Andrew T.
Yelp
I almost didn't come back here because on a recent happy-hour visit they charged me something like $12 for a virgin margarita (offered by the waitress as being "like a lemonade") which was way more $$$ than just getting the regular happy hour margarita with alcohol. The waitress just kind of shrugged and said she couldn't do anything about it because that's how it was in the system. We stared at each other for a few minutes and I let it go, but the whole table laughed about it and the $12 virgin margarita has now entered mythical status.
ANYWAY, they don't have the happy hour anymore since the start of the new year. Boo...... MOVING ON....
So after a tiring but happy day out on the water in Keaukaha, we ended up at Coconut Grill for dinner, and had such a great meal, we came back again the next night as well. Both servers were excellent. We got seated in the back of the room both times which initially annoyed me because there were window tables open, but it turns out sitting in the back is pretty great, because you can see the whole view instead of just one section of it. And they have one of the best water views in Hilo.
First night, we had a side caesar salad ($7), French dip sandwich with onion rings, and house hamburger with fries (cheese deleted). We were wowed by the caesar which adds blue cheese to the standard parmesan. The burger with addition of fries or onion rings come out to about $23 but when they bring the burger to the table, your first thought is "wow" because it's huge and the shiny brioche bun is just gorgeous. It's a dream burger straight out of a magazine photo shoot. So, the second night we got the full caesar with grilled shrimp added (the full size also includes garlic bread), and a different burger that has sliced prime rib on top of the hamburger patty plus mushrooms and onions. Onion rings were decent but the fries beat them. I'd be willing to say these are the best burgers and fries in Hilo, with one of the best views, and great service, so I'd highly recommend. The lava flow cocktail was cute but needed an extra shot of dark rum to kick it up a notch. I'll order an extra shot on the side next time to dump in myself. Draft beers were reasonably priced and included a selection from a Hilo brewery.
Possible improvements? If you're selling the view, wash the windows more often. Ideally you'd renovate the long windowless area to include some windows. And our full caesar salad the second night was overly swimming in dressing, which while delicious, was just too much dressing. (Not that I didn't clear the bowl, but more lettuce would have been welcomed.)