Paul treats everyone like family (ohana) in this darling small (3 table) cafe. The food is fantastic and tasty, fresh and homemade. You should make a reservation by texting them. We happened to get extremely lucky that they had an opening just as we got...there for a brief quick lunch because he had reservations for the rest of the day. The tuna salad was delicious! I highly recommend Paul’s!More

Probably delish but REQUIRES RESERVATIONS!! The waiter sent us down the street to another place so that was nice of her.

There is no better place for breakfast or lunch in Hilo. The food is both delicious and a work of art to look at. Paul does it all in his tiny kitchen and every dish is carefully prepared just for you! There are only three...tables so be sure to make a reservation. And Paul seems to know everyone dining with him - lots of repeat customers just like us. This place is a gem.More

This would be a 4.5 if we could give that rating, but we can't, so it's a 5 with some caveats. First, the good. The food is very good, you definitely need to eat here if you're in Hilo. The family staff is friendly. And...Paul is someone you'd just want to hang out with for an afternoon if you could. Now the frustrations. It's the tiniest place imaginable with space for 3 tables of 2, and Paul cooks for you in what is basically a home kitchen. So not many will get in. Making matters worse, they don't indicate anywhere that reservations are strongly recommended (if not required), so if you're dumb enough to try to walk in like we did, you'll be turned away or told the next available reservation isn't for 2 hours. When you do try to make a reservation, there's no way to do it online so you have to dig to find a phone number, then when you call the voicemail system says to contact them via Instagram to get a reservation. It's not an ideal setup. But even with those frustrations, we definitely recommend you try to get in to eat at Paul's Place. I don't know if it's the best restaurant in Hilo, though that's not a super high bar. But it's definitely worth eating here if you can get a reservation.More

My wife always finds the best places to eat breakfast, and this not an exception. Paul kindly squeezed us in when we showed up without a reservation. We had the house specials of Belgian waffles and the Breakfast Caprese. Both were delicious. I would describe...the food as elevated home cooking. The ingredients were fresh, and the service was warm and friendly. Watch out for Paul’s dry sense of humour ;)More

We stumbled into Paul's Place at 7:00 a.m. while visiting Hilo and still on West Coast time. We were starving and lucky to get a reservation for 7:30 a.m. Yes, be advised: you'll need a reservation even for breakfast as this teeny Cafe only has...two tables. Paul and his waitress are charming and friendly. Try the breakfast caprese.More

If you want not just food but memory in cozy Hilo, here is the right place. His waffle and egg Benedict were excellent. You can enjoy jazz with Hilo's air. Three tables are enough to feel these. 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😋😋😍😍😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😍😍

We came as a family of 5 at opening time. Honestly, didn’t realize that reservations were required. Staff was very friendly and gave me their card - said to text the number to make reservations. I did notice there were only 3 small tables for...TWO at each table. There were stairs and I assumed they served upstairs? Not the case after reading some reviews. This seems to be great for couples but is a complete no-go for families, which is really unfortunate. I texted right after to make reservations for next morning. No answer. I called the number twice and no answer. Left voicemail on first call and 7 hours later, no response. Will patrón other restaurants more family friendly. Next time, just tell me you have reservations booked out or you can only accommodate so many. I had to piece it together from past reviews that we simply had no chance of getting to eat there for breakfast as a family of 5. Or respond to my calls/text for reservation like your card asks.More

This was recommended to us by a local. We were told it was hard to get in and when you go, you will see why. 3 tables and that’s it, but the food is ridiculously good! We had the eggs Benedict and the eggs were...done perfectly. After seeing the waffle pass by, we had to have it as dessert! Wow! So glad we did. Reservations are a must! No, seriously! Even the locals have a hard time getting in and we saw that first hand. It’s worth the planning and the personal attention you get will make you glad you did!More

Amazing breakfast with very creative dishes like pasta demarco and salmon Benedict. Paul is delightful. Only three tables so make a reservation and come early.

Paul’s Place was amazing! I had the waffle, and my husband has the smoked salmon BLT. Both were delicious! On top of the wonderful food, the staff was great. Our water glasses were never empty, and the smallness of the cafe made it even more...welcoming. Everyone, including the cook, was so personable. I highly recommend making a reservation and visiting on your trip to Hilo!More

Best breakfast I’ve had on Big Island! Thank you for letting us dine in with you! The smoked salmon on eggs Benedict was delicious!