Talk Story with an Advertiser: Big Island Top Dogs

Hawai‘i is a multicultural paradise and Big Island Top Dogs puts a multicultural, local-style spin on their hot dogs, sausages, burgers, fries, and plate lunches! BITD specializes in homemade sauces and toppings which makes eating there a one-of-a-kind experience.

Owners and lifelong residents Mike and Robyn Mattos started Big Island Top Dogs as a side business in 2013, when Mike purchased a little New York hot dog cart. They both had full-time jobs, but Mike thought this would be fun and they’d make a little side money, so they started making hot dogs at farmers’ markets and community events.

Offering to “top your dog the way you want it,” they gained popularity with an array of homemade sauces and toppings like their famous liliko‘i mustard sauce, garlic aoli, and homemade Russian sauerkraut. Later, burgers and fries were added, carrying through the same theme as “top your dogs.”

As BITD grew, Mike kept saying he wanted to open up a Top Dogs restaurant. As fate would have it, in 2016 Mike was putting new tires on his truck and talking with Mr. Tanouye, the owner of the tire store. When he mentioned Top Dogs, Mr. Tanouye told him he had a place for him. Mike and Robyn were so excited they went to look that day. They signed the lease soon after, and started with a takeout restaurant. In 2018 the bay next to them became available, so they added another 2,000 sq.ft. and turned it into a dining room, as well as a space for party room rental, seating up to 80 people.

In February 2020, an opportunity to add more space became available. The Mattos’ decided to expand their business again by opening up three karaoke room rentals and a common area for dining or private parties.

Robyn says, “We like to offer new and exciting dishes, whether it’s an old family recipe like Mike’s grandma’s Portuguese roast pork, or a new spin on old favorites like our Spudzilla French fries. We get Kikui Sausages (gyoza, pastele, kimchee) from O‘ahu and lamb sausage from Orchidland. We buy local whenever possible. We always say that Hilo is the best place to do business! It’s such a close-knit community with so much aloha! Our customers are part of our ‘ohana! We truly believe that LOVE makes us ‘ohana”

Big Island Top Dogs
Mike and Robyn Mattos
811 Laukapu St. #6, Hilo
808.657.4469