Amazing experience for the new Italian menu at Kai Eats. For those sad about the change in menu, PLEASE give the new menu a chance for dinner time. My husband and I used to drive all the way to Waikoloa to eat Italian at Pueo's when we lived in Kona. If we didn't live over an hour north, this would have been our new regular spot. Our server was John -- incredible service, great energy, and he was so knowledgeable about the cuisine. He gave me spot on recommendations for our choices. The pesto shrimp pasta was INCREDIBLE and I wish I could eat it every week! My husband got the burger (just as good as it always has been) as well as the mini pepperoni pizza. For starters, we had the Polpetta/meatball. Those were so incredibly juicy, moist, and flavorful. Truly an incredible meal. There isn't another Italian restaurant in Kona that scratches this itch. I will definitely be returning to eat this whenever I'm in Kona next. read more

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

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Came for sunset and happy to see they had happy hour. More chill than Huggo's On The Rocks but similar casual vibe and excellent sunset views! We tried On the Rocks few days prior and had to wait for a seat, but no wait here and dare I say better service? John was excellent! Boo got a Coco Tai which he sucked down - almost too easy to drink - and couple Mai Tais. I enjoyed couple of the more refreshing Gilligan's Girl. Glad they had a variety of options, including wine. We had a late lunch so weren't very hungry but ordered a few things to try - a couple happy hour chicken and beef tacos that I wouldn't write home about (or order again) but enjoyed the lemon Kai fries - didn't get as much lemon flavor as I'd have liked but the chimichurri sauce was delish! They also validated parking which is really nice! read more

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Amazing food and service. Mekela P was our server and could not of done a better job taking care of us.

OK, here we go. I actually created a Yelp account just to leave this review. Why change something that wasn't broken? I really miss their old dinner menu especially the fries. I've noticed a lot of the replies are only addressing the pasta portions, but that's not the whole issue. The problem isn't just portion size; it's the menu itself. They should have added pasta to the original menu instead of replacing it. Honestly, who wants to spend that much money on a pasta dinner in Kona? Does Kona really need another overpriced place to eat? When I went this past weekend, I didn't know what to think. It went from being one of my favorite spots with great food to feeling like I was eating mediocre pasta. Looking at what the menu used to be compared to what it is now, I have to ask: how do you go from that to this? Whoever suggested making this big of a menu change really needs to rethink their strategies. Moves like this are going to break the place if they're not careful. Maybe the owners should address this as soon as possible before they lose any more business. I only come here once or twice a year, but I've always recommended this place to friends visiting Kona. After this change, I'm not so sure anymore. read more

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

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As a Vegetarian, this place is OK because of the limited options. The lime fries are very sour so be aware of that before you order. Their beyond burger patty is the best I have had for a beyond burger and their vegan tacos are also good. Nothing fancy but good. They validate parking so make sure you park in their basement. Service is great and the view from their deck is awesome. Overall 3/5. read more

It's ok. Not amazing -- the reviews surprise me. It's basically bar food in a REALLY nice setting. We had several things: poke, mahi tacos, chicken teriyaki, and a pizza and we all agreed on one thing: it wasn't bad, but it was just mediocre. The setting is lovely. It's like a big porch right on the water. It's breezy and cool, and from some locations you can see the sunset. They also have FREE PARKING in the garage next door. This is amazing, because, quite frankly, downtown Kona is now a real mess with one way streets, expensive parking and awful traffic. Our server was lovely, We wanted for nothing! All in all, if you're looking for a quick bite or a drink with a cool breeze and a nice view (isn't everyone?), this place fits the bill. If you're looking for a nice dinner, it's only average. read more

Probably 3.5 stars. There are some highly desirable features here, especially the ocean view and wood fired pizza cooked right in view. But there are also some odd features that make the experience less-ideal. First, there's a sign outside that says "validated parking." That's nice because it's right in the hub of the busiest part of Kona's restaurant/ tourist strip. It's also conveniently next to the parking garage. So we parked and asked about validation when we entered the restaurant. Well, apparently you're supposed to ask about validation before parking I order to get validated. So somehow you leave your car in the middle of traffic and run into the busy restaurant? Service is also handled strangely. There are servers, but the menu is online. And the website isn't awesome. The server didn't mention anything about specials or menu options and my phone wasn't loading the website, so she eventually found a worn paper printout. I had mentioned it was our daughter's 9th birthday when we arrived, but service seemed uninterested enough that I didn't mention it again. That said, my daughters loved the pizza. My smash burger was dry. I wasn't asked what temperature I wanted it, so assumed that's how they're made here? Beautiful location, but a bit of a scattered experience. read more

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

We came here after landing in Kona. The view was nice and it wasn't very crowded between meal times- I'd say 3pm. They had an awesome little happy hour menu. Best $5 nachos ever. We got an amazing chicken sandwich and good burger too. The waitress did her best to help me get gluten free food. Also, parking is free for 2 hours although the parking garage is tight. I recommend. read more

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The ambiance of this place is worth going to. It sits right one the water and you can enjoy your food while the waves crash. The service we experience was very friendly but not the quickest. They weren't very busy but seemed understaffed. My wife got the teriyaki chicken and really enjoyed it. I ordered the Poke to start and it was very good, but a little lacking in flavor compared to other pokes around the island and honestly the tortilla chips are off putting and don't make sense to me as part of that app. I had the BBQ chicken pizza as my main dish and it was ok. The toppings and flavor were very good, but the crust was too thin and floppy. I had to eat it with a fork and knife and no pizza should require a fork if it's a good pizza. If the pizza crust was better I would say 5 stars, but I just can't do it. read more

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Wow, what a meal. I had the Ultimate Cheeseburger and they weren't kidding. It was cheesier than french onion soup in Wisconsin and I loved every bit of it. I also had 4 Mai Tais (2 before the burger and 2 after) and those were delicious as well. The only thing better than the food was the scenery as our seats were right on the water. If you're looking for a hearty burger with delicious flavor, this is your place. After the burger we walked over to the street fair (didn't even have to move the car and hunt for parking) and had a great afternoon. read more

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The view is great. The coconut shrimp appetizer was great. The rest not so much. Our server served people that came in after us, before us, which was fine but the bad service continued. After finally ordering we enjoyed the view and our short glasses of water and one beer were gone quickly but we were nicer offered refills. It was the worst service I've ever had. I ordered the Smashburger and it came to me on a gluten-free bun by a food runner. I told him that I did not request a gluten-free bun so he took it away. The server then came back and she tried to pass off the burger to me as-is and I again said that I wanted a regular bun. After a few minutes, they bring back the burger and it was obvious that they just removed the bun and placed a new one on because it took all the cheese and juices with it. The burger was very dry so we asked them to remake it. It was better the second time but again our waters were still empty. We asked for more tartar sauce at least three times. (The tartar is really good!) she may have been just having a bad day but she never made any apologies or even acknowledged the many missed. Wouldn't return if I saw she was serving us again. If you park in the underground parking on the same side of the street there next to it, they will validate. read more

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

This was like the best fish and chips I have ever had. The fish was mahi mahi and it was sooo good. I wish they served more. I also ordered one chicken Happy hour chicken taco and beef. I would say the beef taco was way better. The kids had a pepperoni pizza and they enjoyed it and wolfed it all down. Friendly host and waitress. Remember there is a parking lot next door. You get free parking validated by your dining experience. What is weird is that I still paid for parking and still got a ticket. read more

We loved this place so much, we ate here twice while on vacation, which is something I rarely do, because I want to check out multiple places in any city. The view, food, and service, however were unsurpassed, so we had to eat here twice. They have a bunch of stuff on tap. I tried multiple ciders and had a guava one I really loved. They have good vegetarian options too. I had veggie tacos that were delicious one night, and the veggie burger the next night. Truly though, come for the view. Earlier rather than later. Gorgeous sunsets. read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - The view is amazing - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

I really enjoyed the food and experience here! They have unique menu items and fun drinks. Our server was nice and friendly. They took us even tho it was late. I would definitely come again read more

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The staff was very friendly. We had the Caesar salad (not enough flavor for me) focaccia which had good flavor but was dripping in oil so I'd skip or ask them to go light on the topping Bolognese which was tasty I would have preferred big slices of parmigiana cheese not the finely grated stuff that comes in a jar 30 day aged ragu which was ok it was kinda like stew on noodles. Haha I would have preferred the meat have more depth of flavor like 30 day ages should Coconut cake which looked beautiful but was dry and didn't taste very coconuty. I had to come home and add coconut to help the flavor. Also had drinks the man in the grey suit and lei'd back. The ladder was better read more

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We have been to Kai many times over the past 5 years. I have always had fantastic service, our server John was great as usual. The ambiance can't be beat. The ocean and sunset are iconic. The white tablecloths elevate the space. This was our first visit with the new dinner menu. My first question was are there any of the pasta dishes with fresh made pasta. I wasn't expecting all of the dishes to be fresh pasta but I was at least hoping for one. Unfortunately there are not any. If they are not going to make fresh pasta, maybe a suggestion would be partner with Sundog or another local vendor that makes fresh pasta. The menu is large which may be too large pushing the capability and capacity of the kitchen as our meal took quite a long time. There was an issue with one of our entrees at our table but that was resolved in the best possible way so I'll leave that out of the review. Overall it was a busy night for Kai and I hope others enjoy their meals but I don't think I'll be returning to Kai for dinner service. Lunch or bar happy hour, sure! I don't think mediocre Italian dinner service is what Kona needs. I hope Kai realigns with what they are good at. read more

Food was served quickly and very tasty. I ordered the Loco Moco and it would be better to share the large portion. Choosing a beer from their 48 selections is tricky- our server offered a golden beer and it was heavenly cool for the hot afternoon. Pizza was hot!! Pepperoni only small rounded but good quality. The overlooking the bay scenery made our lunch awesome too. Not too crowded. read more

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Surface was super friendly and personable. But I would not call this an elegant environment. Cute and casual. Bar looked great and it seemed I would prefer that versus sitting down to the meal which was very expensive and the food was subpar. I had the margarita pizza and honestly, it was the worst pizza I've ever had. Stale and chewy with rotten spinach on top. My partner had the fish - Aahi which was soaked in butter and oil, but surprisingly good. Again service was great , ambience cute but probably wouldn't return based on the cost of the food and the quality. read more

We come here on a regular basis and have always been fans. Today the smash burgers were definitely not the same. It is usually a go to for me and I can tell you they changed the meat . I even took it apart to look at it as I was shocked at the change in texture and flavor. No fresh meat patty and overcooked with no flavor at all. Two frozen meat patties that they attempted to smash. Smash burgers that have fresh ground meat have irregular edges and amazing flavor which theirs use to have. They also wanted to up charge for fries when did that happen? Luckily we wanted the lemon fries anyway. Our service was great and the ube limeaide is delicious. The miniature Bloody Mary served not so much for the price. Not sure what has happened to the quality of the food and extra charges but still a great spot on the water. read more

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Came in on a Monday evening for our last meal before heading home. Sat at the bar - our fave - and were warmly greeted by the bar person. She pointed us in the direction of the menu and made sure we had drinks and utensils. G/f had the poke, I had the shrimp curry linguini. Honestly, the food was just so-so but the view and this bar person's service bumped this review to four states from three. read more

Wow! Surprised here. Didn't expect this at all. We didn't get a chance to review all the prior reviews. This place is awesome. Great service, great ambiance right next to the water and good food. Came right before closing after 8. No wait and they sat us right on the edge with the waves crashing feet away from us. I had the Mahi Mahi grilled tacos. Was not into the beans though. My daughter had the margherita pizza and couldn't finish it. No issues whatsoever. read more

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This is my first time visiting the island of Kona and I decided on Kai eats and drinks for our first dinner stop. We arrived with a party of seven and were sat immediately, although we did come quite early. It got much busier as our meal progressed. They validate parking in the garage next door which is great- although be warned it is a low garage so it was a tight squeeze for our big car. I got the veggie nacho pan with the plant based crumbles. I appreciated the variety of veggie options and it was a huge part of why we ended up picking this restaurant. The nachos were delicious and had a ton of flavor which I loved, although I wish there were a lot more plant based crumbles, especially for the price. The overall size of the nachos was great though, and I loved the green sauce on them. Multiple people I was with got the carne asada wet burrito which they said was good. One person got the bbq chicken pizza which was fantastic- I'd like to return and try their pizza myself next time. Another got the fish and chips, and one got a burger. Both also enjoyed their meals. The service was especially great in the beginning, but once it got busy it tapered off and we didn't see our server again for a while which delayed the check and no more happy hour drinks. The view is absolutely breathtaking- one of the best parts about this spot. Overall not perfect but pretty darn close. Their brunch also looks like a good time- don't be surprised if you see me back! read more

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Birthday dinner, had a great time. Food was delicious and very well served great view of the ocean loved it. read more

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I actually really like this place! Different from the other restaurants doing pizza and they do it well. I tried of course their version of Hawaiian and the brick oven puts that elevation on it. Filling and really good. The service was attentive and he was very nice as well. It's right on the water so depending on when you go you'll be eating with a great view. Even going at night, the ocean crashing against the rocks wasn't a bad thing to look at. Would definitely recommend heading over here. read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Lau Pizza, White Pizza, Coconut Shrimp, Ana's Tropical Paradise - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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If you're looking for a casual food spot this is the place for you. If you are looking for a nice or romantic dinner spot there are better places. Had made reservations for dinner with my husband but after being greeted in a not so friendly manner by the hostess and the overall vibe and decor of the restaurant, we quickly had drinks and an appetizer before going to dinner somewhere else. There are better drinks for the same price at other restaurants nearby. I will admit the coconut shrimp were really good. Didn't stick around to see how their entrees were. I think this would be a great spot if you are looking for a casual spot. read more

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first time trying their dinner, services is always quick and good. The pasta was average in my opinion and the portion for the salad was small for the price. But the cocktail was really yummy. read more

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Well we are back again! Not sure why I have not reviewed this wonderful establishment before. So to begin the view is untouchable. Right of Ali'i Dr on the water with a view to die for. If the Iron Man Swim event was on you could watch it from here. So short staffed on a Sunday and Mikella stepped up to cover the bar. Good for us! The drinks were awesome and the service wonderful! Do not leave without trying the coconut shrimp. I'm picky, they are bomb! The pizzas rick but the Low n' Slow ribs killed it. Our friends got the coconut macadamia crusted Mahi and loved. If you arrive and have a wait you will understand why. Just do it. Worth the wait. We will be back again. Aloha! read more

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

Amazing thin crust pizza and friendly service. The chocolate macadamia nut tart is very rich and they do not skimp on the macadamia. It was a bit too decadent for my taste, but overall I'd revisit to try other dishes if given the chance. Parking can be tough to find. You'll have to find a paid lot or park further away and walk over. If you go for an early dinner you can catch the sunset as you're seated near the ocean. read more

Great food, and great customer service. They were open during the storm and we were so appreciative!

We went to Christmas Dinner and it was so festive, and delicious, wonderful service.!! Special thanks to "KaiGuy" who helped with the short notice reservation!!! Aloha! read more

Great view, right on the waters edge. Casual and attentive staff, with several people checking on us throughout our meal. They have a pretty good happy hour menu, 3-5pm. Our server approached us at 2:51, told us about happy hour and offered to come back in 9 minutes, which we gladly accepted. They have a code to scan on the table, but our server offered paper menus for those who prefer. I ordered a bubba burger (mushrooms, cheese, barbecue sauce, lettuce, tomato, and onion). It was great, bursting with flavor, but so huge that it was served with a steak knife. Part way through I stopped enjoying it. Just too much of a good thing! They also have pizza, tacos, lots of burger options, and some other things like chicken breast, steak, fish, etc., along with good beer and cocktail options. We didn't have dessert but someone at a neighboring table ordered coconut cake, it looked amazing and those enjoying it raved about it. Good food and fantastic view. Go hungry and enjoy! read more

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Good food great drinks, banter and prices. Came here once and been here every day since. Bradford, the bartender was amazing. I will say come one come all and enjoy it alllll read more

Drinks were excellent, food was pretty good...but the prices....damn! $16 for an alcoholic drink, $18 for a smash burger, another $3 for fries (didn't realize they didn't come with). Ketchup on our table was spoiled. Our server was very nice though, wonderful ocean view...guess you pay for the view. read more

Came to Kai Eats & Drinks off a recommendation from a local, and it was fantastic in every way we could have imagined! Seated quickly, we were brought to a table on the far end, oceanside. For the most part, the entire restaurant is a covered outdoors, relaxed space. The bar area is more towards the interior, center area but still outdoor adjacent - you can't go wrong with any table or seat there. Our server was fabulous (and made great suggestions!), and our drinks were solid - boozy yet balanced with great flavors. Since we are margarita lovers we got the Spicy Joe, which is a jalepeño tequila drink with ginger and lemon, and the Mahalo Margarita, a well-made classic. Both were tasty but our favorite was easily the Spicy Joe. For food, we got the coconut shrimp appetizer, which comes with six shrimp, perfectly fried and full of flavor, served with a ginger-chili aioli. For entrees, we tried the soy-marinated Kai Moa Chicken Breast, with a honey-hoisin glaze, and the meatsa pizza. Everything we tried was delicious - it was hard to choose what we wanted as every item on the menu seemed tantalizing, but decisions were made and we have zero regrets. read more

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Vegans and vegetarians rejoice! You have many options at Kai Eats. We sat at the bar and Ben, the bartender was very nice and efficient. We share the lemon fries (yum! The chimichuri was everything) and I had the Mango Tango pizza. The curry sauce was a fun departure from normal red sauce. My husband had the grilled chicken and it was a huge portion. We both brought half of our meal back to our Airbnb for lunch the next day. If you're worried about the high prices in HI, share food or bring some home. The portions are normally huge. It's a wonderful spot to watch ch the sunset! Good job feeding the veg heads Kai! read more

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Kai Eats sounded great based on reviews. We started at the bar with happy hour Mai Tai and Calamari. The Mai Tai was more juice than rum. Luckily it was only $8. The fried Calamari was a bit over cooked and rubbery. We were given an amazing table with ocean view and our waitress was terrific. I had a meat ragu over papperdelle. Touted to be beef aged over 30 days. A ragu should not have chunks of stewed meat. The meat was tough and flavorless, the sauce under whelming. They have changed dinner to Italian fare so you think they would offer fresh Parmesan to top your entree. Hubby had the chicken parm. That was a slap in the face. The chicken was a perfectly square frozen cutlet about 3/8" inch thick. A very small portion of spaghetti was served alongside. We make a better parmigiana at home. Cost $34,00!!! We had the coconut cake for dessert which saved the day. I seriously can't recommend Kia Eats. I am glad we didn't make reservations at Huggo's or Lava Lava Club. Sister restaurants but more expensive. They get 3 stars for the lovely waitress and the coconut cake. Food - zero stars. Just horrible. read more

Based on reviews, we were super excited to try Kai Eats & Drinks. Found a hair in my fettuccine, which was uncovered after my husband took a bite of my food. Ordered a different kind of meal entree so I would know they didn't just recycle my food back out to me. My replacement meal came after everyone else was done eating. The waiter made no accommodations for the mishap. When the bill came he made sure I knew I wasn't being charged for the hair fettuccine, but I was being charged for the replacement meal. This was not acceptable to me. Finally got the opportunity to talk to a manager after requesting one to the waiter twice. He was much more understanding & it was agreed we would just pay for our two drinks. The food that our group ate wasn't anything special. The fish from the fish & chips was soggy, not crispy. The Alfredo sauce on my 1st meal was good, but my replacement meal was runny & the chicken was mushy. Might come back for their daytime menu, but no reason to return for the Italian dinner menu. This was unfortunate, we had such high hopes for Kai Eats due to being affiliated with Hugggos, one of our favorite places to eat. read more

We ordered the fish tacos, they were delicious. I had a delicious coconut Mai tai-excellent! Friendly staff, wonderful ambiance outdoors, we would definitely come back. Fast service too. read more

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

Parking next to restaurant (sort of under) is free (validated!). Stopped in for an early bite around 4 pm on Saturday and caught happy hour which was amazing with a toddler who likes pepperoni pizza ($5/slice). Had a couple of drinks - tried the passion fruit lemonade cider (good, not super like a cider though). Got a happy hour chicken taco and split a large order of coconut shrimp. Great service and friendly server. Loved the view and that we were quickly in and out (the speed of food was great for toddler!). read more

Kai Eats + Drinks - Happy hour chicken taco - Tacos Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Fantastic service! Joe our waiter was amazing, attentive and fun. The location has NO rival and the food has never disappointed! We were here in August and so happy to return for fantastic food! Hook, Line And Sinker - catch of the day- delicious, succulent mahi and the Mahi tacos Vera Cruz style with side of pineapple salsa were the entrees that followed the BEST coconut shrimp tacos we've ever had! We stay right across the street at a condo - so we'll be back several times!! read more

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