I love the views, the pizzas, the drinks (especially the Gilligan's Girl) and the staff (Dylan is great!), but I can't ignore the fact that the managers get to wear their own cool Hawaiian shirts and the rest of the staff have to wear the most unbecoming, hideous yellow pollo shirts that show every body roll read more

Kai Eats + Drinks serves up ambiance, great service, and good food and drink as well as any restaurant in a beach front location that I've ever been to...and I've been to a lot! I only visited twice on a recent trip to Kona yet I had a positive and friendly interaction with every employee I encountered. The beer selection is great and the cocktails spot on. The menu isn't large but everything we ordered was good to excellent. While I showed up too late for happy hour, 2 locals told me it's the best in town. Eating at the bar is almost as good as at a table when you consider the great view and service. This place gets it when it comes to running a restaurant/bar that you want to return to. Check it out! read more

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. read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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 read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Eggplant Parmesan ( requested crispy) and the Ahi Picatta - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

We came here two different nights for dinner and really enjoyed the caprese salad and the pear and Gorgonzola pizza. I would definitely recommend both! The views of the ocean are hard to beat here! Service was fast and friendly. It's not a cheap place...but the food was excellent! read more

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! read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Beautiful place with great scenery and atmosphere. Unfortunately, the service was extremely slow. Some of the waitresses seemed to spend a lot of time talking and pacing around while the kitchen staff appeared to be working extremely hard. At one point, we even had to ask another waiter passing by for a fork. The food was decent, but it could have been better, especially considering the overall experience. The drinks were the biggest disappointment. Whoever was making them seemed to have trouble balancing flavors. The drinks were either poorly mixed or lacking entirely. The lava flow barely had any sweetness or flavor and mostly tasted like watered-down rum. The martini also lacked flavor and didn't have the right balance. The location itself is beautiful, but the service and drinks need improvement. I would definitely recommend Don's Tiki Bar or Hugo's on the Rocks instead. Both are downtown in the same area and provide a much better experience. read more

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

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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! read more

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This restaurant wasn't bad at all, I'm guessing it was the entree I chose that wasn't so good. I ordered the Bistecca Toscana, which looked amazing and I was in the mood for steak, so I gave it a go. Wasn't the worst steak I've ever had, but was far from the best. This restaurant's location is prime and offers seating right off of the ocean, an has some of the most beautiful views while at dinner. The staff were all very friendly, and the service was spot on! Maybe I came on a bad night, but I am totally open to dining here again. One thumb and one big toe up for Kai Eats and Drinks. Happy eating, my foodies! read more

Cory the bartender is an absolute rockstar, they seemed a bit shorthanded and he was killing it, very attentive to everyone, the "fun Kai" pizza is amazing, a must have read more

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. read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Haupia cake (from broke da mouth) - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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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. read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Pasta that was special of the day. - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Came here for breakfast with family. Wonderful and friendly staff. View was gorgeous- right by waterfront. Service was good also. Parking can be found in the parking garage next to the restaurant. Compact spaces. No need to pay in advance if you'll be dining at the restaurant. You'll need to go to the host and provide your license plate number. The restaurant will start the validation, and you get 2hrs of complimentary parking, which is nice. We ordered a few items to share as a table. Wanted to try their pizzas, but they weren't available until noon. The POG drink was very much just OJ juice. The breakfast burrito was fair, except we didn't get the pico de gallo on the side. We could've asked, but we didn't. The potatoes on the side were cubed and very salty. The pancakes were OK, nothing extraordinary. The carne fries were also salty... but less than the potatoes. The poké nachos were decent. The coconut shrimp was good. The coconut flavor wasn't overbearing. Overall, food was mediocre, but the staff and views were good. read more

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We had the mahi tacos and the hook, line, and sinker special of swordfish and poke. Both were fresh and tasty. Great views. Chill vibe. Pricey - but everything in Kona is. read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Mahi mahi tacos and poke topped grilled swordfish. - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

What a fun place to eat and drink in the heart of downtown Kona. We come here often for a drink, dinner, breakfast, desserts, and for happy hour! Great service, everyone is happy and friendly here. Our favorite is fungi pizza, Kai's lemon fries, and cheese cakes. Great beer selections on tap. Swing by and enjoy the aloha spirit here! read more

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We found this place in Yelp and the reviews were pretty accurate. Our service was superb. And the ocean view was amazing. We ordered steamed clams (well seasoned) and Caesar salad (a generous portion that was very sharable) to start. Followed that up with spaghetti Bolognese with burrata (tasty) and chicken parmigiana (good). Our second was oven roasted branzino (crispy skin with moist meat) but the sides were just okay. We ordered the coffee flavored cheesecake of the day and it was average. The true highlight of the evening was the ambiance and our server, John. Maybe next time I'll try the pizza. read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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We are here twice during our stay and recommended it to others we chatted with as well. The fish tacos the first trip were excellent and libations equally as good! The seating is absolutely wonderful on the waterfront, especially during sunset and the servers and hostess's were all so polite and chatty! Free parking in the parking garage is a HUGE PLUS, considering across the street is $40/2 hours! Don't forget to take a picture of your license plate to give the hostess! read more

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This is the 2nd time I've come in for dinner and I'm blown away. Food and service is amazing. We had Makela , ask for her. She's great. Right on the water I forgot to mention our drinks were made to perfection Thanks Kai eats Omg!!! The ahi, get it medium rare Ask for more sauce if you get the lemon rosemary chicken Caesar salad, yum. Little crunch with every bite read more

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This was one of our favorite eats on our trip. Our server was super friendly and helpful. We loved their mai tais. I tried their coconut shrimp peanut curry fettuccine ($24). I loved the fusion dish with the crispy shrimp and yummy bell peppers. My sister got the mahi mahi tacos and it was so delicious. read more

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Came here on a whim after cruising Alii drive on foot. When we arrived at the hostess stand, we were quickly seated with an ocean view tabletop. The scenery was spectacular even by local people standards. My daughter kept standing up to look at the ocean views. On the way to our table, we saw a room full of beer kegs and a pizza making area enclosed by clear glass. Being in the heart of tourist strip, I wasn't expecting much but was pleasantly surprised. The menu boasts forty eight beers on tap with an abundant selection of local Big island beers. The food menu is vast and we settled on pizzas. We got the meatsa and cheese pizzas for the kids and fish and chips with couple tap beers for the adults. The pizza came out hot and cheesy, but the homemade crust was the winner, it was soft and chewy and I couldn't stop eating it. The fish and chips were quite delicious, the fish pieces were thick and juicy and the fries were crisp and hot. The kids wanted dessert and they settled for frozen haupia ice cream served in a coconut shell. The kids wanted to take their shells home and waitress was gracious to let them. Highly recommend, will be stopping on my next Kona trip to try out other menu items. read more

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Holy yum! We all devoured our lunch. Literally not one complaint about this place. And we are a picky group! We've got vegans, we've got vegetarians, we've got picky fish eaters, gluten free, gluten lovers, carnivores who hate vegetables, and little kids. We're a mess. But everyone found something on the menu easily and really enjoyed it. The Mai Tai really is special and the server was a delight. Our food came out super fast and anything we requested additionally was brought out quickly. And this is all before mentioning that we ate seaside with the sound of the ocean in the background. Don't miss the parking structure next door. We did and we had to park down the road for $25 for 2 hours! The restaurant will validate parking if you park in the right structure so don't do what we did! read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

First, the view was beautiful. We went close to sunset and I'm glad we did! Our waiter recommended the Ube Limeade which was a refreshing treat after being at the beach all day. So many servers came to our table making sure everything was good and tasted good. I will definitely come back and bring others to experience! read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Complimentary garlic bread - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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One of our favorite restaurants for brunch/breakfast and occasionally dinner. When they changed dinner to a more "fine dining" Italian focussed menu we held off as we heard from people and reviews that it wasn't meeting expectations. After two recent dinner experiences I can say that they are past the rough spots. We went a few weeks ago and our party of three all were pleased with the food. I had the osso bucco and it was delicious. They still have that excellent beer selection and my companions martinis were solid. Last night we returned, and once again the food was delightful. My wife had the eggplant parmigiana and she's still raving about it. I had the seared ahi, even though I cook a lot of ahi at home, and the picatta really made it shine, along with the potatos and greens. Our companion had the hook line & sinker, which was recommended by our very sweet server Jessica, and he thought it excellent. Too often ono can be overcooked, but this was just right. When you consider the location, which is truly oceanfront, and not on the traffic side of Alii drive, and the validated free parking in the underground lot next door (take a pic of your car's license and give it when checking in), the scales are tipped even further towards five stars. To hear the sound of waves without distraction, and to watch the Kona sunset and perhaps if you're real lucky see a green flash, well, it's hard to find a better spot. Also as a four decade plus resident of this town I appreciate everything that the owners have done for the community over the years. When Eric took over at Huggos and his team built Lava Lava at Waikoloa, and then bought what was Bubba Gumps and made it Kai's, well I feel they've done a great job and have made each place they operate special. You may see Eric and friends dining there on occasion; they're personally concerned in the quality and success of their ventures. We'll still take visitors over to Huggo's on the Rocks for live music and a fun evening. Each of the restaurants is memorable in their own right, but for us Kai's is our favorite. Mahalo. read more

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We stayed in town at Kailua Kona on our first trip to the big island. We walked by Kai Eats and Drinks 10 times before we decided to have our last dinner on the island there. It was a good choice. We like to eat dinner early plus we thought we might catch the sunset. We did. (See Photo) We got a seat over looking the water. The weather was perfect so we started off with a couple of drinks and an appetizer to get things going. My wife had the Hawaiian Margarita and I as always had an old fashion. BTW the bartender was extremely generous with the bourbon. Thanks. Our Appetizer was the Calamari which I assume was really good since we devoured it like a Hyena going at a wildebeest carcass. Bring on dinner! I'm not sure why I ordered the Margarita Pizza, perhaps the bourbon got to me but I'm glad I did. The Pizza was perfect. The dough was crunchy but not hard cheese and fresh basil. Awesome! My wife had a Caesar Salad. Boring!! But that's why she looks so much better than I do. Dessert was the Tiramisu with some Kona Coffee. We lingered to watch the sunset and recollected the wonderful time we had on our first trip to the Big Island. We will be back. We will also be back to Kai Eats and Drinks. Definitely Recommended. read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Dinner view at Kai Eats - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Excellent mahi mahi fish & chips! Everyone loved their food. Our waiter was fun and friendly. The view was amazing from the oceanfront lanai. read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Kai Restaurant Kona - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Great service even when busy, friendly & helpful too, on the waters edge was very nice! Seared Ahi was perfection, Fun Kai Pizza JUST WOW THE BEST! Great burgers & fries, Fish & chips, coconut shrimp was good too!! There made since 1969 Mai Tai is very best on the island!! Save room for Coconut sorbet & get 2 you want your OWN!! Thank you for having validated parking too! Our new favorite date night or lunch place read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Fish & chips, slaw - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Absolutely wonderful view. Impeccable service -- the food came out quickly, and never did I need anything more than the slightest eye contact for the waitress to address my needs. As for the food, it was just all right. It was definitely very filling, but everything was just mediocre. The fish tacos, while fresh, were bang average with some flavorless accoutrements, and the beans, while hearty, were definitely a questionable side for them. I had high hopes for the pizza and ordered what seemed closest to a Hawaiian pie (Kalua pork and pineapple), but that was also decidedly average. The crust was comically large, the presentation rather unappetizing with pools of grease, and the bottom was so floppy that I couldn't believe they dared tout a wood-fired brick oven. read more

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When in Kona, Kai is one of our favorite places to enjoy a great meal, whether it's breakfast or dinner. The ocean view is phenomenal! The service is wonderful. Staff is very friendly! They even validate parking from parking structure next door. read more

The food we had ordered was great but it's disappointing that their online site shows and mentions different foods offered than once in the restaurant. We also had to refer back to online to find any keiki options as they aren't on their in restaurant menus. Would be nice to add that option. The wait takes awhile for sure (table and service), even at not so busy hours of the day, so if you're in a rush, this isn't the location for you. They do offer free validated parking which is nice though. read more

This place will always remain a positive experience in my heart. When we visit the Big Island we usually stay on the Kona side. Their breakfast and lunch menu is the bomb! You can't leave here hungry. The portions and huge, the prices are very reasonable, and the food tastes fresh. You can get your favorites with a little Hawaiian twist or big twist. And the service, no matter the waitress or waiter nothing but Aloha. While you wait for your food you get a beautiful view (no matter where you sit) while listening to the waves. I'm going to miss this place. read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Three Cheese Omelet. - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Happy hour from 3-5pm. Not many drinks included on happy hour unless you drink beers. There is a lillikoi mule though. And dynamite fries. The Mac Nut Old Fashion is amazing but not on the happy hour list. Friendly service, but I think our waitress kid understood us and anyways it was fine. Sat on the small outdoor patio, but at least there is a patio with a view of the ocean. Is a great place for sunset. read more

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Yeah, the food was amazing. The service was on point. Good ambience Rihanna party at 10 people everybody loved their food to the chef. Excellent job definitely be back into the bartender made the best drinks read more

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We debated a 2 or 3 here. Plusses: the view is amazing. Right on the ocean. We came for dinner, after dark, watching and hearing the waves crash on rocks feet away from us was great. Beer menu was good. I wasn't inspired by the cocktails, but I'm not a mai tai fan. Minuses: my partner got a burger, specifically asked if it was fresh ground beef --yes the waitress said, and she asked if she wanted it pink, yes. Burger arrived, definitely looked like a frozen patty. No pink. My fresh mahi mahi dish was better, although there were so many flavors all competing. Curry on the plate, pineapple mango topping and an aioli drizzle. It was good, a little sweet. Service wasn't great, either, although I do not rate restaurants on service--anyone can have a bad day! read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Hook line and sinker mahi mahi - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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The food was great and the service was fun and friendly! Food and drink recommendations were spot-on and even in the midst of stormy weather, Kai's made our anniversary dinner a delicious night to remember! Be sure to order dessert too! The lime pie was epic! read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Huggo's famous big island lime pie! - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

The nachos are amazing here and I had a great ube drink with coconut that was so yummy too! the bartender was awesome super nice and fixed our drinks perfectly! I Love the view from here especially now with all the huge waves read more

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Hadn't been to Kai's since they changed the menu, and I was honestly pleasantly surprised. Everything we tried was fresh, flavorful, and way better than expected. Beth absolutely made the experience. Outstanding service from start to finish. She gave great recommendations, checked in at all the right times, and brought such fun, welcoming energy to the table. The vibes were on point all night and she really made us feel taken care of. Definitely glad we came back. The new menu won me over, and Beth is a huge reason we'll be returning. read more