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Kay's Kitchen

4.2 (45 reviews)
Closed • 5:00 am - 6:00 pm

Kay's Kitchen Photos

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KAY'S KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Kay's Kitchen

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Lacey T.

Located in a rather dingy convenience store, Kay's Kitchen sure doesn't look like much. This was our first stop in Hawaii and we weren't quite sure about it judging by appearance, but we were there and we were hungry. My sister and her husband each got a plate, one with fried chicken and one with kalbi, while I ordered a container of kalua pork and cabbage. Mine was dished up immediately, while theirs took about 15 minutes to prepare. Prices were pretty decent, especially for Hawaii (and most especially compared to the other items available in the store like ice cream for $18.99, whew!). We drove to the beach and enjoyed an impromptu picnic and overall everyone was pleased. I do wish they had labels on the hot food behind glass. My sister thought she ordered the braised chicken thighs, so was surprised when her dish had fried and breaded chicken. She could have asked for clarification, so I'm not blaming Kay's entirely, but it was a little confusing. The fellow at check out was very friendly and made sure we had the utensils and napkins we needed. The menu is quite diverse, so I'm sure most anyone could find something to their liking.

Loco moco!
Todd M.

So many options. I was happy to see that they have a little bit of everything and they also have the gallon jugs of water that I like. Check them out.

Chicken Katsu Dip
Ingrid M.

Delicious plate lunch!! Chicken Katsu Dip w/ Mac salad is our go to. Always great service and plenty of food in one portion.

This is their Mini Pastele Stew
Clifton C.

When I am home in Hilo, we need to drive over to Kona to shop at Costco. We usually arrive just before lunch and I always prefer to eat before we start some marathon shopping, since we try to load up with what we need. On a recent trip this week, thanks to Yelp, I found Kay's Kitchen! Located in the Matsuyama Food Mart, Kay's serves delicious food. Breakfast, Plate Lunches, Daily Specials, sandwiches, burgers and pizza (all made to order. My partner had a Burger, which he said was the best he has had in quite awhile. Their daily special that day was Pastele Stew. This was also just about the best I have had. Prices are good, servings are huge and service is friendly. I am tempted to just drive over to the other side of the island to eat at Kay's. So much more to try! Highly recommended!

Loco moco was gigantic!
Cara C.

Unassuming and tucked into the back of a small convenience store, Kay's Kitchen has tasty Hawaiian grindz, burgers, sandwiches and freshly baked pizzas. We were hungry and passing through when we found Kay's on Yelp and decided to give it a go. There were a lot of tasty sounding options on the menu board, but we went with a large loco moco and were not disappointed! They grilled two huge hamburger patties up fresh when we ordered, along with our eggs. It came with two huge scoops of rice and all the delicious brown gravy we could have hoped for. Broke da mouth! We watched them hand stretching the pizza dough and saw some being picked up while we were there and made a mental note for future reference. I'll try the kalua pork at some point as well. The market has tons of groceries and other amenities to peruse while your food is prepared, including Hawaiian candies and snacks, treats from local bakeries, camping food, beer, fresh produce, "mainland" eggs, health foods, souvenirs and more. Lots of people were stopping by after work and after their beach trips to pick up late lunches and early dinners, as well as grab snacks for the commute home. Oh -- and the fuel outside was some of the cheapest we saw on the island! Definitely worth the stop if you're hungry or if you need to grab some essentials!

Menu 2/3/24
Tina F.

Menu as of 2/3/2024 Serving breakfast lunch and early dinner to go at the mauka matsuyama market Get the Philly Cheese steak sandwich

Panko shrimp and rice, Korean chicken, Mac salad and rice and teriyaki chicken, Korea chicken Mac salad and rice
Jodie R.

Located in a bodega and frequented by locals! We loved our lunch and it was hefty portions! 11.99 ea. friendly guy behind the counter and a fun spot.

Loco moco and fried cod.
Janet D.

Got the Loco moco and fried cod. Also did a small grocery shopping. The food was good.

Pork lime chili over rice
Sonja K.

We stoped and got much at Kay'a Kitchen today. As mentioned, it is in the back of a convenance store. It was completely delicious!! Hubbs has the Friday special which was a pork citrus chili over rice and I had the chicken thighs (I prefer dark meat) over rice. Both were really, really good!

Katsu dip and Korean chicken

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Reviews are largely positive. People mention the flavorful, fresh food, generous portions, affordable pricing, and friendly staff.

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5 years ago

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13 years ago

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10 years ago

Love the local style. The oil for the Katsu dip tasted a little burnt but beyond that it was great. Love the subs.

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12 years ago

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11 years ago

Mostly take out with few tables, but everything is always good. A great little local place.

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808 Grindz Cafe - Short rib Moco

808 Grindz Cafe

4.3(1.8k reviews)
5.2 mi
•$$

Casual, quick and delicious breakfast spot. The menu is simple but delivers. I got the traditional…read moreloco moco with two fried eggs on top. Served on a big bed of rice to soak up all the gravy goodness. Yum. They have so many loco moco variations to try. I'll have to come back. Service was friendly and fast. A great spot to grab a bite to eat to fuel your adventure for the day.

3 stars (actually 2.5) is average of 4 stars food, 1 star service…read more Loved this place under old ownership. So ono back then. Now the service here bums me out. So awkward and impersonal. The food is still ono but customer service is a clear afterthought or no thought at all. We walked in and the girl working there tells us to take menu and sit at a table. She's running around prepping and filling orders. We been there many times so we know we order at window so after sitting we walk up to window ready to order. The girl is standing right there and continues to clean utensils, moves boxes etc and finally looks at us after a couple minutes standing there and asks if we're ready to order. Yes of course we ready to order, sat at table for ten minutes with menu, stood at your window for another couple minutes. She begins to take our order and in the middle of it she stops, asks the cook to come out and finish taking our order then walks away without saying anything to us. Rude Awkward Indifference Disappointing So sad to see the culture and vibe here completely change.

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808 Grindz Cafe - Cozy dining area

Cozy dining area

808 Grindz Cafe - Spam moco

Spam moco

808 Grindz Cafe - Drinks

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Island Lava Java - LAVA JAVA BREAKFAST "island style"

Island Lava Java

4.0(3.2k reviews)
5.7 mi
•$$

It was the last day in Hawaii and I hadn't had my Loco Moco so I was on a mission to find it. I…read morecame across the spot as we were walking by. It is two stories with open views of the ocean. It has great views from both levels. They sat us upstairs, which was more quiet than the downstairs. Our server was nice and attentive. I placed an order for my Loco Moco. It is plated beautifully. It tasted really good and flavorful. It was a bit on the salty side, but it was balanced with a perfectly cooked white rice. It is a hearty meal so it was perfect for a long plane ride. They had a sign for a daily happy hour from 3:30 to 530, FYI

We were looking for a place to eat it was getting late and places were closing. We decided to dine…read morehere. I was really undecided so I asked for more time and the server came back with drink orders. I still needed sometime so he said he'd be back. 20 minutes later he finally comes by - I get he was busy but wow! I ordered the Fried Rib Ends w/ a side of White Rice. The ribs ends were decliciois! I really loved the house-made guava-lilikoi BBQ sauce as it was sweet and had a nice tang to it. It was topped with tropical salsa and served on island slaw. The slaw was crisp! The server come back once but didn't come back again just to give the check. I was truly disappointed by the service which really left a bad taste in my mouth, hence the 2 stars.

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Island Lava Java - Coffee bar

Coffee bar

Island Lava Java - DRAG IT THRU THE GARDEN SANDWICH

DRAG IT THRU THE GARDEN SANDWICH

Island Lava Java - Waffle island style

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Waffle island style

HiCO - Loaded spam musubi

HiCO

4.4(785 reviews)
5.2 mi
•$$

Whenever I'm visiting Kona, this is the first stop I make because coffee first! They have friendly…read morestaff and always good coffee! I almost always get their Ube latte. It's a strong espresso flavor but the Ube isn't overpowering but adds a nice sweetness. But if you do prefer a stronger Ube taste then this one is light, but I don't mind since Ube usually isn't strong. Love the open air cafe and the day we went there was live music too. The area it's located in is nice as well with a lot of other local restaurants surrounding it. All in all, would recommend whenever in Kona!

This location rubbed me the wrong way. Coffee is still good yes. The cashier gentleman was sweet as…read morewell. But the barista girls got attitude. I just spent $20 on 2 drinks along w/ a hat so nearly $60 total because I wanted to support. I went to the captain cook location & my drinks were made perfectly. I ordered an ube white mocha QUARTER sweet but it was way too sweet for my liking. I wasn't able to enjoy it so to make things easier, I asked for an added shot instead of inconveniencing them to completely remake. The girl had no smile & told me to wait in line to talk to the cashier. So I waited. The sweet gentleman had no problem adding a shot but after going behind the bar, the snotty girls must've told him to charge me. He came back saying I need to pay for the shot. I just wanted it less sweet. I confirmed that I asked for 1/4 sweet correct? He confirmed & I said I ordered this yesterday and it didn't taste like this. He sweetly said, would you like me to remake? I said, sure. When it came out, they completely omitted the sweet cream on top but it did taste better than the first drink, just missing the sweet cream. I've been in the service industry 25+ years, they lack the warmth I experienced at the captain cook location. By the way, CC was also a lot cleaner, not sure if it's newer. Would I come back and give them another chance? Sure, hoping their service improves.

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HiCO - Cute interior

Cute interior

HiCO - Avocado toast

Avocado toast

HiCO - Lilikoi Cheesecake Matcha (Oat Milk)

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Lilikoi Cheesecake Matcha (Oat Milk)

Pine Tree Cafe - 1/2 Fried ahi poke plate ($14.95) - requested no aioli, with Mac salad. The 1/2 plate is already a really big portion.

Pine Tree Cafe

4.1(1.4k reviews)
3.4 mi
•$$

Visited here multiple times with my family, and each time did not disappoint…read more The food is freshly made to order, with lots of flavor and very generous portions! I always leave with leftovers that I eat as a second meal or evening snack. Ive tried various menu items including their korean chicken, chicken katsu, loco moco, and fried poke bowl. Everything tasted absolutely delicious and was clearly made with fresh ingredients and Aloha. Love that their plates come with rice and a choice of salad with multiple options to pick from. It's close to the airport, walmart and Costco, so it's in a very convenient location with lots of parking. My family looks forward to coming here each time we're on the Big Island. The service is very friendly and gives off a very family-like vibe. The inside is clean, spacious, and had seating indoor and outdoor. Though very spacious, the place can get very busy during peak hours (as they should) so be prepared to wait for your freshly cooked meal. It's so worth it!! Next time, i must try their desserts. They look so good on the display.

It was an okay experience for me, but my husband didn't enjoy it at all. This was our first stop…read moreafter landing and picking up our rental car. We were starving, so we chose the closest place that looked like fast food. Unfortunately, the food took longer than we expected, longer than the worst-case scenario at a sit-down restaurant without the atmosphere to match. I appreciated that sauces were readily available, although they were taken away halfway through our meal. Perhaps the restaurant was closing early and preparing for the end of the day. The teriyaki sauce had a distinctive flavor that I didn't hate, but my husband strongly disliked it and couldn't eat anything that had touched it. He ended up eating only a small amount of the rice. :( I liked the food well enough, but the wait time was incredibly long.

Photos
Pine Tree Cafe - The self-serve drink station

The self-serve drink station

Pine Tree Cafe - Large loco moco ($19.95) - with medium eggs

Large loco moco ($19.95) - with medium eggs

Pine Tree Cafe - Ahi tuna poke bowl

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Ahi tuna poke bowl

Crave Cafe - Avo caprese toast

Crave Cafe

4.9(37 reviews)
4.9 mi
•$$
Family-owned & operated
Free parking

Today June 11 2026. My first visit to Crave Cafe. I have ordered from them but never an in person…read moreexperience. I was very happy to find an establishment very warm and open and friendly. A nice quiet place to feast but also relax and enjoy a beverage or coffee. The staff, although busy, very friendly and welcoming. My all time favorite is their Panini Caprese. So savory, so flavorful I have had it on several occasions . Highly recommend. Close your eyes and bite into the panini after dipping it in the balsamic dip or the garlic dip. Immediately you will feel like you are at a cafe in Italy maybe on the Amalfi coast. Only thing missing is the ocean breeze off the Mediterranean Sea. 10 out of 10 I also ordered an everything bagel with salmon capers and pickled onions. 9 out of 10. A Chicken panini for my wife. Very tasty. Well made. 9 out of 10. If you're in Kona and don't want a huge meal but looking for a satisfying one, stop here and grab the Caprese Panini. Kimo

We were craving something cool to offset the Kona heat. It's our first visit to Crave and since the…read morereviews were stellar we couldn't pass it up. Their store is very clean, cool, well lite and the service is excellent. We ordered a couple of Nalu bowls that are both healthy and delicious. We will definitely return to try the rest of their menu. And check out the smoothie base as it's lite blue in color.

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Crave Cafe
Crave Cafe - Caprese Avo Toast

Caprese Avo Toast

Crave Cafe - Coffee Shop sign

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Coffee Shop sign

Lyman Kona Coffee Farms

Lyman Kona Coffee Farms

4.8(5 reviews)
0.6 mi

I'll get this out of the way first- I have never been to the farm, nor to the BnB. I purchased…read moregreen coffee beans from Lyman Farms for years after searching high and low for a real farm that sold real beans, actually grown in the region. It is so hard to find reputable sources of roasted and green coffee when the name commands a premium, so I was very happy to find this farm. I was very sorry to hear the farm was sold, and sad when I roasted my final batch. I sincerely hope whoever the new owners are take care of the farm, and hopefully start selling beans again soon.

Short Review: Very intimate, robust and detailed tour of the…read morefarm, with explanations of the Kona coffee business, the history of coffee on the island, and their personal story about how they started the farm. Very amazing 90-120 minutes that you'll enjoy if you're an intellectual. This isn't the tour for you if you're looking for a quick tour and Kona coffee purchase. Also, there is a B&B on premises. Long Review: Hans and Marsha Eckert are the owners and operators of Lyman Kona Coffee. After Googling "Kona Coffee Tours" we came upon this place - and Hans opened his home and business to our tour of 5 people on an early Sunday morning. We sat out back behind the Bed & Breakfast under a covered trellis with a 180-degree view of the ocean while Hans sat us down and proceeded to give us a 45-minute lecture on his background, the coffee business and his farm. Well no wonder we felt like we were in school...turns out he's an ex-college professor with a PhD and two Master's degrees! After getting sick of not making the money he wanted as a professor, he and his wife decided to move to Hawaii and set up shop. The details of the story are absolutely fascinating, and especially Marsh's connection to the land as a 5th generation immigrant to Hawaii. After his talk, we walked over to where the he mills the coffee and he explained the whole process. Afterwards, we got to taste their coffee. Its absolutely fantastic! We purchased a half pound of it, and were on our way. Absolutely great time, especially because we got such a rich history lesson not just about coffee, but about the world and Hawaii and commerce. Highly recommend the tour. Just a note, the farm is for sale as of this writing (June 2019) so if you're looking to become a coffee grower and producer, you should call Hans. Its a great farm with thousands of coffee and fruit trees.

Photos
Lyman Kona Coffee Farms
Lyman Kona Coffee Farms

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Papa Kona Restaurant & Bar - Loco Moco

Papa Kona Restaurant & Bar

3.9(886 reviews)
5.6 mi
•$$

Make reservations especially for dinner. Ask for outdoor seating. This place is popular for the…read moresunset view from the lanai. So beautiful with the reflection off the water. The food is good too. The menu isn't overwhelming with too many choices, but the local flavors are fun and tempting to try. The Kalua Pork Sandwich was tasty- not too salty or sweet. Yummy!

Not impressed with the portion sizes or execution of the dishes. One of our party just ordered the…read morewings. He received 5 of the smaller wings I have ever seen for $20. 2 of the 5 were. Just about the size of my thumb. For reference, I wear a medium size glove. These five wings were the equivalent of two large wings. His wife ordered the sweet potato fries which actually looked good. My other friend ordered a fish sandwich. It was just a piece of grilled fish on a bun with lettuce, tomato and onion. No sauce and the fish was flavorless. I ordered the seafood pasta. The first thing I noticed was that it looked like a child's portion. The next was how many clams were in the dish. I counted 11 clams in the dish, which would have been great but 9 of 11 clams were empty! Granted, I did find a few loose in the dish but definitely not as many as were shells in my dish. In fact, I believe all the empty shells gave my dish an inflated appearance to make the portion look bigger than it was. It accounted for about 40% of the total dish by volume. The dish was Cajun style but a little on the salty side. Overall, a little disappointed, especially for $42. Finally, papa Kona passes the credit card fees to the customer! I understand a small mom & pop type operation doing this but this is a big restaurant that gets a lot of traffic. I hate that businesses think this is okay. For 50 years, businesses covered this cost and now they're passing it onto the customer. What's interesting is you see so many posts from bars and restaurants saying if you can't afford to tip, then don't go out to eat/drink. Well, likewise, if you can't afford to pay your staff a working wage and rely on the public to subsidize their pay, or can't afford credit card machines, maybe run a different business. Oh yeah, their suggested tips are factoring in the taxes. You should never tip the tax. They don't earn taxes so we shouldn't be tipping on them. This place is overpriced and with questionable business practices, I don't think I will return.

Photos
Papa Kona Restaurant & Bar - Mine Apple the best pineapple drink around!

Mine Apple the best pineapple drink around!

Papa Kona Restaurant & Bar - Holy Sh**! POKE Nachos were fantastic!! Drinks were delicious too, Insomniac & Ube Old Fashion! 10/10, great waitresses too!

Holy Sh**! POKE Nachos were fantastic!! Drinks were delicious too, Insomniac & Ube Old Fashion! 10/10, great waitresses too!

Papa Kona Restaurant & Bar - This is what the outside looks like

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This is what the outside looks like

Kay's Kitchen - breakfast_brunch - Updated November 2026

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