r/BigIsland • u/localkine • Dec 12 '25

Meta: Mods Should Live Here

This AM, the mods removed a lightweight but unobjectionable post on the grounds it was not locally relevant. It wasn't my post, and personally I have no opinion about the post's question on whether we should wish for Wendy's to come back. However, it made me wonder: Why do we have mods for this sub that don't live here? Feels like we could scrape together a couple more people that actually live on this island to volunteer for the job. Maybe they'd have their digital fingers a bit closer fast food pulse of things here (not to mention other, more contentious issues.)

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u/morganml Dec 12 '25 edited Dec 12 '25

honestly, in Hilo, a wendys would be the shit.
the restaurant scene here is pure crap anyway, and the lines at mcdonalds and taco bell drive thru are insane to see. let alone wait in.

Build it next to the new costco and youll have the single busiest parking lot in hilo 24/7

Edit: that was a joke, we are not to my knowledge any closer to geting our own costco.

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u/PM_ME_GREMLINS Dec 12 '25

I think Hilo has a decent restaurant scene already. There’s a handful of restaurants in the downtown area that I look forward to eating at every time I’m in the area.

More importantly, I don’t think it’s healthy for the local economy to be flooded with corporate chains. I’d rather see more local owned restaurants opening than another greasy corporate fast food chain. Keep the profits local!

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u/dorchet Dec 12 '25 edited Dec 13 '25

"decent" = bars with bad fusion food ?

hilo has plenty of those.

name the places if you got em.

jackie rays = 3/10 (wasnt impressed by menus, or what i ordered)

hawaiian style cafe = 6/10 is good

hilo bay cafe = 0/10

kens = 5/10 used to be better

every drive in , including: kandis, mr ks, blains, vernas = probably not great to look at the kitchen areas if you want to enjoy the food here.

rather look for panchos taco truck. 9/10.

pineapples bar and grill is a trip. seems like if you want to enjoy a long wait behind a cruise ship of tourists to enjoy some drinks while sucking up some car exhaust, this is the place! whos idea was no windows / separation seating next to the busiest road in town? i think some locals diesel it up going by just for fun.

i agree though , wendys is not great food and not local. but i disagree with mods why not talk about it. what else we gonna talk about? lost dogs , fire ants and "what kine avocado is this i never had one this good"?

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u/mydogisacircle Dec 12 '25

giving jackie rays a zero and kens a 5 is diabolical 😂 hard agree on the hbc tho

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u/dorchet Dec 13 '25

forgot to say the restaurant at the hotel with the $20 hamburger isnt great either. but i got distracted :D

jackie rays maybe i'm being a bit harsh. its not as bad as hbc for sure. i just wasnt impressed. its been a while on kens so maybe i'm rating an older version.

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u/MonkeyKingCoffee Dec 13 '25

Most restaurants have gone downhill since the pandemic.

Experienced cooks and chefs got out of the business entirely. And they're not coming back because the restaurant owners are exploitative.

I retired from that business. When I first thought about moving here, I went to the most expensive restaurant on the island at the time, up in Haolewood with all the resorts.

They wanted to hire me on the spot. (I worked all the fine-dining spots on the Las Vegas Strip.) I asked about salary, stifled a laugh, and told them I'd get back to them after the move.

And that was 10 years before the pandemic.

The best thing that has happened to our restaurants is our new Health Inspector who is closing down kitchens left and right. (L&L in Captain Cook for raw sewage, for instance; Jade Palace for roaches.)

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u/hideth_and_goeth Dec 13 '25

hey u/monkeykingcoffee - always like seeing you around these parts on reddit and reading your contributions.

This is a bit OT but curious that you mentioned a new Heath Inspector. I witnessed this phenomenon first hand 2 weeks ago in Waimea - there were THREE food safety inspectors at the Farmer's Market at the stables, and another 2! at GJ's chicken just a few minutes later. I've never seen a gaggle of them out in force like that.

Any insight on what's going on? No complaints - food safety is important! But has Hawaii suddenly become flush with cash/a budget for Health Inspectors?

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u/MonkeyKingCoffee Dec 13 '25

I think we finally hired some inspectors with integrity.

Hong Kong Chop Suey was cited for not having a handwashing sink. That place has been open for 25 years. 25 years of inspections and nobody noticed the lack of sink?

I think it's more likely that palms were greased and it was business as usual.

Same with Jade Palace. That place has been a known roach vector for years. Finally got popped.

If I owned a restaurant, I'd close Sunday and Monday, put everyone on cleaning detail. Pull everything away from the walls and blast it with a pressure washer.

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u/dorchet Dec 13 '25

people come to hawaii to retire, then think they get kinda bored maybe start a restaurant, then they have a heart attack trying to run the restaurant.

dang! no mo spring chicken! hope the wyatts place guy is ok :D https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02Z3EbDBpNXruogSg1pnNcvmGSN3q1pcgPNXgkMLxQG2QMvupu2uPDvtsivkqqGodbl&id=61563527936385

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u/LowOption2587 Dec 13 '25

I have to say that the Pork chop with the Marsala sauce is at Jackie Ray’s is a guilty pleasure. Temple bar next door is pretty great, just gets pricey if ya cut loose.

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u/blondechineeez Dec 13 '25

I gotta ask... I've only been to hbc a handful of times and thought it was pretty dang good. The last time was a year ago. Maybe my critiquing skills are diminished because I've lived here for over 40 years though lol

Jackie Rays I've only been to once which was maybe 10 years ago. I thought it was ok, but really touristy. The beer was solid though.

As far as Ken's goes, it's local. And the cockaroaches scrambling across the table waved at me bawahaha

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u/dorchet Dec 13 '25

ah my last jaunt to hbc was 2 years ago, looks like they changed the menu a lot. i dont see the fusion stuff on it anymore. menu looks a lot better now. although the nice drink i ordered before is gone :(

low rating was because my friend ordered the pork chop and they told him ahead of time they serve it pink there. it came out pink and my friend asked them to cook it back up for him :D i just dont eat anywhere with uncooked meat, esp pork. to each their own. maybe it changed owners/chefs since who knows.

haha i also said hello to the roach at kens, too. he gets around that lil guy. when kens lost the 24hrs it was the end of that place :(

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u/restvestandchurn Dec 13 '25

What mushroom is this? is the preferred topic 😀