Overview
Hawaiian Shrimp Co is a casual Hilo restaurant at 315 Makaala St in Waiakea Center, and the Google Places record still shows it as operational with daily hours from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM and a phone number of (808) 657-4040. The identity looks fairly stable: multiple secondary listings match the same name, address, and phone, and there is no strong evidence of a relocation or closure signal. (hawaiian-co.edan.io)
For a traveler, this looks like a straightforward stop for shrimp plates and other local-style comfort food rather than a destination for fine dining. The main appeal appears to be generous portions, quick casual service, and a menu built around shrimp variations plus a few beef, chicken, and fried sides. (restaurantji.com)
Cuisine & Specialties
The restaurant’s lane is local Hawaiian-style casual food with a seafood tilt, especially shrimp plates. The menu evidence points to a simple plate lunch format: shrimp or combo plates served with rice and sides, plus a few add-ons like twisted fries and shrimp boats. The experience seems aimed at filling, easy meals rather than elaborate cooking or tasting-menu variety. (expresswaiters-onlineorders.com)
- Overall menu style: local/Hawaiian comfort food, shrimp-focused plates, some steak, kalbi, Korean chicken, calamari, and fried sides. (expresswaiters-onlineorders.com)
- Notable specialties: garlic shrimp, lilikoi shrimp, hurricane shrimp, steak plate, kalbi plate, Korean chicken, and combo plates such as steak and shrimp or kalbi and shrimp. (expresswaiters-onlineorders.com)
- Side items / casual extras: twisted fries, shrimp boat, steak twisted fries, mac salad, sweet potato, corn, and similar plate-lunch accompaniments mentioned in review summaries and menu pages. (expresswaiters-onlineorders.com)
- Price expectations: mid-range for casual island lunch/dinner; third-party menu pages cluster many plates around the high-$20 range, which suggests a traveler should expect a moderate spend rather than a cheap snack stop. This is an inference from third-party menu data, not an official menu. (expresswaiters-onlineorders.com)
- Dietary usefulness / limits: some secondary sources mention vegetarian-friendly sides, but there does not appear to be a dedicated vegetarian main dish focus. Seafood and meat dominate the offering. (restaurantji.com)
Notable Features & Ambiance
This reads like a practical, indoor casual spot rather than a scenic sit-down restaurant. Secondary descriptions place it in a food-court-like or mall-adjacent setting, and review summaries repeatedly frame it as good for a quick lunch, dinner, or takeout-style meal rather than a long lingering visit. (restaurantji.com)
- Service model and seating: casual counter-service/quick-serve feel is the strongest signal from the available evidence; takeout is clearly supported by third-party listings. (restaurantji.com)
- Atmosphere and decor: described by one review aggregate as having a throwback “mall food court” feel; other pages characterize it as casual and family-friendly. That said, this is secondary-sourced atmosphere reporting, not a verified design description. (restaurantji.com)
- Practical features: parking is implied by the Waiakea Center location, and one review aggregate explicitly mentions parking as available and convenient. Accessibility comments are mixed: one review summary says a swinging door may be awkward for wheelchairs without help. (restaurantji.com)
- Best fit: a quick, filling meal for shrimp fans, families, solo diners, or travelers looking for a casual Hilo lunch/dinner stop. (hawaiian-shrimp-co.wheree.com)
- Weaker fit: visitors seeking a polished dining room, table service, romantic ambiance, or a highly curated chef-driven experience may find it too utilitarian. This is an inference from the review pattern and menu format. (restaurantji.com)
History & Background
Very little meaningful ownership or origin-story information surfaced in the sources reviewed. The evidence mainly describes the current Hilo location and menu pattern, not a founder narrative, chef identity, or expansion history. The one useful contextual detail is that the restaurant is reported to be in Waiakea Center, which helps anchor the business location but does not add much historical background. (hawaiian-co.edan.io)
Review Sentiment Snapshot
What People Love
The strongest recurring praise is for shrimp plates, especially garlic shrimp and lilikoi shrimp, with several sources also pointing to generous portions and satisfying plate-lunch combinations. Review snippets and summary pages also repeat positive notes about friendly service, warm greetings, and homemade dipping sauces. (restaurantji.com)
Common Gripes
The main downside signal is service inconsistency. One source surfaces complaints about poor or “pathetic” customer service, and another summary notes that service can be hit-or-miss. Food consistency is a lighter but recurring caution, with mentions of dishes arriving cold or underseasoned in some review summaries. These negatives are present, but the evidence is mixed rather than overwhelming. (hawaiian-co.edan.io)
Practical Visitor Tips
- Google Places shows daily hours of 10:00 AM–8:00 PM; a third-party delivery page suggests a slightly earlier last-call than the Google listing, so arriving earlier in the evening is the safer bet. (restaurantji.com)
- Expect a casual, likely walk-in-friendly visit rather than a reservation-based meal; no reservation system surfaced in the sources reviewed. (restaurantji.com)
- If you want the most talked-about items, start with garlic shrimp or lilikoi shrimp, and consider a combo plate if you want to compare shrimp with steak or kalbi in one meal. (expresswaiters-onlineorders.com)
- This looks best for lunch or an early dinner when you want something quick, filling, and low-friction in Hilo. (restaurantji.com)
- If mobility is a concern, the only specific caution found was a review note about a swinging door that may require assistance for wheelchair users. Treat that as a limited secondary-source caution, not a fully verified accessibility audit. (restaurantji.com)
Verification Notes
- Official name/address/phone: Hawaiian Shrimp Co, 315 Makaala St, Hilo, HI 96720, phone (808) 657-4040. This matches Google Places and multiple secondary listings. (hawaiian-co.edan.io)
- Website: no official website surfaced in the research; Google Places also lists none. (hawaiian-co.edan.io)
- Operational status: Google Places still marks the restaurant OPERATIONAL. (hawaiian-co.edan.io)
- No major verification issues found (hawaiian-co.edan.io)
Sources
- Google Places record for Hawaiian Shrimp Co —
https://maps.google.com/?cid=5750783625777046527— Retrieved 2026-04-01. Used as the identity anchor for name, address, phone, hours, status, rating, and website absence. - Restaurantji listing for Hawaiian Shrimp Co —
https://www.restaurantji.com/hi/hilo/hawaiian-shrimp-co-/— Retrieved 2026-04-01. Most useful for recurring review themes, menu highlights, casual atmosphere, and accessibility-related caution. - ExpressWaiters online order page for Hawaiian Shrimp Co —
https://www.expresswaiters-onlineorders.com/r/1102/restaurants/delivery/Local-Hawaiian-Food/Hawaiian-Shrimp-Co-Hilo— Retrieved 2026-04-01. Useful for menu structure, plate composition, and hours cross-checking. This is secondary ordering-platform evidence, not an official site. - Edan business listing for Hawaiian Shrimp Co —
https://hawaiian-co.edan.io/— Retrieved 2026-04-01. Used mainly for address/phone confirmation and a small set of review snippets that reflected service and food consistency. - Wheree listing/menu summary for Hawaiian Shrimp Co —
https://hawaiian-shrimp-co.wheree.com/— Retrieved 2026-04-01. Useful for broad sentiment patterns and a secondary description of atmosphere; treat as lower-authority summary evidence.
