Amazing food and amazing service love the view to the ocean as well. Will definitely come back soon read more

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

Delicious breakfast. The pancakes were delicious even without syrup! The service was prompt, polite and friendly. Love the morning breeze specially on the top deck area. So relaxing to just be and not have to hurry! Island time for sure! read more

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My wife's and my first time coming to Kona. We visited the islands of Hawaii many times. But the big island was a first. My wife and I stayed at the Royal Kona resort and found that their was a lot of great places near by to eat and drink. When we found the Island Lava Lava, it was better than everything else we had to eat including the service. They had the best soup of the day and the the fasted and most generous servers we had came across while in Kona. From the bartenders to the servers, everybody was so kind and really catered to what we really wanted as a guest. The food was amazing and probably the best I've had on the island. The view was absolutely amazing I would recommend this place 12 out of 10. Thank you Lava Lava for your hospitality. Looking forward to seeing you guys again next time. Aloha read more

Island Lava Java - Best service, best attitude, Best generosity on the island. - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

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Island Lava Java is an amazing restaurant in Kona island great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. We ate here in two separate days; one day for breakfast and one day for dinner. Breakfast: - Hawaiian Belgian waffle (5/5): The coconut syrup, fresh fruit, and macadamia nuts topped onto the Belgian waffle were a great combination! The coconut syrup had a wonderful aroma along with fresh coconut taste while the waffles themselves were soft and fluffy. - Big Island basics (5/5): This platter was customized with 2 over medium eggs, crispy potatoes, and crispy bacon along with sourdough toast. Despite ordering the eggs over medium, they were still runny and more on the over easy side similar to sunny side up eggs. The potatoes were perfectly seasoned with a light crisp on the outside and soft piping hot center. The bacon was crispy and not salty at all. This was a wonderful breakfast plate. - Iced macchiato (3/5): The description said it was similar to Starbucks, but it was overly sweet for our liking. A bit too much syrup and caramel and we couldn't taste the coffee in the macchiato. - Lilikoi lemonade (5/5): Amazing passion fruit purée mixed with lemonade. It's a bit tart and quite refreshing! Dinner: - Fiery calamari (4/5): Wonderfully crispy calamari rings that's lightly seasoned with fried shishito peppers! It was a great app to start with. - Shrimp carbonara (5/5): Loved this pasta dish! The shrimp and bacon were a great combination with the fettuccine pasta. It was al dente with a great creamy carbonara sauce. - Hawaiian pizza (4/5): This was a delicious personal sized pizza with fresh toppings. The kalua pork, pineapples, and onions on top of a thin crusted pizza was well executed. The crust was crispy. Service was a miss for breakfast, but a plus for dinner. It may just be a specific waitress with the delays over breakfast so don't let it deter you from coming to this lovely restaurant. Thursdays is thirsty Thursdays with all day happy hour! read more

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Breakfast was great, pancakes are bigger than I thought so just an FYI. I did make a reservation prior to coming, and was seated as soon as I arrived. This place gets busy! Beautiful view as well. Service wise- the lady wasn't the best. She did seem busy and did attend to us in a timely manner but forgot our knives & when I asked to change an order (while she was still there) she seemed annoyed. They give you two options, order from the QR code or from a server. I should have done the QR code. Other than that small hiccup, definitely a spot to hit up! read more

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

Fantastic food with large portions, and the pancakes are especially good. Service is very friendly. The location is central, with amazing ocean views from the top deck. read more

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So far, this has been my favorite restaraunt in my weekend in Kona! Our waiter was attentive, friendly, and handled our complicated check situation with ease. My Shrimp Carbonara had multiple different aspects that made it extra colorful & flavorful, and the toast was simply perfect. The calamari was also cooked to perfection. This place is also located right across from the beach with an amazing view and a lively atmosphere. Can't reccomend this place enough! read more

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It is hard to beat Lava Java for breakfast. Sit in their open air restaurant while watching the waves crash -- and, if you're lucky, you'll see spinner dolphin. We love Drag in though the Garden, and their coffee and coffee drinks are great. They only hire the nicest hosts and servers -- friendly, helpful, professional. Win win. read more

Food was good enough. The pancakes looked heavenly. The service was absolutely terrible. We couldn't even get a coffee because they didn't have enough cups. They also didn't have enough silverware until halfway through our meal. read more

Lava Java is one of the BEST restaurants in Kona!! We were there at 7:15am (they open at 7:30) & were promptly greeted by the nicest host & hostess!! They sat us upstairs in a corner overlooking the ocean... the view was spectacular!!! Our server Tawney was amazing!!! She was pleasant and brought us our coffee & mimosa's (pineapple & guava) right away!! We then ordered the Eggs Benedict & Veggie Scramble w fruit... it was served piping hot & tasted delicious!!! Our coffee was topped off often & she checked in at just the right times!! Thank you Lava Java & Tawney for the spectacular view, service & amazing food!! We'll be back!! read more

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This is probably about the 8th time we have eaten here and frankly we are done. The first time was the best and it has just gotten worse and worse. Today is it -- sign me done. Reserved via Open Table at 7:30 -- they don't start seating until 7:40 -- do you have a reservation -- yes she found it -- ok, asked for a table (mind you there were 8 people at this time) and it was in corner where we always sit -- got the 3rd degree -- we are trying to balance out the restaurant -- with 8 people??? No menus -- ok, was prepared so ordered via Toast the Pull Apart and Kona French press (32 oz). Pull part was mediocre and cold -- when it's good it's good -- this wasn't. $10 pot of Kona French Press was maybe 24 oz and pretty yucky. 7/11 is better coffee. Breakfast -- no more omelette -- we don't have the time to make them (still on the menu though) it's a scramble. $14.95 for a veggie bowl of rice and veggies -- not bad. Potatoes were good -- the 2 eggs came out wrong -- ordered scramble but were 2 sunnyside up -- they replaced. All in all with tax and tip $50 -- NOT WORTH IT -- SKIP THIS PLACE -- service is meh and the food is way overpriced. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else. The icing on the cake was they said I was a no show at Open Table. read more

I will start by saying we've eaten here before and enjoyed the atmosphere, view, and food. Yesterday, however was a total disappointment. My food looked like it had been dumped on the plate. I ordered a veggie scramble that was completely unappetizing. Veggies were the same consistency as the eggs like they had been steamed and then added to the scramble to create mush. The fruit on the side was tasteless and most certainly straight from Costco. The service was sloppy and mechanical. Our lattes arrived in cups that looked like the drinks had spilled and been remade in the same cup. On top of all that, we were charged an egg surcharge for each meal, one of which was not even eaten. I'm a "local" and eat in town often. I won't make that mistake again. read more

If I could give them zero stars, I would. We had a reservation for 15 for Saturday night to celebrate our wedding. We arrived about 15 minutes early to check in and were informed they were closed. When we showed them the reservation confirmation email, and I was very obviously in my wedding dress, they changed their story to say the kitchen was too backed up and it was taking over an hour to get tickets out. There was no apology, nothing. Thankfully KAI went out of their way to arrange a table for us and the food/drinks/service was amazing there! Highly recommend them over this restaurant. read more

Our staple on the first night of any trip to Kona. Bustling spot with lovely ocean view. Food quality good and good service.

Best breakfast on Ali Drive near downtown. I always get the Big Kahuna Fish breakfast (huge portion of fish see pic #1)eggs, potatoes and fresh fruit. The price is extremely affordable. The mixed drinks here are amazing. So good that I have at least one with breakfast. The Coco Mo (coconut water mojito) is amazing . Nothing better than to start the day with as you overlook one of the most beautiful horizons. Most of the other restaurants around are just tourist traps with barely mediocre food. It was such a relief to find this place. read more

Island Lava Java - #1 Big Kahuna Fish Breakfast - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

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Overrated. The first time I've ever had a pancake that couldn't cut with a fork. Unfriendly service

Best breakfast I had the whole trip - the veggie scramble did not disappoint! Our whole group enjoyed their food, service was good, and we ate here twice for brunch. We came back for dinner one night as well but I cannot remember what I go, and I blame the vacation Mai Tais! This was a convenient spot to walk to and being able to sit on the porch was really nice! read more

This place was strongly recommended by a few locals. I came for brunch around 1130AM on a Friday after parasailing in Kona harbor as it's just down Ali'i Drive from the pier. The wait staff are very attentive and offered recommendations. I ordered the "Island Style" waffle with bacon. The bananas and macadamia nuts were perfectly complemented by the coconut syrup. The applewood smoked bacon was delicious as well. The restaurant is open to the outside, and overlooks Ali'i Drive and the Kona harbor. I would imagine that Lava Java could be quite busy during peak hours/tourist season, so reservations might be worthwhile. read more

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I wish I could remember our server's name because she was exactly the right server for us! We popped in for breakfast on the last day of our vacation to the Kona Area and were greeted with lilikoi mimosas. If you love mimosas and ever get a chance to have one w/ lilikoi - GO FOR IT! If you can do it while watching the waves in Kona, do it two or five times! We also got the French Pressed Kona coffee - again, I cannot stress this enough, - it was perfect. Just like the view and our amazing server. The food was good, too. I recommend the local catch eggs benedict. YUM! If you're in Kona and you're looking for a fantastic breakfast w/ a fantastic view served by amazingly funny and kind people, Island Lava Java has your number! read more

Nice waterfront restaurant with some excellent foods to choose from! We had the guava ribs, huli wings, veggie bowl, and the island burger. Excellent overall, and great service to go with the ambience. Highly recommend the ribs and bowl! read more

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Service here was friendly and attentive. My group of 3 adults and a child were sat down for Sunday brunch with out a reservation. The view was amazing and well made up for the fact we had to wait to be greeted by a server. The food was good and worth the price because it was more than enough to be shared with my little one. Definitely a child friendly environment read more

Beautiful view of the bay and delicious food! We came for breakfast and ordered various Benedict's, pancakes and the Lava Java breakfast. The food was delicious but I would come back just for the potatoes.... Everything was good but they were SO tasty, cooked and seasoned to perfection. Presentation was good and our server was very attentive. read more

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Beautiful restaurant with downstairs and upstairs overlooking the ocean. The atmosphere is perfect. Heard about the cinnamon rolls and they did not disappoint. Came for a coffee and the cinnamon roll and it was the size of a frisbee. Definitely need more than one person to share this with. Our waitress Nicole was so friendly. It looks like the breakfast menu is wonderful as well. I would definitely recommend Island Lava Java! read more

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

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Hostess was great, yet took a while before we saw waitress, we ordered drinks first per waitress prompting. Drinks came yet not together at one time. Then waitress took our order and not sure what happened, we were only a table of 4 adults, yet we sat there just talking for about an hour & watching as people seated after us were eating their meals. Our meal took maybe an hour to get to us and plate of food lukewarm, not hot. While obviously I cannot prove this but it felt like our order got lost or forgotten, we don't really know, but was my birthday and I wished I would've chosen a better place for us to eat in Kona read more

Came for a family dinner and experienced a great meal, with very friendly but seemingly new staff members. Strong drinks, good food! We arrived around 630 and was told there was a 20-30mins wait. Happily it ended up being closer to 20mim, which was easily passed by wandering around the stores nearby. We were brought to our table which didn't have chairs yet, so the hostess grabbed some from neighboring tables. This place has the QR code setup for each table where you can scan to order and pay. Unfortunately it was not working on anyones phone, and they don't have any paper menus, so we had to wait for one of the restaurants iPads to become available for us to order, and that worked. The cocktails were delicious and quite strong! Everyone enjoyed their food as well. We were especially happy to find some vegan options on the menu which our vegan family members really enjoyed. The fish tacos have one fat piece of grilled fish in them which was bomb. A great dinner and I'm sure the service will only get better as the servers get more experience! read more

While visiting this week, we patronized Lava Java THREE TIMES after being taken there the first time by a friend who is a local - two times for brunch and cocktails, and once for drinks and apps while watching the sunset. Great local vibe, excellent menu variety, and helpful and courteous staff all contributed to our repeated visits. read more

Walked by this place and decided to stop for lunch. Such a cute place with a great view of the water and nice ambience. Best thing - $5 mimosa Monday!! We ordered mango, lychee, lilikloi, and guava mimosa. Honestly couldn't really taste the flavors but they were strong! We got the ahi poke bowl and fresh fish tacos for lunch. Both of them were amazing! Could've used more sauce for the poke bowl and some less sauce for the tacos haha. Would definitely recommend this place for the vibes and the views. read more

Island Lava Java - Ahi Poke Bowl - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

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Server was very nice. The hostess the old white lady with glass very racists. Was very nice to all the white guests offering seating if the sun bugs them but the birds were pooping on our party and she told us to deal with it and rudely moved us saying she hopes we would stop complaining. What great service from the hostess who represents this "fine" establishment read more

Final stop on my big island vacation. Matcha latte and pineapple iced tea were both delicious. They have a lovely patio with tables (very busy for breakfast time) for customers that has a prime view of the water! Staff was friendly and helpful! Will stop in again for a drink next time I'm there! read more

A decent spot for some eats and a cocktail in downtown Kona. Located right off of the water so it makes for a pretty view. I would say the food gives off brewery vibes - pizza, sandwiches, appetizers etc. When I came with a group we ordered the guava ribs, fiery calamari, and the Big island Pizza. Food was tasty and portions were generous. Overall a decent option in this part of town! read more

Food was great! Went for breakfast, which was great, and our server Ali recommended dinner. We came back for dinner and were not disappointed. Great atmosphere, ocean view and our server Ali was amazing!!! We will come back again soon. read more

Island Lava Java - Big Kahuna Fish Breakfast - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Everything. I have dined there numerous time when visiting the Big Island. Food and ambience is great, especially the stunning views of the Pacific Ocean while dining. Servers are always pleasant and engaging. read more

Busy, pricey, and worth it! Food is as good as the service. View is pretty good. Second coming here for breakfast. Something magical about Portuguese sausage with breakfast on the big island. Oh, try the "island style" pancakes. read more

Island Lava Java - Pono Mai and Hana Hou at the bar - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Terrible. As my father used to say "The food was terrible and cold, and there wasn't enough of it". The service wasn't much better. Enough said... read more

Came across this restaurant when we were walking down the main road and looked like good views so had to come for breakfast. The servings were perfect and our food came fast. Although our drinks came after our food which usually comes in the beginning to savor throughout. But the service was nice and would come again for the view and overall ambiance. read more

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

The burger is ODD. It was kinda dry but had garlic aioli so it was almost balanced. My mouth turned bizarre afterwards. 10/10 burger though. If I had a do-over I would have gotten more fruity breakfast options because the pineapple and passionfruit waffles and pancakes were the ultimate experience, particularly with the coconut syrup. Don't sleep on coconut syrup! It is so important. My only complaint is that the burger bun was weak. Beyond the normal "bun is the weak part of the burger" level. If you pour some coconut syrup on it that might make it better. I am ashamed to have not tried that when I had the chance. read more

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

What you'd expect for an ocean front downtown eatery. I would say it's similar to brewery eats and ambiance! For three, we shared the Fiery calamari, Guava BBQ rips with sweet potato fries and the Big Island pizza. Good portions, big menu, lots of seating options. read more

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Facing Ali'i Drive & the Pacific Ocean...this cute dive is not too shabby. We were seated right away on the 2nd floor. Got a Li Hing Mui margarita, which was pretty good. The food was alright. We ordered fried calamari for appetizers, which I wish was crisper. The fish & chips were not bad, nothing special. Our party was quite large & our server held herself pretty good, but I wish she had someone to help her with filling glasses with water or taking drink orders. read more

We had breakfast here twice while on vacay. The pineapple upside down French toast is delicious! If you like sweets, this is for you!!! My son loved their waffle and their chocolate chip pancake. My husband felt the mac nut / banana pancakes should have had extra toppings and more syrup on the side for the second pancake underneath that kind of gets neglected. Their fresh squeezed juice is delicious but seriously over priced. I do wish they offered more options on their 'kids menu'. read more

This restaurant was just down the street from our hotel and was recommended by the front desk agent. We were seated at a table on the railing with a clear view of the ocean. They have happy hour with $6 mai tai's and margaritas, as well as a weekly drink special, which was a Manhatton when we stopped in. I ordered the fish tacos with a salad with lemon vinaigrette. The fish was freshly grilled and topped with crunchy slaw and creamy sauce. The entire meal was as incredibly fresh and filling. My coworker loved the pineapple pizza topped with sweet chili sauce she ordered. Service was very friendly! read more