Restaurants in Kailua-Kona

“Flew over from Oahu to check out Journey Cafe. Not disappointed. Delicious food, nice ambiance, location could be better-like OAHU! Please come to our island! And bring the vegan ice cream � SO ONO!”

“Seems to be the best poke place while on Big Island. They have some standard types of poke and to me, it’s sufficient enough to satisfy the desire for good poke.”

“Amazing Tacoz with unique sauces! highly recommend!”

“Excellent food, friendly staff, excellent experience!”

“Best burgers and fries I've ever had! On our 8 day vacation, we've been here twice. Such good beef and fresh, quality ingredients! The sauce for the fries is sooo good!”

“Our food was delicious and made to order. Kalua Loco moco was the first for me but so glad I tried it. Husband had the fresh ahi tuna sandwich, cooked great. 👍🏻”

“I need to start out by acknowledging how incredible the staff was. Engaged with our daughter, great about being patient while we ordered and taking time to make us feel like we were regular customers. That right there, is how you build loyalty. Nothing but love from this Canadian. Everyone working December 5th 2024, is who you want always representative of your business.

Now, the secondary qualities: the coffee is perfect. Not even a hint of bitterness or lqcking any substantial flavor. Just get a 12 of black coffee and appreciate what quality coffee does as a consumer.

The frozen Ube coffee was awesome, full flavor, not overly sweet, and really just hit all the spots for us.

The music wasn't overly loud, the atmosphere was so much easier to take in and appreciate, and the vibe they've worked on establishing is already there and balanced for any customer. We'll be back, and will make a point to support HiCo moving forward.

Update: went back and ordered the loaded spam musubi, the food is absolutely also a valid reason to visit. The strawberry gin is incredible as well. Cant recommend enough.”

“Mountain Thunder is awesome. The tour we got was extremely informative on the history of coffee in Hawaii. Plus the coffee is the best in the world. The nature trail was picturesque too”

“Super great food, with an Asian touch. The poke and the fries were amazing!”

“Love the food We are making this our favorite food spot. The BOYB was great”

“The food is so incredible for a reasonable price! the owners are very friendly. fav dish is pad thai with shrimp, beef or chicken.”

“We arrived an hour early with a hungry toddler, and despite the restaurant being busy, they seated us right away in a lovely spot. The menu has limited options, but everything we tried was fantastic! The food was fresh, flavorful, and the service was warm and welcoming. Drinks were just okay, but overall, it’s a charming spot we’d happily return to!”

“We had our best Sushi ever 🇯🇵 😀👍”

“The food is awesome the owner is friendly the view is amazing ❤️”

“The food at Fish Hopper,Kona, was great! My husband thought the pulled pork sandwich was the best he had ever had! My parmersan crusted fish was excellent! We do wish the wings weren’t just during happy hours.”

“Very nice casual restaurant inside Kona's Foru Seasons Hotel. Italian based restaurant. Very delicious pizza made from authentic wood burnt oven. Sunset view from the restaurant that is second to none. ”

“Sat inside at the bar and the bartender did a great job; busy but still attentive, refilling water, etc. Had a flight of IPAs and bbq chicken pizza; pizza was fine - nothing outstanding, but there’s no such thing as bad pizza in my opinion. Where I often find pizzas over-sauced, this one was a little on the dry side, but maybe I’m just too much of a Goldilocks!?! All in all I’d visit again when on the big island.”

“Perfectly located next to the ocean with crashing waves, good food and friendly staff! I enjoyed the Poke pie bowl (delicious) and my spouse ordered the trio sliders with spicy fries. The atmosphere alone encourages us to go back (there doesn't seem to be many restaurants ON the water) but we'll definitely be back for more great eats also.”

“Very good food at reasonable prices. The large portions could not be eaten, we had to take them with us. Huge selection of everything. Excellent fried shrimp. If you want to eat well and cheaply, I can only warmly recommend it.
We had to come back here again because the food is excellent and the prices are excellent.”

“Great food! It’s not on the beach front like other restaurants but the food is superb! Much better quality food than most!”

“Our second visit this vacation and by far our favorite foods and drinks of all the island. Great staff to top off the experience.”

“Even though considering they don’t have much competition in style of food on this island, their service is usually always good. What’s not to like? Finger-licking good food with a couple cold beers! It’s a nice way to treat the fam”

“The specials/specials on the menu are also worth checking out. The salt and pepper soft shell crab (slightly spicy) and the pork belly with pickled vegetables (compared to other places in the United States) are both delicious😋”

“My son's a chef and we were celebrating a teenage birthday. Tried a risk on this new service and it was great. All the tools and seasonings and this great mango sauce. They Taught him how to cut and grill everything. Easy to find location. This is great! Highly recommend! We did it all in about 90 mins”

“Food was pretty standard pho cuisine. Employees weren't friendly but the place seems very authentic. Still, gonna have to give it four stars since it didn't rock my socks.

Vegetarian options: No Tofu options.”

“Food was very very good. Freshly made i could see the mamasun in the black using the wok and the flame full blow. Large portion and good price for the food. Highly recommended.”

“I always get laulaus when going to Hawaii. This is one of the best places to get them. They also have the usual Loco Moco, rice, macaroni salad, Kalua pork, and several other local foods. It's a fast food restaurant with no table service. You order at the counter. Very good local food.”

“Best Asian ribs and sushi ever!”

“Great restaurant. Food, service and atmosphere... a trifecta!”

“We had a Birthday party there. Excellent food. Staff was super friendly and so helpful.”

“WOW! These are the best donuts I have ever had. We came here with our young family of 6 and started out with 6 donuts and ended up licking the box clean and got another 6. They are perfected, delicious but not too sweet so you can eat and eat! also they are not your regular donut so ask about the flavors!!”

“Ono food guys! Go check out my brother Nephi!”

“Recently I came across Koholā Coffee. I had no idea how reasonably priced the incredible food would be, how yummy the smoothies and other drinks are. The owner is a bright eyed beauty full of incredible Aloha and all of her staff are equally as awesome. I love whales and so does Jeannette🐋‼️ THE BEST‼️”

“Great gelato excellent service.”

“Lovely Coffee Shop! Five Stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”

“The staff are wonderful & their food is incredible.”

“Having a paint party on there lanai , they have the best Kona coffee and chai in town”

“When in kona you must grab something from here. Everything is amazing and the people are awesome.”

“The people were nice, the food was delicious, including the pastries, and it is a nice little shop to have a bite to eat. Would definitely return if I come back to area.”

“I am so sad this place is closing! The donuts are wonderfully delicious and they come up with all kinds of combos that are yum!! The workers are great! Helpful and kind. My favorite was the bacon one. We will miss you! #damnCovid2020”

“Very good, especially avocado, bacon, and sour cream crepe, cozy place😉”

“Fantastic Acai bowls. We visited recently from the UK and as soon as we discovered them we returned every day until we left!!”

“Fantastic!!! The line was out the door so I took a walk came back and line was shorter but still out the door. Now I know why. It was Awesome food. I highly recommend this place. The wait in line is worth it.”

“Fireart Cuisine has some of the best Asian food we have ever had! We are on a short visit to Hawaii, but we’ve already been there twice - the food is so good we had to come back! Both the beef and broccoli and the shrimp and broccoli have delicious flavor with perfectly cooked broccoli. The braised green beans and chicken (mild) was also delicious. And for desert, this was our first time ever trying fried ice-cream - delicious and so much fun! Staff are super kind and on the ball. Everyone seems to want to put out the best - for those who love great food, this little spot is an awesome find!”

“Basic Cafe in Kona, Hawaii☺︎
A restaurant with the most delicious acai.

The size is
There are two types: Medium and Large.
I ordered the large size (32oz) because I wanted to share it.
Quite a volume.
I was very satisfied with the amount of fruit and toppings.

If you like acai bowls, please give it a try!
I recommend Basic Cafe, which has a strong acai flavor and is particular about the ingredients!
You can also see the sea from the counter.”

“Love their signature Boneless Chicken Thighs and their potato salad too! 👍👍”

“Walk to this great location and views, personable service and recommendations, good drinks, and prices. Cash only ("machine is down").
Note: This is a (Las Vegas) Raiders bar; say you are a pirate and you'll be fine.
PS: photos show much more "blue" than your eyes see.

Parking: Maybe 40 seats total.

Kid-friendliness: 21 and older.

Wheelchair accessibility: Not ADA accessible.”

“This was the culinary highlight of our trip to the big island! Sam and Jennifer are super kind in explaining the business-all local ingredients! Premium ingredients (local chocolate, Kona hinted brownies-Mac nut base ice cream)-wowza! Serious stuff! Come support this incredible shop. Yum!”

“Great service! Yummy food! Never disappoints!”

“This place is legit! Awesome brisket and porkbelly.”

“This was hands-down the best shave ice I've had anywhere in the Islands! Friendly staff, delicious syrups made from actual fruit, and ingenious holes in the tables that prevent spills. If you have always played it safe by choosing red, green, and blue, take a chance and let one of the staff select for you! I guarantee that it will make your tastebuds stand up and say,"Whoopie!!"”

“Very friendly service, they always remember to serve your blizzards upside down! Flavours are good and the food is consistent.Check out my food Instagram @erinxeats for more!”

“Variety and close to where you stay”

“I’m a dunkins guy but in Hawaii Starbucks is a great choice.”

“Always well stocked. Friendly people.”

“Really nice. Convenient, on the SW corner of Henry Street & Kuakini Hwy. Bacon, Gouda, & Egg Sandwich on Ciabatta roll was excellent. No crowd at 1145. Definitely will be back.”

“We use the drive through. The staff there are friendly and helpful. The drinks are good and the two bacon cheddar egg sandwiches hit the spot. We love Starbucks and the free drinks using the Starbucks card!”

“Plenty of flavors also a cheat sheet inside to help those who don’t know”

“I live near Seattle and am an avid collector of their coffee mugs from the places we visit so just had to stop by during our first ever visit to the Big Island. We found a Hawaii mug but not a Kona one. Coffee was great or rather the refreshers were because it was just too hot for a coffee. It was so good, we went there twice. Hours are a bite limited, they close at 5pm on Sundays.”

“Hands down this place has restored my faith in fast food. This locatipn and the Pahoa location have shown me nothing but love. TY”

“Best poke on the big island. Wife and I have tried 3 or so other places with poke and this was the best. They close at 5 so get in before they shut down! They share a building with Paradise Bakery which seems like a terrific 1-2 punch(bakery was closed when we went)”

“We had a great time the staff was there and attentive and the karaoke was so much fun! I will go back!”

“We were pleased to find this place - I had the mapo tofu (with pork, medium spicy) which was VERY good and could feed two with the suggested - and essential - side order of rice for the tasty sauce. Some places in Hawaii have bland food for too much money - this is not like that, which is fabulous. Very tasty, well seasoned, I would totally order this again and look forward to it. She got the seaweed salad and a specialty sushi roll, which were good too.
Fast, friendly service rounds it out.

Definitely recommend!

Parking: There’s a good sized free lot on the next street up away from the waterfront and a block or so away, but it was pretty packed. We got lucky and found a spot. They do validate parking at another parking lot, it’s worth calling and asking where *before* parking your car if you can’t get a spot in the free municipal lot.”

“This place is special. Awesome crew , killer food and amazing live music! Only a few years old and already a Kona landmark! Do yourself a flavor and get ya some Willies!!🤙🏽”

“Was our first time and so yummy”

“It’s a cute cafe, nice girly vibe, coffee drinks are good, it’s a little expensive but not too bad, it’s a great place to hangout with friends or family. It has great WiFi but It is not ideal for working or studying/doing homework as it is noisy and outdoor seats have a lot of disturbance from the road, nice view of the ocean.”

“We love this place because the coffee is so good. Staff kind and knowledgeable. They offer a cool mail order service with nice savings to keep you supplied with beans. Great gift shop. A fun time in Naalehu.”

“The great joy of finding a Cajun, French blend to Hawaii! They’ve found their niche and do it well! A very unique menu with great snack offerings as well as solid lunches. Don’t change your style!”

“amazing food and amazing people thank you so much 💗 delicious 😋”

“My bbq jackfruit wrap ROCKED. Honestly, years ago I wasn't a big fan of Loko Wraps, now I'm gonna put it in my rotation of local food establishments. It was amazing, and the dragon fruit lemonade was delish as well. 10/ 10 I will go again. (see what I did there?)🤙”

“Killer pizza! All that needs to be said...”

“Always come here after work and can always expect to see Barbara , wonderful woman and a great server, good food mixed with good atmosphere, will always recommend.”

“I can’t say enough good things about 808 Grindz Cafe. We ate here TWICE during our vacation because the food was absolutely amazing, and the flavors were spot on. Everything tasted so fresh and well-prepared. The atmosphere was welcoming and relaxing, perfect for enjoying a great meal with family or friends.

The prices were very affordable, especially considering the quality of the food and service. It’s rare to find such a gem that delivers so much without breaking the bank. I was so caught up in the experience that I forgot to take any photos, but trust me—it’s worth it. Highly recommend checking it out!”

“A true hidden gem. Tucked away beneath the King Kam hotel, this place has absolutely delicious breakfast, sandwiches, and coffees. We went here nearly everyday during our vacation to try everything from the donuts, to croffles, to grilled cheese, to the paninis.”

“Plenty of flavors also a cheat sheet inside to help those who don’t know”

“We were very impressed with the quality of these coffee beans. I wanted to bring home to Michigan authentic Kona Coffee. I paid a high price, however, it was worth it! This coffee is freshly grown in Kailua-Kona. The Peaberry Med Roast is a smooth cup of coffee! We loved it!”

“Great food and great service. Coleslaw a must.”

“I recently stopped in to get lunch and they started serving the kalua pork again (My Favorite) this bowl with all the yummy veggies plus the brown rice, extra sweet potato, edamame and miso good dressing was the BOMB! The service here is outstanding, super friendly and nice staff. Definitely recommend stopping here for a healthy and great lunch!”

“My wife and I celebrated our 20th Anniversary on the Big Island and wanted to experience the best the island had to offer. Ulu Ocean Grille did not disappoint! Here is a summary of our dinner: We thoroughly enjoyed the Ebi Tempura roll - (it was good enough that we have encouraged several family members to join us at Ulu this evening for sushi and dinner) For our entrées we had the Mahi Mahi and the Spicy Crab Noodles. Both were perfectly prepared, very flavorful, and the presentation was perfect. For dessert, we couldn't decide between the chocolate or vanilla (the flavor of the evening) soufflé, so we got one of each (you only celebrate 20 years once!). Again, perfectly prepared and presented and was thoroughly enjoyed. And I can't overstate how excellent the service was. The staff went out of their way to make the experience memorable. It was the best dining experience I have ever had and I don't expect to top it soon, unless they outdo themselves when we return this evening. Ulu & Four Seasons Resort - well done!”

“I ate there twice in March, and twice in April, not brisk service, Hawaiian leisure!, but incredible food! The coconut shrimp, with either sauce (although I loved the sweet chili), both panko and beer battered fish and chips were delicious, and I never expected to find THE tastiest BLT sandwich I have ever eaten!”

“Food o Hawaii is by far the best delivery service. Noah is the best as well!!”

“Love the food We are making this our favorite food spot. The BOYB was great”

“the place was really good and had great customer service and it was very welcoming I recommend going there”

“I need to start out by acknowledging how incredible the staff was. Engaged with our daughter, great about being patient while we ordered and taking time to make us feel like we were regular customers. That right there, is how you build loyalty. Nothing but love from this Canadian. Everyone working December 5th 2024, is who you want always representative of your business.

Now, the secondary qualities: the coffee is perfect. Not even a hint of bitterness or lqcking any substantial flavor. Just get a 12 of black coffee and appreciate what quality coffee does as a consumer.

The frozen Ube coffee was awesome, full flavor, not overly sweet, and really just hit all the spots for us.

The music wasn't overly loud, the atmosphere was so much easier to take in and appreciate, and the vibe they've worked on establishing is already there and balanced for any customer. We'll be back, and will make a point to support HiCo moving forward.

Update: went back and ordered the loaded spam musubi, the food is absolutely also a valid reason to visit. The strawberry gin is incredible as well. Cant recommend enough.”

“Killer pizza! All that needs to be said...”

“Fantastic lunch today. Great view and excellent service”

“Fantastic!!! The line was out the door so I took a walk came back and line was shorter but still out the door. Now I know why. It was Awesome food. I highly recommend this place. The wait in line is worth it.”

“Best burgers and fries I've ever had! On our 8 day vacation, we've been here twice. Such good beef and fresh, quality ingredients! The sauce for the fries is sooo good!”

“This place is special. Awesome crew , killer food and amazing live music! Only a few years old and already a Kona landmark! Do yourself a flavor and get ya some Willies!!🤙🏽”

“Delicious lunch to-day— crab cakes especially tasty and moist with side of garlic mashed potato and other diner enjoyed a chargrilled fish burger with a side of fresh vegetables. Wait staff very friendly and efficient and service was very fast. Altogether a memorable lunch in a magnificent setting looking down on the waves crashing onto the rocks across the road. Thank you to the team at Foster’s kitchen”

“Great restaurant. Food, service and atmosphere... a trifecta!”

“Best Asian ribs and sushi ever!”

“We had a quick lunch. Service was pretty quick and the view of the bay was nice.”

“We ate here after 12 hours of traveling and could not have been happier. The service was so friendly and outdoor seating with tiki torches and a view of the water was great. My son isn’t always the most adventurous eater but he asked to try the clams from my seafood stew and pronounced that he “loves clams more than pizza”. It was his first time trying it. He had the kid’s grilled cheese with fries, and myself and my friend had the Crabby Patties crab cakes, cocktails, fish n chips and seafood stew. Everuthing came out quickly, hot and fresh. It was just what we needed after airport food all day.”

“Our food was delicious and made to order. Kalua Loco moco was the first for me but so glad I tried it. Husband had the fresh ahi tuna sandwich, cooked great. 👍🏻”

“Always come here after work and can always expect to see Barbara , wonderful woman and a great server, good food mixed with good atmosphere, will always recommend.”

“Amazing Tacoz with unique sauces! highly recommend!”

“I can’t say enough good things about 808 Grindz Cafe. We ate here TWICE during our vacation because the food was absolutely amazing, and the flavors were spot on. Everything tasted so fresh and well-prepared. The atmosphere was welcoming and relaxing, perfect for enjoying a great meal with family or friends.

The prices were very affordable, especially considering the quality of the food and service. It’s rare to find such a gem that delivers so much without breaking the bank. I was so caught up in the experience that I forgot to take any photos, but trust me—it’s worth it. Highly recommend checking it out!”