If you’re hungry for a little nostalgia and a lot of great food, the Black Rock Cafe harkens back to the days of the old-school diner. With booth seating, traditional favorites, and classic Hawaiian dishes, the cafe serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner to hungry patrons. If you’re in the mood for some fermented fun, check out the adjoining bar for an alcoholic beverage or two.
Comfort Food at Its Finest
This restaurant is comfort food a notch or two above what you might be used to. Not only does it offer the classics that will fill you up on even the most active of days, it’s home to quality ingredients that manage to showcase the best of the state. Visitors and locals alike come for dishes like fish Benedict, loco moco, or fish and chips. Pahoa is a small town, and the close-knit community offers a sense of warmth and comfort to all who walk through its doors.
It might be a small diner, but its clientele manages to walk away with a big impression. If you were to ask the local surfers where they like to eat, you’d probably hear the Black Rock Cafe come up fairly quickly. That’s because they’re often looking for a spot that won’t break the bank on the way back and forth from the water.
If you’re going to Black Rock Cafe, we recommend the following menu items:
Fish Sandwich
There’s something about ordering the catch-of-the-day fish sandwich when you’re near the water. Your sandwich, accompanied by the customary lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle, will be freshly-prepared no matter when you pop in. Simple but satisfying, you won’t regret chowing down on this plus your favorite side.
Sweet Bread French Toast
French toast is traditionally made from stale bread that’s livened up with the help of eggs and powdered sugar. At Black Rock Cafe, the staff uses traditional Hawaiian sweetbread for an extra layer. Washed down with a cup of quality coffee, it’s a memorable way to start the day.
Meat Lovers Omelet
This one is all of the meats, including Portuguese sausage and spam, alongside the traditional bacon and ham. The addition of cheddar cheese certainly won’t help you cut through the richness of the dish, but it will make every bite that much more savory.
Fettuccine Alfredo
This dish is filled with cream, mushrooms, and cheese, and served with garlic bread so you can mop up every last ounce of flavor. It may not have many components to it, but the quality of each one speaks for itself. This one is made for rainy days and spectacular sunsets alike.
Mauka Makai
This dish is four ounces of New York strip steak, three shrimp, and the catch of the day served any way you like it. Get your fish broiled, grilled, or sauteed, and dig into this feast fit for a king. It truly is a surf-and-turf experience that will stick to your ribs.
This small cafe is a great place to stop for informal and affordable snacks and meals. (Located in a strip mall, it might be relatively easy to miss if you didn’t know about it.) Its menu is packed with options, which would be helpful for large families where everyone wants a little something different. It’s a local institution that caters to big appetites and big personalities. Whether you get the biscuits, pancakes, or pizza, there’s a lot to discover when you visit.
Insider Tips:
-Black Rock Cafe is in a small strip mall. Parking in the lot can get tight depending on the day, but there is street parking further down the road.
-The portions are large and varied, making it a good stop for hungry (or picky) patrons.