Restaurants in Kailua-Kona
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Best Restaurants
“Delicious food! Fast service! Astonishing portions! This is a must go to if you're in Kona!”
“Holy cow this place is amazing! I stopped there yesterday with my wife and were floored at how good the food was. Friendly crew to boot! We both agree that there is zero chance that we are down way again and not stopping. Bravo folks!!”
“Clean tables, friendly staff, roomy and THE BEST WAFFLE WE EVER HAD!!!! Gotta do the CHANTILLY WAFFLE ! We loved the Big Island Grill so much, we went three times for breakfast during our vacay. Hubby LOVED the Loco Moco. I wish this restaurant existed in our town 💕 and seriously the chantilly waffle deserves an award ⭐️”
“Awesome, fresh food with healthy options! And so close to work!! 😁”
Restaurants by Cuisine
“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. 👍🏻”
Restaurants with Delivery
“My family had just gotten out the airport after flying from San Francisco and we were hungry. The kids wanted hamburgers and so we found Ultimate Burger. It was one of the best hamburgers we have ever had. We still talk about it and its been three weeks since we were in Hawaii. I myself loved the Spicy Lava Burger and would do anything to have it again. It was that good.”
“Clean tables, friendly staff, roomy and THE BEST WAFFLE WE EVER HAD!!!! Gotta do the CHANTILLY WAFFLE ! We loved the Big Island Grill so much, we went three times for breakfast during our vacay. Hubby LOVED the Loco Moco. I wish this restaurant existed in our town 💕 and seriously the chantilly waffle deserves an award ⭐️”
“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!”
“Awesome helpful staff! Constructively of course the spicy thai basil could use more white pepper, oyster sauce, dark sweet soy and basil leaves. The larb was good i had cilantro red onion added but needs more toasted rice powder, mint would brighten it up. And the papaya salad was great with red onion and cilantro mixed in. Veg side could've been a tad more generous for $8. See you soon Krua!”
“Great menu and drink selections. The atmosphere is so relaxed and the ocean is just a few feet away. Samantha and Ryan are two of the best, and the rest of the crew are fantastic as well. You can sit outside or in, or bs with the bartenders. Love this place. 10 stars”
Online Reservation Available
“Great menu and drink selections. The atmosphere is so relaxed and the ocean is just a few feet away. Samantha and Ryan are two of the best, and the rest of the crew are fantastic as well. You can sit outside or in, or bs with the bartenders. Love this place. 10 stars”
“The service, impeccable. The location and atmosphere, absolutely awesome. The food, delicious. We even got a world class sunset. It was our only one on a 12 day trip. The are a few other beaches to see the sun disappear directly into the water, but somehow the stars were aligned.”
“Awesome people, and super friendly service.
Was my first time and it was so easy to order. They have pretty much everything! Will definitely come back. Was a really fun first time. Thai Tea was amazing!!! And their food is really good! They seem like they really try to put their heart in their work. Glad I got to stop by!”
“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!”
“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.”
“Beautiful restaurant! Enjoyed a lovely dinner at Moana for our 10 year anniversary.
I think the scallop crudo would be better paired with a lighter & citrusy base. The dish felt too heavy with the chili oil.
The tableside pineapple upside down cake was a fun experience.”
“Bella made our time at the beach house incredibly special and is the reason I am writing this review –God smiled upon this resort the day she asked for an application. She was like a breath of fresh air; she was so fun, knowledgable about the menu, very attentive and outgoing. She even let my mom in on a few secret recipe tips for the gazpacho which completely made my mom's day!! If we could spend all afternoon there with her we could, we will hope to sit with her again on our next visit, mahalo Bella!!!”
“The beers here are phenomenal. The lemongrass / ginger flavored beer here is my favorite beer EVER. That atmosphere is amazing. The servers are incredible and the pizza pizzas are pretty good. Their homemade ranch is a mess with the pizza!”
“Love the food We are making this our favorite food spot. The BOYB was great”
Takeout Restaurants
“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!!”
“Awesome helpful staff! Constructively of course the spicy thai basil could use more white pepper, oyster sauce, dark sweet soy and basil leaves. The larb was good i had cilantro red onion added but needs more toasted rice powder, mint would brighten it up. And the papaya salad was great with red onion and cilantro mixed in. Veg side could've been a tad more generous for $8. See you soon Krua!”
“Underrated place… a hidden gem focusing on quality ingredients. Good place to bring kids to play arcade style games for a very little amount of money. The owners seem like very kind and genuine people. They should be proud of this place. 100% worth checking it out. Could be a staple in Kona in the future!”
“Absolutely love this place wonderful Aloha vibes! Live music is also great. 😊”
“The service, impeccable. The location and atmosphere, absolutely awesome. The food, delicious. We even got a world class sunset. It was our only one on a 12 day trip. The are a few other beaches to see the sun disappear directly into the water, but somehow the stars were aligned.”
“Yama Sushi just earned its place as my favorite restaurant in Kona! BY FAR, the BEST food and service in the area. I dropped in to place an order for takeout, and a sweet young lady immediately met me at the door, seated me, and presented me with menus and a tumbler of ice water. The menu was exciting with a great variety of Asian specialties and beautiful looking desserts. The vibe was casual, yet classy. My order was ready in under 15 minutes and the young lady even held the door for me on the way out. I got the Spicy Garlic Shrimp lunch special. This was the tastiest shrimp dish I've ever eaten! Shrimps were fluffy and moist. They were seared in a spicy, tangy, sweet sauce that made the flavor and texture perfect. It came with a finely shredded cabbage salad that had a delightfully sweet dressing. The miso soup was very authentic with deep, rich flavors. Even the white rice had me wondering how they cooked it so perfectly! Mahalo, Yama Sushi for serving me a meal that deserves way more than five stars and for treating me like a VIP. I will definitely be back soon!”
Drive-Thru Restaurants
“Island Fresh Specialties is truly amazing. If you’re unfamiliar with it, I highly recommend giving it a try!
I used to go to church with Uncle Nolan, and I remember his famous Oriental Dressing from back then. It was literally the only thing that would get me to eat salad. Recently I told my fiancé we needed to stop by, grab some dressing, and try some food and banana bread. Let’s just say we’re hooked.
Our favorite thing to order is the Spicy Ahi Poke Bento. The poke is so flavorful and all the flavors go so well together with the lomi salmon, kalua pork, and rice. It’s seriously one of our favorite meals and always puts us in a good mood.
The Oriental Dressing is just as amazing as I remember, and the banana bread is incredible. We always go back and forth between the chocolate chip mac nut and the chocolate chip banana bread because they’re both so good.
The service is always friendly, the food is consistently delicious, and the prices are amazing for the quality you get. Everything tastes fresh, homemade, and made with care. Honestly, I don’t think we’ll ever get tired of eating here. It’s one of those places that just makes you happy every time you visit.
Highly recommend!”
“I ordered an Acai smoothie with almond butter drizzle. And my mom got a mocha frappe. Both were very delicious! This coffee shop has plenty of parking and seating inside is ample. Great place for families, remote workers or a place to chat with a friend. The baristas were super friendly and helpful when deciding what to order. They have vegan options for drinks here and food. And I loved that they also sold locally made sourdough bread and tons of other goodies sold by local artists and bakers! We also got the chia peanut butter bites that were delicious! You gotta try them! I would highly recommend coming here! They have such a diversity of drink and smoothie and Acai bowl options that you won’t have a hard time finding a drink or snack you like!”
“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!!”
“From California visiting and we decided to just walk around and see what sounded good. Saw sushi and decided to stop in. They have a huge menu with Japanese and Chinese food options. I’ve been obsessed with craw fish and seafood boils and was shocked to see crawfish on the menu so I had to order it and let me tell you the spicy crawfish is the best I have ever had. I’ve eaten crawfish from so many different places in the bay to the central California and this place topped them all. Perfect amount of spicy might stop by again for dinner before leaving but def give this place a try the Chinese food is bomb!”
“Previous to this I had poke one time and didn’t like it. I followed the advice of a fellow tourist who said I had to try Da Poke Shop and if I didn’t like that then I truly don’t like poke. Well, after my visit I can say I really like poke! Da Poke Shop was great! I had the bowl, and got a scoop of spicy garlic and shop special with a side of seaweed salad and white rice. It was awesome! I’ll be back the next time I’m in the area. Eat here, you won’t regret it!”
“I was in Hawaii for a few days and I ate at Jackie Rey’s for one of those evenings. The food, atmosphere and staff were spectacular. Not the mention, the food layout was incredible. I highly recommend. Mahalo.”
“Great night celebrating my Dads visit to Kona. Da Bomb fries and Kona fish tacos were delicious. Service was friendly and attentive, Widdy Loo - entertained- the beautiful Kona sunset was spectacular! Thanks for a wonderful evening!”
“Previous to this I had poke one time and didn’t like it. I followed the advice of a fellow tourist who said I had to try Da Poke Shop and if I didn’t like that then I truly don’t like poke. Well, after my visit I can say I really like poke! Da Poke Shop was great! I had the bowl, and got a scoop of spicy garlic and shop special with a side of seaweed salad and white rice. It was awesome! I’ll be back the next time I’m in the area. Eat here, you won’t regret it!”
Cheap Eats
“This Jamaican food truck next to the gas station was amazing! I ordered the oxtail rice and the jerk plate, and both were absolutely delicious. The food was mildly spicy, the sauces were full of flavor, and everything tasted very authentic. It was my first time trying Jamaican food, and I really loved it. Highly recommend tourists stop by and give it a try!”
“My husband and I ate there when we were famished and the food came out quickly and hot. The seafood platter was delicious and contained shrimp, breaded squid, breaded oysters and breaded white fish. That was my husband’s dish and he truly enjoyed it. I, on the other hand had grilled mahi mahi, green salad, onion rings and beef stew. We both tried everything and the food was to our liking. The staff was very accommodating when we asked for e tea lemons and a to-go set up (bag & container). The restaurant was clean and the food was hot, quick and delicious! Kuddos for a meal and job well done!”
“I am so in love with this place!!! I feel peaceful, happy, safe, accepted as I am!!! Met lots of super nice people here as well! It started when my friends invited me to meet them 10/23/2021, at the Mask at 1pm- I stayed till closing- they have karaoke songs, I love music! Then asked the owner if I could have my birthday party there. He surprised me by saying “yes” long story short- the rest is history. I look forward to going there, the bartenders are ohana (family) to me, so are the patrons, I feel a connection to others. Comfy, cozy, casual or dressed up, it doesn’t matter!!! Everything they have there I enjoy, trivia, darts, pool table, karaoke, drinks, sells lau lau (a local favorite, pork/salt butterfish in taro leaves-steamed to perfection, so ono -delicious) I am just a regular person, authentic and honest - like the people who are there. It’s a everybody type of place from all walks of life!!! Mahalo for reading my recommendation and hope to see you here! A hui Hou (until we meet again) if you read any bad comments-it’s the person, not the place. Aloha my friends!!! Xoxo 😘 me Ke Aloha pumehana ❤️”
“Absolutely wonderful dinner for our anniversary. Yuki was the perfect host and OMG the special role was perfection (pictured). Top 5 things I have ever had in my life. I have never had anything like that. The restaurant is simple and the decor has subtle nods to traditional Japanese building materials and design. So glad we got a reservation. Thanks Sam!”
“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!!🤙🏽”
“Our server Angel was amazing! Super friendly, prompt and engaging!”
“best view in kona. Great atmosphere. loving the family owned vibe. food was amazing and good price point. happy hour at 8p. ladies night on Thursdays $4 selected drinks. can't beat a place like this. live music on weekends.”
“We got the seafood pasta!! Throughly enjoyed!!! Would recommend. Our steak was also cooked perfectly! Good portions and the food was nice and hot!”
“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!”
“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.”
Latest Reviews
“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!”
“I cannot say enough about the quality of the food and quantity. I had the pot roast, and oxtail soup. They cut their own ox tails. I must have had 12 oxtail in my soup Chinese style. Excellent service and great Aloha !!! I will be back for the Loco Moco yum. Thank you again 😁🤙🏾”
“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!”
Most Popular Restaurants
“Delicious! Wasn’t sure what to expect because I couldn’t find a lot of GF mentions in the reviews but they had a whole GF menu once I asked! (Which I didn’t know I could have asked for when being seated)
My husband and I split a Hottie poke bowl and Laulau pork. Would recommend them both!
* I am celiac but okay with shared cooking spaces so I didn’t clarify what their cooking/prep precautions were.”
New Restaurants
“I was looking up ice cream spots near me during a stay this past week and saw all the glowing reviews and knew I had to try it. Went yesterday a few hours before my flight home and it did not disappoint. I had guava and passionfruit in sweet cream and it was fantastic! So so good. Owner was friendly and nice to chat with :) I only wish I could have tried more flavors but not a bad problem to have ;)”
“Yama Sushi just earned its place as my favorite restaurant in Kona! BY FAR, the BEST food and service in the area. I dropped in to place an order for takeout, and a sweet young lady immediately met me at the door, seated me, and presented me with menus and a tumbler of ice water. The menu was exciting with a great variety of Asian specialties and beautiful looking desserts. The vibe was casual, yet classy. My order was ready in under 15 minutes and the young lady even held the door for me on the way out. I got the Spicy Garlic Shrimp lunch special. This was the tastiest shrimp dish I've ever eaten! Shrimps were fluffy and moist. They were seared in a spicy, tangy, sweet sauce that made the flavor and texture perfect. It came with a finely shredded cabbage salad that had a delightfully sweet dressing. The miso soup was very authentic with deep, rich flavors. Even the white rice had me wondering how they cooked it so perfectly! Mahalo, Yama Sushi for serving me a meal that deserves way more than five stars and for treating me like a VIP. I will definitely be back soon!”
“The food is fabulous, so delish..highly recommend”
“The drinks are great, love the art on the menus, but I will say the Conrad Mai Tai which is a specialty at this bar feels overrated to me. It is a bit too alcoholic. The Moana Mai Tai at the restaurant next door is much better.
They have sushi nights sometimes, and the sushi is a solid average in NYC. Would eat, but not go out of way to get.”
“Temple is by far the best bar here in Kona, it has great unique cocktails. This is our go to spot for getting drinks out with friends of an evening. You can catch a great sunset & has really nice ocean views. The drink menu is expansive, always super solid, with lots of unique local inspired cocktails. The food is a little expensive, there’s better cheaper food options close by. But the drinks are really what stands out & we’ve always had great friendly service! Don’t forget to ask about getting your parking validated!”
“Ono service and food!!! Please go down!”
“Pedro was fantastic! Our entire family had a great time with different alcoholic and no-alcoholic drinks. But the best part was the amazing conversations we had with Pedro, he really helped us understand more about the Hawaiian culture and took the time to teach us more about the history of the Big Island.
I fully recommend anyone who wants to have a relaxing time to come to this bar!”
“Awesome counter-service coffee shop where you can get a coffee, tea, or sausage breakfast sandwich. You can eat it outside with views of the pier. Across the street is an ABC store where you can browse after. Inside Hamakua Coffee it is airy and spacious. This place is quite crowded since it's in the center of the tourist area.”
“It was delicious and great service!”