A hidden gem. I don't leave many yelp reviews but this experience was so memorial I felt the need…read moreto. Our waiter Warren was amazing. He was so attentive (he saw we were having a moment holding hands together and instead of interrupting us, he came back later to allow us time to enjoy and finish that special moment) and he gave personalized food recommendations that were on point. He was so kind and warm and made the dinner more of a thoughtful, intimate experience. The manager Chris came out to greet us during the dinner as well to make sure everything was going great which was a nice touch. The ribeye steak was out of this world. So juicy and flavorful and cooked to perfection in a red wine sauce. The salmon fettuccini was amazing as well. We sat on the back patio and the view of the golf course in the background was beautiful. We will definitely be coming back here!

Stylish spot with elevated steakhouse vibes near the golf course. Lots of the menu items were…read morepretty darn good. Some highlights include the seared ahi starter, which came bathing in a delicious creamy sauce. The sauce was novel and a nice spin on an already delicious dish. The ono was also done nicely. I have to dock them a little on their steak. With steakhouse pricing, they weren't able to produce a solid steakhouse crust on the ribeye. Without a crust, the cut ended up a little floppy and watery. The desserts were also a little off. The sauce on the passion fruit cheesesteak was amazing, but the texture of the cheesecake itself wasn't great. Their mint ice cream was also a little freezer burned. Overall you can have a good time here, but I think the pricing puts the restaurant into the elite league, and I don't think they're quite ready to play there.

I haven't done a review in a while but I felt like one was due for this restaurant…read more I just want to say we have been to a lot of restaurants on the big island and some multiple times including the newly opened marlin bar. Consistency was key here and everything was on point. Service was excellent, food came out quick and hot, fresh and delicious. The prices were reasonable especially for the quality of food. We went to napua for the 2nd time and it was not as good. They raised their prices again so 62 for a plate of fish (mahi mahi with rice and green beans) and it was dry and lacking in flavor. Just for 3 of us it came to almost 200.00 you just pay for the ambience at that restaurant. We went to lava lava beach club and the prices went up and the food was terrible. Again your paying for the ambience their but there the pork was fatty, fish sandwich tasted like canned tuna and the pork sandwich idk it tasted like the smell of throw up. Ceviche was horrible and paid 30 dollars for a tiny tostada with some shrimp and fish that was super super fishy. This was the best place so far besides pono Hawaiian deli (poke spot best poke ever!!) or getting your own fish at the farmers market in Waimea I wanted to add this to highlight this particular restaurant. We ate here 4 times (3 dining and once to go) and all the times it was so good. We got the island waygu burger it was cooked perfect and seasoned well, we ordered the coconut shrimp this was delicious, we ordered fish and chips (lightly breaded not overly oily or fried it was light airy and crispy), we ordered the corn dip and this was surprisingly refreshing with their homemade chips, order the hot chicken sandwich and wow this was lightly panko breaded and it was not overly hot and spicy everything paired well with it, also got the regular waygu burger and it was again cooked perfect and exploded with flavor. Finally tonight came back on our last night and I ordered the kona kampachi, wow wow wow it was cooked to perfection (finally a restaurant that can cook fish correctly and not over cook it) the miso butter worked perfectly and the portion was huge!! And only for 36 dollars like com on. My wife got the mahi mahi fish tacos and that was delicious with the lime cream sauce. All the nights we went there never broke 100 dollars and that says something in Hawaii and it literally beats every other restaurant so far for the price, ambience and quality of food. Consistency was key please if you're reading this owner or chef of this restaurant please stay this consistent!! Thank you!!

One of the few places on Big Island that my family and I kept returning to! This restaurant is a…read morereal treat, between the drinks and the quality of the food I'd highly recommend making the stop to eat here! For starters, there's no reservations - walk ins only but we've never waited more than 10 minutes for a table for lunch or dinner. Our first time visiting was for Mother's Day Lunch and it was delightful. We started with the steak flatbread which was soooo delicious. The steak was cooked perfectly and paired with delicious carmelized onions and arugula and the flat bread was a perfectly balanced crunch and doughiness. Then we shared the mahi mahi tacos, honey chicken sandwich, and chopped salad with fillet which were all incredible. Nothing was a miss! Our second time coming back during our vacation was for dinner, which had some new additions to the menu such as the shrimp garlic noodles which were an excellent blend of umami and richness that melts in your mouth.

Stopped by on a warm day for some lunch! Extremely fast service -- started off with the Pork…read moreNachos, which were extremely flavorful. The mojitos were also amazing for the heat. The kalbi short rib and the menchi-katsu burger were absolutely divine! Nice spot, good ambiance, and awesome service. A must when visiting this side of town.

Rum aficionados don't get your hopes up. The Rum Shack…read moreoffers four of their own rums and a fairly decent, but not stellar, selection of rums from other countries around the world. There are a few Hawaiian rums that we like, but the Kuleana rums fall short. They are heavy on alcohol and light on flavor. My husband tried their darkest rum, which is a very light yellow in the glass, very alcohol forward and lacking depth of flavor. I had an unmemorable cocktail. It seemed as though the bartenders were not all that well versed in their own rums or mixology in general. As for the food, we ordered the pork and watercress gyoza and the crab rangoon. Both were lacking flavor and substance...not made better by the lackluster, flavorless dipping sauces. To be honest...I've had better from the grocery store freezer section. The restaurant itself is pleasant enough with a nice bar and the ability to accommodate larger parties. We ended up hopping across the street to have some great cocktails and appetizers and Roys.

One of the best dining experiences we had during our 3-week trip through Hawaii!…read more I had been looking for Mediterranean food through our stays in Oahu and Maui, but wasn't able to find any til we landed here on Big Island. We went during sunset and it was sooooo beautiful. We ordered: * the 3 dips - loved their muhammara!! Plus the bread is so squishy and soft it absorbs the flavors of the dips so well * burrata salad - very refreshing and well seasoned. I believe it's peach or melon served with it, a very nice touch * grilled octopus - loved the tomato(?) sauce it was served with, and the way they grilled was perfection. Reminded me of the octopus I'd have in Kerekennah, a small island off the coast of Tunisia. Fresh & well seasoned. * Cacio e pepe + chicken: really appreciated how they noticed my husband and I were sharing everything, so they had split the pasta into two bowls. Deliciously made, with it had a bit more sauce tho and that the chicken wasnt so dry. * inside out smores: YUMMY. loved the combo of the graham cracker ice cream with the roasted marshmallow and chocolate sauce + inside the marshmelllw too. In all we spent $190 for 2 people including tax and tip (no drinks). Sure a bit on the pricier side, but we had been spending $90-110 for very average or not even good meals across Hawaii anyways, so didn't seem too bad. Parking is free! Valet only, but give your ticket when you get the check to get a 3-hour validation stamp.

One of the best restaurants on the island. Maybe nationally. Great dinner. The pasta was…read moreamazing. Make sure to get the pasta shells with red sauce. Forgot the name of the dish. We added chicken to it. Drinks were phenomenal as well. -.5 stars since the Smores Deconstructed was wayyyy too sweet. But forgivable as it was probably a kids dish. Next time, probably would the server to avoid the chocolate sauce poured over the dish. Unnecessary and wasteful. But dinner, ambiance, and drinks more than made up for it. Would love to be back.

lava lava doesn't have lava cake! the food was great though…read more ps. my son wrote this.

Came here for lunch before going to A-bay, and I will say, it's a great place to eat along the…read morewater! I ordered the rib taster, intrigued by the guava barbecue sauce. The ribs were super flavorful and tender, and the barbecue sauce was good with a subtle guava taste. The fries and coconut coleslaw that came with it was satisfactory. The only thing that knocked it down a star was some of the service. Our hostess was kind of rude and rolled her eyes at us a few times. When she brought us to our seat in the bar style seating facing the water, we asked if we could sit at a table on the patio. Despite over 2/3 of the tables being empty, she claimed they were all being used for reservations. Fast forward to the end of our meal, and still none of the so called "reserved" tables were full. Still not exactly sure why she denied us seating below but whatever.

We happen to be in town for Taco Tuesday. They offered fresh Al pastor, from a spit and a mushroom…read moretaco. I had two Al pastor tacos and they were heaven. The green salsa was a winner. We also ordered the fish tacos, which is always on the menu. They were fresh and delicious.

My first note is this is a restaurant at a resort. So you park at the resort and walk through to…read morethe restaurant on the beach. The beach and resort are beautiful. The resort validates your parking for the restaurant and the valets are exceptional. You place the order for the food at the counter and then sit wherever you want. I did not like that they seemed to expect a tip upfront before you received either service or food, so I didn't leave one. It was not clear where the service came in. The food was overall good. The fish tacos were great, the hamburger was good. The chicken sandwich was a little dry and tough. The setting is beautiful. Food was very pricey.

There are now 2 Tommy Bahamas in the area, but this location is by far the best for food, service…read moreand ambiance! I love sitting on the upstairs patio and watch the sun go down. There are also many others seats inside that afford the same amazing sunset views. Susie is the best wait staffer ever! She has been there every year when have been for the lady 8 years! I always order the ribs because they do such a great job! I alive the Yukon mashed potatoes and slaw!

This place turned out to be the perfect spot for a relaxed evening. The views alone make it worth…read morevisiting--watching the sunset from here was absolutely beautiful, with the sky changing colors as the night settled in. The live music added to the atmosphere without being overwhelming, creating a laid-back, enjoyable vibe that made it easy to linger. The food was well prepared and tasty. The menu had a good variety, and what we ordered came out exactly as ordered. Overall, it's a great place to unwind, enjoy good food, and take in a sunset while listening to live music. The waitress was nice and relatable. Perfect for a casual night out, a date, or just somewhere to sit back and enjoy the moment.

This is a short walk from the Hilton Waikoloa, so we wanted to try it out. The food was excellent…read more(fish & chips and fish tacos), served promptly, and with a very nice waitress who checked in on us several times to see if we needed anything. We wanted an early dinner and that was fortunate as the place filled up quickly by 6 PM on a Friday evening. There are sports TVs in the bar area, and everyone seemed to be enjoying their food. I'd definitely return!

Three stars because they have no draft beer, despite the name…read more Food is good and portions are sizeable (fish n chips, fish sandwich, poke). Fries are a delight. Pizza is mediocre. Friendly staff!

Was kind of my go to place to go to while my boyfriend was out golfing…read more Fun bar and grill, everyone there, from the staff to the other patrons are super friendly. Drinks were well balanced and the food was great, I highly recommend the Korean mix plate, it comes with this super crispy chicken and hefty servings of mac and rice.

I have to say the fish tacos were very good but all the prices were above acceptable...example $26…read morefor a hamburger, etc. Restaurant wasn't fancy and the outdoor patio seating was a bit undesirable. For the prices they charge it could be spruced up a bit. Service was good. No complaints here. Just wouldn't rate higher based on prices and setting.

Let's just start by taking them first recognizing us by name when we arrived for our reservation…read more The staff, from the valet parking young men to our hostess and beyond, were as polite as we wish to be hosted. Our server, Indana is a lovely young lady. Kind, polite, helpful, and knowledgeable of her treats and establishment food menu as well as beverage. She suggested wine from Croatia that was delicious. The food was delicious, we ordered grilled octopus for appetizer , a local beet and tomatoes salad and a paella with shrimp and clams. Everything was delicious, but.... The smoked paprika added and the caramelized rice gave to the paella a whole new take on the traditional one. Thank you Chef Soto for your creation and for taking the time to talk with us. Wonderful experience!

Rome Meets the Pacific: A Revelation at Meridia…read more There is a specific kind of bravery required to order Carbonara on a tropical island, especially when you are dining with your mother-in-law and your palate is still vibrating from a trip to Italy just a month ago. We had recently dined at a prestigious "Tre Gamberi" trattoria in Rome, so our skepticism was high. We expected a heavy, cream-laden resort interpretation. We were wrong. Under the guidance of Chef Soto, the Carbonara here is not just an imitation; it is an act of alchemy. It is a Roman-meets-Norcia masterpiece--a glossy, golden emulsion of egg, cheese, and guanciale/pancetta, elevated by the earthy whisper of truffle. We were seated at a gorgeous table near the cove often frequented by sea turtles (tartarughe), making this a perfect moment of enjoying a tartufata near the tartarughe. It was, without hyperbole, as good as what we had in Italy. The rest of the meal followed suit in a dizzying display of technique. The Japanese scallops were silken and precise, tasting of the clean, cold ocean. And do not let the whimsical name of the "Poi-cotta" deter you. What sounds like a kitschy pun is actually a dessert of haunting texture and depth--far more compelling and sophisticated than its charming title suggests. Chef Soto visited our table after the meal, his passion for these ingredients palpable. Meridia has always had the view; now, finally, it has the soul to match.