Pizza Hawaii
After trying a slice of pepperoni from these guys at the recent Ho’olaulea, we had to come back for more at their restaurant location at the Puainako Town Center (across Mc Donalds). Plus, Bev found one of these coupons…
What a deal! (not my cow clip holder)
It smelled so good inside. There were some guys in the back slicing pizzas while a girl was tossing and spinning pizza dough. Another cool thing about this place is that they have a bunch of board games you can pick up and play with at the table.
These two guys were playing Connect Four as they ate their pizza and enjoyed some beer (I assume this place is BYOB since they don’t offer any liquor).
We ordered 2 pepperoni slices ($0.96 + $0.55topping x 2 = $3.02), an additional “New Yorker” slice ($3.45), and a side salad ($2.95) for take out.
This is New York style pizza with beautiful thin bubbly crusty crust. Unfortunately, I’ve never tried a “real” New York style pizza, but if the pizza here is any representation of what’s in NY, I already know I love it! The crust is what makes a pizza, and it was fantastic with great texture and bite, especially on the outer ends. In the middle, the crust is very thin, which really brings out the sauce (really rich and tasty), generous layering of cheese and pepperoni. The salad was also very good and fresh. The ranch dressing also tasted really nice… homemade maybe? It tasted really creamy… almost yogurty.
I gotta say that this was some of the best pizza I’ve ever had… very likely the best on the Big Island! My other favorite is Cafe Pesto, which is excellent pizza… but it’s just not the same. Big Island Pizza is also good, with a variety of gourmet toppings, but the crust just doesn’t have the same kind of crusty texture as Pizza Hawaii.
I’m so glad Hilo has this place. 
Pizza Hawaii
Puainako Town Centre
Hilo, HI 96720
Phone: (808) 959-9932
Fax: (808) 959-9566
October 28th, 2006 at 8:35 am
Kinda’ funny seeing two grown men sitting in a pizza joint having a beer over a game of Connect Four. lol
Wow, the best pizza you ever had? That’s quite a statement. This sounds like some great NY style pie!
It’s a good thing to have specialty pizza restaurants as an alternative to the “Big 3″ (PH, PJ & D’s). I have yet to try Pizza Hut’s “Big New Yorker”, though I’d question even that on authenticity.
One of the most popular specialty shops on Oahu is Boston’s North End Pizza, which features a really thin crust and super-large diameter sizes. One of their most popular is the Tomato, Spinach and Garlic.
October 28th, 2006 at 1:22 pm
looks ono enuff brah……gotta drink um wit Primo beer though brah!…did they have any specialty kine pizza?
October 28th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
Yeaaaah boy, NY style pizza! Looks like a pretty fair replica of NY Pizza.
Places like this are great, i could myself setting down with some good friends to play connect four or battleship and having some great slices of pizza with some delicious beers to wash it all down.
October 29th, 2006 at 4:50 pm
looks good! The board games were pretty cool. I like Connect Four too. I wonder if there’s anyone out there in the world that doesn’t like Connect Four.
I dunno…sounds like your NY pizza is better then the NY pizza I’ve had, although I’m getting a craving for the NY add-ons, red pepper flakes and parm cheese.
October 30th, 2006 at 5:21 am
Good for Hilo! This place looks really good : )
I remember during hanabata days–all we had in Hilo was Pizza Hut and Magoo’s (wasn’t it Magoo’s?) under the Waiakea Theaters.
October 30th, 2006 at 7:22 am
james -I have to agree with you on this on place. It really is IMO, the best pizza in Hilo. The sandwiches and Calzones are awesome too and for the price you get what you pay for. If more people in Hilo gave this place a try, Pizza Hut who be hurting.
October 30th, 2006 at 11:20 am
Nice pic’s of the pies. I’m craving a slice right now!
My favs on Oahu are Boston’s, Big Kahuna’s, and Antonio’s (real greasy NY style)
I think I’ll have some Thanksgiving pizza when I’m there next month. Thanks for the review.
October 30th, 2006 at 6:36 pm
Pomai, I like Boston’s pizza too on Oahu… their pieces are so huge!
kelly, not sure if dey had any specialty kine pizzas.. i no think they had hawaiian kine pizzas…
The Lou, yeah
Bev was drawing on etch-a-sketch while we waited for the pizza
jodi, ohh.. at least you got to try the real thing.. maybe you didn’t go to the right place? where’d you try?
Penny, oh wow, we had Magoos?? I never know that…
Dean, thanks so much for suggestion from earlier! That’s one of the reasons why I had to come here.
Kent, great.. I gotta try those places when I”m on Oahu.. Thanks!
December 2nd, 2006 at 7:39 am
Have you been over to the Ocean View Pizzaria> Their pizza was pretty awesome, and good prices. Also, I stopped at a newish pizza place in Volcano. Kiawe Kitchen has a nice wood burned pizza. They are a little pricey, but very good otherwise.
June 27th, 2007 at 9:46 am
Thanks for this site!
hifue.info
October 14th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
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April 11th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Yeah, Magoo’s was awesome. We also had Snappy’s back in the day, but Magoo’s was the best. Hot ham & mushroom sandwiches!