try. Nope. No noticeable improvement. VERY disappointing. May well be the worst fish I have ever had.
EDIT: We have been home for a week now. Not having had my craving for fish satisfied, I got some at a local Denny’s. I’d give Denny’s fish a solid 3stars, Pahoas, 1. If P.F.F. was in the middle of the continental U.S. I would understand, but being a few minutes from the coast, that all they do is fish, and that «fresh» is in their name… they have no excuse.

I love this place! They don’t try to be anything their not. The are very consistent, they always have a great selection of fresh fish. You can get a burger or fish and chips. No need for a menu just read to board! I do wish they would stop using styrofoam, but guess you can’t have everything!

We read great reviews and ordered the Mahi Mahi expecting great fish. We were extremely disappointed. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t anything to get excited about. The waffle fries were great. We ended up throwing out over half of the fish. The girls behind the counter were not the most friendly. Maybe it was an off day, but we will not be going back.

It’s a hole in the wall, lacking any atmosphere or any view, but the food is good. Very small place, nothing fancy. Few tables and chairs. A little pricey for a place like that.
Pay one or two dollars more and you can get equally good fish and chips at a fine dining restaurant in town, Kaleo’s Bar and Grill, which has a real dining room, a much nicer atmosphere and ambiance, plus they serve beer and wine and cocktails. But then add on the tip, $ 2 or $ 3 more, which will make Kaleo’s significantly more expensive.
No air-​conditioning.
No wait staff.

Large thick fresh chunks of whatever fresh fish was available that day. We came 3 times during our 2 weeks here. Usually they had Ono, mahi-​mahi, Ahi, salmon, & cod. They freshly hand batter each piece to order. Seasoned waffle fries were crisp & delicious & only $ 10.75! However, I have two complaints.
First, don’t waste your time on the crabcakes; pasty, bready, tasteless mush, and it tasted like it was imitation crab too, & most likely originated from Costco’s freezer. They admitted they weren’t made in house.
Second, they box their to-​go orders in Styrofoam containers. While I am by no means an ‘Enviro-​Nazi’, I’m still perplexed anytime I see local businesses still using nonbiodegradable plastics and Styrofoam, especially in this Eden that we are in. But it’s mostly troublesome because everything they serve is fried, and by the time you get your meal home, the steam which could not be absorbed by the container has turned your once delightfully crispy meal into a soggy mushy mess!
My advice, switch to paper or cardboard to-​go containers, and ditch those nasty crab cakes which really brings down the other quality items that you sell! Other than that, keep up the good work. Mahalo

Besides the wait (because they bread it right then and there) I have nothing bad to say about this place… The crab cakes were so crisp on the outside and meaty on the inside with a slight spice to it. Only paid $ 8.75 for 2 crab cakes, Cole slaw, ½ lbs waffle fries and tarter sauce. The waffle fries were so yummy and perfectly fried. The Cole slaw I really liked because they hardly used mayonnaise which I absolutely hate… My boyfriend had an Ono fish wrap. You could chose from Ono, Ahi, and salmon. It was $ 8.50 and had the cole slaw the fish and tomatoes. Great price worth the 20 min wait.

We eat here at least a couple times a month. The Ono is really fresh and the best on this side of the island!

Honestly wasn’t very impressed. The fish didn’t have a lot of flavor. It was a good size meal for a good price. The battering was great. But the fish flavor wasn’t amazing. Wouldn’t come back here.

Fish and chips is what’s on the menu at Pahoa Fresh Fish, and I’d say it’s a pretty good deal for food quality and portion sizes. For around $ 11 you get half a pound of fried fish, waffle fries, cole slaw, and some tartar sauce. You get your choice of fish, which when I visited options included ono (wahoo), salmon, shrimp, and mahimahi. There are also choices for sandwiches, larger portions, and combo plates, but my friends and I stuck with the basic fish and chips. I got the ono and received three large musubi-​sized pieces. The batter was crisp and not too greasy, and the fish was flavorful and not dry. A variety of condiments are available including malt vinegar, hot sauce, and ketchup, but I did have to ask for lemon. I was quite happy to receive a whole quartered lime! Some for my fish and the rest for my water. My friend ordered mahimahi, and though the pieces were smaller, he received five pieces (important to remember that the servings are based on weight). There was only one aunty working when we visited, and she was both cashier and cook. She was really nice, helpful, patient, and all around aloha. Next time you’re in Pahoa, check this place out. I wasn’t disappointed, and you won’t be either.

Aloha thumbs up,
Get tat customer service fish and chips awesome could use a face lift but all in all good food good service. I just wish I had a choose of regular fries instead of wheel fries.

Another post long overdue lol. I had read so many reviews about this place that I had high expectations. My hubby and I drove an hour to pahoa from where we were staying in volcano. I was craving good olé fish and chips. Keep your eyes out for this little fish joint because you could miss it even with google maps.
We parked our car and walked inside. It was empty with newspapers on a counter, drinks in a refrigerator by the door and a few table and chairs. We looked around and saw a young lady by a huge deep fryer contraption. She said she would be with us in a few. I watched in delight her filling all the styrofoam takeaway containers. This was some deep fryer. All she had to do was throw in the fish and a few minutes later it spits it right out into a bucket.
I looked at the menu displayed on the wall. I was craving Ono, but it was not on it. The options were cod and mahi mahi. There were also shrimp and crab sold ala carte. I ordered the large 5 piece mahi mahi over waffle fries and cole slaw. Hubby got the mixed platter with mahi mahi and shrimp. We both ordered a crab cake a piece.
I had asked her what was the catch of the day was and her response was that the mahi mahi was not frozen and the cod was. So I went with non frozen fish. The tarter sauce was homemade and delicious. The fish was ok and very bland. The batter was thin and crispy. Waffle fries I can’t complain soo good! The crab cakes tasted very frozen. It’s coating was crispy, but inside was wet like water and very moist. We both had come to the conclusion it must’ve originated from Costco.
Overall it was not the best fish I’ve eaten. As we were leaving I heard a young girl ask if she had any Ono and she said yes! I had wished the lady had given me that option even though it wasn’t on the board.

Amazing local food! Ordered the ono fish and chips and the mahi mahi fish tacos. The ono fish is to die for! Beautiful chunks of pure fresh ono, lightly battered with a thin crispy coat allowing you to taste the fish rather than the batter. Can’t forget about those lattice/​waffle fries! Super crunchy and savoury, not over salted or greasy! Warning, eat these right away before they become soft and slightly soggy (not that it will happen especially if you dine in).
The fish tacos was very well made and fresh, but that homemade salsa is killer and it tasted way healthier than any other salsa I’ve had!
I have a short trip here on this side of the island, but l will definitely go back! Can’t get this at home!

Amazing food! The mahi is good and the ono is too die for, but I’ve heard that the cod is really moist too! (Haven’t tried the ahi yet). Also, I’ve heard that the mixed-​plate/​combo is unreal, but haven’t been brave enough to try it yet!
The ambience is a bit lacking, but that’s not why you go there!
Pro tip: Call in your order ahead of time, especially during peak-​hours. These guys get busy, and the fish is made-​to-​order.

Awesome little place in Pahoa! The fish tasted super fresh. The battered shrimp had a touch of sweetness I wasn’t expecting but really enjoyed. Prices are decent for seafood and the portion sizes. We got a combo and chips which comes with 3 nice sized fried shrimp and 2 good sized fried fish as well as a serving of waffle cut fries. For our fish we had a choice of mahimahi, Ono, and cod. We went with mahimahi and it was very good and moist! We also got the fish burrito, same three choices, so we went with Ono, which was ONO! Burrito is wrapped in a flour tortilla, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and salsa. The salsa was very good and had a nice kick. Finally, we also had a crab cake sandwich that was moist and perfectly fried.

Best fish sandwich I’ve had. That’s all I wanted to say and give it 5 stars to send a powerful message out. You know what I mean? Like «the best fish sandwich you will find!» Period! But Unilocal wouldn’t let me post that, and said it was too short and would just post it as a tip. So I’ll repeat it again: «best fish sandwich I have had.» Period.
Place is kind of run down, like a hole in the wall but it’s cool like that. That’s how it should be. Ladies are nice. Someone said they’re rude but I haven’t seen it. First time I came it was only one lady. A one lady show, cashier, cook, everything. It was amazing. Place was packed. One lady show, she was knocking out orders left and right. If you’re in hilo side you gotta stop by this place. If you’re in kona side, you gotta come out here at least once to try this place out.

LOVE this place! I usually get the Large Fish (Ono) and Chips. For $ 12.75 you get 5 HUGE pieces of fresh meaty fish and a ton of waffle fries. You also get a cup of coleslaw and a cup of house made tartar sauce.
The restaurant is by no means fancy but right away you know they have got amazing food.
Check them out! You won’t be disappointed.

Phenomenal fish and chips. Always get ono, worth every penny! My friends and I got the large with an extra piece –total of 6, two pieces each is perfect. They have amazing waffle fries and homemade tarter sauce. What I like to do is get a little bit ofmalt vinegar and mix the tartar sauce together. Divine! I’m only giving them 4 stars because the first day we went we used amex and the second day they said they only take visa or Mastercard which doesn’t make sense at all. But the food IS worth it! You have to try it if you’re in Pahoa.