KTA Super Stores - Downtown

This was our first time visiting this KTA store—one of the two in Hilo. The store was smaller than we expected, but it seemed to have a wide selection of items. However, we were hoping to buy some bento, and by the time we got there around 1 p.m., they were almost all sold out. It's probably a sign of how popular they are, but it was a bit disappointing. Still, there were a few remaining items near the entrance, such as rice balls (Yukari $1.49, Kombu & Ume $2.89 each), a 5-piece inari sushi pack ($8.95), ANPAN, and daifuku (mugwort and bean varieties), which we picked up. They also had different flavors and types of wagashi (Japanese sweets) compared to the KTA in Kona. (Just making a note for myself.) Since it's located in the downtown area, the parking lot isn't very spacious either.🚙

The Super KTA Store in Hilo’s selection of food, especially local cuisine, is nothing short of amazing. Whether you're in the mood for premade, hot and ready-to-go dishes, or you're looking for the basics like fresh produce, cereal, pickles, hot sauce, chocolate candy, or quality fresh meat, this store has you covered. What's particularly outstanding is the freshness of their seafood, and the quality of their eggs and dairy products. Additionally, there's a well-curated selection of liquor for those looking to add a little extra flavor to their shopping list. With ample parking and a welcoming atmosphere, this Super KTA Store truly lives up to its 'Super' name. It's a one-stop shop for everything you need, and it's a local favorite for a good reason. Highly recommended!

KTA is a one stop shop. Find fresh produce, dairy products, breads, fish, meats, medicines, canned foods, liquor and even some already prepared foods. The prepared foods consist of poke, sushi rolls, fruits, mac salads, taegu, etc. They'll often carry some specialty items like Two Ladies Kitchen mochi and Uncle Kelly Boy's breads/rolls and cookies (usually located near the cashier). Parking lot available on the lot.

Are you a tourist? This is a great place to visit to pick up local fare. The staff and the customers are super-friendly. One local helped recommend things he sends to family and friends off the island, like the dried macadamia nuts and the locally made Stone Cookies. And the boxes of Hawaiian-style Mexican wedding cookies made with macadamia nuts are out of this world.

Good variety of food. Was fun to see all the local food offered, but was shocked at the price of something I hadn't seen since I was a teenager... reminds me how old I am getting, cause when I was a kid, the were .25 cents. Also, we are in Hawaii... and I know food is more expensive here. Regardless of price, was still cool to see an old favorite I hadn't seen in 35 years

Hmm what to say - you have enough stuff to buy but... it looks nobody takes care about hygiene in this store... look to my photos to see more. Will definitevly not shop in this store.

Way better than the chain (Safeway) store. Love supporting local business.

More items avaliable at Puainako but nice store. It had what I needed. Much closer than Puainako

Shopping in Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii... My friend wanted to buy something from KTA in Downtown Hilo. This is an old-school, neighborhood type of grocery store. It's been around for decades! We appreciated the air-conditioning and interesting variety of merchandise. I just didn't want to buy anything and have to carry it home because I only had a carry-on bag. Even though they have their own parking lot, we walked over from the Farmer's Market, where we had parked on the street for free.

A nice local owned company market with a good selection of products and many local islands goods. The selection is not as good as the larger main store at Puainako. But , the staff is much friendlier and many employees know me by name.

Kta downtown crew alway good In helping for guest needs...but the store need some interiors remodeling ...

Wonderful selection of all Hawaiian foods! I , in particular, enjoyed the many poke offerings. Great store busy as the Devil. Price is reasonable considering the location. Hours are great.

It's your average local grocery store. Bottled water is cheaper here for the larger sizes. They sell your typical grocery store items and quick foods such as bentos and sushi. There is a decent size parking area especially for it being located smacked in the town of Hilo. Bring your own grocery bags. They do not have plastic bags. Visit here if you need to stop at the grocery store to pick up a few necessities when your staying at the hotel.

Small place for the main land standards Great costumers services A good place to buy a few things on the run .

Its the best range of good local produce and asian foods including seafood. Good fresh Poke. Marinated grill ready meats. Then the Bakery! OMG its a great one with fresh Malasadas, Mochi donuts, ensemadas, Manapua etc.. they have chefs from Japan making fresh taiaki and other treats. Then there is the deli- if you are an early riser you can get the fresh made musubi and bento boxes with tempura shrimp, vegies and meats. Oh - some times they make fresh fried Okinawan donuts, on the weekend, weeknights they grill steaks outside and make plates for dinner that are reasonably priced! Its busy in there but worth it for the food! Did I convince you yet? Its a treasured business here in Hilo

This is a great local grocery chain in Hawaii. Tons of locally-sourced products, a poke bar in the meat department and local store pricing. We spent nearly an hour here, just wandering the aisles and picking things up to send home - and this is a small location.

I got what I needed for the most part, so I'm not complaining here. I came here to pick up dinner on Memorial Day. Of course, the poke was sold out and only the previously frozen poke in the fish section was available. The bentos were gone too.I made do with reasonably priced ramen bowls, enoki mushrooms, and eggs. By Hawai'i standards, there are a good selection of items with numerous local options. I got in and out of the place quickly; always a plus. The parking layout is confusing though, so -1 star here.

Inconsistent stock levels I.e. certain vegetables, BL SL chicken thighs, ground pork, pork butt to name a few. I'll put everything back and go to Sack and Save. I have had no luck with watercress but they have it at the competitor. I'll get the excuse "it didn't come in yet or they're short " yet get it at S&S. I'd really like to support local but c'mon KTA, you can do better.

Old and in dire need of renovations. Aisles are too narrow seems claustrophobic inside. Prices are higher than average for Hilo. Many items are over double the price compared to Walmart Target and even Safeway and Sack n Save are cheaper. KTA is the only supermarket that actually charges you for paper bags compared to Safeway Sack n Save and Longs and 7-11. You are already overcharging all of your customers with all of your prices.

KTA is The last old school family grocery store on the Big Island. The down town location is the smallest KTA its a little dingy but thats adds to its character. You will find what you need and also a bunch of down town Hilo characters. Love KTA

A great store for finding basic staples and island signatures. We were visiting from the mainland so I was certainly impressed by the breadth of fresh produce, seafood, and other products. The poke selection at this specific location was unfortunately quite small and left little room for any choices. That being said, the ahi they did have available was perfectly portioned and exceptionally clean tasting. My wife also loved their seaweed salad. Their prepacked lomi salmon tasted a little 'off" to me so I wasn't quite enthused about that purchase, but I also neglected to check the date. All-in-all a must-stop destination for visitors looking to find real Hawaiian fare, but a larger location would be better if poke is your end goal.

I flew in to the Hilo Airport and prepared to head off on a lava hunt. I stopped at the Hilo Surplus Store, but it was closed. Most everything else was shut down since I arrived on a Sunday evening. Since I'd be camping, I started panicking. I needed supplies and I appeared to be in a ghost town. KTA helped me out. I bought lots of fruit, water and other food here. The selection is solid, though the store is a bit run-down. I ended up buying far, far more than I needed for my 48 hours on the big island. Before flying out, I had to stop by and return about half my purchases. Thankfully, the KTA cashier was kind enough to scan and re-credit my card without any eye-rolling or attitude.

Good place to stock up on drinks and snacks if you are visiting. The Ichiban Tako Senbe is pretty good

I got delicious lunch to go of sushi rolls and also tempura seafood with rice. The prices for the Mauna Loa macadamian nuts were the best. Better than Walmart in regards to the six pack. Walmart prices were better for the large bags of nuts. I love this supermarket.

Just came from there today took my book coupon 3 for 3 chicken of the sea tuna limit 3 sets I bought 9 and got charged $11.25 I think A. made a mistake I know I give that coupon and its not in my wallet

We have stopped and gotten Poke and Sushi at every KTA that we come across. It's sooooo good and fresh, and under $10.

Come here probably twice a week, prices are fair for Hilo. Today I got a few things for dinner. Cashier was rude even to the customer in front of me. After she scanned his items , she threw divider on conveyor belt right behind my items and there wasn't even anyone behind me. She ask rudely for my id , which I didn't have available right away she looked upset because of it. It took maybe 15 seconds to find it. She hands receipt to me without even looking in my direction. I'll probably still shop here but never go to here line. Cashier Cindy M.

They've got pretty much whatever you could ever need from a super market. I've made a stop or two here to pick up snacks and drinks, some medicine, and even to use their bathroom. The workers were quite friendly in the Hilo style, and the prices were reasonable enough for what I purchased. The building itself is old. It still feels like an old mom and pop grocery store that's gone through extensions and renovations over the decades. The parking lot is a good size with a lot of stalls to park in. Its central location in Hilo makes it a great place to come and shop.

This KTA Super Store is very close to downtown Hilo's shopping strip & Farmer's Market. This location has a small grocery store feel with a nice sized parking lot. Even though it wasn't necessary, the security guard was helping in the parking lot by stopping traffic to guide cars - really nice! We stopped in after breakfast for supplies for a trip to Volcano. For me that was poke & a poncho!

Right in the heart of downtown Hilo is KTA. It is the only supermarket within this area. Very close to the Hilo Farmers Market and has a parking lot which is good as it is sometimes hard to find parking in the area. The store itself seems like it was built in the 1950s. It is pretty venerable looking inside. However, the selection of goods found here is good. The aisles are a little tight, but the place carries a lot of things. Of interest is they offer Punaluu sweet breads here if you do not want to make the trip to the bakery. This is one of the best places for visitors to stock up on essentials like water and other drinks. They also carry a lot of local products that might be appealing to bring back. Prices here are fairly typical for a neighbor island store. Though I noticed the price of Nutella here was cheaper by 70 cents than the Foodland Market City on Oahu. Still pricey at $5.29 for one. So maybe the prices are not that bad. If you are on the Big Island and need any grocery essentials, one of the best places to go would be KTA.

Always a friendly atmosphere and not much of a wait in a long line. And of course you must wear a mask and keep social distancing.

Not as nice as the other KTA locations, but I guess it is due to the prime location it is in (i.e. middle of downtown Hilo. For convenience sake, it is great. The store is a little less organized, a little more hectic, and selection not as nice as the other KTA locations we went during our stay on the Big Island. But for where it is and its pricing, I think it is "A-OK".

It's a supermarket. You come in, get your crap, pay and leave. They have a few speciality products here that you can't get in Honolulu and my mom wanted me to bring back this fish paste they have in the seafood section.

I bought some curly kale from here. I come home and wash the leaves looking in between the folds. I found a snail on one leaf. I go to the next one and find another snail! Out of 6 leaves I find 4 snails! Disgusted I just threw them into my compost pile. I came back the next day and ask that I speak to the person in charge of the produce department. I was told to wait and this lady who had a sour look on her face came up to me and asked me rudely "what is the problem?" I calmly told her that I found a couple of snails on my kale bouquet and that not only am I concerned of my health but everyone else who probably don't even check their veggies before cooking. I could have gotten rat lung worm disease or some other customer. She responded flatly "that's why we have signs saying wash your food." I was amused as that is all she had to say. So I ask "do you guys inspect your produce before putting it on display?" Another rude flat toned answer "yeah." Obviously she does not care so I just hope they can realize that rat lung worm is a serious thing here in Hawaii and it's something that should be taken seriously not in a attitude that this lady had given me. 2 stars because this is the closest grocery store to my home.

KTA may not look like much but it's got a lot of things going for it. 1. Location, location, location: It's just up the street from the Farmer's Market and around the corner from Abundant Life, which makes one stop shopping a bit easier. 2. The produce is fresh and varied. 3. It has a public restroom, which Sack n Save does not. Which I find interesting considering Sack n Save has about 4 times the space. 4. The clientele seems to be comprised largely of seniors, which I much prefer over the 'trustafarians' that seem to frequent Sack n Save. 5. The staff is patient, friendly and helpful. 6. They have reasonable prices. Because this KTA is independently owned, they can offer deals that the Super Store might not. Their produce is consistently cheaper than Sack n Save. Yes, it's small. Yes, you have to look both ways before leaving an aisle, lest you slam your cart right into an auntie. Yes, it lacks the polish of a heartless, corporate supermarket. But that suits me fine.

If you enjoy history and the nostalgia of plantation days then this store is it. Very charming and full of smiling workers. walls are filled with family and workers dating back to 1916. Not the full service KTA super market like the one on Puainako street but has all the basics and lots of nostalgia.

A terrific store in love shopping here as the employees are always filled with enthusiasm. Employees provide excellent service to the customers. In my opinion many deserve a raise. Also it be better if bagging be done in a professional manner to allow more customers return.

On Saturday May 28 we walked into Downtown KTA and I love this cause it's small and they carry just enough but today I was looking for motor oil which I easily found so we stood in line and my cell phone rang so while my husband stayed too purchase I walked outside to answer my phone, when he finally came out he was irritated I asked what's up and he said that was the absolute worst cashier he's ever encountered at a KTA store and we've grown up with KTA, she didn't say hello to him even though the couple in front of him was chatted with and he she didn't say thank you. What's up with that? We've never had an experience like this with any KTA so disappointed yes will we leave KTA no but cashiers need to remember the simple things as an employee counts

Good variety of not only groceries but also prepared and hot foods. Get there early for their daily specials as they do sell out by lunchtime for popular items. I love their poke selection!

Adequate for groceries. Built long ago and expanded or remodeled every time someone got the idea for another product they could sell, it odd but workable.

A good smaller grocery store that keeps it old school. Skinny aisles, smaller selection, but a good, cozy feel to it. They even have a water fountain by the produce! Parking is plentiful for the size of the store.

Friendly and convenient, with a great variety of products. Although the building is older, the exterior has recently been renovated, and parking has been added. It gets busy at times, and this seems to be the favored store for the older generation. The workers are helpful, and they keep the shelves stocked and neat. I like that in Hilo stores take better care of their products than here in Oahu. For example, they neatly stack their produce in displays, rather than dumping things out of the boxes into bins. I don't have to worry about bruises on my fruits, or rotten tomatoes in the display.

So I went to Downtown KTA today, like I always do, and I was browsing the sections in the store. There were a couple of perfume bottles, with one in the front that looked a little worn and was open. I assumed it was a sample bottle, so I sprayed it ONCE, then put it back because it smelled weird. Later on as I walked out the store a man blocked my way and said I HAD to pay for the perfume bottle because I used the product, I told him I didn't do anything wrong and thought it was just a sample product, I didn't open it, it was already like that. I simply sprayed it once, put it back nicely, and that's it. He said I either had to pay for it or get banned. I refused to pay it. So he took me to a private part of the store, made me fill out paperwork, and proceeded to call the cops for theft! After about TWO HOURS alone with the floor walker and manager and complete uncomfortable silence, the cop finally came, took down everyone's information, and told me I had committed no crime and the nice cop went on his merry way and so did I. By this time I was beyyoonnddd late for work, and still had bills to pay and errands to run. So, I ended up being banned from all KTA's for three months because of this debacle. The floor walker said it was my fault because the bottle didn't have the words "tester" on it, yet plenty of places that I've gone to set out samples and don't always have the words "sample" written on them! Blame the employee who left damaged product on the shelves, not an innocent customer! He could've easily said "Sorry ma'am, those aren't samplers, this is just damaged product that got left out", took the bottle off the shelf and that could've been it. I took a picture of the paperwork he was making me sign, of which he highlighted the words "spraying", which is apparently the 'crime' I committed. This was ridiculous! This felt more like harassment than anything. Safe to say I am never returning to any KTA in my life. Bummer because I have experienced nothing but the best service from any other KTA staff. I'll attach a photo of the picture the store walker was having me sign, where 'spraying' was highlighted.