In the marketplace of Kona, a cute beach facing restaurant with amazing lunch dishes- dinner I'm sure would have been great too. First photo is of their Ahi Tuna Poke- best I've had on this trip! Fresh large pieces of ahi tuna on a bed of goodness. The wasabi aioli dressing on this was Second dish is of the chicken sandwich. A big, juicy marinated chicken breast, with crispy onions, arugula, on a house made brioche bun. Also, check their weekly drink specials. We came on a Wednesday and it was Whiskey Sour day. It was elevated and sooo tasty (and only 6$ - which is not common on this island) Follow us on insta for our favourites https://instagram.com/food_specs?igshid=xl0wb3tvaobb read more

Quick seating in the morning for brunch. We came on Sunday but there were no omelette spots available-- found that super weird considering it's for brunch. Service was ok, sometimes hard to flag down our waitress for condiments, menus, etc. Coffee tasted a bit funky too. The food honestly was mediocre and a bit overpriced. Nothing too special and definitely felt like a tourist trap. Overall nothing horrible to say but can't say we will be back. read more

The food is pretty good but they are often short staffed and too busy to take care of their customers! I also hate the idea that there are no menus and since I left my phone at home it took a while to order from memory . Not sure why they started this new "scan and order" with your phone but not everyone is able to do that and not everyone has a phone handy! They seem to be busy all the time which I guess is a good sign I just wish they would make ordering a bit easier! read more

I wish I knew your name, but we had the best service here. It's been a minute so I can't remember her face quite so much. Dark curly hair? But short hair, I think. Whoever she is, she exudes aloha. If she was having a bad day, you'd never be able to tell. I just am so impressed even after all this time. I swear she made the food taste better than it was (sorry!). We just had breakfast here. The Lilikoi stuffed French toast, the pull apart cinnamon thing, the regular bacon and egg breakfast.. the Lilikoi stuffed French toast was mediocre, but everything else was pretty good. The pull apart could've used more icing but it was still delicious! The view also made breakfast lovely, as the stretch of ocean and the cool breeze along with it just was a cherry on top of a beautiful morning. There's nothing like the waves rolling up and the sun shining high above it. I'd honestly be back here for the atmosphere. I'm sure other things on the menu are great, and for example.. I'm really eyeing out those pancakes. That's for another day, I suppose. I'll just have to fly back to Kona ASAP! read more

See all

We were greeted promptly and seated, our waiter was attentive. The food was delicious and pleasing to the palate. We were there during happy hour so that was a bonus. The Mai Tai's were very good. It was right on the beach, perfect view of the ocean. read more

Poor service. I came here to get some coffee around 10am, the place had a great location on the beachfront. Food looked ok and unique so I was excited to try it out. I put my name in and they said it would be a 10-15 min wait, well 30 minutes later I'm still waiting for them to seat me while I watch them seat people who came after I did, just ridiculous. After watching some lady walk up and ask for a seat and get immediately seated while I was still standing there was the last straw so I left, it was another 10 minutes until the text came that they were ready to seat me. read more

This 3 star has a variety of reasons. Let me first say the macadamia nut crusted fresh catch and the fish tacos were fantastic. The service was ok, our waiter was very nice but I feel like he had too many tables or something. The real ISSUE was the entire time we were here (an hour) the bartender NEVER EVER put his mask on (I had a view the entire time) In a town where they have such tight restrictions for Covid to see someone that had contact with almost every persons food I was appalled. read more

The restaurant has recently stopped printing menus, although they have continued to raise prices. The menu is available on an iPad that the waiter can get for you but it is very difficult to use. Many menu options were not on the iPad, and some menu options were repeated at different prices. When asked, the waiter said it was the same dish (side order of pancakes) at $10 and $12. When asked, the manager said that paper menus were coming but he had no idea of when. I suggested that they could be printed and he admitted that would be possible! Great. I will miss their excellent salads. P.S. My experience using the QR code to view a menu from my phone is that I end up getting lots of spam and other unwanted messages from the app that get's installed, one reason I refuse to do so. read more

This place was horrible for the price! What a waste of a 30 minute wait. The food was flavorless, the burger was so rare we sent it back and it came back still rare! Fish tacos were also not good at all. We do not recommend this place. read more

The menu posted on this site was not even close to what they actually offered. It's like a bait and switch, offering a vibrant menu on their web site, and a very limited actual menu at the restaurant. Nothing but burgers and sandwiches. The on line menu offered lamb, pork chops and some steaks..... Was told when checking in that they don't offer high end meals?????? We went elsewhere obviously. The pic of the menu posted is not what they offer. read more

Island Lava Java - Menu that doesn't exist - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

I really wanted to love this place, but in the end it was not bad. I would give it 3.5 stars if that was an option. The Ahi Poke bowl was certainly very fresh and top quality Ahi, but it seriously lacked flavor. It was a fresh and healthy meal, but a flavorless one. The Guava BBQ ribs were good. The view is wonderful, but I was distracted by watching the staff and the operations. Despite having only 9 tables seated and being very well staffed, the host is telling everyone there is a 45 minute wait for a table. I've managed several restaurants but I can't for the life of me figure out why they're running things this way. I saw 9 front-of-house employees and 9 parties seated. This doesn't add up. read more

Great burger and fabulous choice of mai Tais. Waitress was friendly. Only downside was the lack of a restroom at the restaurant. You had to walk thru the the shopping area with a giant spoon with a key attached. read more

Unimpressive. Maybe if we had gone for breakfast? But we went for lunch, and couldn't figure out what all the hype is about. The food is ok but uninventive and frankly boring. The service is corporate and impersonal. There are much better options in the area. read more

Lava Java is our favorite place for breakfast on the island! The food is always excellent and the service is superb. Beautiful water views and the sound of waves from nearly every table. Have eaten here many, many times and never had bad service. The staff are professionals who seem to truly love their jobs. Be sure to try the large cinnamon roll, heated with melted butter. The traditional eggs Benedict is amazing. Eggs always perfectly cooked with a perfect hollandaise sauce. Ask for Aileen's section - great service with a true aloha spirit! read more

This sucks, but no joke, this place has the least flavorful food I've had on this island over my two week stay. Minus the sweet sauce, I expected at least some flavor from the macadamia nut coated fish. read more

This restaurant is beautiful! Great ocean view and wonderful food to go with it. My friend and I got seated promptly and we had this wonderful hummus for an appetizer. For dinner, she had the fish tacos and I had the house salad and sweet potato fries, which was wonderful. Whoever thought to pair macadamia nuts with goat cheese was very smart. Our waitress was really sweet, and although our drinks took a while to get refilled it was totally worth it for the food. The atmosphere is great and if you're looking for a healthier option this is a good place! read more

Island Lava Java - Island Lava Java Salad and fries - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Loved this place, stopped by on a day trip to the Big Island to see Mauna Loa when it was erupting. Great vibe, beautiful view and fast and friendly service. My son had one of their pizzas and I had the fish tacos, both were excellent! Definitely will be back on our next trip! read more

Best things about this place were the lovely gentleman singing and playing tunes, the view and not being rushed to leave. These got it an extra star (particularly music). Had my doubts but went for breakfast yesterday. Not sure why it took as long as it did to seat people, there were free tables but whatever, it was a few minutes waiting, looking at the view. Ordered basic breakfast, eggs scrambled, Portuguese sausage and potato as starch. Best thing on the plate was the wholewheat honey bread - really tasty. The rest was kind of gross. Also a large latte, while not the worst I've had it's not the best either, wouldn't return for it. People nearby asked for hot sauce when their food arrived, their waitress went to get some; after 5-10 mins wait they finally flagged down someone else who got them some right away. In short go to Daylight Mind, everything is better for about the same $. read more

Island Lava Java - Basic breakfast (scrambles eggs, sausage and potato) large latte - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

See all

The food is good but the service is sub-par. There were plenty of wait staff milling around but our group felt neglected. The QR code ordering system was handy for splitting the bill, but a disaster in practice. Some in our party got their meals at least 10-15 minutes before others. Waters went unfilled and empty plates sat there for a while. Too bad. read more

Many places are busy in this area. They did have a 45 minute. We were greeted with pleasurable people and our server was outstanding and attentive. Outstanding Hawaiian hospitality. I don't recall our servers name but she was a redhead and outstanding read more

To start, Not enough staff to serve costumers. The Fish&Chips were the worst I've ever had. Fish sticks had consistency of a dry eraser and tasted horrible! BBQ ribs were moist but completely bland and terrible sauce. Coleslaw was tasteless and tartar sauce was super salty. Only positive thing was the sweet potato fries. I could have enjoyed (4)delicious Subway sandwiches next door for the same $21.00 wasted on disgusting food at Island Lava** Would most definitely not recommend!! read more

Wow- what a place! I came here on my last day in Kona before my flight. It was the perfect breakfast. Their portions are large so I split the island style pancakes with my partner and got a side of potatoes. You need to get the pancakes Island style!! It is fabulous. Get there right at opening or make a reservation- this place is popular. read more

Great food with an unbelievable view. Service was excellent. We always make a Lava Java stop when in Kona. We ate a ribs appetizer, onto fish & chips, & cheeseburger with sweet potato fries. All great! read more

Ambiance 5 stars Food 5 stars Service: Arrival 5 stars Dining 2 stars Maybe we came on a bad day, but servIce could have been better. Willing to give it another try, but won't have my hopes upp read more

Third time ive gone too this place my server MARK was excellent always on time always checked on us, all and all was a great person in general. he is the reason why i give lava java a 5 star great service and to the chefs amazing food Mahalo nui loa Sincerely Malino ching read more

Great food great atmosphere right on the beach can't get any more of that laid-back Hawaiian feeling that this.

One of the first things I wanted to do in Hawaii was to dig into some fish tacos. Checked Yelp and saw that this place was popular, with high ratings. Driving by, you could see that it was indeed, popular! We got a prime seat outside looking out at the ocean, separated by only the main roadway in Kona Village.The street is a busy one but quiet as far as vehicles go. Not one honk. Living so close to LA and being there all the time, I was not used to this quiet peacefulness. I loved it. The service was great and the food was tasty! I got the ahi fish tacos with sweet potato fries and black beans. They do not serve alcohol here but I was very happy with my ginger iced tea. I also loved the little cup of mango salsa that the fish came with and ate that on its own! M had the ahi fish sandwich with a salad. Delicious. Lots of value with the fish size. A smoothie here runs about $6 but he loved his pineapple ginger drink. The restaurant is moving locations in a couple of months to a larger spot with an even better view and they will have their liquor licence there. Lunch was $50 but it was a treat. Excited to return! read more

Island Lava Java - Dining just feet from the ocean - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

See all

Really great breakfast joint! We have loved it and have come back twice already! Really good drinks! My husband who is an eggs Benedict connoisseur loved them. Service was always great, loved that were were able to order and pay from they app! Make sure you use the app to pay because you do get money back! We got 12$ back our first time we used the app! read more

This was the worst experience for us on Big Island. We came in around noon and it seems the restaurant has a nice view. We asked if we can go upstairs but they didn't allow us because it was not busy enough, which was fine. We ordered a couple of Mai-Tais. During that process, my wife asked the server what are the most popular drink here. She was responded by a weird look like she asked a ridiculous question. The server answered saying everything is popular. My wife didn't like the drink and didn't touch it pretty much. The server came by and asked how things are going and we told her that we didn't like the drink. She said OK and turned away. This was the first time we've ever encountered anything like this. We are not expecting everyone would give us a replacement drink but at least something to offer? We ordered the guava ribs and the salad with seared ahi. So disappointed. The salad was so bland that I think I can recreate a better one with the salad bags in Safeway. What's more disgusting was that when we asked for check(which didn't happen for a good 5 mins, they just ignored us when we raised our hands and even yelling for a check), the server handed me a pos machine with 20% tip checked as default and said "just sign and confirm". EXCUSE ME? It's not like they didn't ask for a tip when they said that. I had to change it but the screen was so dark that it was very hard to operate, not sure if that's intended or not. And when I did that the server asked me if she didn't anything wrong and I gave her the direct feedback. This place is shady, with bad food and service. I suggest people avoid. read more

Ocean front outdoor dining, beautiful view, fresh tasty food, great beer and cocktails- I recommend the Paniolo if you like a little kick. Authentic and quality customer service. We wanted to go someplace casual and festive for my husband's birthday. We swung by a place down the street that was too crowded and hectic (on the rocks), and so happy we came here. We highly recommend. Felt safe during the increased COVID case count too. read more

The view is amazing. We ate breakfast upstairs, and the view was slightly blocked by the telephone wires, so try to sit on the lower level by the front railing. If I were eating lunch or dinner there I would choose to sit upstairs at the bar. The tall barstools should give a better view. The kids had the keiki pancakes and bacon and were happy with that. My husband had the island style pancakes but they were out of strawberries and bananas(!!). They were still good with the macadamia nuts and coconut syrup though. I had the breakfast stack (I forget the name). It had eggs, avocado, bacon and salad on it. It wasn't hot but still tasted pretty good. The coffee was good. In summary, the food was ok but the view was excellent. The service was about average. read more

Fresh and tasty food. Fast friendly service. We sat at the front and had ocean views.

We stopped here for breakfast and we enjoyed it so much we had to go back before leaving town. The upside down pinapple French toast was amazing! The waffle with all the fresh fruit was delish. The fruit smoothies, my nephew and I could not have enough!! Great beach front view and service. There was a minor problem with our order but the manager handled it personally in such a way, that it did not affect our rating. They definetly know what customer service is all about! Aloha! read more

See all

Went here for breakfast, the waitress was really nice and got our food out so quick even though there were so much people. The pancakes were really soft and delicious and the morning view with the ocean makes it so much better. read more

Our hang out while in Kona. Cozy, friendly-vibe, central locale for ocean/people watching, stay-for-awhile-place in Kona (we headed here when the big storm of December 2007 took out the electricity at the condo). Has got internet access, coffee, and cheerful morning to night food fare served with an island twist ( i.e. my bagel sammie came with an orchid). I am extremely saddened that I didn't get to try their ginormous cinnamon rolls. read more

Island Lava Java - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

The view from Island Lava Java is spectacular. 5 stars especially if you are sitting outside on their patio. Although most seats from the restaurant will give you a beautiful view. Island Lava Java is definitely a stop for many tourists and located in the heart of Ali'i street where it is primarily the main tourist destination full of restaurants, souvenir shops and other sightseeing activities. Service was quick and the servers were friendly. I ordered the island style pancakes which came with Portuguese sausage or bacon and pancakes as well as a cup of fruit. The pancakes were topped with sliced bananas as well as plenty of macadamia nuts. My husband just ordered the standard breakfast 2 eggs, Portuguese sausage and a waffle. The pancakes were good they came with regular maple syrup as well as coconut syrup. I've had several different types of coconut syrup and theirs was sweeter than others I've tried but I still enjoyed it. I've just had a lot of coconut syrup that was thicker more of a coconut milk type of consistency which is also good. To each their own preference right? The cup of fruit was nothing really special just some pineapple, cantaloupe, and grapes. I also ordered a latte with my entire meal. All in all, it was a good first time experience. I really did enjoy their pancakes very much. Prices were decent around $12 for the pancakes and plenty of parking behind the restaurant free for 2 hours. Definitely a must try if you are looking for some fresh eats with a great view! read more

Island Lava Java - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

See all

Just not impressed with the breakfast. Lunch/dinner maybe different.. could've spent less at Denny's An would've be more satisfied. Save the $8 for the fruit bowl, An go down to the farmers market (2blocks down). You can get double the fresh fruit for the same price. read more

See all

My husband and I stayed on the Big Island for 10 days. We ate out everyday so we ate at A LOT of different places. BUT.. I seriously have to give it up to Island Lava Java, which I have concluded was my favorite place that we ate at (even my husband agrees with me). It was even better than Roy's in Waikoloa. This place wasn't even on my itinerary of places to eat. We're just lucky that Huggo's had a 1 hour wait so we came here instead. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/akg7B2mkNiZbCyE1RgP05Q?userid=JXt_vd2l_SkhFZdablieUg) By browsing the other review & photos, it appears that others come here for breakfast and not so much for the dinner entrees. My husband ordered the rib eye with stir-fry vegetables (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/akg7B2mkNiZbCyE1RgP05Q?select=3TfpmK2x5s5uQX_iPRYw4g) and I ordered the fish of the day. The fish of the day was Swordfish...mmm steak of the sea.. LOL which was crusted with macadamia nuts & toasted coconut served with risotto & Wasabi aioli. I must say, all the flavors really complimented each other well and *oh so heavenly*! (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/akg7B2mkNiZbCyE1RgP05Q?select=34PUnaGUCeLoIB4pHDFtYw) I ordered their Ginger Root iced tea. Gosh, that stuff is strong and burns going down. hahaha.. but it was good stuff. Seriously, everything on our plates was sooo delicious. I couln't stop picking the veggies from my husband's plate either. We then had to order dessert and ordered the Cappuccino & chocolate cheesecake. OMG!! I can't stop thinking about it.. even now! That cake sure woke us up!! (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/akg7B2mkNiZbCyE1RgP05Q?select=8RVzdgx-ENrkhXXmGvPpuQ) Anyway, we absolutely enjoyed witnessing the setting sun over the water while we ate our meal. It was absolutely beautiful AND delicious and was definitely one of the highlights of our trip! SEE PHOTO: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/akg7B2mkNiZbCyE1RgP05Q?select=C4bM8TN0uxiRj9mAuQNtCA read more

See all

We got in at 7am and were hungry. We decided to try this place since it had so many great reviews. We got here around 730am so we beat the crowds and didn't have to wait. The parking lot is behind the place. This place over looks Ali'i Drive and you can see the ocean. Great location. When we got here, the sign said seat yourself. Once we sat down, another couple came and was going to sit down but the hostess chased them down to tell them they changed the sign to wait to be seated. We got menus and our server was friendly. Once she gave us menus and water, it took about 10 minutes for her to come back to take our orders. The food was fast and it came out about 10 minutes after that. We ordered a Lava Java Breakfast with a waffle and applewood smoked bacon, and a Big Kahuna Fish breakfast with rustic potatoes. Both breakfast dishes were filling and delicious. Lava Java Breakfast Waffle - the coconut syrup was good but the waffle itself was soft. I like crispy waffles so I didn't care for this one too much, it was a bit rubbery imo. Eggs - ordered fried and perfectly done Bacon - wish we got more than 2 thin pieces Big Kahuna Fish Brekafast Ono - fish of the day. It came in a huge block but amazingly was cooked perfectly and seasoned. Eggs - ordered over easy and made correctly Rustic potatoes - good flavor and consistency Fruit - honeydew, pineapple and cantaloupe that were fresh. Btw, we knew this was a tourist place since our breakfast came with orchids on them. This isn't where locals would eat breakfast I bet. I felt that this place was a bit overpriced for what you got. However, when we left, the people were lined up. Overall good was decent, location good, prices were a little high, service was good except for the hostess which helped me give 3 stars rather than 4 since I was debating. Would I give this place another try? Yes, I would. read more

See all

Wasn't too impressed with this place. I came here for lunch, though, and I feel like this place is mostly known for their breakfast food, so keep that in mind! I'd definitely come back to give the breakfast menu a chance. I went with a burger (medium rare) and my bf got a fish sandwich. The burger was meh. The meat was a little overcooked for medium rare, in my opinion, and it didn't have much flavor. The fish sandwich was alright. The fish had good flavor but was a little dry. Definitely preferred it to the burger, though. We each got to choose a side. I went with the fries, which were a bit soggy. My bf got a salad, and the only interesting thing about his salad was the caterpillar he found in it, lol. They replaced it immediately, of course. I guess you know the salad is super fresh? Overall, I'd recommend only coming here for breakfast, even though I haven't personally tried the breakfast food. The lunch menu is definitely passable. There are better options in the area. Service here is good and prices are reasonable, but the lunch food here is meh. read more

Island Lava Java - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

See all