So we went in for breakfast just as they got slammed with 20 walk-ups. Brandon and Frenchie…read moresurvived the onslaught with aplumb and delivered tasty, wonderful meals for us all. Try the french toast, the breakfast sandwich or eggs benedict. The wait is woth it and if you have conversations going it is quick enough to be just under an hour

We ordered the Sweet Bread French Toast with strawberry compote and the Mauka & Makai Benedict. The…read moreFrench toast was enjoyable, though fairly typical, while the Benedict was the standout dish, especially the grilled filet medallion lobster, which added a unique touch and great flavor. Beyond the food, the view created a pleasant ambiance and made for an enjoyable dining setting. Unfortunately, the experience was overshadowed by a cleanliness issue when our coffee was served. Both cups had visible lipstick marks on the rims. Although the staff promptly replaced them, it was an unpleasant first impression and raised concerns about attention to detail in dishwashing and quality control. Clean tableware is a basic expectation, so this was disappointing to encounter. Overall, we appreciated the food, the beautiful setting, and the staff's response, but the cleanliness issue significantly detracted from the experience.

Christian was the best bartender I've had while visiting. He went above and beyond and was super…read morefriendly!

Such a beautiful location with great food. I'm glad we had good options while we were staying at…read morethe Hilton Waikoloa. We didn't want to drive too far, so came here. The coconut shrimp is delicious. The miso Kona kampachi was good and my steak tacos were also good. It was such a pretty and relaxing dinner with friendly staff. I would recommend if you're in the area.

Great food, great service, and amazing atmosphere. Truly enjoyed our mini family reunion that we…read morecelebrated here.

We went for dinner. We had reservations, so we were seated immediately. We were not having drinks…read moreso straight away ordered burger to share. Service was good and quick. Burger was ok, nothing extra ordinary. Ambience is good and I think they have good drinks on menu. Will revisit sometime.

The vibe is so relaxing. Beef shortrib loco moco is also very delicious. The gravy is not too heavy…read moreand the egg is perfect. Kids waffle is only 10bucks and is made heartily. Whenever we are back to Kona, we go to this place for a proper meal.

The food here is excellent! I had dinner 3 times at HāLani during my stay. The service is also top…read morenotch. I tried the following: Ahi carpaccio: 5/5 I can't stop thinking about this carpaccio, it is so good! The eggplant and pine nuts add a beautiful touch. This is a must order. Wagyu skirt steak: 5/5 perfectly cooked and seasoned. I'd highly recommend this dish. The potatoes that come with are also solid. Grilled broccolini: 5/5 no notes, delicious Mediterranean orzo: 5/5 great flavor and perfectly cooked. All beef hot dog (Keiki menu): 5/5 Great hotdog! The bread is lightly sweet which comp This was my favorite restaurant on property!

A co-worker highly recommended Lava Lava to us, and we are really happy we decided to go. They only…read morehad 4pm reservations, but we got there at that time and slow played our dinner to ensure we were there for the sunset and live music. We had a prime table right on the end of the sand. It had an amazing view, and the sunset is fantastic here. You will see a bunch of people taking photos. The live music was a great touch, though you won't be able to hear it if you are seated on the other side. In terms of food, we were generally happy. The kids enjoyed the parmesan garlic bread and edamame. My favorite dish was actually a salad called Spinugula. It was huge, and a great mix of arugula, spinach, gorgonzola cheese, strawberries, and candied macadamia nuts. My wife had the coconut crusted tofu, and said it was solid. I had the ahi poke nachos, and they were disappointing. They just didn't wow me like I thought they would. Dessert was good- we had the Kona coffee cheesecake. The beer menu is also impressive with a ton of local draft options. They also have TVs at the bar, so this would be a good place to catch a game. And the waiting grass area out front has a ton of fun games for kids.

I don't understand why LLBC doesn't have a higher overall rating! It almost kept us away but I'm so…read moreglad we checked it out on recommendation of friends. We were seated promptly upon arrival at our reservation time. The hostess was super friendly and chatty. Our server was not one of those big personality type of servers, but she was friendly, polite, helpful, and very attentive. She was exactly who we needed at the end of a long week. The food was so wonderful. There were 5 different entrees among the 6 of us and no one had a single complaint. The seating on the beach and the spectacular sunset view is unmatched. There is nothing like seeing sea turtles on the water from your table. Everyone was casually leaving their seats to go next to the water, taking photos, enjoying the scenery. It was a really cool vibe. When the sun peeked through the clouds at sunset almost everyone got up from their seats to take photos and enjoy the moment. It was beautiful and peaceful. The live music with a dancer topped the ambiance off in a way that I find difficult to describe. I'd like me you read the negative reviews and wonder if you should check it out please do yourself a favor and GO! The food, service, and views are hands down the best we've had after 8 days in Hawaii.

Pro Tip: Enjoy a Luxury Resort Without Staying There…read more Here's a little Big Island travel hack... You don't have to be a guest at the five-star Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection to soak up its incredible atmosphere. Simply tell the valet you're dining at Surf Shack, enjoy a bite, a drink--or both--and they'll validate your parking. The complimentary valet alone feels like a win. The resort is consistently recognized as one of the Big Island's premier luxury destinations. Once you've eaten, take your time exploring the property. Stroll the beautifully landscaped grounds, relax in the open-air lounges, wander the shoreline, watch the waves roll in, browse the upscale shops, and enjoy one of the most peaceful resort settings on the Kohala Coast. The ambiance is worth the visit all by itself. As for Surf Shack, the setting is fantastic. The food? Good, but definitely priced with a luxury resort zip code. We enjoyed our meal, but you'll likely pay a premium for what you order. So here's the hack: Pay for lunch... get the resort experience for free. Between the validated valet parking, stunning grounds, oceanfront setting, and laid-back luxury vibe, it's one of the best values on the Big Island if you know the secret. Just don't tell too many people.

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.

Food was what to expect from an Auberge resort facility. Ambiance was also what you'd expect if…read moreyou've ever visited any of their establishments. Kabob was our main with hummus for the appetizers. We ended up not ordering enough for the main because I think when I'm sitting down you can't tell I'm 6'8" 220lbs and they advertise their meals as shareable. If you eat a lot, the kabobs aren't shareable. Pay attention at the desert layout; we decided to go with the unhealthy route which was to top off with some sweets instead of ordering more mains . The frozen milk cake for me was it even though they pushed the pavolova as the one. The smores is pretty average tasting s'mores but definitely a luxury version so I'd never say don't get it, I'd just say it's obtainable elseware if you're trying to decide on a space you might not visit again. The service was also on par with the establishments well earned reputation and they also had eats for our 3 year old (pizza, which somehow he ate the entire serving of and threatened me if I tried some). 5 star experience

THE BEST HAPPY HOUR AND PLACE TO EAT CLOSE TO THE WATER HANDS DOWN…read more Hā Bar is lights out on ambience, service, and food. Literally all components were off the charts. We loved the hotel that this bar resides in. It's been renovated and looks incredible. We tried to check out 3 other spots in Waikoloa and all of them looked terrible. This was A BIG WIN, and we wished we could've gone more during our stay. Everything was solid so you won't be sorry.

Hands Down amazing restaurant!…read more Our waiter Garratt was outstanding--friendly, attentive, and made us feel welcome from the moment we sat down. He was knowledgeable about the menu, checked on us throughout the meal, and made the entire experience even better. I ordered the special Macadamia Nut Snapper, and it was absolutely amazing. The fish was perfectly cooked, incredibly fresh, and the macadamia nut crust added the perfect flavor and texture. My wife ordered the ribeye, and it was very tender, juicy, and flavorful Between the incredible food, relaxing atmosphere, and exceptional service from Garratt, this was easily one of the best dining experiences we had during our trip to Hawaii. We will definitely be back the next time we're on the island. Thanks again Garratt! Sea Bass and the fellas all the way

Another fabulous experience at Tommy's! Garrett provided excellent service. He knows the menu very…read morewell. This time I had grilled Kampachi, that the chef was able to prepare for me without the usual marinades. I'm very sensitive to alliums (garlic, onions), so this was very important to me. What a luscious, fresh, and flavorful fish! Manager Jason was involved from start to finish and insured that every food item was prepared correctly for my needs. My wife had the filet mignon with mushroom gravy. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare and was so tender and delicious. We shared the biscuits as an appetizer. They are very good! Lastly, the ambiance is truly very nice. The open air vibe makes for a wonderful atmosphere and a great evening.

A hidden gem in the heart of Waikoloa…read more We decided to try this place, on the recommendation of our Uber driver and it was worth it. It's only a few minutes walk from the Hilton Grand vacations club. The servers were super friendly and helpful. We ordered their burger and some wings. The food was pretty good. And the cost was very reasonable for Hawaii. Overall, it has a sports bar beach vibe with several TVs playing the current game. I'd recommend you should try it, if you're staying nearby.

Be sure and wear a down jacket this place is freezing we were seated under the air conditioner our…read morewaitress created us and said we were the. Last people they would serve. We ordered waited 45min or more Our waitress was so snippy she couldn't of been rude

We had a great experience at A-Bay's Island Grill, and a big part of that was Sadie. She was…read moreawesome! Sadie was bartending while also taking care of the entire floor, helping customers, waiting on tables, giving food and drink recommendations, and somehow keeping everything moving smoothly. She even invited us back for Karaoke Night! We've worked in the service industry ourselves, and honestly, Sadie was more efficient and attentive than what we've experienced at many larger restaurants and hotels in Kona with much bigger staffs. She handled everything with a genuine Aloha spirit, a great attitude, and a smile. She is a tremendous asset to the restaurant. If I were the owner, I'd be looking at giving her a raise and putting her in a leadership or management role. She clearly has the ability to increase efficiency and bring out the best in a team. Highly recommend stopping by A-Bay's Island Grill. And if you get the chance, make sure you meet Sadie. She's one of those people who makes you want to come back!

I made reservations ahead of time, but honestly, I don't think they were necessary. My family and I…read moresat outside on the patio, and there was live music, which was a huge plus and probably one of my favorite parts of the evening. The food was just okay overall. The kids ordered chicken tenders and fries and said they were good. My husband ordered an ono sandwich, which he thought was fine, and I ordered the kalbi plate. The kalbi was probably the highlight of the meal--the portion was very generous and there was plenty of meat. The macaroni salad though, could definitely use some improvement. The macaroni salad wasn't very good, and both the rice and macaroni salad portions were about the size of a small ice cream scoop. For a plate like this, I definitely think they could be more generous with the rice. Our server was nice, but not very attentive, so the service was just okay. Overall, the atmosphere and live music were enjoyable, but the food and service were pretty average. I'd give it about 3 stars.