Great view, friendly service and delicious food and drinks. Right on the water off the coastal highway in Kona. This was our first stop after settling in to our hotel. We sat at the bar on a Tuesday afternoon. I started my vacation off with a Mai Tai of course. Then we shared the fish tacos and poke bowl. Everything was great. A fantastic start to our Big Island adventure. read more

See all

I really wish I could've given this place 5 stars, because the location is unbeatable. the ocean view and the sound of the waves crashing was spectacular. Unfortunately, it pretty much ended there. I was by myself and sat at the bar, and in the beginning, the service was amazing and the staff was very friendly, kind, and knowledgeable. the drinks were also very good. However, about an hour into my meal, one of the bartenders got off, and the service went really downhill. they had one bartender serving the entire bar, cocktail area, and making all the restaurant drinks. I was hardly able to order after over 30 mins. I had the Caprese salad to start, it was really good but was 90% tomatoes with hardly any mozzarella. I then got the swordfish, Kahakai style, and it was so overcooked and had absolutely 0 flavor, it all tasted like bland rice to me. was super disappointed for 50$ fish. I also overheard the bartenders talking about how the sizzling skillets are not cooked that way and it's "all for show".. which I completely understand in the restaurant industry, but it felt weird to talk about loudly. however, Dessert was fantastic, I had the coconut cake. This place to me is definitely just for after dinner desert and drinks, skip the food if at all possible. read more

See all

Drinks were good, view was spectacular and it was nice that they have a parking lot where you can get two hours of parking free when you check in at the stand. The food was ok. To be fair, I didn't see many vegan options so I had fries. The service though... it wasn't super busy and I can understand taking a few minutes to come by for a drink order but we didn't get checked on once. I wouldn't come back since we have a limited time here and the other servers seemed to be more on top of their tables. The views and drinks are worth giving it a shot . Hope you don't get our server. read more

Huggo's Restaurant - Cocktails by the ocean - Seafood Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

See all

The hubby and I had a lovely time at Huggo's celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary. They squeezed us in with an 11th hour reservation ~ I hadn't made one prior to our arrival to Kona since we landed from the mainland that afternoon and didn't want to risk missing it if we had travel hiccups. Loved how all of the staff were so welcoming, each calling us "friends" throughout our visit. They gave us a terrific table overlooking the ocean and the blazing tiki torch really added some authentic flare. The sweet live music was another bonus. The cocktails were strong. The bread basket and spreads were delicious and quickly devoured. I went for the sizzling shrimp and he opted for the hook, line and sinker catch of the day, which contributed proceeds to recovery efforts from the devastating effects of Hurricane Lala, which had passed through just about a week before our trip. All in all, a great experience and just a quick stroll from our hotel, which was so convenient given our long day of travel to the island. read more

See all

Great place for dinner and sunset viewing. We had the pork nachos and they were huge and delicious. We probably couldn't have not ordered dinner and been full. We also got fish tacos and a burger. The drinks were good and colorful. May aft was friendly and service was quick n easy. read more

See all

Came in with no reservations but they had plenty of seating. Lovely live music and a beautiful view. But food is very bland for the price range. Food 1/5 E Ku'u Aloha "My Love" $16 - Yummy cocktail. Clam Chowder - Lack flavor, didn't do it for us. Poke - Expensive and just okay, nothing special. Taro chips were really the main seller for me. Garlic Shrimp - Expensive for nothing special. I can't believe this is as best as the dish comes. Service 2/5 We waited a while before our order was taken, service overall was really slow. Our server seemed a bit defeated, I think he was exhausted and I felt kind of bad for him. For my birthday they gave me a nice little cheesecake. Ambiance 5/5 It was already dark when we dined it but the view was nonetheless peaceful and gorgeous. We sat near the ledge and listened to the waves hit the rocks. read more

Huggo's Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Came last month with a friend who was in town visiting and enjoyed our experience! Wouldn't say it was the best dinner we've had but it was good for Kona. Service was great, sunset view is excellent but does get a bit warm. Food is pricey for what you get. Sesame crusted ahi was good, probably wouldn't get again. My friend had the seared Kahakai which she said was good but wasn't impressed. All in all, 5 stars for ambience, maybe 3-4 stars for food. read more

Huggo's Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

See all

Food was amazing but very pricey. Overlooks the ocean, which is beautiful but is loud if you're sitting right next to the edge it's definitely hard to hear each other, but the view can't get any better than that. They do not take reservations. The day of the wait time was an hour and limited street parking . Staff was friendly and was able to suggest dishes. Definitely a must to eat at when visiting Kona . read more

Huggo's Restaurant - View from balcony - Seafood Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

We have walked past Huggo's so many times, but have never ventured in, and doing that (walking past) was a mistake. We got delayed by the airline (two days in a row), so they put us next door and we ended up with two back to back so long to Hawaii dinner. The place is definitely upscale, but it is also right on the water by the heart of Kona, so you don't have to dress up, but if you want to, you won't feel out of place. I had the lamb shank one day and the seared ahi the next, and both were great. The girls liked what they had both nights, and cocktails are good, with the same (basic) options that you might find at the sister restaurants On the Rocks or Kia. The location is very pretty, wide open to the ocean with great expansive views and lots of wood in the construction. It is definitely going to be on the option for any time I want a "nice" restaurant on the big Island. Prices are a bit higher, but considering the elevated cost for even mediocre food, it isn't all that expensive. read more

Huggo's Restaurant - Lamb shank - Seafood Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Came to this restaurant on a whim...glad we did. I walked in and noticed that there was a huge wait...which to me means good food. The location is right on the water and a perfect place to watch the sunset and have a drink or have a beautiful dinner. The drinks are tasty and the food was good, fresh and enough to fill you up. read more

See all

I decided to celebrate my 60th birthday by dining at Huggo's. The experience could not have been better! The manager, Steve, was very welcoming, friendly and personable. He found me an excellent table with a perfect view of the ocean and surrounding coast. Despite being super busy, he chatted with me about cities in California that we both would be seeing soon and had family there. My server, Michelle, was also very friendly, attentive and personable. She made excellent suggestions about the menu. When it came time to bring out my birthday desert, she was very careful to keep the birthday candle lit. Then she sang happy birthday to me in a fantastic singing voice! The food quality, taste, presentation and spectacular ocean views were also outstanding! Overall, this was one of the best dining experiences I've ever had! Ohana means family, and the friendly staff at Huggo's made me feel like I was part of theirs and also made me feel like a makamaka or close friend. I will definitely be coming to visit Huggo's the next time I'm on the big island of Hawaii! Mahalo! -=Kirk Rowert read more

See all

I wanted to love this place! The ambience is wonderful and the views are amazing. What better place to celebrate our wedding anniversary on our special trip to Kona! I was sadly mistaken. I will say the sizzling mushrooms were delicious, as were the cocktails. That's about where it ends. When ordering the mushrooms, I asked our server if we got bread for the table. I was told NO, that we had to order garlic bread. Which we did. Come to find out they have a complimentary bread basket which we never received. We even asked our server for it at one point and she said yes, but never brought it. Seems strange to lie about bread to get an extra sale and to only serve bread to some tables. The teriyaki steak was decent, but very overcooked. I ordered medium and received well done. The fresh fish of the day with the macadamia nut crust could not have been more bland and lacking flavor. The rice served with both dishes was cold. The pricing on these items does not match the poor execution. I expected much better. My daughter ordered the kids butter noodles and devoured them. So props for making good pasta noodles with butter I guess? To top it all off our server did not once acknowledge our anniversary. No congrats, no special dessert. Now I'm not expecting anything free, in fact we ordered a dessert to go. But after taking a look at some other reviews on here, I see that special celebratory dessert is the norm at this restaurant. I'm disappointed we chose this restaurant for such a special occasion! read more

If you're looking for an unforgettable dining experience in Kona, Huggo's is an absolute must! We had the most amazing oceanfront seating right at sunset to celebrate my Bestie's Birthday! The Macadamia Nut crusted Swordfish was perfectly cooked and was so flavorful. The same goes for Huggo's Signature Teriyaki Steak & Dashi porkchop! From start to finish, everything tasted heavenly! I did leave one star off because the service was on extra hawaiian time......slooooooow & it wasn't even a packed house. But the beautiful sunset, ocean views & great company made up for it. read more

See all

Fantastic seats right on the water, just before sunset. Our server Katie was fantastic. The meal was amazing! Great fish, great steak, great dessert! Must do in Kona! read more

Huggo's Restaurant - New York Steak - Seafood Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

See all

The service, the ambiance, and the views were extrodinary---the best we have experienced in years But The food was terrible-- everything except desert was off, wrong and just plain bad-- we pushed our food around and ate nothing My Dry aged Ribeye was ordered mid rare and served cold rare in the center and it was ruined with a sweet marmalade on top My take Dry‑aged ribeye has a very specific flavor profile: * Nutty, funky, blue‑cheese‑like aromas * Deep umami * Concentrated beefiness * A drier, crustier exterior Putting a sweet marmalade on top does two things: * It covers those delicate aged flavors you paid extra for. * It shifts the dish toward dessert territory, which clashes with the savory, earthy nature of dry‑aged beef. It's like putting grape jelly on a truffle -- you can, but why would you. When sweetness does work Sweet elements can complement steak when they're balanced and not sugary: * balsamic reduction * caramelized onions * red_wine_jus These are sweet‑ish but still savory, acidic, and complex -- they lift the beef instead of smothering it. Why a chef might do it anyway Some restaurants chase "contrast" for novelty: salty + sweet, rich + bright. But with dry‑aged beef, the star is the aging process. Sweet marmalade steals the spotlight. My take, stated plainly Dry‑aged ribeye deserves salt, pepper, maybe a little butter -- not a sugary hat. If you're paying for the aging, you want to taste the aging. read more

Great place to for ocean front dining. Service is excellent. Food is okay but I would to try the other items. Glad they provide 2 hours of validated parking. read more

See all

Had a reservation for 8:30 on a Wednesday night. Was easy to make and change reservation but recommend doing in advance to make sure you get the time you would like. Sunset would be great here. Lovely atmosphere right on the water, beautiful at night and I'm sure more so during the day. Open air. Food was great. I am not a steak person, however the signature teriyaki steak was great and I highly recommend. My one complaint was the service, it was a little slow. We ordered a virgin pina colada and it sat on the bar for a while which caused some the ice to melt. They also give out bread which is a nice touch. The bread was tasty. I also wasn't a huge fan on the bamboo rice, I think I would prefer white rice. read more

See all

This is the place to go for desserts the size of your head. Good food and drinks in Kona Village district with a view of the ocean and sunset. Pretty good service and friendly staff. read more

What to say about one of the oldest and most respected restaurants here in Kona? It, along with the Kona Inn are places embedded deeply in the history and memories of people that grew up here and have come here for special occasions for multiple generations. I am happy to share that it remains a classic and unique experience for locals and visitors alike. Last night we decided to go since we were celebrating a friend's recovery from open heart surgery at Queens six weeks earlier and even though it was the July Fourth holiday weekend we had an excellent meal. Seated next to the crashing surf with a sweeping view of Kailua Bay we enjoyed cocktails as the sun slowly set. We were fortunate to be taken care of by Joe, who as it turned out had worked there 17 years and he made some good suggestions. The sizzling mushrooms were a delight. My wife had the lamb shank, and I had the pork chop. Both were amazingly tender and tasty. Our friends had the signature Teriyaki steak and pasta with Kauai prawns and ended up wishing they'd had ours. The signature steak has great flavor but flank steak is not as good as a ribeye grilled at my place, or so they told me. They are somewhat spoiled. ): But we all had a great time and were especially pleased with Joe as we went down memory lane and caught up on mutual friends. We're grateful that Eric and his team have kept this and the other restaurants they own top notch. Also well worth noting is that its employee ownership program ensures the legacy of quality will continue. Parking here is a challenge but there's free validated parking and then if you don't mind a bit of a walk there are other options. I forgot to ask about parking as we parked and walked this time because the lot was full but that's not surprising given it was a holiday weekend. Mahalo. read more

See all

The waitress provided great service; however, the manager ruined the experience. For a couple of reasons: first, I ordered a steak cooked medium, but the steak I received was obviously medium-well to well-done. The waitress had a great attitude and said she would replace it. After 3 minutes, the manager (a lady) brought a steak back to me and kept insisting it was "medium-rare." Her tone was not just questioning, but challenging. It made me feel terrible--I ordered two drinks, two starters, and two mains; she made me feel like I was trying to get free food, or as if I'd never ordered a medium steak before. Overall, it was a bad experience, and I would not recommend this place. The restaurant atmosphere and music are good, though. read more

Our first restaurant experience on the island yesterday-- tried to make a reservation on OpenTable, which said they're walk in only-- walked in to find that we needed to reserve on OpenTable (???); there was also no one picking up our call to reserve. Either way, we took our chances and came in without one-- pretty stoked with the beautiful view the restaurant provides. We were placed on the waiting list and sat at the bar, our order was taken by one of the two bartenders, who kept running back to a large party on the floor to serve their table. When she'd come back to the bar, I asked if she was our bartender in hopes the air could be cleared as it seemed she wasn't tending to bar.. She said she was and continued on ignoring us completely long after she took our order. Wasn't communicating needing any help to her fellow bartender, who I eventually flagged down to help us (this is a half hour in). He was also not putting two and two together/we were not on his radar.. Y'all, their bar is not huge. Our appetizer arrived, no silverware in sight (no water, no drinks, nada lol). Sat another 5 mins waiting before we flagged the guy down for help. My mocktail order was a basic 2 ingredient drink-- finished with club soda.. Ended up with sprite. Ok! I was glad to receive a glass at all. The appetizer was local ripened tomato and Maui onion salad-- though it ended up being our favorite dish of the eve, there was barely any dressing, the mozzarella was not fresh as described on the menu-- it was quite grainy. Fennel was a great touch in there tho. We were eventually moved to a table-- where we proceeded to wait another 20 minutes for a server to approach us. There was so little awareness around us, I asked a server who passed us 56x if she knew who our server was. Out of a black hole came out our server, and proceeded to take our order like we'd just been sat. ***deep sigh*** I work in restaurants, I know I can get critical and wanted to just enjoy the rest of the eve-- we came there for a celebration after all. I got their Grilled Heirloom tomato and my partner got their curry pasta-- my tomato was cooked in some parts, raw in others, the shrimp I requested to add on were so salty I couldn't eat them. The vegetables were rubbery, the mashed potato's were dope; but by then my mouth had been so salted out that any salt in the potatoes was too much; plant protein it came with was also dry. I realllllly wanted to like it. Turned to my partner to check on his dish, he's not hard to please (he'd happy with chewing on a microwavable frozen meal) to find he was having a hard time getting through his curry pasta. The runner that was scheduled that night was the kindest, more communicative mofo I've ever met. I wish I got his name; every dish he dropped at every table around us, he did so warmly, informatively, communicating wait times, THESE THINGS MATTTTTER! They did drop a complimentary white bean dip with seedy crackers which was the star of the table. Holy shit it was delicious (I did have to add a fu*k-ton of salt there). At this point, I didn't bother speaking up about the food being bad to our server-- the fact that we barely touched our dishes didn't raise any flags for her-- and I was done feeling like anyone cared (except for the food runner at this point). We were just ready to go home. This would've been a 1 star review had it not been for said runner + Heidi, a host up front who was super helpful and informative about their parking lot on our way out. It was heartwarming. Listen, I don't know if everyone was having a shit day.. but we felt like we did not matter to anyone to pay mind to. If you're celebrating a big event (honeymoon, anniversary, birthday)-- I strongly suggest you do not take your chances here. The view was breathtaking.. that's it. read more

See all

Best sunset view! Wonderful drinks. Great food. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. The manger came over at the end and comped my husband his desert cause it's his bday. This was my second time visiting from the mainland this year and both times here were fantastic. read more

Arrived in time to catch happy hour that ends at 6pm. Limited bar seating but has a great ocean view. It's an upscale version of Huggos on the rocks. Tried the pualani and it was refreshing where the bartender only used lychee juice as I didn't want it too sweet. Will have to come back and try the other cocktails and food read more

See all

I love that this place sits on the water & I'm sure the sunsets are unreal (I missed it) but the ambiance is beautiful! A little fancy but fairly priced. Cocktail menu is beautiful & they offer a variety of food. I chose this place for the gluten free options they offer.. I had brussels sprouts & swordfish, both absolutely delicious!!! But I would only go back for the service I received from Katie, at the bar. Thanks for making my last day in Hawaii awesome!! read more

Huggo's Restaurant - GF! swordfish (catch of the day) prepared "kahakai style" - Seafood Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Place was right next to our hotel so barely any walk to it. The restaurant overlooks Pacific Ocean so sunset views here would be a good idea. Their indoor seating is very boho style and very cool. We just stopped here for the drinks which looked super cool too. read more

Huggo's Restaurant - Cocktails - Seafood Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

AMAZING!! Our server was Joe and he was wonderful, very welcoming, helped us pick what drink on the menu and had wonderful choices. The pork chops were life changing, tasted amazing i recommend ordering. The desert we had was the coconut and the cake, the cake is MASSIVE, but is so delicious as is the coconut i would recommend both, but id also recommend order the cake if you want to share. The lighting, vibe, and feel of this restaurant is phenomenal. The waves crashing next to you and a live performer singing is very relaxing. I recommend sitting by the ocean so you can watch the crabs and fish it's entertaining. Would come here again!! read more

See all

We had an excellent meal at Huggo's this evening. Michelle was our server, and she was awesome. They bring out a very generous basket of a focaccia type bread and some savory crachers with two spreads. We ordered Longboard beers and the sizzling mushroom skillet to share. We each had a pasta entree. Mine was the capellini, and I opted for the half portion, which was still quite a lot. It was loaded with shrimp. My husband ordered a larger serving of the other pasta with calamari. It was so huge he had trouble finishing it. It was our 25th anniversary celebration, so we enjoyed a special dessert. Their Kona Lime Pie was about the best lime pie I have had anywhere, and I am a big fan of key lime pie in any variation. Be sure to include this place on your list of must visit places in Kona. read more

See all

What a truly wonderful place. Not only great food but amazing service and a spectacular view. Definitely a must when visiting Kona read more

See all

As a local, Huggo's is a go-to for a birthday dinner--largely thanks to their incredible ice cream pie. Unfortunately, my most recent birthday meal consisted of bread and dessert. I rarely ever send food back, so having to return the same dish twice was a first for me. Huggo's fish can be hit-or-miss, but I decided to try the Kahakai fish entrée (Opah), specifically asking for it to be prepared on the rare side. The waiter brushed off my request, insisting they "always cook it that way." They didn't. It arrived looking like a thin cardboard slab and smelling strongly of canned tuna. The waiter apologized and ordered a remake, but the second attempt was just as dry, overcooked, and strangely fragrant. I gave up. My husband's meal was also a letdown. He ordered the poke stack pupu, which he usually loves, but it was smaller than a month or so ago--mostly seaweed and crushed chips. To top it off, the service was a Miss. The waiter noted we were seated in the "senior section" I guess because of our and his age. He also forgot my husband's first glass of wine, only to later deliver an unsolicited second glass without realizing his mistake. While they apparently no longer offer a complimentary birthday dessert, we came for the ice cream pie anyway. We love the pie enough that we will probably give Huggo's another chance down the road, but this was a deeply disappointing birthday experience. read more

One of our favorite spots on the island. Bar service is excellent while you wait for your reservation. Food and food service are wonderful. We come here every time we visit the island. read more

We were at "On The Rocks" venue yesterday and weren't too happy. So today we ended up at Hugo's Restaurant and had a different experience. 5 stars for the venue. The venue was nicely decorated, and the view was fantastic at sunset. 5 stars for service. Our server, Hana, was super passionate about his work. He knew his stuff, and thank you for your work. 3 stars for their drinks. What happened? Yesterday's drinks next door, which is owned by the same knucklehead, were half the serving size. That sucks, that we come back for seconds for 1/2 the size that we paid yesterday. I felt cheated ans this ruined the entire experience! 5 Dessert; the dessert was amazing, just like yesterday. 5 Stars for entertainment. Amazing entertainment! A single musician but played like he was in a 5-person band. Love your music!! read more

See all

Huggo's was a beautiful restaurant to eat at and celebrate my parents 30th anniversary. The views were spectacular all around. Our server was very friendly and attentive with getting our drinks and food out in a timely manner. We started off with the house bread basket and sizzling mushrooms. The cocktails were delicious! I ordered the grilled spicy mahi mahi with sweet potatoes. It was tasty but definitely spicy. I also tried my husband's lamb chops which were cooked perfectly. Everyone enjoyed their dishes as well as the stunning views! I regret not getting dessert but next time! Highly recommend for a romantic date night or family celebration! read more

See all

Huggo's went above and beyond to make our dining experience special. We were celebrating a special occasion and Marley, our server, made it extra special. She was very attentive to our table, was patient with all our questions, and had our orders to us quickly. The view from every seat was amazing. Right on the water and there was also live music. We were lucky to get a table, as it was a popular location. The food was also amazing. I ordered the mahi-mahi and it was perfectly prepared and was so delicious! The drinks were also really well made and tasty! I ordered the Gilligan's island inspired drink and was not disappointed. I would highly recommend this place for a romantic dinner and will definitely be back! read more

See all

The food was delicious not fantastic for the price. But the sunset was lovely. Marley was a great waitress, and the drinks were good. read more

See all

Good food. We came the night before Hurricane Lala hit. So the surf was loud and there was a big family party near by. Our waitress Michelle was Top Notch. We will be back. PRO TIP parking is not the best but they have a 2nd lot across the street read more

Stopped in for a cocktail, light bite, and dessert. Staff was really nice. We were asked if we wanted to be seated inside or outside. We chose outside. Great views! Although looked like great views from inside as well. My cocktail was amazing! Ube limeade and it was really pretty too! Had the FRITTO MISTOO which was Calamari, Argentinian Red Shrimp, Artichokes with Chipotle Aioli, Jim Jaew Sauce. It was really good! Excellent service. Definitely would order again. Dessert was key lime pie. I hate to say it but it looked way better than it tasted. It was also really a really pretty dessert. It really lacking on lime/tartness. It was creamy just the right texture, just lack of flavor on the key lime pie, everything was great. Would definitely comeback to try other menu items and another Ube limeade! Great cocktail menu. I'm just not a fan of Mai Tai but I heard they have an award winning Mai Tai. Parking can be a challenge. Get there early to find parking which they will validate. Street parking also an option. read more

See all

All I can say is wow! What a magical way to end our anniversary vacation by having our last dinner of the trip here. We made reservations a couple of weeks ahead for Wednesday @5:30pm in order to hopefully get a sunset. Not only did Mother Nature not disappoint but the Hawaiian spirits were smiling on us at the end of the meal...a majestic manta ray came to visit ...Atmosphere = 10+ Food: 9. There's a reason why the Teriyaki Steak has been on the menu since 1969. At medium rare, the meat was very tender and the sauce w/ a hint of sweetness matched well. The rice was fluffy and moist. Service: 10 (Thanks Marley!) read more

See all

Mahi Mahi fish & chips to die for, light panko coating. Delish coconut slaw, waffle sweet potato fries, oh my!!! Been there twice already read more

See all

Waited 20 minutes for a table when no one was in line to be seated. Very rude hostess just kept looking at her paperwork & kept saying in just a few minutes. We left & had a great dinner at Royal Kona. Way too many restaurants that want your business to put up with hostess that has never been trained in customer service . read more

One of the island's nicest restaurant to chase the sunset and sip cocktails with oceanfront views. Parking is nuts unless you happen to stay nearby and walk. Hospitality is simply an opportunity to show love and care. Servers are greeting customers with kindness and very welcoming, helpful but not intrusive. Food service was a bit slow on the Sunday evening we dined but the food was wonderful. I had the aged ribeye steak while the babe had the catch of the day. The cocktails are a nice variety of choices, particularly the ones with white rum are our favorite. The live entertainment entices you to stay longer and have some hulalalai ice cream pai or key lime pie. While it is always busy here, you can get seating relatively easy. Huggo's knows that if you do good it matters because it gets noticed.Thanks for being part of our vacation. read more

Huggo's Restaurant - Take a vacation each day until you return to the Big Island and Huggo's. - Seafood Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii