Place is awesome! Great food and the service is good too. The waitress (forgot her name unfortunately) was really nice. I really liked the pancakes with coconut syrup, macadamia nuts and banana slices. Kona coffee as well, definitely awesome and a must. To top it off next to an awesome ocean breeze. One of my favorite spots here. read more

The worst possible restaurant in every way possible. Rude server, terrible food and even coarser manager. The waiter poured water on the table and while wiping the water off the table, she put it on my daughter, it was a mistake, which is ok. But not a single a sorry. We ordered the cauliflower truffle soup, which was the only edible food for the night. We ordered pan seared catch of the day, already late server came back to convey, "Ok, we are out of fish" again with total indifference. When we were going through the menu again, server was like, " you want to order something or not" and was getting impatient. So we ordered edamame felafel. Our daughters burger came overcooked, the bun was burnt and cheese was leathery and bitter. Some of the fries were cooked but they were soggy and rest of them were cooked. The came the felafel, my wife complained after finishing the 1st one that it tastes funny, i took half of the 2nd one and it was raw inside. It tasted like soaked edamame, pretty much. To confirm we took a bite from the 3rd one and found it was the same. Shud have spitted it out. So we complained about the felafel from the beginning the server assumed that we wanted to get comp'd, we couldn't even get to the point that it was half cooked. We asked for the manager, she was equally indifferent and rude, hence playing the same notion of they are not going to comp because we ate 85% of it (thanks to your math or lack there-off). The manager was saying if you returned it as it is, they would have taken it out. Again, how can you tell if a felafel is uncooked inside without trying. There was portion of two uncooked felafel was on the plate. And who wanted comp, we wanted to have properly cooked food with some level of service). We clarified we didn't want comp again. She pushed that there was nothing wrong with the felafel, she had tried it that night and it was ok. As if all the felafels were fried in the same batch, it was not soup!! The manager said they have taken the kid's burger off the bill, because it was clearly bad. Then when confronted with the fact that the fries and felafel were terrible too, she suddenly flipped and conveyed that the bun was not burnt it was grilled (as if you keep the bun in the grill long enough it wont burn) and some people tend to enjoy. I suggested her to eat that and soggy fries. Then she said she can comp a dessert (again who wants comp!!!). We denied, yes by this time, I was not polite, I clearly suggested that we had enough with her kitchen and staffs. Dont want anything to eat from this restaurants kitchen. In last 15 years, there were only two restaurants where we didnt tip, today it became the third one, on Xmas even, we are generous tipper. Deserves a 0 star. read more

Island Lava Java - Burnt bun for the over cooked burger with soggy fries with burnt bitter cheese - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

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We we're looking for a place for breakfast on a rainy day in Kona. We walked by a place playing music, decided to go in. A wonderful friendly hostess placed us upstairs with a fantastic view of the bay. Our waitress Amy has so much Aloha, she made us feel so welcome, had great suggestions on what to try on the menu. We ordered pancakes and bacon with coconut sauce, as well as fresh papaya yogurt with home made granola , delicious!! Recommend a stop and try. read more

Food is super delicious and the portions are huge. My husband and I split the lava scramble. We will be back!

Good breakfast spot with large portions. The potatoes are really good. Service is a bit slow though, and I had to go up to the coffee shop to try and pay our bill since we were on a time crunch. Our waitress was friendly, but I wish she came by to check on us more (only saw her when we got sat, and then one more time when she walked by to ask if we were ok). They have an upstairs dining area too and when we were there, live music. read more

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This place is great if you primarily want to enjoy the view. However, the food and service were subpar. We were told that there would be a 45 minute wait, but it ended up being over 70 minutes. They charge $20 for a ten-inch pizza, which is made worse because it's pretty standard stuff that you could get at Pizza Hut. We requested a substitution on one pizza to make it vegetarian, but when it arrived it still had meat on it. It also took a while to get our food. If you plan ahead and make a reservation to avoid the wait time, there are surely better options in this area. read more

So disappointed in our visit today. This literally was how they served me my meal. The croissant was burnt, presentation was terrible, and the waitress said... "oh I can just toast a new croissant for you" read more

Island Lava Java - Drag it Thru the Garden - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

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We have been here before and have been happy customers. This time we were not so happy with the self-order. It was super slow and one of the fraps was very different. It was watery and the cup was lacking content, meaning it was almost 1/4 empty. They offered to remake it, but we didn't have time to wait. I want to add that my frap was perfect, thus why I gave 2 stars instead of 1. We ended up tossing out the frap at Target, and got a Starbucks frap, which perfect, though not made with Kona organic coffee, as are the fraps from Lava Java. read more

TLDR: outdoors. Get potatoes. Best to eat near sunset. Tip: look at weather before dining here. Fully outdoor seating--great view of water and has a great sunset view. Can be breezy. Downside is there are six-legged creatures that keep trying to mooch off your plate; two legged creatures if you have the cinnamon roll--so don't look away! Service: wait to be seated, order at the table, check brought to table. Pull Apart Cinnamon Roll: not as warm as you would expect but delightfully dense and fluffy. This is no Cinnabon so don't expect your teeth to fall out for sugar. This is lightly sweetened and the syrup has a nice light tang to it. Fresh Fish Benedict with Ono: comes with potatoes or brown rice. Lightly flavored. Egg is cooked to perfection. Potato flavor is excellent. Ono was a bit on the dry side but tasted fine. Fruit Smoothie: frozen juice that's blended! Not blended ice like most places. Not as sweet as you would expect but it is very refreshing! read more

9-16-2020, Hostess friendly and helpful! Server to 4 top along rail Oceanside great! Drinks served chilled and presented lovely Waffles out first with smoked maple bacon to the side ñ an orchid upon the center of waffle-nice touch and the waffle was yummy!! Bacon was super nice with additional maple syrup! Dip dip Eggs Potatoes Bacon and that thick sliced bread was super delicious!!! read more

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Visited October 2020 on our last night on the Big Island. This place had all the right vibes and food to close out an amazing two weeks on the island. Our server was super nice - he was born and raised on the Big Island and gave us some awesome tips that we'll use next time we visit! We also got to listen to live music while we ate - the singer/guitarist was incredibly talented. The food: Drinks: The Paniolo, Mango mai tai (pictured with this post) - so yummy! The Paniolo had a little kick to it that I loved. Food: Ahi Poke, Fresh Fish Tacos, Macadamia Nut Crusted Fresh Catch - we loved every bite of the above. We got to try a fish local to Hawaii called Monchong - it's not always available but if it is, you should definitely get it read more

Island Lava Java - The paniolo and the mango mai tai - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Underwhelmed by the food and the experience we had. We were there on a Monday around 11:30 and were able to get a table. But first, we stood at the hostess stand for awhile before anyone acknowledged us. Once the hostess came to the stand, we asked for a table upfront (note there were empty tables when we arrived and when we left) and he laughed at us and said not unless we have a reservation. I thought this was very rude and unprofessional. A simple statement that those are currently reserved or those are only available if you make a reservation would suffice. Our waitress was nice, thankfully. But, when the food was brought out (not by the waitress) my burger had bacon on it which I ordered without it. She got an attitude and took the plate back. I a minute passes and our waitress said she'll check on my food, I told her it had bacon on it, she said yeah you didn't order it that way. Another minute or so later, the lady brought it without the bacon and blamed the waitress for getting it wrong. Overall food was blah, and the experience was not great. Plenty of other options in the area. read more

Very delicious food, would highly recommend the fish Benedict. Every seat has a beautiful view of the ocean, but the seats that are oceanside were all reserved when I came. Not to mention the free 2 hours of parking was nice in an area notorious for paid parking. read more

Shared 2 basic breakfasts. 1st was a decent sized waffle, with 3 pieces of sausage. 2nd. Was 1 egg over easy, 3 pieces of bacon, some potatoes and 1 piece of toast. Everything tasted fresh and good - sausage was a bit spicy, in a great way. Most seats offer a great view of the ocean. Service was ok. read more

Lovely cool covered patio restaurant looking out over a Kailua-Kona bay alongside lots of shopping. I enjoyed cool, crisp wine by the glass and a large beet salad with seared Ahi... lovely meal at the beach. The rest of our party enjoyed fish and chips and burgers with fries. read more

Service was really slow. Lots of waiting for basic steps of service while watching the server stand in the kitchen chatting. Watched other tables get up and go get the servers for what they needed. Didn't seem to click or trigger change. We ordered an appetizer that never came, was never mentioned or realized by the server. Sympathetic to understaffed issues in hospitality, but this was not the case. Saw a manager walking the floor but didn't seem to value add with table touches or support to his team. He seemed to care more about closing the kitchen at 8 pm by tapping your watch constantly than service. Food was ok but nothing to write home about. Great view and location with potential, but falls short. Thank god your toast tab system allows us to pay with a QR code so we can leave after 45 minutes. $80 wasted and most importantly my vacation time wasted. I would have shared this feedback in person, but it was clear those working didn't care and it would have been a waste. read more

Island Lava Java - Guava BBQ Ribs - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

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Poor experience from the serving staff and kitchen missed the mark. Hostess was great and shaved head food runner was helpful. 1:30 pm on in a very sparsely sat dining room with 4-5 servers chatting in the server's station, Annnabelle K greeted us 15 minutes after we arrived with an, "Are you ready to order?" Great start. Ordered cocktails, she gave us premium options for the spirit on her handheld, which we appreciated, and we chose Tanqueray 10 for the Negroni. Ordered food at the same time. We watched the bartender making cocktails, looking confused, then makes our Negronis with a different spirit, didn't inform the server, or us as customers paying a premium for the spirit. The server didn't deliver the drinks for another 10 minutes with the food arriving 30 seconds later. We thought we may had been mistaken and watched other drinks being made so my husband, walked to the bar to confirm the spirit, they haven't had tanq 10 in "months." Later refused to remove cocktail from the bill even though the wrong drink was being passed off. Very tacky Lava Java staff... Medium burger(only non-breakfast item) was over cooked by two temperatures, the food runner was the only person to revisit the table to bring silverware and sauces...after food arrived...put in another order for a Medium rare burger to replace the "medium." Second burger arrived, overcooked, this is the first time we have seen Annabelle since the first cocktail. She doesn't ask about the meal, attempts to drop a check while I have a full plate of food. At this point, we first inform her about the mistaken spirit, and the burger. She brings another cocktail, it was better with a different bartender coming on for the PM shift. Drink was made with skill, with a large cube...as requested, and garnished...didn't think we would have to request that. Just going to fast forward past the multiple attempts to get her to clear the table and drop take out boxes(4 times). Now we're ready to go. Both burgers and all cocktails, with the up charge, are on the check. We bring it to her attention, she claims the bartender always used a premium spirit, albeit ones we didn't ask for and refused to acknowledge the food mistakes. I'm not looking for a free meal, I live here and am not trying to cause a scene but this was a pathetic treatment of a customer local or not. We paid the full bill just to leave and be out of the muck of Lava Java. I will never recommend this restaurant and will make it a point to detour anyone from a poor experience. read more

This place is decent but I probably won't be clamoring to go back anytime soon. I got a burger and it was decent but nothing super amazing. The salad was okay. Service was a little slow in the beginning. The fish tacos were overcooked. This place has nice views of the water! read more

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

We dined here twice during our vacation to Kailua-Kona. We loved our meals both times! The tables all have a view of the ocean, and we were lucky enough to sit on the edge of the restaurant near the street so we could feel the ocean breeze as well. Our server, Dylan, on our first visit was outstanding! Super friendly, prompt, and helpful :) read more

We came here multiple times for breakfast and dinner during our stay in Kona. Our experience with both the food and service was great. We had their hawaiian style pancakes and waffles, the vegan breaky and poke--all were great. I also had coffee which was decent and the hanna hou cocktail which was delicious. read more

My boyfriend and I come here every time we go to Kona. Best breakfast in town. I love their fresh squeezed orange juice too. Servers are always friendly and the view is amazing read more

First time on the island and wanted to visit this for breakfast. Food was delicious, coffee was amazing. Fast & great customer service

Beet salad. The best I've had. The ingredients are local. Oh yah. Great ocean view. Ya da ya da

The food was perfect. The service was friendly and fast. The reason for the 3-stars is because of the time of arrival to seating. This restaurant is facing the ocean with all open-air seating. The entrance is located fronting the ocean-side. This is important to document as we parked in the ample parking rear of this area. The parking is close and easy to walk. However, upon arrival, no one greeted or acknowledged us as we stood in the sun. Several employees walked by us and never made eye contact. We stood there almost 5 minutes before a woman came and sat us. Our server came very quickly and was very friendly. She offered suggestions with the menu and when our food came out it was perfect. My daughter loved her burger and fries. My pancakes and sausage were scrumptious as well. I would recommend this restaurant simply because their servers and food are memorable. They will not disappoint. read more

Island Lava Java - Burger and pancakes with sausage - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Food and service were amazing. Randomly stumbled on this restaurant on Yelp and my family all said good choice!!!! Visiting Kona for the week and would definitely recommend read more

What a great spot for an amazing breakfast! Beautiful views, friendly staff, and delicious fresh food! Gotta a little turned around by the outdated address, but a local merchant pointed us in the right direction just down the street. read more

Island Lava Java - Roasted Veggie Omelette with bacon - yum! - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

We had such a great experience here and we always do when we're in Kona! Allie was our server this time around (November 2023), and she was amazing! She was so friendly with our kids & treated us like friends! She was more than a server she was a blessing to our night & to our table. Thank you Allie for your kindness & your amazingly pleasant presence!! read more

Incredibly disappointed with today's experience at lava Java. We eat here frequently and usually have nothing but great things to say. Leah is always our server and is always absolutely amazing, as she was today. However, today at the end of our great meal, the hostess in her 49'er shirt rudely asked us if we would be done soon because she could really use our table. We still had a plate of food and our bill on the table. I have been a hostess before and would never in a million years say that to a guest. I am extremely disappointed that this comment was made to us. I understand that they are busy due to Ironman however you should never say that to a guest. Definitely won't be back after that comment. read more

Cockroach problem, left my food. Don't go here they need an exterminator. Cockroaches came out after the food arrived. Too many to not be a problem they need to sort it out until then don't go here. read more

I'd absolutely recommend this place. The food is great and the atmosphere is wonderful. I found the staff to be very friendly and they seem to get along well, at least what I could see from my table. The QR code found on the table can open a menu and you can also place your orders through your phone. We chose to use an actual waiter because we had visiting family that preferred to do so. Food: 4/5 Soup was excellent but only a little past luke warm. Mahi Mahi was awesome. I was able to try the fried and seared version and love them both. Location: Easy to get to but google maps will bring you to the wrong location. The frustrating part is that we made reservations over the phone and when we showed up late due improper navigation, they said they were aware of that and just tell their guests to navigate to Fosters. Except they didn't tell us that. In the end it was fine and they still had our table. This doesn't factor into my review, though. I just want potential customers to know. Overall, if I came back to Kona I'd dine here again without hesitation. read more

So good totally recommend. We called and made a reservation and got an ocean view! The food was delicious. We got the island waffle.

Ambiance is incredible- right on the water with live music Great place to watch the sunset we were there for about 2 hours. Service was wonderful. Food was just ok. Our party ordered a variety of salads, burgers, guava bbq ribs, and Mac & cheese. Pricey for the quality. read more

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

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This is a good spot for a casual dine-in with family/friends. It does get a bit crowded and loud as expected on Ali Drive. But although it can get really busy, service was still good. Food was pretty good overall; I wish the fish tacos had a little bit more flavor. My favorite was the ahi poke! read more

Autumn , our server this pm was amazing . Considerate, efficient and responded well to our numerous questions about wine . Thank you , Autumn for your understanding and patience read more

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Came in for a quick coffee pretty late in the night just before 7 pm.No one seemed to take our order when we waited for about 10 mins at the coffee counter. Coffee menu was interesting and we opted for the coconut mocha (blended). It was very sweet, almost like a dessert. read more

I don't recommend this place and here are the reasons: 1. Fish tacos - fish was really dry and the tacos were really bland and barely had any flavors 2. Fresh catch Benedict - the fish was not fresh. Eggs were solid, not running. Flavor was bland as well 3. Pancakes - good flavor, soft and not too sweet, and it's the reason I didn't give this place 1 star 4. Waffles - not bad. Pineapples go really well with the cinnamon flavor. But it was dry. 5. Service - service was not good. Waitress barely gave us any attention and one of them spilled water on one of us and didn't apologize, only gave us napkins for us to clean up after ourselves. Overall I don't understand why this place has so many reviews. We waited 40min but found out it was not worth the wait at all. Highly not recommended. read more

Looked good on the reviews. Walked in with no reservations with ease. Waitress came and took order right away. She was very polite and on it. Food came out but no iced latte. Told server that brought out food that I was still waiting for it and like magic it was there. I had the egges Benedict veggie style with potatoes and my husband had Belgium waffles with macadamia nuts and Portuguese sausage. Both of our meals were luke warm. It wasn't that busy yet. Disappointed. One and done try. read more

I was SO excited to come here after reading the reviews and having friends recommend this place after finding out we were going to Kona. It was the first stop on our list for breakfast. We had reservations and were seated promptly by the super sweet hostess. Not 30 seconds later, our waitress came up and asked us what we wanted to drink... didn't introduce herself.. didn't give us a minute to look at drinks... didn't explain how to use the QR code menus.... Nothing. She was super brash and we felt super rushed. We didn't care to interact with her because she made us all feel super uncomfortable and like we were a bother. 3 out of 4 of us ordered drinks through her, but our last member didn't have enough time to look through the menu. We ended up ordering via QR code so we didn't have to be a bother. My husband ordered a beer along with our food via QR code as well and we ordered two sodas too. The runner brought our food out and we asked if she could check on the beer. She said, "they come out of two different places, sorry" and then walked away. A nicer answer would have been " I'm so sorry. The kitchen is a completely different entity. Let me go check on that or even let me let your server know". Nope, nothing. Just turned around and left. Halfway through our meal, we finally got our sodas. Our waters were empty and never refilled until we were almost done with our food. Not once were we checked in on. My husband ended up asking our waitress where his beer was and she was super rude and said, " that's why I asked you what you wanted to drink earlier". She was rude for the rest of our experience. She rang up one of our drinks twice and for two different prices. She finally fixed it at the end after asking 3 times. My husband finally ended up getting his beer while he was taking his last bite of his scramble. He told her that he didn't want it anymore since it had been 40 minutes since he ordered it and he was done with his food. She got super defensive and took the beer back and left. Long story short, the staff ruined the experience for us but the food was delicious. That's the only reason it got any stars at all. Unfortunately, we will never be back, nor recommend this place to anyone based on the fact that the most of the staff was awful. read more

Island Lava Java - Pineapple upside down French toast was delicious! - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Great service! Great food! Great vibes! Would recommend to folks that are visiting loved the breakfast and energy here. Healthy choices, savory choices, and classics. read more

I come here every time I'm town and my food is consistently great. I usually go with the veggie omelette with goat cheese and macadamia nut pesto. Killer! One major reason I keep coming back, beside the great service are the large cups of coffee. Already looking forward to my next trip so I can try something else. read more

Island Lava Java - Roasted Veggie Omelette - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii