Our first time in Kona and this place was a great start to our vacation. We were seated promptly and the bartender that greeted us (Brittany) was outstanding! She was friendly and gave some great recommendations around town. The ambiance here us casual will lively music and people coming in and out. This place should get more fuller because they have amazing food! Our first time there we ordered drinks they were scrumptious and a great variety of drinks. We also ordered a pizza. Y'all their pizza is sooooo good! We were told their flour comes from Italy. All I know is their pizza was on point! The second time we visited this place we ordered the Carne asad fries. Y'all the fries were flavorful and the meat had so much flavor. The chimichurri was on point and gorganzola cheese just goodness! And we couldn't help ourselves to order another pizza. Both times we visited it was great to not be let down. Kai keep up the great work you are doing because you are doing awesomeness! read more

Huge menu of great options! The coconut cake was AWESOME! And so was the macnut chocolate pie:-) We had a really nice server and parking was next door. Great views of the water we were sitting next to:-). read more

**vegetarian review** This place is beautiful since it's right on the water and had great views. It was super nice to sit here and enjoy a meal. I got the mango tango pizza and the lemon fries. I also did custom drink - gin and tonic with lilikoi. The food come out super quick - the pizza was as you would expect - kinda sweet and savoury. The pizza has coconut curry base which was interesting to say the least. The fries came with chimichuri sauce with was delicious. We had a birthday in the group and got a complimentary key lime pie - decorated with funfetti which was delicious as well!! The service was attentive and not rushing us to empty the table which was quite appreciated as well. read more

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Our local place is slowly pricing us out from coming. $20 for a burger, but fries are extra? Love the staff and the food is great. But it's just getting too expensive to eat out anymore. read more

We stopped here for breakfast and the food and ambience was the perfect start to our day! The server was friendly and had great suggestions for other places to visit and you just can't beat the view from their patio! Breakfast burrito is amazing! read more

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

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I'm not a local, but a frequent visitor to Big Island. I was looking forward to dinner with the menu I was familiar with, but to my surprise, showed up to find the casual feel replaced with white tablecloths and an Italian menu. Okay, I'll give anything a try. My husband had a pasta dish that he said was OK. My daughter's kids pasta was soggy and drenched in liquid. And the pollo bianco pizza I ordered was very sad--only four chunks of chicken, but it was piled with arugula and had several whole cloves of garlic on top in puddles of oil. My cocktail was good, and the staff was friendly. Great view. I feel they tried to fix something that wasn't broken. I hope to see the old menu return in the future. read more

Great food and incredible views. Staff was friendly and accommodated our party of 6 just before sunset. I think we got lucky on timing because the place filled up very quickly after we were seated. Will definitely return next time we visit. read more

They have a great menu, the food is good, and service excellent. But the best feature is the ocean side ambiance. Highly recommended.

The sweet potato fries were delicious. Crispy and not greasy. The key lime pie was good but denser than I thought it was going to be. The atmosphere is amazing. I saw dolphins off in the distance and on a nice sunny day you can see the fish and rocks appear as the waves rise up and crash back down. I could watch the waves all day. The menu is a QR code and the staff were lovely. There is parking available in a parking garage but make sure your car is not too tall because I saw one hit the top of their car. They can validate your parking at the hostess podium. read more

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Great food, great view and great prices !!! 2hr free with validation, read signs, don't prepay. Go to restaurant first for checkin + validation. read more

This was the first place that My friends and & ate at in Kona and it did not disappoint! We loved it so much, we came back 3 more times over the next few months. The view of the beach is perfect and it's right in center of the Kona town area, so it was very convenient. We had one server who was consistently helpful and always friendly. I got a different dish every time, and each one perfectly satisfied my cravings. If you are in Kona, I highly suggest this place for convenience, affordability, good atmosphere, and amazing service! read more

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My opinion, you go here for the view... not the food or service. We had an ocean side table (which I posted) that had an amazing view. But overall this is like a chain-- bar louie style restaurant. Drinks were sugary, food was mediocre, service was painfully slow. We attempted to come here for a quick dinner and felt like it wasn't busy but our server would disappear for super long periods. Quick dinner ended up being almost 2 hours.. I get the "island timel concept but 2 hours for a taco and one drink is a little absurd and I didn't experience that anywhere else (even when I was the one moving slow). We had the tacos and they were good, not great. The mango tango pizza was different but we all agreed not something we'd do again... and the brownie well, was a large brownie. There just wasn't anything memorable about this place other than the view. read more

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

We were seated for brunch at an outdoor patio about 8 feet from the water. We got to watch parasailers and a pod of dolphins while we waited. Amazing view and the staff is very friendly. We had brunch - pork Benedict and classic breakfast. Everything is made from scratch on the menu. Perfect start to our trip. read more

Great view, tasty food, and friendly staff. My wife said the view alone is good enough for a visit. read more

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

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We found parking on the street and walked to this place recommended by a local friend after sunset. We were happy to see and hear the waves crashing on the rocks and feel cool breezes. The whole restaurant is outdoors mostly covered. We ordered mahi mahi tacos and funghi pizza and hamburger. Everything was delicious! I especially enjoyed the mahi mahi tacos with a good-sized fish perfectly cooked with slaw and salsa. read more

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We went to the King Kamehameha Day parade, and decided to give Kai Eats and Drinks a try. There was no wait time, despite our arrival around 12:30 in summer, and we were seated next to the railing with a killer ocean view of the Kona Coast Resort and ocean. The server was pretty friendly, but didn't know the difference between Plantation and Arnold Palmer iced teas. We ordered one of each, but one was just brewed iced tea. We took a chance and ordered the Mango Tango pizza, adding chicken. This pizza had a very dry (slightly overbaked) crust which didn't have much flavor, and the mango was overpowered by the spicy coconut curry, which mostly tasted like curry. We would never order this pizza again, and due to the crust, probably won't order pizza here again. The wait staff was sparse and over-tasked, and didn't come by our table much. I asked for a refill of the sweetened iced tea, and received one of the unsweetened tea. My wife was pretty unhappy with the service, but I thought it was average for a tourist-oriented restaurant in Kailua-Kona. Great view, and I'd like to go back and try the tacos! read more

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Kai is located on Alii Drive in Kona, right on the water. Old timers will remember it as the location of Bubba Gumps and the Spindrifter. Location is gorgeous - you are sitting outside or partially outside on a deck overlooking crashing waves and lava. Our server could not have been more helpful and friendly -- and our food was out in minutes. We had two pizzas and both were great. The menu is fairly expansive and we've been impressed by almost everything we've had at Kai's. read more

STEPH JUDGEMENT: Spacious, casual eatery with stunning ocean views. This place became my go-to spot for oceanside breakfasts while in town. You order at the counter and they bring the food out to you. You seat yourself, and in the early mornings I had my pick of tables. Views are great from everywhere on the patio, and the staff was always very friendly. The breakfast menu was kind of limited, but everything I tried was very good, including the coffee, sigh. Would definitely go back. read more

Mahi Mahi Tacos 10/10 Bubba Burger 10/10 Kona Coffee Cheesecake 10/10 Great food, great view! Go! read more

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

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We had an amazing and beautiful sunset watching the waves roll in. Good burgers, plant based options too. Our server Kennedy was totally on her game. Best we have had at this place. We live here and love to have a casual, Oceanside meal this . Great pizzas too. read more

Amazing views, restaurant is right on the water with a great patio that feels like it extends out into the ocean. Highly recommend going for happy hour. Pizza's and the steak fries were incredible. read more

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

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I like this place a lot. We stopped for lunch and I got only Luau Pizza. I was open for something different and it was tasty! I wasn't ready for how big the pizza was, I took half of it home! Dad's burger came with a neat branding of the restaurant logo on top of the bun. Wife said the gluten free hamburger bun was good. Daughter enjoyed the quesadilla, ever the favorite for kids across the US (and the world?). Seating is open air and covered or umbrellas, so it's not too sunny with nice airflow. Seating is at tables, booths, and the bar. There is a huge selection of beers and cider on tap. They also have wine and cocktails. The mai tai was so good that my mom ordered a second. You can watch them toss the pizzas and go through the fire oven. Look for the bubbles out front. Easy parking in the adjacent garage. Clean bathrooms. Super friendly server who checked in often enough. Pet friendly, I presume because of the water bowls out front. Ocean front views with sights and sounds of the crashing waves. What more could you want in life? Aloha, mahalo, and good night. If you choose to give a thumbs-up or not, I hope you found my review helpful! read more

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Great food! Great view! Great staff! And the best part? The way they welcome and love pups! We live here and are regulars. ENJOY! read more

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We live here and my wife and I frequently go here on our date night. Just tried the new Italian menu and I'm not impressed. We have always been happy at Kai but with the new menu and prices we will not be going here now. read more

This was a great place for dining in the island! We had a great dining experience here! The food was amazing, the bartender was cool and the waitress and over the top! Definitely recommend!! The view gets a 10! read more

Loved the food . The service was excellent even with our party of 12. The views off the patio are spectacular and a plus is the free underground parking. Definitely recommend. read more

My wife and I are winding up our time on the Big Island and we came here today for a late lunch, early dinner. I was in a mood for a pizza since we were eating fresh tuna we caught yesterday. We were seated near the water so our view was incredible. Our waiter was Tim, and the service he gave us was incredible. My wife ordered the nachos with chicken, and I ordered the Meatsy Pizza. The food was incredible, fresh, and tasted delicious. We wound up taking much of it back to our resort. The pizza almost melted in your mouth, and the crust was fresh and light. The nachos were great, and it was a hearty plate. We had the Big Island Lime pie for desert, and it was delicious. If you are ever here, stop by. The food is great, the servers and staff were great, and you won't be disappointed. Mahalo read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - The view from our table at Kai. - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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We asked a local coffee shop owner one morning, "Where is the best place for breakfast with a view?" I am glad he said Kai! During our stay here in Kona, we probably ate at Kai more than 4 times in a row (either breakfast or dinner). Service- Such great service from all the staff members. They were so kind and genuine. I think this was one of the main reasons why we also kept coming back here! Food/drinks: The burrito with pico de gallo was simply DELICIOUS! I highly recommend trying this burrito if eating here for breakfast! The coffee was well made - we ordered lattes extra hot. Barista did a great job! View: Probably one of the best views along the strip of Kona. You'll get a wonderful warm breeze and a beautiful ocean sound that will make you appreciate the world a little bit more. Thank you Kai Eats for being one of our favorite restaurants in Kona! Mahalo! read more

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My husbands company rented out Kai Eats for several days during the Ironman, so I got to eat here a few times. I experienced different levels of service over those days, from very friendly/helpful/professional to also a bit rude. I would say overall the service was good. The food was great and they have a good "American food" menu that also includes poke, fresh fish, Hawaiian-style items. The Mai Tai is great (but aren't they great everywhere in Hawaii?), and I recommend the Coconut Shrimp and Lemon Fries as well as the Poke. This place is very casual and has a wonderful ocean view! Decent happy hour. read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - View from the table - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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I love Kai. We recommend it to everyone who visits the island through our STVR. We also visit Kai as often as possible. l recommend their awesome Luau pizza and their Jolly Roger burger. The service is great and personable. The ambiance is one of the best located in the ideal spot with views of the shore break and unobstructed sunsets. On top of that it's not pricey and fits well within budget. You won't be disappointed. read more

Went for Happy Hour! Ordered the tacos, nachos, and pizza off the happy hour menu. Taco was one singular taco for $5 so good though and such a loaded taco. Nachos were $5 and small but filled with a good amount of toppings. Pizza was only one slice for $5 but still good. Everything was great but probably wouldn't order the pizza again since it was only one slice. Definitely a cool location too. *Happy Hour from 3-5 pm. Small menu but good options. Food is $5. Beer and margaritas are $5. read more

Super Salty and fattening foods -but ocean views from outdoor seating. You know the quality of cuisines and tourists is lacking when overpriced burgers and pizza are being served over the water and below a million dollar sunset. Another downtown trap to snag tourists who won't ever make it back to the Big Island again. The sun happened to be setting as I walking by, so figured I'd grab a table and enjoy a cocktail while the sun set over the water. The drink (man in a grey suit) was definitely lacking alcohol and flavor. Not even a buzz from it. I also ordered a burger because the pictures look med cool with the burnt design. Definitely photogenic but not tasty. read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Not worth $20 - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Sadly I have to update my review from a year and half ago as we did not have a good experience tonight at Kai. We were pleasantly surprised when we were seated immediately, however, there seems to be a good reason for available seating. For starters our water cups were covered in dried crud. After getting water and menus we did not see our waitress for about 10 minutes. We ordered drinks and food at the same time due to our prolonged time with the menus. We watched our drinks sit and get watered down on the bar and were served food before the drinks arrived. When the drinks finally came the server spilled it on one of our parties purse. The food came quickly but was not good. The burger, meant to be plain had to be sent back because they left the sauce on it. The shrimp Alfredo, with only 3 shrimp, was okay but the shrimp was so overcooked it was hard to eat. But the cherry on top was the clams which three of our party members ordered. One member was content with them but wouldn't order them again. My clams were almost inedible as every other one was gritty and tasted very fishy. To make matters worse the other party member found a dead baby crab in her clams which put an end to the eating for the night. I will say that the manager made things right by removing the clams (the one with the baby crab) and the over cooked shrimp from the bill. He handled it very well and even offered a free dessert, which we declined. Over all I'm not sure we would return but the managers efforts to make things right may bring us back at some point. At least the views are great. read more

Service is a 5 star always. Been there many times and it's very consistent with service and food. I have tried all their pizzas and they are great. Great happy hour read more

We loved this restaurant! We went back 3 times! The service is quick and friendly. All the good we ordered was hot, came out quickly, and full of flavor. The pepperoni fries were out of this world. Order the red sauce on the side so they aren't soggy. read more

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We had such a great dinner here tonight!! Highly recommended. Our server Hayley was fantastic 10/10. She gave us the best recommendations and even came over to fix our table that we didn't even notice was slightly wobbly. Best server we've had in a long time!! Outstanding service. Really great views and atmosphere with very reasonable pricing. Huge beer/seltzer/cider selection. I had the OG Huggo's Mai Tai and wow it was incredible!! So good that I ordered a coconut mai tai next, also delicious but I prefer the original unless you prefer a bit more sweetness, then get the coconut one. We had the coconut shrimp to start which came out fast and piping hot, the half chicken (easily enough for 2-3 people really) and the fungi pizza (also big portion). All delicious, fast, hot and fresh. Then the s'mores pizza for dessert! We have so many leftovers. Don't miss this one!! read more

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Super cute place. Went with the dirty chai which was actually pretty sweet. I also tried the spiced pumpkin bread, which was good but couldn't really taste any pumpkin. It was more like a spice cake. The staff was super friendly and efficient. I would come back again, to try out their other drinks and the Cinnamon roll looked fire. read more

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Excellent flavor. Plenty of food . Excellent service. The staff is friendly and welcoming . Drinks are great. Enjoy the ambiance along the beautiful ocean . We live in Waikoloa Village and always stop here when in town. Great job everyone. read more

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

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Best view at sunset. My kids pick this place every time. We joked w the waitress as she said "see ya tomorrow!". Really great service, drinks, coconut cake, nachos and pizzas. Their pizza crust is super yummy. read more

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

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Very good location right on the ocean. Cute place and we were seated quickly. The music was too loud - I'd prefer to hear the ocean. Server was prompt and suggested items he likes, which is always nice. Beer selection was great. They are apparently known for their pizzas, but we ordered tacos. They were tasty and the side of beans was delicious. However, everything is an upsell here. The side of fries for your burger, the guacamole, the sour cream even, cost extra. It does feel like a chain and the menus are pretty gimmicky. I gave it four stars for location and beer selection. read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Avocado and black bean tacos - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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