The Hawaiian Islands are steeped in history, from the first Europeans visiting the islands in 1778 and the establishment of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1795 to Hawaii’s admittance to the United States of America in 1959. And while we love a good history lesson as much as the next person, sometimes we would rather experience that history for ourselves, perhaps at one of the island’s oldest seafood restaurants?
Established in the 1920s, The Seaside Restaurant and Aqua Farm is not only one of Hawaii’s oldest restaurants, but one of the most unique as well.
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Patrons looking for a true farm-to-table experience will find just what they’re looking for at this Hilo restaurant. In fact, diners can simply look out their window to see where their food is coming from, as long as they’re ordering fish, of course.
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You see, the menu features a variety of fish that are raised and grown right here on the fish farm. Behind the restaurant is Lokowaka, a 30-acre all-natural, brackish fishpond.
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A variety of fish are raised here, including mullet, tilapia, and aholehole, a local favorite.
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But it’s not just the aqua farm that makes this restaurant unique: it’s the history. Founded in the 1920s, The Seaside Restaurant and Aqua Farm is one of Hawaii’s oldest restaurants.
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This restaurant has been in the Nakagawa family since it was founded, and although the building is not original (the building was previously located closer to the beach until the 1946 tsunami swept through Hawaii Island and destroyed the building), it is a one-of-a-kind local landmark.
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The new restaurant is larger, featuring seating for 175 people and three different rooms. It’s also full of nostalgic charm sure to take you back in time to a simpler era before Hawaii became an American state.
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Though a sense of Old Hawaii remains, a lot has changed since this restaurant opened its doors. The restaurant, once called the “Seaside Club,” only served chicken and mullet. The menu now includes a variety of seafood dishes, as well as beef, veal, and chicken.
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You will even find appetizers, sushi, and spirits.
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Whether you order the furikake salmon, macadamia-crusted mahi mahi, miso butterfish, or one of the non-seafood dishes like prime rib, chicken, or salad, your taste buds won’t be disappointed.
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With plenty of fascinating history as well as a truly one-of-a-kind setting, The Seaside Restaurant and Aqua Farm is easily one of the most interesting and unique restaurants you’ll find in Hawaii and is well worth the visit if you’re near Hilo.
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The Seaside Restaurant & Aqua Farm is located at 1790 Kalanianaole Ave., Hilo, HI 96720, and is open Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4:30 to 9:00 p.m. For more information, visit their website.
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If you’re interested in historic establishments, you might want to check out Hawaii’s oldest continuously operating restaurant as well as the state’s oldest bar and general store.
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