Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Kai Eats + Drinks

    4.3 (735 reviews)
    Special Hours Closed
    Updated a few days ago

    Order Kai Eats + Drinks Takeout or Delivery

    Kai Eats + Drinks Photos

    Business Info

    KAI EATS + DRINKS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Touristy
    Loud
    Dogs allowed

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Kai Eats + Drinks

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Burger order with fries
    Thomas L.

    Surprisingly great tasting food, with amazing Ocean background, but limited by the very slow service. We came here on a slow night and we ordered a bunch of food, beers, and overall had a great time. We sat right outside so you can hear the beautiful ocean waves crashing. Food : we had burgers and shared different pizzas. Overall the food tasted better than expected and one of the better tastes on the island Beers: Great selection of draft beers including some Kona drafts you can't find in too many places around the island Service : This is where the 2 stars were taken off. Unfortunately, I know this is island time, but taking 1 hour to get our beers and not allowing us to order until we got our beers really negatively impacted the experience. I'm okay with taking our time with dinner, but at least we could have gotten our beers fast. Overall, we expected a 1 hour dinner, but got a 3 hour waiting period for everything instead. If you come on a night that had faster service, this place would definitely be a 5/5.

    Joy H.

    I had a wonderful time at Kai's. The host was welcoming and seated us to a nice spot at the restaurant, ocean view and watching the surfers and boogie boarders was a bonus. The Kale Salad was fresh and delicious. The Meatballs and Focaccia bread were good. We asked for an extra marinara sauce for the Lasagna since it has a lot of cheese. The Tiramisu is the best ever had.

    Coconut shrimp

    Great service was very helpful with the menu. Food was good too the shrimp was really big and good sauce with it. Enjoyed the spaghetti bolognese. My girlfriend enjoyed her food too. Really cool Oceanside views.

    Sunset view from the far end of the open patio
    Eowyn K.

    Kai may have the best happy hour in the Kona area. Be aware it is at the bar only. They had great cocktails at $8, and $5 house wine. They offer half price apps, pizza, and some other options. We made reservations for a table for the sunset, but came early for happy hour drinks at the bar. The sunset is a bit difficult from the angle of the restaurant, only a couple tables had a good view. You start with the, worth the calories, soft bread and oil. My friend and I shared the catch of the day, the fish was served with mango Cole slaw, veggies, and excellent cream sauce. The staff is fantastic, from the manager who could actually pronounce my name, to the hustling bar tender, and the excellent but relaxed table service.

    Bobby F.

    Absolutely incredible experience at Kai. From the moment we arrived, the ambience set the tone for a memorable evening -- the beautiful Hawaiian setting, relaxing atmosphere, and attention to detail made it feel like a truly special dining experience. The best item of the evening was the coconut shrimp. If you go here definitely give them a try. They split the shrimp, not too coconut heavy but a ton of meat and they serve it with creamy twist on the typical sweet chili sauce you usually find. The highlight of the night was our server, Keegan. He was exceptional -- knowledgeable, attentive, personable, and had the perfect balance of professionalism and genuine hospitality. He clearly knows the menu inside and out, offered thoughtful recommendations and no issues with modifications (no arugula, sauce on side etc.) & made us feel welcomed rather than just served. His timing was impeccable, and his passion for creating a great guest experience really stood out. I even made a mistake on an order and he corrected it no questions asked. Great food, stunning atmosphere, and service that elevated the entire evening. Keegan is a true asset to Kai, and we can't wait to return on our next visit to Kona!

    Fun Kai funghi pizza
    Annie D.

    2 hours validated parking in the lot. We came during shoulder season is May so it wasn't too busy. Lots of locals at the bar. Excellent happy hour prices especially for the pizzas! Cocktails tasted cheap and artificial. I would stick with alcoholic beverages on tap. Plenty of TVs if you like to watch sports. Overall great option for pizza and a beer. Dog friendly!

    David S.

    With validated parking for 2 hours and for a restaurant on the water, it's hard to beat. We came for happy hour and were surprised to find some great food options on the list as well. We decided to go for the salad and "fun Kai" pizza. The pizza was very good and had a nice soft crunch to it. The salad was also very good but it just needed more toppings since there were a lot of greens in comparison. The bartender provided amazing service and was very friendly. The bar had a local type vibe mixed in with some visitors but it was nice to talk to some locals. Great spot for food and drinks in that area.

    The lightest, creamiest, most heavenly coconut  cake you will ever taste!!!!
    Gigi B.

    The food was spot on in flavor, freshness, and just so satisfying! Our server Savannah was delightful and the coconut cake was a dream!!

    Steve S.

    We ordered a couple of drinks and pancakes and absolutely loved the Bloody Mary -- probably one of the best Old Bay Bloody Marys I've ever had. It tasted like they were using pickle juice, Old Bay seasoning, and a few other ingredients that made it really stand out. Just really, really good. The buttermilk pancakes were also delicious, with a subtle hint of coconut and maple syrup. The price point was perfect, and both the service and atmosphere were on point. We will definitely be back. Often the distance is our ship celebrity edge.

    Eggplant Parmesan ( requested crispy) and the Ahi Picatta
    Jacob T.

    Awesomeness From the moment we arrived, everyone was gracious and welcoming. Our waitress Beth was superb. The ambiance right on the water's edge was delightful and the food delicious. I've been looking for an Italian place in Kona where I could get eggplant Parmesan that was crispy instead of soggy. I mentioned this to Beth, so she asked the kitchen to make it crispy. It was perfect

    Haupia cake (from broke da mouth)
    Kylie S.

    Dined here on a Wednesday in a group of 10. They don't seat groups over 6 people! They were kind enough to accommodate us in a table of 6 and an adjacent table of 4 on the lanai. Service was very friendly!! Food was good, pricey though. I had the seared ahi (med rare). I definitely enjoyed it but you can get something similar elsewhere for about $10 less than what they charge here. The cake was alright, coconut flakes were not our thing but the cake inside was good. We had reservations at 6:30, but I'm sure this would be a wonderful place to watch the sunset over dinner! Might have to come back for the ambiance.

    Pasta that was special of the day.
    Aditi Y.

    We were here on a Sunday around 11.30am. Seems most places have brunch menu on Sundays which has limited items so while we were waiting for bigger menu to be available at 12, we ordered drinks first. They have a bar and their seating on the patio is facing the ocean so definitely would be a great sunset place to come back for. I ordered a pasta which was very nice. Bf had a sandwich which was very huge on the size. Portions on the sandwiches are very large for sure.

    Gillian E.

    Fabulous view. Wonderful waitress. The coconut shrimp +2 sides was just what I needed (although it was like +$6 or $8 for the sides and they're regularly a few dollars cheaper which isn't great). The smash burgers were not great but it did not take away from the meal. Great beer list. Really enjoyed my time here!

    See all

    20 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    6 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Bobby F.
    105
    62
    4

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Marc S.
    2
    112
    3

    2 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dana L.
    8
    21
    31

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    7 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Chris L.
    197
    30
    18

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Shelly K.
    88
    164
    198

    9 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    29 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Frank B.
    85
    71
    28

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Steve K.
    7
    179
    719

    8 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Yonathan M.

    Yonathan M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    Page 1 of 19

    Kai Eats + Drinks Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Kai Eats + Drinks

    Can customers vote somewhere to get rid of new Italian menu and go back to the old normal?

    Privately owned restaurants are not a democracy.

    Was this the former Bunba Gumps?

    Yes, the exact location where Bubba Gumps used to be.

    Are dogs allowed in the outdoor seating?

    I have definitely seen dogs at the bar more than once. There are lots of places in Kona that people take dogs that aren't supposed to be allowed though, where they become "service dogs". So take that with a grain of salt.

    Do you offer take out?

    Yes of course! You can even order online!

    Do you take reservations?

    We are first come, first served! Mahalo for asking!

    What time is Happy Hour?

    Happy hour is from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

    View All 7 Questions

    You might also consider

    The Temple Kitchen + Bar

    The Temple Kitchen + Bar

    4.4
    (169 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    Locally sourced ingredients
    Outdoor seating

    Amazing food! Jennifer was patient, informative, and incredibly kind, which made the experience…read moreeven better. The food overall was awesome. The tri-tip tacos were just okay for me -- next time I'd probably try them with chicken instead. The ʻulu was absolutely delicious and definitely a standout dish. Sat looking at the ocean !! Nice

    Loved the Temple Kichen and Bar. The star of the show here is their Flatbreads and Meat. That is…read morewhat they are known for. Came in on a 4 PM Saturday afternoon after 7 hours of travel. Ravenous and throat parched, the pictures for The Temple drew us in. Restaurant was empty save a family of 6 sitting in the corner. To summarize the experience the food tasted as delicious as it looked. Service was spot on. Skip the barbecue chicken tacos they were overrated. Our server warned against it but we were feeling chicken. It was a mid dish. The star of the show was the Calabrese Flatbread. It was phenomenal. Really tasty, ample cheese, marinara sauce, with large chunks of sausage that were so flavorful. The potatoes we got were supposed to be island potatoes and tasted okay with lots of Chimmichuri Sauce. Ask for more on the side to dip the potatoes in. Kona beer on tap, Michelob in bottles, and some nice house drinks to round it off. Their dessert selection looked tasty, but so full that stomach was hurting after the meal. Will be back again if I'm in the area!

    Photos
    Changed up the patio with actually comfortable tables and chairs! Looks great
    Changed up the patio with actually comfortable tables and chairs! Looks great
    Kona Kanpachi Ceviche
    Kona Kanpachi Ceviche
    Prime-cut seared ribeye with house made Chimichurri

    See all

    Prime-cut seared ribeye with house made Chimichurri
    On The Rocks

    On The Rocks

    3.8
    (2k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    the food was delicious. i got the pork sandwich (ate it before i remembered to take a picture) and…read moreit was delicious. my lava flow and my aunts pina colada were both great. the ambiance is fabulous with live music every night and you are right up on the sand watching the sunset and the waves. the only disappointment for me was our server. the service was INCREDIBLY slow and when we asked her to take a couple cups out of the way because we were running out of space on the table she rolled her eyes at us. she also didn't come back to check on us between the time we got our drinks and halfway through our meal which was unfortunate because we probably would've ordered a couple more rounds of drinks had she been back. * edit : servers name is amani. she disappeared every time we needed her all night. she dropped our checks and didn't come back for like 20 mins even though we immediately put our cards down. she wasn't friendly and she also didn't let us know it would be an up charge to sub fries for salad. she was rude and absent most the night and definitely put a damper on the experience.

    We have been going here since 2005. It's been a favorite. However lately we ventured back because…read morewe craved their Taco Salad. When the Taco Salads arrived it was noticeably smaller. Chicken we ordered had no grill marks like before and the chicken was placed on top as one piece. Very little lettuce, and the shell it came in was smaller. Really sad to see. I know everyone is cutting corners and making concessions to make a profit but this was not a meal sized portion. We've enjoyed fish and chips, sliders, tacos, burgers, salads prior to the changes. For old time sake I ordered a Mai Tai. I was surprised a lime wedge replaced the pineapple and cherry skewer I enjoyed. Staff is friendly and host was very nice. Music at 6 pm is fun. We love watching the sunset, musicians playing and sometimes a gracious hula dancer. It can be busy, long waits for dinner. I really hope Huggo's on the Rocks can retain its special charm.

    Photos
    On The Rocks
    Ka'lua (Baked) Pork Nachos
    Ka'lua (Baked) Pork Nachos
    Sunset by our hotel

    See all

    Sunset by our hotel

    Kai Eats + Drinks - tacos - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...