Cafe 100 operates as an essential casual dining and cultural anchor at 969 Kilauea Avenue. The local kitchen serves up a highly reliable mix of classic, unpretentious American comfort staples and traditional Hawaiian regional plate lunches six days a week.
Tucking into a booth here means experiencing the same time-honored scratch preparation methods that have defined the neighborhood for years. This dedicated focus on fast, affordable comfort food under protective independent ownership has secured the venue an immutable, legendary status across the community.
Quick Bite – Cafe 100, Hilo, HI 🤯
Fast facts and local trivia you shouldn’t miss.
The culinary team behind this neighborhood powerhouse first brought their heritage plate lunches to the Kilauea Avenue corridor all the way back in 1946. Founder Richard Miyashiro named his open-air diner to honor his fallen World War II brothers-in-arms who served bravely in the 100th Infantry Battalion.
The brand hit a massive operational milestone by remaining entirely independent for eighty years, surviving two separate historic tsunamis that completely flattened their earliest structural footprints. Both bustling sidewalk ordering sections operate as vital community crossroads today, continuing to serve over thirty distinct variations of the iconic Loco Moco plate format they famously helped invent.
Signature Bites – Cafe 100, Hilo, HI 😋
The must-try dishes locals keep coming back for.
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The Traditional Loco Moco: A definitive regional masterpiece featuring a mound of hot white rice topped with a juicy grilled beef patty, smothered in rich house brown gravy, and crowned with a fried egg.
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The Super Loco Moco: This savory daytime favorite highlights a massive comfort spread loaded with two eggs, a heavy beef patty, a layer of spam, and a smoky Portuguese sausage link.
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Home-Style Beef Stew: Built as a heavy, comforting option that regular patrons obsess over, featuring tender cubes of beef slow-simmered for hours with local root vegetables in a thick gravy.
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Teriyaki Beef Plate: A vibrant culinary nod to traditional mid-century plantation heritage featuring thin ribbons of flank steak marinated in a sweet soy-ginger sauce and griddled to order.
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Hawaiian Macaroni Salad: A towering, nostalgic comfort classic served alongside every entree, showcasing perfectly chilled elbow pasta tossed in heavy mayonnaise with a signature hint of grated onion.
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Scratch-Baked Pupu Platters: A legendary, highly demanded party selection crafted daily by the kitchen staff, showcasing combinations of crispy fried chicken wings and sliced local sausages.
Local Insider FAQ – Cafe 100, Hilo, HI 🤫
Tips, tricks, and things to know before you go.
Can I order a lighter version of their famous brown gravy?
No, the kitchen firmly sticks to their multi-generational, secret-recipe brown gravy formula on the main line to maintain historical taste consistency across every single plate.
Where exactly is this historic Big Island landmark located?
The restaurant anchors a high-traffic downtown commercial transit zone at 969 Kilauea Avenue, positioned perfectly for commuters heading toward the Liliʻuokalani Gardens or Hilo International Airport.
What are the primary operation hours across the weekly service?
The kitchen runs a dedicated daytime schedule tailored for lunch and early dinners, welcoming hungry guests from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, and 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Sundays.
Does the walk-up counter accept phone orders to bypass the lines?
Yes, due to extreme popular demand from working locals during the lunch rush, calling ahead or utilizing their direct online ordering system is highly recommended to avoid the midday wait.
Takeaway Bite – Cafe 100, Hilo, HI 😎
Cafe 100 delivers a beautifully authentic destination for classic American comfort food and unmatched mid-century roadside charm. Their long-standing model perfectly demonstrates the power of neighborhood hospitality, proving that matching an iconic, historic structure with friendly service is the ultimate formula for remaining a treasured mom-and-pop hole-in-the-wall year after year.
📍: 969 Kilauea Ave, Hilo, HI 96720
📞: (808) 935-8683
🕒: Mon-Fri: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Sun: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM; Sat: Closed